Filmmaking sites

Alfred Grünwald (pla

• The English adaptation of the play was produced by David Belasco and opened in Atlantic City, New Jersey, in late July, 1930. It moved to New York City on 5 August 1930.
• Irene Purcell reprised her role in the play for this movie.

2) Pleasant William Haines pre-Code comedy has Haines as a playboy whothinks all women (especially wives) are cheats. When he learns hisuncle (C. Aubrey Smith) has arranged for him to meet the daughter(Irene Purcell in her stage role) of his old friend, he devises tomasquerade as a dance gigolo to prove she’s a cheat also. Haines andPurcell are a nice couple, and Haines is not a "gay" here as he is insome other talkies. And Smith is of course always good.

Charlotte Granville, Henry Armetta, Albert Conti, Maria Alba, GeorgeDavis, Lillian Bond, Yola d’Avril, Lenore Bushman, and a very young RayMilland co-star.

Haines was a major star when this slight MGM comedy was released. Itwas a big hit, ensuring that Haines remained a top box officeattraction in talkies. He was a top 10 star from 1926 (Brown ofHarvard) until 1932, when Louis B. Mayer scuttled his career. It’s ashame he’s forgotten now. William Haines was a unique talent, andterrific comic actor, and a gay icon.

Purcell is very bright and pretty (despite a lisp) and had a very minorstarring career. Seems like she should have made more films.

3) The American nephew of an English nobleman is appalled attheprospect of an arranged marriage. To prove to his uncle thatallgirls are not sweet & innocent, he disguises himself ashisintended’s paid dancing companion, to see if she’ll haveanaffair with him. To his surprise, he falls in love with her.Whenshe catches on to the trick, will she acknowledge her hiddenlove for him, or will she continue to treat him as JUSTAGIGOLO?

William Haines, always enjoyable to watch, sparks thislittlepre-Production Code comedy, in which his silly-billy anticsaretoned down a bit. He’s particularly fun in the climaxingscenesat the San Sebastian Inn, when he thinks Irene Purcellhassurrendered a wee bit too far to his charms. Miss Purcellgivesa pert performance as a spoiled young noblewoman in needoffirm handling. Wonderful old Sir C. Aubrey Smith is excellentasa crusty lord who has much to learn about modern youth,circa1931.

Haines was one of the art directors on this picture. Thefollowing year, with his dismissal from MGM, he would startanew & very successful career as a Hollywood interior decorator.

Ken Topolsky (screenplay)

The best part of this film has to do with the fantasy as it revolvesaround Marilyn Monroe. The dreams of the characters seem somehowdistant and unobtainable, just like those in reality, but when somedreams finally come true the scenes are absolutely touching. This filmis a true sleeper, lost somehow in the shuffle but well worth itsweight in gold. The story is inspirational in a softly portrayed wayshowing us that sometimes life is more than just another dream.

2) "Just a Dream" is a slow moving, soft spoken sentimental tale fromShowtimeabout one boy’s special summer and the lessons he learns. The obviousscripting, theatrical flavor, and Pollyanna attitude of the flick iseasilyoverlooked in view of its higher purpose as it spins its wistful storydelivering positive messages about life. Good old fashioned back-to-basicsfamily entertainment which should be about PG rated. (B-)

3) ****Spoilers Ahead****I watched Just a Dream last night and it was so sweet. It starts out inDayton Nevada in 1960 where 12 year old Henry Sturbuck has his first summerjob at a saloon. He’s very shy, innocent, and naive because of his strictupbringing. His dad (a doctor)and Mom (a housewife) are both really strictand in fact his mom is so prudent that she won’t even let Henry go tomovies. When Henry starts working at the bar however, everything changes.Hemeets lots of people of different races and befriends them, giving themhopeand inspiration to realize their own dreams can happen even if they feelopressed. He also learns much from them, including ways of life, cusswords,and sticking up for yourself. In particular he befriends JM, theMarylin-Monroe-obsessed-mechanic and only black man in the town who takesHenry to his first drive in movie and even teaches him how to drive. OnedayHenry learns that Marylin Monroe and Clark Gable will be in town shooting amovie called the Misfits (where his Dad will be the set doctor). Butthroughhis attempts to arrange a meeting between Marylin and JM, tragicconsequences occur. This will defintiley be a summer Henry nor anybody elsewill ever forget. It was a really good movie and all the actors did a greatjob, especially Jeremy Sumpter who played the boy Henry, he stole everyscene he was in. He’s a wonderful actor and not to mention a little cutie!The man who played JM was also a really good actor. It’s funny at someparts(Henry calling JM ‘Old Yeller’ in charades, talking about going to seePillow Talk, and just the way he looks at everything etc) and sad atothers…. ***spoiler ahead*** like when he rushes to get his father inhopes that he can help his friend that has just been shot in the saloon butfinds out that his seemingly religious Dad has really been gone not tendingto patients but cheating on his wife, the irony of everything is painful. Ireally recommend this movie, it is very sweet and there are greatperformances. 8/10

