Happy Birthday Julia Duffy, Jason Patrick and Toby Maguire.
To celebrate Julia Duffy’s birthday I watched Together Again for the First Time. A happy dysfunctional Christmas film. Julia plays the family matriarch with two boys 18 & 24 married to David Ogden Stiers who has 3 girls 19 - 23. Only the youngest boy lives in the house, all the rest are visiting. They are together as a family for the first time since the parents married 7 years ago. Julia has a radio program about homemaking. She has decorated the house with every possible Christmas decoration. The house has more than 3 stores worth of decorations. It is Christmas Eve and she is getting ready for the dinner celebration. She puts a plate on top of a place setting and decorates the plates. Fake snow with a figure or figures that represents that person. She uses a fork to shape the fake snow.
The family all come home and the fireworks begin at the airport. The youngest son picks up everyone at the airport. The two brothers physically fight. He has a small hatchback and one girl (the mean sister) insists on driving and has so much luggage they have to hold it to the roof of the car. She is mad that her dad did not pick them up at the airport. The plan is, set by Julia, to eat dinner, go to the studio for a television spot and then comeback and have a party at midnight. The parents squabble and they don’t like how each parent treats their children. The youngest girl announces her engagement to a man that once dated the mean sister. He actually hides in the bushes so she won’t see him. He finds a packet of cocaine in the boys room. He tells his fiancé and they are going to wait till after the holidays to tell the parents. The mean sister finds out.
At the television station, the family are to read from the teleprompter and pretend they are having a good time and doing what action is required. Julia reminds everyone to be happy and remember this is her job. It may lead to a television program for her. The mean sister accidentally burned her top while ironing. At the show the oldest boy teases her by hanging ornaments on her back and threading string all around the set. He pulls the string and the decorations fall everywhere on live television. The mean sister then states that he is doing drugs. Everything comes to a halt but Julia goes on and finish the program. The boy leaves. Back at the house they try to get ready for the midnight party. The other son disappears. It turns out the drugs are the younger boy. The family goes out looking for him. They get him back and the family makes up.
The first I heard of Julia Duffy was as Stephanie on Newhart. She played a socialite turned maid at the Stratford Inn. The expressions she had, the room full of clothing racks because her closet was full of shoes. The huffing and stamping of her feet were more child like than adult. The character matured and grew over the years. When she went back home she would do more for herself than have the maid take care of it for her.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
June 28 Mel Brooks
To celebrate Mel Brooks’ birthday I watched Twelve Chairs. My favorite film is The Producers, the original version with Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder. I could probably repeat all of the dialog by heart and every once in a while “Prisoners In Love” pops into my head. I decided to watch Twelve Chairs since I had not seen the film in a number of years. I do remember years and years ago on Siskel and Ebert that one of the men stated the film was bittersweet. That really sums it up. It is based on a book and the opening song written by Mel Brooks is Hope for the Best (Expect the Worst). The same song that Gene Wilder plays to call the monster in Young Frankenstein is heavily featured in this film (at least it sounds the same to me).
The story takes place in Russia (USSR) in 1927. A woman is dying. She wants a priest, Dom Deluise and her son-in-law, Ron Moody. She tells her son-in-law that she “in the dining room suite before the revolution she put jewelry, diamonds sewn into one of the chairs”. She dies. Ron then goes to his old house, a large estate to find the chairs. He goes into the basement where he sees his old servant Mel Brooks. Mel has a man with him, Frank Langella (a con man) who was looking for a bed for the night. Frank gets Ron to tell him what he is hiding and Frank gets involved.
Chair 1 (Estate) - A woman runs out of the estate with a chair. Ron chases her all around the countryside. He discovers the woman is actually the priest in a dress. They rip open the chair cover, no jewels. Dom is given false information and tracks down 11 chairs to Siberia. The couple refuse to give up the chairs.
Chair 2-6 (museum) - The other chairs are tracked town at a museum in Moscow. 7 chairs are taken out, 4 are enough to convey the period. After closing Frank and Ron rip apart the 4 chair covers. No jewels.
Chair 7-8 (Columbus Repertory Co) - The chairs are sold/given to a theater house. 6 go onto the truck and 1 is taken by a man and they loose him at the train station. They get hired on with the troop who are performing on a boat and check 2 chairs. Ron gets them kicked off the boat when he can’t perform. He enters and exits at the same time. Dom tracks down the couple to where they have relocated. He gets the chairs and has them taken to the beach. He destroys all 11 chairs and he can’t believe what has happened. The beach is lettered with the remains.
Chair 9-10 (Columbus Repertory Co) - A staff member of the theater troop steals and sells theater property. He sells 2 of the chairs. In order to get money Ron pretends to have a seizer to get money from people in the street. No jewels.
Chair 11 (circus) - an acrobat purchases the chair. The man uses it as part of his high wire act. Ron climbs up the ladder and walks the rope to get the chair away from him. As he is running outside with the chair, Dom is on the ground praying for help. He then chases after Ron. Frank stops Ron and they fight. Dom then grabs the chair and runs. Ron & Frank run after him. Dom runs up a stone hill. Dom pulls apart the cushion. No jewels.
Chair 12 (railway workers home of recreation) - they go back to Moscow to find the chair that was lost at the train station. There is an opening ceremony at a new Railway Workers Home of Recreation. They go in for a free buffet and see the chair. Others come into the room so they have to wait. That night they sneak into the building and tear into the seat. No jewels.
The jewels were found 4 months prior in the old recreation center and used to build up the new center. Ron screams and starts to destroy the room. He knocks over a policeman and the men leave, jumping onto a horse with Ron still carrying the back of the twelfth chair. They wonder the streets. Frank states they have to split up since they have no money. Frank walks away. Ron throws the chair away and pretends to have a seizer. A crown gathers and Frank talks the crowd into giving him money.
The story takes place in Russia (USSR) in 1927. A woman is dying. She wants a priest, Dom Deluise and her son-in-law, Ron Moody. She tells her son-in-law that she “in the dining room suite before the revolution she put jewelry, diamonds sewn into one of the chairs”. She dies. Ron then goes to his old house, a large estate to find the chairs. He goes into the basement where he sees his old servant Mel Brooks. Mel has a man with him, Frank Langella (a con man) who was looking for a bed for the night. Frank gets Ron to tell him what he is hiding and Frank gets involved.
Chair 1 (Estate) - A woman runs out of the estate with a chair. Ron chases her all around the countryside. He discovers the woman is actually the priest in a dress. They rip open the chair cover, no jewels. Dom is given false information and tracks down 11 chairs to Siberia. The couple refuse to give up the chairs.
Chair 2-6 (museum) - The other chairs are tracked town at a museum in Moscow. 7 chairs are taken out, 4 are enough to convey the period. After closing Frank and Ron rip apart the 4 chair covers. No jewels.
Chair 7-8 (Columbus Repertory Co) - The chairs are sold/given to a theater house. 6 go onto the truck and 1 is taken by a man and they loose him at the train station. They get hired on with the troop who are performing on a boat and check 2 chairs. Ron gets them kicked off the boat when he can’t perform. He enters and exits at the same time. Dom tracks down the couple to where they have relocated. He gets the chairs and has them taken to the beach. He destroys all 11 chairs and he can’t believe what has happened. The beach is lettered with the remains.
Chair 9-10 (Columbus Repertory Co) - A staff member of the theater troop steals and sells theater property. He sells 2 of the chairs. In order to get money Ron pretends to have a seizer to get money from people in the street. No jewels.
Chair 11 (circus) - an acrobat purchases the chair. The man uses it as part of his high wire act. Ron climbs up the ladder and walks the rope to get the chair away from him. As he is running outside with the chair, Dom is on the ground praying for help. He then chases after Ron. Frank stops Ron and they fight. Dom then grabs the chair and runs. Ron & Frank run after him. Dom runs up a stone hill. Dom pulls apart the cushion. No jewels.
Chair 12 (railway workers home of recreation) - they go back to Moscow to find the chair that was lost at the train station. There is an opening ceremony at a new Railway Workers Home of Recreation. They go in for a free buffet and see the chair. Others come into the room so they have to wait. That night they sneak into the building and tear into the seat. No jewels.
The jewels were found 4 months prior in the old recreation center and used to build up the new center. Ron screams and starts to destroy the room. He knocks over a policeman and the men leave, jumping onto a horse with Ron still carrying the back of the twelfth chair. They wonder the streets. Frank states they have to split up since they have no money. Frank walks away. Ron throws the chair away and pretends to have a seizer. A crown gathers and Frank talks the crowd into giving him money.
Monday, June 27, 2011
June 26 Eleanor Parker
Happy Birthday Peter Lorre & Eleanor Parker.
TCM celebrated Eleanor Parker’s with a movie marathon a week early. I watched One For the Book. I don’t know what the title means. It could mean that Eleanor is a new name Ronald Reagan’s black book or Eleanor’s romance with a theater producer is just one chapter in her life, a lesson learned. Eleanor & Reagan have really good chemistry. They seem to mirror each other with their movements. At the beginning Eve seems to overshadow Eleanor, but once Eleanor’s character loosens up with a kiss, she is brighter in personality. It is a cute romantic story.
Eleanor plays an actress who has not worked in a few months. Her boyfriend, the theater producer broke up with her right before Christmas. In the spring she sees an old friend and fellow actor Eve Arden. The two have almost a parallel experience. I actually made a flow chart comparison, but I am not sure how it would show up in the blog so I will have to write it out.
Eve has a date with a sweet Army man, Ronald Reagan.
Eve gets a better offer, from a Navy man she loves.
Eve dumps the Army man, stating she is married.
Eve states they can meet for lunch the next day.
Reagan tries several names in his book, but no one is available.
Reagan asks Eleanor out to dinner. She accepts.
They go to an excellent French restaurant.
Eve calls Eleanor later stating she is at an awful Hawaiian restaurant.
Eve is jealous of the good time they had.
Reagan falls asleep on her day bed.
Eleanor offers the day bed that night.
Reagan fixes lunch the next day for Eleanor.
Reagan does not call Eve.
Eleanor gets theater tickets from her former boyfriend, 3rd row.
