Runboard.com
Слава Україні!
Robert Newton: www.robertnewton.net

Forum address: brobertnewton.runboard.com


Welcome to the new Robert Newton chatboard! This is a place to discuss the colorful and talented actor and his work. (Feel free to carry over discussions from the previous message board, located at www.voy.com/17058/, to this one. (If copying and pasting, please use quotation marks and mention who you are quoting. Thanks.)

runboard.com       Sign up (learn about it) | Sign in (lost password?)

 
Spev Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

Registered user

Registered: 12-2007
Location: In the pub with Bob & Keith
Posts: 56
Karma: 0 (+0/-0)
Reply | Quote
The Green C0ckatoo


...I'm guessing the board would've censored the title!!

I finally managed to watch this thanks to a very lovely lady who I shan't name to save her blushes.

The Green C0ckatoo is not, as previously thought, some sort of male fungal infection - oh no. It is, in fact, a seedy London nightclub. This instantly brings back memories of The Blue Dahlia, a film starring Alan Ladd. Quite a similar storyline only not quite so much of a whodunit cos we already knew whodunit.

Although The Bobster's role in the film onscreen is quite a short-lived thing, he does quite dominate the rest of the storyline, which is still very acceptable.

Now, casting Robert Newton aside momentarily (sorry, Bob, I'll get to you later!) - the most exciting thing for me was that this film starred one of my other absolute fave-rave British actors, the lovely Sir John Mills.

I think the casting was a bit odd - Robert Newton and John Mills as brothers never did quite ring true (Robert Newton - great hulking beast of a man, and John Mills... well... there was no family resemblence was there?!). The other thing I found a little unnerving was Mills singing and dancing, I've never actually seen that before. Dunno if he does it in any of his other films, but certainly none that I've ever seen. He was actually quite a fair dancer and singer. Just found it a bit... well... odd!!

Mills does make a rather lovely leading man, playing someone on the fuzzy side of the law with a great deal of panache and charm. Making a big deal about much preferring brunettes to blondes also earned him lots of brownie points from me!! It's been said it isn't his strongest role, and fair enough, it isn't. He does get a bit on the English James Cagney side from time to time - but in all, he does brilliantly.

All in all, this is a great Film Noir flick. Highly recommended!!

Now then.

The Bobster... what a shame he wasn't in it so much. I wonder if it would have made any difference to the role if him and John Mills had swapped roles. Then I tried to imagine Bobbie singing and tap dancing round the club and just got a bit too scared. Robert Newton is ALL man, he doesn't NEED to dance to impress the girls!!! Besides, we all know about his singing talents... "There was a jolly millerrrr....!".... Say no more!!!

His character was actually completely fearless. My favourite bit was when Millsy gave Bobbie a tie and Bobbie said, in what was a rare example of an actually convincing C0ckney accent "Coo!! Dots an' ev'ryfink!" Just. Awww.

The thing I didn't like about the film was how Americanised the dialogue was. A not-quite gangster in 1937 London would never refer to a woman as a 'broad'. Not even a gangster would use that word other than when referring to a thing that isn't narrow... I doubt the exclamatory 'swell' was in full use back then either. I'm not an authority, obviously, but it just sounded a bit forced to me.

What's everyone else's views on this film??

---
I never understood the invention of water - it ain't fit to touch and it ain't fit to drink neither!!

Soldier's Three
7/28/2008, 8:13 am Link to this post Send Email to Spev   Send PM to Spev MSN Yahoo
 
meranch Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

Registered user

Registered: 10-2006
Posts: 92
Karma: 0 (+0/-0)
Reply | Quote
Re: The Green C0ckatoo


The Green C0ckatoo (1937)

A young girl (Rene Ray) is traveling to London to find work. Arriving at the station, she meets a man (Robert Newton) who has been stabbed by a member of a gang of crooks involved with greyhound racing. She becomes a suspect but flees the scene in order to deliver a message to the dead man's brother. She is protected from the police by a night club entertainer (John Mills), who she learns is the man she is seeking.

 John Mills as Jim Connor
 René Ray as Eileen
 Charles Oliver as Terrell, gang boss
 Bruce Seton as Madison, tall henchman
 Julian Vedey as Steve, short henchman
 Robert Newton as Dave Connor
 Allan Jeayes as The Detective Inspector
 Frank Atkinson as Provero, the butler
 William Dewhurst as Train Passenger (uncredited)
 Alf Goddard as Jake (uncredited)
 Edward Lexy as ? (uncredited)
 Jack Vyvian as PC Pat Johnson (uncredited)

Also Known As:
Four Dark Hours
Race Gang (UK) (reissue title)
Runtime: 65 min
Country: UK
Language: English
Color: B&W

------------------------------

Again, from my file, mostly from IMDb.

Mine runs only 63 minutes, but it was recorded from TV 20+ years ago

Eva
7/28/2008, 11:55 pm Link to this post Send Email to meranch   Send PM to meranch
 
meranch Profile
Live feed
Blog
Friends
Miscellaneous info

Registered user

Registered: 10-2006
Posts: 92
Karma: 0 (+0/-0)
Reply | Quote
Re: The Green C0ckatoo


Here are some snappys:

Image

Dave Connor is talking to a gangster acquaintance about fixing a dog race.

Image

Dave at the track.

Image

Jim gives Dave a new tie.

Image

Dave meets Eileen.

Eva
7/29/2008, 12:17 am Link to this post Send Email to meranch   Send PM to meranch
 


Add a reply





You are not logged in (login)

Original banner design
copyright © 2000-2006 by Susan Dauenhauer Ciriello.
All rights reserved.

Return to the Robert Newton home page