Lisbon (1956)

Sorry, this movie sucks

For all the hype it got I was expecting a lot more!

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

"Lisbon" (1956) was directed by Ray Milland. In theory, the stars are Milland, as Capt. Robert John Evans, Maureen O'Hara as wealthy Sylvia Merrill, Claude Rains as rich gangster Aristides Mavros, and Yvonne Furneaux as Maria Maddalena Masanet, a young woman who is "secretary" to Mavros. In fact, the real star of the movie is the beautiful city of Lisbon. The plot involves Rains as a successful Greek criminal, and Milland as a smuggler. They are both "gentlemen thieves," but Milland is an honest thief, and Rains is a very dishonest thief.Maureen O'Hara is the wife of a wealthy man being held captive somewhere. (Somehow, the U.S. State Department is involved as well, although it what never clear to me what they were doing in the movie.)The plot reminded me of "To Have and Have Not," except that Milland isn't Bogart, and O'Hara isn't Bacall. (Actually, I should say Furneaux isn't Bacall. It's complicated.) The best part of the film is the few minutes when Milland and O'Hara spend time in a fado club. The beautiful young fadista is the brilliant Anita Guerreiro. Now, 60 years later, Guerreiro is still singing fado in Lisbon. We heard here sing the fado in a club in April, 2017!We saw this film on (gasp) VHS. It would probably work better in a theater, but it's unlikely that anyone will ever show it, except maybe in a retrospective of one of the leads. If you have VHS capability, watch it that way. Just don't expect to see a thrilling melodrama. Expect to see the city of Lisbon, and that's a city worth seeing.To summarize, if you want to see boats and bad guys, watch "To Have and Have Not." If you want to see Lisbon and hear Guerreiro, watch "Lisbon."P.S. Dumbest line in the show, spoken by by Milland when O'Hara asks him about the fado Lisboa Antiga. "It's home sweet home for Brazilians." It's not.Smartest line in the show, spoken by Yvonne Furneaux, when she tells Milland that he's going to be killed, and he ignores her. "Imbecile!"

This obscure adventure romance from Republic may be thin on story but is, at least, distinguished by its lovely Technicolor photography shot on location in the title city and the pedigree of its Hollywood veteran cast, Ray Milland (who also directed), Maureen O'Hara and Claude Rains. The film is further blessed with a light, engaging Nelson Riddle song, "Lisbon Antigua," which plays throughout the proceedings. The Riddle song was a radio hit at the time, and is still pretty easily recognized.The story involves Milland as a smooth operating smuggler (his operations are always kept vague) hired by suave well bred scoundrel Rains to pick up a "package" from an American just arrived in the city (O'Hara) which will involve her kidnapped wealthy husband. The story is neither here nor there, really. The combination of visual pleasures, Riddle's musical score and a capable cast of veterans may be enough for some viewers to want to spend an hour and a half of their time with this fairly inconsequential enterprise.Rains is always fun to watch with his velvet voice, as a suave sophisticate who is also moral corruption incarnate. He seems to be almost playing his part in his sleep this go round but a Claude Rains asleep is still a great deal more entertaining than many other actors awake.At one point in the film Rains delicately makes reference to O'Hara of how lovely she looks and how even more lovely she would look should something unforeseen "happen" to her millionaire husband, with he, Rains, receiving a small portion of her inherited good fortune. O'Hara is shocked and outraged by the suggestion, calling him a monster. Rains, realizing his faux pas, quickly regroups, saying that "in my own clumsy fashion" he was merely attempting to pay her a small compliment for not yielding to an idea to which a less scrupulous woman might succumb.As Rains hints at the implications of a murder he could arrange, a small smile constantly dances across his lips. His expression could almost be that of a wine connoisseur discussing a rare vintage very much to his liking. It's a small, almost throwaway moment in the film, but it's a pleasure to watch the effortless aplomb that Rains brings to the scene.

Great actors, great scenery, great filming - but oh, so dreary - this is one for the insomniacs amongst us. I never did get to see the end of the movie, about half way had me in the land of nod without any desire to find out what happened, that is if indeed, anything at all happened.Claude Rains looked glassy eyed and appeared that he was wishing he was elsewhere. The whole thing would have been better off as a travelogue with the actors posing for the different scenes.This movie is slow ........ Torturously slow! Those having a yen to watch paint dry will find that this fits well with their desire.1/10 - and that's for the scenery.

Probably one of Republic's last good films, LISBON is a feast for the eyes and a good thriller to boot. Produced in Portugal, I assume on a Republic budget subsidised by the Portugese government or tourist office, Ray Milland produces, directs and acts in a lush and lavish romantic drama. The music theme Lisbon Antigua was a massive radio and disc hit in its day and it would be inetersting to know who much in boxoffice it contributed. The indoor studio scenes are very snazzy and well decorated, but some outdoor seabound back projection is wobbly. Still, the location shoot is used to excellent effect and I would say was very much influenced by To Catch A Thief, as is the whole reason for the film existing. Republic didn't make anything much of note around this (maybe only COME NEXT SPRING)and it is probably as modern and A grade as they were able to create by 1956. They folded in 1959, their market overtaken by Allied Artists, AIP and TV. It would be so beautiful to see on a cinema screen as it is in republic's NATURAMA process, their very own brand of CINEMASCOPE. Well worth finding and enjoying.