Friday, November 23, 2007 - Cary Grant Movie Reviews--Gunga Din and Penny Serenade
Gunga Din
Before Star Wars and Narnia, there was an action movie that every boy played with his friends after school. Take Indiana Jones, mix it with Cary Grant's boyish humor, and you have it--Gunga Din. Based on Rudyard Kipling's poem, this story chronicles the adventures of three British Army officers based in India--Sgt. MacChesney, Sgt. Ballantine, and Grant's character, Sgt. Cutter.
The three, reminiscent of a British version of the Three Musketeers, are known throughout their company as daring, brave, and maybe even a bit troublesome (in a fun way, of course) young men. However, the company is about to be broken up--by a young woman. Ballantine is planning to get married, and consequently, leaving the Army. It is up to Cutter and MacChesney to prevent his leaving, and to prevent his replacement (hated by the trio) from joining them.
To make matters worse, Cutter accidentally stumbles upon a secret Indian sect that has been dormant for fifty years. Now they have risen up again, and are ready to do one thing--kill. The lives of many are in danger. It's up to these three, fun-loving soldiers and a wanna-be-solider and Indian native, Gunga Din, to disarm the enemy in the name of the Queen.
This movie is an adventure. It's also just plain fun. The three, especially Cutter, are so careless and mischievous, you have to love them! I just about died laughing when Cutter, as a distraction while Gunga Din goes to warn the Army, walks right into the sect's solemn, terrifying meeting, swaying his arms and singing about roast beef and England! There is action, but there are also plenty of light moments that make the movie both enjoyable and interesting!
Quotes from the movie:
"How can we get a nice little war going?"-- Sgt. Cutter
"You're a better man than me, Gunga Din."--Colonel Weed
Penny Serenade
This one is a bit of a change from the typical, happy-go-lucky type films Cary Grant starred in. He plays a regular guy here--same charming fellow, but with the struggles of daily life. No secret agents or ex-wives or rollicking adventure here. This is the story of a man, a woman, and their wish for a happy family.
Cary Grant and Irene Dunne team up to play Roger and Julie Adams. The film chronicles their meeting, their courtship, and their engagement and hasty marriage before Roger is transferred to Tokyo. Julie will join him when he has settled and they can afford a home on his salary as a reporter.
Roger starts off as a bit of a big shot--he's got dreams and aspirations, and he's not going to let anything get in the way of them. He loves Julie, of course, but he's perfectly content with their family as it is--just the two of them.
Thus, when Julie joins him in Japan several months later, she is a bit hesitant to reveal that she is pregnant. However, Roger is delighted--he can't wait to have "one of their own" (especially shown as he's very devoted to the Japanese children, buying them presents and teaching them American games). Tragedy strikes, however. Actually, an earthquake strikes, leaving Julie underneath a pile of rubble. She loses the baby, and it also leaves her unable to have anymore children.
Heartbroken, the couple return to America, and try to move on. Roger starts his own newspaper in a small town. Things are going well, but Julie can't help but feel something is missing--they need a child in their lives. So, to the orphanage Julie and Roger go, determined to find a curly blond haired boy of two with big blue eyes and dimples.
No child of that description is at the orphanage, and Roger is ready to go home. No sense looking at the girls, he thinks. Who wants a girl? They were positive on adopting a boy. But Julie insists that at least have a look....and look they did, right into the eyes of a beautiful, six-week old little girl.
Julie loves her already. Roger is hesitant...until she grips her finger. Maybe a girl wouldn't be that bad, he admitted. The couple take the baby home--they can have her for a one year probationary period, and if all is good then, she is theirs.
Now that they have their baby, Roger and Julie are not quite sure what to do. It's hilarious to watch them take care of the infant--Julie is overwhelmed by having to bathe and change her, she won't stop crying, and Roger *must* stick to the directions on taking care of babies he pasted to the nursery wall.
They adjust, though, and little Trina becomes a vital part of their life. She's adorable--and also daddy's little girl. But then..Roger loses his job, just as their one year probation is up. The judge will never grant them custody without an income--no matter how much they love Trina.
Warning--this is a sad one. I've told you a little about it. But I haven't even touched on some of the tragic things that happen in this movie, because I don't want to give it away...so I'll just end here with, be prepared to cry!
Quote from the movie:
"If you take her away now ... she wouldn't know what had happened to her ....We have to put up with inspections - people checking up on us to make sure we're taking care of her properly - her vaccinations, her shots, her toothbrush ... How many 'real' parents have to put up with something like that?"
Comments
Friday, November 23, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by CrossView
I completely forgot that we actually have Penny Serenade until I saw your post. And I haven't watched it!! I will have to remedy that in the next day or two...
And I had no idea about Gunga Din. It's one of my all-time favorite poems! I even posted it on my blog somewhere back there a long time ago!
Friday, November 23, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by sharla88
Ok!!! Ill have to rent the AAOL and The first one in this post it sounded good.
Im so happy you had a good T'day!!
GB~
sharla~
Saturday, November 24, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by giftedgirl
Hey!
Both those movies sound great, although I'm sure I'd cry during the second one! Of course, I cry during lots of movies, so it wouldn't surprise anybody! LOL
We're in that stage now where the leaves are *mostly* gone... but not totally. So it's not like bare, wintery trees, it's half-naked trees. LOL
Hugs,
Becca
Sunday, November 25, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by lotrsavvy
Well, I know for one movie... I can't remember the name of it, he divorced his current wife because he thought he could get together with the girl they were going to use (they were going to use a different actress, but Grant pushed them for this one), but when he saw she had a boyfriend he tried to get the directors to take her off and use a different actress, but they kept her. But yeah, there were other worse actors then.
Father Goose is sooooo funny. We bought it on dvd. :) I think it's funny how he played a lot of Americans, and no one ever thought twice about his accent. ;P
Jennifer
Monday, November 26, 2007 - from Charlotte
Posted by Anonymous
*SOB*
Monday, November 26, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by Chris
hmm...i am still wondering what i have seen him in...
Tuesday, November 27, 2007 - Untitled Comment
Posted by brownie
I love Cary Grant movies... this one is a tear jerker. I'll watch it when I'm alone some night.
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