Ernest Borgnine
TCM showed Mr. Borgnine films on Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th as a tribute to his SAG Life Achievement. I decided to watch Marty. I tried to watch The Dirty Dozen and The Wild Bunch but the violence got a little too intense for me. Yes, I know it is a movie, but violence in films disturb me.
In Marty Mr. Borgnine plays a middle aged, single, lonely butcher. Every day is the same. The women cuts of beef and his family hound him to get married, since all of his younger siblings are settled. He is a kind, decent man who lives with his mother. He meets someone he is interested in and spends a long evening with her. He promises that he will call her the next day. His friends convince him that she is not pretty enough for him. He doesn't call and goes out with his friends instead. That evening he realizes he is an idiot and calls her. There a lovely shot of her at her home with her parents when she gets the call at the end of the film. I can identify with both main characters. Your friends, your family and acquaintances meddling in your affairs to push you in a direction that you don't want to go. I have spent many a night at home waiting for the phone to ring, pretending it doesn't hurt, when it really does.
Monday, January 31, 2011
January 30
Happy Birthday to Dorothy Malone and Gene Hackman.
Since I put Gene Hackman on the calendar I decided to watch the French Connection. I have wanted to see the film for several years, but I just never got around to it.
Probably the most known scene is the where Gene Hackman is in the car underneath the subway, chasing a train. This was beautifully shot and edited. When the camera is in the car, POV of Gene, it is somewhat nauseating. The fast side to side motion, the accidents, it is like you are in the car. I cannot imagine what it would have been like to see on the big screen. When the camera switches to show Gene through the windshield you can see the frustration and his swearing. When the camera is in the train, everything seems normal (other then the guy with the gun).
The movie has great views of New York City, the good points and the bad points of the city. My favorite scene in the film is Gene in a bar sleeping, a window behind is bright with the morning sun, he wakes up abruptly and for a few seconds you see the confusion on his face. He then reaches for the drink in front of him, drinks the shot and then leaves the bar. This is a very minor scene, it is only a few seconds long, but there is something about the moment.
In a news magazine several months ago that Gene Hackman had retired. He didn't make an announcement, but he decided that since he did not want to play certain roles, the things that he was offered. I hope that is not true. He is a very talented actor and can do it all.
Since I put Gene Hackman on the calendar I decided to watch the French Connection. I have wanted to see the film for several years, but I just never got around to it.
Probably the most known scene is the where Gene Hackman is in the car underneath the subway, chasing a train. This was beautifully shot and edited. When the camera is in the car, POV of Gene, it is somewhat nauseating. The fast side to side motion, the accidents, it is like you are in the car. I cannot imagine what it would have been like to see on the big screen. When the camera switches to show Gene through the windshield you can see the frustration and his swearing. When the camera is in the train, everything seems normal (other then the guy with the gun).
The movie has great views of New York City, the good points and the bad points of the city. My favorite scene in the film is Gene in a bar sleeping, a window behind is bright with the morning sun, he wakes up abruptly and for a few seconds you see the confusion on his face. He then reaches for the drink in front of him, drinks the shot and then leaves the bar. This is a very minor scene, it is only a few seconds long, but there is something about the moment.
In a news magazine several months ago that Gene Hackman had retired. He didn't make an announcement, but he decided that since he did not want to play certain roles, the things that he was offered. I hope that is not true. He is a very talented actor and can do it all.
Sunday, January 30, 2011
January 29
W.C. Fields
Today was a toughest day yet. W.C. Fields birthday. I had to watch The Dentist, The Golf Specialist, The Fatal Glass of Beer, International House and Man on the Flying Trapeze. Everyone knows someone like the W.C. Field character. The curmudgeon, the old man who doesn't like kids, the hen-pecked husband, drinks too much and has little respect for anyone. He could be your father, your brother, your grandfather or your cousin. To be fair, it doesn't have to be a man, it can be a woman. If you don't know anyone like that, it may be you.
W.C. Fields sometimes comes off as a large, obnoxious character. But I like him. You know exactly where he stands and what he believes in. So instead of trying to describe his work, I going to do something different and let his words be the blog. The listing below has been attributed as statements that Mr. Fields has said.
Some weasel took the cork out of my lunch...
I certainly do not drink all the time. I have to sleep you know.
Twas a woman who drove me to drink. I never had the courtesy to thank her.
Women are like elephants to me: nice to look at, but I wouldn't want to own one.
I am free of all prejudices. I hate everyone equally.
If at first you don't succeed, try again. Then quit. There's no use being a damn fool about it.
...more people are driven insane through religious hysteria than by drinking alcohol.
Now don't say you can't swear off drinking; it's easy. I've done it a thousand times.
I exercise extreme self control. I never drink anything stronger than gin before breakfast.
Comedy is a serious business. A serious business with only one purpose--to make people laugh.
Christmas at my house is always at least six or seven times more pleasant than anywhere else. We start drinking early. And while everyone else is seeing only one Santa Claus, we'll be seeing six or seven.
How well I remember my first encounter with The Devil's Brew. I happened to stumble across a case of bourbon--and went right on stumbling for several days thereafter.
I like to keep a bottle of stimulant handy in case I see a snake, which I also keep handy.
I don't believe in dining on an empty stomach.
I once spent a year in Philadelphia, I think it was on a Sunday.
I was married once--in San Francisco. I haven't seen her for many years. The great earthquake and fire in 1906 destroyed the marriage certificate. There's no legal proof. Which proves that earthquakes aren't all bad.
Say anything that you like about me except that I drink water.
Anyone who hates children and animals can't be all bad.
Children should neither be seen or heard from - ever again.
Don't worry about your heart, it will last you as long as you live.
I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food.
I drink therefore I am.
I must have a drink of breakfast.
I never drink water because of the disgusting things that fish do in it.
I never drink water; that is the stuff that rusts pipes.
I never met a kid I liked.
If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bull.
It ain't what they call you, it's what you answer to.
Never cry over spilt milk, because it may have been poisoned.
Never give a sucker an even break.
Start every day off with a smile and get it over with.
Today was a toughest day yet. W.C. Fields birthday. I had to watch The Dentist, The Golf Specialist, The Fatal Glass of Beer, International House and Man on the Flying Trapeze. Everyone knows someone like the W.C. Field character. The curmudgeon, the old man who doesn't like kids, the hen-pecked husband, drinks too much and has little respect for anyone. He could be your father, your brother, your grandfather or your cousin. To be fair, it doesn't have to be a man, it can be a woman. If you don't know anyone like that, it may be you.
W.C. Fields sometimes comes off as a large, obnoxious character. But I like him. You know exactly where he stands and what he believes in. So instead of trying to describe his work, I going to do something different and let his words be the blog. The listing below has been attributed as statements that Mr. Fields has said.
Some weasel took the cork out of my lunch...
I certainly do not drink all the time. I have to sleep you know.
Twas a woman who drove me to drink. I never had the courtesy to thank her.
Women are like elephants to me: nice to look at, but I wouldn't want to own one.
I am free of all prejudices. I hate everyone equally.
If at first you don't succeed, try again. Then quit. There's no use being a damn fool about it.
...more people are driven insane through religious hysteria than by drinking alcohol.
Now don't say you can't swear off drinking; it's easy. I've done it a thousand times.
I exercise extreme self control. I never drink anything stronger than gin before breakfast.
Comedy is a serious business. A serious business with only one purpose--to make people laugh.
Christmas at my house is always at least six or seven times more pleasant than anywhere else. We start drinking early. And while everyone else is seeing only one Santa Claus, we'll be seeing six or seven.
How well I remember my first encounter with The Devil's Brew. I happened to stumble across a case of bourbon--and went right on stumbling for several days thereafter.
I like to keep a bottle of stimulant handy in case I see a snake, which I also keep handy.
I don't believe in dining on an empty stomach.
I once spent a year in Philadelphia, I think it was on a Sunday.
I was married once--in San Francisco. I haven't seen her for many years. The great earthquake and fire in 1906 destroyed the marriage certificate. There's no legal proof. Which proves that earthquakes aren't all bad.
Say anything that you like about me except that I drink water.
Anyone who hates children and animals can't be all bad.
Children should neither be seen or heard from - ever again.
Don't worry about your heart, it will last you as long as you live.
I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food.
I drink therefore I am.
I must have a drink of breakfast.
I never drink water because of the disgusting things that fish do in it.
I never drink water; that is the stuff that rusts pipes.
I never met a kid I liked.
If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bull.
It ain't what they call you, it's what you answer to.
Never cry over spilt milk, because it may have been poisoned.
Never give a sucker an even break.
Start every day off with a smile and get it over with.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
January 28
Ernst Lubitsch
I have seen all the Lubitsch films that TCM showed for his birthday. Last month Shop Around the Corner was shown 3-4 times. I have always like the line by Jimmy Stewart “Dearest sweetheart Clara, I can't stand it any longer, please take you key and open post office box 237 and take me out of my envelope and kiss me.” That is very suggestive.
Since I am still not feeling well and barely made it through work but I got to watch Trouble in Paradise starring Kay Francis, Herbert Marshall and Miriam Hopkins. I truly enjoy this film. There are great supporting actors Charles Ruggles, Edward Everett Horton and C. Aubrey Smith.
My favorite scene even though it does not feature Kay is when Herbert and Miriam are having their first meal together. They are sitting at the table eating and Miriam calls Herbert “a crook” and accuses him of robbing a wallet from a man in another room. Herbert states “You are a thief. The wallet is in your procession. I knew it very well when you took it out of my pocket. In fact you tickled me. Your embrace was so sweet.” He gets up, locks the door and closes the window curtains. He then shakes her until the wallet falls. He takes her pin and she takes his watch. “I hope you don't mind if I keep your garter?” She reaches down her leg and he pulls the garter out of his pocket. He kisses it and puts it back in his pocket. Miriam yells “Darling” and rushes to embrace him. He is a world known major thief.
Kay inherited a perfume company from her husband and is very wealthy, but has no head for business. She purchased a purse for 125,000 francs. At the Opera she has the bag on the balcony. Herbert with his binoculars looks at the bag looks at her, looks at the bag. She goes to the restroom where she looses the purse. (To reflect the time of the opera it starts out I Love You, I Love You. The pages of the score flip and the star sings I Hate You, I Hate You.) Kay puts an ad in the paper to get the purse returned with a reward of 20,000 francs. Miriam and Herbert decide to return the purse for the reward. While Kay turns to tell the butler to dismiss the rest of the people waiting Herbert looks at the other statues and items in the room. He gets himself in the household has assistant. He then hires a secretary, Miriam. Miriam is interested in the jewels, but Herbert states in this economy it is a cash business.
Kay is personally interested in Herbert but he is only interested in the contents of her safe (unbeknownst to Kay). Kay has a party and one of her suitors, Edward Everett Horton, seems to recognizes Herbert as the man who robbed him, but Herbert talks him out of that idea. They decide to leave. They are going to take the midnight train. Herbert calls Miriam and states they leave in the morning. C. Aubrey Smith as the company leader finds out who Herbert is, but Smith is the one who has taken money from the company. While Kay is at a party, Herbert is gets ready for her return, lowering the lights in her room, closing the curtains when he sees Miriam in another room. She is taking the money from the safe. She takes the money and leaves. Kay goes to open the safe and Herbert talks her out of it telling her about Smith and that he came to take her money but he was in love with her. As he was at the window he sees Miriam in the window of Kay's room. Miriam admits to taking the money, she throws the money on the bed, but then takes the money back. Herbert takes the pearls and leaves Kay to go with Miriam. In the last scene he is looking for pearls. Miriam pulls out Kay's 125,000 handbag and has the pears. She looks for the money and Herbert pulls the money from his pocket.
To me there are 4 qualities that make an excellent film: talented cast, good story and/or witty dialog, great photography and wonderful score. This film has it all. Every actor in the film is great. Miriam Hopkins plays a more lively character than I have seen before. The story which was based on a play that Lubitsch and the screenwriter Raphaelson threw out right away (because they did not read the play). Herbert Marshall can talk his way out of any situation. The photography shows all the actors to their best advantage and some great styled shots by Victor Milner. The score is a romantic sting orchestra that enhances the story. When the characters think about Vienna the O Solo Mia plays with a soft violin. A bonus in this film is Kay Francis looks delightful in her wardrobe and jewels.
