Taken - A fast paced and successful action film set in France starring Liam Neeson - Released in 2008

There are many different types of action films, and some of them work well while others do not do as well. There is no set recipe for how a movie is to be made, or the level of action, but there are higher chances of a movie dealing well if the action is gripping, and to some extent believable. The concept of a super-hero is a different kind of movie and the same is true about a movie such as Terminator and Predator where the hero is almost like a super-hero. Taken was a movie released in 2008 that was a box office success and even inspired a sequel.
The movie was made on a budget of approx 25 million dollars and made almost 225 million dollars overall, including internationally. In that sense, the movie was a big success, but one cannot say the same about its reception from critics. The movie is fast, and as a result, you don't really need to see much of acting skills or even a lot of dialog. There is a lot of action, and it moves pretty fast, including quick scenes where one-by-one, the hero easily kills a number of opponents, only depending on luck right near the end. To some extent, the hero can catch up with quick moving cars, does not get affected by anybody attacking him, and it is to the credit of the director that the action sequences do not seem forced, no extravagant actions.

The movie primarily stars Liam Neeson as Bryan Mills, showcasing what happens when a black operative (apparently skilled in a number of weapons usage, skilled in intelligence operations, and many other dangerous skills) and now retired and working in the security business becomes a concerned father. He is divorced with his daughter living with her mother. He knows the dangers out there, and to that extent comes out as paranoid. His daughter wants to travel to France along with her friend, and he is very concerned, enough that his daughter gets disgusted. He finally agrees with some conditions, but is doing so with a reluctant mind.
And you know that with the type of movie this is, his worst fears will come true. His daughter forgets to call him when she reaches Paris, and at the airport, they meet a young man and agree to share a cab with him. The young man scouts for young girls who can be kidnapped and sold into a trafficking circuit, moving them quickly into a horrific life after drugging them. The ring is run by Albanians. Kim, Bryan's daughter, sees men kidnapping her friend and realizes that she has a very small period of time before she will also be taken. She calls her father who tells her that she will be taken, but she needs him to give him clues by describing the men who are taking her. And so it happens, and he records what she is saying as well as the words of the men who are taking her, and has a very brief conversation with one of them before the phone is cut.
Bryan quickly reaches Paris by using the plane that Kim's stepfather has access to, and starts the process of trying to find more information. He is able to find an image of Peter and chases him, in the process of which Peter dies in an accident. Bryan is taking some reluctant help from his friend in the French intelligence agency, but this friend is very reluctant to help, just providing some initial clues. The rest of the movie is a rushed affair where Bryan finds out more and also keeps on doing killing.

The Cobweb (movies released in 1955) - the scene at a posh psychiatric clinic

The Cobweb is a movie which takes place in a mental asylum and the surprising million dollar question plaguing the doctors and the inmates is around the selection of the curtains / drapes. So the entire movie revolves around the drapes and affairs of heart of people concerned with the drapes. The movie is directed by Vincente Minnelli and is based on a novel by William Gibson, and stars Richard Widmark, Gloria Grahame, Lillian Gish and Lauren Bacall.
At the opening of the movie “the trouble begins” with Steve McIver taking charge of a mental rehabilitation hospital from Dr. Douglas Deneval. Steve, young and dynamic, in his youthful exhuberance brings about new ideas to improve the lot of the patients and other inmates. His sympathies are concentrated on Steven Holt, a suicidal artist and one pathological Mr. Cabb. As Steve becomes busier in the hospital, he begins to neglect his wife Karen, cosying up to Meg Rinehart.



Now that’s what you call adjusting to local. As the movie proceeds, Steve hits upon the idea of using Steven's artistic abilities to drape the windows. But Karen already has taken the responsibility on herself to supply the curtains. And also another employee Victoria Inch who can be the female version of Scrooge McDuck orders unattractive drapes for the windows. At this point one almost start noticing the drapes of one's window and feels ashamed for the fact that not much effort has gone in to selecting them.
As the drape drama unfolds, the audience finds the supporting cast leading lives of their own, on the screen. Dr. Douglas Deneval is deeply in debt, drinks and has a side affair with his secretary. Even suicidal Steve finds love with another inmate. Now the only person unattached is Vicky Inch who is so angry about the whole drape drama that she threatens to expose Deneval and McIver in the next board meeting. Soon the whole plot is complicated by the arrival of Mrs. Deneval and by now the audience has a tough time keeping pace with the people flitting around the psychotic facility.
The climax has Karen taking the lead to install the new drapes subverting Steve's effort. Steven, mentally disturbed, becomes totally unhinged when his drapes are not put on the window. He does a bunk and a good ten minutes are spent on searching him. Steve finally arrives and in a cathartic revelation forgets about the infernal curtains. Everybody comes on board, and Vicky Inch agrees not to disclose the affairs and other going ons at the instition. The McIver's and Deneval's forget their misunderstandings and work on their marriage and forget their mistresses. Soon all is well with one question hanging around “whose drapes make it”?
One of the most confusing movies I have ever seen, The Cobweb is a crazy, bizarre mix of weird and the incongruent. This one psychiatric facility has not much difference between the doctor and the patients. Everybody moves around madly falling in and falling out of the frames. The director just does not have any clue about the story and just makes the men and women pop out of the curtains and windows.

