Behind The Curtain

Concise Reviews for Movie Addicts Who Don't Have Time to Waste

Black and White Movies

Recent Reviews

Still of Tatsuya Nakadai and Rentarō Mikuni in ‘Harakiri’ (1962)

Harakiri (1962)

This tale of a destitute samurai seeking justice exposes universal truths about romantic myths of honor

See It
Full Review
Still of Peter Lorre in ‘M’ (1931)

M (1931)

Peter Lorre gives one of film's most masterful performances in this classic drama about a serial killer - and justice

See It
Full Review
Still of Misa Uehara, Toshiro Mifune, Kamatari Fujiwara, and Minoru Chiaki in ‘The Hidden Fortress’ (1958)

The Hidden Fortress (1958)

Toshiro Mifune gets top billing, but Kamatari Fujiwara and Minoru Chiaki are the stars in this Kurosawa epic

See It
Full Review
Still of Gloria Grahame and Humphrey Bogart in ‘A Lonely Place’ (1950)

In a Lonely Place (1950)

Humphrey Bogart and Gloria Grahame in an agonized romance only Film Noir devotees can appreciate

Skip It
Full Review
Still of Fay Wray in ‘King Kong’ (1933)

King Kong (1933)

This classic horror tale terrified audiences in 1933. Here in 2025, it’s still campy good fun

See It
Full Review
Still of Ben Gazzara and James Stewart in ‘Anatomy of a Murder’ (1959)

Anatomy of a Murder (1959)

If I were you, I’d skip this review and just watch Jimmy Stewart in this tense and noirish courtroom drama

See It
Full Review
Still of Charlie Chaplin and Virginia Cherrill in ‘City Lights’ (1931)

City Lights (1931)

It takes some patience, but hang on to final, sniffle-inducing frame of this gentle social commentary

See It
Full Review
Still of Maria Falconetti in ‘The Passion of Joan of Arc’ (1928)

The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)

This silent-era masterpiece is a must-see for film students, but exhausting for modern audiences to watch

Skip It
Full Review
Still of Liv Ullmann and Bibi Andersson in ‘Persona’ (1960)

Persona (1966)

Despite enthralling performances by Liv Ullmann and Bibi Andersson, this classic is only for cinema aficionados

Skip It
Full Review
Still of Renato Salvatori and Alain Delon in ‘Rocco and His Brothers’ (1960)

Rocco and His Brothers (1960)

This hard-to-watch drama illuminates the harsh choices facing poor families in post-war Italy

See It
Full Review