Chip Kaufmann’s Pick:

Tower of London (1939)

Now that the bones of Richard III have been found, it’s time to rediscover this well made, non-Shakespearean version of the story. Released in 1939, this film is what used to be known as a historical melodrama. In order to sell it to the general public as a horror picture (successfully as it turned out), Universal created a fictional role for Boris Karloff. He plays Mord, a dour, clubfooted executioner who kills all of Richard’s victims for him. It would be the least sympathetic role that Karloff would ever play.

The real show here though is Basil Rathbone who was rarely given a lead role that showcased his talents as completely as Tower of London. He gets to play a wide range of emotions from fake concern to rejected lover to insidious plotter who will do anything and remove anyone to gain the throne of England. Of special note is a scene involving a drinking contest with a young Vincent Price who was 28 at the time. The rest of the supporting cast is equally fine especially Rose Hobart as Anne Neville, Miles Mander as the senile King Henry VI, and Ian Hunter as a robust and wily Edward IV. Look carefully for a young Leo G. Carroll in a small role as Lord Hastings.

Among the films many strengths, historical accuracy isn’t one of them. In addition to repeating Shakespeare’s Tudor propaganda, no attempt has been made to provide accurate costumes for the principals especially in the Battle of Bosworth Field that concludes the movie. An original score of period music by Charles Previn (father of Andre) was scrapped and already composed music from the same year’s Son of Frankenstein was excerpted and plugged in here and there.

Like so many movies from Hollywood’s Golden Age, Tower of London is worthless as history but is wonderful as solid, old fashioned entertainment. The movie is full of quotable dialogue, florid characterizations, and delicious machinations. In fact it would serve as the inspiration 10 years later for a more famous British film called Kind Hearts & Coronets. It’s available for local rental as part of The Boris Karloff Collection and comes as a single disc from Netflix.

Michelle Keenan’s Pick:

Argo (2012)

When I wrote my review for the Argo back in October, I knew Argo was an early front runner for award season, but I didn’t know how if it would stay at the head of the pack. As we put this issue to bed, Argo has taken the top honors at the Golden Globes, SAG Awards, BAFTA and more, and I’m hoping it will take Best Picture at the 85th Academy. Curiously the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences seemed to think the film directed itself and snubbed Ben Afleck for a Best Director nomination.

Argo just came out on DVD, so if you didn’t have a chance to see in the theatre before its windfall of accolades, you may want to see it now. Actor, director Ben Afleck brings the story of the covert operation to free six Americans during the 1980 Iranian Revolution to the big screen.

For those of us who remember the Iranian hostage situation that began in 1979 and ended just as Reagan took office in 1980, one would not think a big screen dramatization of the story would hold much suspense, as we all know how it ends. What we didn’t know was what was done to get them out. Afleck’s latest turn behind the camera turns the now declassified story of the extrication of six Americans, during the Iranian Hostage Crisis, to safety and home into nail biting suspenseful, crowd-pleasing entertainment.

Afleck plays Tony Mendez, a CIA agent brought in as a consultant to the government when the tensions in Iran escalate and six American Foreign Service workers take refuge with the Canadian Ambassador to Iran. Mendez has what his boss (Bryan Cranston) calls, “the best bad idea we have.” Mendez proposes that they pose as Canadian film crew for a Science Fiction movie. To lend legitimacy to the cover he enlists the help of a Hollywood makeup and special effects man (John Goodman) and a Hollywood producer (Alan Arkin). Hence “Argo” is born. Mendez (under a different name) will serve as Executive Producer in order to personally handle the extrication of the Americans.

Afleck strikes just the right balance of comedy, intensity and humanity. Actual news footage is seamlessly integrated with the production, which looks as if it was indeed shot in the 70’s. As the climax builds Afleck heaps the suspense on in layers, stopping just short of laughable. We know from the get go they make it out, so the fact Afleck manages it at all (though just barely) is a feat in and of itself, but that aforementioned balance between all elements really makes it work.

He takes liberties with the actual extrication of the Americans (it apparently wasn’t nearly as close a call as it is in the film), but it works. Political observation of the Carter administration, and the role the Middle East has come to play in our politics, is made plain, and this too works for the film.

I remember the audience applauding after the credits finished rolling; that tells you a lot. Have your own crowd pleasing night of smartly done entertainment when you rent Argo.