The Movies | JaysClassicMovieBlog

189. SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS, 1961

A searing exploration of sexual awakening and repression, and their emotional cost "Splendor in the Grass" Some films cut so deeply into human and emotional truths that they remain ageless, and “Splendor in the Grass” is one. Its hidden depths struck me powerfully when I first saw it decades ago and continue to resonate with every viewing. Astute direction, gorgeous production design, a poignantly explosive script, and electrifying performances made this film a box-office se

2 days ago17 min read

188. 12 ANGRY MEN, 1957

An explosive drama of twelve men, one life, and the human conscience "12 Angry Men" If you think great movies require spectacular scenery, nonlinear storytelling, or big action sequences, think again. For this week’s blistering cinematic masterpiece proves the opposite. A courtroom drama that doesn’t take place in a courtroom, “12 Angry Men” is set almost entirely in a single room unfolding in real time, forgoing spectacle in favor of relentless, start to finish edge-of-you

Feb 1718 min read

Actor Robert Duvall has died at the age of 95

Robert Duvall One of the great actors of the 1970s and beyond, Robert Duvall died yesterday at the age of 95. Beginning his film and television career in 1960, he rose by the 1970s to become one of Hollywood’s most respected and quietly powerful performers, leaving an indelible mark in roughly 145 films and TV shows. His remarkable body of work includes classics like "The Godfather" , "The Godfather Part II" , "Apocalypse Now" , “Network" , "Tender Mercies" , “MASH" , "Sling

Feb 161 min read

Bud Cort has died today at the age of 77

Bud Cort Very sad news that actor Bud Cort has died today at the age of 77. He rose to fame in 1970 with appearances in the movies "MASH" , "Brewster McCloud" , and most famously, one of my favorite films, "Harold and Maude" , in which he gave a profoundly iconic performance, rich with nuanced vulnerability, as an eccentric man obsessed with death. Cort's other 82 film and TV credits include roles in "The Life Aquatic with Steve Ziddou" , "Coyote Ugly" , "Arrested Developmen

Feb 111 min read

187. LIBELED LADY, 1936

A jubilant, star-powered screwball classic "Libeled Lady" This week’s joyous classic, “Libeled Lady” , aligns a constellation of four legendary stars — Jean Harlow , William Powell , Myrna Loy , and Spencer Tracy — to create a jubilant supernova of wit, glamour, and star power. The result? One of the year's biggest box-office hits and one of the sharpest and best comedies of the entire 1930s. Smart, spirited, and gloriously fast-talking, this sublime screwball romp was tailo

Jan 2717 min read

186. LAURA, 1944

A haunting portrait of obsession and murder "Laura" Hypnotic and unforgettable, “Laura” , stands among the most mesmerizing movie mysteries ever made. Brimming with surprise twists, sharp wit, offbeat romance, sumptuous visuals, haunting music, and electric performances, it’s pure cinematic magic. Nominated for five Academy Awards (and winner of one), it launched many giant film careers both in front and behind the camera, and the American Film Institute (AFI) named it the 4t

Jan 618 min read

185. DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY, 1934

A sumptuously poetic and spellbinding supernatural fantasy "Death Takes a Holiday" With the holidays upon us, I’m spotlighting a film I’ve long loved — not a seasonal one, but a story about a most unusual holiday. It’s the mesmerizing Pre-Code fantasy, “Death Takes a Holiday” . A major hit upon its release but now largely forgotten, this soulful treasure explores love, death, and what it truly means to live — perfect inspiration for starting a new year with a fresh perspectiv

Dec 16, 202516 min read

184. BREATHLESS, 1960

The electrifying trailblazer that revolutionized cinema "Breathless" Only a handful of films have reshaped the course of cinema, and “Breathless” is one of them. Exploding onto screens like cinematic dynamite, it shattered countless filmmaking conventions with an impact so profound, it transformed movies — inspiring directors around the world to see and make films in entirely new ways. Dripping with style and energy, it remains modern and timeless after more than sixty-five

Nov 25, 202519 min read

183. BABY FACE, 1933

A shockwave in Pre-Code cinema that still packs a punch "Baby Face" Sex, adultery, exploitation, suicide, murder — nothing's off-limits in “Baby Face" . This unflinching drama helped trigger the strict enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code (a censoring of Hollywood movies), and nearly a century later, remains as bold, shocking, and riveting as ever. Prepare yourself for a fearlessly unforgettable ride through one of cinema’s most uncompromising classics. "Baby Fac

Nov 4, 202516 min read

Actress June Lockhart has died at the age of 100

June Lockhart TV and film star June Lockhart passed away yesterday at the age of 100. The Emmy nominated, Tony Award winning actress became a household name playing two of television’s most beloved mothers — “Ruth Martin” on “Lassie” from 1958 to 1964, and “Maureen Robinson” on all three seasons of the 1960s sci-fi classic “Lost in Space” . The daughter of movie stars Gene and Kathleen Lockhart , she made her screen debut at the age of twelve in 1938’s “A Christmas Carol”

Oct 26, 20251 min read

182. THE BAD SEED, 1956

An unforgettably chilling and intensely fun study of evil "The Bad Seed" Pretty eight year old “Rhoda” has blonde pigtails, wears tutu-type dresses, can do a perfect curtsy, and happily skips about in tap shoes. But there’s something off about her, and it’s enough to give her mother a nervous breakdown in this week’s electrifying emotional thriller, “The Bad Seed” . Nominated for four Academy Awards, it was Warner Brothers' second highest grossing film of 1957, and watching i

Oct 14, 202518 min read