Regarding Olivia's sister, Joan Fontaine, she also starred in two du Maurier stories, playing a shy girl in Rebecca, and playing a spirited lady of the court in Frenchman's Creek.

I love most of this movie. Until the end. I’ll admit that I want to see a HEA which we’re just not going to get with this book or film. Bummer.

This last movie was costing $100 for a video copy, and thankfully is now on DVD.

And is there someone in the know who can ‘splain to me why some of these classics or even more recent movies aren’t out on DVD?

I live in a country where the vast majority of films are dubbed, so dubbing doesn’t bother me.

I like the part when she bites him. :)

This is wildly off-topic but can I recommend Outlander with Jim Caviezel for a

film that wouldn't initially be thought of as a romance

? It’s Histrocial SF, with Vikings and a man-eating space monster. The romance is understated but I think it’s sweet. I just watched it for the first time this weekend and I really enjoyed it.

Caveat: altho the gore was a little over the top for me at certain points.

Woot! And here I was trying to dig up my video copy of “It Started with Eve” to do a musical review. Hmmm, must come up with something else that won't make Maili twitch…..

Okay, but really, am I the only one who thinks making Maili twitch is kinda fun?

Um, there are Scottish themed movies . . . .

The other week, I tried to write a review of Singin' in the Rain (I admitted not seen this film and had no desire to try, and Jane & the others on Twitter threatened to disown me, so I watched it), but I ended up ranting about musicals.

I’ve never seen this one either. Debby Reynolds is just too perky for me. Makes my teeth hurt.

I will review any film of your choice if you're willing to review musicals, epics, westerns and your favourites.

Deal. How about another film that wouldn’t initially be thought of as a romance? You seem to have a knack for unearthing these.

And here I was trying to dig up my video copy of “It Started with Eve” to do a musical review. Hmmm, must come up with something else that won't make Maili twitch…..

Noooo! (clings) Please review it. That way I don’t have to review musicals. I was hoping to leave that sort to you. The other week, I tried to write a review of Singin’ in the Rain (I admitted not seen this film and had no desire to try, and Jane & the others on Twitter threatened to disown me, so I watched it), but I ended up ranting about musicals.

I will review any film of your choice if you’re willing to review musicals, epics, westerns, swashbucklers, and your favourites.

With that in mind, my taste can be dull and predictable

HA! This from the woman who gave us half of the “Slither” review.

You really must do a reviews of more of the buckle and swash films. :-)

Agreed! Jayne did an awesome job.

I don’t feel affectionate towards almost all films mentioned in this thread as many do, because my aunt, our regular babysitter, was a film fanatic. We watched her favourite types of films too many times.

I think we watched The King and I at least twenty times. I’m too traumatised to remember how many times we watched Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Ben Hur, Samson and Delilah, Doctor Zhivago (when I hear Lara’s Theme, I feel suicidal), The Greatest Story Ever Told, Roman Holiday, Summer Holiday (Cliff Richard), Calamity Jane and swashbucklers.

The only films that survived the hell of repeated viewings are The Ugly Dachshund and a couple of Fred Astaire films. I can watch these without my eye twitching like crazy.

Because of that, I still avoid and dislike westerns (apart from A Duel in the Sun), epics, war drama (show me Reach for the Sky or The Best Years of Our Lives one more time, I’ll slap you silly), and films like My Friend Flicka (“Flicka! Look! It’s Flicka! Oh, Flicka! OH, FLICKA! FLICKA! FLICKA!FLICKA!FLICKA!) with thousands of burning stars.

Her devotion also gave me somewhat an allergy to Hollywood/British/Indian song-and-dance films, and any musical films that feature Deanna Durbin, Mario Lanza, Gene Kelly, Judy Garland or Irene Dunne(my aunt was a huge fan of these stars).

