Happy Birthday to Eve Arden, David Manners and Jill Clayburgh.
To celebrate Eve Arden’s birthday I watched and listened to Our Miss Brooks. She plays Constance Brooks an English teacher at Madison High. In the movie she did a triple take as she sees Mr. Boynton shirtless working with weights in the school courtyard. She lives in the house of Mrs. Davis and her cat. When Mr. Boynton asks to speak with Mrs. Davis in a confidential matter she asks the cat to leave the room. After they talk she opens the door for Mr. Boynton and the cat comes in the room. She would probably give up 8 lives to know what we were talking about. I have not seen the television program.
In the radio series Mr. Boynton is only interested in his frogs. No matter what Miss Brooks does he doesn’t seem to notice her. Gale Gordon as Mr. Conklin the school principal and don’t we all have a Mr. Conklin in our life. A boss who doesn’t like our methods but wants us to do things for them. People who are a part of everyday life that we don’t understand, such as children or co-workers but we enjoy being in their presence.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Friday, April 29, 2011
April 28 Ann-Margaret
Happy Birthday Ann-Margaret and Lionel Barrymore
To celebrate Ann-Margaret’s birthday I watched Twice In A Lifetime. She plays the other woman. Gene Hackman plays a married man celebrating his 50th birthday in a bar with his friend. A new waitress, Ann-Margaret, catches Gene’s attention. They start meeting and fall in love. She knows what she is getting into and plays the role with maturity and grace and very low key. Gene decides to leave his wife, Ellen Burstyn. They don’t have an unhappy marriage, but it is dull and Ann-Margaret “is new” as Ellen states. I think the character is best summed up by Gene, “she is not young, but she thinks young“. When Gene and Ann-Margaret talk about going to his daughter wedding, she says ‘look around, see if that is where you belong”. He gives him an out to decide what he really wants. If he doesn’t return to her, she will be sad, but wants the best for him.
As a side note, I have never seen a film that people were watching All In The Family before. It is kind of nice. I remember sitting on the floor while my parents watched that program. Most of it was over my head.
A year or two ago I saw Ann-Margaret perform live at The Moon River theater in Branson, Missouri. She would sing alone and duet with Andy Williams. She still looks and sounds good.
To celebrate Ann-Margaret’s birthday I watched Twice In A Lifetime. She plays the other woman. Gene Hackman plays a married man celebrating his 50th birthday in a bar with his friend. A new waitress, Ann-Margaret, catches Gene’s attention. They start meeting and fall in love. She knows what she is getting into and plays the role with maturity and grace and very low key. Gene decides to leave his wife, Ellen Burstyn. They don’t have an unhappy marriage, but it is dull and Ann-Margaret “is new” as Ellen states. I think the character is best summed up by Gene, “she is not young, but she thinks young“. When Gene and Ann-Margaret talk about going to his daughter wedding, she says ‘look around, see if that is where you belong”. He gives him an out to decide what he really wants. If he doesn’t return to her, she will be sad, but wants the best for him.
As a side note, I have never seen a film that people were watching All In The Family before. It is kind of nice. I remember sitting on the floor while my parents watched that program. Most of it was over my head.
A year or two ago I saw Ann-Margaret perform live at The Moon River theater in Branson, Missouri. She would sing alone and duet with Andy Williams. She still looks and sounds good.
April 27 Jack Klugman
To celebrate Jack Klugman’s birthday I watched Goodbye Columbus. Jack Klugman played Ali MacGraw’s father. Richard Benjamin sees her at a pool and watches her in and out of the pool. He gets her phone number from his cousin and they make arrangements to meet. The outdoor lighting of the couple are very well done. They are walking around a lake and at one point the picture is the reflection of them walking. As they sit and talk they are both sides of the camera and the green reflecting pond is behind them. They are silhouetted against a window bright with sunshine. They are lying in the grass and the sun shadows the tall grass over them. Walking outside they hug and blot out the sun, once again silhouetted. At dusk they are shadows against a bridge over the water. In the final scene there is a close profile of Richard on the right and Ali either off camera or standing in the background away from him. Music by The Association.
Jack has a small part. He plays the typical father, loving, loud, clueless, sweet, gruff, hardworking and protective.
I have to admit I like Oscar Madison character that Jack Klugman played on television opposite Felix Unger played by Tony Randall. I liked that the television characters were given hobbies and interests that the actors really had. I have two favorite episodes when they are on Match Game and David Brenner’s talk show. These two really show that the men who are total opposites can be friends.
Jack has a small part. He plays the typical father, loving, loud, clueless, sweet, gruff, hardworking and protective.
I have to admit I like Oscar Madison character that Jack Klugman played on television opposite Felix Unger played by Tony Randall. I liked that the television characters were given hobbies and interests that the actors really had. I have two favorite episodes when they are on Match Game and David Brenner’s talk show. These two really show that the men who are total opposites can be friends.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
April 26 Carol Burnett
Happy Birthday Carol Burnett and Edgar Kennedy.
To celebrate Carol Burnett’s birthday I watched A Wedding. She plays the mother of the bride. She has a southern accent and talks a lot. Pat McCormick dances with her and states that he loves her and wants to be with her. She tries to get away and rushes out with a hand over her mouth like she is going to throw up. She gets to the bathroom and throws up. As she goes back down the steps she trips over the wedding camera equipment and falls down the steps. Pat helps her up and puts her behind him stating to stay there until everyone leaves. When they are alone he asks her to meet him in the green house in five minutes. She says that is too soon, so he says ten minutes. When they meet outside they run to meet each other and she bounces backwards. As they go to kiss a group of children came along. She goes back into the party. A strong gale develops and people go to the basement. Carol goes to the bathroom and Pat follows. As Geraldine Chaplin comes into the room, he locks himself in the bathroom. As Carol and Geraldine talk you hear the sound of breaking glass and Pat comes in through the door to get them to the basement. In the basement they agree to meet in two weeks. After the storm it comes out that Carol’s other daughter (Mia Farrow who does not speak one line) is pregnant and the groom (Desi Arnez Jr.) is the father. (I swear I hear someone say that he “has some splainen to do”.) It turns out there were a lot of men so it could not be blamed on Desi. The family leave and come up to a car accident. A car has hit a gas truck. It is the couples’ car. They go back to the groom’s family to tell them what happened, in a state of shock. The couple come down the steps and it turns out that the former lovers of the bride and groom borrowed the car. That scene was unexpected. There is a circle of shock and amazement. Shock and amazement at the accident, anger that Desi was drunk and shouldn’t have been driving and shock and amazement that the couple was still alive. Carol sees this as a sign and tells Pat that they can’t meet. The families all leave.
There are many great actors in this film. There are more actors listed at the beginning of this film then I have ever seen before. I could actually keep everyone straight, normally I can’t.
I am a big fan of Carol Burnett. I got to stay up Saturday nights to watch The Carol Burnett Show. I thought that was the best show ever. The comedy, the music, the stars, Steve Lawrence, the commercial skits, Mrs. Wiggins, Mama, Madam and the great movie parodies. I miss The Carol Burnett Show. They don’t make television like that any more.
So as always “I am so glad we had this time together, to laugh and sing a song. Seems like we just got started and before you know it, it’s time to say so long (ear tug)”.
To celebrate Carol Burnett’s birthday I watched A Wedding. She plays the mother of the bride. She has a southern accent and talks a lot. Pat McCormick dances with her and states that he loves her and wants to be with her. She tries to get away and rushes out with a hand over her mouth like she is going to throw up. She gets to the bathroom and throws up. As she goes back down the steps she trips over the wedding camera equipment and falls down the steps. Pat helps her up and puts her behind him stating to stay there until everyone leaves. When they are alone he asks her to meet him in the green house in five minutes. She says that is too soon, so he says ten minutes. When they meet outside they run to meet each other and she bounces backwards. As they go to kiss a group of children came along. She goes back into the party. A strong gale develops and people go to the basement. Carol goes to the bathroom and Pat follows. As Geraldine Chaplin comes into the room, he locks himself in the bathroom. As Carol and Geraldine talk you hear the sound of breaking glass and Pat comes in through the door to get them to the basement. In the basement they agree to meet in two weeks. After the storm it comes out that Carol’s other daughter (Mia Farrow who does not speak one line) is pregnant and the groom (Desi Arnez Jr.) is the father. (I swear I hear someone say that he “has some splainen to do”.) It turns out there were a lot of men so it could not be blamed on Desi. The family leave and come up to a car accident. A car has hit a gas truck. It is the couples’ car. They go back to the groom’s family to tell them what happened, in a state of shock. The couple come down the steps and it turns out that the former lovers of the bride and groom borrowed the car. That scene was unexpected. There is a circle of shock and amazement. Shock and amazement at the accident, anger that Desi was drunk and shouldn’t have been driving and shock and amazement that the couple was still alive. Carol sees this as a sign and tells Pat that they can’t meet. The families all leave.
There are many great actors in this film. There are more actors listed at the beginning of this film then I have ever seen before. I could actually keep everyone straight, normally I can’t.
I am a big fan of Carol Burnett. I got to stay up Saturday nights to watch The Carol Burnett Show. I thought that was the best show ever. The comedy, the music, the stars, Steve Lawrence, the commercial skits, Mrs. Wiggins, Mama, Madam and the great movie parodies. I miss The Carol Burnett Show. They don’t make television like that any more.
So as always “I am so glad we had this time together, to laugh and sing a song. Seems like we just got started and before you know it, it’s time to say so long (ear tug)”.
Monday, April 25, 2011
April 25 Al Pacino
Happy Birthday Al Pacino and Ella Fitzgerald.
To celebrate Al Pacino’s birthday I watched Scarecrow. It stars Al Pacino and Gene Hackman. I found the film boring. The two men meet on the side of the road in the Southwest. Al is just out of the Navy going to Detroit to see the child he never saw and does not know if it is a boy or a girl. He has a lamp gift wrapped to present to the child. Gene just out of prison is going to Pittsburg where his money is in the bank and going to set up car wash. He has a bad temper. Al is quiet and keeps himself amused. At first Gene doesn’t want anything to do with Al. They share the experience of the road.
The scenery is beautiful along the way. They get rides and hop trains. They cause a fight in a bar and are sentenced to a work farm. Al is assaulted, beaten up pretty badly. Gene beats up the man that beat Al. They get to Detroit where Al calls the mother of his child. She is upset that he just up and left when she was pregnant. With the boy sitting next to her she tells Al that the baby died when she was 8 months along and it would have been a boy. She also said the baby could not be baptized and it’s soul would be in limbo and it was his fault since he was not around. He decides not to go see her. He leaves the present by the phone. They go to a park where there is a large fountain (statues and several pools all combined). Al entertains some children by acting out Treasure Island. He picks up one of the children and he drags him into the water. The mother starts screaming and Gene sees what is going on. He goes to Al gets the child and hands him to his mother. Al climbs up on the statue and Gene drags him out. The water is very loud, but it sounds like Al is saying, “I have to find him”. Before Gene can get him out of the water he becomes limp with his eyes open. At the hospital Gene is told that Al is comatose and will be transferred to a state hospital. Gene thinking he is fooling tries to get him to wake up. Gene is dragged away and Al is taken to anther room. Gene leaves the hospital and goes to the bus station where he gets a ticket to Pittsburg.
The movie is a co-winner of the 1973 Cannes film festival grand prize. Maybe I am missing something. I like buddy pictures, I like road pictures, but this film seemed a little slow.
To celebrate Al Pacino’s birthday I watched Scarecrow. It stars Al Pacino and Gene Hackman. I found the film boring. The two men meet on the side of the road in the Southwest. Al is just out of the Navy going to Detroit to see the child he never saw and does not know if it is a boy or a girl. He has a lamp gift wrapped to present to the child. Gene just out of prison is going to Pittsburg where his money is in the bank and going to set up car wash. He has a bad temper. Al is quiet and keeps himself amused. At first Gene doesn’t want anything to do with Al. They share the experience of the road.
The scenery is beautiful along the way. They get rides and hop trains. They cause a fight in a bar and are sentenced to a work farm. Al is assaulted, beaten up pretty badly. Gene beats up the man that beat Al. They get to Detroit where Al calls the mother of his child. She is upset that he just up and left when she was pregnant. With the boy sitting next to her she tells Al that the baby died when she was 8 months along and it would have been a boy. She also said the baby could not be baptized and it’s soul would be in limbo and it was his fault since he was not around. He decides not to go see her. He leaves the present by the phone. They go to a park where there is a large fountain (statues and several pools all combined). Al entertains some children by acting out Treasure Island. He picks up one of the children and he drags him into the water. The mother starts screaming and Gene sees what is going on. He goes to Al gets the child and hands him to his mother. Al climbs up on the statue and Gene drags him out. The water is very loud, but it sounds like Al is saying, “I have to find him”. Before Gene can get him out of the water he becomes limp with his eyes open. At the hospital Gene is told that Al is comatose and will be transferred to a state hospital. Gene thinking he is fooling tries to get him to wake up. Gene is dragged away and Al is taken to anther room. Gene leaves the hospital and goes to the bus station where he gets a ticket to Pittsburg.
The movie is a co-winner of the 1973 Cannes film festival grand prize. Maybe I am missing something. I like buddy pictures, I like road pictures, but this film seemed a little slow.
April 24 Barbra Streisand
Happy Birthday to Shirley MacLaine & Barbra Streisand
To celebrate Barbra Streisand’s birthday I watched Funny Lady. The film has a much different look and feel from Funny Girl. Barbra is still funny, beautiful and now a blonde instead of redhead with a hint of maturity. There is much wittier dialog and more songs.
The film opens with a closing night performance of the follies. She expects Omar to be there. He doesn’t come, but sends flowers and a divorce decree. She looks for a new show or a night club act to steal. She goes to a club owned by Billy Rose played by James Caan. She likes the music and agrees to record some of his songs. When he puts a story in the paper that she has agreed to do his new show she goes to visit him. They talk and she agrees to do his new show. While they are in rehearsal they start to like each other. Opening night and the show is a disaster. There is too much scenery, technical difficulties and absolute chaos. They decide to make changes while on the road.
When the perfected show opens up in New York Omar is in the audience. She sees him and is very happy. He goes back stage and she is happy to see him. She wants to get back with him and sees the wedding ring. She is very upset. Barbra has a lovely solo. If this were on stage it would have been the end of the first act.
James asks Barbra to marry him and she accepts. They don’t spend a lot of time together. She is in California working in movies and in radio and he is in Cleveland creating an aquacade. While in California she sees Omar. She tells him that the first night she saw the 7 toothbrushes and his pajamas in the bathroom of his hotel room. They kiss. She realizes she was in love with the 7 toothbrushes and leaves him. She is free. She goes to Cleveland to tell James. He is interested in someone else who loves him and will be around. They part.
To celebrate Barbra Streisand’s birthday I watched Funny Lady. The film has a much different look and feel from Funny Girl. Barbra is still funny, beautiful and now a blonde instead of redhead with a hint of maturity. There is much wittier dialog and more songs.
The film opens with a closing night performance of the follies. She expects Omar to be there. He doesn’t come, but sends flowers and a divorce decree. She looks for a new show or a night club act to steal. She goes to a club owned by Billy Rose played by James Caan. She likes the music and agrees to record some of his songs. When he puts a story in the paper that she has agreed to do his new show she goes to visit him. They talk and she agrees to do his new show. While they are in rehearsal they start to like each other. Opening night and the show is a disaster. There is too much scenery, technical difficulties and absolute chaos. They decide to make changes while on the road.
When the perfected show opens up in New York Omar is in the audience. She sees him and is very happy. He goes back stage and she is happy to see him. She wants to get back with him and sees the wedding ring. She is very upset. Barbra has a lovely solo. If this were on stage it would have been the end of the first act.
James asks Barbra to marry him and she accepts. They don’t spend a lot of time together. She is in California working in movies and in radio and he is in Cleveland creating an aquacade. While in California she sees Omar. She tells him that the first night she saw the 7 toothbrushes and his pajamas in the bathroom of his hotel room. They kiss. She realizes she was in love with the 7 toothbrushes and leaves him. She is free. She goes to Cleveland to tell James. He is interested in someone else who loves him and will be around. They part.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
April 21 Anthony Quinn
Happy Birthday Charles Grodin and Anthony Quinn
TCM celebrated Anthony Quinn’s birthday. I wasn’t really interested in any of the films except Road to Morocco, which is on almost every month. I like the film so that is not a complaint, but I wanted to watch something different. So I decided to watch Ben’s Pick Requiem For A Heavyweight. I tried to find a link to the printed version in the Now Playing guide article, but could not. It takes a while for the video to come up with the link for me.
http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/381780/Now-Playing-Ben-s-Pick-TCM-Original-April-2011.html
The opening scene is a panning long shot of men standing at a bar riveted to something off screen (television) with the sound of a broadcasters voice of a fight. It then cuts to the fight from the fighters view of Cassius Clay throwing punches. The camera stays as the point of view of the fighter with blurry view and then the picture changes to the ceiling and then sideways. The voice over still going, announces Cassius Clay the winner by a knockout. People come in and out of the shot and finally Mickey Rooney comes into frame and talks to the fighter. He guides him out of the ring into the hallway towards the locker room. You get the view of the fighter going through the ropes and down through the crowd. They come along to a mirror where you see the fighter is Anthony Quinn badly beaten and the point of view goes back to normal. The bell rings and Anthony as the “Mountain” Rivera goes into fighter mode. Jackie Gleason and Mickey calm him down and get him to the locker room. The doctor recommends no more fighting. His eyes are damaged.
He goes to the unemployment office, but he is not qualified for anything. He has been a fighter for 17 years. He speaks with a very soft, stumbling, pausing voice. The unemployment councilor is Julie Harris. In an elevator he stands in the corner with his hands hanging on the rails on each side of him. He walks at night to the arena where his fight promotion is being changed to another. As he walks he puts his fist up like he is practicing or reliving a fight. Julie comes to a bar to tell him he would be great as a children’s sports councilor in a summer camp. She lines up an interview. Jackie sabotages the interview by getting Anthony drunk. He goes to the apartment house and ends up knocking on the wrong door (he has forgotten the #) and knocking over a waiter with a tray of food. Embarrassed he leaves without talking to Julie, who was disturbed by the sounds.
Julie goes to visit him at his house to find out what happened. She runs into Jackie as she is leaving, telling her there is nothing she can do for Anthony. Jackie gets Anthony into wrestling. He is to be “Big Chief Mountain” Rivera where he wears a costume of wig with long braids, feathered head-dress and an outfit. Anthony states he doesn’t want to be a clown and refuses to wrestle as they are in the dressing room. The owners of the group don’t like the fact that there was money exchanged and Anthony not wrestling. The owners are going to take it out of Jackie, physically. Jackie seems to accept that fate, but Anthony does not want that to happen and goes out onto the ring. Like a repeat of the beginning the point of view switches back and forth from what he sees to his eyes. He doesn’t say anything and you don’t know what he is going to do. Does he actually wrestle or does he not? Since Ben won’t give away the ending I won’t either.
Ben wrote that Jackie was the pathetic character in the film, I don‘t see that. Yes he is frustrated at loosing his meal ticket, but there are other fighters if he wanted to start over. If he is loosing money with one fighter maybe he can make money with another even though it might take a little time. I agree with Mickey’s character that after Jackie admits to betting that Anthony would go down in 4 (he went 7) with Clay, Mickey says “You fink. You dirty stinking fink.”
