Quote:
Sam and Felix are art thieves. Sam has just stolen a picture from a museum in Italy, but told Felix that it was lost in a boat accident. He wants copies made to sell while he will sell the original and get paid both ways. To find an artist, they pick the young, beautiful, naive Anna. When Anna has doubts, Sam strings her along and then marries her and go to Sicily on their honeymoon. Anna finds out that Sam is a thief and is very disappointed. Felix finds out that Sam has the original and is out to get it. The police are also waiting along with the buyer that Sam has for the painting.

The.Light.Touch.1952.TVRip.x264-Flipper.mkv

General
Container:	Matroska
Runtime:	1h 32mn
Size:	1.46 GiB
DXVA:	Compatible
Minimum settings:	Met
Video
Codec:	x264
Resolution:	720x480 ~> 720x540
Aspect ratio:	4:3
Frame rate:	23.976 fps
Bit rate:	1 818 kb/s
Audio
English 2.0ch AC-3 @ 384 kb/s

https://nitro.download/view/5FB624C9652CF24/The.Light.Touch.1952.TVRip.x264-Flipper.mkv

Language(s):English
Subtitles:None

The post Richard Brooks – The Light Touch (1952) first appeared on Cinema of the World.

Quote:
From 1945 comes one of the best adaptations of Oscar Wilde’s only novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray. Remarkably we get a dry and witty George Sanders (Addison DeWitt in All About Eve), a 20-year-old Angela Lansbury (Murder, She Wrote), an equally young Donna Reed (The Donna Reed Show), and fabulous Oscar-winning photography mixing black and white with a little splash of color for effect when they show the painting. The Picture of Dorian Gray is a unique fantasy horror film that could easily slip into your collection next to the moody Universal monster classics, but containing more subtlety and wit to write it off as merely a creature feature. The story revolves around a man who sells his soul for eternal youth. He has a painting made that will age instead of him, and all of his sins will be wrought on the image of his visage in oil. He adopts a libertine immoral code, and loses all compassion and anything truly good about being human. Dorian transforms in to a young dashing beautiful monster.

The film follows Dorian Gray (Hurd Hatfield, King David) in 1886 as he has a portrait painted of himself and wishes to the heavens to sell his soul in exchange for never-ending youth. Somehow Gray’s wish comes true, and his soul ends up in the painting, which will now age instead of him. Dorian is a concert pianist, and he engages in philosophical discussions with Lord Wotton (Sanders) who speaks of beauty as being important for its own sake removed from morality and religion. Dorian begins to test the waters and his friend Wotton’s theories by entering in a cruel and destructive relationship with a vaudeville singer named Sybil Vane (Lansbury). He seduces her, and then says he resents her for falling for his machinations. This crushes the young beauty, and she ends up taking her own life out of devastation. Dorian becomes more and more callous and decadent, and he locks the painting up in his attic. His life begins to spiral down in to living only for the sake of beauty and pleasure, and Gray finds himself a mere shell without anything to keep him in check while the painting turns uglier and uglier. He is beautiful but his life is ugly beyond imagination.

Where Dr. Jekyll turned in to the hideously deformed Mr. Hyde, Dorian Gray retains his good looks even though he has no soul. Wilde’s premise is kept intact for the movie translation written and directed by Albert Lewin. The novel’s author was fascinated by the Robert Louis Stevenson tale, but he wanted to apply his own “dandified” spin on the proceedings for his version of a Gothic horror story. Wilde was unabashedly homosexual, and fans of the novel’s homoeroticism may find this 1945 The Picture of Dorian Gray lacking in truly scandalous aspects. But the film does get the mood and essence of the story down pat, even if it does have to adhere to the strict moral codes placed on movies of the time. It’s almost a pity the film couldn’t have been made a decade earlier when the film world was allowed to be more kinky. It’s all not nearly as macabre as it could be, but there is a nice idea about “is beauty enough” running through the film to make it interesting and to qualify it as a classic. Ironically the production is so beautiful it doesn’t capture the uglier sides of the novel.

Albert Lewin - (1945) The Picture of Dorian Gray.mkv

General
Container:  	Matroska
Runtime: 	1 h 50 min
Size: 	2.28 GiB
Video
Codec: 	x264
Resolution: 	784x576 
Aspect ratio:  	4:3
Frame rate: 	23.976 fps
Bit rate: 	2 573 kb/s
BPP: 	0.238
Audio
#1:  	English 2.0ch AC-3 @ 192 kb/s
#2:  	English 2.0ch AC-3 @ 192 kb/s (Cast commentaries by Angela Lansbury and film historian/screenwriter Steve Haberman)

https://nitro.download/view/005CB1559B3966C/Albert_Lewin_-_(1945)_The_Picture_of_Dorian_Gray.mkv

Language(s):English
Subtitles:English

The post Albert Lewin – The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945) first appeared on Cinema of the World.

