Film

More than any other star, writers like to dish the dirt on Cary Grant, the lead in Affair to Remember.   At various times I have read he was flagrantly gay as he shared a house with Randolph Scott, his real name was Archie Leach, he was a Nazi spy and – unknown to him – his mother was [...]

This is the third film I have seen on the Israeli raid on Entebbe in 1976 and much the worst. The opening shot defined the film: it is of a modern dance troupe sitting in a circle singing an Israeli song when one falls from her chair. The film frequently returns to this dance troupe particularly [...]

Stefano Ursolini writes: Neil Rosen asked for my comments on this film directed by that eminent Florentine Franco Zeffirelli. It depicts his youth. He was the illegitimate son of a Florentine businessman who ran way aged 16 to join the partisans and enlisted with the Scots Guards in the difficult [...]

Many years ago I was asked to advise on a copyright issue by the widow of the comedian Freddie Frinton. Her late husband had the rights passed to her of a sketch he put on in music hall in Blackpool called Dinner for One. The film of this is played every year on German TV and other countries and is [...]

A frequent concern of Rusters and many seniors is forgetfulness. Is this just a senior moment or the first signs of dementia? On Christmas Eve I wanted to see Cast a Giant Shadow the stirring story of Micky Marcus (Kirk Douglas) who had decorated war service for the US Army afte the Normandy [...]

Everyone has their favourite actor for whatever reason and mine is Robert Mitchum. Edward G Robinson, Humphrey Bogart, Spencer Tracy might well be considered better film actors so why Mitchum? In brief, his personality. This was revealed in the BBC 2 series Talking Pictures basically archival [...]

The Diane Keaton/Woody Allen season continues at the Rosen Multiplex with Annie Hall.  I was particularly interested to see if it was now dated. It had not due to the humour of the lines and the vivacious Diana Keaton. After this film Woody Allen became more and more self-absorbed, showing his [...]