I don’t care for boxing or boxing in film, even when Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin are doing the boxing in a comedic fashion. Ok I do like the 3 Stooges, usually Curley Howard fighting or wrestling. I like this film. The music is bluesy and jazzy, depending on the situation. I like the point of view at the beginning, that is the closest I want to be in a ring with a boxer. The actors do a fantastic job in their portraits of the characters. The story is well written and really shows the depth or shallowness of the characters. There is stunning photography with the placement of the actors. It stands out to me that there are few shots of a single person and even fewer close ups. If one person is speaking you see the person or people that are being talked with even if they are not looking at each other. Everyone seems to be involved that way.
TCM celebrated Anthony Quinn’s birthday. I wasn’t really interested in any of the films except Road to Morocco, which is on almost every month. I like the film so that is not a complaint, but I wanted to watch something different. So I decided to watch Ben’s Pick Requiem For A Heavyweight. I tried to find a link to the printed version in the Now Playing guide article, but could not. It takes a while for the video to come up with the link for me.
http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/381780/Now-Playing-Ben-s-Pick-TCM-Original-April-2011.html
The opening scene is a panning long shot of men standing at a bar riveted to something off screen (television) with the sound of a broadcasters voice of a fight. It then cuts to the fight from the fighters view of Cassius Clay throwing punches. The camera stays as the point of view of the fighter with blurry view and then the picture changes to the ceiling and then sideways. The voice over still going, announces Cassius Clay the winner by a knockout. People come in and out of the shot and finally Mickey Rooney comes into frame and talks to the fighter. He guides him out of the ring into the hallway towards the locker room. You get the view of the fighter going through the ropes and down through the crowd. They come along to a mirror where you see the fighter is Anthony Quinn badly beaten and the point of view goes back to normal. The bell rings and Anthony as the “Mountain” Rivera goes into fighter mode. Jackie Gleason and Mickey calm him down and get him to the locker room. The doctor recommends no more fighting. His eyes are damaged.
He goes to the unemployment office, but he is not qualified for anything. He has been a fighter for 17 years. He speaks with a very soft, stumbling, pausing voice. The unemployment councilor is Julie Harris. In an elevator he stands in the corner with his hands hanging on the rails on each side of him. He walks at night to the arena where his fight promotion is being changed to another. As he walks he puts his fist up like he is practicing or reliving a fight. Julie comes to a bar to tell him he would be great as a children’s sports councilor in a summer camp. She lines up an interview. Jackie sabotages the interview by getting Anthony drunk. He goes to the apartment house and ends up knocking on the wrong door (he has forgotten the #) and knocking over a waiter with a tray of food. Embarrassed he leaves without talking to Julie, who was disturbed by the sounds.
Julie goes to visit him at his house to find out what happened. She runs into Jackie as she is leaving, telling her there is nothing she can do for Anthony. Jackie gets Anthony into wrestling. He is to be “Big Chief Mountain” Rivera where he wears a costume of wig with long braids, feathered head-dress and an outfit. Anthony states he doesn’t want to be a clown and refuses to wrestle as they are in the dressing room. The owners of the group don’t like the fact that there was money exchanged and Anthony not wrestling. The owners are going to take it out of Jackie, physically. Jackie seems to accept that fate, but Anthony does not want that to happen and goes out onto the ring. Like a repeat of the beginning the point of view switches back and forth from what he sees to his eyes. He doesn’t say anything and you don’t know what he is going to do. Does he actually wrestle or does he not? Since Ben won’t give away the ending I won’t either.
Ben wrote that Jackie was the pathetic character in the film, I don‘t see that. Yes he is frustrated at loosing his meal ticket, but there are other fighters if he wanted to start over. If he is loosing money with one fighter maybe he can make money with another even though it might take a little time. I agree with Mickey’s character that after Jackie admits to betting that Anthony would go down in 4 (he went 7) with Clay, Mickey says “You fink. You dirty stinking fink.”
I don’t care for boxing or boxing in film, even when Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin are doing the boxing in a comedic fashion. Ok I do like the 3 Stooges, usually Curley Howard fighting or wrestling. I like this film. The music is bluesy and jazzy, depending on the situation. I like the point of view at the beginning, that is the closest I want to be in a ring with a boxer. The actors do a fantastic job in their portraits of the characters. The story is well written and really shows the depth or shallowness of the characters. There is stunning photography with the placement of the actors. It stands out to me that there are few shots of a single person and even fewer close ups. If one person is speaking you see the person or people that are being talked with even if they are not looking at each other. Everyone seems to be involved that way.
April 14 Rod Steiger
Happy Birthday Julie Christie, John Gielgud and Rod Steiger.
TCM ended up celebrating all three today. I watched The Loved One. It is a disturbing, disgusting, confusing, star studded, strange, ironic, interesting, funny and the most beautiful black and white film. The photography is just amazing. After I saw this a few years ago I read the book by Evelyn Waugh. That did not help, I still didn’t really understand the story, but I enjoy the film so much.
Rod Steiger plays Mr. Joyboy, a funeral parlor worker (I really don’t know what he does). He is always rubbing his hands. His first scene is putting The Loved One (John Gielgud) face in an eternal pose. He is like an artist, trying several ways and appreciating his work.
He invites a female co-worker to his home for dinner. He lives with his mother and takes care of her. He has cooked an entire pig and takes it to his mothers room where they eat. The mother is way too into food. He has a strange dream that he tells her. He goes to the store to get a dozen lobsters for his mother. When he gives them to her for dinner they are not cooked. He fells that he has disappointed his mother again. She starts to eat the live lobsters as if they are cooked and the lobsters fight back and start to eat her until she is gone.
One night he gets a call to come in to work on a special dignitary. While working there is a strange sound in the next room. His co-worker has killed herself by self-embalming. He doesn’t want the scandal of her suicide to taint the funeral home so Robert Morse convinces Rod to put her in the dignitaries coffin which will be put in a rocket and put into space. Robert also blackmails Rod into giving him money not to say anything and he will go back to England.
TCM ended up celebrating all three today. I watched The Loved One. It is a disturbing, disgusting, confusing, star studded, strange, ironic, interesting, funny and the most beautiful black and white film. The photography is just amazing. After I saw this a few years ago I read the book by Evelyn Waugh. That did not help, I still didn’t really understand the story, but I enjoy the film so much.
Rod Steiger plays Mr. Joyboy, a funeral parlor worker (I really don’t know what he does). He is always rubbing his hands. His first scene is putting The Loved One (John Gielgud) face in an eternal pose. He is like an artist, trying several ways and appreciating his work.
He invites a female co-worker to his home for dinner. He lives with his mother and takes care of her. He has cooked an entire pig and takes it to his mothers room where they eat. The mother is way too into food. He has a strange dream that he tells her. He goes to the store to get a dozen lobsters for his mother. When he gives them to her for dinner they are not cooked. He fells that he has disappointed his mother again. She starts to eat the live lobsters as if they are cooked and the lobsters fight back and start to eat her until she is gone.
One night he gets a call to come in to work on a special dignitary. While working there is a strange sound in the next room. His co-worker has killed herself by self-embalming. He doesn’t want the scandal of her suicide to taint the funeral home so Robert Morse convinces Rod to put her in the dignitaries coffin which will be put in a rocket and put into space. Robert also blackmails Rod into giving him money not to say anything and he will go back to England.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
April 3 Doris Day
April 3
Happy Birthday to Leslie Howard, Marlon Brando and Doris Day.
TCM celebrated Doris Day’s birthday on April 22. Most of the films I have seen before. I managed to catch the last half hour of With Six You Get Eggroll. I never much cared for the film. I must have gotten bored with the film and not watched the last part. It was funny. Brian Keith out in the street in his underwear clutching a large teddy bear and hippies on bikes and little kids fighting Vic Tayback. I will have to watch this one again. My favorite Doris Day film is Pillow Talk.
As part of the celebration I watched Romance on the High Seas. It starts with a couple getting married, Janis Page and Don De Fore. Each anniversary they plan to go on a trip but Don cancels due to business. On their third anniversary they are planning a South American cruise and once again Don is going to cancel the trip. Janis thinks that Don is interested in his new beautiful blonde secretary and Don thinks that Janis is interested in other men. Janis talks Doris Day into taking the trip in her place. Doris is given money and wardrobe to play the NY society woman. Janis tells her husband that she is going on the trip so that she can spy on him. Don hires a private detective, Jack Carson, to follow Janis on the trip. Oscar Levant is interested in Doris, but she only sees him as a friend. As the boat leaves New York all is well. Jack and Doris meet the first night on the way to dinner. They spend a lot of time together and fall in love, but both have a part to play and they struggle with their emotions. In Havana Oscar joins the ship. To avoid Oscar she tells Jack that she is not well and stays in her cabin. He brings the doctor who gives her a sedative. Oscar finally tracks Doris down. Jack sees Oscar go into Doris’ room. He goes to the outside window and sees them hugging and then putting Doris in bed (after she falls asleep). The next day Jack acts very cold to Doris. She goes to the bar to drink but sings with the band rehearsing. Oscar comes in and she tells him basically what is going on. It is a nice affect where the film of what she is saying is projected on the upright piano cover.
The next stop, Trinidad, Oscar and Jack both invite Doris to meet them at the club. At the club the two men meet and being Americans in a strange place they decide to sit at the bar and drink and talk. They order a double anything. As they sit down a drunk man sits next to Oscar. As a drink is put in front of Oscar the drunk takes it and drinks it, putting the empty glass back in front of Oscar. The drunk goes to the other side of Jack and takes Jack’s drink. The men order another and the drunk takes Jack’s drink and then moves to the other side of Oscar and takes his drink again. This happens a total of 5 times. Jack and Oscar may have had 2 or 3 drops of alcohol, but they start slurring their speech and act drunk. The whole time they are talking but I was so focused on the drunk man that I have no idea what they were saying. They get notes that Doris is not going to meet them and they decide they are going to leave the boat and go back to New York. As they leave the bar, staggering, the drunk starts to follow, but passes out. This scene was so well done and original. I have never seen this type of action before. The drunk got a credit he was portrayed by Johnny Berkes.
Jack and Oscar end up on a plane to Rio where the ship is going. At a hotel Jack and Oscar meet Doris. Back in New York Janis realizes that her husband is only working, not womanizing and decides to on the cruise, meeting the ship in Rio. Jack and Don speak on the phone and Jack has been telling him there is more than one man in his wife’s life. Don decides to go to Rio. Don gets their first and goes to his wife’s room and sees Doris in bed. He goes back to the front desk and gets the same room number again. He goes back to the room and sees Oscar in the same bed. He goes back to the front desk, just missing Janis who is going to her room. In the lobby, as Jack is checking out he tells Don that he is in love with his wife and Don hits Jack. Don goes back to the room and Janis is in the same bed. As Don confronts Janis about Jack, Doris wanting to defend Jack comes out of the closet. She leaves to find Jack. Oscar Levant and C.Z. Sakall (Janis’ uncle) also come out of the closet. After they leave Janis explains everything to Don. Doris as the Janis character has a singing engagement in the hotel club. Jack changed his mind about leaving and goes to the club to hear Doris sing. As Janis is introduced she introduces Doris to sing in her place. Jack has a look of astonishment and relief on his face. Doris sings It’s Magic. After she finishes, Jack comes up to her. They straighten everything out and kiss as the camera pulls back and fades to black.
Doris Day is a wonderful actress. Her actions at times mirror Jack Carson’s. Her singing is outstanding. In the film she sings It’s Magic three times and each time is wonderful. Her character is a normal woman, who pretends to be a high society woman. Doris tries to make the proper speech of high society, but the everyday woman sometimes comes through and she tries to go back into the part she is playing.
Oscar Levant has a famous quote about Doris, which took me a while to understand “I knew her before she was a virgin”.
Happy Birthday to Leslie Howard, Marlon Brando and Doris Day.
TCM celebrated Doris Day’s birthday on April 22. Most of the films I have seen before. I managed to catch the last half hour of With Six You Get Eggroll. I never much cared for the film. I must have gotten bored with the film and not watched the last part. It was funny. Brian Keith out in the street in his underwear clutching a large teddy bear and hippies on bikes and little kids fighting Vic Tayback. I will have to watch this one again. My favorite Doris Day film is Pillow Talk.
As part of the celebration I watched Romance on the High Seas. It starts with a couple getting married, Janis Page and Don De Fore. Each anniversary they plan to go on a trip but Don cancels due to business. On their third anniversary they are planning a South American cruise and once again Don is going to cancel the trip. Janis thinks that Don is interested in his new beautiful blonde secretary and Don thinks that Janis is interested in other men. Janis talks Doris Day into taking the trip in her place. Doris is given money and wardrobe to play the NY society woman. Janis tells her husband that she is going on the trip so that she can spy on him. Don hires a private detective, Jack Carson, to follow Janis on the trip. Oscar Levant is interested in Doris, but she only sees him as a friend. As the boat leaves New York all is well. Jack and Doris meet the first night on the way to dinner. They spend a lot of time together and fall in love, but both have a part to play and they struggle with their emotions. In Havana Oscar joins the ship. To avoid Oscar she tells Jack that she is not well and stays in her cabin. He brings the doctor who gives her a sedative. Oscar finally tracks Doris down. Jack sees Oscar go into Doris’ room. He goes to the outside window and sees them hugging and then putting Doris in bed (after she falls asleep). The next day Jack acts very cold to Doris. She goes to the bar to drink but sings with the band rehearsing. Oscar comes in and she tells him basically what is going on. It is a nice affect where the film of what she is saying is projected on the upright piano cover.
The next stop, Trinidad, Oscar and Jack both invite Doris to meet them at the club. At the club the two men meet and being Americans in a strange place they decide to sit at the bar and drink and talk. They order a double anything. As they sit down a drunk man sits next to Oscar. As a drink is put in front of Oscar the drunk takes it and drinks it, putting the empty glass back in front of Oscar. The drunk goes to the other side of Jack and takes Jack’s drink. The men order another and the drunk takes Jack’s drink and then moves to the other side of Oscar and takes his drink again. This happens a total of 5 times. Jack and Oscar may have had 2 or 3 drops of alcohol, but they start slurring their speech and act drunk. The whole time they are talking but I was so focused on the drunk man that I have no idea what they were saying. They get notes that Doris is not going to meet them and they decide they are going to leave the boat and go back to New York. As they leave the bar, staggering, the drunk starts to follow, but passes out. This scene was so well done and original. I have never seen this type of action before. The drunk got a credit he was portrayed by Johnny Berkes.
Jack and Oscar end up on a plane to Rio where the ship is going. At a hotel Jack and Oscar meet Doris. Back in New York Janis realizes that her husband is only working, not womanizing and decides to on the cruise, meeting the ship in Rio. Jack and Don speak on the phone and Jack has been telling him there is more than one man in his wife’s life. Don decides to go to Rio. Don gets their first and goes to his wife’s room and sees Doris in bed. He goes back to the front desk and gets the same room number again. He goes back to the room and sees Oscar in the same bed. He goes back to the front desk, just missing Janis who is going to her room. In the lobby, as Jack is checking out he tells Don that he is in love with his wife and Don hits Jack. Don goes back to the room and Janis is in the same bed. As Don confronts Janis about Jack, Doris wanting to defend Jack comes out of the closet. She leaves to find Jack. Oscar Levant and C.Z. Sakall (Janis’ uncle) also come out of the closet. After they leave Janis explains everything to Don. Doris as the Janis character has a singing engagement in the hotel club. Jack changed his mind about leaving and goes to the club to hear Doris sing. As Janis is introduced she introduces Doris to sing in her place. Jack has a look of astonishment and relief on his face. Doris sings It’s Magic. After she finishes, Jack comes up to her. They straighten everything out and kiss as the camera pulls back and fades to black.
Doris Day is a wonderful actress. Her actions at times mirror Jack Carson’s. Her singing is outstanding. In the film she sings It’s Magic three times and each time is wonderful. Her character is a normal woman, who pretends to be a high society woman. Doris tries to make the proper speech of high society, but the everyday woman sometimes comes through and she tries to go back into the part she is playing.
Oscar Levant has a famous quote about Doris, which took me a while to understand “I knew her before she was a virgin”.
April 22 Eddie Albert
Happy Birthday to Eddie Albert and Jack Nicholson.
For Eddie Albert’s birthday I watched You’re In The Navy Now. Eddie plays an executive officer on a ship at the beginning of WWII. The ship is equipped with a top secret device which they are testing. Gary Cooper plays the new Captain of the ship. Most of the officers assigned to ship have never been on this type of boat and are not experienced sea men. The first time they take the ship out of dock they crash. Out on the water the test the equipment and it fails, which causes the boat to drift and no electricity. They get a tow from a tanker ship and basically become the laughing stock of the navy. Eddie has a little more action in the film with the admiral comes onto the ship to see how things are going. The equipment is frozen and they try to maneuver around obstacles such as other boats and bridges. Eddie yells and motions like the bridge crew and other boats can see and hear him. Which they can’t being so far away, but it is good for my as the audience to show perspective on how bad or close the objects really are. In the officers office the admiral and dignitaries are getting a drink and they sway with the ship and the glasses rattle. When one of the men comes into the cabin you see another boat passing very closely. The admiral sees this and goes to find out what is happening. They end up crashing into a larger ship. It is a different type of war film with action, comedy and men not knowing what they are doing.
This film is directed by Henry Hathaway. There are really interesting shots of views from the portholes. You get a sailors view of the action. The film opens with a beautiful shot of Washington DC. It is a spring day with the sun shining and few clouds in the sky. I also like the staging of the shots. Instead of being messy, jumbled views of the dock they seem almost like architectural/structured plans. Every thing in frame has a use and is interesting to look at.
Most of the films that I have seen with Eddie Albert he plays the best friend, a supporting character. He is very talented and knows his craft. To me he always seems to have a good time in the roles that he plays. I always liked him in Green Acers.
For Eddie Albert’s birthday I watched You’re In The Navy Now. Eddie plays an executive officer on a ship at the beginning of WWII. The ship is equipped with a top secret device which they are testing. Gary Cooper plays the new Captain of the ship. Most of the officers assigned to ship have never been on this type of boat and are not experienced sea men. The first time they take the ship out of dock they crash. Out on the water the test the equipment and it fails, which causes the boat to drift and no electricity. They get a tow from a tanker ship and basically become the laughing stock of the navy. Eddie has a little more action in the film with the admiral comes onto the ship to see how things are going. The equipment is frozen and they try to maneuver around obstacles such as other boats and bridges. Eddie yells and motions like the bridge crew and other boats can see and hear him. Which they can’t being so far away, but it is good for my as the audience to show perspective on how bad or close the objects really are. In the officers office the admiral and dignitaries are getting a drink and they sway with the ship and the glasses rattle. When one of the men comes into the cabin you see another boat passing very closely. The admiral sees this and goes to find out what is happening. They end up crashing into a larger ship. It is a different type of war film with action, comedy and men not knowing what they are doing.
This film is directed by Henry Hathaway. There are really interesting shots of views from the portholes. You get a sailors view of the action. The film opens with a beautiful shot of Washington DC. It is a spring day with the sun shining and few clouds in the sky. I also like the staging of the shots. Instead of being messy, jumbled views of the dock they seem almost like architectural/structured plans. Every thing in frame has a use and is interesting to look at.
Most of the films that I have seen with Eddie Albert he plays the best friend, a supporting character. He is very talented and knows his craft. To me he always seems to have a good time in the roles that he plays. I always liked him in Green Acers.