Bachelor Harry Quincey, head designer in a small-town cloth factory, lives with his selfish sisters, glamorous hypochondriac Lettie and querulous widow Hester. His developing relationship with new colleague Deborah Brown promises happiness at last…thwarted by passive, then increasingly active opposition from one sister. Will Harry resort to desperate measures?

The.Strange.Affair.of.Uncle.Harry.1945.Robert.Siodmak.1080p.BluRay.FLAC1.0.x264.mkv

General
Container:  	Matroska
Runtime: 	1 h 20 min
Size: 	8.88 GiB
Video
Codec: 	x264
Resolution: 	1480x1080 
Aspect ratio:  	1.370
Frame rate: 	23.976 fps
Bit rate: 	15.6 Mb/s
BPP: 	0.407
Audio
#1:  	English 1.0ch FLAC @ 246 kb/s

https://nitro.download/view/79CF01A2922CF82/The.Strange.Affair.of.Uncle.Harry.1945.Robert.Siodmak.1080p.BluRay.FLAC1.0.x264.mkv
https://nitro.download/view/E9F6E9E9B5D4ECC/The.Strange.Affair.of.Uncle.Harry.1945.Robert.Siodmak.1080p.BluRay.FLAC1.0.x264.srt

Language(s):English
Subtitles:French, English

The post Robert Siodmak – The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry (1945) (HD) first appeared on Cinema of the World.

Quote:
Romance, treachery, intrigue and spiritual awakenings abound in the Biblical film adaptation of Solomon and Sheba. Trouble begins between two brothers when poet Solomon (Yul Brenner) is chosen to be next in line to the throne by King David of Israel. His warrior brother Adonijah (George Sanders) is livid when Solomon becomes king. While Israel prospers under Solomon, Sheba (Gina Lollobrigida) conspires with the Egyptians to topple Israel.

Solomon.And.Sheba.1959.BDRip.x264-FuFu.mkv

General
Container:  	Matroska
Runtime: 	2 h 21 min
Size: 	3.65 GiB
Video
Codec: 	x264
Resolution: 	1024x432 
Aspect ratio:  	2.40:1
Frame rate: 	23.976 fps
Bit rate: 	3 248 kb/s
BPP: 	0.306
Audio
#1:  	2.0ch AC-3 @ 448 kb/s

https://nitro.download/view/36EF9F99F1B38EC/Solomon.And.Sheba.1959.BDRip.x264-FuFu.mkv

Language(s):English
Subtitles:English muxed

The post King Vidor – Solomon and Sheba (1959) first appeared on Cinema of the World.

Synopsis:
‘In 1900, strong-willed widow Lucy Muir goes to live in Gull Cottage by the British seaside, even though it appears to be haunted. Sure enough, that very night she meets the ghost of crusty former owner Captain Gregg…and refuses to be scared off. Indeed, they become friends and allies, after Lucy gets used to the idea of a man’s ghost haunting her bedroom. But when a charming live man comes courting, Lucy and the captain must deal with their feelings for each other.’
– Rod Crawford (IMDb)

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir - Joseph L. Mankiewicz (1947).mkv

General
Container:  	Matroska
Runtime: 	1h 44mn
Size: 	3.32 GiB
Video
Codec: 	x264
Resolution: 	766x576 
Aspect ratio:  	4:3
Frame rate: 	23.976 fps
Bit rate: 	3 471 Kbps
BPP: 	0.328
Audio
#1:  	English 5.1ch AC-3 @ 640 Kbps
#2:  	English 2.0ch AC-3 @ 224 Kbps (Commentary with Greg Kimble & Christopher Husted)
#3:  	English 1.0ch AC-3 @ 192 Kbps (Commentary with Jeanine Basinger & Kenneth Geist)

https://nitro.download/view/62044BE367FE085/The_Ghost_and_Mrs._Muir_-_Joseph_L._Mankiewicz_(1947).mkv

Language(s):English
Subtitles:English HoH, Spanish, French, Dutch, Japanese, Italian

The post Joseph L. Mankiewicz – The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947) first appeared on Cinema of the World.

A mild-mannered school teacher in a German-occupied town during World War II finds himself torn between collaboration and resistance.

