I watched an Elliott Nugent film yesterday — and it was a really screwy screwball comedy. And I see I have two more films by Nugent here, so here goes.

This seems like it’s more of a… comedy horror film? It starts off like a kinda-sorta serious thriller, I guess…

Well, there’s Bob Hope, so the jokes should commence soon…

Nice.

Leading lady arrived, too.

Well, this doesn’t seem to be a screwball comedy. Instead it’s, well, one of them there slightly meta comedy horror films? It’s amusing, but I haven’t laughed yet…

See? Slightly meta.

Indeed.

This is very amiable indeed, but it feels oddly padded. I mean, it’s a 75 minute long movie, so you’d expect it to zip along. And the script has good bones — everything you need for something like this, and the actors are great. But it’s like they had a finished script with lots of asterisks for “perhaps Bob can improv a gag here?” and then Bob didn’t. So you get scenes that seem to lack zip.

But people really like it:

This has always been one of my top10 favourite films, since I first saw it in 1972, at least 14 times since. Bob Hope was still a little green at this stage, but you can almost see (and hear) him coming of age in CATC, his comic delivery technique and timing noticeably improved by the end.

And I do see how this could be somebody’s favourite movie… it’s got something going on. So perhaps it’s just me…

Yes, that’s how you should look going to bed.

*gasp*

But… no. I mean, I like this movie. It’s fine. But it’s not all there. So:

The Cat and the Canary. Elliott Nugent. 1939. ⚃

So this is the second film in a series or something? It’s the first one in this box set. I should probably read these liner notes, but I never do that before watching a movie.

I’ve bought more than a few box sets over the past couple of years, but I haven’t watched any of them, because it… like… never seems to be… urgent? But I thought I should start, so here I’m attacking the 70s Rivette box set. It’s just three films, though.

That veil fashion should return, I think.

I wonder whether this is an improvised movie, like some of Rivette’s previous movies. The dialogue seems too comprehensive, but on the other hand, these are French actors.

But that’s… one of the women from Celine and Julie Go Boating, isn’t it?

Yeah, this has to be improvised… so like with Out 1, it’s probably not going anywhere, but it’s intriguing.

This is a thriller/spy story kind of thing — also like Out 1 — which lends itself naturally to people saying mysterious things to one another.

See?

That’s just how I sit! I feel seen!

It’s a hotel room with a wash basin and a bidet? Nice.

I don’t know… this one isn’t as riveting as the boat one. I mean, the goddess thing is fun and all, and the mysteries are quite mysterious… but that film was compelling in part because of the characters. And that seems a bit lacking here.

Huh, unusual way to arrange to have a light on the stairs… a kinda bulgy outgrowth of the landing into the stairwell.

The last half of this movie is fabulous. The first half is meandering in a way that’s pleasing, but not totally riveting. So:

Duelle. Jacques Rivette. 1976. ⚄

Such manly fighting.

Oh yeah, I bought a Bob Hope box set, so I thought I should start watching it finally…

This is the screwiest of screwball comedies. Martha Raye is some kind of genius.

I need some of that clay pack — it’s the way to beauty.

Tee hee.

I don’t know whether this is a “good movie”, but it’s brilliant.

And there’s dancing.

I’ve seen one movie by Elliott Nugent before, and it was also great.

I think this movie is adorable. It’s just so weird, but it zips along in the most delightful way — and it accurately predicts OnlyFans. So this is probably overstating how good it is a bit, but whatevs:

Give Me a Sailor. Elliott Nugent. 1938. ⚄