April 23 Shirley Temple
Happy Birthday Sandra Dee and Shirley Temple
TCM Celebrated Shirley Temple’s birthday early, April 13th and even showed one in prime time as part of the Civil War special programming. I did not realize that Bill Robinson was in three Shirley Temple films. It has been awhile since I have seen them so I will have to look those up. I think my favorite Shirley Temple film is The Poor Little Rich Girl with Alice Faye and Jack Haley but they are all good, enjoyable films. I haven’t seen very many films of Shirley as a teenager or an adult. So to celebrate Shirley Temple I watched Kathleen. She may not be the adorable child but she shows real acting talent in this film. Teenage life is difficult for most average people, I can’t imagine what it must have been like for a great child actor.
Shirley plays the title role as a teenager who’s mother died at birth and her father, Herbert Marshall is wrapped up in work and his life that he does not spend a lot of time with his daughter. He is dating polished Gail Patrick (who is dressed incredibly well, hats and all). Shirley has a governess who treats her like a prisoner always watching and snooping around. Shirley is moody and lonely. Shirley plots a little plan to catch her governess snooping. Herbert unhappy that things have progressed to his notice calls in a doctor to examine Shirley. He finds the governess below Shirley’s intelligence and suggests a new one until she goes to school in the fall, Laraine Day. She is a young, lovely doctor who treats Shirley like a person and gives her the freedom to be herself. Shirley dreams that Laraine and Herbert fall in love. Laraine wears pins on her top and Shirley starts to imitate that aspect. Shirley has an adult friend in town who she often visits just to talk and to have lunch. She has made up parts of her life and shares those stories with him.
In one dream sequence Shirley becomes a Broadway musical star to make money to bribe Gail away from Herbert. It is a tame musical number at best, Shirley doesn’t really dance but floats around the stage. Her voice is dubbed (???) to a more operatic adult sound. When Gail comes to her dressing room Shirley acts very adult where the adults act more like children.
When Herbert and Gail decide to marry Shirley does not react well. She goes to visit her friend and find he is packing up and moving to Pennsylvania. She sneaks on one of the trucks as they leave. Herbert and Laraine are frantic. When the man finds Shirley the next day he promises he wont call her father, but he has too. When Laraine and Herbert come to get her, they tell her they are going to marry. Her dream has come true.
TCM Celebrated Shirley Temple’s birthday early, April 13th and even showed one in prime time as part of the Civil War special programming. I did not realize that Bill Robinson was in three Shirley Temple films. It has been awhile since I have seen them so I will have to look those up. I think my favorite Shirley Temple film is The Poor Little Rich Girl with Alice Faye and Jack Haley but they are all good, enjoyable films. I haven’t seen very many films of Shirley as a teenager or an adult. So to celebrate Shirley Temple I watched Kathleen. She may not be the adorable child but she shows real acting talent in this film. Teenage life is difficult for most average people, I can’t imagine what it must have been like for a great child actor.
Shirley plays the title role as a teenager who’s mother died at birth and her father, Herbert Marshall is wrapped up in work and his life that he does not spend a lot of time with his daughter. He is dating polished Gail Patrick (who is dressed incredibly well, hats and all). Shirley has a governess who treats her like a prisoner always watching and snooping around. Shirley is moody and lonely. Shirley plots a little plan to catch her governess snooping. Herbert unhappy that things have progressed to his notice calls in a doctor to examine Shirley. He finds the governess below Shirley’s intelligence and suggests a new one until she goes to school in the fall, Laraine Day. She is a young, lovely doctor who treats Shirley like a person and gives her the freedom to be herself. Shirley dreams that Laraine and Herbert fall in love. Laraine wears pins on her top and Shirley starts to imitate that aspect. Shirley has an adult friend in town who she often visits just to talk and to have lunch. She has made up parts of her life and shares those stories with him.
In one dream sequence Shirley becomes a Broadway musical star to make money to bribe Gail away from Herbert. It is a tame musical number at best, Shirley doesn’t really dance but floats around the stage. Her voice is dubbed (???) to a more operatic adult sound. When Gail comes to her dressing room Shirley acts very adult where the adults act more like children.
When Herbert and Gail decide to marry Shirley does not react well. She goes to visit her friend and find he is packing up and moving to Pennsylvania. She sneaks on one of the trucks as they leave. Herbert and Laraine are frantic. When the man finds Shirley the next day he promises he wont call her father, but he has too. When Laraine and Herbert come to get her, they tell her they are going to marry. Her dream has come true.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
April 19 Jayne Mansfield
Happy Birthday Eleanor Donahue, Jayne Mansfield, Dudley Moore and Constance Talmadge.
I decided to watch Too Hot To Handle to celebrate Jayne Mansfield’s birthday. Jayne plays an entertainer Midnight (nicknamed 12 o’clock) at a London club Pink Flamingo. When performing she is a tantalizing enchantress with a baby like voice with a lot of skin showing in the costumes. When not entertaining she is a smart woman with a husky voice.
It is a strip club but there is very little stripping. It is more of what I would classify as exotic dancing. Skimpy costumes and dancing. There are a couple of costumes I am not sure how they stayed on. The music during the performances was very circus/carnival up beat music. The music during other times was very soft and melodramatic. Ian Fleming has a credit. I don’t know if I have ever seen a picture of him and could not figure out who he was.
Jayne is in love with the night club owner Solo. He gets caught up in an insurance scam and gets beaten up and the club ransacked. He finds out who has done this and beats up the leader. He finds out his assistant is involved with the scam and intends to take care of him. He hired a dancer, aged 16. He hooks the girl up with a patron who takes her back to his apartment. He comes on very strong and she resists. He ends up killing her. The police come to the club. Only one of the dancers will tell the truth about the girl. Jayne realizes that Solo was going to kill his assistant and possibly get killed himself that she decides to tell the police everything. As Solo is taken out by the police he takes off his carnation and throws it on the ground. I don’t quite get that but it must be a sign. As Jayne turns off the lights she sees the carnation on the ground. She picks it up and puts it up to her lips as she cries and leaves the club.
Jayne was probably more known for her curves but she has acting talent. She knows what the audience wants and gives it to them.
I decided to watch Too Hot To Handle to celebrate Jayne Mansfield’s birthday. Jayne plays an entertainer Midnight (nicknamed 12 o’clock) at a London club Pink Flamingo. When performing she is a tantalizing enchantress with a baby like voice with a lot of skin showing in the costumes. When not entertaining she is a smart woman with a husky voice.
It is a strip club but there is very little stripping. It is more of what I would classify as exotic dancing. Skimpy costumes and dancing. There are a couple of costumes I am not sure how they stayed on. The music during the performances was very circus/carnival up beat music. The music during other times was very soft and melodramatic. Ian Fleming has a credit. I don’t know if I have ever seen a picture of him and could not figure out who he was.
Jayne is in love with the night club owner Solo. He gets caught up in an insurance scam and gets beaten up and the club ransacked. He finds out who has done this and beats up the leader. He finds out his assistant is involved with the scam and intends to take care of him. He hired a dancer, aged 16. He hooks the girl up with a patron who takes her back to his apartment. He comes on very strong and she resists. He ends up killing her. The police come to the club. Only one of the dancers will tell the truth about the girl. Jayne realizes that Solo was going to kill his assistant and possibly get killed himself that she decides to tell the police everything. As Solo is taken out by the police he takes off his carnation and throws it on the ground. I don’t quite get that but it must be a sign. As Jayne turns off the lights she sees the carnation on the ground. She picks it up and puts it up to her lips as she cries and leaves the club.
Jayne was probably more known for her curves but she has acting talent. She knows what the audience wants and gives it to them.
April 20 Harold Lloyd
TCM celebrated Harold Lloyd’s birthday. I was able to watch my favorite film Girl Shy before work (instead of taking a morning walk). I wasn’t sure what to write about. Then I realized that Lloyd had really long climatic chase scenes. This could have been an entire short on its own. The following is the very long scene to get to his love.
Set up
Harold finds out that the rich girl he loves is going to marry someone else that day. A woman comes in to the taylor shop and sees the article. She breaks down and shows Harold the watch and states that he is her husband. Harold takes the watch to stop the wedding.
Chase (against time)
Harold gets to the train station, but is stuttering and can’t get himself understood to get a ticket. The train leaves and he runs after the train as he just reaches it a woman’s scarf falls on his head and he stops to take it off and the train leaves him in the dust. He tries to flag down a ride in a truck and almost gets hit by a car. He moves to the side of the road to try to get a ride and is startled by a little boy on a tricycle. He sees a paper bag on the ground, blows it up and when a car comes by he pops it. The car stops and the driver looks at all the tires. Harold approaches him, still stuttering and the driver pushes him off. The driver continues on and Harold jumps on the running board. The car pulls up a few driveways and then pulls in the garage. Harold tries again. A man is teaching a woman how to drive. She goes forward, backwards and stops several times. Each time Harold thinks that he is going to get a ride. He ends up jumping on the back. The woman does circles in the street and ends up hitting a pole and Harold falls off. He then finds a car and drives off. A couple are picnicking on the other side of the car. He comes to a road closed sign with a detour and takes that route. It is a hilly unpaved route that he and the car go up and down. (Cut to the very unhappy bride in her room.)
Harold is back on the main paved road but the car and Harold are still going up and down. He can’t take it any more and gets out of the running car and it goes off to the side of the road. He walks and comes up to man putting a box of flowers in the back seat. As Harold comes up to he man he runs away. Harold gets in the car and drives off. Two men follow. As Harold drives a bottle explodes in the flower box. Harold gets out of the car to check the tires and another bottle pops. Harold gets back in the car. The two men are police officers and they commandeer a car and shoot at Harold. Harold does not realize he is being shot at until a hole in the windshield appears. He gabs for bottles in the box and throws them behind him. The car ends up with flat tires. The police commandeer another car. Harold a narrow road where he meets another car. Neither want to back up so Harold states lets switch cars. The car that Harold is driving is a modern fast car and the other car is an old jalopy. Harold cranks the car and the car slides down the hill. He is holding the crank in his hand and throws it down to the car. Harold starts walking again. He sees a car and this time not taking any chances jumps in the backseat. The policeman is in the car. He is standing with his hands up. As they pass a tree he jumps up grabs a branch and then jumps onto a horse and keeps going. He can’t keep in the saddle. (Cut to the wedding getting started.)
The horse falls and Harold hit’s the ground. Harold and the horse get back up but he decides to go on another way. He sees a car and gets in. The car starts to go backwards. It is being towed away. He sees a cable car. He is still stuttering so he can’t get the conductor to go. He gets on starts driving the cable car. He is going very fast on the track through the city. The cable comes off the track and the car stops. Harold climbs up to the roof and connects the cable to the line. Off the car goes with Harold still on top. The car is going very fast and Harold is barely staying on he top. He then pulls the wire off the track and ends up over the side of the car. He ends up right over a car and drops into the car right through the roof. He gets the man to drive faster by putting his foot over the drivers. They end up sideswiping a motorcycle police officer. He chases them down. As the officer stops the driver, Harold gets out of the car and takes the motorcycle. (Cut to the bride and bridesmaids gettng ready.)
He drives the motorcycle through a farmers market, a ditch full of men that scramble to get out of the way. He grounds the motorcycle and jumps into the drivers seat of a horse truck. (Cut to the bride coming down the aisle.)
Horses going faster than the cars and cable cars throughout the city. (Cut to the ceremony.)
Harold driving the horses at a fast necked pace. (Cut to bride and groom stating “I do.”.)
Carriage looses a wheel. He unhooks the carriage and jumps on the back of one of the horses. The horse and Harold fall but get back up and keep going. Finally he reaches her house. He breaks a glass door to get in he house. A servant tries to stop him but he gets loose. He gets down the steps just as the minister states “I now pronounce you…” He is still stuttering and can’t get out the words. He puts the bride over his shoulder and carries her out the way he came in the house and out into the street. In the street Harold gives her the watch.
Conclusion
Harold will only stop stuttering by a whistle blow. The girl sees a mailman and they chase him down. She blows the whistle. The girl asks “what where you going to ask me?”. Will you marry me? YES she replies as they hug.
The End.
Set up
Harold finds out that the rich girl he loves is going to marry someone else that day. A woman comes in to the taylor shop and sees the article. She breaks down and shows Harold the watch and states that he is her husband. Harold takes the watch to stop the wedding.
Chase (against time)
Harold gets to the train station, but is stuttering and can’t get himself understood to get a ticket. The train leaves and he runs after the train as he just reaches it a woman’s scarf falls on his head and he stops to take it off and the train leaves him in the dust. He tries to flag down a ride in a truck and almost gets hit by a car. He moves to the side of the road to try to get a ride and is startled by a little boy on a tricycle. He sees a paper bag on the ground, blows it up and when a car comes by he pops it. The car stops and the driver looks at all the tires. Harold approaches him, still stuttering and the driver pushes him off. The driver continues on and Harold jumps on the running board. The car pulls up a few driveways and then pulls in the garage. Harold tries again. A man is teaching a woman how to drive. She goes forward, backwards and stops several times. Each time Harold thinks that he is going to get a ride. He ends up jumping on the back. The woman does circles in the street and ends up hitting a pole and Harold falls off. He then finds a car and drives off. A couple are picnicking on the other side of the car. He comes to a road closed sign with a detour and takes that route. It is a hilly unpaved route that he and the car go up and down. (Cut to the very unhappy bride in her room.)
Harold is back on the main paved road but the car and Harold are still going up and down. He can’t take it any more and gets out of the running car and it goes off to the side of the road. He walks and comes up to man putting a box of flowers in the back seat. As Harold comes up to he man he runs away. Harold gets in the car and drives off. Two men follow. As Harold drives a bottle explodes in the flower box. Harold gets out of the car to check the tires and another bottle pops. Harold gets back in the car. The two men are police officers and they commandeer a car and shoot at Harold. Harold does not realize he is being shot at until a hole in the windshield appears. He gabs for bottles in the box and throws them behind him. The car ends up with flat tires. The police commandeer another car. Harold a narrow road where he meets another car. Neither want to back up so Harold states lets switch cars. The car that Harold is driving is a modern fast car and the other car is an old jalopy. Harold cranks the car and the car slides down the hill. He is holding the crank in his hand and throws it down to the car. Harold starts walking again. He sees a car and this time not taking any chances jumps in the backseat. The policeman is in the car. He is standing with his hands up. As they pass a tree he jumps up grabs a branch and then jumps onto a horse and keeps going. He can’t keep in the saddle. (Cut to the wedding getting started.)
The horse falls and Harold hit’s the ground. Harold and the horse get back up but he decides to go on another way. He sees a car and gets in. The car starts to go backwards. It is being towed away. He sees a cable car. He is still stuttering so he can’t get the conductor to go. He gets on starts driving the cable car. He is going very fast on the track through the city. The cable comes off the track and the car stops. Harold climbs up to the roof and connects the cable to the line. Off the car goes with Harold still on top. The car is going very fast and Harold is barely staying on he top. He then pulls the wire off the track and ends up over the side of the car. He ends up right over a car and drops into the car right through the roof. He gets the man to drive faster by putting his foot over the drivers. They end up sideswiping a motorcycle police officer. He chases them down. As the officer stops the driver, Harold gets out of the car and takes the motorcycle. (Cut to the bride and bridesmaids gettng ready.)
He drives the motorcycle through a farmers market, a ditch full of men that scramble to get out of the way. He grounds the motorcycle and jumps into the drivers seat of a horse truck. (Cut to the bride coming down the aisle.)
Horses going faster than the cars and cable cars throughout the city. (Cut to the ceremony.)
Harold driving the horses at a fast necked pace. (Cut to bride and groom stating “I do.”.)
Carriage looses a wheel. He unhooks the carriage and jumps on the back of one of the horses. The horse and Harold fall but get back up and keep going. Finally he reaches her house. He breaks a glass door to get in he house. A servant tries to stop him but he gets loose. He gets down the steps just as the minister states “I now pronounce you…” He is still stuttering and can’t get out the words. He puts the bride over his shoulder and carries her out the way he came in the house and out into the street. In the street Harold gives her the watch.
Conclusion
Harold will only stop stuttering by a whistle blow. The girl sees a mailman and they chase him down. She blows the whistle. The girl asks “what where you going to ask me?”. Will you marry me? YES she replies as they hug.
The End.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
April 11 Joel Grey
For Joel Grey’s birthday I watched Cabaret. Joel played Master Of Ceremonies. He was very good in all the performances. You never saw him off the stage, but he was the ultimate entertainer on stage. I like the way the stage performances were shot. It was like you were in the theater yourself. You were looking up at the stage and there were heads of people sitting in front of you and people occasionally passing by. There were a number of things off stage I didn’t understand. Liza Minnelli looked really good with the hair and makeup. When she says good bye to Michael York and walks away. She never turns around, but waves goodbye. Classy.
April 17 Arthur Lake
Happy Birthday William Holden and Arthur Lake.
For Arthur Lake’s birthday I watched my favorite Blondie movie Blondie In The Dough. Penny Singleton stars as Blondie and Arthur is Dagwood Bumstead. Dagwood is a good draftsman but lacks something that always gets him fired and Blondie to get his job back. This is a later film in the series, where Larry Simms is a teenager and Marjorie Kemp is about 6 and Daisy is surrounded by her puppies.
Things are going well for the Bumsteads. Dagwood is promised a $50 raise by Mr. Radcliffe. They are going to play golf with a client. Dagwood ends up being the caddy. While chasing a ball he lands in a pond. When the client has had enough of Dagwood’s antics he leaves. Dagwood ends up tipping water from his golf bag all over the client. Radcliff does not give Dagwood the raise. The house needs a new stove and Blondie decides to bake cookies and Dagwood will work in his spare time as a radio engineer. Dagwood gets his equipment and starts to set it up. When he puts the antenna on the roof he falls onto the mailman. The mailman comes over on a Sunday to talk with Dagwood to put a stop to his being run over every day. The mailman is literally pushed into the ground spread eagled.
During the fiasco of the golf game with the client, Dagwood put the plans for the new radio station in the clients golf bag. The client looked at them and he liked them giving Radcliffe the job of building his new station. Radcliffe and Dagwood go to the clients to discuss the plans. The client requests a small change while Dagwood makes the changes on the plans Radcliffe is touring the studio. Dagwood goes to the clients radio (which is the size of a dresser) and turns it on. It is a little staticy and Dagwood starts to “fix” the radio. When the client comes back there are pieces all over the floor. The client tells Radcliffe that if he wants the project he has to fire Dagwood. Dagwood lost his job again. They have the classic routine where Dagwood shakes his head no and Radcliffe nods his head yes.
Hugh Herbert plays the President of Premier Biscuit Company. The company will not allow him in the kitchen because it makes the head baker angry. Hugh and Blondie meet in a grocery store. He helps her home with her items and helps her create her batter. Dagwood comes home and is jealous that there is a man in the house. Hugh gives her advice on how to get started. One of the first things is advertising. She creates a flyer “Blondie’s cookies hit the spot”. Dagwood has the radio finally hooked up and shows it to Hugh. During the Premier commercial Blondie’s voice comes through the radio reading her flyer. Hugh has accidentally hit the transmit button. The authorities track Blondie down and is taken to the radio station, she has the children with her. She calls Dagwood and Radcliffe go down to the company. Hugh then shows up with all the dogs. Of course the company can’t press charges against it’s president in this matter. Premier wants to buy Blondie’s cookie receipt. Blondie works it out that if Premier hires the radio station and the radio station hires Radcliffe and Radcliffe hires Dagwood back with a raise.
When the radio station owner has to listen to a new announcer and turns on the radio. It is a new radio that he replaced after Dagwood worked on his other one and it is staticy. Dagwood offers to fix it and Blondie ushers her family, including the dogs out of the room.