Eve’s Navy man forgets his tickets for the back row.
Eleanor & Reagan are invited to a party by the producer.
Eleanor & Reagan kiss.
Reagan gets a hotel room.
Eve & Navy spend the evening playing Gin Rummy.
Reagan brings the morning paper to Eleanor’s and they eat breakfast.
Eve tries to find Reagan.
Eve comes to Eleanor’s apartment.
Reagan hides in the kitchen, leaves and comes back.
Eve asks him out to dinner.
Reagan declines.
Reagan fixes dinner for Eleanor.
The End.
TCM celebrated Eleanor Parker’s with a movie marathon a week early. I watched One For the Book. I don’t know what the title means. It could mean that Eleanor is a new name Ronald Reagan’s black book or Eleanor’s romance with a theater producer is just one chapter in her life, a lesson learned. Eleanor & Reagan have really good chemistry. They seem to mirror each other with their movements. At the beginning Eve seems to overshadow Eleanor, but once Eleanor’s character loosens up with a kiss, she is brighter in personality. It is a cute romantic story.
Eleanor plays an actress who has not worked in a few months. Her boyfriend, the theater producer broke up with her right before Christmas. In the spring she sees an old friend and fellow actor Eve Arden. The two have almost a parallel experience. I actually made a flow chart comparison, but I am not sure how it would show up in the blog so I will have to write it out.
Eve has a date with a sweet Army man, Ronald Reagan.
Eve gets a better offer, from a Navy man she loves.
Eve dumps the Army man, stating she is married.
Eve states they can meet for lunch the next day.
Reagan tries several names in his book, but no one is available.
Reagan asks Eleanor out to dinner. She accepts.
They go to an excellent French restaurant.
Eve calls Eleanor later stating she is at an awful Hawaiian restaurant.
Eve is jealous of the good time they had.
Reagan falls asleep on her day bed.
Eleanor offers the day bed that night.
Reagan fixes lunch the next day for Eleanor.
Reagan does not call Eve.
Eleanor gets theater tickets from her former boyfriend, 3rd row.
Eve’s Navy man forgets his tickets for the back row.
Eleanor & Reagan are invited to a party by the producer.
Eleanor & Reagan kiss.
Reagan gets a hotel room.
Eve & Navy spend the evening playing Gin Rummy.
Reagan brings the morning paper to Eleanor’s and they eat breakfast.
Eve tries to find Reagan.
Eve comes to Eleanor’s apartment.
Reagan hides in the kitchen, leaves and comes back.
Eve asks him out to dinner.
Reagan declines.
Reagan fixes dinner for Eleanor.
The End.
June 25 Charlotte Greenwood
Happy Birthday June Lockhart and Charlotte Greenwood
To celebrate Charlotte Greenwood’s birthday I watched Parlor, Bedroom and Bath. This is my favorite Buster Keaton sound film. The house used is Keaton’s actual house which was called the Italian Villa.
Dorothy Christy plays a rich young woman who will only marry a playboy, a man well versed in women, a cad. Keaton sees her at the pool and instantly falls in love with her. He is hit by a car driven by Reginald Denny. Denny takes him to the house. Dorothy is interested in him. Keaton is not a playboy and Denny tries several things to get Dorothy to see that he is one. He finally asks a social reporter, played by Charlotte Greenwood, to give him love lessons. It will be an extravagant dinner in a hotel room. Keaton gets the wrong girl to the hotel: a married woman with a jealous husband. He has a list that he has to follow of instructions.
Charlotte comes in the room in her evening cloths and chases him around the room. In her shoes and Keaton slightly hunched over she is 6” taller. Her waist is level with his chest. In coaching him how to make love to a woman she basically throws him around the room. When she has him do it back, he hardly moves. When she gets him to kiss her, she goes mad. It is a very brotherly type of kiss. She climbs over the couch and he runs to the closet. She chases him around again. She catches him, kisses him and throws him on the ground. He then comes after her, kisses her and throws her on the couch. When he comes back after her, she holds him off by her leg. She then runs out of the room to change cloths. Friends of the woman he ran off with come to get her, the husband is on the way. Dorothy shows up. Then Charlotte comes in the rooming wearing lounging pajamas and goes to her knees and pulls on Keaton’s pajama pants, which pulls them down. The husband comes in the room. He finds his wife in a negligee. He pulls a gun. There is a shot, Charlotte screams and states I’ve been shot and falls to the ground. Everyone runs out of the room. The man pushes Keaton into a chair, throws the gun on the floor and locks him in the room. Charlotte then opens her eyes and gets up. She goes into another room to get refreshed. When she comes back out Keaton tips over a lamp which falls on Charlotte’s head knocking her unconscious.
Keaton tries to move her body. He puts her upright in an inverted V. He then crawls under her so that she will be on his back and crawls to the closet. He can’t get her into the closet. He takes the door off the hinges and rolls her onto the door and puts the door upright and he holds up the door as the police come in the room. Once it is determined that she is not dead, everyone leaves except Keaton and Dorothy. He applies his lessons.
To celebrate Charlotte Greenwood’s birthday I watched Parlor, Bedroom and Bath. This is my favorite Buster Keaton sound film. The house used is Keaton’s actual house which was called the Italian Villa.
Dorothy Christy plays a rich young woman who will only marry a playboy, a man well versed in women, a cad. Keaton sees her at the pool and instantly falls in love with her. He is hit by a car driven by Reginald Denny. Denny takes him to the house. Dorothy is interested in him. Keaton is not a playboy and Denny tries several things to get Dorothy to see that he is one. He finally asks a social reporter, played by Charlotte Greenwood, to give him love lessons. It will be an extravagant dinner in a hotel room. Keaton gets the wrong girl to the hotel: a married woman with a jealous husband. He has a list that he has to follow of instructions.
Charlotte comes in the room in her evening cloths and chases him around the room. In her shoes and Keaton slightly hunched over she is 6” taller. Her waist is level with his chest. In coaching him how to make love to a woman she basically throws him around the room. When she has him do it back, he hardly moves. When she gets him to kiss her, she goes mad. It is a very brotherly type of kiss. She climbs over the couch and he runs to the closet. She chases him around again. She catches him, kisses him and throws him on the ground. He then comes after her, kisses her and throws her on the couch. When he comes back after her, she holds him off by her leg. She then runs out of the room to change cloths. Friends of the woman he ran off with come to get her, the husband is on the way. Dorothy shows up. Then Charlotte comes in the rooming wearing lounging pajamas and goes to her knees and pulls on Keaton’s pajama pants, which pulls them down. The husband comes in the room. He finds his wife in a negligee. He pulls a gun. There is a shot, Charlotte screams and states I’ve been shot and falls to the ground. Everyone runs out of the room. The man pushes Keaton into a chair, throws the gun on the floor and locks him in the room. Charlotte then opens her eyes and gets up. She goes into another room to get refreshed. When she comes back out Keaton tips over a lamp which falls on Charlotte’s head knocking her unconscious.
Keaton tries to move her body. He puts her upright in an inverted V. He then crawls under her so that she will be on his back and crawls to the closet. He can’t get her into the closet. He takes the door off the hinges and rolls her onto the door and puts the door upright and he holds up the door as the police come in the room. Once it is determined that she is not dead, everyone leaves except Keaton and Dorothy. He applies his lessons.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
June 23 Bob Fosse
To celebrate Bob Fosse’s birth, I watched Give a Girl a Break. The story is about 3 women, Helen Wood, Marge Champion and Debbie Reynolds who are given a chance to audition for a Broadway musical after the star backs out. Bob plays a stage hand at the theater. He is interested in Debbie. Bob & Debbie play the musical comedy relief. They are the innocent couple. Bob wears yellow argyle socks. When they dance in the park (and it is beautiful) they are very energetic and light hearted. Bob falls into a pond at the end of the dance, with grace and style.
The 3 women have their final audition. During each dancer’s performance the camera shows the man who is interested/sponsoring the dancer. They reflect pride, love and desire. During the deliberations the men imagine they are dancing with the woman. Bob and Debbie have a short dance together, that goes backwards and then forwards. It is a very unique scene. At first you can’t realize they are in reverse until you watch the confetti going up instead of down. The men can’t decide so they decide to draw a name out of a hat. Helen Wood is picked. During rehearsals Helen won’t come out of her dressing room. Her husband is going a way for a few weeks. She decides to go with him and she can’t be in the musical because she is “going to have an act of God.” I have not heard it termed that way before. It is decided to give Marge Champion the role, but she disappears. Debbie Reynolds gets the role.
In the stage musical Gower Champion is the main actor and choreographer. The film only shows one scene of the musical. The beginning when the star backs out they are in plain cloths rehearsal, when Helen backs out they are in a dress rehearsal and the end Debbie is in the actual performance. She is the only actress you see in that role, so you can’t compare who is better. The reason you know it is the same scene is the snapping fingers that all the men do. This is really smart. Instead of trying to show all the numbers sticking with one shows the evolution of the entire story.
I have to admit at first I was not sure which man is Bob Fosse. I remember him from the 1970’s & 1980’s and he looked different from the 1953 film I watched. To me later in his life he looked the quintessential New York Broadway dancer/director.
The 3 women have their final audition. During each dancer’s performance the camera shows the man who is interested/sponsoring the dancer. They reflect pride, love and desire. During the deliberations the men imagine they are dancing with the woman. Bob and Debbie have a short dance together, that goes backwards and then forwards. It is a very unique scene. At first you can’t realize they are in reverse until you watch the confetti going up instead of down. The men can’t decide so they decide to draw a name out of a hat. Helen Wood is picked. During rehearsals Helen won’t come out of her dressing room. Her husband is going a way for a few weeks. She decides to go with him and she can’t be in the musical because she is “going to have an act of God.” I have not heard it termed that way before. It is decided to give Marge Champion the role, but she disappears. Debbie Reynolds gets the role.
In the stage musical Gower Champion is the main actor and choreographer. The film only shows one scene of the musical. The beginning when the star backs out they are in plain cloths rehearsal, when Helen backs out they are in a dress rehearsal and the end Debbie is in the actual performance. She is the only actress you see in that role, so you can’t compare who is better. The reason you know it is the same scene is the snapping fingers that all the men do. This is really smart. Instead of trying to show all the numbers sticking with one shows the evolution of the entire story.
