Amy Lumet

One of the Best Noirs out there! Exquisitely Photographed by John Alton, a fabulous Jazz Score, and a Who’s Who of American Character Actors at their best -- be it Richard Conte’s sadistic Mr. Brown or Cornel Wilde’s tortured Lt. Diamond -- this film about of a deadly rivalry is one to see several times as layers, surprises and a camera which acts as a Greek Chorus just keep on coming. I see something new every time and I watched it for the 5th or 6th time last week. The Big Combo is a groundbreaking movie on many levels. I can’t say more without ‘Spoiling’, but a very special Hat Tip to Earl Holliman as Mingo and Lee Van Cleef as Fante. Thank you, Mr. Director. Well done.

Pure perfection. Have never-- and will never again see such a triumphant collaboration. More! More! More! Shame on you, BBC, for lacking the guts to invest in outstanding television programmes. To the brilliant acting, writing, directing, producing teams involved in "Dickensian": a grateful, humble Thank You. You have given the world a jewel-- we will watch -- and re-watch this already classic celebration -- gorgeously shot and presented in a lively, joyous Whodunnit with more twists than one can imagine - and a wonderful decision to focus on the lives of supporting members of (among others) A Christmas Carol, The Old Curiosity Shop, Bleak House, Oliver Twist, and Great Expectations -- as the richness of the subplots for which Dickens was acclaimed -- gave the modern writing team ample opportunity to ...well... have a blast! The writers and actors loved their characters. The fact this project was a Labour of Love is obvious from the whimsical shillouettes of the opening credits until the reluctant goodbye 10 hours later-- the Directing team gives each cast member a touching curtain call...summing up, with the immortal words of Jack Dawkins (The Artful Dodger) introducing himself to young Oliver Twist ...to reveal anything else is a spoiler. This series got me through the desolate first few months after losing my beloved 18 year old dog -- I will always be grateful to the "Dickensian" Team for that. As I have healed, I find more and more to enjoy with every viewing. (A nod to the talented Peter Firth, as the venal, corrupt bully Marley -- who my late father, Sidney Lumet, cast as the beautiful -- and tormented -- young star of "Equus" alongside Richard Burton in 1977 -- who has comparitively little screen time, but whose presence is so menacing that we immediately empathize with Inspector Bucket's agonizing and methodical hunt for the killer "of a bad man"...."who must have been a good man pushed to thre limits of what he could bear". A great mystery, tough moral decisions, social commentary about class heirarchies, the plight of women, the shocking conditions under which the poor -- or merely unlucky -- lived in Victorian England -- add to this the majesty of Dickens' work, his gifts as a spinner of yarns added to the wonderful storytellers who took on this project -- it;s the best thing I've ever seen. Thank you.