Since it is Lubitsch birthday I should say more on him. The Lubitsch touch is the light sexual comedy styling he has on this film. It is a sophisticated comedy that does not have to resort to slapstick, but you still laugh out loud. You wonder what is going on behind closed doors. This is not the first Lubitsch film I saw, but it is the first film that I understood what the Lubitsch touch was.
I have seen all the Lubitsch films that TCM showed for his birthday. Last month Shop Around the Corner was shown 3-4 times. I have always like the line by Jimmy Stewart “Dearest sweetheart Clara, I can't stand it any longer, please take you key and open post office box 237 and take me out of my envelope and kiss me.” That is very suggestive.
Since I am still not feeling well and barely made it through work but I got to watch Trouble in Paradise starring Kay Francis, Herbert Marshall and Miriam Hopkins. I truly enjoy this film. There are great supporting actors Charles Ruggles, Edward Everett Horton and C. Aubrey Smith.
My favorite scene even though it does not feature Kay is when Herbert and Miriam are having their first meal together. They are sitting at the table eating and Miriam calls Herbert “a crook” and accuses him of robbing a wallet from a man in another room. Herbert states “You are a thief. The wallet is in your procession. I knew it very well when you took it out of my pocket. In fact you tickled me. Your embrace was so sweet.” He gets up, locks the door and closes the window curtains. He then shakes her until the wallet falls. He takes her pin and she takes his watch. “I hope you don't mind if I keep your garter?” She reaches down her leg and he pulls the garter out of his pocket. He kisses it and puts it back in his pocket. Miriam yells “Darling” and rushes to embrace him. He is a world known major thief.
Kay inherited a perfume company from her husband and is very wealthy, but has no head for business. She purchased a purse for 125,000 francs. At the Opera she has the bag on the balcony. Herbert with his binoculars looks at the bag looks at her, looks at the bag. She goes to the restroom where she looses the purse. (To reflect the time of the opera it starts out I Love You, I Love You. The pages of the score flip and the star sings I Hate You, I Hate You.) Kay puts an ad in the paper to get the purse returned with a reward of 20,000 francs. Miriam and Herbert decide to return the purse for the reward. While Kay turns to tell the butler to dismiss the rest of the people waiting Herbert looks at the other statues and items in the room. He gets himself in the household has assistant. He then hires a secretary, Miriam. Miriam is interested in the jewels, but Herbert states in this economy it is a cash business.
Kay is personally interested in Herbert but he is only interested in the contents of her safe (unbeknownst to Kay). Kay has a party and one of her suitors, Edward Everett Horton, seems to recognizes Herbert as the man who robbed him, but Herbert talks him out of that idea. They decide to leave. They are going to take the midnight train. Herbert calls Miriam and states they leave in the morning. C. Aubrey Smith as the company leader finds out who Herbert is, but Smith is the one who has taken money from the company. While Kay is at a party, Herbert is gets ready for her return, lowering the lights in her room, closing the curtains when he sees Miriam in another room. She is taking the money from the safe. She takes the money and leaves. Kay goes to open the safe and Herbert talks her out of it telling her about Smith and that he came to take her money but he was in love with her. As he was at the window he sees Miriam in the window of Kay's room. Miriam admits to taking the money, she throws the money on the bed, but then takes the money back. Herbert takes the pearls and leaves Kay to go with Miriam. In the last scene he is looking for pearls. Miriam pulls out Kay's 125,000 handbag and has the pears. She looks for the money and Herbert pulls the money from his pocket.
To me there are 4 qualities that make an excellent film: talented cast, good story and/or witty dialog, great photography and wonderful score. This film has it all. Every actor in the film is great. Miriam Hopkins plays a more lively character than I have seen before. The story which was based on a play that Lubitsch and the screenwriter Raphaelson threw out right away (because they did not read the play). Herbert Marshall can talk his way out of any situation. The photography shows all the actors to their best advantage and some great styled shots by Victor Milner. The score is a romantic sting orchestra that enhances the story. When the characters think about Vienna the O Solo Mia plays with a soft violin. A bonus in this film is Kay Francis looks delightful in her wardrobe and jewels.
Since it is Lubitsch birthday I should say more on him. The Lubitsch touch is the light sexual comedy styling he has on this film. It is a sophisticated comedy that does not have to resort to slapstick, but you still laugh out loud. You wonder what is going on behind closed doors. This is not the first Lubitsch film I saw, but it is the first film that I understood what the Lubitsch touch was.
Friday, January 28, 2011
January 27
Donna Reed
Ms. Reed was probably most know for her role in It's A Wonderful Life. She is good in that film. She plays a young woman to a middle aged married woman, with a spinster thrown in for a good measure. She got a lot of grief for her role on Dallas as Miss Ellie. I always that that she did not deserve that. Who did not love The Donna Reed Show?
I watched They Were Expendable. She had a small role, but was integral to the story. She played a nurse in the pacific islands in the early days of WWII. John Wayne played a soldier who is wounded and goes to the hospital where she is stationed. She is tough and feminine and can force John Wayne to do her bidding. I have never seen a woman better lighted in more ways in a film before. When a group of wounded soldiers come in and the are under attack while performing surgery the light shines on her face and you see the determination and concentration with an underling layer of fear. There is a flickering of light so it is black then you see her face. This happens several times until the lights don't come back on. Several days later there is a dance and when Donna first sees John the light on her face is horizontal lines, like thin blinds. It is a very striking affect. You see her eyes light up and she goes to him. They then dance and go to a side area and sit and talk, where they are silhouetted and then they are sitting on a hammock where they are looking in the same direction and the light is on the profile of their faces. The last time she is seen on film ¾ of her face is shown in light while most of the scenery is dark.
There is plenty of action in the film. It is almost like watching a newsreel of the real action. Robert Montgomery plays a PT commander and the story is really told by the PT boats. They are really the center of the story. The story starts out a few days or a day before the Pearl Harbor attacks. At that time they have 6-8 boats. The base commander does not think the boats are worthy of anything except running messages and transportation carrier. When their base is attacked Robert takes the PT boats out and get several Japanese planes. One of the boats takes the wounded soldiers to the hospital. On the next mission 2 boats go out but only one comes back. Same on the next mission. In Bataan 4 boats leave to escort The General and staff to a safer place. 1 boat is lost and they never find it. When they are at a break after the mission a boat gets damaged by a coral (Wayne jumps in the water and swims to the boat to check the damage) and they take it to get repaired. 2 boots go out on a mission and they get separated afterwords. Wayne's boat is damaged but they manage to get to shore where a Japanese plane destroys the boat. When the smoke clears and Wayne sees the destruction of his boat, he takes off his hat and he falls to sand as if his knees could not hold him up anymore. Wayne goes back to where the 1 one boat was being repaired, but the boat is gone, but it is never explained how. Wayne meets up with Montgomery and the last boat is being taken by the army. The boat is on a flat bed truck and is driven away. Like launching a boat in the sea the boat slowly drives out of sight on land with Anchors Away playing softly on the soundtrack.
Ms. Reed was probably most know for her role in It's A Wonderful Life. She is good in that film. She plays a young woman to a middle aged married woman, with a spinster thrown in for a good measure. She got a lot of grief for her role on Dallas as Miss Ellie. I always that that she did not deserve that. Who did not love The Donna Reed Show?
I watched They Were Expendable. She had a small role, but was integral to the story. She played a nurse in the pacific islands in the early days of WWII. John Wayne played a soldier who is wounded and goes to the hospital where she is stationed. She is tough and feminine and can force John Wayne to do her bidding. I have never seen a woman better lighted in more ways in a film before. When a group of wounded soldiers come in and the are under attack while performing surgery the light shines on her face and you see the determination and concentration with an underling layer of fear. There is a flickering of light so it is black then you see her face. This happens several times until the lights don't come back on. Several days later there is a dance and when Donna first sees John the light on her face is horizontal lines, like thin blinds. It is a very striking affect. You see her eyes light up and she goes to him. They then dance and go to a side area and sit and talk, where they are silhouetted and then they are sitting on a hammock where they are looking in the same direction and the light is on the profile of their faces. The last time she is seen on film ¾ of her face is shown in light while most of the scenery is dark.
There is plenty of action in the film. It is almost like watching a newsreel of the real action. Robert Montgomery plays a PT commander and the story is really told by the PT boats. They are really the center of the story. The story starts out a few days or a day before the Pearl Harbor attacks. At that time they have 6-8 boats. The base commander does not think the boats are worthy of anything except running messages and transportation carrier. When their base is attacked Robert takes the PT boats out and get several Japanese planes. One of the boats takes the wounded soldiers to the hospital. On the next mission 2 boats go out but only one comes back. Same on the next mission. In Bataan 4 boats leave to escort The General and staff to a safer place. 1 boat is lost and they never find it. When they are at a break after the mission a boat gets damaged by a coral (Wayne jumps in the water and swims to the boat to check the damage) and they take it to get repaired. 2 boots go out on a mission and they get separated afterwords. Wayne's boat is damaged but they manage to get to shore where a Japanese plane destroys the boat. When the smoke clears and Wayne sees the destruction of his boat, he takes off his hat and he falls to sand as if his knees could not hold him up anymore. Wayne goes back to where the 1 one boat was being repaired, but the boat is gone, but it is never explained how. Wayne meets up with Montgomery and the last boat is being taken by the army. The boat is on a flat bed truck and is driven away. Like launching a boat in the sea the boat slowly drives out of sight on land with Anchors Away playing softly on the soundtrack.
January 26
Paul Newman
I have seen very few Paul Newman films. I know he is a great actor by reputation, liked racing, has beautiful blue eyes and has great charity food line. I actually do have a DVD with Paul Newman 2 to be exact, Cars and A Silent Movie.
For Mr. Newman's birthday I decided to watch The Sting. I remember when the film came out but was too young to watch the film in the theater. My mother had the album of the soundtrack. I always like The Entertainer and Scott Joplin's music. I think in the 1980's I tried to watch the film, but could not get past the strippers and language. I am older now and can handle things and accept things better.
Robert Redford plays a two-bit con with another man and end up taking money from a hoodlum. The hoodlum, Robert Shaw (with a great Irish accent) of course wants his money and the man killed. Robert's partner was killed and he make a run for it and meets up with someone that his partner trusted, Paul Newman. Robert wants revenge, he is not a killer but wants it to hurt, money and humiliation. Paul Newman starts out as a has been big league con and a drunk, working at a carousel ride. The carousal might actually be a front for a bordello, but I cannot quite tell. A lot of people don't like the hoodlum and did like the man that was killed. So the two of them decide to get to get a group together and get get their revenge. In one scene Paul takes Robert to the barber shop and there is a female manicurist. There is music over the action and Paul's look of amused disgust as Robert tries to charm her is great. There is con after con after con. Paul and Robert go to extreme lengths and expense to get the man with the perfect con with the hoodlums money to make things happen. When Paul beats Robert Stack by out cheating the cheater at cards he has a sweet smile of success on his face. The people you think are the good guys are bad guys and the ones you think are the bad guys are the good guys. I like that in a story. You never know what is going to happen. Paul Newman plays the character in serious playfulness or playful seriousness. What I mean by this is Paul takes what he does seriously but has a good time. No matter what happens he is going to enjoy the ride. Robert “why are you doing it?” Paul with a smile and a light in his eyes “it seems worthwhile doesn't it?”
My favorite scenes in the film involve Eileen Brennan. When she walks around the carousel warehouse, when she talks with the Charles Durning and when she is with the girls. There is one scene where she states that “things are a little slow tonight and I want to open the round for the girls”. The scene then goes to a running carousel with women in evening gowns in the inside row of the carousel. It is only a few seconds of film, but it makes me happy.
I was very tired and went to bed after one film. I woke up the next morning and ached literally from head to toe (even my fingers hurt). I called in sick and went right back to bed. Often times when I am sick, I lay on the couch and watch TCM and take naps. I felt so bad I went right back to bed. I woke up a few hours later feeling better but still achy. I was going to watch Sweet Bird of Youth, but the DVD was in such bad shape it didn't work. TCM will eventually show the film so I will have wait. I still have the Joplin songs playing in my head.