When I watched these films on TBS on weekend mornings I never imagined I would work for a construction company like Dagwood. I am an accounting clerk, but in watching the films now I see how slow construction really is compared to how short it is done in a film.
For Arthur Lake’s birthday I watched my favorite Blondie movie Blondie In The Dough. Penny Singleton stars as Blondie and Arthur is Dagwood Bumstead. Dagwood is a good draftsman but lacks something that always gets him fired and Blondie to get his job back. This is a later film in the series, where Larry Simms is a teenager and Marjorie Kemp is about 6 and Daisy is surrounded by her puppies.
Things are going well for the Bumsteads. Dagwood is promised a $50 raise by Mr. Radcliffe. They are going to play golf with a client. Dagwood ends up being the caddy. While chasing a ball he lands in a pond. When the client has had enough of Dagwood’s antics he leaves. Dagwood ends up tipping water from his golf bag all over the client. Radcliff does not give Dagwood the raise. The house needs a new stove and Blondie decides to bake cookies and Dagwood will work in his spare time as a radio engineer. Dagwood gets his equipment and starts to set it up. When he puts the antenna on the roof he falls onto the mailman. The mailman comes over on a Sunday to talk with Dagwood to put a stop to his being run over every day. The mailman is literally pushed into the ground spread eagled.
During the fiasco of the golf game with the client, Dagwood put the plans for the new radio station in the clients golf bag. The client looked at them and he liked them giving Radcliffe the job of building his new station. Radcliffe and Dagwood go to the clients to discuss the plans. The client requests a small change while Dagwood makes the changes on the plans Radcliffe is touring the studio. Dagwood goes to the clients radio (which is the size of a dresser) and turns it on. It is a little staticy and Dagwood starts to “fix” the radio. When the client comes back there are pieces all over the floor. The client tells Radcliffe that if he wants the project he has to fire Dagwood. Dagwood lost his job again. They have the classic routine where Dagwood shakes his head no and Radcliffe nods his head yes.
Hugh Herbert plays the President of Premier Biscuit Company. The company will not allow him in the kitchen because it makes the head baker angry. Hugh and Blondie meet in a grocery store. He helps her home with her items and helps her create her batter. Dagwood comes home and is jealous that there is a man in the house. Hugh gives her advice on how to get started. One of the first things is advertising. She creates a flyer “Blondie’s cookies hit the spot”. Dagwood has the radio finally hooked up and shows it to Hugh. During the Premier commercial Blondie’s voice comes through the radio reading her flyer. Hugh has accidentally hit the transmit button. The authorities track Blondie down and is taken to the radio station, she has the children with her. She calls Dagwood and Radcliffe go down to the company. Hugh then shows up with all the dogs. Of course the company can’t press charges against it’s president in this matter. Premier wants to buy Blondie’s cookie receipt. Blondie works it out that if Premier hires the radio station and the radio station hires Radcliffe and Radcliffe hires Dagwood back with a raise.
When the radio station owner has to listen to a new announcer and turns on the radio. It is a new radio that he replaced after Dagwood worked on his other one and it is staticy. Dagwood offers to fix it and Blondie ushers her family, including the dogs out of the room.
When I watched these films on TBS on weekend mornings I never imagined I would work for a construction company like Dagwood. I am an accounting clerk, but in watching the films now I see how slow construction really is compared to how short it is done in a film.
April 18 Virginia O'Brien
Happy Birthday Hayley Mills and Virginia O’Brien.
I don’t think I have ever seen Virginia O’Brien in a film before TCM had a birthday celebration (April 8). I watched most of the films shown.
In Ship Ahoy and Meet the People she was paired with Bert Lehr. One she runs from him and one she clings to him (he is after Lucille Ball). She has a great solo in Meet The People.
The Great Morgan was a different type of film. Frank Morgan wants to be a producer. He has a film ready to show to the studio and decides to visit the editing room. He doesn’t think the editor is doing a good job and wants to edit himself. He ends up spilling a whole shelf full of film tins on the floor and some of it gets mixed up in his film. During the showing there is a little bit of Morgan’s film but there is a musical short, a Pete Smith short and various singers on screen.
In Merton of the Movies and Du Barry Was A Lady she is paired with Red Skelton. In Merton of the Movies she is an actress who helps Red try to get parts in films. This is also the largest role in the films they showed in her honor. In Du Barry she was a cigarette girl/singer at a club. She is one of two people who are not in the dream sequence, but she does get a solo. It is great to see Zero Mostel in a film.
The announcer in between the films stated that Virginia was a deadpan comic. It is true. Like most deadpan performers there may not be much expression on the face, but there is plenty of physical expression through the eyes, mouth and overall body which enhances the verbal comedy.
In Du Barry Was A Lady Red asked Virginia “Does that make you happy?” Virginia smiles for about two seconds (you can’t see the eyes to see if there is any expression). Red states don’t get so excited.
I don’t think I have ever seen Virginia O’Brien in a film before TCM had a birthday celebration (April 8). I watched most of the films shown.
In Ship Ahoy and Meet the People she was paired with Bert Lehr. One she runs from him and one she clings to him (he is after Lucille Ball). She has a great solo in Meet The People.
The Great Morgan was a different type of film. Frank Morgan wants to be a producer. He has a film ready to show to the studio and decides to visit the editing room. He doesn’t think the editor is doing a good job and wants to edit himself. He ends up spilling a whole shelf full of film tins on the floor and some of it gets mixed up in his film. During the showing there is a little bit of Morgan’s film but there is a musical short, a Pete Smith short and various singers on screen.
In Merton of the Movies and Du Barry Was A Lady she is paired with Red Skelton. In Merton of the Movies she is an actress who helps Red try to get parts in films. This is also the largest role in the films they showed in her honor. In Du Barry she was a cigarette girl/singer at a club. She is one of two people who are not in the dream sequence, but she does get a solo. It is great to see Zero Mostel in a film.
The announcer in between the films stated that Virginia was a deadpan comic. It is true. Like most deadpan performers there may not be much expression on the face, but there is plenty of physical expression through the eyes, mouth and overall body which enhances the verbal comedy.
In Du Barry Was A Lady Red asked Virginia “Does that make you happy?” Virginia smiles for about two seconds (you can’t see the eyes to see if there is any expression). Red states don’t get so excited.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
April 16 Charlie Chaplin
Happy birthday to Edie Adams, Charlie Chaplin and Henry Mancini
When I visited my friend last weekend she gave me the DVD The Criterion Collection Modern Times, staring and directed by Charles Chaplin. I was flabbergasted. It was an incredibly generous and thoughtful. This blog is dedicated to my friend Carol.
On the DVD there are several documentaries. One, For the First Time is a 1967 short film about rural Cubans seeing a film for the first time. The documentary shows the hills, dirt and rock roads that few vehicles have traversed. The film makers talk with the villagers and on one has seen a movie. One child doesn’t even know what a movie is. An older woman thinks it will be like a party. After dark the film Modern Times is shown. Everyone is excited, not knowing what to expect. The famous automated feeding scene comes up and everyone laughs young and old. Towards the end of the film the children yawn and struggle to stay awake. I can’t imagine what their life must be like and very grateful for my life.
Another documentary Chaplin Today, two French filmmakers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne talk about Chaplin’s film from 31-36. One of them states “Charlie knows what being hungry means”. They talk about the food in the film. I never noticed that before and that intrigued me. So that is what I am going to focus on in the film.
Lunch time at the factory and another man puts his large plate on the bench and puts soup from his thermos into the bowl. Charlie almost sits in the bowl. He goes to hand the bowl to the man and ends up spilling most of it and puts the bowl further down the bench. The man sits in the bowl.
During the same scene Charlie is volunteered for the Billow’s Feeding Machine. An automated feeder that will allow the worker to keep working while eating and thus get rid of the lunch hour. Charlie is strapped in and looks uncomfortable (it reminds me of a dentist chair). First is the soup, the bowl lift ups and tips up so he can drink from the rim. The next dish is cubes of meat that a little arm pushes it right into his mouth. Next is corn on the cob. It is like a typewriter roll and moves around and sideways so he can eat the corn. The machine malfunctions and goes faster and faster until the machine is turned off. The mechanic resets the machine and they start over. The bowl of soup goes up and tips all the way down spilling soup down his chest. More soup and the same thing. They move onto the meat. The plate is full of metal bolts. The bolts slip into his mouth and he spits them back into the plate, but the machine pushes them back into his mouth. Next is dessert. Pie is slapped into his face. The president does not buy the machine it is not efficient.
Paulette Goddard is cutting bananas from a barrel on a boat. She puts the knife in her mouth like a rose stem and tosses bananas to children on the docks. She cuts off a bunch and is spotted. A man chases her around boats until she gets on the dock where she eats one of the bananas. At home she gives her sisters a banana. When her father comes home from looking from work she gives him the rest of the bunch.
Charlie is mistaken as a communist leader and is jailed. At a meal he sits down and bends down under the table. When he bends back up he sees the oatmeal on his plate and looks up like it fell from the ceiling like rain. There is a large slab of bread. Charlie takes it but the large man next to him takes it from him. He sets it down and Charlie takes it again. Back and forth until Charlie gets a small piece. The warden is looking for “nose-powder”. A man puts it in the sugar shaker before he is taken away. Charlie sprinkles the sugar on his oatmeal and rolls. Charlie enjoys his food much more. He takes the bread back. When the man tries to take the bread back Charlie throws oatmeal at him. Charlie sprinkles sugar on the back of his head and down his shirt.
As he is being rewarded with a pardon for his help in foiling a prison riot he has tea.
Alone and on the run Paulette stands in front of a bakery eyeing all the goods. A bread delivery man takes a tray of bread into the bakery and Paulette steals a loaf from the truck. As she runs away she literally runs into Charlie and looses the bread. Charlie grabs the bread and puts it behind his back. He admits to the police that he stole the bread and they took him away. The witness tells the police it was the girl and the police release Charlie in front of a cafeteria. He goes in and fills up two huge trays with food. When he finally finishes eating the table is full of empty plates. He cannot pay and has an officer arrest him. As the police stands outside to call a wagon he takes a cigar from a stand. He gives children huge Hershey bars and packs of gum.
Out of jail again Charlie and Paulette meet up. They have a dream sequence of what it would be like if they were a married couple. Charlie comes home after work and Paulette is cooking dinner. Charlie pulls an orange off a tree out side the living room window. He gets milk from a passing cow and while the cow is automatically producing milk Charlie eats grapes that are hanging right outside the door. Paulette has a huge steak with juice, potatoes and bread.
Charlie gets a job as night watchman at a department store. As soon as he locks up he gets Paulette and sits her at the soda fountain. He puts a mountain of sandwiches and large slab of cake on her plate.
The next day Charlie is arrested for stealing food and spirits. When he gets out Paulette is there to great him and takes them to their new house. In the morning she is cooking ham and pour water into tin cans (I don’t know if there is coffee). While eating Charlie reads the newspaper and finds out the factory is rehiring. Paulette hands him a sandwich which he puts down his pants for storage as he goes to the factory. He gets a job as an assistant to a mechanic. The mechanic gets trapped in the machine. The lunch whistle blows and the machine stops so the mechanic cannot get out. He is on his back with is head sticking out of the machine. Charlie sits down to eat his lunch and the mechanic tells him to get his lunch. Charlie puts a large celery bunch in the mechanics mouth (after salting of course) with stem down. He of course can’t eat that. Charlie puts the hard boiled egg in the mechanics mouth, which he can’t chew/swallow and spits out. Charlie tries to give him coffee but it sloshed all over. At first he tries a oil funnel but decides that would be too messy and funnels the coffee through the roasted chicken. He then pulls of a leg of the chicken and puts it right over his mouth and the mechanic can eat. Then the pie, which is meringue and it falls all over his face. Charlie tries to spoon it into his mouth but the mechanic knocks it off his face onto the ground.
Factory workers go on strike again. Charlie accidentally causes bricks to hit a police man and he is arrested. When he gets out Paulette greets him and tells him that he has a job as a waiter/singer in a café. As he is waiting on tables he goes into the kitchen in the wrong door which causes a man coming into the dining room to drop the tray and foods goes everywhere including over the waiter. Charlie goes to a huge cheese wheel and with a hand drill puts holes in the cheese and cuts a slab.
When he is carrying a tray of food as he gets into the room the dance music starts and people go onto the dance floor and he cannot get to the table. You see a huge crowd of people with a tray floating above their heads. The roasted turkey gets caught up in the chandelier. When Charlie finally gets to the table he tries to find the turkey. He sees the turkey in the light and it falls onto the tray by pulling a few of the streamers also hanging. When Charlie is cutting the turkey it slips from his fingers into another man who treats it like a football. Charlie chases the turkey. He finally gets it but knocks over the patrons table. He hands the turkey to the man who tosses onto the plate disgustedly.
I am now going to have to buy the other Criterion Collection DVD of Charlie Chaplin.
On the Google tribute many have criticized the short. But it does not bother me, it is an homage to Chaplin. If a young person sees the ad and wants to see more and looks him up by DVD or internet they will discover the real Chaplin. He will then live on into another generation.
When I visited my friend last weekend she gave me the DVD The Criterion Collection Modern Times, staring and directed by Charles Chaplin. I was flabbergasted. It was an incredibly generous and thoughtful. This blog is dedicated to my friend Carol.
On the DVD there are several documentaries. One, For the First Time is a 1967 short film about rural Cubans seeing a film for the first time. The documentary shows the hills, dirt and rock roads that few vehicles have traversed. The film makers talk with the villagers and on one has seen a movie. One child doesn’t even know what a movie is. An older woman thinks it will be like a party. After dark the film Modern Times is shown. Everyone is excited, not knowing what to expect. The famous automated feeding scene comes up and everyone laughs young and old. Towards the end of the film the children yawn and struggle to stay awake. I can’t imagine what their life must be like and very grateful for my life.
Another documentary Chaplin Today, two French filmmakers Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne talk about Chaplin’s film from 31-36. One of them states “Charlie knows what being hungry means”. They talk about the food in the film. I never noticed that before and that intrigued me. So that is what I am going to focus on in the film.
Lunch time at the factory and another man puts his large plate on the bench and puts soup from his thermos into the bowl. Charlie almost sits in the bowl. He goes to hand the bowl to the man and ends up spilling most of it and puts the bowl further down the bench. The man sits in the bowl.
During the same scene Charlie is volunteered for the Billow’s Feeding Machine. An automated feeder that will allow the worker to keep working while eating and thus get rid of the lunch hour. Charlie is strapped in and looks uncomfortable (it reminds me of a dentist chair). First is the soup, the bowl lift ups and tips up so he can drink from the rim. The next dish is cubes of meat that a little arm pushes it right into his mouth. Next is corn on the cob. It is like a typewriter roll and moves around and sideways so he can eat the corn. The machine malfunctions and goes faster and faster until the machine is turned off. The mechanic resets the machine and they start over. The bowl of soup goes up and tips all the way down spilling soup down his chest. More soup and the same thing. They move onto the meat. The plate is full of metal bolts. The bolts slip into his mouth and he spits them back into the plate, but the machine pushes them back into his mouth. Next is dessert. Pie is slapped into his face. The president does not buy the machine it is not efficient.
Paulette Goddard is cutting bananas from a barrel on a boat. She puts the knife in her mouth like a rose stem and tosses bananas to children on the docks. She cuts off a bunch and is spotted. A man chases her around boats until she gets on the dock where she eats one of the bananas. At home she gives her sisters a banana. When her father comes home from looking from work she gives him the rest of the bunch.
Charlie is mistaken as a communist leader and is jailed. At a meal he sits down and bends down under the table. When he bends back up he sees the oatmeal on his plate and looks up like it fell from the ceiling like rain. There is a large slab of bread. Charlie takes it but the large man next to him takes it from him. He sets it down and Charlie takes it again. Back and forth until Charlie gets a small piece. The warden is looking for “nose-powder”. A man puts it in the sugar shaker before he is taken away. Charlie sprinkles the sugar on his oatmeal and rolls. Charlie enjoys his food much more. He takes the bread back. When the man tries to take the bread back Charlie throws oatmeal at him. Charlie sprinkles sugar on the back of his head and down his shirt.
As he is being rewarded with a pardon for his help in foiling a prison riot he has tea.
Alone and on the run Paulette stands in front of a bakery eyeing all the goods. A bread delivery man takes a tray of bread into the bakery and Paulette steals a loaf from the truck. As she runs away she literally runs into Charlie and looses the bread. Charlie grabs the bread and puts it behind his back. He admits to the police that he stole the bread and they took him away. The witness tells the police it was the girl and the police release Charlie in front of a cafeteria. He goes in and fills up two huge trays with food. When he finally finishes eating the table is full of empty plates. He cannot pay and has an officer arrest him. As the police stands outside to call a wagon he takes a cigar from a stand. He gives children huge Hershey bars and packs of gum.
Out of jail again Charlie and Paulette meet up. They have a dream sequence of what it would be like if they were a married couple. Charlie comes home after work and Paulette is cooking dinner. Charlie pulls an orange off a tree out side the living room window. He gets milk from a passing cow and while the cow is automatically producing milk Charlie eats grapes that are hanging right outside the door. Paulette has a huge steak with juice, potatoes and bread.
Charlie gets a job as night watchman at a department store. As soon as he locks up he gets Paulette and sits her at the soda fountain. He puts a mountain of sandwiches and large slab of cake on her plate.
The next day Charlie is arrested for stealing food and spirits. When he gets out Paulette is there to great him and takes them to their new house. In the morning she is cooking ham and pour water into tin cans (I don’t know if there is coffee). While eating Charlie reads the newspaper and finds out the factory is rehiring. Paulette hands him a sandwich which he puts down his pants for storage as he goes to the factory. He gets a job as an assistant to a mechanic. The mechanic gets trapped in the machine. The lunch whistle blows and the machine stops so the mechanic cannot get out. He is on his back with is head sticking out of the machine. Charlie sits down to eat his lunch and the mechanic tells him to get his lunch. Charlie puts a large celery bunch in the mechanics mouth (after salting of course) with stem down. He of course can’t eat that. Charlie puts the hard boiled egg in the mechanics mouth, which he can’t chew/swallow and spits out. Charlie tries to give him coffee but it sloshed all over. At first he tries a oil funnel but decides that would be too messy and funnels the coffee through the roasted chicken. He then pulls of a leg of the chicken and puts it right over his mouth and the mechanic can eat. Then the pie, which is meringue and it falls all over his face. Charlie tries to spoon it into his mouth but the mechanic knocks it off his face onto the ground.
Factory workers go on strike again. Charlie accidentally causes bricks to hit a police man and he is arrested. When he gets out Paulette greets him and tells him that he has a job as a waiter/singer in a café. As he is waiting on tables he goes into the kitchen in the wrong door which causes a man coming into the dining room to drop the tray and foods goes everywhere including over the waiter. Charlie goes to a huge cheese wheel and with a hand drill puts holes in the cheese and cuts a slab.
When he is carrying a tray of food as he gets into the room the dance music starts and people go onto the dance floor and he cannot get to the table. You see a huge crowd of people with a tray floating above their heads. The roasted turkey gets caught up in the chandelier. When Charlie finally gets to the table he tries to find the turkey. He sees the turkey in the light and it falls onto the tray by pulling a few of the streamers also hanging. When Charlie is cutting the turkey it slips from his fingers into another man who treats it like a football. Charlie chases the turkey. He finally gets it but knocks over the patrons table. He hands the turkey to the man who tosses onto the plate disgustedly.