Women's World (released in 1954) - a drama about corporate life

Women's World is a drama from the 1950's post war America where the “Wife” played the perfect hostess for furthering the husbands career. This film stars, Lauren Bacall, Clifton Webb, June Allyson, Arlene Dahl and Fred McCuray. The plot has Ernest Gifford, the eccentric owner of Gifford industries trying to pick up the most suitable candidate for the post of General Manager. Since he believes that behind every successful man, there is a entertaining hostess and support, he wants to evaluate all the potential candidates with their spouses. So he invites the men along with their wives to his vacation cottage. He also has the help of his socialite sister Evelyn, to assess the wives.
The first couple, Bill and Katie Baxter are young parents, very much in love. Katie is a homebody, cherished and very devoted to her hubby and hearth. She is a klutz, very ignorant of the social graces and with a very outdated wardrobe. Katie secretly hopes her husband is overlooked so that her family life is not disrupted. But Bill loves the thought of a promotion and sincerely hopes to make the cut.
The second couple are the not so young Elizabeth and Sidney Burns who are happily married but squabbling for attention. Liz believes that Sid being so busy would work himself to death and ruin their marriage. She asks him to give his family the first preference to his career. But Sid hopes the sophisticated and accomplished Liz would land him the job.



Carol and Jerry Talbot are the upwardly mobile couple who for all appearances are happily married. Carol being the sexy ambitious one prods Jerry shamelessly to do anything to get this promotion. Jerry is less willing and wishes to get the job for his own merit. So the wives prepare their own private hell to help their husbands. The innocent Katie and the lady like Liz hit it off and Liz even finds a wardrobe to match Katie's budget. Carol tries all trick of the trade to get Gifford's attention and this actually makes Bill and Sid see red. They try to reason with Katie and Liz who are disappointed but pitch in reluctantly to support their husbands. Amidst all the drama Carol makes a brazen effort in seducing Gifford which shames Jerry. Jerry sees her for what she is, a social hussy and asks her to leave. On the ultimate night Jerry is alone and informs Gifford about his break up. Gifford congratulates him for his good sense and awards him the promotion. The other husbands realize that their family means more to them and applaud Gifford's choice.
This movie was one of the most well received movies of 1954. It revolves around the values of post war America where the upwardly mobile middle class were part of the well oiled societal set up. Women were the gracious hostesses who supported their husbands careers. Sexy, ambitious women like Carol were disliked and not rewarded. It might look a bit sexist now, but it is true that it was the era of damsels and gentlemen. You had either Lady Liz or goody Katy to keep your job. But one has to remember that it is the 50's where women had not joined the work force in droves and feminism had not made its mark.
Lauren Bacall plays the role of the sophisticated Liz to perfection and June Allyson is great as the simple Katie Baxter. Arlene Dahl, smoulders as the sexy Carol and the men play the supporting roles to perfection. And to top it all these women had great clothes, its the icing on the cake. In-spite of some hiccups this is really an entertaining fun movie.

Mr. North (released in 1988) - A comedy starring Anjelica Huston, Anthony Edwards, Robert Mitchum and Lauren Bacall

Mr. North is the tale of a smooth charming young man who ingratiates himself with the town's rich and famous. Adopted from the book “Theophilus North” by Thornton Wilder, the screenplay was written by John Huston practically on his death bed. The movie in itself is a family affair, with direction done by Danny Huston, and the cast consisting of Angelica Huston, Allegra Huston and Virginia Madsen, Danny's would-be-wife.
Mr. North is the story of Theophilus North, who is an alumnus of Yale, looking hard for a job. He ends up in a town where the hierarchies of rich and poor is rigidly enforced. This is the place where proper diction and manners rule roost, a place more Victorian than the Victorian era. The rich are superbly so even if their source of income is pretty dubious. Theophilus North sets himself in to the society by tutoring the kids to read, directing the summer plays and teaching them to play tennis. He also gets to know the women folk who are immersed in endless kitty parties and canasta sessions. The serving class include the parlor maids, the butlers, the grooms, page boys and all the sundry who make the rich comfortable in their place.