I have seen very few Paul Newman films. I know he is a great actor by reputation, liked racing, has beautiful blue eyes and has great charity food line. I actually do have a DVD with Paul Newman 2 to be exact, Cars and A Silent Movie.
For Mr. Newman's birthday I decided to watch The Sting. I remember when the film came out but was too young to watch the film in the theater. My mother had the album of the soundtrack. I always like The Entertainer and Scott Joplin's music. I think in the 1980's I tried to watch the film, but could not get past the strippers and language. I am older now and can handle things and accept things better.
Robert Redford plays a two-bit con with another man and end up taking money from a hoodlum. The hoodlum, Robert Shaw (with a great Irish accent) of course wants his money and the man killed. Robert's partner was killed and he make a run for it and meets up with someone that his partner trusted, Paul Newman. Robert wants revenge, he is not a killer but wants it to hurt, money and humiliation. Paul Newman starts out as a has been big league con and a drunk, working at a carousel ride. The carousal might actually be a front for a bordello, but I cannot quite tell. A lot of people don't like the hoodlum and did like the man that was killed. So the two of them decide to get to get a group together and get get their revenge. In one scene Paul takes Robert to the barber shop and there is a female manicurist. There is music over the action and Paul's look of amused disgust as Robert tries to charm her is great. There is con after con after con. Paul and Robert go to extreme lengths and expense to get the man with the perfect con with the hoodlums money to make things happen. When Paul beats Robert Stack by out cheating the cheater at cards he has a sweet smile of success on his face. The people you think are the good guys are bad guys and the ones you think are the bad guys are the good guys. I like that in a story. You never know what is going to happen. Paul Newman plays the character in serious playfulness or playful seriousness. What I mean by this is Paul takes what he does seriously but has a good time. No matter what happens he is going to enjoy the ride. Robert “why are you doing it?” Paul with a smile and a light in his eyes “it seems worthwhile doesn't it?”
My favorite scenes in the film involve Eileen Brennan. When she walks around the carousel warehouse, when she talks with the Charles Durning and when she is with the girls. There is one scene where she states that “things are a little slow tonight and I want to open the round for the girls”. The scene then goes to a running carousel with women in evening gowns in the inside row of the carousel. It is only a few seconds of film, but it makes me happy.
I was very tired and went to bed after one film. I woke up the next morning and ached literally from head to toe (even my fingers hurt). I called in sick and went right back to bed. Often times when I am sick, I lay on the couch and watch TCM and take naps. I felt so bad I went right back to bed. I woke up a few hours later feeling better but still achy. I was going to watch Sweet Bird of Youth, but the DVD was in such bad shape it didn't work. TCM will eventually show the film so I will have wait. I still have the Joplin songs playing in my head.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
January 25
Dean Jones
I always liked Dean Jones. He appeared in numerous Disney films like The Love Bug series, Million Dollar Duck and my favorite The Ugly Dachshund. This is the one I watched. It also stared Suzanne Pleshette and Charles Ruggles. Suzanne is obsessed with her dachshund (they are like her children) and it has puppies. At the vet's there is a Great Dane that came from a too large litter and could not get enough milk so the dachshund wet nursed the puppy. The dachshund puppies cause all kinds of trouble. They eat birthday cake on the table, they wrap yarn all over the room and do damage in Dean's studio. The Great Dane tries to get the dachshunds to stop and ends up getting the blame for the problems and he does cause some damage just because he is so big. The scenes where the dogs destroy the studio and a party are great. The Great Dane is tied up in a shed and Dean gives him a bone. One of the Dachshunds takes the bone and the Great Dane follows the other dog to get his bone back. The chase destroys most of the party. Dean tries to find his place with all the females in the house. He plays the frustrated husband very well.
I wanted to watch another film besides the Disney ones, but there is little selection available. He is listed as being in Jailhouse Rock. When I saw the film for the first time last year I was so impressed with Elvis' performance that I didn't pay attention to the rest of the cast. I thought I had that on my DVR, but I could not find it. It was checked out at the library it was checked out and there only Disney films available. I found a DVD documentary on the cast recording of Company. He sang Being Alive. He has a great voice, but on the documentary he stated he doesn't think he can sing. I did not realize how great a cast it was in 1970.
I always liked Dean Jones. He appeared in numerous Disney films like The Love Bug series, Million Dollar Duck and my favorite The Ugly Dachshund. This is the one I watched. It also stared Suzanne Pleshette and Charles Ruggles. Suzanne is obsessed with her dachshund (they are like her children) and it has puppies. At the vet's there is a Great Dane that came from a too large litter and could not get enough milk so the dachshund wet nursed the puppy. The dachshund puppies cause all kinds of trouble. They eat birthday cake on the table, they wrap yarn all over the room and do damage in Dean's studio. The Great Dane tries to get the dachshunds to stop and ends up getting the blame for the problems and he does cause some damage just because he is so big. The scenes where the dogs destroy the studio and a party are great. The Great Dane is tied up in a shed and Dean gives him a bone. One of the Dachshunds takes the bone and the Great Dane follows the other dog to get his bone back. The chase destroys most of the party. Dean tries to find his place with all the females in the house. He plays the frustrated husband very well.
I wanted to watch another film besides the Disney ones, but there is little selection available. He is listed as being in Jailhouse Rock. When I saw the film for the first time last year I was so impressed with Elvis' performance that I didn't pay attention to the rest of the cast. I thought I had that on my DVR, but I could not find it. It was checked out at the library it was checked out and there only Disney films available. I found a DVD documentary on the cast recording of Company. He sang Being Alive. He has a great voice, but on the documentary he stated he doesn't think he can sing. I did not realize how great a cast it was in 1970.
Monday, January 24, 2011
January 23
Randolph Scott
Sheriff: “You'd do it for Randolph Scott.”
Crowd rises to their feet, take off their hats and whisper as in church “Randolph Scott”.
Hallelujah chorus with music “Randolph Scott!”
This was the first that I ever heard of Randolph Scott from Blazing Saddles. The scene where the Sheriff tries to get the people to stay and defend their town. This may be in praise of the western films he did, but I did not watch any westerns. I watched 2 musicals and 1 pre-war marine film.
Randolph was in 2 Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers films: Roberta and Follow the Fleet. In the films he plays 2 very different characters. In Roberta he played a “country hick” in Paris who ends up inheriting is Aunts fashion house. He is more of a puritan in the styles that he wants women to wear and blushes when he sees a woman in a negligee. When he and his fiancee argue he orders a dozen brandy's. He sings loudly the song Astaire/Rogers just finished, I Won't Dance. He gets drunk and goes to see Irene Dunn when he hears her sing. She sings Smoke Gets In Your Eyes. They too argue and he leaves the bar tipsy, but only slightly.
In Follow the Fleet Randolph plays a sea wolf, with a slight drawl. A very charismatic and outgoing navy man. He and some of the men are on leave. They go to a dance hall where he meets Harriet Hillard (Nelson), a nice girl. Later he meets an other woman who is in a higher social circle and dumps Harriet. This film has my favorite Astaire/Rogers dance scene Lets Face the Music & Dance.
The last film I watched is To The Shores of Tripoli with John Payne and Maureen O'Hara. Randolph plays a Sargent in the Marines who is training John, the son of the man who Randolph greatly admired. John's father gave Randolph a note stating that he could not do anything with him that he should try and not to give him any special favors. This of course makes Randolph treat him harder then the rest of the men. Randolph takes great pleasure in Johns pain and discomfort. While on maneuvers Randolph is working on repairing a water target when he falls and is unconscious. The men on the boat don't realize he is not on the repair ship until they get back to the main ship. Firing has already begun on the targets. John gets on a boat and goes to find him while shells are still being fired. John manages to get him off the target and as the boat pulls away from the target, the target explodes. It is a very exciting scene. The firing in Technicolor film was a bright orange in a dark night and a black sea. He is totally believable as a Marine, his bearing, his manor and his whole demeanor. Robert Osborn introduced the film and stated that it was half-way through production when Pearl Harbor was attacked. They changed the film to reflect the start of the war. John Payne left the Marines and his fiancee were in a cab when he turned on the radio and it was announced that Pearl Harbor was attacked. The girl said “I know, it's Orson Wells”. He leaves the cab and joins the group of Marines marching off to a ship. Randolph says “you've got a fat chance of getting on that boat without a uniform.” John gets into ranks and changes from street cloths to his uniform. Randolph is tough till the end, but happy that he made a Marine of John.
It is also Dan Duryea birthday.
I found a few sites that that had classic stars (and crew) but missing a lot of people. As I think of someone I have to look up the names on other sites to find what their birth date. Admittedly there were some people I didn't recognize like J. Carrol Nash (I got it right this time). There will only be one or two days a month where I cannot find someone's birthday. This has been pretty fun.
January 24th is Ernest Borgnine's Birthday. TCM is showing his films Saturday Night (29th) so I will wait till then and have a night off. I might start Dean Jones for the 25th so I can watch Sons of the Desert for the final Hal Roach night.
Sheriff: “You'd do it for Randolph Scott.”
Crowd rises to their feet, take off their hats and whisper as in church “Randolph Scott”.
Hallelujah chorus with music “Randolph Scott!”
This was the first that I ever heard of Randolph Scott from Blazing Saddles. The scene where the Sheriff tries to get the people to stay and defend their town. This may be in praise of the western films he did, but I did not watch any westerns. I watched 2 musicals and 1 pre-war marine film.
Randolph was in 2 Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers films: Roberta and Follow the Fleet. In the films he plays 2 very different characters. In Roberta he played a “country hick” in Paris who ends up inheriting is Aunts fashion house. He is more of a puritan in the styles that he wants women to wear and blushes when he sees a woman in a negligee. When he and his fiancee argue he orders a dozen brandy's. He sings loudly the song Astaire/Rogers just finished, I Won't Dance. He gets drunk and goes to see Irene Dunn when he hears her sing. She sings Smoke Gets In Your Eyes. They too argue and he leaves the bar tipsy, but only slightly.
In Follow the Fleet Randolph plays a sea wolf, with a slight drawl. A very charismatic and outgoing navy man. He and some of the men are on leave. They go to a dance hall where he meets Harriet Hillard (Nelson), a nice girl. Later he meets an other woman who is in a higher social circle and dumps Harriet. This film has my favorite Astaire/Rogers dance scene Lets Face the Music & Dance.
The last film I watched is To The Shores of Tripoli with John Payne and Maureen O'Hara. Randolph plays a Sargent in the Marines who is training John, the son of the man who Randolph greatly admired. John's father gave Randolph a note stating that he could not do anything with him that he should try and not to give him any special favors. This of course makes Randolph treat him harder then the rest of the men. Randolph takes great pleasure in Johns pain and discomfort. While on maneuvers Randolph is working on repairing a water target when he falls and is unconscious. The men on the boat don't realize he is not on the repair ship until they get back to the main ship. Firing has already begun on the targets. John gets on a boat and goes to find him while shells are still being fired. John manages to get him off the target and as the boat pulls away from the target, the target explodes. It is a very exciting scene. The firing in Technicolor film was a bright orange in a dark night and a black sea. He is totally believable as a Marine, his bearing, his manor and his whole demeanor. Robert Osborn introduced the film and stated that it was half-way through production when Pearl Harbor was attacked. They changed the film to reflect the start of the war. John Payne left the Marines and his fiancee were in a cab when he turned on the radio and it was announced that Pearl Harbor was attacked. The girl said “I know, it's Orson Wells”. He leaves the cab and joins the group of Marines marching off to a ship. Randolph says “you've got a fat chance of getting on that boat without a uniform.” John gets into ranks and changes from street cloths to his uniform. Randolph is tough till the end, but happy that he made a Marine of John.
It is also Dan Duryea birthday.
I found a few sites that that had classic stars (and crew) but missing a lot of people. As I think of someone I have to look up the names on other sites to find what their birth date. Admittedly there were some people I didn't recognize like J. Carrol Nash (I got it right this time). There will only be one or two days a month where I cannot find someone's birthday. This has been pretty fun.