I am now going to have to buy the other Criterion Collection DVD of Charlie Chaplin.
On the Google tribute many have criticized the short. But it does not bother me, it is an homage to Chaplin. If a young person sees the ad and wants to see more and looks him up by DVD or internet they will discover the real Chaplin. He will then live on into another generation.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
April 13 Howard Keel
Happy birthday to Stanley Donen and Howard Keel.
For Howard Keel’s birthday I watched Kiss Me Kate. It is actually a left over from Ann Miller day on the 12th. I finally figured out why I don’t like this musical. Timing. The stage version isn’t in a sequence I can follow. I can follow the beginning and the end but the middle part confuses me. It seems like an intermission and Kathryn Grayson is out of makeup and back in street cloths but performs after intermission. Then a day or so later she leaves to get married. She leaves at the end of the performance but comes back for the big finale the next day. I also do not care for Shakespeare.
Howard Keel and Kathryn Grayson play musical performers who used to be married. A new show comes up Kiss Me Kate and Howard wants Kathryn to play the lead opposite of him. He still loves her but can’t admit it to himself let alone to her. He has pictures of the two of them on his piano in characters they have portrayed in the past. His current girlfriend Ann Miller is using him to further her career. She is in love with someone else. Howard has a great baritone voice and looks good in his costume and makeup.
For Howard Keel’s birthday I watched Kiss Me Kate. It is actually a left over from Ann Miller day on the 12th. I finally figured out why I don’t like this musical. Timing. The stage version isn’t in a sequence I can follow. I can follow the beginning and the end but the middle part confuses me. It seems like an intermission and Kathryn Grayson is out of makeup and back in street cloths but performs after intermission. Then a day or so later she leaves to get married. She leaves at the end of the performance but comes back for the big finale the next day. I also do not care for Shakespeare.
Howard Keel and Kathryn Grayson play musical performers who used to be married. A new show comes up Kiss Me Kate and Howard wants Kathryn to play the lead opposite of him. He still loves her but can’t admit it to himself let alone to her. He has pictures of the two of them on his piano in characters they have portrayed in the past. His current girlfriend Ann Miller is using him to further her career. She is in love with someone else. Howard has a great baritone voice and looks good in his costume and makeup.
April 15 Hans Conreid
Hans Conreid
Hans Conreid was a great character actor. He was in radio, television and movies. In looking at his film list he did a lot more voice over work than I remember. One of my favorite of his voice over work is Ben and Me.
For Hans Conreid’s birthday I watched A Date With The Falcon and The Falcon Takes A Chance. He had very small supporting roles, no screen credit. In A Date he played a noisy hotel clerk and A Chance he plays a man who tries to trick the Falcon but he ended up being tricked. Each role was very different and he played each one differently. A different look, a different voice and a different body movement. A few weeks I go I watched Nancy Goes To Rio where he played a Rio native butler.
Hans Conreid was a great character actor. He was in radio, television and movies. In looking at his film list he did a lot more voice over work than I remember. One of my favorite of his voice over work is Ben and Me.
For Hans Conreid’s birthday I watched A Date With The Falcon and The Falcon Takes A Chance. He had very small supporting roles, no screen credit. In A Date he played a noisy hotel clerk and A Chance he plays a man who tries to trick the Falcon but he ended up being tricked. Each role was very different and he played each one differently. A different look, a different voice and a different body movement. A few weeks I go I watched Nancy Goes To Rio where he played a Rio native butler.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
April 12 Ann Miller
Happy birthday Ann Miller and Jane Withers.
TCM celebrated Ann Miller’s birthday with a day of films. I watched Watch the Birdie with Red Skelton (in 3 roles) and Arlene Dahl. My favorite role of hers is in Kiss Me Kate. I will watch that for Howard Keel’s birthday (4-13). I avoided the films for many years since it is a remake of Buster Keaton’s The Cameraman. It is a loose interpretation of a remake. The film is very funny. There were several scenes where I just burst into laughter.
Ann has a small role in the film. She plays a beauty contest winner Miss Lucky Vista (that is title a home development). She’s wearing a one piece bathing suit, sash and high heels. She has several spokesperson/model like poses. Red Skelton plays a cameraman who takes pictures of the ground breaking, where they are raffling off live turkeys. It is decided that Red will take publicity pictures of the truck with Ann standing by the company name. Ann gets on the running board as they follow the truck. When she gets parallel to the turkey truck she waves and the driver gets distracted and runs the truck into a large pile of lumber. Turkeys fall out of the back of the truck. Ann gets off truck and goes to where the turkeys are so she can pose with them and runs along with them.
Later when Red shows the film, you see her running with her back to the camera “you can’t see my eyes” she states several times. The film has some incriminating evidence on 2 people. 1 man hires Ann (for a diamond bracelet) to get the film from Red. “I just act dumb because men don’t like smart girls” Ann states. She goes to Red’s shop and tries to seduce him with hugs, chasing, running her fingers through his hair and kissing him to get the film. Arlene Dahl who is interested in Red comes in and is jealous of Ann. She slaps Ann with her purse and leaves. “I can’t understand it. I am so beautiful and everybody’s always slugging me.” She leaves without the film.
I don’t think she is trying to parody a vamp or the dumb blonde, but she is very funny. She certainly outshined Arlene Dahl in the film.
TCM celebrated Ann Miller’s birthday with a day of films. I watched Watch the Birdie with Red Skelton (in 3 roles) and Arlene Dahl. My favorite role of hers is in Kiss Me Kate. I will watch that for Howard Keel’s birthday (4-13). I avoided the films for many years since it is a remake of Buster Keaton’s The Cameraman. It is a loose interpretation of a remake. The film is very funny. There were several scenes where I just burst into laughter.
Ann has a small role in the film. She plays a beauty contest winner Miss Lucky Vista (that is title a home development). She’s wearing a one piece bathing suit, sash and high heels. She has several spokesperson/model like poses. Red Skelton plays a cameraman who takes pictures of the ground breaking, where they are raffling off live turkeys. It is decided that Red will take publicity pictures of the truck with Ann standing by the company name. Ann gets on the running board as they follow the truck. When she gets parallel to the turkey truck she waves and the driver gets distracted and runs the truck into a large pile of lumber. Turkeys fall out of the back of the truck. Ann gets off truck and goes to where the turkeys are so she can pose with them and runs along with them.
Later when Red shows the film, you see her running with her back to the camera “you can’t see my eyes” she states several times. The film has some incriminating evidence on 2 people. 1 man hires Ann (for a diamond bracelet) to get the film from Red. “I just act dumb because men don’t like smart girls” Ann states. She goes to Red’s shop and tries to seduce him with hugs, chasing, running her fingers through his hair and kissing him to get the film. Arlene Dahl who is interested in Red comes in and is jealous of Ann. She slaps Ann with her purse and leaves. “I can’t understand it. I am so beautiful and everybody’s always slugging me.” She leaves without the film.
I don’t think she is trying to parody a vamp or the dumb blonde, but she is very funny. She certainly outshined Arlene Dahl in the film.
April 10 Omar Sharif
Happy Birthday to Henry Morgan, Omar Sharif and Max von Sydow.
To celebrate Omar Sharif’s birthday I watched Funny Girl. This is very much Barbra Streisand’s film. When the two of them are on screen together, I kept watching Barbra. I had to force my attention to Omar and Omar is a very handsome man. In one scene Omar is sitting on the left side of the couch, Barbra on the right, both facing the camera, with a man in the middle of them sitting opposite with his back to the camera. Omar is talking with the man and Barbra is reading a magazine. That is it. My eyes would keep straying to Barbra. I am going to focus on Omar for his birthday.
Omar makes his appearance as Barbra states “There will be a knock on the door and there will be Mr. Ziegfeld”. She opens the door and there Omar stands. “Sorry to disappoint you” he states and introduces himself as Nick Arnestein. He plays a very charming smooth talking man. As they talk a man comes up and offers Barbra $25 a week. Omar negotiated with him stating he is acting on behalf of someone else. He was bluffing, but Barbra got $50 a week from the man. Omar asks her out to dinner stating that her mother is expecting her to work at her saloon. After her opening night with Ziegfeld (the famous pregnant bride number) Omar comes backstage. He invites her for dinner she declines and off handedly asks him to her mother’s saloon for a party. To her surprise he accepts. At the party they dance, Omar states that he is a gambler, like she is. He plays cards with some of the older ladies and he lets them win. Barbra sings People during this meeting. He leaves to earn his living. They meet at a train station (6 months to a year later) while she is on tour and he is collecting his new horse. He invites her to dinner, she declines. She dresses for dinner and goes to his hotel room. He is waiting for her with a table set for two and dressed in a tuxedo. When he starts to sing I could not believe it, I thought his character would not be musical. He sings very will. He uses his song to seduce Barbra. He chases her around the room. When they finally come together on a lounge he holds her in his arms and spends a long time looking at her breasts. It is a very sexy scene. He tells Barbra that he has lost almost everything and has to go to Europe to gamble to get some money. He doesn’t want her to meet him at the station because it will make him cry.
The next day Barbra is getting ready to leave with on her tour and she gets flowers from Omar. She decides that she would rather be with him than the tour. Barbra sings Don’t Rain On My Parade. The ship has left the dock and she takes a tug out to the ship. He is standing at the window looking sad. When he sees her he does a double take, stunned, but happy to see her. Marriage is proposed. Who asks is hard to tell. Omar did not want to offer marriage until he had a bank roll. There is a game on board and he plays. He wins a lot of money and the two marry. The come back to the states and Omar has bought a huge house that Barbra furnishes during her pregnancy and while Omar works on a Florida deal. After the child is born Barbra gets in shape for a new show and Omar goes to Oklahoma for an oil deal. When Omar comes back he is happy to see his family but is very low key. Barbra realizes he has lost gambling. He lost the house. They move to New York City. On Barbra’s opening night he spends the evening gambling waiting for his luck to change. Barbra’s dance and song number is Swan Lake (this version is my kind of ballet). During the ballet the camera swings sideways in an almost vertigo affect. He is offered a managerial position for a casino, he realizes he does not have to put up an owners share because Barbra put up the money. When he goes to work he calls up a character and states to tell him about the bond deal. He finds out that the police have an warrant for him due to a phony bond deal. He turns himself in. During the trial he pleads guilty to the charges, he knew what he was doing. They have a few minutes alone. He wants her to divorce him. They hug and kiss and he leaves the room.
18 months later Barbra is in her dressing room getting ready for a show. Omar comes to see her. He has done a lot of thinking in the 18 month he is in jail. He is distant, both literally and figuratively. Barbra realizes that he does not want to continue their marriage. They talk and then he leaves. The film closes with Barbra singing My Man.
This is a really great film. It is based upon real life of Fanny Brice. Even if you do not like musicals there is a great historical aspect of the film.
To celebrate Omar Sharif’s birthday I watched Funny Girl. This is very much Barbra Streisand’s film. When the two of them are on screen together, I kept watching Barbra. I had to force my attention to Omar and Omar is a very handsome man. In one scene Omar is sitting on the left side of the couch, Barbra on the right, both facing the camera, with a man in the middle of them sitting opposite with his back to the camera. Omar is talking with the man and Barbra is reading a magazine. That is it. My eyes would keep straying to Barbra. I am going to focus on Omar for his birthday.
Omar makes his appearance as Barbra states “There will be a knock on the door and there will be Mr. Ziegfeld”. She opens the door and there Omar stands. “Sorry to disappoint you” he states and introduces himself as Nick Arnestein. He plays a very charming smooth talking man. As they talk a man comes up and offers Barbra $25 a week. Omar negotiated with him stating he is acting on behalf of someone else. He was bluffing, but Barbra got $50 a week from the man. Omar asks her out to dinner stating that her mother is expecting her to work at her saloon. After her opening night with Ziegfeld (the famous pregnant bride number) Omar comes backstage. He invites her for dinner she declines and off handedly asks him to her mother’s saloon for a party. To her surprise he accepts. At the party they dance, Omar states that he is a gambler, like she is. He plays cards with some of the older ladies and he lets them win. Barbra sings People during this meeting. He leaves to earn his living. They meet at a train station (6 months to a year later) while she is on tour and he is collecting his new horse. He invites her to dinner, she declines. She dresses for dinner and goes to his hotel room. He is waiting for her with a table set for two and dressed in a tuxedo. When he starts to sing I could not believe it, I thought his character would not be musical. He sings very will. He uses his song to seduce Barbra. He chases her around the room. When they finally come together on a lounge he holds her in his arms and spends a long time looking at her breasts. It is a very sexy scene. He tells Barbra that he has lost almost everything and has to go to Europe to gamble to get some money. He doesn’t want her to meet him at the station because it will make him cry.
The next day Barbra is getting ready to leave with on her tour and she gets flowers from Omar. She decides that she would rather be with him than the tour. Barbra sings Don’t Rain On My Parade. The ship has left the dock and she takes a tug out to the ship. He is standing at the window looking sad. When he sees her he does a double take, stunned, but happy to see her. Marriage is proposed. Who asks is hard to tell. Omar did not want to offer marriage until he had a bank roll. There is a game on board and he plays. He wins a lot of money and the two marry. The come back to the states and Omar has bought a huge house that Barbra furnishes during her pregnancy and while Omar works on a Florida deal. After the child is born Barbra gets in shape for a new show and Omar goes to Oklahoma for an oil deal. When Omar comes back he is happy to see his family but is very low key. Barbra realizes he has lost gambling. He lost the house. They move to New York City. On Barbra’s opening night he spends the evening gambling waiting for his luck to change. Barbra’s dance and song number is Swan Lake (this version is my kind of ballet). During the ballet the camera swings sideways in an almost vertigo affect. He is offered a managerial position for a casino, he realizes he does not have to put up an owners share because Barbra put up the money. When he goes to work he calls up a character and states to tell him about the bond deal. He finds out that the police have an warrant for him due to a phony bond deal. He turns himself in. During the trial he pleads guilty to the charges, he knew what he was doing. They have a few minutes alone. He wants her to divorce him. They hug and kiss and he leaves the room.
18 months later Barbra is in her dressing room getting ready for a show. Omar comes to see her. He has done a lot of thinking in the 18 month he is in jail. He is distant, both literally and figuratively. Barbra realizes that he does not want to continue their marriage. They talk and then he leaves. The film closes with Barbra singing My Man.
This is a really great film. It is based upon real life of Fanny Brice. Even if you do not like musicals there is a great historical aspect of the film.
Monday, April 11, 2011
April 9 Paul Robeson
In Entertainment Weekly’s 100 Years of Hollywood, there was only one small section that stood out to me. It was a little box with two pictures. The caption was “Too cool for Hollywood”. The pictures were of Paul Robeson and Louise Brooks. I had heard of Paul Robeson and had heard his singing voice, but I did not know much about him. I read The Undiscovered Paul Robeson by Paul Robeson Jr. It is very good. At Rutgers College he was on the football, track, baseball, basketball and debating team. He graduated from Columbia Law School in 1923 and got a job with a prestigious New York law firm. He felt such prejudice by the people in the office and that he would only be given race cases that he quit the law firm, not take the bar exam and decided to make a go in the theater. In June 1956 Paul appeared before the house committee on un-American actives (the committee was un-American if you ask me). Part of the transcript of the event is in the book. He basically told off the committee and stood up for himself. He was denied a passport due to his not signing a noncommunist affidavit. Finally in 1958 the supreme court threw out the required form and he was given his passport so he could perform around the world. He and his wife toured Europe and USSR and even with health issues did not return to US until 1963. The renewal of their passports once again due to noncommunist affidavit. To celebrate his 60th birthday in 1958 27 countries honored him. In China the radio played his songs for 3 days, there were numerous articles in the newspaper and a 3 hour tribute at the Beijing Capital Theater.
Epitaph: Paul Robeson (1898-1976) The artist must elect to fight for freedom or slavery. I have made my choice. I had no alternative.
I read the biography because I could not find any films available. I visited some friends about 200 miles away and they had a Ruku box (Ruku is the main reason I don’t have internet. If I had internet in my house I would have a Ruku box and I would probably never leave my house.) I found 3 Paul Robeson films. I watched The Emperor Jones. The film starts off with a tribal dance and morphs into a modern church service. At the end of the service Paul comes in and sings his farewell to his friends in the church he is going to be a porter on the railroad. He gets a lesson from an experience porter on how much of tip he should expect from a person based on the shoe that he polishes. On a day off he goes to a friends home for a party. My favorite song plays St. Louis Blues. Paul stands above the crowd, he is at least a foot taller than the rest of the men at the party. His friend girlfriend is smooching with another man. Paul keeps his friend from killing the other man and the woman is basically turned over to Paul. Paul an ambitious man becomes porter in the President car. His girlfriend chastises him saying that he won’t get tips. He was looking for more. On one trip he hears about a merger. He approaches the man and they make a deal. When he gets back home Paul and his girl argue, she doesn’t believe him and they breaks up. She goes back to Paul’s friend. At a nightclub, a 7 year old boy is the orchestra leader and tap dances with the chorus girls, Paul his new girlfriend and his friend and old girlfriend meet up. When she gets jealous that Paul is with another woman, the two woman fight (orchestra switches to fast music) and the old girlfriend is dragged out. Paul leaves alone “I’ll be traveling light”. During a craps came Paul and his friend meet up. The man used crocked dice and he ends up pulling a knife on Paul. They struggle and man gets killed. Paul runs and the games and singing continue. A police officer comes along and finds the body. The next scene is Paul in jail, breaking rocks, singing. A guard asks him to open a locked box, a man comes out and falls to the ground. The guard looks at the man on the ground “sleeping ay?” and asks Paul to waken him with a stick. Paul refuses and the guard starts hitting the man with a stick. Paul grabs a shovel and uses it on the guard. Paul gets into a dump truck and makes his get away. He ends up shoveling coal in a steam ship. I never thought a sweaty man was very appealing, but the light bouncing off Paul’s sweaty chest is quite a site.
Paul jumps ship off the cost of Jamaica. While he is resting on the beach, a group of local soldiers take him to the leader. The leader states that he is to be on the next boat out. A trader, Smith, buys Paul and notices the chain marks on his leg. He agrees to feed Paul but no money until after a fight the trader arranges. In Paul’s spare time he plays craps in the locals. He amasses so much trade that he decides to open a business right next door to the trader. They strike a partnership and go into business together with Smith’s name first on the store front. Smith and Paul goes to collect payment from the palace. The Treasure disagrees with the amount and Smith is going to give a discount, but Paul states that it is more. The soldiers circle the men and shoots at Paul. They miss. Paul states that he is charmed and he can only be killed by a silver bullet. He has the leader arrested and states it is his turn now. He had the guns filled with blanks. Emperor Jones is the title he takes. He doubles the tax on homemade rum and coffee to help pay off debt. He re does the castle and puts the house servants in uniform. The people don’t like the tax and the tax collectors are beaten up. There is a great shot of Paul talking about his plans where above his head is the top of his chair which has a large crown decoration. Smith tries to get him to leave now but Paul states he has 6 months to go to complete is goal. As he goes to meet his court in his dress uniform, he looks at his reflection in every mirror he passes and he smiles. He has is court also dressed in uniforms and their wives and the women in fancy dress gowns, very napoleon court. The men who beat the tax collectors are brought before them and he sentences them all to 50 lashes. He then states to the soldiers to burn down a city. This is all as an example to the people. When the soldiers are told to go, they hesitate. Paul states to go again and they march out. Smith comes to see him and states that all the soldiers are gone from the grounds and the palace. Paul rings for the guards. No one comes. Paul decides to cash in and resign as emperor right now. He has six bullets, 5 are real and 1 is blank. He decides to wait until dark, head for the forest and the next morning get on a boat. The drums start and Paul looks worried. The men are starting the war dance. He won’t sneak out the back door, he goes out the front door. That night the drum beats get faster and faster. He is in the forest worn out. He goes to where he has supplies stored and they are gone. Paul wonders further in the forest. He starts hallucinating. He sees his friend always shooting dice who he shoots and it disappears, the prison gang with the guard, he starts breaking rock, and realizes he doesn’t have a hammer and then shoots the guard and it disappears. He turns to God and a scene from the church in his hometown comes up and he confesses his sins and repents (there are no drums in this hallucination). A native ghost takes him to an alligator and right before it can get him he shoots it and the ghosts disappears. The drums seems to make him an animal, he crawls instead of walking. Smith tries to convince the rebels that Paul is miles away at the coast but they don’t believe him. The rebels spot Paul and they shoot at him (with silver bullets). He wonders into camp, pushes the man away that is pounding the drums and falls on the drums, which now fall silent. Smith states “(you) died in the height of style” as he takes off his hat in respect.
