Broken Lullaby (1932 Ernst Lubitsch & prod)

You know that expression 'Scream if you want to go faster'? (Actually I think it's a Gerry Halliwell song title.) Well, in relation to this film, SCREAM!!

Yes, after a nicely edited montage of Paris, Armistice Day 1919, Lubitsch lets the pace drop considerably, with long, turgid, stagey sequences of dialogue; really strange considering the zip with which he made his silent films.

French Phillips Holmes (terribly wooden) travels to Germany to confess to the family of the German soldier he has killed. But when he meets Lionel Barrymore, Louise Carter and fiancee Nancy Carroll, he cannot bring himself to. Until ultimately (in the last 10 minutes) he does to the girl.

When the couple play out on a duet I wanted to hurl something at the TV.

It didn't help that Barrymore kept making me think of Mark Heap.

Lubitsch's worst film, but not all bad.

With Lucien Littlefield (good), Zasu Pitts relegated to role of maid. Written by Samson Raphaelson and Ernest Vajda from Maurice Rostand play. Photographed by Victor Milner at Paramount.

Only Angels Have Wings (1939 Howard Hawks)

According to Hawks this was based on real characters, the pilot in a little airfield and the chorus girl who falls for him, and the flyer who has to prove his bravery; even the eagle flying through the windshield actually happened during the shoot.

Good production design - the port in the opening, the airfield - attributed to art director Lionel Banks. Lovely lighting from Joe Walker. Edited by Viola Lawrence.

Classic Hawks framing evident, e.g. scene of Jean Arthur 'performing' at piano. 

Cary Grant, Thomas Mitchell, Richard Barthelmess, Rita Hayworth, Sig Ruman, Allyn Joslyn.

I tried to get on a Hawks double bill, with the Big Sleep next, but it was not to be.

Silent Witness: Season 4 (1999)

Gone Tomorrow. Writer Niall Leonard. Director Matthew Evans.

A helicopter goes down in the North Sea. Sam is called in (she's now based in London). we learn that a pan pan call is one registering an urgent issue, one down from a mayday.

It is (of course) more complicated than it appears; has something of a far-fetched ending. Somewhat clumsily directed.

With Paul Copley, Robert Pugh, Nigel Terry, Melanie Hill, Karen Henthorn.

A Kind of Justice. Writer Peter Lloyd. Director Richard Signy.

Sam is called in by a man accused of murder, Tom Georgeson - she believes him, and an unlikely friendship ensues. Turns out he's connected with the very bad Georghiou brothers, only one of whom now survives, Peter Jonfield.

Police involved - Aden Gillett, David Lyon, Patrick Cremin - may be corrupt.

Sub-story about youth sucked in to world of crime doesn't really add to it or go anywhere.

With Isobel Middleton.