January 24th is Ernest Borgnine's Birthday. TCM is showing his films Saturday Night (29th) so I will wait till then and have a night off. I might start Dean Jones for the 25th so I can watch Sons of the Desert for the final Hal Roach night.
Sunday, January 23, 2011
January 22
For the longest time I could not keep straight Ann Sothern and Ann Sheridan. It wasn't until the Maisie series that I could finally tell who was who. Ann is very pretty and has a really nice smile. Ann often plays a wise-cracking blonde, but very seldom a dumb blonde.
I watched Blue Gardenia. Ann has a supporting role. She played the roommate and co-worker of Anne Baxter. Ms. Baxter reads a letter from her boyfriend, who is in Korea, that he is in love with another woman on her birthday. She decides to go out with Raymond Burr when he calls looking for Ms. Sothern. They have dinner and many drinks at the club Blue Gardenia. Nat King Cole sings the title song at the club. Ms. Baxter gets very drunk and the couple go to his apartment. Raymond makes a pass at Ms. Baxter, she grabs a poker at hits him. She then passes out. A while later she wakes up, still drunk and leaves the apartment. The next day it is reported that Raymond was killed. Ms. Baxter does not remember what happened. She has brief flashbacks, but doesn't remember the exact details. Richard Conte (the best leading actor of the 50's) plays a journalist investigating the story. Through the paper he reaches out to the Blue Gardenia killer with a promise to help. When Richard and Ms. Baxter meet Richard does not realize that she is the killer he is looking for. The police follow Richard around and arrest her, she feels betrayed. Richard is going onto the next assignment when he realizes the record playing when the body was found was not the same record that Ms. Baxter said was playing. The police go to the record store to investigate and the clerk attempted suicide. I don't want to give away too much. Ann Sothern plays a wise woman, the best friend to help, lean on and figures out what is going on before Anne Baxter admits it to her.
In Brother Orchid Ann plays the fiancee of gang leader Edward G. Robinson. Robinson is tired of the racket and decides to leave the gang. He goes to Europe where he looses his fortune and returns to the states 5 years later. When he comes back he tries to take up where he left off with the gang, but Humphrey Bogart has taken over and the boys are loyal to him. He goes to visit Ann and she has gone up in the world. She has purchased a nightclub with the help of a cowboy, played by Ralph Bellamy, more interested in cows that Ann. She tries to get Bogart and Robinson back together. Bogart and his gang take Robinson out to the country and shoot him. He is injured and ends up at a Franciscan order. During his recovery he decides to hide out at the order and works in the garden. He takes the moniker of Brother Orchid. Ann's character may appear as a dumb gold digging blonde, but she plays it very smart.
The first Maisie film I saw was Swing Shift Maisie about Maisie helping 2 lovers reunite during war time. She does her part for the war effort by working at an airplane plant. As she walks down the assembly line the men whistle at her and she smiles. Times certainly have changed. It was a month or so after that, that I realized that there was a movie series. A year after that I found out there was a radio series. All are worth checking out. The radio series is one of the few that I have heard that did not have a live audience. The Maisie basic story is Ann as a showgirl trying to get her break and make it big. Unfortunately that break never comes, but she has some interesting jobs along the way. A girl in the knife throwing act and dog act. Often times she has to leave her employment because the man in the act gets fresh. In all the films she has a very interesting wardrobe. If it not the same hat in every film it a similar one each time.
In Maisie Gets Her Man, the man is Red Skelton. One of the men who makes a pass at Maisie is Leo Gorcey. I have not seen him in anything other than a Bowery Boys film. Maisie looses her job and goes to an agent to get work. While she is waiting Red comes in as a bandit with a gun. When he shoots, a flag comes down stating his name and profession. He is very loud and fast talking and spends most of the film as such.
It is also D.W. Griffith's birthday.
I watched Blue Gardenia. Ann has a supporting role. She played the roommate and co-worker of Anne Baxter. Ms. Baxter reads a letter from her boyfriend, who is in Korea, that he is in love with another woman on her birthday. She decides to go out with Raymond Burr when he calls looking for Ms. Sothern. They have dinner and many drinks at the club Blue Gardenia. Nat King Cole sings the title song at the club. Ms. Baxter gets very drunk and the couple go to his apartment. Raymond makes a pass at Ms. Baxter, she grabs a poker at hits him. She then passes out. A while later she wakes up, still drunk and leaves the apartment. The next day it is reported that Raymond was killed. Ms. Baxter does not remember what happened. She has brief flashbacks, but doesn't remember the exact details. Richard Conte (the best leading actor of the 50's) plays a journalist investigating the story. Through the paper he reaches out to the Blue Gardenia killer with a promise to help. When Richard and Ms. Baxter meet Richard does not realize that she is the killer he is looking for. The police follow Richard around and arrest her, she feels betrayed. Richard is going onto the next assignment when he realizes the record playing when the body was found was not the same record that Ms. Baxter said was playing. The police go to the record store to investigate and the clerk attempted suicide. I don't want to give away too much. Ann Sothern plays a wise woman, the best friend to help, lean on and figures out what is going on before Anne Baxter admits it to her.
In Brother Orchid Ann plays the fiancee of gang leader Edward G. Robinson. Robinson is tired of the racket and decides to leave the gang. He goes to Europe where he looses his fortune and returns to the states 5 years later. When he comes back he tries to take up where he left off with the gang, but Humphrey Bogart has taken over and the boys are loyal to him. He goes to visit Ann and she has gone up in the world. She has purchased a nightclub with the help of a cowboy, played by Ralph Bellamy, more interested in cows that Ann. She tries to get Bogart and Robinson back together. Bogart and his gang take Robinson out to the country and shoot him. He is injured and ends up at a Franciscan order. During his recovery he decides to hide out at the order and works in the garden. He takes the moniker of Brother Orchid. Ann's character may appear as a dumb gold digging blonde, but she plays it very smart.
The first Maisie film I saw was Swing Shift Maisie about Maisie helping 2 lovers reunite during war time. She does her part for the war effort by working at an airplane plant. As she walks down the assembly line the men whistle at her and she smiles. Times certainly have changed. It was a month or so after that, that I realized that there was a movie series. A year after that I found out there was a radio series. All are worth checking out. The radio series is one of the few that I have heard that did not have a live audience. The Maisie basic story is Ann as a showgirl trying to get her break and make it big. Unfortunately that break never comes, but she has some interesting jobs along the way. A girl in the knife throwing act and dog act. Often times she has to leave her employment because the man in the act gets fresh. In all the films she has a very interesting wardrobe. If it not the same hat in every film it a similar one each time.
In Maisie Gets Her Man, the man is Red Skelton. One of the men who makes a pass at Maisie is Leo Gorcey. I have not seen him in anything other than a Bowery Boys film. Maisie looses her job and goes to an agent to get work. While she is waiting Red comes in as a bandit with a gun. When he shoots, a flag comes down stating his name and profession. He is very loud and fast talking and spends most of the film as such.
It is also D.W. Griffith's birthday.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
January 21
J. Carol Nash
TMC celebrated J. Carol Nash's birthday. When I first put the January calendar together I had not heard of him. I like supporting/character actors and always look at the opening credits for their names. J. Carol Nash did more dramatic films than the comedies that I watch. Supporting characters are in integral part of films. They generally have to work harder in a film than the stars and don't always get the recognition that they deserve.
In No Other Woman he played a lawyer who grills Irene Dunne. In Humoresque he plays John Garfield's father. In Back Hand he plays a police officer who guides Gene Kelly. Everyday, everyman roles. In Sahara (1/15 Lloyd Bridges) he played an Italian POW during WWII and had the best dialog of the film.
I feel that there should be more to this blog but I cannot find the words to describe his talent, his style. I am so in awe of his work and films that I cannot find the words.
TMC celebrated J. Carol Nash's birthday. When I first put the January calendar together I had not heard of him. I like supporting/character actors and always look at the opening credits for their names. J. Carol Nash did more dramatic films than the comedies that I watch. Supporting characters are in integral part of films. They generally have to work harder in a film than the stars and don't always get the recognition that they deserve.
In No Other Woman he played a lawyer who grills Irene Dunne. In Humoresque he plays John Garfield's father. In Back Hand he plays a police officer who guides Gene Kelly. Everyday, everyman roles. In Sahara (1/15 Lloyd Bridges) he played an Italian POW during WWII and had the best dialog of the film.
I feel that there should be more to this blog but I cannot find the words to describe his talent, his style. I am so in awe of his work and films that I cannot find the words.
Friday, January 21, 2011
January 20
Happy Birthday to Patricia Neal, Fellini, George Burns and Noir Diva.
TCM had a birthday celebration for Patricia Neal. I messed up somehow on my recording and had part of Fountainhead and part of Psyche 59. The first time we see her in The Fountainhead she is throwing a statue out the window because she loves it so much she doesn't want to become attached to it. The scene where she and Gary Cooper see each other for the first time is the greatest romantic moment ever. The music swells (Max Steiner) you see them look at each other. Patricia has the wind blowing on her and her scarf and skirt swirl around and there is something in Gary's eyes. It is the same look that he has when he looks at his buildings. I have tried to read the book by Ayn Rand, but could never get all the way through. I will have to find the film to watch the rest, because Patricia's character, comes off as slightly odd to me. I don't want to say crazy, but she is peculiar, but then again aren't we all. When asked “what are you seeking” Patricia states “Freedom. To want nothing. To expect nothing. To depend on nothing.” Later in the film she states to Gary “ you are everything I ever wanted. That's why I hoped I would never meet anyone like you.” One breath she says she never wants to see him again and the next she wants to marry him. The last I have of the film is Patricia marrying another man.
It has been a week of blogging and I have not missed a day. I have gone off my diet (girl scout cookies), but I have exercised 5 days out of the week. As the song goes 2 out of 3 ain’t bad.
TCM had a birthday celebration for Patricia Neal. I messed up somehow on my recording and had part of Fountainhead and part of Psyche 59. The first time we see her in The Fountainhead she is throwing a statue out the window because she loves it so much she doesn't want to become attached to it. The scene where she and Gary Cooper see each other for the first time is the greatest romantic moment ever. The music swells (Max Steiner) you see them look at each other. Patricia has the wind blowing on her and her scarf and skirt swirl around and there is something in Gary's eyes. It is the same look that he has when he looks at his buildings. I have tried to read the book by Ayn Rand, but could never get all the way through. I will have to find the film to watch the rest, because Patricia's character, comes off as slightly odd to me. I don't want to say crazy, but she is peculiar, but then again aren't we all. When asked “what are you seeking” Patricia states “Freedom. To want nothing. To expect nothing. To depend on nothing.” Later in the film she states to Gary “ you are everything I ever wanted. That's why I hoped I would never meet anyone like you.” One breath she says she never wants to see him again and the next she wants to marry him. The last I have of the film is Patricia marrying another man.
It has been a week of blogging and I have not missed a day. I have gone off my diet (girl scout cookies), but I have exercised 5 days out of the week. As the song goes 2 out of 3 ain’t bad.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
January 19
I watched The Birds. It is a cold snowy evening and I have a headache. I like the start of the story with Rod Taylor following and fooling Tippi, but it seemed to last forever. The tweeting of all the birds went through my head, jaw and down to my shoulder. Tippi bought birds to take to Rod as a gift. Rod was out of town and helpful neighbor told her were he was and how to get there. On the drive down, the birds sat in their cage on the floor of the car. The scene shows Tippi's leg and the birds. The birds sway to show the movement of the car. If you are looking at Tippi's leg you may miss that, but I thought that was a great shot. She gets to the island and leaves the birds in his house. She sneaks away and Rod finds the birds and sees her. He gets in his car and goes along the road to meet her boat. As she gets closer to the dock a gull hits her head. “That's the damnedest thing I ever saw” Rod states. I love that line. The movie has very fast paced editing. There are a few scenes were back and forth dialog and the actors were seldom filmed in the same shot. In one scene with Susanne Pleshette (1-31 Birthday) Susanne is on the couch or moving around and Tippi is in a chair. The camera stays on the person talking, back and forth until a phone call. Tippi talks on the phone in the background and Susanne is in the chair in the foreground. The most dramatic or realistic scene to me, was when the women are holed up the hallway and they blame Tippi for the bird attacks. It reminded me of all of the disaster films where the survivors gather.