Both the movie and the books are well worth delving into. I always liked his singing voice and had listened to some gospel type music he had recorded. If I didn’t find the movie I had planned to write more about his life. I just covered the points that I found interesting about his personal life.
Epitaph: Paul Robeson (1898-1976) The artist must elect to fight for freedom or slavery. I have made my choice. I had no alternative.
I read the biography because I could not find any films available. I visited some friends about 200 miles away and they had a Ruku box (Ruku is the main reason I don’t have internet. If I had internet in my house I would have a Ruku box and I would probably never leave my house.) I found 3 Paul Robeson films. I watched The Emperor Jones. The film starts off with a tribal dance and morphs into a modern church service. At the end of the service Paul comes in and sings his farewell to his friends in the church he is going to be a porter on the railroad. He gets a lesson from an experience porter on how much of tip he should expect from a person based on the shoe that he polishes. On a day off he goes to a friends home for a party. My favorite song plays St. Louis Blues. Paul stands above the crowd, he is at least a foot taller than the rest of the men at the party. His friend girlfriend is smooching with another man. Paul keeps his friend from killing the other man and the woman is basically turned over to Paul. Paul an ambitious man becomes porter in the President car. His girlfriend chastises him saying that he won’t get tips. He was looking for more. On one trip he hears about a merger. He approaches the man and they make a deal. When he gets back home Paul and his girl argue, she doesn’t believe him and they breaks up. She goes back to Paul’s friend. At a nightclub, a 7 year old boy is the orchestra leader and tap dances with the chorus girls, Paul his new girlfriend and his friend and old girlfriend meet up. When she gets jealous that Paul is with another woman, the two woman fight (orchestra switches to fast music) and the old girlfriend is dragged out. Paul leaves alone “I’ll be traveling light”. During a craps came Paul and his friend meet up. The man used crocked dice and he ends up pulling a knife on Paul. They struggle and man gets killed. Paul runs and the games and singing continue. A police officer comes along and finds the body. The next scene is Paul in jail, breaking rocks, singing. A guard asks him to open a locked box, a man comes out and falls to the ground. The guard looks at the man on the ground “sleeping ay?” and asks Paul to waken him with a stick. Paul refuses and the guard starts hitting the man with a stick. Paul grabs a shovel and uses it on the guard. Paul gets into a dump truck and makes his get away. He ends up shoveling coal in a steam ship. I never thought a sweaty man was very appealing, but the light bouncing off Paul’s sweaty chest is quite a site.
Paul jumps ship off the cost of Jamaica. While he is resting on the beach, a group of local soldiers take him to the leader. The leader states that he is to be on the next boat out. A trader, Smith, buys Paul and notices the chain marks on his leg. He agrees to feed Paul but no money until after a fight the trader arranges. In Paul’s spare time he plays craps in the locals. He amasses so much trade that he decides to open a business right next door to the trader. They strike a partnership and go into business together with Smith’s name first on the store front. Smith and Paul goes to collect payment from the palace. The Treasure disagrees with the amount and Smith is going to give a discount, but Paul states that it is more. The soldiers circle the men and shoots at Paul. They miss. Paul states that he is charmed and he can only be killed by a silver bullet. He has the leader arrested and states it is his turn now. He had the guns filled with blanks. Emperor Jones is the title he takes. He doubles the tax on homemade rum and coffee to help pay off debt. He re does the castle and puts the house servants in uniform. The people don’t like the tax and the tax collectors are beaten up. There is a great shot of Paul talking about his plans where above his head is the top of his chair which has a large crown decoration. Smith tries to get him to leave now but Paul states he has 6 months to go to complete is goal. As he goes to meet his court in his dress uniform, he looks at his reflection in every mirror he passes and he smiles. He has is court also dressed in uniforms and their wives and the women in fancy dress gowns, very napoleon court. The men who beat the tax collectors are brought before them and he sentences them all to 50 lashes. He then states to the soldiers to burn down a city. This is all as an example to the people. When the soldiers are told to go, they hesitate. Paul states to go again and they march out. Smith comes to see him and states that all the soldiers are gone from the grounds and the palace. Paul rings for the guards. No one comes. Paul decides to cash in and resign as emperor right now. He has six bullets, 5 are real and 1 is blank. He decides to wait until dark, head for the forest and the next morning get on a boat. The drums start and Paul looks worried. The men are starting the war dance. He won’t sneak out the back door, he goes out the front door. That night the drum beats get faster and faster. He is in the forest worn out. He goes to where he has supplies stored and they are gone. Paul wonders further in the forest. He starts hallucinating. He sees his friend always shooting dice who he shoots and it disappears, the prison gang with the guard, he starts breaking rock, and realizes he doesn’t have a hammer and then shoots the guard and it disappears. He turns to God and a scene from the church in his hometown comes up and he confesses his sins and repents (there are no drums in this hallucination). A native ghost takes him to an alligator and right before it can get him he shoots it and the ghosts disappears. The drums seems to make him an animal, he crawls instead of walking. Smith tries to convince the rebels that Paul is miles away at the coast but they don’t believe him. The rebels spot Paul and they shoot at him (with silver bullets). He wonders into camp, pushes the man away that is pounding the drums and falls on the drums, which now fall silent. Smith states “(you) died in the height of style” as he takes off his hat in respect.
Both the movie and the books are well worth delving into. I always liked his singing voice and had listened to some gospel type music he had recorded. If I didn’t find the movie I had planned to write more about his life. I just covered the points that I found interesting about his personal life.
April 8 Mary Pickford
Happy Birthday to Sonja Henie & Mary Pickford.
TCM celebrated Mary Pickford’s birthday by showing three of her films. I have to admit I tried to watch Coquette, but I could not get through 5 minutes of Mary’s performance. It just struck a wrong cord with me.
I did watch Poor Little Rich Girl. Mary plays a lonely, rich girl in a large house who looks outside and sees all the children playing. The film has great title cards that really explain the characters.
Mary: In the home of everything but love.
Father: Money making schemes left little time for tenderness
Mother: social duties seem more important than the happiness of her child
Servants: Tyrants of modern civilization. Servants by position. Masters by disposition.
Mary goes to see her father but he is busy with this financial people. Mary is happy that her mother will spend a moment with her that day. Mother has to leave for a social engagement and promises once again to spend a moment with her tomorrow. “why do my tomorrows never come” Mary sighs. She goes to class on the estate where she is the only student and there are 5 instructors. The servants think she is not grateful for what she has. She has to take an afternoon drive every day. She wants to walk not be chauffeured around. The servants convince her that she will be kidnapped or bitten by a dog. The next day a plumber comes to the house. Outside and organ grinder plays. She invites him and his son to come into the house. As he plays he disturbs the housekeeper and butler (who always seem to be at tea when the parents aren’t around). Mary seems happy and dances with the plumber. The housekeeper and goes the butler force the organ grinder to leave. Her mother comes home and she brings a friend. Mary takes the blame, stating she was lonely. Mother’s friend has a daughter about the same age and agrees to bring her for the luncheon party planned for the next day. Mary tires to make friends with the girl, but she is a snot who is too good for the daughter of a woman who has a social bee in her bonnet. When lunch is ready Mary puts her plate right under the girl’s behind as she sits on a bench. Her mother states that she is to give her best silk dress to the girl. Mary disagrees and locks herself in her room so the girl can’t get the dress. Mary then throws all of her cloths, including what she is wearing out the window. The neighborhood children grab the clothing. Her parents decide that her punishment will be to dress in boys clothing. Mary decides she looks good in the clothing, after she unrolls the pants to below her knee. Boys in the neighborhood hit a baseball into the greenhouse. As they are getting the ball Mary comes into the room. They fight and she is covered in mud. The gardener stops the fight and hoses off Mary.
There is a birthday party for Mary, but she is not invited. It is a formal sit down social dinner. The nurse drugs her. She gets out of bed disoriented and falls down the stairs. Ghost girls dance in a circle around her a Grecian dance. A man comes to her and says she will be taken to the Garden of lonely children in the tell tale forest of dreams. The plumber who is once again fixing a sink that Mary broke finds her, carries her to her room. The story splits between the parents with the doctor with Mary and Mary’s dream. In the dream her father is at this huge piece of machinery, counting money. She calls out for her mother as she dreams she goes to the land where they burn the candles at both ends. The mother is there lighting thousands of candles. She comes to a forest and is happily dancing with an angel. Her parents come to her and she decides to go home with them. She is happy to be there. She then wakes up and the parents know she will live.
The next morning her fathers financial people come in and Mary’s father decides he doesn’t need more money. He has realized what is important. Mary’s mother has not left her side. The doctor prescribes country living for recuperation. The family huddle together as the film ends.
I can see why Mary Pickford was popular playing younger characters. She was playful, temperamental, spoiled, lonely, unhappy, happy, pathetic and adorable (sometimes 2 or 3 at once). TCM finished the rest of the day with a birthday salute to Virginia O’Brien. Her birthday is actually April 18th so I will watch those films later.
TCM celebrated Mary Pickford’s birthday by showing three of her films. I have to admit I tried to watch Coquette, but I could not get through 5 minutes of Mary’s performance. It just struck a wrong cord with me.
I did watch Poor Little Rich Girl. Mary plays a lonely, rich girl in a large house who looks outside and sees all the children playing. The film has great title cards that really explain the characters.
Mary: In the home of everything but love.
Father: Money making schemes left little time for tenderness
Mother: social duties seem more important than the happiness of her child
Servants: Tyrants of modern civilization. Servants by position. Masters by disposition.
Mary goes to see her father but he is busy with this financial people. Mary is happy that her mother will spend a moment with her that day. Mother has to leave for a social engagement and promises once again to spend a moment with her tomorrow. “why do my tomorrows never come” Mary sighs. She goes to class on the estate where she is the only student and there are 5 instructors. The servants think she is not grateful for what she has. She has to take an afternoon drive every day. She wants to walk not be chauffeured around. The servants convince her that she will be kidnapped or bitten by a dog. The next day a plumber comes to the house. Outside and organ grinder plays. She invites him and his son to come into the house. As he plays he disturbs the housekeeper and butler (who always seem to be at tea when the parents aren’t around). Mary seems happy and dances with the plumber. The housekeeper and goes the butler force the organ grinder to leave. Her mother comes home and she brings a friend. Mary takes the blame, stating she was lonely. Mother’s friend has a daughter about the same age and agrees to bring her for the luncheon party planned for the next day. Mary tires to make friends with the girl, but she is a snot who is too good for the daughter of a woman who has a social bee in her bonnet. When lunch is ready Mary puts her plate right under the girl’s behind as she sits on a bench. Her mother states that she is to give her best silk dress to the girl. Mary disagrees and locks herself in her room so the girl can’t get the dress. Mary then throws all of her cloths, including what she is wearing out the window. The neighborhood children grab the clothing. Her parents decide that her punishment will be to dress in boys clothing. Mary decides she looks good in the clothing, after she unrolls the pants to below her knee. Boys in the neighborhood hit a baseball into the greenhouse. As they are getting the ball Mary comes into the room. They fight and she is covered in mud. The gardener stops the fight and hoses off Mary.
There is a birthday party for Mary, but she is not invited. It is a formal sit down social dinner. The nurse drugs her. She gets out of bed disoriented and falls down the stairs. Ghost girls dance in a circle around her a Grecian dance. A man comes to her and says she will be taken to the Garden of lonely children in the tell tale forest of dreams. The plumber who is once again fixing a sink that Mary broke finds her, carries her to her room. The story splits between the parents with the doctor with Mary and Mary’s dream. In the dream her father is at this huge piece of machinery, counting money. She calls out for her mother as she dreams she goes to the land where they burn the candles at both ends. The mother is there lighting thousands of candles. She comes to a forest and is happily dancing with an angel. Her parents come to her and she decides to go home with them. She is happy to be there. She then wakes up and the parents know she will live.
The next morning her fathers financial people come in and Mary’s father decides he doesn’t need more money. He has realized what is important. Mary’s mother has not left her side. The doctor prescribes country living for recuperation. The family huddle together as the film ends.
I can see why Mary Pickford was popular playing younger characters. She was playful, temperamental, spoiled, lonely, unhappy, happy, pathetic and adorable (sometimes 2 or 3 at once). TCM finished the rest of the day with a birthday salute to Virginia O’Brien. Her birthday is actually April 18th so I will watch those films later.
April 7 James Garner
I always like James Garner in Rockford Files. I watched that show every week. The show a great theme song, creative
story lines and talented supporting actors.
TCM showed a day full of films of James Garner for his birthday. I watched Mister Buddwing. I was captured within the first few moments of the film. The film is in black and white. The film opens up with strange music and the blurry tree branches. The music stops. The camera pulls back and you are looking up at the buildings, sideways. The scene straightens up, and it looks like Central Park in New York. The camera goes sideways to take in the surroundings and then levels off. Hands come into view, cover the camera, like you are rubbing your eyes and the camera goes down to his lap following his hands. He rubs his wrist, whether it is sore or looking for his watch I can’t tell. He pats his pants pocket then coat. He pulls out a Harlem Division time table, looking at it front and back. He continues to search his pockets. He pulls out a piece of paper with two capsule pills and a phone number listed. He pulls off his ring “from G.V.’ is engraved. The camera lifts up and starts to go towards a pathway (you hear the sound of his footsteps) and up some steps. There are very few people around. The scene morphs to being in front of a large building, walking up steps and through a revolving door. He into a lobby of hotel. At a mirrored door he sees his reflection it is James Garner. He looks dirty, rumpled, unshaven and confused. The opening credits start and the angle changes into a normal view as James walks away from the mirrored door. I have to admit that I watched this several times and watched in pause play so I could get everything. It was terrific.
He calls the number that is on the paper. It is Angela Landsbury. “Sam is that you?” she says “Sam” he repeats. “Why do you only call me when you are drunk?” As he goes to leave the hotel to go to her apartment he sees a Budweiser truck go by and a plane flying above. He thinks his name is Sam Buddwing. Angela does not recognize him. Angela feeling sorry for him offers him coffee. He looks around trying to find something that looks familiar. He doesn’t remember who he is or what happened. When Angela asks him, how old he was, what his name is, where he lives he answers each question as “I don’t know” getting more aggravated each time. When Angela asks him how he wants his coffee he starts to cry because he doesn’t know how he takes his coffee. As he leaves a mellow sax plays. He is confused and doesn’t know where to go. The camera switches to him looking down the street to scenes of the street. The camera then switches to an overhead angle from a balcony following him down the street. He sees a women “Grace” he calls. She gets in a taxi and he follows in another taxi. As the taxi driver talks a constant stream of nonsense James is very intently watching the other taxi, with a few slanted eye looks at him. He looses her at NYU. He goes to a café and reads a newspaper which headline “Dangerous mental patient escapes” he reads the story and states the name aloud Edward Volner (I think that is the last name). Jack Gilford comes up to him and joins him at his table. The patient stole a grey suit and walked out. James may be wearing a gray suit. He sees Grace, who is Kathryn Ross, but she is not Grace she is Janet. He says he is 25, “and how many?” she says. The camera freezes on him and he flashes back to being 25 sitting with Grace (Kathryn) on a park bench. There are several more scenes in the flashback, dates mainly and a great scene where he is talking with Grace’s uncle who has a large German Sheppard. It is a very interesting way for the character to remember his birthday, his life plans and his career (musical composition). They go into a church to get out of the rain and listen to the organ. The camera shows the two of them looking at each other and holding hands to their view of the interior of the church.
He says something and is back to modern day stating he is the mental patient. Kathryn is gone. A crowd gathers as a police officer questions James. Several men come to James aid and James escapes in the crowd with a man following. The man catches up with James and he says he says he is God. The man states he needs a disciple and James is the chosen one. James not believing him goes away. He wonders around the city. The camera angle changes from him to what he sees, including blurry vision. He stops at a café to take one of the capsules. The soda clerk states he has a migraine which is a psychosomatic condition. He sees Suzanne Pleshette, who he calls Grace. She is an actress who speaks very 60’s lingo. She does not know him either. She says he is lucky he doesn’t remember. She questions him to try to find out what he does for a living. She goes through the timetable Mount Kisco rings a bell, but he doesn’t know why. They go back to her place so he can shave, wash and get his closed cleaned. After a night together, Suzanne leaves the apartment and James follows (with great jazz music playing). Suzanne goes over the railing of the Queens borough bridge, he gets her before she falls over. It is a flashback scene. He states someone is waiting for him. There is a montage of flashbacks as he walks around the city at night. You are not sure what is real and what is not. He calls Angela because he is afraid and alone. She states her husband is there and hangs up.
A taxi pulls up and Jean Simmons states she is on a treasure hunt and needs a tall man in a grey suit. She takes a dislike to the driver and gets out of the taxi. Jean talks like a rough house dame. They drink alcohol on a stoop and go over the treasure hunt list $100,000 cash, black Cadillac sedan, your name in the newspaper, 3 good men and true to testify to your character. In a taxi to get the made up newspaper Jean tells him the story of her life and he closes his eyes and cringes in pain. In another taxi to a crap game to get the $100,000 he has another flash back with Jean as Grace. They argue in front of a mirror that looks like it is covered with streaks of gray like it is marbleized. While playing craps, the scene flashes between the game and his apartment where each roll of the dice brings back a memory, he finds a note from Grace. There is a light on under the door. The door is locked. He breaks down the door. Blood is all over the tub and a cut wrist is shown. He realizes the phone number is to a hospital. He still does not have his full memory back. When he gets there he sees Grace’s uncle. Grace is alive, barely. He sees Grace (but her face is not shown) and the camera goes to the window and down the park and follows the reverse of the opening of the film.
This is a great film. The actors switch back and forth between themselves and Grace. James shows so much emotion, frustration and confusion that you really believe he is loss and you want to help him by understanding the clues. It isn’t until the game that everything comes together. With one viewing you know what is going to happen but if you watch the film over and over, there will still probably be things that come up. Ellsworth Fredricks is the director of photography. I am going to have to look up more of his work. Delbert Mann directed the film. Fredric Steinkamp edited the film and the screenplay by Dale Wassermann based on Evan Hunter’s book Buddwing.
story lines and talented supporting actors.
