He may not have liked it, but W.C. Fields was born in suburban Philadelphia 136 years ago today. In this classic article, writer George Allen examines the curmudgeonly comic’s screen work to see if Fields’ brand of humor still works in the 21st century.
Read more →Articles by: George D. Allen
Burt Reynolds: Overrated or Underrated?
With Burt Reynolds’ new autobiography, But Enough About Me, now out, we look back at this classic post in which MovieFanFare compadre “Movie Irv” Slifkin takes a shot at branding the charismatic actor’s 50-plus-year film career.
Read more →Nobody Does Bond Better, 003: Moore, Roger Moore
With the latest James Bond film, Spectre, now in theaters, MovieFanFare continues its retrospective of past 007s with writer George Allen’s classic salute to the ever-debonair Roger Moore, who played the superspy seven times from 1973 to 1985.
Read more →Nobody Does Bond Better, 001: The Connery Craze
With this week marking 53 years since the U.S. debut of Dr. No and the latest James Bond film, Spectre, set to open next month, we offer this classic critique by writer George Allen of the first man to play 007 on the big screen, Sean Connery.
Read more →Frida and the Art of Suffering
What can Salma Hayek and Julie Taymor’s beautiful 2002 biopic of Frida Kahlo reveal to us about the “suffering artist” cliché? A lot, as it turns out…especially if you wind up struggling to provide a decent answer to that question.
Read more →Walter Huston Meets Lon Chaney in the Kongo, West of Zanzibar
The Walter Huston film “Kongo” is the talkie remake of the silent classic “West of Zanzibar” starring the great Lon Chaney…but Huston actually played “Dead Legs” Flint first. Follow that? Check out our classic post about the two jungle thrillers and tell us which is your favorite.
Read more →A Fantastic Four Marvel Movies to Make Next
WHAT IF…you could pick the next four Marvel movies based on their popular comics characters? Face front, true believers! Check out one fan’s wish list, and tell us which of your favorite titles should get a big-screen treatment from the hugely successful studio.
Read more →Are These the Things to Come?
Does the 1936 movie made from H.G. Wells’ novel do a good job of imagining the “Things to Come”? Check this analysis of the William Cameron Menzies movie starring Raymond Massey, Ralph Richardson, and Cedric Hardwicke, and then make your own predictions.
Read more →Director’s Cuts Are All the Rage
Do some director’s cuts have “too many notes”? See if you agree with these gripes about the wrongheaded changes made to five already great movies.
Read more →Casting the Go Set a Watchman Movie
Who will play Jean Louise Finch (“Scout”) and Atticus Finch in the inevitable movie version of Harper Lee’s “new” book, Go Set a Watchman? See if you agree with these picks to play the beloved characters in a film version of the already-controversial novel.
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