Cactus-7

This is one of Howard Hawks' best films. While ostensibly about flying the mail in South America, the picture includes a much bigger story. The characters that populate this film are wonderful and Jean Arthur is terrific. I can't imagine anyone other than Ms. Arthur in the role of Bonnie Lee. Throw in Cary Grant, Thomas Mitchell, Noah Beery, Jr. and Rita Hayworth and you know you've got a winner. This film mixes airplanes with romance, music and suspense. This is also the film from which that well-known phrase "Judy, Judy, Judy," comes which is so popular with Grant imitators. However, the line is never actually said. But, like the never uttered "Play it again, Sam," from Casablanca, it has become part of Hollywood myth. You'll enjoy this film.

This is one of my favorite films, but not because of Cagney or Morgan. Brenda Marshall is the jewel in this picture's crown. She provides the blue-jean wearing, North Country beauty in the film and drives the fly-boys crazy. Marshall, who bears a resemblance to Madolyn Smith Osborne, wants to get to the big city regardless of how she gets there. The resulting competition among pilots keeps the story line from being completely aviation oriented. This is a good look at Canadian bush aviation in the 1930's and the cast is excellent. As with all films of this period, airplanes are shown doing things that are aerodynamically impossible, but it doesn't take away from the picture. There are even early aeromedical ideas about how G-forces affect the human body. Filmed entirely on location in Canada, much of the scenery is stunningly beautiful. Canadian politics are even slipped in during graduation ceremony when Air Marshal Bishop refers to pilots from "loyal Quebec." All in all a fun film.

With The Duke and Lee Marvin, I knew that this was going to be a fun movie to watch. No disappointment there. Filled with the splendor of the South Pacific and scored with beautiful music from the islands, it will appeal to any fan of the tropics. Elizabeth Allen is stunning as the leggy Boston blue blood who arrives on the island and gets everyone stirred up. She, along with Wayne, Marvin and Jack Warden make the film funny and appealing. If you want to watch a film that does not use today's hackneyed formula of gratuitous sex, profanity, explosions and car chases, fix yourself a Mai Tai, put on your flowered shirt and watch Donovan's Reef. Aloha.