Films / November 6

Assault On Precint 13 (1976) / Singin' In The Rain (1952) / The American President (1995) / The Eagle Has Landed (1976) / This Happy Breed (1944) / 3:10 To Yuma (1957) / Back To The Future (1985)

Assault On Precint 13 (1976) From the opening electronic beats, John Carpenter demonstrates a total mastery of the craft, a thriller cinematically joyous as well as tough and violent. An all night attack on a Los Angeles police station sets up action set-pieces that ratchet up the tension. Laurie Zimmer is terrific as the resourceful, Hawksenian heroine.

Singin' In The Rain (1952) The years never diminish the energy, skill and pure joy that bursts from every image. A perfect combination of song, dance and comedy as Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O'Connor cope with the advent of the talkies. MGM production values shine.

The American President (1995) Smart script, engaging performers, an idealism that lays the groundwork for "The West Wing", the balance between standard romantic narrative and political activism is finely tuned. Solidly old fashioned in a good way, a breeze of drama and comedy.

The Eagle Has Landed (1976) Tense, enthralling WW2 tale as Michael Caine leads his crack German squad to kidnap Churchill while an Irish Donald Sutherland romances Jenny Agutter. Polished and professionally made, character development is highlighted before brutal bursts of violence. Aided by Lalo Schifrin's fine score.

This Happy Breed (1944) A captivating domestic epic that spans 20 years in the lives of a London family between the world wars. The deft mix of comedy and tragedy is moving, the performers uniformly persuasive and the glorious Technicolor luminescent. Both detail and spectacle perfectly pitched, as well as proof that the country runs on tea.

3:10 To Yuma (1957) Charles Lawton's gleaming, atmospheric photography and sense of framing is just as vital to elevating the tension as Glenn Ford and Van Heflin's verbal sparring. With its noirish, psychological foundation, the carefully calibrated narrative leads to an explosive and ambiguous finale.

Back To The Future (1985) The breezy fun of the story and characters shouldn't disguise the meticulous narrative design, a canny combination of laughter and thrills that never grows tiresome. Propelled by a sublime score, dramatic and technical skills keep the adventure buoyant.