Shimen Ruskin

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Citizen Kane (1941)

BrilliantClassic

Newspaper magnate Charles Foster Kane is taken from his mother as a boy and made the ward of a rich industrialist. As a result, every well-meaning, tyrannical or self-destructive move he makes for the rest of his life appears in some way to be a reaction to that ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Orson Welles
CAST:  Joseph Cotten  •  Orson Welles  •  Agnes Moorehead  •  Ruth Warrick

Newspaper magnate Charles Foster Kane is taken from his mother as a boy and made the ward of a rich industrialist. As a result, every well-meaning, tyrannical or self-destructive move he makes for the rest of his life appears in some way to be a reaction to that ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Orson Welles
CAST:  Joseph Cotten  •  Orson Welles  •  Agnes Moorehead  •  Ruth Warrick

Body and Soul (1947)

Charley Davis, against the wishes of his mother, becomes a boxer. As he becomes more successful the fighter becomes surrounded by shady characters, including an unethical promoter named Roberts, who tempt the man with a number of vices. Charley finds himself faced ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Rossen
CAST:  John Garfield  •  Lilli Palmer  •  Hazel Brooks  •  Anne Revere

Charley Davis, against the wishes of his mother, becomes a boxer. As he becomes more successful the fighter becomes surrounded by shady characters, including an unethical promoter named Roberts, who tempt the man with a number of vices. Charley finds himself faced ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Rossen
CAST:  John Garfield  •  Lilli Palmer  •  Hazel Brooks  •  Anne Revere

Crack-Up (1946)

Art curator George Steele experiences a train wreck...which never happened. Is he cracking up, or the victim of a plot?  (more)

DIRECTION:  Irving Reis
CAST:  Pat O’Brien  •  Claire Trevor  •  Herbert Marshall  •  Ray Collins

Art curator George Steele experiences a train wreck...which never happened. Is he cracking up, or the victim of a plot?  (more)

DIRECTION:  Irving Reis
CAST:  Pat O’Brien  •  Claire Trevor  •  Herbert Marshall  •  Ray Collins

Dark Passage (1947)

A man convicted of murdering his wife escapes from prison and works with a woman to try and prove his innocence.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Delmer Daves
CAST:  Humphrey Bogart  •  Lauren Bacall  •  Bruce Bennett  •  Agnes Moorehead

A man convicted of murdering his wife escapes from prison and works with a woman to try and prove his innocence.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Delmer Daves
CAST:  Humphrey Bogart  •  Lauren Bacall  •  Bruce Bennett  •  Agnes Moorehead

Deadline at Dawn (1946)

A young Navy sailor has one night to find out why a woman was killed and he ended up with a bag of money after a drinking blackout.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Harold Clurman
CAST:  Susan Hayward  •  Paul Lukas  •  Bill Williams  •  Joseph Calleia

A young Navy sailor has one night to find out why a woman was killed and he ended up with a bag of money after a drinking blackout.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Harold Clurman
CAST:  Susan Hayward  •  Paul Lukas  •  Bill Williams  •  Joseph Calleia

Gun Crazy (1950)

Bart Tare is an ex-Army man who has a lifelong fixation with guns, he meets a kindred spirit in sharpshooter Annie Starr and goes to work at a carnival. After upsetting the carnival owner who lusts after Starr, they both get fired. Soon, on Starr's behest, they ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Joseph H. Lewis
CAST:  Peggy Cummins  •  John Dall  •  Berry Kroeger  •  Morris Carnovsky

Bart Tare is an ex-Army man who has a lifelong fixation with guns, he meets a kindred spirit in sharpshooter Annie Starr and goes to work at a carnival. After upsetting the carnival owner who lusts after Starr, they both get fired. Soon, on Starr's behest, they ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Joseph H. Lewis
CAST:  Peggy Cummins  •  John Dall  •  Berry Kroeger  •  Morris Carnovsky

Johnny O'Clock (1947)

When an employee at an illegal gambling den dies suspiciously, her sister, Nancy, looks into the situation and falls for Johnny O'Clock, a suave partner in the underground casino. Selfish and non-committal by nature, Johnny slowly begins to return Nancy's affection ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Rossen
CAST:  Dick Powell  •  Evelyn Keyes  •  Lee J. Cobb  •  Ellen Drew