I like how birds are in almost every scene, either in a cage, flying, sitting on a wire or on the ground, background noise or just mentioned. Other than the single gull that gets Tippi and the two love birds, the birds are in large flocks. They look like a swarm of bees.
Hitchcock's suspense builder on the film was to hold it on a single shot until the audience can't stand it anymore. This was used for the most famous shot in the birds. Tippi is smoking a cigarette waiting for school to end. At the beginning of the shot there is one bird on the jungle gym and the camera stays on her and stays on her and stays on her until it cuts to a single bird overhead, the camera follows the bird to the jungle gym where it is full of birds.
This is the only film I have ever seen Tippi Hedren appear. In the DVD extras she talks about how she was a model when Hitchcock spotted her. She is very beautiful and graceful. There were a lot of close ups of her and the green outfit she wore really showcased her beauty and bone structure.
If this weren't a Hitchcock film I think it would have been a campy cult horror film. I admire all the actors, crew and staff but I just don't get the film. Every Hitchcock film I do watch my esteem for him grows. He was a great filmmaker.
I like how birds are in almost every scene, either in a cage, flying, sitting on a wire or on the ground, background noise or just mentioned. Other than the single gull that gets Tippi and the two love birds, the birds are in large flocks. They look like a swarm of bees.
Hitchcock's suspense builder on the film was to hold it on a single shot until the audience can't stand it anymore. This was used for the most famous shot in the birds. Tippi is smoking a cigarette waiting for school to end. At the beginning of the shot there is one bird on the jungle gym and the camera stays on her and stays on her and stays on her until it cuts to a single bird overhead, the camera follows the bird to the jungle gym where it is full of birds.
This is the only film I have ever seen Tippi Hedren appear. In the DVD extras she talks about how she was a model when Hitchcock spotted her. She is very beautiful and graceful. There were a lot of close ups of her and the green outfit she wore really showcased her beauty and bone structure.
If this weren't a Hitchcock film I think it would have been a campy cult horror film. I admire all the actors, crew and staff but I just don't get the film. Every Hitchcock film I do watch my esteem for him grows. He was a great filmmaker.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
January 18
Today is the big day for Cary Grant, Danny Kaye and Oliver Hardy. TCM celebrated Cary Grant with a day full of his films: Sylvia Scarlett, The Toast of New York, Bringing Up Baby, Gunga Din, Only Angels have Wings and Night & Day. Bringing Up Baby is on one of my favorite films. Cary plays it straight in a screwball with Katharine Hepburn. Not everyone gets that film.
I watched Gunga Din and Only Angels have Wings. Gunga din also starred Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and Victor McLaglen. I could not get into the story of the film. The three main characters are always together and look out for each other as the Three Musketeers, except in India. At times they were fun, playful, but yet always mind full of each other. The look, the feel of the film was great. There was a texture to the film, whether it was the black and white or location shots of the mountains I am not sure. The photography was excellent. With George Stevens as director, I would not expect anything else. He sees things in a way that other directors and cinematographers don't. In one scene the soldiers go to a city where they have lost communication with the soldiers stationed there. The soldiers wander around trying to find people or tracks something that gives them a clue to what happened. They look around because they feel someone watching them but cannot see anyone. Cary is in the foreground and in the background there is a hill silhouetted with a guard on top and the guard is overtaken by someone and pulled to the ground. I am not sure if I have seen Victor McLaglen in a film before.
Only Angels have Wings also starred Jean Arthur and Richard Barthelmess. Jean Arthur ends up a a bar in a tiny South American city for a few hours of shore leave (I don't remember why she said she was on the boat). The bar happens to be owned by the same man who runs the postal service and plane service. Cary Grant is the manager of the plane service. One of the men takes the mail from the boat to the plane. There is a quick change in the weather and the fog rolls in so the plane has to turn around. The pilot cannot see and he crashes and is killed. Jean is very upset and seems more upset that the rest of the people do not feel anything. They do, but don't let it show in public. It is hard to say if it is a guy thing or pilot/military thing. The weather clears and Cary takes the plane for the scheduled run. When he gets back the next morning Jean is still there. She felt that she had a connection to Cary so she got her trunks from the boat and came back to the bar. Cary was cold and wanted her gone, but she had to stay till the boat came back in a week or so. Cary gets a new pilot, which is Richard Barthelmess. A pilot with a bad reputation and his wife is Rita Hayworth who happens to be the girl who broke Cary's heart. There are plane sequences with edge of the seat action. The only thing that seemed a bit odd to me was the radio work. When the pilots were over the radio the voice seemed to be different, not a different voice, but no emotion, it didn't fit in with the action. That part was probably recorded later but to me it kind threw things off.
I have seen Cary Grant in many films: comedy, drama and mystery. His work is always good even if the film is not. So that leads to the question is Cary Grant bad in any role?
I watched Gunga Din and Only Angels have Wings. Gunga din also starred Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. and Victor McLaglen. I could not get into the story of the film. The three main characters are always together and look out for each other as the Three Musketeers, except in India. At times they were fun, playful, but yet always mind full of each other. The look, the feel of the film was great. There was a texture to the film, whether it was the black and white or location shots of the mountains I am not sure. The photography was excellent. With George Stevens as director, I would not expect anything else. He sees things in a way that other directors and cinematographers don't. In one scene the soldiers go to a city where they have lost communication with the soldiers stationed there. The soldiers wander around trying to find people or tracks something that gives them a clue to what happened. They look around because they feel someone watching them but cannot see anyone. Cary is in the foreground and in the background there is a hill silhouetted with a guard on top and the guard is overtaken by someone and pulled to the ground. I am not sure if I have seen Victor McLaglen in a film before.
Only Angels have Wings also starred Jean Arthur and Richard Barthelmess. Jean Arthur ends up a a bar in a tiny South American city for a few hours of shore leave (I don't remember why she said she was on the boat). The bar happens to be owned by the same man who runs the postal service and plane service. Cary Grant is the manager of the plane service. One of the men takes the mail from the boat to the plane. There is a quick change in the weather and the fog rolls in so the plane has to turn around. The pilot cannot see and he crashes and is killed. Jean is very upset and seems more upset that the rest of the people do not feel anything. They do, but don't let it show in public. It is hard to say if it is a guy thing or pilot/military thing. The weather clears and Cary takes the plane for the scheduled run. When he gets back the next morning Jean is still there. She felt that she had a connection to Cary so she got her trunks from the boat and came back to the bar. Cary was cold and wanted her gone, but she had to stay till the boat came back in a week or so. Cary gets a new pilot, which is Richard Barthelmess. A pilot with a bad reputation and his wife is Rita Hayworth who happens to be the girl who broke Cary's heart. There are plane sequences with edge of the seat action. The only thing that seemed a bit odd to me was the radio work. When the pilots were over the radio the voice seemed to be different, not a different voice, but no emotion, it didn't fit in with the action. That part was probably recorded later but to me it kind threw things off.
I have seen Cary Grant in many films: comedy, drama and mystery. His work is always good even if the film is not. So that leads to the question is Cary Grant bad in any role?
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
January 17
James Earl Jones
My original intent was to watch James Earl Jones films today. I wanted to watch a film in which he had a leading role. I was going to watch The Great White Hope. My library did not have a copy of the film. I went to a movie rental place and they did not have it either. I expected there would be problems in getting DVD of lesser known or older stars, but not finding any James Earl Jones? I was not prepared for that. The Comedians, Gardens of Stone, Great White Hope (I watched part of the film last year on Fox Movies when I was going through a Chester Morris obsession but could not get through the boxing and wanted to give it another try for James Earl Jones) and Cry the Beloved County was not available and Roots was checked out. I could believe it. I tried Redbox, but they only had new films. Netflix had the films, but I am too cheap to join the service. Mr. Jones is a great actor but there are so few films available. I have seen him in Field of Dreams, Coming to America and Hunt for Red October, but I wanted to see him as the main character. He has a great voice and has done wonderful voice overs for cartoons and movies and many audio-books. I am disappointed, but will keep looking.
Mack Sennett
I got out my Chaplin at Keystone set by Flicker Alley and found 2 shorts and a feature were the scenario, producer and director were done by Sennett: Tango Tangles, The Fatal Mallet and Tillie's Punctured Romance. Thank you to Jeffery Vance for the names of the actors. The words below are mine. Slapstick does not write well. I have never seen a Chaplin short I did not like.
The short films were basically the same story about 3 men who love the same girl.
In Tango Tangles, the men are Roscoe “fatty” Arbuckle, Ford Sterling and Charlie Chaplin and the girl is Minta Durfee. Charlie (in non tramp role) is drunk and dances with Minta. The band leader Ford considers Minta his girl, but she is actually Roscoe's girl. Ford asks Roscoe to get him a drink of water so he is out of the way and goes to the dance floor to get Minta away from Charlie. Charlie gets Minta back and Ford challenges Charlie to a fight. Ford wins the fight and declares Minta to be his girl and will fight anyone who tries to steal her. Roscoe gets rid of Ford. Ford meets up with Charlie again and they decide to fight again. They take off their jacks and vests and start to fight (or rather circle each other). They take off their ties and collars and start to unbutton their pants before Ford realizes what he is doing. They go to put their coats on but cannot find their coats and take all the coats and hats off the hooks and throw them on the floor and continue to fight until they are so warn off they each decide the other can have her.
In The Fatal Mallet, the men are Mack Swain, Mack Sennett (I don't think I ever noticed him in a short film before) and Charlie Chaplin and the girl is Mabel Normand. Charlie takes Mabel from Mack. Mack kicks Charlie in the behind and Charlie thinks Mabel did it and he kicks her in retaliation. Mabel smiles and asks Charlie to come closer. When he does she slaps him with a strong left and he falls down. Mabel goes to Mack, who pushes her on a swing right into Charlie. Mack and Mabel run a little bit away where Charlie throws bricks at them and Mabel throws a brick at Charlie. Mack accidentally hits Mabel in the face and Charlie defends Mabel. Swain shows up and Mabel runs right over to him. Swain sits in the swing and Mack and Charlie come up behind him and hit him in the head with a brick. He barely feels it. Mack and Charlie hit him at the same time and Swain chases them. They end up in a barn and find a large mallet. Swain gives up the chase and sits with Mabel. Charlie hits Swain with the mallet and knocks him out. Charlie and Mack take him in the barn and Charlie hits Mack to go back to Mabel. When he goes over to her, there is a little boy now making time with Mabel. Charlie gets rid of the boy. Mack and Swain get out of the barn, Swain fights with Charlie and Swain ends up in the pond. Mack fights with Charlie and Charlie ends up in the pond. Mabel comes over to Mack and they leave the park arm in arm. There are very few title cards in this short. You can pretty much tell what is going on from the action on the actors.
In Tillie's Punctured Romance Marie Dressler plays Tillie a poor country girl who attracts Charlie Chaplin or should I say her father's money attracts Charlie. Charlie plays a slightly darker version of the tramp with a straw hat and a sly look in his eyes. Tillie gets her fathers money and they elope to the city. In getting ready to go to the city Tillie puts on the ugliest hat ever created, with a large bird. Once in the City Charlie meets up with his true girl Mabel Normand. At a restaurant while Mabel is dancing she hands Charlie her purse with the money. Charlie grabs Mabel and they leave the restaurant. Tillie gets a little wild and gets kicked out of the restaurant and is taken away by the police. While in the drunk tank, she reveals that she is a the niece of the “millionaire Banks”, the police take her to his house. Tillie causes some mayhem since she still wants to dance and gets kicked out her uncle's house. Her uncle then goes on a trip to rest up from his nieces visit. Charlie and Mabel go to see a movie, a Keystone Comedy that mirrors what they have done. Sitting next to them is Charley Chase who is a police officer. They leave the theater. Tillie gets a job as a waitress. When she sees Charlie in the restaurant she faints. Charlie and Mabel rush out. When Tillie comes to she grabs a nice and starts to chase after them. Other waitresses rush to her aid and calm her down. The millionaire Banks dies and leaves Tillie as his sole heir. Charlie sees in the newspaper the story that Tillie is the sole heir and rushes back to Tillie saying he wants to marry her. They get married. Tillie realizes why he rushed to marry her. Tillie and Charlie go to her new house and Mabel becomes a maid in the house. During a party Tillie catches Mabel and Charlie kissing. Tillie starts throwing food, suddenly she has a gun and the chase is on. Tillie is shooting at anything that moves and fires more bullets from one gun than 3 would hold. Her uncle is not dead and comes home at this time. He kicks everybody out. Charlie and Mabel run off with Tillie still firing away. The uncle calls the cops (keystone of course) and the action ends up at the pier. Tillie ends up in the water and so do most of the cops who are attempting to rescue her. Tillie is finally rescued and gives Charlie back the wedding ring. Mabel feels so badly at their treatment of her she also dumps Charlie. The cops take Charlie away. Mabel convinces Tillie it was all Charlies fault and they hug. The curtain falls and the principal characters take a bow. The music played by Tillie's Nightmare Ensemble is a great jazz band that really enhances the film. The restoration is great, very clear and only very few imperfections. The last version I saw of the film it was very dark and some scenes were difficult to see.
