AndrewLA

I see that there's a new edition of Halliwell which lists the top 100 movies. High up are VERTIGO and THE SEARCHERS. No arguments from me. I love both movies. But I seem to remember that Halliwell himself, though he did award them each two stars (a rare accolade from him), wasn't exactly enthusiastic either. Neither featured in his Halliwell's Hundred or Halliwell's Harvest. So did he change his mind... or did his successor bump those two titles up the scale? If the latter, that doesn't quite seem right, since neither movie expresses Leslie Halliwell's own enthusiasms, and a book that bears his name should still try to do that, shouldn't it...?

theuofc

Hello, AndrewLA,

Good to see you. Well, your posts never disappoint. It would be nice to think that Halliwell's successors honoured his original ratings; I agree. Or at least put his next to theirs for comparison. I'd find that rather interesting.

As a sidenote: my dog-eared copy of "Halliwell's Filmgoers' Companion" (I don't have the annual Film Guide with ratings handy), has Hitchcock's witty introduction to the first edition back in 1965, which begins "Thirty or forty years ago, when the idea of the cinema as an art form was new, people started to write highbrow treatises about it. Unfortunately, few of the books seemed to have much connection with what one saw at the local picture-house."

All the best,

Barbara

AndrewLA

Hi, Barbara. Strictly speaking, those two Halliwell books weren't really his 100 "best" but his own favorites. How else to explain him including DAD'S ARMY? (I'm very annoyed with Leslie H for that; on reading his recommendation, I bought the DVD -- great actors but a very weak movie with forced humour, I thought.) If we'd asked him to come up with a "best" list, perhaps he would have included VERTIGO and THE SEARCHERS, with the caveat that he admired them but didn't especially like them. Still, I'd be interested in knowing the origin of this new list (assuming it is new).

Yo're right, that's a nice introduction by Hitchcock. I can see why he would have been happy to write it -- Halliwell treats him exceptionally well, awarding him a Hall of Fame rosette, with just a passing comment that "he frequently fell below his high standards." REAR WINDOW was a Halliwell favorite, but you can tell that VERTIGO wasn't -- it doesn't get the italics treatment.

I really miss Halliwell. A bit of a grouch but such a love of movies...

foha80

Yes I miss him too-he was a bit intolerant of the new but pre internet he was a valuable reference tool.


Terry

Marky B

Halliwell's successor has uprated some films in the Film Guide. John Walker has given Ealing's The Ladykillers three stars,whereas LH was very sniffy about it and if memory serves me right,only gave it one star. Halliwell should be rightly remembered for starting off such a great book,but IMHO the tome has improved since JW took over.
Ta Ta
Marky B

I once shot an elephant in my pyjamas - how he got in my pyjamas,I'll never know

Rob Compton

...and here's another one who misses him, and in particular the Channel 4 afternoon British films that he masterminded - especially the superlative "Britain at War" series

rgds
Rob