waking into a dream journal 01.09.08

this morning's 6-furlong surprise (surprise? it feels like 20...)
the return of october
director: joseph h. lewis // 1948
cinema 4 rating: 5

this almost seems like the sort of lost treasure which forms the chief reason i watch turner classic movies in the first place -- almost, but not quite -- i find this is described as a comedy, and it is written by melvin frank and norman panama, two old pros at the form (including one of my personal favorites, the court jester with the grand mr. kaye) -- and yet, it is never actually funny... in any real degree -- a reincarnation plot for those with a lot of time on their hands, and no real impetus to truly be entertained within that number of minutes -- tone is perfectly suited to pose as one of any number of similar disney plots from twenty years later -- just as pleasant, predictable, non-threatening and, ultimately, merely ok -- ingenue terry moore is spunky and committed in lead role as rich girl whose uncle dies and may or may not come back as a racehorse -- prefer her much more, however, in her subsequent role in the original mighty joe young -- glenn ford does what he can with colorless male lead part as psychologist who falls in love with her even while considered her a wacko -- no alarms, no surprises -- really thought i was having another on borrowed time experience (as in "discovering a fun or formative movie completely by accident") until about twenty minutes in -- realized i wasn't having a good time, but merely just filling it with blarney...