Whistling in the Dark

Directed By: S. Sylvan Simon
Written By: Robert MacGunigle, Harry Clork and Albert Mannheimer
Starring: Red Skelton, Conrad Veidt and Ann Rutherford

MY RATING: B +

A great way to mix comedy with mystery!

Whistling in the Dark begins by introducing us to members of the Silver Haven cult group.  Their mission is to con rich people out of their money.  One woman in particular has left her inheritance to the Silver Haven but they can only receive it once her living heir dies.  Leader Joseph Jones (Conrad Veidt) decides to have the woman's heir murdered to speed up the process.  Who better to enlist  than a popular radio crime solver named Wally Benton a.k.a. "The Fox" (Red Skelton)?  Jones kidnaps him to have him devise a murder plot and for extra insurance he also kidnaps The Fox's fiance and friend.  Now Wally (Skelton) has to figure out how to escape and save everyone involved. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this classic!  It certainly was more of a comedy but I can see why Red Skelton was one of the comedic geniuses of his time.  I laughed out loud many times and it's hard for jokes to grow with the times.  Red Skelton delivered some hilarious lines though!  Also Conrad Veidt was perfect as the creepy, vindictive cult leader.  There's a line in the movie where Joseph Jones tells "The Fox," "Remember you only have to kill one person to save three." Perfect!  That sums up the stress thrust upon Red Skelton's character and the tension that builds throughout the movie.  Not to worry, there's plenty of comic relief. 
I also loved the integration of the radio programming with the story.  I'm always fascinated with how radio shows were the only form of entertainment back then and this film definitely gave a window into that world.
The set for the Silver Haven mansion wrapped the story up in the cold, haunting background it needed. 
As a classic this one definitely holds up!  I thought it was resolved a little too easily but that tends to be the case for a lot of films of it's time.  They only had an hour and 18 minutes to tell a story, not the 2 plus hours used today. 
But overall less can be more.  Whistling in the Dark ... very entertaining!

I'd say definitely check this one out!

Bridesmaids

Directed By: Paul Feig
Written By: Kristen Wiig & Annie Mumolo
Starring: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Ellen Kemper
Rated: R

MY RATING: B +

A hysterical new comedy from the female perspective that can rumble with the big boys!

Bridesmaids is about two childhood best friends, Annie (Kristen Wiig) and Lillian (Maya Rudolph) who have been through everything together.  However, Annie is struggling with her love life and life in general while things seem to be running smoothly for Lillian.  Just as Annie relies on the fact that she'll always have her best friend, Lillian breaks the news that her boyfriend has proposed and they're now going to be planning her wedding.  Naturally Annie is asked to be the Maid of Honor and she's then introduced to an interesting bunch of ladies who will serve as the bridesmaids.  One in particular - the beautiful, well-off Helen (Rose Byrne), is trying to steal the spotlight and make Annie's life miserable.  Though way out of her league, Annie is determined to show Lillian just how much her friendship and wedding mean to her. 

Let me say I can't remember the last time I laughed so hard during a movie.  At one point I was in tears thanks to the talented Melissa McCarthy who did a splendid job as the rough around the edges, brash, soon-to-be sister-in-law, Megan.  I know this was supposed to be Kristen Wiig's film, serving as writer, co-producer and main character but I'm sorry Melissa McCarthy stole the show.  Every time she was on screen she dominated but that is also a credit to the script.  She could not have accomplished the humor without the lines on the page.  For the most part I thought the script was pretty darn good.  Loved the dialogue!  What grabbed me the most was the realism.  When you wished a character would say something in a scene, they actually did.  That was gratifying.  They also tackled vulgar humor in a tasteful way.  Of course there were things added in for comic value that I felt could've been eliminated and the story got off to a slow start.  This is one of those films where you know the premise ahead of time so you're ready to just get to it and it takes a tick to get there.  I also wasn't quite in love with the pacing.  Scenes of absolute hilarity are followed by more serious, heartfelt moments and it didn't always make for a smooth ride.  The jokes outweigh anything else though and if laughter is what you're looking for then this is the film to see.  All in all I was pleased and it lived up to the hype. 

So I say this one is definitely worth seeing for some good laughs!