Harvey (1950, USA, Koster)

The invisible giant rabbit from outer space seeks out lonely drunks and befriends them, making them appear even crazier than they actually are.  I think he’s probably an intergalactic practical joker, but James Stewart doesn’t mind.  He’s reached the part of his career where his previously creepy grin makes him look distinguished, and the touch of rabbit-induced senility he affects here elevates him right up to the realm of saints.  Watched it all.

Federal Man (1950, USA)

He’s from the government, and he’s here to help you stay away from drugs.  Isn’t it funny to watch these old movies from a time when people believed that substance abuse could be stopped by throwing lots and lots of police and jail time at it?  It’s so funny, I’m nearly smiling.  Watched: 4 minutes.

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Treasure Island (1950, “UK”, Haskin)

Young Guybrush Threepwood, a likely lad, sets out on a pirrrate adventurrre on the high seas, with the heaving to, and the avast me mateys, and a fantastically shifty-eyed Long John Silver.  Watched it all.   I think this may qualify as the first triple-R pirate movie. It’s also quite brutal for its time.  Disney: Pioneers in movie violence!

American Guerilla in the Philippines (1950, USA, Lang)

Tyrone Power actually was a Marine during the war, and served as a pilot at Iwo Jima, but I still say casting him as a technicolor guerilla fighter is yet another step towards insincerity in war movies.  Watched: 16 minutes.  Btw, read The Jungle is Neutral, a real-life account of similar events in Burma.