I have to admit at first I was not sure which man is Bob Fosse. I remember him from the 1970’s & 1980’s and he looked different from the 1953 film I watched. To me later in his life he looked the quintessential New York Broadway dancer/director.
June 22 Billy Wilder
Happy Birthday Billy Wilder, Paul Frees and Meryl Streep
TCM celebrated Billy Wilder’s birth with a 3 film marathon and an interview. One of my favorite films is Sunset Boulevard. When ever I watch a Billy Wilder film I find inspiration in writing. I am not a good writer, but I have decided to start writing short stories again.
I wanted to see something that I had never seen before so I watched The Lost Weekend. It is an amazing film directed and screenplay adapted by Billy Wilder. Ray Milland plays a writer who lives with his brother and is an alcoholic. Ray is going away with his brother, but decides at the last minute not to go. He takes $10 that is for the cleaning person that his brother had hidden and buys 2 bottles of alcohol, which he buys fruit to cover the stems of the bottles and goes to a bar. The passage of time and drinks is done by the condensation rings on the bar. It is abstract art. He drinks one bottle and hides the other, forgetting where he hid the bottle and desperately searching the house.
During an opera wine is being passed around on stage by waiters. Ray watches the trays and drinks move around the stage. He licks his lips. He remembers he has a bottle in his coat and leaves the performance. The coat check ticket he has is for a ladies coat. He has to wait until the end of the program for the owner of the coat, Jane Wyman. The bottle drops out of the pocket and shatters.
The music is dramatic, mysterious and there is a touch of sci-fi which is almost eerie. What really comes through is the desperation of the character. The lying, cheating, stealing and the personality change that Ray goes through. The ups and down of addiction. How friends and family make excuses for what is really going on. The scenes about DT and showing the hallucination that Ray has are really informative and scary. When Ray has the DT and he sees a mouse in a hole in the wall and a bat flying around the room, it took a few passes for me to realize what was going to happen. When the bat got the mouse, the mouse started squealing and a line of blood flowed down the wall I had to close my eyes. It is a simple moment, not overly violent, but captivating.
Howard Da Silva as a bartender has a great line "One drink's too many, and a hundred's not enough."
TCM celebrated Billy Wilder’s birth with a 3 film marathon and an interview. One of my favorite films is Sunset Boulevard. When ever I watch a Billy Wilder film I find inspiration in writing. I am not a good writer, but I have decided to start writing short stories again.
I wanted to see something that I had never seen before so I watched The Lost Weekend. It is an amazing film directed and screenplay adapted by Billy Wilder. Ray Milland plays a writer who lives with his brother and is an alcoholic. Ray is going away with his brother, but decides at the last minute not to go. He takes $10 that is for the cleaning person that his brother had hidden and buys 2 bottles of alcohol, which he buys fruit to cover the stems of the bottles and goes to a bar. The passage of time and drinks is done by the condensation rings on the bar. It is abstract art. He drinks one bottle and hides the other, forgetting where he hid the bottle and desperately searching the house.
During an opera wine is being passed around on stage by waiters. Ray watches the trays and drinks move around the stage. He licks his lips. He remembers he has a bottle in his coat and leaves the performance. The coat check ticket he has is for a ladies coat. He has to wait until the end of the program for the owner of the coat, Jane Wyman. The bottle drops out of the pocket and shatters.
The music is dramatic, mysterious and there is a touch of sci-fi which is almost eerie. What really comes through is the desperation of the character. The lying, cheating, stealing and the personality change that Ray goes through. The ups and down of addiction. How friends and family make excuses for what is really going on. The scenes about DT and showing the hallucination that Ray has are really informative and scary. When Ray has the DT and he sees a mouse in a hole in the wall and a bat flying around the room, it took a few passes for me to realize what was going to happen. When the bat got the mouse, the mouse started squealing and a line of blood flowed down the wall I had to close my eyes. It is a simple moment, not overly violent, but captivating.
Howard Da Silva as a bartender has a great line "One drink's too many, and a hundred's not enough."
Thursday, June 23, 2011
June 21 Jane Russell
Happy Birthday Judy Holliday, Bernie Kopell, Jane Russell, Maureen Stapleton and Wonderful Smith.
TCM celebrated Jane Russell’s birthday and I watched Double Dynamite. A 1951 comedy staring Jane Russell with Frank Sinatra and Groucho Marx. Jane plays a small town bank teller engaged to fellow bank teller Frank Sinatra. Frank decides they can’t marry because they don’t have enough money. They are having lunch where Groucho Marx is the waiter and their friend. Jane leaves to walk back to work alone. Frank leaves a short time later. When he is walking back to work he sees a man being beaten up by two men and helps the man. The man as a thank you takes him back to his shop, which is a shirt maker. They go to the back room where there is a horse gambling den. He gives Sinatra a $1000 bill. Sinatra tries to leave, but is forced to stay. The man states to consider the money a loan. He then takes the money back and bets it on a horse race and another and another. Sinatra ends up with $60,0000 after paying back the original $1000 loan. When he gets to bank several hours later, there is a discrepancy in the books and they are looking for an embezzler. Sinatra leaves and he and Groucho go back to the shirt shop. The gambling den is completely changed to women sewing shirts.
Jane as a plain, soft spoken, simply dressed woman wants to make Sinatra jealous by going out with the owners son. She wants to spend a lot of money and have a good time. She drinks a lot of Champaign. When the waiter brings a pheasant to the table she starts to cry. She feeds popcorn to pheasants in the park. After the meal he takes her home. Sinatra lives in the apartment next door and the walls are very thin. When they get to her place, she goes into the bedroom and he follows. When the man hears Sinatra’s voice he makes a hasty exit. Jane and Frank make up by singing (until the person upstairs complains). This is were Jane looks the most beautiful.
Groucho convinces Jane that Sinatra stole the money for him so they could marry. She goes to the owners son and tries to turn over some money and say that the money would be returned so there should not be any repercussions for the person who took the money. He starts to call the police when Jane states she will “do anything’ he hangs up the phone. When she states “even marry you” he goes to the phone and calls the police. Jane leaves in the mans car. She gets Sinatra and they run. In the police ABP he is described as “looks like Frank Sinatra” and she is described as “135 pounds extremely well distributed.” The police think she stole the money and arrest her. Sinatra is exonerated due to the bookie who gave him the money told the police the story when he was picked up.
The error was caused by the adding machine. When she is cleared they are having lunch. She is wearing a $3000 mink coat and $1500 ring. That is a happy ending.
TCM celebrated Jane Russell’s birthday and I watched Double Dynamite. A 1951 comedy staring Jane Russell with Frank Sinatra and Groucho Marx. Jane plays a small town bank teller engaged to fellow bank teller Frank Sinatra. Frank decides they can’t marry because they don’t have enough money. They are having lunch where Groucho Marx is the waiter and their friend. Jane leaves to walk back to work alone. Frank leaves a short time later. When he is walking back to work he sees a man being beaten up by two men and helps the man. The man as a thank you takes him back to his shop, which is a shirt maker. They go to the back room where there is a horse gambling den. He gives Sinatra a $1000 bill. Sinatra tries to leave, but is forced to stay. The man states to consider the money a loan. He then takes the money back and bets it on a horse race and another and another. Sinatra ends up with $60,0000 after paying back the original $1000 loan. When he gets to bank several hours later, there is a discrepancy in the books and they are looking for an embezzler. Sinatra leaves and he and Groucho go back to the shirt shop. The gambling den is completely changed to women sewing shirts.
Jane as a plain, soft spoken, simply dressed woman wants to make Sinatra jealous by going out with the owners son. She wants to spend a lot of money and have a good time. She drinks a lot of Champaign. When the waiter brings a pheasant to the table she starts to cry. She feeds popcorn to pheasants in the park. After the meal he takes her home. Sinatra lives in the apartment next door and the walls are very thin. When they get to her place, she goes into the bedroom and he follows. When the man hears Sinatra’s voice he makes a hasty exit. Jane and Frank make up by singing (until the person upstairs complains). This is were Jane looks the most beautiful.
Groucho convinces Jane that Sinatra stole the money for him so they could marry. She goes to the owners son and tries to turn over some money and say that the money would be returned so there should not be any repercussions for the person who took the money. He starts to call the police when Jane states she will “do anything’ he hangs up the phone. When she states “even marry you” he goes to the phone and calls the police. Jane leaves in the mans car. She gets Sinatra and they run. In the police ABP he is described as “looks like Frank Sinatra” and she is described as “135 pounds extremely well distributed.” The police think she stole the money and arrest her. Sinatra is exonerated due to the bookie who gave him the money told the police the story when he was picked up.
The error was caused by the adding machine. When she is cleared they are having lunch. She is wearing a $3000 mink coat and $1500 ring. That is a happy ending.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
June 20 Errol Flynn
Happy Birthday Olympia Dukakis, Errol Flynn, Audie Murphy, Martin Landau, Gail Patrick, Nicole Kidman and John Goodman.
TCM celebrated Errol Flynn’s birthday with a marathon of film. I watched Footsteps In The Dark. The title is the story of a book, written by Errol, under a pen name F. X. Pettijohn. The film starts off during a quiet night with 2 men Errol and Allen Jenkins walking along the outside of the house spying a window and a ladder. The ladder is moved to a window. Errol climbs up the ladder to the window, climbs in and sees a woman sleeping in a bed. The clock strikes 3 (AM). He goes back to the window, waves and closes the window. The next time we see him he is in his pajamas climbing into bed.
The next day after breakfast with his wife and mother-in-law he gives his friend and lawyer Carothers a ride to work. His mother-in-law has hired him to find out and stop the writer Pettijohn. Errol tells the lawyer “telling her the truth would be unnecessarily cruel, so I don’t tell her”. He goes to his office, he is an investment councilor, gets a few updates on what he needs to take care of and signs a few checks. He then leaves. Jenkins, his chauffeur, drives the car to a garage. Errol goes to another garage and gets into on older model family car. Jenkins gets in the passenger side. They drive to a cottage. They go in, take off their hats and jackets and sit behind desks. Errol dictates and Jenkins types. He lives almost a double life.
