Three Coins in the Fountain (1954)

Mamma mia, Three Coins In the Fountain is a great looking movie with a shabby story.

Three American women work in Rome. They live in a palatial apartment, complete with maid and expansive balcony overlooking the city. Who knew working in an American government office as a secretary paid so well? Maybe the currency exchange rate was really favorable 60 years ago.

Maria Williams (Maggie McNamara) is the new kid in town. She's looking for romance. Maria's cupid radar is so finely tuned that she realizes within moments that co-worker Giorgio Bianchi (Rossano Brazzi) is in love with fellow secretary, and roommate, Anita Hutchins (Jean Peters). The boss, Mr. Burgoyne (Howard St. John) frowns on the local workers mingling with the American talent.

Miss Francis (Dorothy McGuire) has resigned herself to spending the rest of her days in Rome as an old maid. She's a secretary to expat American writer John Frederick Shadwell (Clifton Webb). He appreciates her worth as his assistant, but not as a romantic partner.

Despite warnings, Maria sets her sights on local playboy Prince Dino di Cessi (Louis Jordan). Maria warns her of his string of romantic quests. The prince suggests he wants love, but is sought out by women who want the money and prestige that comes with his title. Maria doesn't do much to set herself apart from the pack. She schemes to win his heart by finding out all he likes and dislikes. But, hey, she really does love him at the same time.

Three Coins In the Fountain, shot in CinemaScope, looks absolutely fantastic. The fashions are beautiful. The settings are impressive.

But boy, it's hard to get excited about any of these romances. Francis and Anita, for the professional women they are, sure cry a lot. I wonder what their contemporaries in 2014 would make of that behaviour. There's zero romantic chemistry between Webb and McGuire. If Francis wanted love that badly, why did she keep waiting for Shadwell to smarten up?

Frank Sinatra croons the theme song. The film opens with several minutes of stunning scenes from around Rome. Maybe this movie is best watched with the volume down - after Old Blue Eyes is done singing.

RATING: 7/10

FUN FACTS: Yikes. Three Coins in the Fountain was nominated for best picture, but lost to On the Waterfront. The film did win, deservedly, for best cinematography and song.

Louis Jordan, still alive at this writing, was Dr. Arcane in Swamp Thing and Return of the Swamp Thing based on a DC comic book.

Jean Negulesco, director of Three Coins In the Fountain, was also at the helm of How to Marry a Millionaire and Titanic (1953).

Laura (1944)

Here's a few different ways to have fun watching this great American film noir from 1944.

Count how many times Dana Andrews lights up a smoke.

Keep track of the snippets of the film's theme that pop up during its 88-minute running time.

Jot down whenever a scene happens at night, in the rain, or in the shadows. This is film noir, after all.

Or, make a checkmark every time a character delivers a zinger of a line in director Otto Preminger's classic tale shot in gorgeous black and white.

Let's give credit where it's largely due.

Laura, based on a novel by Vera Caspary, was penned by Jay Dratler, Samuel Hoffenstein, Elizabeth Reinhart and Ring Lardner, Jr. This team has done a fine job with this crime film.

Several participated in other major Hollywood films.

Dratler penned Call Northside 777 with James Stewart.

Hoffenstein was a contributing writer on The Wizard of Oz.

Lardner helped craft M*A*S*H, the film, and many episodes of the long-running television series.

Laura is a great showcase for Clifton Webb, who deservedly received an Oscar nomination for his role as Waldo Lydecker. It's Lydecker who falls for Laura Hunt (Gene Tierney) after initially snubbing her in a great restaurant scene. Webb gets the lion's share of great lines and he delivers an incredible performance.

Lydecker is a well-known radio columnist loaded with cash and connections. He doesn't take kindly to his young love when she starts to make time with Shelby Carpenter (Vincent Price). Carpenter is making time with another woman and appears to have disturbed
Laura is murdered, but who's responsible?

Andrews (The Ox-Bow Incident) is solid as Det. Lieut. Mark McPherson, a no-nonsense homicide investigator who appears to be falling in with a deceased Laura.

Price is so well-known for his long resume of horror film that it's a pleasure to see him a dramatic role -- and doing a fine job too. "I'm a natural born suspect," Carpenter notes shortly after Laura's death. He had long relied on his family's estate to survive, but Laura recently gave him a job at her firm. Lydecker is quick to point out to Laura how Carpenter is not being faithful to her.

Laura is a benchmark in Tierney's career. It's one of the biggest roles in Andrews' career as well. He appeared in The Ox-Bow Incident a year before. Judith Anderson, who appears as Carpenter's love interest Ann Treadwell, appeared in Star Trek III 40 years later.

Great dialogue, strong production values, fantastic characters and a good whodunit make Laura well worth watching.

The version I watched included two A&E documentaries on Tierney and Price, a deleted scene, an extended version and commentary.

Here's a last little bit of trivia for you. Grant Mitchell (Arsenic and Old Lace and The Grapes of Wrath) had his scenes cut from the film.

Rating: 9/10