Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth star in this 1941 black and white musical with songs by Cole Porter. You’ll Never Get Rich was nominated for two Academy Awards, both for its music. While there are no memorable songs in the film that have lasted through the years, the story is adorable and the dancing is top notch. After all, what else would you expect from an Astaire film?

Astaire plays Robert Curtis, the choreographer for a big NYC theater. Rita Hayworth is Sheila Winthrop, one of the new dancers in the group. Robert Benchley is Martin Cortland, the owner of the theater and a philanderer who buys diamond bracelets for women he wants to seduce while splurging on a back scratcher for his wife (Frieda Inescort) for their anniversary.

When Mrs. Cortland discovers her husband’s latest indiscretion, everything gets mixed up. Sheila is interested in Robert but Martin bought the bracelet for Sheila. Then his wife sees the inscription and, well, that’s where this comedy begins. Martin gets Robert to cozy up to Sheila so he can convince his wife that the bracelet is Robert’s. Robert goes along with the scheme but finds himself falling for Sheila. She is excited because she has been interested in him from the start. When Sheila realizes it is all a scam, Robert is rejected.

After a whacky encounter at Sheila’s apartment, Robert figures the best thing for him to do is to join the army. Now, if you thought the wackiness in the city was the end of all the scheming and plotting, think again. There is plenty more tomfoolery in the army. Robert’s new army friends help him woo Sheila when she is on the base visiting her old friends, one of which is Robert’s captain and hopeful fiancé of Sheila.

This all sounds confusing and complicated, but trust me, it’s not. Once you start watching all the characters fall into place, some of them literally. And there are plenty of wonderful dance sequences with Astaire and Astaire and Hayworth. Plus, the comedy will have viewers laughing out loud.

Astaire and Hayworth continued to dance together the following year in the 1942 movie You Were Never Lovlier.

You’ll Never Get Rich is a new Blu-ray release from Twilight Time. It’s enjoyable and a fun film with a cast of great characters. It is a witty, clever comedy that will leave you happy.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 20 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

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The Red Turtle is an interesting and imaginative animated film from Studio Ghibli. There is no dialogue in the film, only the story that unfolds in an enchanting way. This movie has caused a lot of buzz and was nominated for an Academy Award for ‘Best Animated Feature Film of the Year.’

The story is about a man who was shipwrecked and managed to find himself on a deserted island. All alone he attempts to survive then decides to build a raft to get back to civilization. He sets off but his raft is demolished by a large red turtle, not far from the island. Frustrated, he tries again and again. Each time the result is the same. Why is this turtle sabotaging his attempts to leave the island?

Then when he sees the turtle crawling onto the island, his irritation with it takes over and he flips it onto its back. Soon the turtle is in distress and dying. This is when the man realizes what he has done. In an attempt to save the turtle he sees its shell split down the center and then is inhabited by a woman. This fantasy continues with the two bonding and forming a life together on the island. Soon they welcome a baby boy. The three have a contented life and all is good.

But when the boy grows and discovers there is a life away from the island, his curiosity takes over. Should he leave and seek the outside world?

Besides the three humans, the other characters in the story are crabs, birds, and turtles. It is a fantasy in every sense of the word and it is endearing in its own way. Without dialogue it relies on visuals to tell the story, which is not the way of a typical film from Studio Ghibli, who brought us many memorable animated films like Howl’s Moving Castle, Ponyo, Princess Mononoke, Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and Castle in the Sky, among others.

The Red Turtle is unlike the others from the studio in that it was produced in France. Bonus features discuss this collaboration between Director Michael Dudok de Wit and Studio Ghibli. The three bonus features look at the genesis of the story and the animation. An AFI Fest Q&A with the director adds plenty of background to the film and viewers will understand much more about the making of this interesting fantasy story.

The Red Turtle is rated PG for some thematic elements and peril. It is good for family viewing, however younger viewers might be a little bored without any dialogue.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 20 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

Follow her on Twitter

James Garner stars in 36 Hours, a World War II movie with an interesting plot. Garner plays American Major Jeff Pike, only one of a few people who know the facts about the upcoming Allied invasion on Normandy. He knows where and when it will happen. He would be an asset to the Germans if captured. That thought runs through his mind when he is sent to Lisbon to get one more piece of the puzzle.

His worst fears come true and Pike is captured. He wakes up in 1950 in an American hospital in Germany after the Allies have won the war and are occupying the country. He has no recollection of the past six years.

Pike is attended to by doctor Major Walter Gerber (Rod Taylor) and nurse Anna Hedler (Eva Marie Saint). They explain that he suffered an injury and are trying to help him regain his memory. In fact it is an elaborate ruse put on by the Germans to get the information about the invasion from him. It is only one day since he was captured in Lisbon, but they have gone to great lengths to put on a show to make him believe it is 1950. They even print fake newspapers. As they gain his confidence and he begins to believe them, he does reveal the facts about the invasion. After all, it was six years ago. But it wasn’t. It hasn’t happened yet.

When Pike suddenly realizes he is being tricked, he turns the tables on the Germans and they are dumbstruck. What are the facts? Is the invasion going to happen in Normandy or Calais? He has them thinking and rethinking everything he has said.

Garner is not a novice to WW II movies, having starred in The Great Escape, The Americanization of Emily, and Up Periscope. In 36 Hours he turns in an exemplary performance as a man caught up in a psychological experiment but who is smarter than his captives.

For Rod Taylor fans it is disconcerting to see him as the enemy, although in this film he is not the bad man he seems to be. He is more interested in his medical work to heal amnesiacs than in the military aspects of his experiment he was coerced into using on Americans. Still, he is more suited to being the handsome leading man than a Nazi.

36 Hours is an interesting story with a great cast. It is available on Blu-ray from the Warner Archive Collection and can be ordered at their website or wherever Blu-rays and DVDs are sold.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 20 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

Follow her on Twitter

We all know the Peanuts gang. Good Ol’ Charlie Brown, Sally, Lucy, Linus, Peppermint Patty, the little red haired girl, Schroeder, Violet, Pigpen, and of course Snoopy have been beloved characters for over 50 years. The cable TV series on Boomerang and Cartoon Network, Peanuts, animates the comic strip. This new collection of 19 episodes, Peanuts by Schultz: Go Team, Go!, captures all the fun of the gang in mostly sports-themed and outside stories.

Little kids and adults will delight in the antics of the Peanuts gang. Whether the vignettes revolve around Charlie Brown and his frustration with kites, the gang’s baseball team, Snoopy playing Joe Cool, Snoopy becoming an attorney to represent a little rabbit, Frieda flaunting her naturally curly hair, Lucy and Charlie Brown discussing being a big sister and big brother, or other things, this group of kids never fails to entertain viewers of all ages.

“Over the years, Charles Schulz’s beloved Peanuts characters have been brought to life in so many different forms.  These cartoons are inspired by the original Peanuts newspaper comic strips and give us an opportunity to enjoy these special characters in their most authentic form,” said Mary Ellen Thomas, Vice President Family & Animation Marketing for Warner Bros. She added, “Peanuts by Schulz: Go Team Go! is a title that no Peanuts fan will want to miss. We’re delighted to offer another release of this charming series to fans.”

Over two hours of entertainment on the two discs in this new collection provide plenty of Peanuts fun, and with this gang you know there are no situations that little kids can’t see. While the set is not rated, it is suitable for all ages. And because they are all done in short vignettes, this is a great DVD to keep in the car to entertain the little ones when you’re out and about.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 20 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

Follow her on Twitter