The film is a comedy/mystery with more over the top comedy than The Thin Man films. Errol is witty, charming, intelligent and plays several characters to get information to solve a murder. He imitates Jenkins with a NY accent. He poses as Tex “Lucky” Gilbert with a drawl (out of the side of his mouth), dances ungracefully and lumbering walk. He as a writer is smarter than the police officer William Frawley. Frawley gets everything wrong, almost opposite of everything we the audience see.
TCM celebrated Errol Flynn’s birthday with a marathon of film. I watched Footsteps In The Dark. The title is the story of a book, written by Errol, under a pen name F. X. Pettijohn. The film starts off during a quiet night with 2 men Errol and Allen Jenkins walking along the outside of the house spying a window and a ladder. The ladder is moved to a window. Errol climbs up the ladder to the window, climbs in and sees a woman sleeping in a bed. The clock strikes 3 (AM). He goes back to the window, waves and closes the window. The next time we see him he is in his pajamas climbing into bed.
The next day after breakfast with his wife and mother-in-law he gives his friend and lawyer Carothers a ride to work. His mother-in-law has hired him to find out and stop the writer Pettijohn. Errol tells the lawyer “telling her the truth would be unnecessarily cruel, so I don’t tell her”. He goes to his office, he is an investment councilor, gets a few updates on what he needs to take care of and signs a few checks. He then leaves. Jenkins, his chauffeur, drives the car to a garage. Errol goes to another garage and gets into on older model family car. Jenkins gets in the passenger side. They drive to a cottage. They go in, take off their hats and jackets and sit behind desks. Errol dictates and Jenkins types. He lives almost a double life.
The film is a comedy/mystery with more over the top comedy than The Thin Man films. Errol is witty, charming, intelligent and plays several characters to get information to solve a murder. He imitates Jenkins with a NY accent. He poses as Tex “Lucky” Gilbert with a drawl (out of the side of his mouth), dances ungracefully and lumbering walk. He as a writer is smarter than the police officer William Frawley. Frawley gets everything wrong, almost opposite of everything we the audience see.
June 19 Charles Coburn
Happy Birthday Charles Coburn and Moe Howard
TCM showed a marathon of films for Charles Coburn last month. The More the Merrier with Jean Arthur is probably my favorite, which he won an Academy Award. I watched Unexpected Uncle. In Florida he is walking down the street and sees a young woman, Anne Shirley crying in a store. He goes in to cheer her up. She was fired due to a big shot businessman, James Craig pinching her and kissing her on the nose. He yells at the manager and gets her reinstated and the afternoon off. They walk for a bit and James comes back with a band and baskets of flowers to apologize. He asks her to lunch and she goes. Charles goes to his trailer home. He exchanges cigars with a policeman on horseback for horse shoes. Charles is an expert horse shoe thrower. James invites her and her “uncle” to his club that night for cocktails. She goes to see Charles to get his opinion of what she should do. He makes the case for going out with him and never seeing him again. He says that he will pick her up and they will go to the club. James plays as hard as he works. He has many different women. His hotel room is filled with pictures. I cannot tell if they are different women.
Charles goes home early and Anne and James dance and drink. James is drunk and Anne convinces James to let her drive. She drives to her apartment. James then drives the car and has an accident. He is hurt. She takes him to her apartment. The landlady kicks her out and she goes to Charles at the trailer park. James wakes up and sneaks out as the landlady calls the police. The police find the abandoned car and think he is kidnapped. The police go to the trailer park where Charles sleeping outside is awaken by a friend who helps Anne and Charles get away. They go to the club where James is getting a shave. He has contacted the police and the papers clearing up the situation, but Anne is very upset with him and wants to go home. Charles agrees but ends up taking her to the airport where James is getting ready to go back home for business. He convinces her to make peace with James. They get into the plane. While they are talking the plane takes off. A scheme that is cooked up by James’ butler and Charles, they don’t say that, but the look they give each other tells it all.
On the plane ride Anne and James get engaged. When they land it is a much colder climate. James rushes off to the factory and Anne and Charles go to his home. They wait for him, but the butler states it will be after midnight and later before he comes home. Charles is wearing a blanket and states he has pneumonia. A week or so passes and James is very seldom home before 2 AM. It is the butler’s birthday and Anne decides to have a party for him. James comes home and has business associates with him. He blows up. Anne decides she can’t take it anymore and decides to go back to Florida, Charles trailer home. When James finally finishes his meeting, he goes to Anne’s room and she is not there. He goes to Charles room and wakes him up stating that he was just in Anne’s room and she was not there and wants to know where she is. Charles focus is on propriety and gets upset with that. James becomes very upset and Charles convinces him to take a drink. James states “I don’t drink at home.” After they empty several bottles they play horse shoes with them.
Charles tells James who he really is. He is a president of a steel works owner who walked away from his job and forty million dollars. Charles states that he has been hiding for 10 years and the company is still going without him. He left because he was the only person who wasn’t allowed to leave at 6 to “smoke his slippers, read his dinner and eat his pipe”. He is so drunk he aims the horse shoes at large vases, which he hits and breaks. When James asks him again where she went he replies “she didn’t ask me and I didn’t tell her”. They decide to go back to Florida. Anne is unhappy. When she gets to the trailer she hears the sound of horse shoes. Anne and Charles hug and he states that James in in the trailer. She hears a record being played and tries to get away. Charles grabs her shoulders and pushes her towards the trailer. Once she goes in, he gives the butler in the car the high sign and he drives the car that is attached to the trailer.
TCM showed a marathon of films for Charles Coburn last month. The More the Merrier with Jean Arthur is probably my favorite, which he won an Academy Award. I watched Unexpected Uncle. In Florida he is walking down the street and sees a young woman, Anne Shirley crying in a store. He goes in to cheer her up. She was fired due to a big shot businessman, James Craig pinching her and kissing her on the nose. He yells at the manager and gets her reinstated and the afternoon off. They walk for a bit and James comes back with a band and baskets of flowers to apologize. He asks her to lunch and she goes. Charles goes to his trailer home. He exchanges cigars with a policeman on horseback for horse shoes. Charles is an expert horse shoe thrower. James invites her and her “uncle” to his club that night for cocktails. She goes to see Charles to get his opinion of what she should do. He makes the case for going out with him and never seeing him again. He says that he will pick her up and they will go to the club. James plays as hard as he works. He has many different women. His hotel room is filled with pictures. I cannot tell if they are different women.
Charles goes home early and Anne and James dance and drink. James is drunk and Anne convinces James to let her drive. She drives to her apartment. James then drives the car and has an accident. He is hurt. She takes him to her apartment. The landlady kicks her out and she goes to Charles at the trailer park. James wakes up and sneaks out as the landlady calls the police. The police find the abandoned car and think he is kidnapped. The police go to the trailer park where Charles sleeping outside is awaken by a friend who helps Anne and Charles get away. They go to the club where James is getting a shave. He has contacted the police and the papers clearing up the situation, but Anne is very upset with him and wants to go home. Charles agrees but ends up taking her to the airport where James is getting ready to go back home for business. He convinces her to make peace with James. They get into the plane. While they are talking the plane takes off. A scheme that is cooked up by James’ butler and Charles, they don’t say that, but the look they give each other tells it all.
On the plane ride Anne and James get engaged. When they land it is a much colder climate. James rushes off to the factory and Anne and Charles go to his home. They wait for him, but the butler states it will be after midnight and later before he comes home. Charles is wearing a blanket and states he has pneumonia. A week or so passes and James is very seldom home before 2 AM. It is the butler’s birthday and Anne decides to have a party for him. James comes home and has business associates with him. He blows up. Anne decides she can’t take it anymore and decides to go back to Florida, Charles trailer home. When James finally finishes his meeting, he goes to Anne’s room and she is not there. He goes to Charles room and wakes him up stating that he was just in Anne’s room and she was not there and wants to know where she is. Charles focus is on propriety and gets upset with that. James becomes very upset and Charles convinces him to take a drink. James states “I don’t drink at home.” After they empty several bottles they play horse shoes with them.
Charles tells James who he really is. He is a president of a steel works owner who walked away from his job and forty million dollars. Charles states that he has been hiding for 10 years and the company is still going without him. He left because he was the only person who wasn’t allowed to leave at 6 to “smoke his slippers, read his dinner and eat his pipe”. He is so drunk he aims the horse shoes at large vases, which he hits and breaks. When James asks him again where she went he replies “she didn’t ask me and I didn’t tell her”. They decide to go back to Florida. Anne is unhappy. When she gets to the trailer she hears the sound of horse shoes. Anne and Charles hug and he states that James in in the trailer. She hears a record being played and tries to get away. Charles grabs her shoulders and pushes her towards the trailer. Once she goes in, he gives the butler in the car the high sign and he drives the car that is attached to the trailer.
Monday, June 20, 2011
June 18 Jeanette MacDonald
On Frank Morgan’s birthday (June 1), TCM showed Cat and the Fiddle with Jeanette MacDonald and Ramon Novarro. I saved it for today to watch for Jeanette MacDonald‘s birthday, and boy am I glad I did. I am not an opera fan and but I like musicals. This film was great. The title is a name of the opera that Ramon writes. I have seen a few films with Jeanette MacDonald. She has a great voice, timing and film presence but I don’t think she has a sense of humor. That she takes life very seriously and does not have a lot of fun. I was not impressed with the first film I saw of Ramon Navarro (The Student Prince of Heidelberg) but every film I have seen of him since has been fantastic.
Ramon plays a composer/pianist/singer in Brussels. He plays for his dinner, but the dinner did not include wine. He won’t pay for the wine stating it is an even trade. He leaves the restaurant and in the street he leads a marching band in a fast paced run. When he gets away he goes into a taxi, already occupied by Jeanette. She moves into a building next to him, their windows face each other. When he sees and hears her play he climbs the outside of the building in her room. She is also a composer/pianist/singer. He rewrites some of her music and she is not happy about that. He kisses her. She pushes him away and slaps him. He holds out his arms and says “Darling”. He has to leave and Jeanette all but pushes him out the door.