This.Land.Is.Mine.1943.HDTVRIP.x264.AC3.KJNU.mkv

General
Container:  	Matroska
Runtime: 	1 h 43 min
Size: 	2.30 GiB
Video
Codec: 	x264
Resolution: 	790x576 
Aspect ratio:  	1.372
Frame rate: 	23.976 fps
Bit rate: 	3 000 kb/s
BPP: 	0.275
Audio
#1:  	English 1.0ch AC-3 @ 192 kb/s

https://nitro.download/view/10F2292A8D4EEA0/This.Land.Is.Mine.1943.HDTVRIP.x264.AC3.KJNU.mkv

Language(s):English
Subtitles:English

The post Jean Renoir – This Land Is Mine (1943) first appeared on Cinema of the World.

Quote:
“All About Eve” is a literate, adult film of the calibre that will do big league, big town business. In addition it has all the elements for the general runs.

The whyfore of the producer’s insistence for “scheduled performances” becomes obvious as the story unfolds from its banquet scene that honors a new Broadway legit great and the flashbacks which deal with the brittle, hard-bitten and frequently bitter saga that tells us “All About Eve.”

Anne Baxter, in the title role, is the radiant newcomer who has attained the thespic heights. And as she mounts the podium to receive the supreme accolade, the intimates who figured in her breathless success story project their own vignettes on what made this hammy glammy run.

Bette Davis is the established albeit somewhat aging star. Hugh Marlowe is her author; Celeste Holm the playwright’s wife; Gary Merrill the play’s director who yields to a quick call, and some easy money, from Hollywood but soon returns to Miss Davis, his major romance. Backgrounding are Gregory Ratoff, as the producer, and George Sanders as the debonair, machiavellian dramatic critic who knows the angles–plus.

Miss Baxter plays a starry-eyed would be actress who, by extraordinary design, finally meets Bette Davis, her histrionic idol (through the kind offices of Celeste Holm). She is taken into the household, machinates an understudy chore, apparently possesses the basic talent to click resoundingly once she engineers an opportunity – and in return is ruthless in her pitch for both the beau and the husband of the two women who most befriended her.

The basic story is garnished with exceedingly well-cast performances wherein Miss Davis does not spare herself, makeup-wise, in the aging star assignment. Miss Baxter gives the proper shading to her cool and calculating approach in the process of ingratiation and ultimate opportunities; and the other principals mouth dialog which is real and convincing. The intra-trade references to Zanuck (perhaps the first time a producer permitted his own name-dropping to further the plot), the William Morris agency, 21 and the Stork (both reproduced with authentic interiors) are plausible and not dragged in for any smartalecky reasons. The snide references to picture people, the plug for San Francisco (“an oasis of civilization in the California desert”) and the like are purposeful and manifest an intelligent reflex from a group of hyper-talented people towards the picture business. In itself it was courageous to retain these segments. It is typical of the general quality of the film, both as to the screenplay and the players.

It is obvious author-director Joe Mankiewicz knew what and how he wanted his cast to say and interpret. It comes out that way, even in the bitter ending with its suggestion that still another tyro, who had latched onto Miss Baxter, might well tread the same hard path.

It is cogent that a sharp Broadway play–at least a screenplay about Broadway people–was cradled and produced in Hollywood. The characterizations are composite prototypes, of course, although some may see in Miss Davis’ role a vivid counterpart. The ruthless critic is 100% fiction; any analogy, because of his debonair typecasting, ends there.

“All About Eve” has substance in virtually every dramatic and romantic mood, which have been given proper shading and projection by producer Darryl F. Zanuck and Mankiewicz. The segue from the commentary school of cinematurgy, to bridge the flashback sequences, into the vignettes is unobtrusive but an effective technique to tie up the entire package which ends with Miss Baxter hugging the coveted trophy–and a stranger to her friends.

The Zanuck production investiture is plush in every department.

Joseph L. Mankiewicz - (1950) All About Eve.mkv

General
Container:  	Matroska
Runtime: 	2 h 18 min
Size: 	2.91 GiB
Video
Codec: 	x264
Resolution: 	792x576 
Aspect ratio:  	1.375
Frame rate: 	23.976 fps
Bit rate: 	2 562 kb/s
BPP: 	0.234
Audio
#1:  	English 5.1ch AC-3 @ 448 kb/s

https://nitro.download/view/110D62E632C6FBD/Joseph_L._Mankiewicz_-_(1950)_All_About_Eve.mkv

Language(s):English
Subtitles:English

The post Joseph L. Mankiewicz – All About Eve (1950) first appeared on Cinema of the World.