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Showing posts with the label Movies of the 1950s

Classic Movie Review: 'Roman Holiday'

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1953’s Roman Holiday, which was directed by William Wyler ( Mrs. Miniver, The Best Years of Our Lives ) and written by Dalton Trumbo (who was uncredited at the time), Ian McLellan Hunter and John Dighton, is one of those “high concept” romantic comedies which feature a good cast, great dialogue, good chemistry between the male and female leads (Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn) and a truly romantic setting – in this case, the city of Rome. The story of Roman Holiday is simple:  Princess Ann (Hepburn) is representing her (unnamed) country on a whirlwind goodwill tour of Europe in the early 1950s.  Young, beautiful and stylish, Ann is warmly received at every city on her rigorously-planned itinerary, just as Britain’s then-young Queen Elizabeth II had been when she was representing her father, King George VI, on her own globe-trotting voyages a few years before the movie was made.   News announcer : Paramount News brings you a special coverage of Princess Ann's visit to

'The McConnell Story' movie review

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(C) Warner Home Video The McConnell Story (1955)       Originally titled  Tiger in the Sky, The McConnell Story  is a standard issue biopic about U.S. Air Force Capt. Joseph C. McConnell, Jr. (Alan Ladd), the top American ace of the Korean War (with 16 credited kills of Soviet-made MiG-15s) and of the entire jet era (as of this writing).  Written by Sam Rolfe ( The Naked Spur ) and Ted Sherdeman ( Them! ),  The McConnell Story  also starred June Allyson as Capt. McConnell’s wife Pearl “Butch” Brown and character actor James Whitmore as Col. Ty “Dad” Wyman, a former enlisted man who is Mac’s friend and Korean War commanding officer.  Directed by Gordon Douglas ( Robin and the Seven Hoods, Them! )  The McConnell Story  is a typical pro-Air Force movie of the 1950s.  Made in part to enhance the new service branch’s public reputation after it was split off from the Army in 1947,  Tiger in the Sky  began production while Mac was a test pilot at Edwards Air Force Base but had t