writers_reign God knows over they years we've had some pretty pathetic actors in English movies - Maxwell Reed, Alan Lake, Michael Gough, Richard Todd, John Gregson, Keiron Moore, Richard Pascoe, Laurence Harvey, I could go on but you get the picture and I'm here to tell you that in this movie Patrick McGoohan makes all of the above look like Michael Redgrave and Donald Wolfit the epitome of subtlety. From his very first appearance all he needs is a sign on his back saying 'I'm the heavy here, Iago, get it?' It's cringe-making to watch and a Master Class in ham. Come back Arthur Mullard all is forgiven. On the plus side we do get to hear some tasty music from the likes of Dave Brubeck and Charles Mingus and Eng. Lit. students can have fun with the links to Othello - Keith Michell, as the Cassio figure is actually called Cass and McGoohan's wife Emily (Iago's wife was Emilia).

tavm Continuing my reviews of people of color in films in chronological order for Black History Month, we're now at 1962 when in England, a jazz-flavored version of Othello in modern times is made with Paul Harris playing musician Aurelius Rex who's married to retired singer Delia Lane (Marti Stevens). Maria Velasco, as Benny, is another person of such race who's also in an interracial relationship with recovering drug musician/band manager Cass Michaels (Keith Michell). Others of the non-white variety include jazz players Charles Mingus on bass and Barry Morgan on bongos and Geoffrey Holder is somewhere there too. Anyway, Rod Hamilton (Richard Attenborough) has thrown a party to celebrate the marriage of Rex and Delia on their first anniversary. The party atmosphere is celebratory with the music playing throughout but a drummer named Johnny Cousin (Patrick McGoohan) who's in the audience is so hell bent on getting Delia for his new band that he does various forms of blackmail to get his way. It's not until his wife Emily (Betsy Blair) reveals something that Johnny gets caught. All I'll say now is All Night Long is highly recommended for both the drama and the music that dominates throughout. P.S. It was a treat to also see Dave Brubeck on the piano.

ddliner It's really unfortunate, but ultimately this is not a very good movie. The screenplay is downright awful, the lip synching is brutal, and although some of the actors try their best, they're obviously fighting a losing cause. Maybe if the director had maintained more control, he might have reigned in some of the the actor's ego (and perhaps the same could be said for his own ego), and then he might have allowed a whole lot more more screen time to the truly fabulous jazz musicians who were featured only intermittently throughout this movie. In fact, the only thing that saves this movie from being a complete clunker is the presence of the jazz musicians.

insomnia The first time I saw this film was when it came out in 1961. I didn't care then one iota that it was a modern day 'take' on Shakespeare's play: "Othello" Whatgrabbed me then was that it featured jazz musicians like Mingus, Brubeck, and Tubby Hayes, in a feature film. On a second viewing recently on late night T.V., I now believe the producers of this film should have left Shakespearian drama to Shakespearian actors. Though it was terrific to see and hear musicians likeHayes and Brubeck (man! those pearly whites he flashes at every availableopportunity!), I think it was a shame that a man like Charles Mingus (a musical genius and bass player without peer), was not featured more often.