As I was watching the film the very last credits were a little strange to me. “The appearance of Joe Bordeau is not verified. Contrary to many accounts, Ford Sterling, Eddie Sutherland, Gene Marsh and Milton Berle do not appear in the film. And the Reverend D. Simpson does not appear as “himself”.” It does not say it but these must have been part of the restoration. I particularly like the last one.
My original intent was to watch James Earl Jones films today. I wanted to watch a film in which he had a leading role. I was going to watch The Great White Hope. My library did not have a copy of the film. I went to a movie rental place and they did not have it either. I expected there would be problems in getting DVD of lesser known or older stars, but not finding any James Earl Jones? I was not prepared for that. The Comedians, Gardens of Stone, Great White Hope (I watched part of the film last year on Fox Movies when I was going through a Chester Morris obsession but could not get through the boxing and wanted to give it another try for James Earl Jones) and Cry the Beloved County was not available and Roots was checked out. I could believe it. I tried Redbox, but they only had new films. Netflix had the films, but I am too cheap to join the service. Mr. Jones is a great actor but there are so few films available. I have seen him in Field of Dreams, Coming to America and Hunt for Red October, but I wanted to see him as the main character. He has a great voice and has done wonderful voice overs for cartoons and movies and many audio-books. I am disappointed, but will keep looking.
Mack Sennett
I got out my Chaplin at Keystone set by Flicker Alley and found 2 shorts and a feature were the scenario, producer and director were done by Sennett: Tango Tangles, The Fatal Mallet and Tillie's Punctured Romance. Thank you to Jeffery Vance for the names of the actors. The words below are mine. Slapstick does not write well. I have never seen a Chaplin short I did not like.
The short films were basically the same story about 3 men who love the same girl.
In Tango Tangles, the men are Roscoe “fatty” Arbuckle, Ford Sterling and Charlie Chaplin and the girl is Minta Durfee. Charlie (in non tramp role) is drunk and dances with Minta. The band leader Ford considers Minta his girl, but she is actually Roscoe's girl. Ford asks Roscoe to get him a drink of water so he is out of the way and goes to the dance floor to get Minta away from Charlie. Charlie gets Minta back and Ford challenges Charlie to a fight. Ford wins the fight and declares Minta to be his girl and will fight anyone who tries to steal her. Roscoe gets rid of Ford. Ford meets up with Charlie again and they decide to fight again. They take off their jacks and vests and start to fight (or rather circle each other). They take off their ties and collars and start to unbutton their pants before Ford realizes what he is doing. They go to put their coats on but cannot find their coats and take all the coats and hats off the hooks and throw them on the floor and continue to fight until they are so warn off they each decide the other can have her.
In The Fatal Mallet, the men are Mack Swain, Mack Sennett (I don't think I ever noticed him in a short film before) and Charlie Chaplin and the girl is Mabel Normand. Charlie takes Mabel from Mack. Mack kicks Charlie in the behind and Charlie thinks Mabel did it and he kicks her in retaliation. Mabel smiles and asks Charlie to come closer. When he does she slaps him with a strong left and he falls down. Mabel goes to Mack, who pushes her on a swing right into Charlie. Mack and Mabel run a little bit away where Charlie throws bricks at them and Mabel throws a brick at Charlie. Mack accidentally hits Mabel in the face and Charlie defends Mabel. Swain shows up and Mabel runs right over to him. Swain sits in the swing and Mack and Charlie come up behind him and hit him in the head with a brick. He barely feels it. Mack and Charlie hit him at the same time and Swain chases them. They end up in a barn and find a large mallet. Swain gives up the chase and sits with Mabel. Charlie hits Swain with the mallet and knocks him out. Charlie and Mack take him in the barn and Charlie hits Mack to go back to Mabel. When he goes over to her, there is a little boy now making time with Mabel. Charlie gets rid of the boy. Mack and Swain get out of the barn, Swain fights with Charlie and Swain ends up in the pond. Mack fights with Charlie and Charlie ends up in the pond. Mabel comes over to Mack and they leave the park arm in arm. There are very few title cards in this short. You can pretty much tell what is going on from the action on the actors.
In Tillie's Punctured Romance Marie Dressler plays Tillie a poor country girl who attracts Charlie Chaplin or should I say her father's money attracts Charlie. Charlie plays a slightly darker version of the tramp with a straw hat and a sly look in his eyes. Tillie gets her fathers money and they elope to the city. In getting ready to go to the city Tillie puts on the ugliest hat ever created, with a large bird. Once in the City Charlie meets up with his true girl Mabel Normand. At a restaurant while Mabel is dancing she hands Charlie her purse with the money. Charlie grabs Mabel and they leave the restaurant. Tillie gets a little wild and gets kicked out of the restaurant and is taken away by the police. While in the drunk tank, she reveals that she is a the niece of the “millionaire Banks”, the police take her to his house. Tillie causes some mayhem since she still wants to dance and gets kicked out her uncle's house. Her uncle then goes on a trip to rest up from his nieces visit. Charlie and Mabel go to see a movie, a Keystone Comedy that mirrors what they have done. Sitting next to them is Charley Chase who is a police officer. They leave the theater. Tillie gets a job as a waitress. When she sees Charlie in the restaurant she faints. Charlie and Mabel rush out. When Tillie comes to she grabs a nice and starts to chase after them. Other waitresses rush to her aid and calm her down. The millionaire Banks dies and leaves Tillie as his sole heir. Charlie sees in the newspaper the story that Tillie is the sole heir and rushes back to Tillie saying he wants to marry her. They get married. Tillie realizes why he rushed to marry her. Tillie and Charlie go to her new house and Mabel becomes a maid in the house. During a party Tillie catches Mabel and Charlie kissing. Tillie starts throwing food, suddenly she has a gun and the chase is on. Tillie is shooting at anything that moves and fires more bullets from one gun than 3 would hold. Her uncle is not dead and comes home at this time. He kicks everybody out. Charlie and Mabel run off with Tillie still firing away. The uncle calls the cops (keystone of course) and the action ends up at the pier. Tillie ends up in the water and so do most of the cops who are attempting to rescue her. Tillie is finally rescued and gives Charlie back the wedding ring. Mabel feels so badly at their treatment of her she also dumps Charlie. The cops take Charlie away. Mabel convinces Tillie it was all Charlies fault and they hug. The curtain falls and the principal characters take a bow. The music played by Tillie's Nightmare Ensemble is a great jazz band that really enhances the film. The restoration is great, very clear and only very few imperfections. The last version I saw of the film it was very dark and some scenes were difficult to see.
As I was watching the film the very last credits were a little strange to me. “The appearance of Joe Bordeau is not verified. Contrary to many accounts, Ford Sterling, Eddie Sutherland, Gene Marsh and Milton Berle do not appear in the film. And the Reverend D. Simpson does not appear as “himself”.” It does not say it but these must have been part of the restoration. I particularly like the last one.
Monday, January 17, 2011
January 16
Ethel Merman
Most people when they think of Ethel Merman they probably remember her in Airplane. Her small cameo role. Most people don't remember how really good she was. Yes she developed a reputation for being a very loud singer, but she was talented and Irving Berlin thought she was great, a natural talent. For her birthday I watched Alexander's Ragtime Band with Tyrone Power, Alice Faye and Don Ameche as the top stars. Ethel was first after the title and then Jack Haley. Tyrone plays a classical violinist who wants to be part of a band. He and his group get the opportunity to play at a bar but they have lost their music. The bartender Bill (comic relief played by Paul Hurst who I will have to look up, I thoroughly enjoyed his performance) gives him the sheet music that Alice Faye brought in to sing with a new song by Irving Berlin Alexander's Ragtime band. The band members had never heard the music and did not understand how fast the music was supposed to be played. It was awful, way to slow, you could not even recognize the song. Finally the group got the beat right and it sounded good. Alice recognized the song and started singing. The owner took the group and the singer as one. Alice and Tyrone fought pretty much from that point on, that is how love often starts in films. They go up an up in the entertainment line and things get better for them. Then WWI happens. Tyrone and Jack go to war and eventually are part of the entertainment division singing where Jack sings the great song “Oh how I hate to get up in the morning”. The war ends, Tyrone and Jack come home and find out that Alice and Don are married. Alice is a big success. Jack finds a new singer for the group, Ethel Merman (almost an hour into the movie). Tyrone is depressed from war and loss of Alice. Ethel sings to try to get him to notice her, A Pretty Girl and Say it with music. I don't think I have ever heard her sing so softly or lovely as that scene.
I also don't think I ever noticed until that moment how handsome Tyrone Powers was. I think I always noticed, but there is something about his eyebrows. They seem to frame his eyes, which for most of the film are very sad and brooding. Moving on, at this point Jack is trying to get Tyrone to get back into music business. Tyrone says “Business, what's that?” Ethel says “You know, that thing you do to take your mind off your drinking”. I am always amazed at how much alcohol there is in films that are filmed during prohibition or reflecting the era. Did anyone really stop drinking? On the eve of Tyrone's leaving for a European tour Alice comes to see Tyrone and his new band. Ethel sings Blue Skies with great vim and vigor. While she is singing Tyrone looks with such love at Alice. Ethel asks Alice to sing and she also sings Blue Skies. She has tears and regret in her eyes. On the boat to Europe Ethel sings Pack Up Your Sins. I don't think I have ever heard this song before. “Pack up you sins and go to the devil and you'll never have to go to bed at all.” This is one sequence I would have liked to have seen in color. Ethel and the chorus girls were in dark sequined outfits (Ethel had horns and a great flowing sequined cape) which were probably a dark red. While Tyrone was in Europe, Alice was on an American tour. On the train someone is playing a record of her song Remember, to which Alice mouths along with song. Ethel Merman then sings Stepping around where the chorus boys put their hats on the ground and she steps on them. The men pick up their hats and then place them on the ground in front of them and stand on them. I can honestly admit I have never seen these types of sequences before, understated and unique. In London Tyrone asks Ethel to marry him, but she says no that he is still in love with Alice. When Tyrone gets back from Europe he appears on radio and finds out that Don and Alice have divorced. Alice left her big show and was doing small clubs across the country. Tyrone has a big gig at Carnegie Hall (which makes his aunt accept his playing rag/swing music). Alice finds out but the concert is sold out and she doesn't have the courage to go backstage. She walks around outside listing and a taxi driver takes pity on her and lets her in the cab so she can listen over the radio. Ethel sings Heatwave. Conducting the group Tyrone looks his most vibrant and alive, almost dancing at the podium. At the final number Alexander's Ragtime Band the taxi driver who recognized her convinced her to go backstage. She does and Tyrone gets her to sing and puts her at the center of the stage. Fade to black.
At first I didn't think there was much plot just a way to bring Fox's top stars together and get a lot of songs aired, but I realized it was a romance. Maybe a typical Hollywood romance, but entertaining none the less.
