Drama > Mankiewicz, Joseph L. Drama

Advantages: Outstanding film with excellent Bonus Features
Disadvantages: None

...to take the part of Cleopatra she said "yes, for one million dollars"; to everyones amazement, the studio agreed. The original film budget was only $2 million but by the time the film was finished in 1963 this had soared to $35 million. It is still the most expensive film ever made in real terms (when you take inflation correction into account). Not withstanding the amazing historical story of Cleoptra's rise and fall; the film has an amazing story ...
...making their mark (or not); tempestous actors and actresses shouting at each other and anyone who disagreed with them in the offset lot. The film certainly inspired passion in everyone who was involved. The film started in Italy but was moved to England when the Rome Olmpics started to interfere with filming. Film shooting also stopped & started part-way through for eight months while Elizabeth Taylor suffered a major illness (mostly she claimed ... Read review

Advantages: Entertaining, original love story
Disadvantages: Not particularly memorable

At the turn of the twentieth century, Lucy Muir, having lost her husband a year before, decides it is time to make a new life for herself and her daughter. Renting a house by the sea, she soon settles in, despite the estate agent being convinced that the house is haunted. It soon becomes evident that the house is, indeed, haunted - by a captain, who apparently committed suicide some years before. When the captain decides to show himself to Lucy, ...
...will she stay true to the captain? Lucy Muir is played by Gene Tierney, an actress that I am not at all familiar with, although she was clearly hugely popular in the forties and fifties. Lucy is a very demure woman, who wants to be independent, but is still very aware that women of her class are usually dependent on men. This can become a little annoying at times - she overdoes the simpering and fluttering of eyelashes - but on the whole, Tierney ... Read review

Advantages: Great production and direction shown off well in this widescreen version
Disadvantages: none!

...must see. The story of Cleopatra is a great one, and this film really delivers on a great script. The chemistry sizzles between Taylor as Cleopatra and Burton as Mark Antony and there are great supporting performances by Rex Harrison as Caesar, Martin Landau, Roddy McDowell, George Cole, Francesca Annis and Michael Hordern, to name but a few. THe most expensive film ever made, at the time, I simply adore every indulgent minute of it. This particular ...
...version with an even longer director's cut, but this is quite long enough, thank you!) If you've never seen this film then I strongly recommend it. This version has a few rather dated extras but nothing worth bothering with. This DVD is worth buying though as the film is such a great visual trat having it on a great big FST on widescreen is just what it deserves! ... Read review

Advantages: An acting masterclass from two sparkling leads
Disadvantages: Poor selection of extras

30 years on and this absolute gem, from the late playwrite Anthony Shaffer, has lost none of it's sparkle. Directed by Joseph L Mankiewicz (All About Eve, Cleopatra, Guys and Dolls) 'Sleuth' wriggles loose of it's stage origins to make an extremely enjoyable and engaging movie. Shaffer already had the Hitchcock delight 'Frenzy' under his belt when he came to adapt his own stage play for the screen, and it is a thriller of twists, turns, devilish ...
...fast is a testament to Shaffers skill in crafting a story and a wonderful way with dialogue. The script bristles with delicious word play, delivered by Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine at the height of their acting powers. Mankiewicz deserves great credit in skillfully disguising the theatricals of the production. Set in practically one location, you never feel like you are watching a stage adaptation, the camera weaves in and out of the Manor ... Read review

Advantages: Can be tense, shocking and unpredictable
Disadvantages: Appears to be a typical chick-flick on the surface

My reason for purchasing Match Point in the first instance was quite simple, Jonathon Rhys Myers was in it and for me that was as good an excuse as any to buy a new film. I'm so glad however that I did buy this film because not only does Rhys Myers play a fantastic part and look extremely handsome for the main but the film has become a firm favourite of mine. Chris (Jonathon Rhys Meyers) is an Irish tennis coach who after coaching Tom, the son of ...
..."There are moments in a match when the ball hits the top of the net and for a split second it can go either forward or fall back. With a little luck it goes forward and you win. Or maybe it doesn't and you lose." This line sums up the double-edged sword that the film is, as on more than one occasion the ball may go forward and Chris may uphold the life he has dreamed of but just as easily it may fall backwards and the world he has come to love may ... Read review