Gentleman's Agreement

Gentleman's Agreement is terrible example, and basically hits the check marks for just how bad a message movie can be. It could not be more self-righteous in its stance as a great deal of the movie's run time is devoted to Gregory Peck giving people indignant looks after they are anti-Semitic. The film itself plays that so thickly that it comes off ridiculous. It even breaks the idea of the whole Gentleman's Agreement, a hidden antisemitism, since they are so clearly so on the surface to begin with. The dialogue is outright atrocious at times as it basically preaches at you, or goes over the basics of the problem in a spoon fed fashion. Then of course there's the love story between two leads with no chemistry, which is horribly juxtaposed with the main plot in a way that falls flat on its face. The film does nothing for its message, because it is nothing as a film. 
1.5/5

Snow Trail

Snow Trail is not directed by Akira Kurosawa but his influence can be felt through the screenplay. It's a well told thriller, with as one would expect from Kurosawa, has a strong emotional bent in the journey of three bank robbers attempt to escape the law. Senkichi Taniguchi's work as director should not be undervalued as he keeps the tension and creates the snowy atmosphere of the mountains very effectively. Then you have a strong central performances by Takashi Shimura, as a conflicted robber, and Toshiro Mifune going far beyond the call of his part in one of his earlier roles. It's a hidden gem, and feels like a lost Kurosawa/Shimura/Mifune film.
4.5/5

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

The film almost wholly relies just on Danny Kaye's comedic timing, for the film that basically throws him into one slapstick sequence after another. Kaye is in good form here and it earns enough laughs from this during its running time for it to be declared a success. Plus it has Boris Karloff as a villain, which is never a bad thing.
3.5/5