As the class divide is rigidly enforced, the town becomes two worlds on its own, with only Mr. North subtly navigating the breach. But the rich have their fair share of troubles with migraines, lack of love, drunkenness etc plaguing them. The older rich are kept bed ridden by kids who want their money. North comes across Mitchum Bosworth who is a wealthy owner of a brewery and is kept at his death bed by his devious daughter and a doctor friend. Now North has this wonderful ability to transmit electric current through his body. So he zaps the zits of a teenager’s nose, quells the migraines and brings in the joy. He cures Bosworth of his addiction and helps the parlor maid to get her love. Soon North is the darling of the town. But wicked people who do not like the turn of events, spread rumors of him being a quack and soon he is arrested and tried for deception. But the town rallies around him to get the good old doctor out of the gaol and Bosworth makes him the director of the institute of philosophy..
Anthony Edwards plays the the role of Mr. North to perfection. He is fresh faced, clear cut and youthful and it is impossible not to like him. North has no problem solving problems and also gets the love of young Persis who is Bosworth's grand daughter. Angelica Huston has a minute role of Persis who comes out of the house just to ride her horse. The best goes to Lauren Bacall who is the Boarding house mistress who plays a wicked game at the cards and Edward Stanton, the fake British Caretaker who is actually from Chicago. Mr. North is a feel good and spiritual movie which delivers the message of goodness in people. Especially coming from the Pulitzer prize winner Thornton Wilder, it is one great outing.

Tree of Hands (released in 1989) - Starring Helen Shaver, Lauren Bacall and Peter Firth

A psychological thriller by the acclaimed Ruth Kendra is adapted for this movie starring Lauren Bacall, Helen Shaver, Malcolm Stoddard, Paul McGaunnand and Peter Firth in lead roles. Directed by Leonard Maltin, this movie deals with a mother's grief of losing a child.
Benet Archdale is an affluent single mother living in North London. Benet has a dysfunctional family with her mother being a certified schizophrenic. She is a bit wary of her mother's illness with memories of abuse fresh in her mind. In fact her mother tries to stab her with a carving knife!!!!. But soon her mother has to take care of her as, James, Benet's son succumbs to an illness, leaving her distraught and grief stricken. She is not able to function properly in-spite of her mother's best intentions and care.
On the parallel track, is Carol, a mother of seven who is a nymphomaniac with men moving in and out of her life. She is careless with her children and physically abuses each one of them. Many of them have tell tale signs of abuse with cigarette burnings and weals all over the body. Mrs. Archdale kidnaps young Jason, Carol's son to replace James's place in Benet's life. Initially she is not able to reconcile with the other boy's presence and is repulsed by the kid who is very unlike her son.



But Benet soon is horrified to learn of Jason's upbringing and the sympathy turns to affection. She notices the cigarette burns and beating marks on the young body and her indignation turns to love and caring. May be Benet sees herself in the little boy who lacks maternal love just as she did. Soon Benet becomes his mother and Jay bonds with her real well.
But the fairy tale ends there with nosy neighbors, ex-husbands and current flames trying to separate the mother and son. Benet's lover and doctor, Ian tries to reason her to return Jason to his mom. Meanwhile Jason's parents are charged with murder to complicate things. The movie is a sensitive portrayal of a grief stricken mother's action and how it snowballs in to mystery affecting an entire community. Ruth Randell is the queen of intensity and drama and the book with all its viciousness is transformed into a film. This psychological suspense thriller with the high body count leaves you shell shocked and spell bound. The beginning is rather tame, but it evolves in to a very sinister movie. The movie is also known as “Innocent victim” and it is interesting to know that the “Tree of Hands” is one of the paintings which hangs on James's bedside while he is in hospital.
The performances are extremely good and the director Giles has extracted the maximum from all the actors. Helen Shaver as Benet pulls your heart strings and Lauren Bacall shines as the mad schizophrenic mother. Rest of the actors also give a decent outcome. This movie is definitely rated for adults and if you like psychological thrillers. Tree of hands is definitely the one for you.

North West Frontier (released in 1959) - Set in turbulent times in India

North-West Frontier is a movie set in the time of the British raj in India. Starring the sophisticated Lauren Bacall and Kenneth Moore, this drama was directed by Lee Simpson and included the Bollywood actor I.S Johar. It chronicles the tensions between the Hindus and Muslims in the North western frontier province of British India, currently in Pakistan, in the year 1905.
A Hindu Maharajah From the North Western frontier province request Captain Scott to accompany his son to Hazerabad as riots have erupted in their home town. So Captain Scott safely moves the boy to the Governor's residence along with his governess, Mrs Wyatt. Now Hazerabad is also not safe and the Governor washes his hands off the young Prince. So Scott looks around for a transport to take him to Kalapur which is considered as a safe haven. He comes across “The Empress Of India”, an aging train tended lovingly by a retired Engineer, Mr. Gupta. So Gupta, Scott and the Prince Kishan leave under the cover of darkness to Kalapur, accompanied by Mrs. Wyatt, Lady Wyndham, a journalist Mr. Van Huyden and couple of other travelers. Soon the rebels get to know of the departure and the train is pursued vigorously. But Mr. Gupta smashes the train through the cantonment and soon they are on the way.



