Director : George Cukor
Cast : Cary Grant, James Stewart, Katharine Hepburn, Ruth Hussey, John Howard

Romantic comedies are one of the most loved and popular genres in cinema. There are very few romantic comedies that stand the test of time and remain fresh after decades. 'The Philadelphia Story' is one such rom-com. Beginning from the star cast, the movie shoots up the expectations of the viewer. I mean which other movie can boost of having screen legends Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn and James Stewart in one frame. The movie also does not disappoint. Based on the coming of age of a rich, eccentric woman who realizes what true love is, along with her maturity as a woman, this movie also shows her confused state of mind when she has to make a choice between her past, present and future love. The rich woman is played by Hepburn and her past, present and future love played by Grant, Howard and Stewart respectively. This movie has got all the ingredients necessary for a rom-com. Great witty dialogues (This movie has got perhaps the best dialogues I have witnessed in a rom-com), Romantic singing, Kissing and a very happy ending. The movie is certainly ahead of it's times and is still fresh even today. There is also a certain amount of suspense maintained until the end upon whom will Hepburn choose as her true love.

Romantic Comedies are not usually credited for good acting. But this movie certainly would change the mindset. For example, James Stewart in his illustrious, legendary career won just one Oscar for acting, that in this movie. Katharine Hepburn is like a livewire on screen - According to me, she is the star of the movie, the one that holds the movie together. Cary Grant underplays well, nothing much to talk about his acting. Overall, a great one time experience.

Rating : 8/10

Director : Frank Capra
Cast : James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell, Henry Travers

The Frank Capra and Jimmy Stewart combination have given cinema lovers some great movies to cherish in the Black and White era. This movie is not only one of their best, but also one of the best of that era. Based on the basic principle of cherishing the greatest gift god has given to humans - Life, this movie takes the help of fantasy to explain this point very beautifully. The movie has a very simple story, the good virtues against the bad virtues and the triumph of the human spirit in the end. But, the treatment of the story is very fresh and it still remains evergreen. A Lot of suicides are reported nowadays due to various reasons, people ending lives without thinking of their near and dear ones. A Similar situation arises in the movie with the protagonist George Bailey (Stewart), who due to bankruptcy and other reasons decide to end his life leaving his wife and four children. He is about to end his life, when a guardian angel from heaven stops him and advises him against it by saying that every life is precious and ending it would change a lot of things around. He proves his point by showing George how his town, family etc would have been if he
never existed. Seeing, the dreadful situation of his family and town if he had never being born, he understands the preciousness of his life and takes the suitable decision. The movie ends on a very happy note. Only a heartless person would not have a smile on the face or perhaps a tear in the eye during the course of the climax.

James Stewart lives the role of George Bailey. My admiration for this actor never ceases to grow. Donna Reed is gorgeous. The other actors have done a great job. Well, this is the king of feel good movies, the ultimate family movie. It can be watched multiple times without even the slightest feeling of boredom. Recommended for people who watch movies with their heart.

Rating : 8.5/10

Director : Henry Koster
Cast : James Stewart, Josephine Hull, Peggy Dow, Charles Drake, Cecil Kellaway

Based on a very popular play, Harvey is of the fantasy comedy genre. The fantasy in this movie is a 6 feet 3 and a half inches tall rabbit(Harvey) of Celtic mythology who can be seen only by a selected few. The protagonist Elwood P. Dowd (Stewart) is one of the selected ones who not only can see this rabbit but also accompanies him everywhere and introduces him to all the town inhabitants. Obviously, whoever meets Elwood considers him a mentally inbalanced case which also becomes a thing of embarrassment for his family members which includes his sister and his niece. They think of getting rid of Elwood by transporting him to the mental sanatorium. Elwood, by nature is a very well-mannered, polite and pleasant gentleman. Anyone who meets him at the first instance is obviously charmed by his nature until he introduces his gigantic friend. The funny moments in the movie are not forced, but arise completely due to the out of hand situations. I will call this movie a fantasy comedy
with a human touch. There are situations when one feels pity for Elwood and consider his state of mind way better than the so called 'normal' humans who don't care for fellow humans, let alone animals.

Stewart has done a fine, fine job. He is my favorite actor of the B/W era. He has a certain cinematic charm which attracts the viewer. In this movie, I thought he had a very tough role to play, talking to an invisible object and giving the proper expressions is not an easy job. Josephine Hull plays the neurotic and eccentric middle aged sister to perfection. A very feel good movie which will surely leave a positive impression.

Rating : 8/10

Director : Michael Cimino
Cast : Robert DeNiro, Christopher Walken, Meryl Streep, John Savage, John Cazale

There are a lot of Hollywood movies created taking the Vietnam war as a backdrop. The Deer Hunter is one such movie but is different in the sense that it focuses more on character development than the actual war scenario. Based on a small town in America, the movie starts with the introduction of a group of town dwellers who are hard-working as well as hard-partying and whose favorite pass-time is hunting deer. Three people of the group are enlisted in the army and are bound to go to Vietnam. The war, their capture, the game of life - Russian Roulette, their escape, the consequences and the changes in their mentality and life as a whole is the movie. Each of the three men loose something valuable in the war and their happy -go-lucky attitude changes drastically into something which changes their way of life.

The story is good and the acting exceptional. But it did not appeal to me as a movie. The movie is very long in my opinion (3 hours). I do not have problem with long movies. But aimless long movies are the ones which I hate. The screen time is increased in the name of character development which was unnecessary IMO. (And the movie has got an Oscar for best editing.). This is not the only problem I have with the movie. It's treatment of the Vietnam war is completely one-sided, tilted towards America. I have a keen interest in history and I felt there was injustice against the Vietnamese. The acting in the movie perhaps is the thing that makes 3 hours endurable. DeNiro and Walken are the stand-out performers. Walken is a very under-rated actor IMO and this is perhaps his best acting stint. He overshadows Deniro in some scenes. Meryl Streep has done a fine job. John Savage is also noteworthy .This movie is rated very highly by movie lovers and I may hurt their sentiments by this review. But this is my honest opinion after one viewing and it may not change ever (Because I cannot give 3 hours of my life again for this movie)

Rating : 5/10