TCM showed a day full of films of James Garner for his birthday. I watched Mister Buddwing. I was captured within the first few moments of the film. The film is in black and white. The film opens up with strange music and the blurry tree branches. The music stops. The camera pulls back and you are looking up at the buildings, sideways. The scene straightens up, and it looks like Central Park in New York. The camera goes sideways to take in the surroundings and then levels off. Hands come into view, cover the camera, like you are rubbing your eyes and the camera goes down to his lap following his hands. He rubs his wrist, whether it is sore or looking for his watch I can’t tell. He pats his pants pocket then coat. He pulls out a Harlem Division time table, looking at it front and back. He continues to search his pockets. He pulls out a piece of paper with two capsule pills and a phone number listed. He pulls off his ring “from G.V.’ is engraved. The camera lifts up and starts to go towards a pathway (you hear the sound of his footsteps) and up some steps. There are very few people around. The scene morphs to being in front of a large building, walking up steps and through a revolving door. He into a lobby of hotel. At a mirrored door he sees his reflection it is James Garner. He looks dirty, rumpled, unshaven and confused. The opening credits start and the angle changes into a normal view as James walks away from the mirrored door. I have to admit that I watched this several times and watched in pause play so I could get everything. It was terrific.
He calls the number that is on the paper. It is Angela Landsbury. “Sam is that you?” she says “Sam” he repeats. “Why do you only call me when you are drunk?” As he goes to leave the hotel to go to her apartment he sees a Budweiser truck go by and a plane flying above. He thinks his name is Sam Buddwing. Angela does not recognize him. Angela feeling sorry for him offers him coffee. He looks around trying to find something that looks familiar. He doesn’t remember who he is or what happened. When Angela asks him, how old he was, what his name is, where he lives he answers each question as “I don’t know” getting more aggravated each time. When Angela asks him how he wants his coffee he starts to cry because he doesn’t know how he takes his coffee. As he leaves a mellow sax plays. He is confused and doesn’t know where to go. The camera switches to him looking down the street to scenes of the street. The camera then switches to an overhead angle from a balcony following him down the street. He sees a women “Grace” he calls. She gets in a taxi and he follows in another taxi. As the taxi driver talks a constant stream of nonsense James is very intently watching the other taxi, with a few slanted eye looks at him. He looses her at NYU. He goes to a café and reads a newspaper which headline “Dangerous mental patient escapes” he reads the story and states the name aloud Edward Volner (I think that is the last name). Jack Gilford comes up to him and joins him at his table. The patient stole a grey suit and walked out. James may be wearing a gray suit. He sees Grace, who is Kathryn Ross, but she is not Grace she is Janet. He says he is 25, “and how many?” she says. The camera freezes on him and he flashes back to being 25 sitting with Grace (Kathryn) on a park bench. There are several more scenes in the flashback, dates mainly and a great scene where he is talking with Grace’s uncle who has a large German Sheppard. It is a very interesting way for the character to remember his birthday, his life plans and his career (musical composition). They go into a church to get out of the rain and listen to the organ. The camera shows the two of them looking at each other and holding hands to their view of the interior of the church.
He says something and is back to modern day stating he is the mental patient. Kathryn is gone. A crowd gathers as a police officer questions James. Several men come to James aid and James escapes in the crowd with a man following. The man catches up with James and he says he says he is God. The man states he needs a disciple and James is the chosen one. James not believing him goes away. He wonders around the city. The camera angle changes from him to what he sees, including blurry vision. He stops at a café to take one of the capsules. The soda clerk states he has a migraine which is a psychosomatic condition. He sees Suzanne Pleshette, who he calls Grace. She is an actress who speaks very 60’s lingo. She does not know him either. She says he is lucky he doesn’t remember. She questions him to try to find out what he does for a living. She goes through the timetable Mount Kisco rings a bell, but he doesn’t know why. They go back to her place so he can shave, wash and get his closed cleaned. After a night together, Suzanne leaves the apartment and James follows (with great jazz music playing). Suzanne goes over the railing of the Queens borough bridge, he gets her before she falls over. It is a flashback scene. He states someone is waiting for him. There is a montage of flashbacks as he walks around the city at night. You are not sure what is real and what is not. He calls Angela because he is afraid and alone. She states her husband is there and hangs up.
A taxi pulls up and Jean Simmons states she is on a treasure hunt and needs a tall man in a grey suit. She takes a dislike to the driver and gets out of the taxi. Jean talks like a rough house dame. They drink alcohol on a stoop and go over the treasure hunt list $100,000 cash, black Cadillac sedan, your name in the newspaper, 3 good men and true to testify to your character. In a taxi to get the made up newspaper Jean tells him the story of her life and he closes his eyes and cringes in pain. In another taxi to a crap game to get the $100,000 he has another flash back with Jean as Grace. They argue in front of a mirror that looks like it is covered with streaks of gray like it is marbleized. While playing craps, the scene flashes between the game and his apartment where each roll of the dice brings back a memory, he finds a note from Grace. There is a light on under the door. The door is locked. He breaks down the door. Blood is all over the tub and a cut wrist is shown. He realizes the phone number is to a hospital. He still does not have his full memory back. When he gets there he sees Grace’s uncle. Grace is alive, barely. He sees Grace (but her face is not shown) and the camera goes to the window and down the park and follows the reverse of the opening of the film.
This is a great film. The actors switch back and forth between themselves and Grace. James shows so much emotion, frustration and confusion that you really believe he is loss and you want to help him by understanding the clues. It isn’t until the game that everything comes together. With one viewing you know what is going to happen but if you watch the film over and over, there will still probably be things that come up. Ellsworth Fredricks is the director of photography. I am going to have to look up more of his work. Delbert Mann directed the film. Fredric Steinkamp edited the film and the screenplay by Dale Wassermann based on Evan Hunter’s book Buddwing.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
April 5
Happy Birthday to Bette Davis, Gale Storm, Roger Corman, Spencer Tracy, Melvyn Douglas and Gregory Peck.
TCM celebrated Melvyn Douglas Birthday. I watched And So They were Married which also starred Mary Astor. Mary a divorcee with daughter Edith Fellows goes to a grand opening of Snow Crest Lodge. Melvyn a widow with a son, Jackie Moran is joining him later. At check in they are mistaken for a married couple. As they get settled into the new hotel there is a smell of new paint. As she complains to the hotel manager Melvyn is already complaining and she states she finds the smell refreshing. The road has blocked so they will be the only guests for several days. The hotel staff tries to give them a gala time. Melvyn threw a rolled up serpentine and it landed in Mary’s soup splashing her. She then throws serpentine at him and he throws back. The camera goes back and forth following the action. In order to avoid the hotel staff they agree to take a walk together. The road has been cleared. The rest of the guests, including Jackie come to the hotel. Jackie takes a sled and goes up a hill. In the middle of the hill he meets Edith. She is making a snow woman. He uses pits to put eyes in her snow figure. They argue. He then goes to the top of the hill and slides down right into the snow figure destroying it. They physically fight in the snow.
That night Mary and Melvyn go to dinner together. They are still dancing after the music stops. The children are watching them from the balcony. A staff member talks about a sure sign of romance. The children, not liking this idea decide to take a dislike to each other and the other parent to halt the romance. As they plan the staff think the children “like” each other. Jackie has bought a dog for his father. Edith thinks she can get the dog to do what ever she wants and makes the dog eat soap. The dog gets away and runs through the hotel. With the soap foaming around his face people think it is a mad dog. The dog is chased outside (and returns to a pack). The next day at dinner Jackie agrees to spit pellets her. He ends up spitting them at a number of guests. A boy Horace, takes the credit (or blame if you will) for the action. The next time you see Horace he has a black eye. Edith and Jackie agree to a truce for Christmas (it is Christmas Eve Day). That night while they are looking at the tree and decorations, Horace throws an ornament at Jackie, breaking it over his head. He thinks that Edith did it and throws an ornament at him. The parents try to break them up but chaos ensues. The lights on the tree get blown and all the lights in the building go out. They get the children and go up to Mary’s room. They tell the children they are going to marry. Melvyn very upset spanks the child. The lights come up and it is Edith that he is spanking. This upsets Mary a great deal. They argue and split up. Both families leave Christmas morning.
New Years Eve Day Mary states she has to get away and they will be leaving for Europe in a few days. Edith calls Jackie and tries to get him to get his father to come over to the house. Jackie refuses and Edith says she does not want to go to Europe and she will run away. Jackie talks with his father about how he works all the time. He decides to run away with Edith. He goes over to her house and she is hiding in the garage. They decide that this will bring the parents together. Mary and Melvyn upset that the children are missing, call the police. Melvyn then comes over to Mary’s. They decide to go looking for the children. They take Mary’s cook car. The children are hiding in the back. The police spot the children and pull them over. Neither adult has ID. Jackie says Mary is not his mother and Edith states the Melvyn is not her father. They arrest the adults for kidnapping. While in jail a drunk man celebrating early the New Year identifies Melvyn and they are released. To punish the children the parents decide to arrest the children and Jackie and Edith defend each other and the parents realize they do like each other. The couple then decide to marry. Even though Mary Astor and Melvyn Douglas are the stars of the film, the Edith Fellows and Jackie Moran had equal parts in the film.
I have only seen Melvyn Douglas in a handful of dramas, I have mainly seen the comedies. His characters almost always seem to have a playful side, a carefree attitude towards life that makes the character seem more real.
TCM celebrated Melvyn Douglas Birthday. I watched And So They were Married which also starred Mary Astor. Mary a divorcee with daughter Edith Fellows goes to a grand opening of Snow Crest Lodge. Melvyn a widow with a son, Jackie Moran is joining him later. At check in they are mistaken for a married couple. As they get settled into the new hotel there is a smell of new paint. As she complains to the hotel manager Melvyn is already complaining and she states she finds the smell refreshing. The road has blocked so they will be the only guests for several days. The hotel staff tries to give them a gala time. Melvyn threw a rolled up serpentine and it landed in Mary’s soup splashing her. She then throws serpentine at him and he throws back. The camera goes back and forth following the action. In order to avoid the hotel staff they agree to take a walk together. The road has been cleared. The rest of the guests, including Jackie come to the hotel. Jackie takes a sled and goes up a hill. In the middle of the hill he meets Edith. She is making a snow woman. He uses pits to put eyes in her snow figure. They argue. He then goes to the top of the hill and slides down right into the snow figure destroying it. They physically fight in the snow.
That night Mary and Melvyn go to dinner together. They are still dancing after the music stops. The children are watching them from the balcony. A staff member talks about a sure sign of romance. The children, not liking this idea decide to take a dislike to each other and the other parent to halt the romance. As they plan the staff think the children “like” each other. Jackie has bought a dog for his father. Edith thinks she can get the dog to do what ever she wants and makes the dog eat soap. The dog gets away and runs through the hotel. With the soap foaming around his face people think it is a mad dog. The dog is chased outside (and returns to a pack). The next day at dinner Jackie agrees to spit pellets her. He ends up spitting them at a number of guests. A boy Horace, takes the credit (or blame if you will) for the action. The next time you see Horace he has a black eye. Edith and Jackie agree to a truce for Christmas (it is Christmas Eve Day). That night while they are looking at the tree and decorations, Horace throws an ornament at Jackie, breaking it over his head. He thinks that Edith did it and throws an ornament at him. The parents try to break them up but chaos ensues. The lights on the tree get blown and all the lights in the building go out. They get the children and go up to Mary’s room. They tell the children they are going to marry. Melvyn very upset spanks the child. The lights come up and it is Edith that he is spanking. This upsets Mary a great deal. They argue and split up. Both families leave Christmas morning.
New Years Eve Day Mary states she has to get away and they will be leaving for Europe in a few days. Edith calls Jackie and tries to get him to get his father to come over to the house. Jackie refuses and Edith says she does not want to go to Europe and she will run away. Jackie talks with his father about how he works all the time. He decides to run away with Edith. He goes over to her house and she is hiding in the garage. They decide that this will bring the parents together. Mary and Melvyn upset that the children are missing, call the police. Melvyn then comes over to Mary’s. They decide to go looking for the children. They take Mary’s cook car. The children are hiding in the back. The police spot the children and pull them over. Neither adult has ID. Jackie says Mary is not his mother and Edith states the Melvyn is not her father. They arrest the adults for kidnapping. While in jail a drunk man celebrating early the New Year identifies Melvyn and they are released. To punish the children the parents decide to arrest the children and Jackie and Edith defend each other and the parents realize they do like each other. The couple then decide to marry. Even though Mary Astor and Melvyn Douglas are the stars of the film, the Edith Fellows and Jackie Moran had equal parts in the film.
I have only seen Melvyn Douglas in a handful of dramas, I have mainly seen the comedies. His characters almost always seem to have a playful side, a carefree attitude towards life that makes the character seem more real.
April 6
TCM celebrated Walter Houston’s Birthday. I watched Treasure of the Sierra Madre. The story takes place in Mexico 1925. Humphrey Bogart is an American who has wound up in Mexico. He panhandles for money for cigarettes and food. He meets fellow American Tim Holt. They meet Walter at a cheap hotel talking about gold treasure. Bogart and Tim get work on a ferry. Once they get into port they are stiffed on payment. They meet up with the man and fight for their money. They only take what is due to them. They decide to pool their money and go on a treasure hunt with Walter. The camera is a close up of Walter with the arms of the other two shaking hands in the foreground (I really like that shot). They take a train into the interior of the country and the train is stopped due to bandits. They all fight. Once they reach their destination, they buy supplies and start to go into the hills. After a hard day of travel Bogart and Tim are exhausted while Walter is still full of energy. Walter tries to get then to eat but they are too exhausted. They finally find gold and start mining. While mining, there is a cave in and Bogart is in the cave. Tim starts to leave but turns around and goes to help him. In talking about what they will do afterwards Walter states he will open a little store and not prospect anymore. Tim states that he would like to own a fruit grower. Bogart states he would take a Turkish bath, go to a haberdasher to get a new suit and hat, go to a café and order everything. “What next?” Tim asks. “What do you think?” Bogart replies, (unspoken for woman). As they go along they start collecting enough to get worried about each other taking their goods.
Bogart goes into town and a man follows him back. They share the food and the campfire with him but tell him he has to leave in the morning. With the dawn the man blackmails them for a portion of their goods. Bandits attack, wanting the weapons and kill the man. They find a letter from his wife who talks about fruit tree farm. The amount of gold being mined is less and they have about $35,000 each and decide to leave the mountain. First they have to return the mountain as they found it. As they leave they say goodbye to the mountain. That night natives approach them. A boy fell in the water. He wasn’t dead, but he won’t come to. Walter goes with them to the village. He revives the boy. The next day some natives come up to them wanting Walter to come with him to honor him for what he has done. Tim states that he will watch his goods. Bogart and Tim continue on. Bogart has the idea to take all the gold. He shoots Tim. He goes to the campsite and then goes back to the body. Tim doesn’t move and Bogart goes to the campfire to sleep. Tim crawls off and finds natives to help him. Bogart goes to bury him the next day and finds that he is gone. Tim is taken to Walter who doctors him. They decide to go after Bogart. Bogart stops for water and is ambushed by bandits. The bandits take the mules into town to sell. The next part is all done in Spanish with no subtitles, but you know what is going on. The trader seeing his brand, eyes the men, taking in the pants, boots and hat. The men are arrested. The next scene they are digging graves. They are then put before a fire squad and killed, a straw hat blowing in the wind. Walter and Tim come up to the village as the guns fire. They find out that Bogart was killed. They go through the items and cannot find the goods. A boy says he heard the prisoners talking that they found bags of sand that would make the donkeys seem heavier to bring in more money. The bags of sand were at the ruins. As they go to the ruins a strong wind blows. When they get there they find empty bags. Walter starts to laugh. The gold was going back to where it came from. Walter decides to go back to the village and he talks Tim into going back to the states to talk with the widow of the man killed with a fruit tree farm and gives him his wallet full of money to get there. They decide that they only lost a little money but were still alive.
I have avoided the film for a long time, because I thought it would be boring. The film is a great action and pact adventure film. Bogart and Tim are quiet and speak softly; Walter is loud and noisy with a great laugh.
Bogart goes into town and a man follows him back. They share the food and the campfire with him but tell him he has to leave in the morning. With the dawn the man blackmails them for a portion of their goods. Bandits attack, wanting the weapons and kill the man. They find a letter from his wife who talks about fruit tree farm. The amount of gold being mined is less and they have about $35,000 each and decide to leave the mountain. First they have to return the mountain as they found it. As they leave they say goodbye to the mountain. That night natives approach them. A boy fell in the water. He wasn’t dead, but he won’t come to. Walter goes with them to the village. He revives the boy. The next day some natives come up to them wanting Walter to come with him to honor him for what he has done. Tim states that he will watch his goods. Bogart and Tim continue on. Bogart has the idea to take all the gold. He shoots Tim. He goes to the campsite and then goes back to the body. Tim doesn’t move and Bogart goes to the campfire to sleep. Tim crawls off and finds natives to help him. Bogart goes to bury him the next day and finds that he is gone. Tim is taken to Walter who doctors him. They decide to go after Bogart. Bogart stops for water and is ambushed by bandits. The bandits take the mules into town to sell. The next part is all done in Spanish with no subtitles, but you know what is going on. The trader seeing his brand, eyes the men, taking in the pants, boots and hat. The men are arrested. The next scene they are digging graves. They are then put before a fire squad and killed, a straw hat blowing in the wind. Walter and Tim come up to the village as the guns fire. They find out that Bogart was killed. They go through the items and cannot find the goods. A boy says he heard the prisoners talking that they found bags of sand that would make the donkeys seem heavier to bring in more money. The bags of sand were at the ruins. As they go to the ruins a strong wind blows. When they get there they find empty bags. Walter starts to laugh. The gold was going back to where it came from. Walter decides to go back to the village and he talks Tim into going back to the states to talk with the widow of the man killed with a fruit tree farm and gives him his wallet full of money to get there. They decide that they only lost a little money but were still alive.
I have avoided the film for a long time, because I thought it would be boring. The film is a great action and pact adventure film. Bogart and Tim are quiet and speak softly; Walter is loud and noisy with a great laugh.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
April 4
TCM celebrated Anthony Perkins birthday. I watched The Actress and Goodbye Again. In The Actress Anthony had a very small role. He played Jean Simmons boyfriend. He looked very good in the suits of he period. I was very impressed with the exuberance of Jean Simmons in the role of Ruth Gordon and Spencer Tracy as her father. I liked the turn of his character, he did not want his daughter to become an actress, but the moment that the producer didn’t like her he becomes very protective.
In Goodbye Again he plays a 25 year old an interested in 40 year old Ingrid Bergman. The opening credits show Ingrid leaving work and getting a taxi, Yves Montand walking to his car, who eyes woman walking by, and Anthony driving with the Arch of Triumph in the background. Ingrid goes to her apartment to get ready for a date. She gets a phone call and her date has to work late. It is the 6th anniversary of the date they met. After she hangs up sits in f the mirror and puts on cold cream to take off her makeup. The next Yves apologizes for the meeting. After he drops Ingrid he sees a woman in his rear view mirror. He moves the mirror to the vertical so he can see her full figure. The next day Ingrid meets with a woman who needs an interior decorator. Anthony plays her son. He sees her and starts to talk with her. After the interview he is outside and offers her a ride, which Ingrid takes. When Anthony gets to work around noon he is very happy and realizes that he does not know her name. Anthony meets up with the couple in a nightclub. Yves sees the woman there that he saw in the street. Anthony is drunk and the couple takes him home. He ends up sleeping on Ingrid’s breast in the car with a smile on his face. The next day Anthony goes to Ingrid’s work to apologize and take her to take her to lunch. At lunch he is very animated and makes Ingrid laugh. Anthony wants to be with her but she keeps putting him off. He asks her “Do you like Brahms?” (which is the title of the book the movie is based upon). She states she keeps her weekends free. The next scene is Yves with a woman barely covered in a sheet who states “men always smoke afterward”. They decide to go away for the weekend. Yves tells Ingrid that he has to work to close a big deal. Anthony sees Yves in the street with another woman. Anthony doesn’t tell Ingrid about the event. He does convince her to go to the concert. At the concert Anthony is so pleased to be with her that he can’t stop smiling and has a difficult time not staring at her. In the concert she flashes back to when she first met Yves. Anthony holds her hand and she moves his hand. Anthony states he loves her and will take her away from him.
