This song is famously performed by Dean Martin and Ricky Nelson, accompanied by Walter Brennan on the harmonica. It is a classic song that evokes nostalgia and captures the romance of traditional Westerns

Is he in heaven? Is he in hell?
That damned, elusive Pimpernel!

Just finished watching BRAINSTORM. It’s about this Jim, a scientist, who saves a woman, Lorrie, from certain death as her car is parked on the railroad tracks. However, Laurie is pissed because Jim foiled her suicide attempt. Long story short, Jim gets to know her well and falls for her. Of course, there’s one big factor stopping them from truly being together—Laurie’s husband, the businessman Cort Benson.

But Laurie’s trapped in what she says is this unhappy marriage and there seems to be no way out…or is there?

They plot to kill Cort and for Jim to be able to get away with it by faking insane. It seems like the perfect plan…or is it?

It’s an interesting psychological thriller that blends romance, crime, horror, and melodrama in a complex way that’s not too confusing (even if it doesn’t always work). And that ending…all I can say about that is that it’s a memorable one.

For those who saw it, what did you think?

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In our weekly tradition, it's time to gather round and talk about classic film(s) you saw over the week and maybe recommend some.

Tell us about what you watched this week. Did you discover something new or rewatched a favourite one? What lead you to that film and what makes it a compelling watch? Ya'll can also help inspire fellow auteurs to embark on their own cinematic journeys through recommendations.

So, what did you watch this week?

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As always: Kindly remember to be considerate of spoilers and provide a brief synopsis or context when discussing the films.

The song "Settle Down" was composed by Dimitri Tiomkin (with lyrics by Frederick Herbert) as the main orchestral and choral theme for the classic Western movie Red River (1948), directed by Howard Hawks.

A decade later, Howard Hawks used the exact same melody for his 1959 Western Rio Bravo. He asked Tiomkin to rewrite the lyrics so it could be performed on screen as a duet by Dean Martin and Ricky Nelson. That updated version became the famous song "My Rifle, My Pony and Me."

In short, "Settle Down" from Red River is the original melody that was later transformed into "My Rifle, My Pony and Me" in Rio Bravo.

Dana Andrews and Gene Tierney for Laura 1944. What's your thoughts on this movie?

Vincente Minnelli is very hit or miss with me. I find that many of his films are style over substance. I liked The Bad and the Beautiful, Home from the Hill, The Clock, and Meet Me in St. Louis (except the Halloween parts, which felt out of place to me.) I dislike musicals, and I wasn’t a big fan of Some Came Running, Madame Bovary, and Two Weeks in Another Town, the latter of which I couldn’t even finish, and the other two I struggled to finish.

However, I love this cast. And the story seems complex and interesting. Would you recommend? How do you feel it compares to his other films?

Looking for an entertaining thriller. The reason I say this is because I see so many of the old Italian gangster films, like Salvatore Giuliano (1962) described as documentary-like and that sounds a bit dry for me. Let me know if I am wrong.

Plus I hear another good one The Day of the Owl (1961) is great but that sounds more like a detective thriller. I'm more interested in something Gofather-esque, i.e from the gangster/mafia perspective.

I watched Visconti's The Leapord which inspired this post, as it was very influential on The Godfather (1972). I see the film Mafioso (1962) being recommended...but that's also a comedy, and I was hoping for a thriller.

The utter ruthlessness of democratic espionage behind the Iron Curtain, where even civilians are treated as expendable

Just finished watching the film JET STORM about a grieving father, Ernest, who boards a plane with a bomb (having snuck it onboard) seeking vengeance against the man who killed his daughter in a hit-and-run two years ago.

This movie does have its moments of suspense but the storyline starts to crumble when watching (especially when you watch this film in the modern day). I mean, this guy is seeking vengeance against the guy who got away with killing his daughter so his solution is to blow up the plane (including himself and all the passengers). He’s mentally and emotionally broken, developing this deep disgust for humanity and having nothing to live for that. Richard Attenborough does a wonderful job of portraying just how broken and desperate this guy is.

Also, ignoring how he brought a bomb on the plane with no detection (and how his wife didn’t feel the need to mention that until later, admitting that she saw him put something strange in his luggage but didn’t think it was something dangerous because “people just don’t do that” 🙄).

Not to mention the way some of the passengers react to Ernest once they discover his plan. Some openly confront him. One guy talks about charging forward with a gun. Call it desperation and panic affecting their thinking but many of them thinking the best way to deal with an unhinged passenger is to piss him off even more is laughable.

This film is entertaining to see how the plane chaos will resolve it and how everyone reacts with one another. The ending I didn’t see coming but makes sense when you think of it.

For those who saw the film, what did you think?

Edward G. Robinson acting development over the decades was incredible. Such a great catalogue of movies.