Yay to 100 blog entries! I can't believe I've done that many. I can't wait till it's fully safe to go to restaurants again and I can start working through my list.
Monday: All of Me (1984)
Roger is a Jazz playing lawyer who want to become partner. His latest task is finalizing the will of a dying millionaire named Edwina. She has been sick her whole life and is dying young. Her last wish is that her soul will be transferred into the body of a young woman. The young woman is the horse caretaker's daughter. When Roger finds out about this he has had enough. He is done dealing with crazy rich people. He wants to work real cases. Later as his boss meets with Edwina to finalize the will, he tells them as much. After he storms out Edwina dies. The ritual is performed and the young woman is ready to take the soul. But something happens and her soul ends up in Roger. His soul is still there. They have to work together to get her soul in the right body. I thought this movie was ok. Steve Martin was Roger. He is always a good comedian even when the plot calls for some weird stuff.
Tuesday: The Comic (1969)
Billy Bright is a silent film comedian. He is cocky and always lets his ego get in the way. He marries his costar. They are happy for a time despite always working. But soon he starts cheating on his wife. He also becomes a drunk. This leads to the ends of his marriage and soon his career. Into his old age he tries to get back into the movies. Even though he never made the transition to talkies. He ends up alone and nearly forgotten. This movie was ok. I didn't like the main character. He was always blaming others when things went wrong. He never took responsibility for his action. It was interesting to see Dick Van Dyke, Billy, so young. The only other movie I've seen him in as a young man is Mary Poppins.
Wednesday: Gambling Lady (1934)
Lady is the daughter of a well known gambler. He is known for being honest despite working for a gambling syndicate. Times are changing and the syndicate wants to allow cheating to win. He isn't comfortable with the cheating. He owes a lot of money and doesn't know how to support himself and his daughter so he "walks out" (which is 30's talk for killed himself). Lady takes over to pay off her bets. She is very talented at cards. While working a party she meets a rich young man named Garry. They fall in love. Lady tries to leave the syndicate to be with him, but she doesn't fit into his world. I liked this movie. You can tell this was a early sound film because the audio isn't quite right. That or it just wasn't well preserved.
Friday: Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020)
Based on the play by August Wilson this film takes place in the late 20s. A famous blues singer and her band have come to Chicago to record a album. Ma Rainey is the Mother of Blues. She is well known for being hard to work with. She is bisexual. Her band arrives at the the studio first. They try to rehearse. The cornet player, Levee, has his own ideas. He wants to be a famous cornet player with his own band. He wants the band to play his arrangement of one of the songs. They disagree knowing Ma won't like it. The band argues. Levee reveals past trauma and it gives incite into why he is the way he is. Ma arrives late. She will sing when she is ready and when all her demands are met. After several interruptions they are able to record the album. This is a good movie. It was really well done. It does feel like a play. Viola Davis played Ma and does an amazing job as always. Ma Rainey was a real singer. She was also a famous feminist of the time, but her story hasn't really been told until now. Chadwick Boseman played Levee. This was his last film. It's so sad. He was so talented. Denzel Washington produced it. He did another adaption of a August Wilson play, Fences, with Viola Davis. I read that he plans to adapt all 10 of Wilson's "Century Cycle" plays. I'm sure they will be just as good as this film and Fences. I look forward to seeing them.
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