On the way to his audition for a music/operatic producer (Frank Morgan) he interrupts a funeral procession. A man comes up to him to ask him to move and talks and talks. “what were we talking about, my late uncle. I became rich in a single stroke. My uncle had the stroke 2 days ago.”
Frank listens to Ramon play and agrees to produce his opera. Jeanette comes to play for the professor who is sponsoring Ramon with Frank. She stands on a chair looking through the window when Ramon is playing with a group of musicians. The professor opens the door. The others grab the chair, leave and Jeanette is left to hang off the door frame. Frank helps her down and likes what he sees. She then plays with Frank watching her intently. The professor is not interested and leaves. Ramon tries to convince him to stay “you can’t leave. It will kill her”. “You can’t kill American’s” the professor states. The music stops. There is a slap and out comes Jeanette with Frank following behind her adjusting his collar.
Later that night it is raining and there are leaks in Jeanette’s apartment. Ramon comes in with his umbrella still up. He brings in bowls. “I lived in this room once.” He places the bowls underneath the dripping water. “I slept in your bed” he states as he looks at her (Jeanette has no reaction, nothing). She agrees to let him stay to look for more leaks he sings and plays a new arrangement of her music, which she likes, but asks him to leave. There is a roll of thunder and she jumps in his arms. He is still holding the umbrella and kisses her. “Live, love, laugh, sing, eat, starve” he says to her. There is a knock and a group of musicians come in to party.
Frank comes in then and then tells Jeanette that Ramon would leave her if he had a good opportunity on his opera. Frank offers Ramon an opera if he comes to Paris with him. He refuses, but Jeanette and Ramon both go to Paris. Her song with Ramon’s changes are printed. They share an apartment. He goes into her bedroom and sits on the bed when she is in her nightgown and no ring on her finger (1933 is when the film was made). He feels like a kept man and thinks about going back to Brussels to work on his music. Frank convinces Ramon that Jeanette is better off by his leaving her so she can focus on her career. He lies to Jeanette. He cries as he sings good bye. Jeanette runs after him, but he has already left.
Ramon stays in Paris and has his opera produced by someone else. The leading lady is interested in Ramon. She makes a play for him, which he refuses, but the husband who is a producer sees this and pulls his money and the leading lady from the role. Jeanette is going to marry Frank. When she is moving out of her apartment the day before her wedding which is the day of the premier of Ramon’s operetta, Ramon’s friend comes to talk with her. To convince her to play the role. She knows all the songs, but one, which she sings on the freight elevator. The elevator operator looks like Nelson Eddy, but I can’t be sure. Jeanette plays the role and Ramon is once again happy. He tries to convince her that he lied that he really does love her and that he was thinking of her when he said goodbye. During the finale it became Technicolor. They sing and when she looks offstage she sees Frank, Ramon pulls her back. Frank is handed his hat and cane and leaves.
Ramon plays a composer/pianist/singer in Brussels. He plays for his dinner, but the dinner did not include wine. He won’t pay for the wine stating it is an even trade. He leaves the restaurant and in the street he leads a marching band in a fast paced run. When he gets away he goes into a taxi, already occupied by Jeanette. She moves into a building next to him, their windows face each other. When he sees and hears her play he climbs the outside of the building in her room. She is also a composer/pianist/singer. He rewrites some of her music and she is not happy about that. He kisses her. She pushes him away and slaps him. He holds out his arms and says “Darling”. He has to leave and Jeanette all but pushes him out the door.
On the way to his audition for a music/operatic producer (Frank Morgan) he interrupts a funeral procession. A man comes up to him to ask him to move and talks and talks. “what were we talking about, my late uncle. I became rich in a single stroke. My uncle had the stroke 2 days ago.”
Frank listens to Ramon play and agrees to produce his opera. Jeanette comes to play for the professor who is sponsoring Ramon with Frank. She stands on a chair looking through the window when Ramon is playing with a group of musicians. The professor opens the door. The others grab the chair, leave and Jeanette is left to hang off the door frame. Frank helps her down and likes what he sees. She then plays with Frank watching her intently. The professor is not interested and leaves. Ramon tries to convince him to stay “you can’t leave. It will kill her”. “You can’t kill American’s” the professor states. The music stops. There is a slap and out comes Jeanette with Frank following behind her adjusting his collar.
Later that night it is raining and there are leaks in Jeanette’s apartment. Ramon comes in with his umbrella still up. He brings in bowls. “I lived in this room once.” He places the bowls underneath the dripping water. “I slept in your bed” he states as he looks at her (Jeanette has no reaction, nothing). She agrees to let him stay to look for more leaks he sings and plays a new arrangement of her music, which she likes, but asks him to leave. There is a roll of thunder and she jumps in his arms. He is still holding the umbrella and kisses her. “Live, love, laugh, sing, eat, starve” he says to her. There is a knock and a group of musicians come in to party.
Frank comes in then and then tells Jeanette that Ramon would leave her if he had a good opportunity on his opera. Frank offers Ramon an opera if he comes to Paris with him. He refuses, but Jeanette and Ramon both go to Paris. Her song with Ramon’s changes are printed. They share an apartment. He goes into her bedroom and sits on the bed when she is in her nightgown and no ring on her finger (1933 is when the film was made). He feels like a kept man and thinks about going back to Brussels to work on his music. Frank convinces Ramon that Jeanette is better off by his leaving her so she can focus on her career. He lies to Jeanette. He cries as he sings good bye. Jeanette runs after him, but he has already left.
Ramon stays in Paris and has his opera produced by someone else. The leading lady is interested in Ramon. She makes a play for him, which he refuses, but the husband who is a producer sees this and pulls his money and the leading lady from the role. Jeanette is going to marry Frank. When she is moving out of her apartment the day before her wedding which is the day of the premier of Ramon’s operetta, Ramon’s friend comes to talk with her. To convince her to play the role. She knows all the songs, but one, which she sings on the freight elevator. The elevator operator looks like Nelson Eddy, but I can’t be sure. Jeanette plays the role and Ramon is once again happy. He tries to convince her that he lied that he really does love her and that he was thinking of her when he said goodbye. During the finale it became Technicolor. They sing and when she looks offstage she sees Frank, Ramon pulls her back. Frank is handed his hat and cane and leaves.
June 17 Ralph Bellamy
Ralph Bellamy played the man who was going to take Rosalind Russell away to get married. Taking her from her ex-husband and boss Gary Grant. When Gary is looking for a way to get rid of Ralph he has a woman go to him.
“What does he look like?” she asks
“He looks like that fellow from the movies, Ralph Bellamy” Gary states.
That just cracks me up. Ralph Bellamy played the 2nd man in a woman’s life, the best friend the man who generally does not get the girl. Last year TCM showed a night of his films. I don’t remember them all off hand except Carefree with Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire.
In Trade Winds he plays a police detective investigating a murder. He finds Joan’s purse and gloves in the apartment. He is a by the book detective who drinks milk (alcohol is only accepted for medicinal purposes). He has a deep voice and seems like Clark Kent, complete with eye glasses. Joan Bennett is the woman who shoots the man, but based on the coroners report she didn’t kill him. Ralph and Frederick March go after her. Ralph wears a variety of hats while March seldom is seen in a hat, but has a blonde on his arm. Joan has died her hair black (she looks just like Hedy Lamarr) and goes by an assumed name. Ralph finds her and handcuffs her in his room. It is actually Ann Sothern who is March’s secretary he has handcuffed. March introduces her Dr. Livingston, and Ralph calls her that though the whole film. On the boat to Singapore March identifies Joan, but Ralph does not.
March spends time with Joan. You can’t tell if he is after her for the reward money, the chase or if he has really fallen in love with her, even after she has found out who he is and knows he knows who she is really. When Ralph finally figures out who Joan really is, he contacts the San Francisco office to find out what to do. The office cables back to turn the girl over in Bombay when the boat docks. March tricks Ralph (who ends up blocking an innocent woman in the ladies shower) and Ann is turned in instead of Joan. Ralph gets Ann free and they go after the other couple. March has purchased a suite on another boat back to Singapore. Ralph and Ann get to the ship and the ship pulls from the dock. March sent them a cable to state have a good time. Ralph very shyly states that since she has identified them as a married couple they should get married. She agrees. March and Joan go away but are caught and go back to San Francisco.
In jail Ralph tries to give Joan her gloves back, but she states they are not hers. He takes them back to March who states he thought that and is having a party that night for the 6 women (besides Joan’s sister) and their husbands who were involved with the murdered man. Ralph assists March with the capture. At the end he is sitting with his legs on Ann’s desk outside of March’s office a different man.
“What does he look like?” she asks
“He looks like that fellow from the movies, Ralph Bellamy” Gary states.
That just cracks me up. Ralph Bellamy played the 2nd man in a woman’s life, the best friend the man who generally does not get the girl. Last year TCM showed a night of his films. I don’t remember them all off hand except Carefree with Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire.
In Trade Winds he plays a police detective investigating a murder. He finds Joan’s purse and gloves in the apartment. He is a by the book detective who drinks milk (alcohol is only accepted for medicinal purposes). He has a deep voice and seems like Clark Kent, complete with eye glasses. Joan Bennett is the woman who shoots the man, but based on the coroners report she didn’t kill him. Ralph and Frederick March go after her. Ralph wears a variety of hats while March seldom is seen in a hat, but has a blonde on his arm. Joan has died her hair black (she looks just like Hedy Lamarr) and goes by an assumed name. Ralph finds her and handcuffs her in his room. It is actually Ann Sothern who is March’s secretary he has handcuffed. March introduces her Dr. Livingston, and Ralph calls her that though the whole film. On the boat to Singapore March identifies Joan, but Ralph does not.
March spends time with Joan. You can’t tell if he is after her for the reward money, the chase or if he has really fallen in love with her, even after she has found out who he is and knows he knows who she is really. When Ralph finally figures out who Joan really is, he contacts the San Francisco office to find out what to do. The office cables back to turn the girl over in Bombay when the boat docks. March tricks Ralph (who ends up blocking an innocent woman in the ladies shower) and Ann is turned in instead of Joan. Ralph gets Ann free and they go after the other couple. March has purchased a suite on another boat back to Singapore. Ralph and Ann get to the ship and the ship pulls from the dock. March sent them a cable to state have a good time. Ralph very shyly states that since she has identified them as a married couple they should get married. She agrees. March and Joan go away but are caught and go back to San Francisco.