Yves comes back home. In talking Ingrid realizes that he did not go where he said he was going. They both pretend that he went on the business trip. While in London for work he receives a note from Ingrid. He rushes home. When he gets back home his mother is throwing a dinner party. Ingrid and Yves are there. He changes into a tuxedo and sits next to Ingrid at the table. Yves is jealous and says some terrible things about her morals. He is leaving the next day for a business trip. She goes to airport to go with him on the trip (it is a real business trip). He refuses. She is concerned about herself, her reactions rather than his actions. She calls him at work to tell him that they cannot see each other. Anthony spends some time drinking. At one club Diahann Carroll sings about love. Days later he states he couldn’t stay away. They stand holding each other in the rain. The next scene is Ingrid in bed with a loud record playing. She is in shadow and you can’t quite tell if she is regrets or enjoyed what has happened. Anthony is in the kitchen signing. While she is at work he decides to spend the day alone thinking of her. There is a montage of him driving around the city and looking at clocks with happy piano music playing. Yves comes back and wants to see her. They arrange to have lunch the next day. She stats that she has been seeing Anthony. That he is more than amusing. Yves states that his girls are normal. Ingrid leaves. In the car she cries. She turns on the wind shield wipers to clear the image. The view switches several times to a watery view. Yves has other women, who he always said meant nothing to him but was not truly satisfied. While at work Anthony waits for her, he doesn’t go to work and she treats him more as a son than lover. While out for a weekend the couple meet up with friends of Anthony’s mother. The meeting makes Ingrid uncomfortable. Anthony realizes that Ingrid still loves Yves. The mother wanting to protect her son, talks his boss into sending him to the New York office. He refuses and quits his job. To celebrate they go to a restaurant where Yves also happens to be dinning. Yves realizes that he cannot live without her and he wants to marry her. When Ingrid tells Anthony he is naturally upset, but calm and angry at the same time. As he leaves the apartment he starts crying and joins the throngs of people on the sidewalk. The couple marry. The last scene repeats the first. Ingrid rushes home to get ready for a night out with her husband and he calls stating he has to work late. She sits in front of the mirror putting on cold cream.
I really wasn’t looking forward to this day. Anthony Perkins was a fine actor.
In Goodbye Again he plays a 25 year old an interested in 40 year old Ingrid Bergman. The opening credits show Ingrid leaving work and getting a taxi, Yves Montand walking to his car, who eyes woman walking by, and Anthony driving with the Arch of Triumph in the background. Ingrid goes to her apartment to get ready for a date. She gets a phone call and her date has to work late. It is the 6th anniversary of the date they met. After she hangs up sits in f the mirror and puts on cold cream to take off her makeup. The next Yves apologizes for the meeting. After he drops Ingrid he sees a woman in his rear view mirror. He moves the mirror to the vertical so he can see her full figure. The next day Ingrid meets with a woman who needs an interior decorator. Anthony plays her son. He sees her and starts to talk with her. After the interview he is outside and offers her a ride, which Ingrid takes. When Anthony gets to work around noon he is very happy and realizes that he does not know her name. Anthony meets up with the couple in a nightclub. Yves sees the woman there that he saw in the street. Anthony is drunk and the couple takes him home. He ends up sleeping on Ingrid’s breast in the car with a smile on his face. The next day Anthony goes to Ingrid’s work to apologize and take her to take her to lunch. At lunch he is very animated and makes Ingrid laugh. Anthony wants to be with her but she keeps putting him off. He asks her “Do you like Brahms?” (which is the title of the book the movie is based upon). She states she keeps her weekends free. The next scene is Yves with a woman barely covered in a sheet who states “men always smoke afterward”. They decide to go away for the weekend. Yves tells Ingrid that he has to work to close a big deal. Anthony sees Yves in the street with another woman. Anthony doesn’t tell Ingrid about the event. He does convince her to go to the concert. At the concert Anthony is so pleased to be with her that he can’t stop smiling and has a difficult time not staring at her. In the concert she flashes back to when she first met Yves. Anthony holds her hand and she moves his hand. Anthony states he loves her and will take her away from him.
Yves comes back home. In talking Ingrid realizes that he did not go where he said he was going. They both pretend that he went on the business trip. While in London for work he receives a note from Ingrid. He rushes home. When he gets back home his mother is throwing a dinner party. Ingrid and Yves are there. He changes into a tuxedo and sits next to Ingrid at the table. Yves is jealous and says some terrible things about her morals. He is leaving the next day for a business trip. She goes to airport to go with him on the trip (it is a real business trip). He refuses. She is concerned about herself, her reactions rather than his actions. She calls him at work to tell him that they cannot see each other. Anthony spends some time drinking. At one club Diahann Carroll sings about love. Days later he states he couldn’t stay away. They stand holding each other in the rain. The next scene is Ingrid in bed with a loud record playing. She is in shadow and you can’t quite tell if she is regrets or enjoyed what has happened. Anthony is in the kitchen signing. While she is at work he decides to spend the day alone thinking of her. There is a montage of him driving around the city and looking at clocks with happy piano music playing. Yves comes back and wants to see her. They arrange to have lunch the next day. She stats that she has been seeing Anthony. That he is more than amusing. Yves states that his girls are normal. Ingrid leaves. In the car she cries. She turns on the wind shield wipers to clear the image. The view switches several times to a watery view. Yves has other women, who he always said meant nothing to him but was not truly satisfied. While at work Anthony waits for her, he doesn’t go to work and she treats him more as a son than lover. While out for a weekend the couple meet up with friends of Anthony’s mother. The meeting makes Ingrid uncomfortable. Anthony realizes that Ingrid still loves Yves. The mother wanting to protect her son, talks his boss into sending him to the New York office. He refuses and quits his job. To celebrate they go to a restaurant where Yves also happens to be dinning. Yves realizes that he cannot live without her and he wants to marry her. When Ingrid tells Anthony he is naturally upset, but calm and angry at the same time. As he leaves the apartment he starts crying and joins the throngs of people on the sidewalk. The couple marry. The last scene repeats the first. Ingrid rushes home to get ready for a night out with her husband and he calls stating he has to work late. She sits in front of the mirror putting on cold cream.
I really wasn’t looking forward to this day. Anthony Perkins was a fine actor.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
April 2
What a day that I have had. I got Tunes of Glory to watch for Alec Guinness’ birthday. Since it is a Saturday, I started my day pretty much as I have done for about a year, watching The Bowery Boys film. I wanted to DVR Tarzan, but my DVR didn’t work. It had been slow, but it still worked. I still had plenty of memory, but it was about 5 years old and I have used it a lot lately. I did what the IT department always tell me when I have computer problems soft and then hard boot. Still it did not work. So I went out looking for new DVR. Apparently they are not being made any more. Living in a university town in Kansas there were only 3 stores that sold electronics. Only one store sold them and they were sold out. I went online and finally found some in a city about 30 minutes away. While I was looking the information my stomach started making funny sounds and had a physical problem I won’t go into. I felt fine, so it must have been something I ate. Once my stomach settled down, I decided to take a drive. I got to the store and even though online it was stock it wasn’t. I went to another store and they didn’t have it either. I basically wasted 2 hours and less than a ¼ tank of gas. I drove back home and thought about going to another city another 30 minutes away on Sunday. I looked online again and decided to order what I wanted and for less than a gallon of gas I could get the item on Tuesday. I feel like I spent the whole day trying to find something. It is always said “Buy Local”, but it is hard to buy local when the items are not local. I still have a VHS so I should be ok this week for Anthony Perkins on Monday and Melvyn Douglas on Tuesday.
Like most people my age the first film I remember seeing for Alec Guinness is Star Wars. I was only about 11 at the time and had no idea who he was. I was more interested in Mark Hamill. Within a few years I saw him in The Lady Killers and Bridge on the River Kwai. The characters that he played were diverse and he seemed to have a sense of playfulness in his comedies. He always seemed like the typical Englishman to me: stiff upper lip with a wicked sense of humor. I watched Tunes of Glory for Alec Guinness’ birthday. Alec played a leader of a Scottish troop. He is leaving his command after the war and John Mills is taking over. Alec as leader has the respect of the men both personally and professionally. John Mills is very regimented and only has the respect as leader, but not as a person. John never fit in with the group. John commits suicide. He has mental problems, but there seems to be a deeper reason I don‘t quite get. I watched part of the film a second time to try to understand. Alec is promoted to colonel. He has planned the military funeral but the men of the group do not believe in all the details since he committed suicide and he was not well liked. Alec thinks that he pushed John over the edge and the men were the accomplices. Tunes of Glory represent the bagpipes of his beloved homeland. As he makes his big speech of death and is basically describing his own funeral with his back to the men, the enlisted men are told to leave the room. Alec breaks down and is taken to his barracks.
Like most people my age the first film I remember seeing for Alec Guinness is Star Wars. I was only about 11 at the time and had no idea who he was. I was more interested in Mark Hamill. Within a few years I saw him in The Lady Killers and Bridge on the River Kwai. The characters that he played were diverse and he seemed to have a sense of playfulness in his comedies. He always seemed like the typical Englishman to me: stiff upper lip with a wicked sense of humor. I watched Tunes of Glory for Alec Guinness’ birthday. Alec played a leader of a Scottish troop. He is leaving his command after the war and John Mills is taking over. Alec as leader has the respect of the men both personally and professionally. John Mills is very regimented and only has the respect as leader, but not as a person. John never fit in with the group. John commits suicide. He has mental problems, but there seems to be a deeper reason I don‘t quite get. I watched part of the film a second time to try to understand. Alec is promoted to colonel. He has planned the military funeral but the men of the group do not believe in all the details since he committed suicide and he was not well liked. Alec thinks that he pushed John over the edge and the men were the accomplices. Tunes of Glory represent the bagpipes of his beloved homeland. As he makes his big speech of death and is basically describing his own funeral with his back to the men, the enlisted men are told to leave the room. Alec breaks down and is taken to his barracks.
April 1
Happy Birthday to Wallace Beery, Lon Chaney, Ali McGraw, Tashiro Mifune, Jane Powell and Debbie Reynolds.
TCM had an all day and night birthday celebration for two stars. The day was Jane Powell and the night was Debbie Reynolds.
For Jane Powell I watched Nancy Goes To Rio. The basic story is a mother and daughter are interested in the same man. It is a more musical (and color) version of It’s A Date. In Nancy, Jane plays the daughter of Ann Sothern a Broadway singing star. Ann goes to Rio to rest and get ready for her next musical. Jane is also a singer and gets a chance for a role. She rehearses the role on the boat to Rio to be with her mother. Barry Sullivan hears her rehearsing and thinks that she is in “trouble” and acts as a protector. He asks Carmen Miranda to talk with her woman to woman to guide her along. Jane develops a crush on Barry. When they get to Rio, Ann and her grandfather also hear her rehearsing. When Barry comes courting they think that he is the father. Barry admits to only meeting her recently on the boat. When Ann goes to confront Barry he is amazed about who she is and falls for her. When Jane sings Embraceable You to him he is embarrassed, but does not want to hurt her. Jane finds out the part offered to her is the same part that Ann is rehearsing. Jane doesn’t want to take the role, but will become engaged to Barry instead so they can go away. Ann realizes that she is too old for the role and makes sure that Jane gets the part.
It’s A Date has Kay Francis as the mother, Deanna Durbin as the daughter and Walter Pidgeon as the man. You can’t compare the films acting wise. All the actors are incredibly talented and play the role in their own way. Both are good films. In Nancy Goes to Rio Carmen Miranda sings several songs in Technicolor clothing and hats that make the movie just fun. Ann Sothern sings in a deeper tone than I have heard her sung before, but it sounds like her so I don’t think it is dubbed. It is also a more serious role for her. Kay Francis only had one song in It’s A Date, but it was not her voice. Nancy in Rio is not a shot for shot or same exact dialog as It’s A Date but there are a few similarities, namely the opening and ending of the film. At the beginning the daughter is in the audience or wings mouthing and singing along to her mother on stage. At the end of the films the role is reversed and the mother is in the audience and mouths the words of the song her daughter is singing on stage. I like that part. It is pride, encouragement and maybe a hint of jealousy but full of love.
For Debbie Reynolds I watched Mary, Mary. I have to admit the Monkee’s song keeps going through my head. This is a sophisticated adult comedy with great dialog. It made me realize that I miss sexual tension in a film. It enhances the story. If there is a sex scene or the couple has sex at the beginning of the film something seems to be missing in the film. The story is based on Jean Kerr play and is very play bound in the film. That is not necessary a bad thing, but it is obvious. Barry Nelson plays a publishers who is Debbie’s ex-husband who is being audited by the IRS and his accountant decides that Debbie is needed to help explain some missing details. Barry who playing the role on Broadway overdoes the action. Some of his actions are exaggerated. Michael Reninie plays an actor who wants to revitalize his career by having his memoirs published. Michael also played the role on Broadway. He doesn’t seem to overdo the action as Barry does. Or if he does it fits more with the character. Debbie comes to the apartment when Michael is there. Since there divorce about 9 months prior she has undergone a glamorous beauty treatment and bought new cloths that enhanced her figure. Michael and Debbie agree to have dinner. Barry who is getting married the next day goes to his fiancée’s parents house. On the way there, a terrible snow storm develops and they have to head back to the city. When he gets to his apartment, Debbie and Michael are kissing on his couch. Michael leaves and Debbie and Barry argue.
The next morning Debbie is woken up by the fiancée and practically searches the entire apartment looking for a cigarette. Barry comes in and states that he has been walking around all night in the snow with no coat. The fiancée thinks they slept together and is ok with that fact. Barry becomes quite upset that she would think that. The fiancée realizing that Barry is still in love with Debbie decides to break the engagement. Barry takes some vitamins to give him energy actually takes 3 sleeping pills by mistake. So for the rest of the film Barry struggles to stay awake or when he does fall asleep is rudely wakened. Barry tells Debbie that he likes being married and they get along well since they know each others faults and they should get remarried. Debbie did not like the comfortable speech. Michael wants Debbie to go away with him his publicity event in New Orleans. Debbie starts to go with him but Barry locks her in the closet and throws the key out the window, almost falling out himself. Michael goes alone. The fiancée leaves. Debbie opens the closet door. She still had the keys. They finally accept that they love each other. Barry finally falls into a deep sleep.
After seeing Debbie in films like Tammy and The Batchelor and Singing in the Rain it is very refreshing to see her in a fully adult intelligent modern role. Maybe mature is the word I am looking for. She played strong, shy, bewildered, angry and lively independent woman.
TCM had an all day and night birthday celebration for two stars. The day was Jane Powell and the night was Debbie Reynolds.
For Jane Powell I watched Nancy Goes To Rio. The basic story is a mother and daughter are interested in the same man. It is a more musical (and color) version of It’s A Date. In Nancy, Jane plays the daughter of Ann Sothern a Broadway singing star. Ann goes to Rio to rest and get ready for her next musical. Jane is also a singer and gets a chance for a role. She rehearses the role on the boat to Rio to be with her mother. Barry Sullivan hears her rehearsing and thinks that she is in “trouble” and acts as a protector. He asks Carmen Miranda to talk with her woman to woman to guide her along. Jane develops a crush on Barry. When they get to Rio, Ann and her grandfather also hear her rehearsing. When Barry comes courting they think that he is the father. Barry admits to only meeting her recently on the boat. When Ann goes to confront Barry he is amazed about who she is and falls for her. When Jane sings Embraceable You to him he is embarrassed, but does not want to hurt her. Jane finds out the part offered to her is the same part that Ann is rehearsing. Jane doesn’t want to take the role, but will become engaged to Barry instead so they can go away. Ann realizes that she is too old for the role and makes sure that Jane gets the part.
It’s A Date has Kay Francis as the mother, Deanna Durbin as the daughter and Walter Pidgeon as the man. You can’t compare the films acting wise. All the actors are incredibly talented and play the role in their own way. Both are good films. In Nancy Goes to Rio Carmen Miranda sings several songs in Technicolor clothing and hats that make the movie just fun. Ann Sothern sings in a deeper tone than I have heard her sung before, but it sounds like her so I don’t think it is dubbed. It is also a more serious role for her. Kay Francis only had one song in It’s A Date, but it was not her voice. Nancy in Rio is not a shot for shot or same exact dialog as It’s A Date but there are a few similarities, namely the opening and ending of the film. At the beginning the daughter is in the audience or wings mouthing and singing along to her mother on stage. At the end of the films the role is reversed and the mother is in the audience and mouths the words of the song her daughter is singing on stage. I like that part. It is pride, encouragement and maybe a hint of jealousy but full of love.
For Debbie Reynolds I watched Mary, Mary. I have to admit the Monkee’s song keeps going through my head. This is a sophisticated adult comedy with great dialog. It made me realize that I miss sexual tension in a film. It enhances the story. If there is a sex scene or the couple has sex at the beginning of the film something seems to be missing in the film. The story is based on Jean Kerr play and is very play bound in the film. That is not necessary a bad thing, but it is obvious. Barry Nelson plays a publishers who is Debbie’s ex-husband who is being audited by the IRS and his accountant decides that Debbie is needed to help explain some missing details. Barry who playing the role on Broadway overdoes the action. Some of his actions are exaggerated. Michael Reninie plays an actor who wants to revitalize his career by having his memoirs published. Michael also played the role on Broadway. He doesn’t seem to overdo the action as Barry does. Or if he does it fits more with the character. Debbie comes to the apartment when Michael is there. Since there divorce about 9 months prior she has undergone a glamorous beauty treatment and bought new cloths that enhanced her figure. Michael and Debbie agree to have dinner. Barry who is getting married the next day goes to his fiancée’s parents house. On the way there, a terrible snow storm develops and they have to head back to the city. When he gets to his apartment, Debbie and Michael are kissing on his couch. Michael leaves and Debbie and Barry argue.
The next morning Debbie is woken up by the fiancée and practically searches the entire apartment looking for a cigarette. Barry comes in and states that he has been walking around all night in the snow with no coat. The fiancée thinks they slept together and is ok with that fact. Barry becomes quite upset that she would think that. The fiancée realizing that Barry is still in love with Debbie decides to break the engagement. Barry takes some vitamins to give him energy actually takes 3 sleeping pills by mistake. So for the rest of the film Barry struggles to stay awake or when he does fall asleep is rudely wakened. Barry tells Debbie that he likes being married and they get along well since they know each others faults and they should get remarried. Debbie did not like the comfortable speech. Michael wants Debbie to go away with him his publicity event in New Orleans. Debbie starts to go with him but Barry locks her in the closet and throws the key out the window, almost falling out himself. Michael goes alone. The fiancée leaves. Debbie opens the closet door. She still had the keys. They finally accept that they love each other. Barry finally falls into a deep sleep.
After seeing Debbie in films like Tammy and The Batchelor and Singing in the Rain it is very refreshing to see her in a fully adult intelligent modern role. Maybe mature is the word I am looking for. She played strong, shy, bewildered, angry and lively independent woman.
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