But it wasn’t all bad; I’m grateful to her for introducing me to screwball-like comedies, such as My Man Godfrey, It Happened One Night, His Girl Friday, The Lady Eve, some Doris Day films, and directors like Thorold Dickinson, Alexander Mackendrick, Preston Sturges, and Powell & Pressburger.

Regarding old films, I’m tend to be drawn to drama (Crossfire, The Gentleman’s Agreement, Sweet Smell of Success and Yield to the Night); mystery/noir (Strangers on the Train, The Lady Vanishes, and Gaslight); black comedy (The Horse’s Mouth, Passport to Pimicio, One of Our Dinosaurs is Missing, and some Ealing comedies), and foreign films.

With that in mind, my taste can be dull and predictable that can cause me to avoid swashbucklers and the like, which is why I’m very grateful for Jayne’s fantastic reviews.

Thank you, Jayne. :)

Try Jason and the Argonauts.

Oh, I have. Not too bad, but not one of my favorites. And it bugs me that they don’t actually resolve any of the stuff they’re supposed to from the beginning. Jason doesn’t face off his uncle, etc. I mean, I get why, the myth does go way downhill after they get the fleece, but it was old skool Hollywood, why didn’t they just re-write it for the happy ending?

Try Jason and the Argonauts.

Except for a bad case of stupid in the last 10 minutes, it’s very very good. Ray Harryhausen is in top form. The actors are all passable. The story isn’t too mangled.

True, Jason does just stand and stare at the skeleton army coming out of the ground when he should run. But the fight scene that follows is completely amazing.

Is it out on DVD? Must look for it.

Not that me and my mom have been able to discover. We found some bootlegs kicking around the internets but you have to dig for them. It should be, though, dammit!

You really must do a reviews of more of the buckle and swash films. :-)

<

I plan to. I had no idea I'd get this kind of response to this film!

Has anyone else ever seen The Last Days of Pompeii TV mini-series from the 70s? Lydon the Gladiator. Mm mm. That man was a stone cold fox… Sorry, what were we talking about? :)

To bring things full circle:

The actor who played Lydon was Duncan Regehr, who also was cast as Errol Flynn in the mid-eighties in My Wicked, Wicked Ways, a film based on Flynn’s life.

Has anyone else ever seen The Last Days of Pompeii TV mini-series from the 70s? Lydon the Gladiator. Mm mm. That man was a stone cold fox… Sorry, what were we talking about? :)

Oh, yes, yes yes! I was telling my daughters about this when they were compulsively watching Rome on HBO. Is it out on DVD? Must look for it.

@ Kathleen MacIver and Moth

The Swamp Fox TV series, recorded on VHS, with a young Leslie Nealson before he turned to comedy. (Not so old, either.)

Funny you should mention this, because I woke up this morning with the Swamp Fox theme running through my head. Talk about ear-worms. Swamp Fox, Swamp Fox, riding through the glen….. I had forgotten that it was Leslie Nielson, not exactly a good physical match for the real Francis Marion!

@ ReacherFan

Oh yes – and never forget Yul Brenner as none other than John Lafitte in The Buccaneer!!!!!!! and yes, that's Charlton Heston done up with gray hair to be Andrew Jackson.

You mentioned the awesomness that was Charlton Heston, but failed to mention that this movie is worth watching just to see Yul Brynner in a wig, a truly memorable sight.

And, speaking of Charlton Heston, how about El Cid for Medieval romance with the gorgeous Sophia Loren? Tragic ending, but still.

And Errol.. can not get a better example of the stereotypical Aussie bloke.. right down to the self destruction. :(
He certainly had “something” on the screen.

And it is soo not an aging thing, I am clinging to my twenties, and watched a lot of the movies mentioned here, as well as all the atrocious musicals ever made, with my nan as a kid. A lot of the movies from then remain my favourites today inc. Captain Blood.
Errol and Jimmy Stewart also remain as my two favourite male actors.

Thank-you so much for this review!
And for introducing me to Sabatini – will definitely have to give some of his work a shot.