In jail Ralph tries to give Joan her gloves back, but she states they are not hers. He takes them back to March who states he thought that and is having a party that night for the 6 women (besides Joan’s sister) and their husbands who were involved with the murdered man. Ralph assists March with the capture. At the end he is sitting with his legs on Ann’s desk outside of March’s office a different man.
Sunday, June 19, 2011
June 17 Ralph Bellamy
Ralph Bellamy played the man who was going to take Rosalind Russell away to get married. Taking her from her ex-husband and boss Gary Grant. When Gary is looking for a way to get rid of Ralph he has a woman go to him.
“What does he look like?” she asks
“He looks like that fellow from the movies, Ralph Bellamy” Gary states.
That just cracks me up. Ralph Bellamy played the 2nd man in a woman’s life, the best friend the man who generally does not get the girl. Last year TCM showed a night of his films. I don’t remember them all off hand except Carefree with Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire.
In Trade Winds he plays a police detective investigating a murder. He finds Joan’s purse and gloves in the apartment. He is a by the book detective who drinks milk (alcohol is only accepted for medicinal purposes). He has a deep voice and seems like Clark Kent, complete with eye glasses. Joan Bennett is the woman who shoots the man, but based on the coroners report she didn’t kill him. Ralph and Frederick March go after her. Ralph wears a variety of hats while March seldom is seen in a hat, but has a blonde on his arm. Joan has died her hair black (she looks just like Hedy Lamarr) and goes by an assumed name. Ralph finds her and handcuffs her in his room. It is actually Ann Sothern who is March’s secretary he has handcuffed. March introduces her Dr. Livingston, and Ralph calls her that though the whole film. On the boat to Singapore March identifies Joan, but Ralph does not.
March spends time with Joan. You can’t tell if he is after her for the reward money, the chase or if he has really fallen in love with her, even after she has found out who he is and knows he knows who she is really. When Ralph finally figures out who Joan really is, he contacts the San Francisco office to find out what to do. The office cables back to turn the girl over in Bombay when the boat docks. March tricks Ralph (who ends up blocking an innocent woman in the ladies shower) and Ann is turned in instead of Joan. Ralph gets Ann free and they go after the other couple. March has purchased a suite on another boat back to Singapore. Ralph and Ann get to the ship and the ship pulls from the dock. March sent them a cable to state have a good time. Ralph very shyly states that since she has identified them as a married couple they should get married. She agrees. March and Joan go away but are caught and go back to San Francisco.
In jail Ralph tries to give Joan her gloves back, but she states they are not hers. He takes them back to March who states he thought that and is having a party that night for the 6 women (besides Joan’s sister) and their husbands who were involved with the murdered man. Ralph assists March with the capture. At the end he is sitting with his legs on Ann’s desk outside of March’s office a different man.
“What does he look like?” she asks
“He looks like that fellow from the movies, Ralph Bellamy” Gary states.
That just cracks me up. Ralph Bellamy played the 2nd man in a woman’s life, the best friend the man who generally does not get the girl. Last year TCM showed a night of his films. I don’t remember them all off hand except Carefree with Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire.
In Trade Winds he plays a police detective investigating a murder. He finds Joan’s purse and gloves in the apartment. He is a by the book detective who drinks milk (alcohol is only accepted for medicinal purposes). He has a deep voice and seems like Clark Kent, complete with eye glasses. Joan Bennett is the woman who shoots the man, but based on the coroners report she didn’t kill him. Ralph and Frederick March go after her. Ralph wears a variety of hats while March seldom is seen in a hat, but has a blonde on his arm. Joan has died her hair black (she looks just like Hedy Lamarr) and goes by an assumed name. Ralph finds her and handcuffs her in his room. It is actually Ann Sothern who is March’s secretary he has handcuffed. March introduces her Dr. Livingston, and Ralph calls her that though the whole film. On the boat to Singapore March identifies Joan, but Ralph does not.
March spends time with Joan. You can’t tell if he is after her for the reward money, the chase or if he has really fallen in love with her, even after she has found out who he is and knows he knows who she is really. When Ralph finally figures out who Joan really is, he contacts the San Francisco office to find out what to do. The office cables back to turn the girl over in Bombay when the boat docks. March tricks Ralph (who ends up blocking an innocent woman in the ladies shower) and Ann is turned in instead of Joan. Ralph gets Ann free and they go after the other couple. March has purchased a suite on another boat back to Singapore. Ralph and Ann get to the ship and the ship pulls from the dock. March sent them a cable to state have a good time. Ralph very shyly states that since she has identified them as a married couple they should get married. She agrees. March and Joan go away but are caught and go back to San Francisco.
In jail Ralph tries to give Joan her gloves back, but she states they are not hers. He takes them back to March who states he thought that and is having a party that night for the 6 women (besides Joan’s sister) and their husbands who were involved with the murdered man. Ralph assists March with the capture. At the end he is sitting with his legs on Ann’s desk outside of March’s office a different man.
June 16 Stan Laurel
Happy Birthday Jack Albertson and Stan Laurel.
To celebrate Stan Laurel’s birthday I watched some of the silent shorts he did early in his career pre Oliver Hardy. The ones I watched, part of the Kino collection, had shorts that he stared in but also ones that he directed. His partner or villain is Jimmy Finlayson for most of the films. One thing I noticed is how animated Mr. Laurel is in the films. In the sound films Mr. Laurel seems to be very controlled, little movement and slight expressions. It could be the difference between silent and the sound films in general. Silent shorts seem to move so fast and everyone has a lot of body movement and facial expressions. Where sound shorts move slower and most movement is closer to the body.
There are several shorts where Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy are in the same film, but they had not yet truly paired. Once they were paired they did silent shorts. I am a big fan of them both, together or separate. Until about 10 years ago I did not know they were in silent films. When I first saw a silent short, Liberty, when they were having a silent conversation and title cards would come up I could hear their voices clearly.
To celebrate Stan Laurel’s birthday I watched some of the silent shorts he did early in his career pre Oliver Hardy. The ones I watched, part of the Kino collection, had shorts that he stared in but also ones that he directed. His partner or villain is Jimmy Finlayson for most of the films. One thing I noticed is how animated Mr. Laurel is in the films. In the sound films Mr. Laurel seems to be very controlled, little movement and slight expressions. It could be the difference between silent and the sound films in general. Silent shorts seem to move so fast and everyone has a lot of body movement and facial expressions. Where sound shorts move slower and most movement is closer to the body.
There are several shorts where Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy are in the same film, but they had not yet truly paired. Once they were paired they did silent shorts. I am a big fan of them both, together or separate. Until about 10 years ago I did not know they were in silent films. When I first saw a silent short, Liberty, when they were having a silent conversation and title cards would come up I could hear their voices clearly.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
June 14 Dorothy McGuire
Happy Birthday Gene Barry, Burl Ives and Dorothy McGuire.
On February 22nd I had a listing that it was Dorothy McGuire’s birthday along with Robert Young. Dorothy McGuire of the McGuire Sisters birthday is February 13th. My information was incorrect. Dorothy McGuire, the actress birthday is June 14 and TCM had a birthday celebration. I watched Till The End of Time. The story is of a group of Marines returning from war. Guy Madison is the main character. He meets war widow Dorothy McGuire through a friend and is attracted to her. When she talked about her husband, she is very matter-of-fact, like she didn’t really care that he was gone. She goes out with a different man, usually a soldier every night. One night Guy sees her kiss a man on her stoop. He is jealous. In her house he calls her a tramp and then leaves. She goes to bed, but doesn’t cry. She is more restless. A short time later he comes back with coffee, as a peace offering and apologizes. They talk and become close and spend time together. One day Dorothy states that she is living on velvet and that Guy is velvet. I don’t get that reference, even though I have seen the Kay Francis film Living on Velvet. Guy is not pleased with that.
Fellow Marine Robert Mitchum is a gambler. He comes to visit Guy to ask for $20 for a big deal. He wants to take Dorothy away to New Mexico to start a ranch. Dorothy does not want to go. At a bar, the soldiers are approached by a group of men who want them to join their organization, but they are “restricted”. This starts a brawl. Robert is gravely hurt and has an operation. After the successful operation Dorothy goes to the hospital to see Guy, they see each other, run towards each other calling each others name when they meet, embrace and kiss.
There is almost something wooden about most of her performance. Maybe it is her voice. It seems very monotone. She doesn’t really stand out in the film. It is definitely Guy Madison’s film, even though Dorothy received top billing.
On February 22nd I had a listing that it was Dorothy McGuire’s birthday along with Robert Young. Dorothy McGuire of the McGuire Sisters birthday is February 13th. My information was incorrect. Dorothy McGuire, the actress birthday is June 14 and TCM had a birthday celebration. I watched Till The End of Time. The story is of a group of Marines returning from war. Guy Madison is the main character. He meets war widow Dorothy McGuire through a friend and is attracted to her. When she talked about her husband, she is very matter-of-fact, like she didn’t really care that he was gone. She goes out with a different man, usually a soldier every night. One night Guy sees her kiss a man on her stoop. He is jealous. In her house he calls her a tramp and then leaves. She goes to bed, but doesn’t cry. She is more restless. A short time later he comes back with coffee, as a peace offering and apologizes. They talk and become close and spend time together. One day Dorothy states that she is living on velvet and that Guy is velvet. I don’t get that reference, even though I have seen the Kay Francis film Living on Velvet. Guy is not pleased with that.
Fellow Marine Robert Mitchum is a gambler. He comes to visit Guy to ask for $20 for a big deal. He wants to take Dorothy away to New Mexico to start a ranch. Dorothy does not want to go. At a bar, the soldiers are approached by a group of men who want them to join their organization, but they are “restricted”. This starts a brawl. Robert is gravely hurt and has an operation. After the successful operation Dorothy goes to the hospital to see Guy, they see each other, run towards each other calling each others name when they meet, embrace and kiss.
