Gladiatorial-trainee slave Spartacus (Kirk Douglas) inadvertently kicks off a slave rebellion when Varinia (Jean Simmons), the girl he’s fallen for, is sold to a Roman senator. Spartacus leads a growing army that eventually includes Cixus (John Ireland), David (Harold J. Stone), Antoninus (Tony Curtis) and an escaped Varinia. Their goal is to reach the coast
In 16th Century England, King Henry VIII (Robert Shaw) wants a divorce from his second wife to marry his third. Sir Thomas More (Paul Scofield), Chancellor, who found his way to go along with the first divorce, finds his Catholic faith won’t allow him to support this one. He trusts that the law, and careful
Charity Hope Valentine (Shirley MacLaine) is a naïve (really, really naïve…like pathologically…) dance hall girl who is seeking love. Her co-workers Helene and Nickie (Paula Kelly, Chita Rivera) are more realistic, dreaming only of rising a step on the economic ladder. Charity is robbed by a supposed boyfriend, and then forced to spend the night
This is one of those movies that has made its mark on modern culture while few people of recent generations have seen it. “Gaslighting” has become a verb, used normally in a political context and often dealing with feminism. Of course the terms current usage defines something quite mild compared to what happens in the
It’s back in the good old days when we still had slaves, because that was great. Scarlett O’Hara (Vivien Leigh) is an obnoxious, mentally-deficient, self-absorbed tourette-sufferer who we should love because she has a hot bod and is a bitch, which equals sexy. In their slave paradise, she’s surrounded by people like Melanie—who’s a Madonna,
Rich and imposing widower, Maxim de Winter (Laurence Olivier) quickly marries a lower class introvert (Joan Fontaine). The Second Mrs. de Winter—that’s the only name she’s given—has problems fitting in at Manderley, his ancient estate, and is constantly doubting herself, afraid that her husband can only love his dead first wife, Rebecca. Mrs. Danvers (Judith
In 1873, the Amberson’s are at the height of society. Nearly undefined daughter Isabel (Dolores Costello) is wooed by the young men of the town, in particular bland (though we’re not supposed to think he’s bland) Eugene (Joseph Cotton). Though we are told she loves him, sticking with the old ways, she marries some guy
During the Battle of the Bulge—December 1944—the 101st Airborne Division is moved to Bastogne. We follow a number of soldiers (Van Johnson, James Whitmore, Douglas Fowley, George Murphy, Herbert Anderson, Ricardo Montalban, Don Taylor, John Hodiak, Marshall Thompson) as they fight, suffer, die, and try to survive in the days they are trapped, surrounded by
We are in the far off dark land of post-war Canada, where a deaf-mute is assumed to be unable to think and feel by the primitives that live there. Enter Doctor Noble Dogoodery (Lew Ayres). He wanders about, doing good, until he meets virginal deaf-mute Belinda (Jane Wyman). She has never been taught anything in
A White ivory trader and “hunter” known as Trader Horn (Harry Carey) heads down the river with his oblivious friend Peru (Duncan Renaldo) and his loyal Black “gun bearer” to trade with the savages in the deepest part of that mysterious continent of Africa. Along the way they run into Edith Trent (Olive Carey—the star’s
Blackie (Clark Gable) is a pleasant, heroic, good guy who runs an exceptionally nice night club but is somehow thought of as scandalous. Huh. That doesn’t make sense, but onward. Blackie spends his time, when not doing the most respectable disreputable things possible, with old friend Father Mullin (Spencer Tracy). Into his club comes prissy
Terry (Marlon Brando) is a failed prize-fighter that now acts as muscle for the corrupt longshormen’s union. He’s sent by his brother, Charley (Rod Steiger), and boss, Johnny Friendly (Lee J. Cobb), to trap a squealer who is then murdered. The dead man’s sister, Edie (Eva Marie Saint), and the local priest (Karl Malden) won’t