Most people when they think of Ethel Merman they probably remember her in Airplane. Her small cameo role. Most people don't remember how really good she was. Yes she developed a reputation for being a very loud singer, but she was talented and Irving Berlin thought she was great, a natural talent. For her birthday I watched Alexander's Ragtime Band with Tyrone Power, Alice Faye and Don Ameche as the top stars. Ethel was first after the title and then Jack Haley. Tyrone plays a classical violinist who wants to be part of a band. He and his group get the opportunity to play at a bar but they have lost their music. The bartender Bill (comic relief played by Paul Hurst who I will have to look up, I thoroughly enjoyed his performance) gives him the sheet music that Alice Faye brought in to sing with a new song by Irving Berlin Alexander's Ragtime band. The band members had never heard the music and did not understand how fast the music was supposed to be played. It was awful, way to slow, you could not even recognize the song. Finally the group got the beat right and it sounded good. Alice recognized the song and started singing. The owner took the group and the singer as one. Alice and Tyrone fought pretty much from that point on, that is how love often starts in films. They go up an up in the entertainment line and things get better for them. Then WWI happens. Tyrone and Jack go to war and eventually are part of the entertainment division singing where Jack sings the great song “Oh how I hate to get up in the morning”. The war ends, Tyrone and Jack come home and find out that Alice and Don are married. Alice is a big success. Jack finds a new singer for the group, Ethel Merman (almost an hour into the movie). Tyrone is depressed from war and loss of Alice. Ethel sings to try to get him to notice her, A Pretty Girl and Say it with music. I don't think I have ever heard her sing so softly or lovely as that scene.
I also don't think I ever noticed until that moment how handsome Tyrone Powers was. I think I always noticed, but there is something about his eyebrows. They seem to frame his eyes, which for most of the film are very sad and brooding. Moving on, at this point Jack is trying to get Tyrone to get back into music business. Tyrone says “Business, what's that?” Ethel says “You know, that thing you do to take your mind off your drinking”. I am always amazed at how much alcohol there is in films that are filmed during prohibition or reflecting the era. Did anyone really stop drinking? On the eve of Tyrone's leaving for a European tour Alice comes to see Tyrone and his new band. Ethel sings Blue Skies with great vim and vigor. While she is singing Tyrone looks with such love at Alice. Ethel asks Alice to sing and she also sings Blue Skies. She has tears and regret in her eyes. On the boat to Europe Ethel sings Pack Up Your Sins. I don't think I have ever heard this song before. “Pack up you sins and go to the devil and you'll never have to go to bed at all.” This is one sequence I would have liked to have seen in color. Ethel and the chorus girls were in dark sequined outfits (Ethel had horns and a great flowing sequined cape) which were probably a dark red. While Tyrone was in Europe, Alice was on an American tour. On the train someone is playing a record of her song Remember, to which Alice mouths along with song. Ethel Merman then sings Stepping around where the chorus boys put their hats on the ground and she steps on them. The men pick up their hats and then place them on the ground in front of them and stand on them. I can honestly admit I have never seen these types of sequences before, understated and unique. In London Tyrone asks Ethel to marry him, but she says no that he is still in love with Alice. When Tyrone gets back from Europe he appears on radio and finds out that Don and Alice have divorced. Alice left her big show and was doing small clubs across the country. Tyrone has a big gig at Carnegie Hall (which makes his aunt accept his playing rag/swing music). Alice finds out but the concert is sold out and she doesn't have the courage to go backstage. She walks around outside listing and a taxi driver takes pity on her and lets her in the cab so she can listen over the radio. Ethel sings Heatwave. Conducting the group Tyrone looks his most vibrant and alive, almost dancing at the podium. At the final number Alexander's Ragtime Band the taxi driver who recognized her convinced her to go backstage. She does and Tyrone gets her to sing and puts her at the center of the stage. Fade to black.
At first I didn't think there was much plot just a way to bring Fox's top stars together and get a lot of songs aired, but I realized it was a romance. Maybe a typical Hollywood romance, but entertaining none the less.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
January 15
Lloyd Bridges
I have not seen Lloyd Bridges in many films. He had a “guest” role in Joe vs. the Volcano. I did like him on Seinfeld, but I don't have a true picture of his work. TCM aired Sahara with Lloyd Bridges and Humphrey Bogart. Since Lloyd Bridges received 3rd credit I thought he would have a pretty big role. I should know by now that is not necessary so. Maybe next year I will be able to explore his work in more detail. I don't watch a lot of war films, but this was really good. What surprised me the most was POW. The Italian POW was almost anti-war/anti-Hitler.
Humphrey Bogart plays an American Sargent in the tank in the African desert. The Germans are to the north, east and west. They have to go south. They come to a burned out makeshift British hospital with a few troops left. The British troops join up with the Americans and go across the desert for water and to meet up with any allied troops. Along the way they stop when they see 2 people walking. It is a British Somalian with an Italian POW. Bogart agrees to take the Somalian since he is British but not the POW. The POW is left with a ration and left to walk in the desert. Those are great scenes where the Italian is walking in the huge amount of sand knowing what his fate is going to be. Bogart relents, and the Italian can gets on the tank. It was during the stop that I could first tell which soldier was Lloyd Bridges. He played an English soldier. The soldiers were covered in dust and in the uniforms and I could not spot him. In a long shot he took off his helmet and shook out his blonde hair. That had to have been him and it was. He only had a few lines but had a good British accent. His bright eyes shining in the black and white film. A little more in the desert and they were spotted by a plane. The men on top of the tank took cover and the plane started shooting. The tank took a couple of rounds before firing back and the plane exploded and the German pilot ejected. The German said that the men should surrender to him. Bogart of course took his gun and kept him as POW so that he could turn him over to the authorities. It was at this time it was discovered Lloyd Bridges character had been shot. He was alive but in a bad way. He was put on the tank and bandaged up. Unfortunately he died, saying his girls name. They buried him in the desert with his gun up and his helmet on top. A haunting image of war.
The men continue on to ruins were there is supposed to be water. Along the way is a huge dust storm. They go to the ruins and there is a well, with just a small trickle of water. The Germans are also looking for water and have a local guide to find water and head for the ruins. The Germans send out a scouting group. Bogart and group capture the German's. One of the German gives information for water. Bogie lets the men go so that they can tell their officers that they will exchange water for food. Bogart plans to take on the 500 German solders with his small troop. There is typical war action and only Bogart and one English man survive the battle. While Bogart is battling the Germans, one lone American soldier from his group was sent in the German scout vehicle to meet up with allied troops to bring help. His travel is interspersed with the battle. The car broke down and he walked across the desert. He was so warn out he fell into the sand and his arms where trying to swim the sand. Within a few moments an allied jeep comes along and finds him. The Germans need water so badly the remaining troops surrender. Bogart marches them along the desert and on the way they meet up with the British troops. As Bogart and his man reunite, Bogart shows the name tags to the man and there is a cut to the circle of soldier memorials with the helmets/hats swaying in the breeze.
I have not seen Lloyd Bridges in many films. He had a “guest” role in Joe vs. the Volcano. I did like him on Seinfeld, but I don't have a true picture of his work. TCM aired Sahara with Lloyd Bridges and Humphrey Bogart. Since Lloyd Bridges received 3rd credit I thought he would have a pretty big role. I should know by now that is not necessary so. Maybe next year I will be able to explore his work in more detail. I don't watch a lot of war films, but this was really good. What surprised me the most was POW. The Italian POW was almost anti-war/anti-Hitler.
Humphrey Bogart plays an American Sargent in the tank in the African desert. The Germans are to the north, east and west. They have to go south. They come to a burned out makeshift British hospital with a few troops left. The British troops join up with the Americans and go across the desert for water and to meet up with any allied troops. Along the way they stop when they see 2 people walking. It is a British Somalian with an Italian POW. Bogart agrees to take the Somalian since he is British but not the POW. The POW is left with a ration and left to walk in the desert. Those are great scenes where the Italian is walking in the huge amount of sand knowing what his fate is going to be. Bogart relents, and the Italian can gets on the tank. It was during the stop that I could first tell which soldier was Lloyd Bridges. He played an English soldier. The soldiers were covered in dust and in the uniforms and I could not spot him. In a long shot he took off his helmet and shook out his blonde hair. That had to have been him and it was. He only had a few lines but had a good British accent. His bright eyes shining in the black and white film. A little more in the desert and they were spotted by a plane. The men on top of the tank took cover and the plane started shooting. The tank took a couple of rounds before firing back and the plane exploded and the German pilot ejected. The German said that the men should surrender to him. Bogart of course took his gun and kept him as POW so that he could turn him over to the authorities. It was at this time it was discovered Lloyd Bridges character had been shot. He was alive but in a bad way. He was put on the tank and bandaged up. Unfortunately he died, saying his girls name. They buried him in the desert with his gun up and his helmet on top. A haunting image of war.
The men continue on to ruins were there is supposed to be water. Along the way is a huge dust storm. They go to the ruins and there is a well, with just a small trickle of water. The Germans are also looking for water and have a local guide to find water and head for the ruins. The Germans send out a scouting group. Bogart and group capture the German's. One of the German gives information for water. Bogie lets the men go so that they can tell their officers that they will exchange water for food. Bogart plans to take on the 500 German solders with his small troop. There is typical war action and only Bogart and one English man survive the battle. While Bogart is battling the Germans, one lone American soldier from his group was sent in the German scout vehicle to meet up with allied troops to bring help. His travel is interspersed with the battle. The car broke down and he walked across the desert. He was so warn out he fell into the sand and his arms where trying to swim the sand. Within a few moments an allied jeep comes along and finds him. The Germans need water so badly the remaining troops surrender. Bogart marches them along the desert and on the way they meet up with the British troops. As Bogart and his man reunite, Bogart shows the name tags to the man and there is a cut to the circle of soldier memorials with the helmets/hats swaying in the breeze.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
January 14
Hal Roach – I always liked Laurel and Hardy. When Hal Roach was approaching his 100th birthday, many of the popular Laurel and Hardy films were put on VHS. I bought most of them. There were generally 3 or 4 shorts and some home movies by Laurel's daughter talking about her experience with the boys. I watched the Our Gang films as sort of a filler. I did not think they were very exciting. The 24 hours of Our Gang or Little Rascals if you prefer changed that. The kids may not be Laurel and Hardy but they were very funny, creative and the wild schemes are a hoot. I have to admit my favorite child is Spanky. There were several where he had a large amount of dialog. I can't tell if he was making it up as he went along or he really had it all memorized. It is funny how your perception changes over the years. In my teens and twenties I would have just accepted the story and laughed. I still find them funny in my forties but I think to myself where are the adults? Why would a group of adults leave 6-7-8 year old children in charge of toddlers and then have the children leave Spanky who was about 3 in charge of the toddlers?
The feature films that came out of his studio are very fast and fun. My new favorite is There Goes My Heart. A spoiled heiress runs away and gets a job at her grandfathers department store. Fredric March plays a journalist on her trail. He spots her right away. When he has someone unknowingly take a picture of her, her face is covered in every frame, either by a handkerchief, his head or his hat as he states goodbye. The film also features Patsy Kelly. It is her type-cast role of street smart best friend, but she plays it incredibly well. Suns of the Desert also one of favorites with Laurel and Hardy. My favorite scene is when the wives go to a movie to take their minds of their husbands possibly being lost during a hurricane on the way back from Hawaii and see a newsreel of their husbands at a convention in Chicago. Their reactions are great. You know it is not going to be pretty when the wives see the husbands in person. There could be many more I can go into, but I will wait for one of the other stars birthday to go into those films.
William Bendix – The Life of Riley has always been my favorite radio programs. To me he always seemed like an everyday Joe which could be based on the radio/tv series. He sometimes comes off as a dope, but he is very smart and resourceful. In a Time of Your Life Bendix plays a bar owner of a “dive”. There isn't really a plot, but it is a group of people hanging out at a bar, because as Bendix says “the only place they feel comfortable”. It is based on a play with the same title by William Saroyan. James Cagney has top billing as a man who could be at the best place uptown, but drinks champagne all day and interacts with all the other customers. There are times in the film that Bendix just reacts with great timing, without saying a word. You see his reaction as you see what he is looking at in the mirror behind him. I think that is what makes a great actor. Since it is a play there are many great lines. Cagney has my favorite when he was asked by another patron if he believed his story Cagney states “Living is an art, not bookkeeping. It takes an awful lot rehearsal for a man to be himself” If it weren't for my new goal I might have missed this gem.
