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In the early 20th century, the rise of Germany and the decline of the Ottoman Empire disturbed the long-standing balance of power in Europe, at the same time that unresolved territorial disputes and shifting alliances created rivalries and an arms race between the great powers. Growing tensions reached a breaking point on June 28, 1914, when the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, was assassinated by an young Bosnian Serb revolutionary, who intended to free Bosnia and Herzegovina from Austro-Hungarian rule. Austria-Hungary blamed Serbia, as the assassination team was helped by a Serbian secret nationalist group, and declared war in the following month. Russia immediately mobilised its troops in Serbia's defense, prompting Germany, who had an alliance with Austria-Hungary, to declare war on both Russia and its ally, France. The United Kingdom subsequently marched against Germany, leading to a widespread conflict.   Although the United States was a major s...

Directed by Roy Del Ruth, Private Number (1936) tells the story of Ellen Neal (Loretta Young), a beautiful and upstanding girl who is hired as a maid in the house of the affluent Winfield family by their demonically creepy butler, Thomas Wroxton (Basil Rathbone), who rules the staff like a tyrant. Wroxton is immediately smitten with Ellen, but she rebuffs his every advance, much to his irritation. When the Winfields' son, Richard (Robert Taylor), arrives home from college, he quickly falls in love with Ellen, despite her lower social status. Although she initially refuses to go out with him on the grounds that they are not social equals, Ellen becomes romantically involved with Dick during the family's vacation in Maine. On her 18th birthday, Dick and Ellen secretly marry and she falls pregnant by him shortly before he returns to college.  After his plans to marry Ellen himself fall through, Wroxton informs her in-laws, Perry and Maggie Winfield (Paul Harvey and Marjorie ...

Directed by Michael Curtiz, We're No Angels (1955) tells the story of three convicts — Joseph (Humphrey Bogart), Albert (Aldo Ray), and Jules (Peter Ustinov) — who escape from prison on Devil's Island in French Guiana, just before Christmas 1895, and arrive at a nearby French colonial town. They stumble upon a store managed by Felix Ducotel (Leo G. Carroll) and his wife, Amelie (Joan Bennett), and offer to fix their leaky roof as a way to hide from the police until a boat comes to take them to Paris. As they work, they plan to rob and kill the family, but eavesdropping reveals that the Ducotels are experiencing financial setbacks. Moreover, their charming daughter, Isabelle (Gloria Talbot), is having trouble with her faithless fiancé, Paul (John Baer), and his ruthless uncle, Andre Trochard (Basil Rathbone). Reasoning that «cutting their throats might spoil their Christmas,» the three felons decide to help the Ducotels get their store back on track. Touched by their apparen...

Since Errol Flynn's birthday is tomorrow (June 20), this week on "Film Friday" I thought I would tell you a little bit about what is arguably the most iconic of his films. Theatrical release poster Directed by Michael Curtiz, The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) opens in 1191 with the news that King Richard the Lionheart (Ian Hunter) was taken captive by Leopold of Austria on his return from the Crusades. With the help of the rascally Sir Guy of Gisbourne (Basil Rathbone) and the inept Sheriff of Nottingham (Melville Cooper), Richard's treacherous brother Prince John (Claude Rains) usurps the throne and wages a campaign of taxation and terror against the Saxons. The only nobleman who opposes John is the Saxon knight Sir Robin of Locksley (Errol Flynn), who is determined to do everything in his power to restore Richard to his rightful throne and save England from tyranny . Taking refuge in Sherwood Forest, Robin begins recruiting his band of "Merr...