When an employee at an illegal gambling den dies suspiciously, her sister, Nancy, looks into the situation and falls for Johnny O'Clock, a suave partner in the underground casino. Selfish and non-committal by nature, Johnny slowly begins to return Nancy's affection ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Robert Rossen
CAST:  Dick Powell  •  Evelyn Keyes  •  Lee J. Cobb  •  Ellen Drew

Love and Death (1975)

FunnyBrilliantCharmingClever

In czarist Russia, a neurotic soldier and his distant cousin formulate a plot to assassinate Napoleon.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Woody Allen
CAST:  Woody Allen  •  Diane Keaton  •  Georges Adet  •  Frank Adu

In czarist Russia, a neurotic soldier and his distant cousin formulate a plot to assassinate Napoleon.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Woody Allen
CAST:  Woody Allen  •  Diane Keaton  •  Georges Adet  •  Frank Adu

Murder, My Sweet (1944)

After being hired to find an ex-con's former girlfriend, Philip Marlowe is drawn into a deeply complex web of mystery and deceit.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Edward Dmytryk
CAST:  Dick Powell  •  Claire Trevor  •  Anne Shirley  •  Miles Mander

After being hired to find an ex-con's former girlfriend, Philip Marlowe is drawn into a deeply complex web of mystery and deceit.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Edward Dmytryk
CAST:  Dick Powell  •  Claire Trevor  •  Anne Shirley  •  Miles Mander

Shaft (1971)

Cool black private eye John Shaft is hired by a crime lord to find and retrieve his kidnapped daughter.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Gordon Parks
CAST:  Richard Roundtree  •  Moses Gunn  •  Charles Cioffi  •  Christopher St. John

Cool black private eye John Shaft is hired by a crime lord to find and retrieve his kidnapped daughter.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Gordon Parks
CAST:  Richard Roundtree  •  Moses Gunn  •  Charles Cioffi  •  Christopher St. John

The Mask of Diijon (1946)

A stage illusionist plots a revenge after a particularly humiliating comeback attempt.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Lew Landers
CAST:  Erich von Stroheim  •  Jeanne Bates  •  William Wright  •  Denise Vernac

A stage illusionist plots a revenge after a particularly humiliating comeback attempt.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Lew Landers
CAST:  Erich von Stroheim  •  Jeanne Bates  •  William Wright  •  Denise Vernac

The Producers (1967)

FunnyClassicEnjoyableMusical

Broadway producer, Max Bialystock and his accountant, Leo Bloom plan to make money by charming little old ladies to invest in a production many times over what it will actually cost, and then put on a sure-fire flop, so nobody will ask for their money back – and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Mel Brooks
CAST:  Gene Wilder  •  Zero Mostel  •  Kenneth Mars  •  Lee Meredith

Broadway producer, Max Bialystock and his accountant, Leo Bloom plan to make money by charming little old ladies to invest in a production many times over what it will actually cost, and then put on a sure-fire flop, so nobody will ask for their money back – and ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Mel Brooks
CAST:  Gene Wilder  •  Zero Mostel  •  Kenneth Mars  •  Lee Meredith

The Big Street (1942)

Meek busboy Little Pinks is in love with an extremely selfish showgirl who despises and uses him.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Irving Reis
CAST:  Henry Fonda  •  Lucille Ball  •  Barton MacLane  •  Eugene Pallette

Meek busboy Little Pinks is in love with an extremely selfish showgirl who despises and uses him.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Irving Reis
CAST:  Henry Fonda  •  Lucille Ball  •  Barton MacLane  •  Eugene Pallette

Dance Hall (1941)

Singer Lili Brown is attracted to dance hall manager Duke till she realizes he does that to all the girls. Nice guy Duke sets her up with composer Joe Brooks.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Irving Pichel
CAST:  Carole Landis  •  Cesar Romero  •  William Henry  •  June Storey

Singer Lili Brown is attracted to dance hall manager Duke till she realizes he does that to all the girls. Nice guy Duke sets her up with composer Joe Brooks.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Irving Pichel
CAST:  Carole Landis  •  Cesar Romero  •  William Henry  •  June Storey