Sometimes you start watching a film and get hooked. I hadn't plan to watch the next film Cover-Up. Bendix has top billing, but has a small roll. He was the only person in the cast I recognized. He plays the sheriff of a small town where a man committed suicide. An insurance agent (Dennis O'Keefe) comes to investigate to see if it was murder due to a double indemnity clause. The film takes place over Christmas, which I always feel a mystery set at Christmas time as surreal. Not bad, but different or unexpected. Bendix plays the character very well, kind of laid back and quiet to lead you to think he is being uncooperative to hid something. The end had a slight twist to it so I won't give it away. The insurance agents reaction to getting the information wrong is great. It is like he can't believe his eyes. The editing is great as you get his point of view for a few shots as he tries to figure out where he went wrong.
I had to DVR the rest for later watching. Since I moved on to the John Payne films that TCM was showing I did not have time to watch those so these two films will be enough for the blog. I will watch the others later.
It is also Fay Dunaway's birthday. Hopefully I can get to her next year.
The feature films that came out of his studio are very fast and fun. My new favorite is There Goes My Heart. A spoiled heiress runs away and gets a job at her grandfathers department store. Fredric March plays a journalist on her trail. He spots her right away. When he has someone unknowingly take a picture of her, her face is covered in every frame, either by a handkerchief, his head or his hat as he states goodbye. The film also features Patsy Kelly. It is her type-cast role of street smart best friend, but she plays it incredibly well. Suns of the Desert also one of favorites with Laurel and Hardy. My favorite scene is when the wives go to a movie to take their minds of their husbands possibly being lost during a hurricane on the way back from Hawaii and see a newsreel of their husbands at a convention in Chicago. Their reactions are great. You know it is not going to be pretty when the wives see the husbands in person. There could be many more I can go into, but I will wait for one of the other stars birthday to go into those films.
William Bendix – The Life of Riley has always been my favorite radio programs. To me he always seemed like an everyday Joe which could be based on the radio/tv series. He sometimes comes off as a dope, but he is very smart and resourceful. In a Time of Your Life Bendix plays a bar owner of a “dive”. There isn't really a plot, but it is a group of people hanging out at a bar, because as Bendix says “the only place they feel comfortable”. It is based on a play with the same title by William Saroyan. James Cagney has top billing as a man who could be at the best place uptown, but drinks champagne all day and interacts with all the other customers. There are times in the film that Bendix just reacts with great timing, without saying a word. You see his reaction as you see what he is looking at in the mirror behind him. I think that is what makes a great actor. Since it is a play there are many great lines. Cagney has my favorite when he was asked by another patron if he believed his story Cagney states “Living is an art, not bookkeeping. It takes an awful lot rehearsal for a man to be himself” If it weren't for my new goal I might have missed this gem.
Sometimes you start watching a film and get hooked. I hadn't plan to watch the next film Cover-Up. Bendix has top billing, but has a small roll. He was the only person in the cast I recognized. He plays the sheriff of a small town where a man committed suicide. An insurance agent (Dennis O'Keefe) comes to investigate to see if it was murder due to a double indemnity clause. The film takes place over Christmas, which I always feel a mystery set at Christmas time as surreal. Not bad, but different or unexpected. Bendix plays the character very well, kind of laid back and quiet to lead you to think he is being uncooperative to hid something. The end had a slight twist to it so I won't give it away. The insurance agents reaction to getting the information wrong is great. It is like he can't believe his eyes. The editing is great as you get his point of view for a few shots as he tries to figure out where he went wrong.
I had to DVR the rest for later watching. Since I moved on to the John Payne films that TCM was showing I did not have time to watch those so these two films will be enough for the blog. I will watch the others later.
It is also Fay Dunaway's birthday. Hopefully I can get to her next year.
January 13th Part II
January 13th is the anniversary of Kay Francis birth. TCM honors her with a day of films.
My favorite being shown is Jewel Robbery. Based on a play by Ladislaus Fodor it is a light romantic pre-code film with William Powell. The dialog is witty and Kay looks spectacular as always. William Powell is at his most charming and debonair. Powell and Francis have great chemistry in all 6 films they have done together. The scenes they are together are the best of the film. Powell plays a jewel thief and Kay plays an over pampered diplomats wife in Vienna. Kay is buying a diamond when Powell and his gang rob the jewelry store. Kay refuses to be put in the safe or take one f the special cigarettes that help others relax and Powell lets her stay out on her own in the shop as he makes his get away. She does not get to keep the ring her husband just purchased for her. At the police station she gives a completely wrong description of the thief, much to the dismay of her husband. When she gets home it turns out that Powell has hid some of the stolen jewelry (including the ring Kay had) in her safe. When Powell sneaks into her rooms they converse and he tries to get her to come with him. She refuses. When Powell spot her bedroom, Kay goes to the door to lock it and her dress gets caught. The police track him down at her home and she is forced to go with them. It is not the police and they end up at Powell's apartment. They have dinner, which they are just a man and just a woman, no names necessary. Kay asks to see some of the jewels that he has taken from other robberies. There is a safe within a safe. When he goes into a closet full of items, the gold and silver items shine in the black and white film. He takes out a few items to show. When he is distracted, Kay takes the items and leaves. On the way out the door, she spots the police and goes back to his apartment. Meanwhile Powell realizes the jewels are gone and he was robbed. I like the irony of the moment. Kay comes back and tells him the police are coming. Powell ties up Kay so that it looks like she was abducted (after he takes the jewels back). Powell states he will probably go Nice. He makes is way over rooftops to a car waiting in the street. Once the police and Kay's husband find her, she states she needs a break and will go to Nice to rest.
I first discovered Kay Francis when TCM celebrated the 100th anniversary of her birth several years ago. I was amazed at her style, grace and slight lisp that she had. She was really the opposite of myself and exactly what I wanted to be. She was tall, thin, graceful, charming, had men falling at her feet and she was an independent woman.
Over the past several years there have been a number of film documentaries not only on Hollywood, but on Warner Brothers the studio that Kay did most of her films. There is generally no mention of her. She was the original Queen of the lot. She kept the studio afloat for many years. The fans adored her. When she started making more money than the studio executives and sued over a movie role that went to Claudette Colbert the studio decided to make an example of her. They tried to get her to quit by embarrassing her by putting her in B films, put her name below the title, adding more “R” in the script to make her lisp more pronounced, taking away a her posh dressing room and having her assist with screen tests. Kay wasn't about to give up. She did what they wanted her to do and collected her pay check every week until the contract ended. I find it interesting that the only people who came to her defense are Bette Davis and James Cagney. Both had run ins at the Warner Brothers studio and went through suspensions during their contract years. Kay was liked by all the workers at the studio and other actors, but no one wanted to incur the same wrath from the Warner Brothers in charge. I try to take her courage and dedication in my own life when things don't go well at my job. Wbshop.com/archive have a few films out on DVD and there are several others out from Paramount and Universal, but not very many.
My favorite being shown is Jewel Robbery. Based on a play by Ladislaus Fodor it is a light romantic pre-code film with William Powell. The dialog is witty and Kay looks spectacular as always. William Powell is at his most charming and debonair. Powell and Francis have great chemistry in all 6 films they have done together. The scenes they are together are the best of the film. Powell plays a jewel thief and Kay plays an over pampered diplomats wife in Vienna. Kay is buying a diamond when Powell and his gang rob the jewelry store. Kay refuses to be put in the safe or take one f the special cigarettes that help others relax and Powell lets her stay out on her own in the shop as he makes his get away. She does not get to keep the ring her husband just purchased for her. At the police station she gives a completely wrong description of the thief, much to the dismay of her husband. When she gets home it turns out that Powell has hid some of the stolen jewelry (including the ring Kay had) in her safe. When Powell sneaks into her rooms they converse and he tries to get her to come with him. She refuses. When Powell spot her bedroom, Kay goes to the door to lock it and her dress gets caught. The police track him down at her home and she is forced to go with them. It is not the police and they end up at Powell's apartment. They have dinner, which they are just a man and just a woman, no names necessary. Kay asks to see some of the jewels that he has taken from other robberies. There is a safe within a safe. When he goes into a closet full of items, the gold and silver items shine in the black and white film. He takes out a few items to show. When he is distracted, Kay takes the items and leaves. On the way out the door, she spots the police and goes back to his apartment. Meanwhile Powell realizes the jewels are gone and he was robbed. I like the irony of the moment. Kay comes back and tells him the police are coming. Powell ties up Kay so that it looks like she was abducted (after he takes the jewels back). Powell states he will probably go Nice. He makes is way over rooftops to a car waiting in the street. Once the police and Kay's husband find her, she states she needs a break and will go to Nice to rest.
I first discovered Kay Francis when TCM celebrated the 100th anniversary of her birth several years ago. I was amazed at her style, grace and slight lisp that she had. She was really the opposite of myself and exactly what I wanted to be. She was tall, thin, graceful, charming, had men falling at her feet and she was an independent woman.
Over the past several years there have been a number of film documentaries not only on Hollywood, but on Warner Brothers the studio that Kay did most of her films. There is generally no mention of her. She was the original Queen of the lot. She kept the studio afloat for many years. The fans adored her. When she started making more money than the studio executives and sued over a movie role that went to Claudette Colbert the studio decided to make an example of her. They tried to get her to quit by embarrassing her by putting her in B films, put her name below the title, adding more “R” in the script to make her lisp more pronounced, taking away a her posh dressing room and having her assist with screen tests. Kay wasn't about to give up. She did what they wanted her to do and collected her pay check every week until the contract ended. I find it interesting that the only people who came to her defense are Bette Davis and James Cagney. Both had run ins at the Warner Brothers studio and went through suspensions during their contract years. Kay was liked by all the workers at the studio and other actors, but no one wanted to incur the same wrath from the Warner Brothers in charge. I try to take her courage and dedication in my own life when things don't go well at my job. Wbshop.com/archive have a few films out on DVD and there are several others out from Paramount and Universal, but not very many.
Friday, January 14, 2011
January 13th
As I was watching Kay Francis films to commemorate the anniversary of her birth (I took the day off) on TCM and there was a advertisement for Cary Grant's birthday films 18th. This gave me an idea for a goal. I have never been an ambitious person, much to my parents dismay, and the life goals I have set have not worked out so well. I decided I would watch films and log stars birthdays on TCM. I know it is not the same as a goal to loose weight or save money or get a better job, but TCM makes me happy. Why not try a goal that I enjoy and like? Maybe accomplishing one goal will help somehow in my everyday life. Since most of the birthday celebrations are done during the week and not the weekend and I still have the boring job which seems to get more difficult every week, I will DVR programs to watch each night or save up for the weekend. I will write a blog about the person and/or film. I have always admired the people on the site who state they are going to watch all the films on the AFI list or all the Oscar winners, but I have seen most of the films that I want to see on those lists. Most people I know, family and co-workers would not understand this goal. Most of them don't really get me anyway. When people at worked asked me what I was going to do, I just said rest. I told people last year I was taking the day off to watch Thelma Todd films and they asked who that was and considered it a waste of a day off.
I am not sure at this point if I will go back to the beginning of the month (Elvis was sadly shortened to a double feature) or not. Since 31 days of Oscar takes precedence over Hollywood's birthdays I may have time to catch up. If TCM doesn't celebrate I will celebrate on my own. It is harder for me to keep straight the directors, producers, writers, supporting actors and crew members. So if over the year I miss someone let me know.
After doing a small amount of research I have found that TCM does not celebrate a lot of birthdays. I will do a small qualifier and state that I will concentrate on one person a day (I may list out the others) unless one of the people are stars of the month or have a special features for the month. That leaves room for more years.
I am not sure at this point if I will go back to the beginning of the month (Elvis was sadly shortened to a double feature) or not. Since 31 days of Oscar takes precedence over Hollywood's birthdays I may have time to catch up. If TCM doesn't celebrate I will celebrate on my own. It is harder for me to keep straight the directors, producers, writers, supporting actors and crew members. So if over the year I miss someone let me know.
After doing a small amount of research I have found that TCM does not celebrate a lot of birthdays. I will do a small qualifier and state that I will concentrate on one person a day (I may list out the others) unless one of the people are stars of the month or have a special features for the month. That leaves room for more years.
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