4) "Just a Dream" was an okay movie. Mainly got it because of Sumpter, butcool to see Ally Sheedy("WarGames") and Robby Benson("Beauty and theBeast") in it. The movie was good in the end, I thought maybe JM andthe mom were going to get together in the end. It was nice that JM gotto meet Marilyn Monroe, so he kind of got his wish, and it sucked theIndian guy got killed, I thought it wasn’t really needed in the film,but hey I didn’t write it, I guess they wanted more drama in the story,but they got it when the Indian guy just got killed and then Henry sawhis dad and the waitress together as went to get help. Man, I would beshocked. Wish they had that in "Local Boys"- in which the suicidal guyshould have jumped, that would have made Sumpter’s character in thatmovie more screwed up. But over all, "Just a Dream" was a worthyeffort, and you saw the rating I gave this movie! I can’t wait forSumpter’s next movie, "Cyber Seduction: His Secret Life"!

• This short film is included as an extra on the DVD for Capturing the Friedmans (2003).

I regret having seen this very short film right after having viewed"Capturing the Friedmans," the power of which completely overshadowed thecontent and intent of "Just a Clown" for me. It was, of course,completelyimpossible to see David Friedman, AKA Silly Billy, out of the context of"Capturing the Friedmans." I was a bit incredulous that Friedman’s SillyBilly act constituted the very pinnacle of the children’s party clownbusiness, though. To me his act looked the least interesting of any ofthecharacters in the film, his professional persona seeming to have been puttogether with a bunch of random stuff from joke shops and thrift stores.Then again, I’m not a 7-year-old, and maybe that’s high art to a7-year-old.I just got the impression from the film that his success is more theresultof organizational skills than creativity, and it’s certainly moreefficientto throw on a pair of oversized glasses from the dime store a secondbeforeknocking on the client’s door than to deal with wigs, makeup, etc.David’sedgier "Dr. Blood" act, which he came up with for the very practicalpurposeof keeping the slightly older kids’ families on his client list, certainlyseems more interesting, with more potential for his mass media ambitions.Anyway, David seems to know what he’s doing, and you can’t argue withsuccess.

It’s been speculated, though, that "Capturing the Friedmans" may beharmfulto David’s career, and I fear that may be true considering the light itcasts on his family background combined with the nature of David’sbusiness.Unfair, yes, but perhaps inevitable.

2) It definitely is quite the leap to go from this light-hearted documentaryshort to the shocking and groundbreaking Capturing the Friedmans, butsomehow director Andrew Jarecki did it. Just a Clown can be found on Disc2of the Capturing the Friedmans DVD. During CTF, I found it hard topictureDavid Friedman as the #1 Clown-for-Hire in New York City. He wasobviouslyangered and devastated by the events that took place in his family that Ijust didn’t see how he could set that all aside and become one of the mostsuccessful children’s entertainers around. However, after watching Just aClown, you do see what makes Mr. Friedman’s Silly Billy so successful. Hetreats his profession like an art form and as a serious business. Heentertains the kids with ease and knows what it takes to be ultrasuccessfulin that department.

It was also interesting to hear other clowns comment on the great SillyBilly and the business in general. The documentary took an even funnierandlighter turn as a lady was interviewed on what it was like to date aclown.This is truly a unique, funny, and yet serious world. Unlike CTF, thisisn’t groundbreaking material, but it does give you insight on a subjectthat you probably never really thought much about.

My IMDb Rating: 8/10.

3) By itself, I would have given the short, "Just a Clown", a rating of only6/10 but, as an appendage to the fascinating documentary, Capturing theFriedmans, this short was much more meaningful. The DVD of Capturing the Friedmans has a complete second disk of extras, allof which I watched. "Just a Clown" was only one part; it is about DavidFriedman, a member of the Friedman family in the documentary and New Yorkcity’s most prestigious clown for children’s birthday parties.

David Friedman is also a businessman, managing a whole group of birthdayclowns, as well as performing himself. "Just a Clown" gives an insightfullook into the world of party clowns.

Pierre Billon (adapt

-Can I have a trailer door key?

-What for?There's nothing to steal in here!

The new barker is actually a gangster who has double-crossed hisaccomplices and has hidden a part of loot in the trailer.He has takenrefuge in a seedy circus where a gypsy is spying on him.Besides hisangry ex-pals are not far either.

Raymond Pellegrin and a young Jeanne Moreau team up again after HenriDecoin's "Les Intrigantes" (1954).They get good support from a verygood cast which includes Mouloudji,Paul Meurisse (many people saw himin "les Diaboliques"),Howard Vernon and Jacques Dufilho.Michel Audiard,as usual,provides the movie with fine lines and Pierre Billon'sdirecting is effective.A true film noir with lots of dead bodies .

Mijanou Bardot,Brigitte's sister, plays the circus owner's daughter.

G&amp

The real ex wife of Mesrine – Sylvie Jeanjacquot – has a little part inthis story; don't miss her. I do not remember her exact character.

This movie deserved more than it really collected from the audiences.People avoided this feature. Unfortunately. Let's be fair, it is atypical french, left wing, pessimistic and nihilistic account againstpolice, power, state and anything meaning repression.

But I loved it anyway.