En-route they come across a refuge train which has been savagely attacked by the Muslim raiders and can rescue only a small baby. Soon a at and mouse game ensues as the train is constantly in danger of an attack. As the journey progresses, Mrs. Wyatt sees a heliograph which is the mode of communication for the attackers. The tension bounds as they know that the attack is imminent. The situation is complicated by the presence of Journalist Van Huyden. He encourages the young prince Kishan to take unwanted risks like dangling on the fly wheel etc. This arouses suspicions about his loyalties. He is many a time caught on the act by the fellow passengers. The last straw comes while on a crossing Van Huyden willingly dangers the prince's life.
Scott now convinced of Van Huyden's duplicity imprisons him in the luggage room. But the raiders destroy a viaduct and shoot Mr. Gupta. In this thrilling and beautifully shot sequence Scott drives the Train through he broken section as the Raiders try to fight them. Van Huyden also escapes and with a machine gun holds the passengers hostage. He is unable to kill the prince as he is outside the engine room. Scott soon arrives to grapple with the villain, whois killed by the spunky Mrs. Wyatt. Soon battered but not lost the engine reaches Kalapur safely and the Prince is handed over.
The movie is well shot even though the Spanish mountains had doubled for the North Western Frontier panorama. The technological innovation and the special effects did make an effect even though we in the age of “Avatar” it might seem a bit primitive. The performances are great with the undercurrent of romance between the brave captain and the spunky Mrs. Wyatt captivating. A good movie comes highly recommended.

Written On The Wind (released in 1956) - Starring Rock Hudson, Lauren Bacall, Robert Stack and Dorothy Malone

"Written On The Wind" is a drama from the director, Douglas Sirk's stable. It stars his favorite, Rock Hudson along with Lauren Bacall, Dorothy Malone and Robert Stack. Based on Robert Wolderman's novel of the same name, it is said to be based on the life of playboy Tobacco Heir, Zachary Smith Reynolds. A tale of love, money and greed, it has all the ingredients of a potboiler.
Texas oil baron, Jasper Hadley, is a great success with his business, but his children have totally disappointed him. Plagued with their childhood experiences, Kyle and Marylee are dysfunctional and spoilt. With money power, Marylee seduces every one and is a total alcoholic. Kyle is a womanizer and is heavily drowning in spirits. Kyle finds love in Lucy Moore, a simple executive secretary and marries her after a whirlwind courtship. She is a calming influence in his life and things start looking up for the Hadleys. But alcoholism has made Kyle incapable of fathering a child and this drives him to depression. Jasper Hadley does not make things easier with his high expectations and low appreciation. Kyle is driven by the bottle and starts physically abusing Lucy.



Mitch Reynolds is a geologist in Hadley's oil business. Marylee loves Mitch and even Jasper finds a surrogate capable son that he always wanted. But Mitch loves Lucy, and even if it is a one sided affair, Kyle becomes suspicious of Lucy's fidelity. Jealousy rips the couple apart and physical abuse becomes the norm of the day. Lucy becomes miraculously pregnant but this drives Kyle in to a rage as he suspects the child to be Mitch's. As the result of the push Lucy looses the baby and breaks ties with her husband. Mitch vows to leave town with her as soon as she is well enough. A jealous Kyle tries to shoot Mitch. Marylee tries to reason with him and Kyle is shot fatally in the melee. .
Marylee threatens to implicate Mitch for the murder if he does not return her love. Mitch refuses to be seduced or threatened and stand by Lucy. Marylee implicates him for the murder at the inquest and soon realizes that love can never be won sadistically. She changes her statement and allows Mitch and Lucy to depart to another life. She is left alone to mourn her brother and handle the reins of the company.
The movie is a typical potboiler with lot of sexist elements woven in to it. Sometimes it surprises me, how Mitch could just be with the goody two shoes Lucy who is boring compared to the smouldering Marylee. Dorothy Malone who plays Marylee does a un-paralled act which ultimately won her an Oscar. Stack also performs admirably and is said to have been ignored by the award company under pressure from 20th Century Fox. The movie also had a great outing at the box of ice even if the critics had not favored it much.
But still there is something missing from the whole story, and that being the repetitive story line. How often we have been fed with the spoilt rich kid against the nice poor guys saga? The women are never strong; with poor whimpering Lucy getting all the sympathy and Marylee being torn to pieces because she gets what she wants. The lack of originality is the film's death knell as it cannot stand scrutiny with the passage of time. If one has time on their hands and nothing much to look up to, then try a watch. Not highly recommended though.