There is almost something wooden about most of her performance. Maybe it is her voice. It seems very monotone. She doesn’t really stand out in the film. It is definitely Guy Madison’s film, even though Dorothy received top billing.
June 15 Harry Langdon
I have seen all of the silent features of Harry Langdon and thanks to Hal Roach month in January I was able to see some of his sound shorts to celebrate his birthday. 90% of the shorts that I watched could have been silent films. There were only a few verbal jokes, most were physical gags.
Buster Keaton is my favorite silent film star. There are a lot of similarities at least professionally between Keaton an Langdon. Both are Midwestern (Keaton-Kansas and Langdon-Iowa (I visited Council Bluffs and there is no memorial or plaque)). Both were Vaudeville stars. Both had film mentors (Keaton-Roscoe Arbuckle and Langdon-Harold Lloyd). Both were tremendously successful in silent films. Besides staring in the films, they both wrote and directed films. Keaton had his own studio and in my opinion a better director, but Langdon had Frank Capra. When sound came in they both went to small studios to continue to work in films. They both wrote gags and had small parts in major studio films. They both had tremendous respect in the Hollywood community.
Langdon is usually considered fourth after Chaplin, Keaton and Lloyd (in alphabetical order). In this circle, fourth is not bad. There are so many lost silent comedy stars (Raymond Griffith anyone) who most people have not even heard of since their films no longer exist.
Buster Keaton is my favorite silent film star. There are a lot of similarities at least professionally between Keaton an Langdon. Both are Midwestern (Keaton-Kansas and Langdon-Iowa (I visited Council Bluffs and there is no memorial or plaque)). Both were Vaudeville stars. Both had film mentors (Keaton-Roscoe Arbuckle and Langdon-Harold Lloyd). Both were tremendously successful in silent films. Besides staring in the films, they both wrote and directed films. Keaton had his own studio and in my opinion a better director, but Langdon had Frank Capra. When sound came in they both went to small studios to continue to work in films. They both wrote gags and had small parts in major studio films. They both had tremendous respect in the Hollywood community.
Langdon is usually considered fourth after Chaplin, Keaton and Lloyd (in alphabetical order). In this circle, fourth is not bad. There are so many lost silent comedy stars (Raymond Griffith anyone) who most people have not even heard of since their films no longer exist.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
June 13 Basil Rathbone
TCM celebrated Basil Rathbone’s birthday. I watched The Last of Mrs. Cheyney. Basil played an arrogant British lord interested in Norma Shearer. When he goes to leave instead of kissing her hand, he goes down on one knee and lifts up her tulle overskirt and kisses it (I don’t get that but Norma let herself go for a moment and enjoyed it). He plays a seductive charming man who proposes to Norma at a house party. He acts mostly like a gentlemen and very subdued and almost monotone in voice.
When he finds out that Norma’s butler is not really a butler and catches Norma stealing pearls he acts very much like a villain. He becomes a fast talker, devil may care attitude and rogue. He locks the two of them in her room. When she decides to turn herself in, he takes the blame for the situation.
Basil Rathbone is a great actor. Whether he is playing a leading role or supporting role, you are captured by his presence and performance.
The film was done in 1929. An early talking film, with the sound very well done. The Last of Mrs. Cheyney was a play and TCM often shows the later version with Joan Crawford in the Norma Shear role. The 1929 version must be closer to the play. The dialog is slightly different in the beginning in this version than the later one.
When he finds out that Norma’s butler is not really a butler and catches Norma stealing pearls he acts very much like a villain. He becomes a fast talker, devil may care attitude and rogue. He locks the two of them in her room. When she decides to turn herself in, he takes the blame for the situation.
Basil Rathbone is a great actor. Whether he is playing a leading role or supporting role, you are captured by his presence and performance.
The film was done in 1929. An early talking film, with the sound very well done. The Last of Mrs. Cheyney was a play and TCM often shows the later version with Joan Crawford in the Norma Shear role. The 1929 version must be closer to the play. The dialog is slightly different in the beginning in this version than the later one.
Monday, June 13, 2011
June 11 Gene Wilder
Happy Birthday Chad Everett and Gene Wilder.
To celebrate Gene Wilder’s birthday I watched The Little Prince. I wanted to watch a film I had not seen and as I was looking up information, I have seen 80-85% of Gene Wilder’s work and read several novels he has written. In The Little Prince I he played a fox. He was very believable as a fox.
I always loved his portrayal of Willie Wonka. The mysterious, secretive, witty, charming and strange chocolate maker. My favorite scene is where firsts takes them into the factory. It is like a wonderland. Like many films it played once a year on network or cable from the late 1970‘s til today. The opening with the candy making over the credits, the wonderful music, the Ompalumba’s (which is probably not spelled correctly) and the moral tale that each character portrays. I had the book and let a friend borrow it, she never returned it. I did not care for the non musical remake. The heart and soul were there but the body was missing.
I remember the first time I saw the original The Producers with Gene Wilder and Zero Mostel. I was too young to appreciate the song Springtime for Hitler, the Nazi and various jokes but I thought it was funny. I really liked the editing of the Broadway show opening. Gene Wilder was great as a grown man with blue blanket and becoming hysterical. The film has my favorite scene of all time. Zero is trying to convince Gene to go into producing and they are at Kennedy Center at night. Gene stands on the fountain saying “I want everything I’ve ever seen in the movies” the music swells and the fountain waters go to the sky and then he skips along the edge of the fountain. I was fortunate enough to see a traveling tour of the show and the fountain is in the stage version.
In 1989 my dad and I went to see See No Evil/Hear No Evil. If I remember right it was the first month of release and my dad and I were the only one in the theater. He didn’t really want to see the film but there wasn’t anything else up he did want to see. We were the only two people in the theater. Everything he sees or hears about Gene Wilder or Richard Pryor he brings up the fact we saw that and were the only two people in the theater. The movie was ok. It is a nice memory that he will remember the two of us together, so I in turn think of the two of us together.
To celebrate Gene Wilder’s birthday I watched The Little Prince. I wanted to watch a film I had not seen and as I was looking up information, I have seen 80-85% of Gene Wilder’s work and read several novels he has written. In The Little Prince I he played a fox. He was very believable as a fox.
I always loved his portrayal of Willie Wonka. The mysterious, secretive, witty, charming and strange chocolate maker. My favorite scene is where firsts takes them into the factory. It is like a wonderland. Like many films it played once a year on network or cable from the late 1970‘s til today. The opening with the candy making over the credits, the wonderful music, the Ompalumba’s (which is probably not spelled correctly) and the moral tale that each character portrays. I had the book and let a friend borrow it, she never returned it. I did not care for the non musical remake. The heart and soul were there but the body was missing.
I remember the first time I saw the original The Producers with Gene Wilder and Zero Mostel. I was too young to appreciate the song Springtime for Hitler, the Nazi and various jokes but I thought it was funny. I really liked the editing of the Broadway show opening. Gene Wilder was great as a grown man with blue blanket and becoming hysterical. The film has my favorite scene of all time. Zero is trying to convince Gene to go into producing and they are at Kennedy Center at night. Gene stands on the fountain saying “I want everything I’ve ever seen in the movies” the music swells and the fountain waters go to the sky and then he skips along the edge of the fountain. I was fortunate enough to see a traveling tour of the show and the fountain is in the stage version.
In 1989 my dad and I went to see See No Evil/Hear No Evil. If I remember right it was the first month of release and my dad and I were the only one in the theater. He didn’t really want to see the film but there wasn’t anything else up he did want to see. We were the only two people in the theater. Everything he sees or hears about Gene Wilder or Richard Pryor he brings up the fact we saw that and were the only two people in the theater. The movie was ok. It is a nice memory that he will remember the two of us together, so I in turn think of the two of us together.
June 12 Priscilla Lane
Happy Birthday Priscilla Lane, Richard Sherman, Vic Damon and Jim Nabors.
To celebrate Priscilla Lane’s birthday I watched Blues In The Night. A film noir with music and great montages. Priscilla plays a singer who goes by the name of Character and is married to trumpet player Jack Carson. They meet up with a trio and become a unit. She is the lone female and the only pale face and blonde. When she is with the group she is often in the center and stands out like a bright light. She has a great singing voice and sense of rhythm. The character is “with child” even though she does not look at all pregnant, but if you can’t say it, you can’t really show it either. The character might be in love with another of the band members or it might just be a sisterly/friendship type of love.
To celebrate Priscilla Lane’s birthday I watched Blues In The Night. A film noir with music and great montages. Priscilla plays a singer who goes by the name of Character and is married to trumpet player Jack Carson. They meet up with a trio and become a unit. She is the lone female and the only pale face and blonde. When she is with the group she is often in the center and stands out like a bright light. She has a great singing voice and sense of rhythm. The character is “with child” even though she does not look at all pregnant, but if you can’t say it, you can’t really show it either. The character might be in love with another of the band members or it might just be a sisterly/friendship type of love.
Saturday, June 11, 2011
June 9 Cole Porter
To celebrate Cole Porter’s birthday I watched Silk Stockings. The 1957 film is based on the 1955 Broadway musical suggested by Ninotchka. Cole Porter wrote the music and lyrics for the Broadway musical and a few new songs for the movie. For a musical there is everything in this film: jazz, ballet, long songs, samba, Broadway and rock and role. It is great to see Peter Lorre sing and dance in a film. The film stars Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse (as Ninotchka) and Janis Page.
Some of the songs, I don’t know all the titles, song lyrics in quotes:
Too Bad We Can’t Go Back to Russia (Samba beat)
“Urge to merge with the splurge of the spring”
Stereophonic Sound - chorus “glorious Technicolor, breathtaking cinemascope and stereophonic sound”
“Hey diddle diddle with middle class kisses”
Look of You - “It’s not a passing fancy or a fancy pass”
Satin & Silk (jazz seduction)
Josephine - “Agitating eyes, titillating thighs, lubricating lips, undulating hips, real cool and low”
Siberia (irony cheery song, with a sad actual meaning)
Red Blues (Broadway style climatic number)
Ritz, roll and rock - “all they do around the clock”
Silk Stockings (ballet)
Fated To Be Mated (movie style dancing)
On the DVD there was a short film Paree, Paree. Staring Bob Hope with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. Bob Hope sings You Do Something To Me and the song Primitive Man is featured with a French Apache dance.