From This Day Forward (1946)

A young American soldier, with an honorable discharge, returns home from World War II to his bride, whom he married after a short courtship and has not seen for several years. The two come together with many trials and tribulations in trying to preserve their ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  John Berry
CAST:  Joan Fontaine  •  Mark Stevens  •  Rosemary DeCamp  •  Harry Morgan

A young American soldier, with an honorable discharge, returns home from World War II to his bride, whom he married after a short courtship and has not seen for several years. The two come together with many trials and tribulations in trying to preserve their ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  John Berry
CAST:  Joan Fontaine  •  Mark Stevens  •  Rosemary DeCamp  •  Harry Morgan

Mr. Soft Touch (1949)

When he learns that a gangster has taken over his nightclub and murdered his partner, returning WWII hero Joe Miracle steals the money from the club's safe and hides in a settlement home, while the mob is on his tail.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henry Levin  •  Gordon Douglas
CAST:  Glenn Ford  •  Evelyn Keyes  •  John Ireland  •  Beulah Bondi

When he learns that a gangster has taken over his nightclub and murdered his partner, returning WWII hero Joe Miracle steals the money from the club's safe and hides in a settlement home, while the mob is on his tail.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Henry Levin  •  Gordon Douglas
CAST:  Glenn Ford  •  Evelyn Keyes  •  John Ireland  •  Beulah Bondi

Lady from Louisiana (1941)

Northern lawyer John Reynolds travels to New Orleans to try and clean up the local crime syndicate based around a lottery. Although he meets Julie Mirbeau and they are attracted to each other, the fact that her father heads the lottery means they end up on opposite ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Bernard Vorhaus
CAST:  John Wayne  •  Ona Munson  •  Ray Middleton  •  Henry Stephenson

Northern lawyer John Reynolds travels to New Orleans to try and clean up the local crime syndicate based around a lottery. Although he meets Julie Mirbeau and they are attracted to each other, the fact that her father heads the lottery means they end up on opposite ...  (more)

DIRECTION:  Bernard Vorhaus
CAST:  John Wayne  •  Ona Munson  •  Ray Middleton  •  Henry Stephenson

Donovan's Brain (1953)

A scientist takes the brain of dead man and revives it via electrodes as it lays suspended in a tank of liquid. Soon, the brain grows to possess enormous psychic powers and inflicts its personality upon the doctor who saved it, creating a "Jekyll and Hyde" paradigm.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Felix E. Feist
CAST:  Lew Ayres  •  Gene Evans  •  Nancy Reagan  •  Steve Brodie

A scientist takes the brain of dead man and revives it via electrodes as it lays suspended in a tank of liquid. Soon, the brain grows to possess enormous psychic powers and inflicts its personality upon the doctor who saved it, creating a "Jekyll and Hyde" paradigm.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Felix E. Feist
CAST:  Lew Ayres  •  Gene Evans  •  Nancy Reagan  •  Steve Brodie

Fiddler on the Roof (1971)

DramaticPowerfulClassicReal

In a small Jewish community in a pre-Revolutionary Russian village, a poor milkman, determined to find good husbands for his five daughters, consults the traditional matchmaker – and also has words with God.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Norman Jewison
CAST:  Norma Crane  •  Leonard Frey  •  Molly Picon  •  Topol

In a small Jewish community in a pre-Revolutionary Russian village, a poor milkman, determined to find good husbands for his five daughters, consults the traditional matchmaker – and also has words with God.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Norman Jewison
CAST:  Norma Crane  •  Leonard Frey  •  Molly Picon  •  Topol

Having Wonderful Time (1938)

Teddy Shaw, a bored New York office girl, goes to a camp in the Catskill Mountains for rest and finds Chick Kirkland.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Alfred Santell
CAST:  Ginger Rogers  •  Douglas Fairbanks Jr.  •  Peggy Conklin  •  Lucille Ball

Teddy Shaw, a bored New York office girl, goes to a camp in the Catskill Mountains for rest and finds Chick Kirkland.  (more)

DIRECTION:  Alfred Santell
CAST:  Ginger Rogers  •  Douglas Fairbanks Jr.  •  Peggy Conklin  •  Lucille Ball
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