Some of the songs, I don’t know all the titles, song lyrics in quotes:
Too Bad We Can’t Go Back to Russia (Samba beat)
“Urge to merge with the splurge of the spring”
Stereophonic Sound - chorus “glorious Technicolor, breathtaking cinemascope and stereophonic sound”
“Hey diddle diddle with middle class kisses”
Look of You - “It’s not a passing fancy or a fancy pass”
Satin & Silk (jazz seduction)
Josephine - “Agitating eyes, titillating thighs, lubricating lips, undulating hips, real cool and low”
Siberia (irony cheery song, with a sad actual meaning)
Red Blues (Broadway style climatic number)
Ritz, roll and rock - “all they do around the clock”
Silk Stockings (ballet)
Fated To Be Mated (movie style dancing)
On the DVD there was a short film Paree, Paree. Staring Bob Hope with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. Bob Hope sings You Do Something To Me and the song Primitive Man is featured with a French Apache dance.
June 10 Judy Garland
Happy Birthday Judy Garland, June Haver, Robert Cummings and Sussue Hayakawa.
TCM celebrated Judy Garland’s birthday. I watched Everybody Sing. Allen Jones received first credit, but to me this is Judy’s film with Fanny Brice not too far off. I have never seen Fanny Brice in a film, so it is nice to see her in her element. She has a great number Delicate.
Judy plays a teenager who is expelled from school due to corrupting the school by singing jazz instead of the staid classical style music. She goes home and her theatrical parents are getting ready for a new show, but their backer pulls out and they don’t have any money. Judy deciding to help her family sings at a café. When the family finds out the father decides to scrape up money to send her on a trip to Europe with a family friend. On the boat Judy gives her friend letters to mail and gets off the boat. She auditions in blackface (with a believable southern accent) for a show, but Allen Jones, her family’s former cook recognizes her. He is going to take her home, but she convinces him to let her sing in the show to help her family. Fanny Brice the family housekeeper delivers a note to Allen and sees Judy. She tries to take her home, but Judy cons her into performing. In the musical Judy performs as a boy in a Baby Snooks skit. She gets to sing in a big number where it is just like at the school. The number starts very soft and melodic and she goes into jazz. The family realize that she is on stage and go after her. At the end of the play Billie Burke, who plays the mother is on stage and takes a bow. She has to be dragged behind the curtain by her husband. It is a fun 1930’s innocent musical. I think you can really see the great timing, song and comedic style that Judy has at a very young age. She has such a strong voice.
TCM celebrated Judy Garland’s birthday. I watched Everybody Sing. Allen Jones received first credit, but to me this is Judy’s film with Fanny Brice not too far off. I have never seen Fanny Brice in a film, so it is nice to see her in her element. She has a great number Delicate.
Judy plays a teenager who is expelled from school due to corrupting the school by singing jazz instead of the staid classical style music. She goes home and her theatrical parents are getting ready for a new show, but their backer pulls out and they don’t have any money. Judy deciding to help her family sings at a café. When the family finds out the father decides to scrape up money to send her on a trip to Europe with a family friend. On the boat Judy gives her friend letters to mail and gets off the boat. She auditions in blackface (with a believable southern accent) for a show, but Allen Jones, her family’s former cook recognizes her. He is going to take her home, but she convinces him to let her sing in the show to help her family. Fanny Brice the family housekeeper delivers a note to Allen and sees Judy. She tries to take her home, but Judy cons her into performing. In the musical Judy performs as a boy in a Baby Snooks skit. She gets to sing in a big number where it is just like at the school. The number starts very soft and melodic and she goes into jazz. The family realize that she is on stage and go after her. At the end of the play Billie Burke, who plays the mother is on stage and takes a bow. She has to be dragged behind the curtain by her husband. It is a fun 1930’s innocent musical. I think you can really see the great timing, song and comedic style that Judy has at a very young age. She has such a strong voice.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
June 8 Alexis Smith
Happy Birthday Robert Preston and Alexis Smith.
TCM celebrated Alexis Smith’s birthday. I watched Whiplash. The film stars Dane Clark as an artist turned boxer. It is during a fight that he flashes back to the beach. Alexis buys his painting and Dane goes to see her to give the money back. He is in her bungalow (sniffing her perfume) when she comes back from the beach. They talk and agree to go out. They go out and later swim at that beach. She goes away. She is married to Zachary Scott but has fallen in love with Dane. She is blackmailed by Zachary to stay with him. When they go out Alexis sings along with the piano player. Dane has a strange expression on his face. I can’t quite tell if it is surprise, admiration or lust. Maybe it is a combination of all three. In the intimate setting her voice is fine. Later when Dane finds her again she is singing in a night club. The song is not the best for her deep voice, but is ok. Dane lights a cigarette so when she looks out at the audience she sees him.
At first I thought Alexis had a hard face. It might be more of a lived in face of a woman who has faced hard time. Whether that is acting real life I don’t know, but it is affective. It could also be the late 1940 straight shouldered clothing and tempered waist clothing that enhances that. She looks very angular.
I don’t know if the film would be considered Noir, but it has elements. It is a romance, with boxing, blackmail, tortured souls and strong personalities.
TCM celebrated Alexis Smith’s birthday. I watched Whiplash. The film stars Dane Clark as an artist turned boxer. It is during a fight that he flashes back to the beach. Alexis buys his painting and Dane goes to see her to give the money back. He is in her bungalow (sniffing her perfume) when she comes back from the beach. They talk and agree to go out. They go out and later swim at that beach. She goes away. She is married to Zachary Scott but has fallen in love with Dane. She is blackmailed by Zachary to stay with him. When they go out Alexis sings along with the piano player. Dane has a strange expression on his face. I can’t quite tell if it is surprise, admiration or lust. Maybe it is a combination of all three. In the intimate setting her voice is fine. Later when Dane finds her again she is singing in a night club. The song is not the best for her deep voice, but is ok. Dane lights a cigarette so when she looks out at the audience she sees him.
At first I thought Alexis had a hard face. It might be more of a lived in face of a woman who has faced hard time. Whether that is acting real life I don’t know, but it is affective. It could also be the late 1940 straight shouldered clothing and tempered waist clothing that enhances that. She looks very angular.
I don’t know if the film would be considered Noir, but it has elements. It is a romance, with boxing, blackmail, tortured souls and strong personalities.
June 7 Dean Martin
Happy Birthday Dean Martin & Jessica Tandy
TCM celebrated the one and only Dean Martin with a celebration of his films. I have been a big fan of his but until recently I have not seen many films he did after the duo breakup with Jerry Lewis. I watched the original Ocean’s 11. What a great film. The first hour is introducing the individuals and seeing how they react to one another. The 11 are members of WWII paratroopers. The rest is the plotting, planning and the vault heist of 5 major Las Vegas casinos. Dean Martin is very serious, low key in the role. When Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin first see each other in the film, Frank asks Dean how he is and Dean replies “Same as always. I move, I breathe, I see the fear, the thrill of life along the keel” and later “Wherever I go people stare at me in dumb admiration.” Those are great lines. Both he and Sammy Davis Jr. sing, Frank does not. Dean is the lone decent to the plan. He doesn’t think it can be done. Since everyone else is going along with the plan, Dean does too.
I have an old DVR version that had Frank Sinatra Jr. introducing the film with Robert Osborne. Robert said that he knew the members as The Clan. The term Rat Pat was a derogatory term created by people that did not like them. The clan was working at night get off around 1:30-2 get into makeup and do the scenes in the casino. It is very interesting to see the classic Las Vegas. The 60’s decor and white Christmas trees (the heist takes place at midnight New Years Eve). Everything is about timing in the film. When the planning and heist is going on, they go from hotel to hotel in a very smoothly transitioned edit.
All the actors are very good in the film. Richard Conte got the short end of the stick in the final credits. He has the final hurrah in the film, but he is not walking in the end with the rest of the characters. Each actor has his name listed and the character that he played. As they are walking along the strip they pass the sign where they are playing. The marquee has Frank, Dean, Sammy and Joey’s name listed.
TCM celebrated the one and only Dean Martin with a celebration of his films. I have been a big fan of his but until recently I have not seen many films he did after the duo breakup with Jerry Lewis. I watched the original Ocean’s 11. What a great film. The first hour is introducing the individuals and seeing how they react to one another. The 11 are members of WWII paratroopers. The rest is the plotting, planning and the vault heist of 5 major Las Vegas casinos. Dean Martin is very serious, low key in the role. When Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin first see each other in the film, Frank asks Dean how he is and Dean replies “Same as always. I move, I breathe, I see the fear, the thrill of life along the keel” and later “Wherever I go people stare at me in dumb admiration.” Those are great lines. Both he and Sammy Davis Jr. sing, Frank does not. Dean is the lone decent to the plan. He doesn’t think it can be done. Since everyone else is going along with the plan, Dean does too.
I have an old DVR version that had Frank Sinatra Jr. introducing the film with Robert Osborne. Robert said that he knew the members as The Clan. The term Rat Pat was a derogatory term created by people that did not like them. The clan was working at night get off around 1:30-2 get into makeup and do the scenes in the casino. It is very interesting to see the classic Las Vegas. The 60’s decor and white Christmas trees (the heist takes place at midnight New Years Eve). Everything is about timing in the film. When the planning and heist is going on, they go from hotel to hotel in a very smoothly transitioned edit.
All the actors are very good in the film. Richard Conte got the short end of the stick in the final credits. He has the final hurrah in the film, but he is not walking in the end with the rest of the characters. Each actor has his name listed and the character that he played. As they are walking along the strip they pass the sign where they are playing. The marquee has Frank, Dean, Sammy and Joey’s name listed.
June 6 Paul Giamatti
Happy Birthday Harvey Fierstein & Paul Giamatti.
To celebrate Paul Giamatti’s birthday I watched Duets. Paul plays a business man who travels so much he doesn’t know what city he is in. He goes to a meeting in Texas and the meeting is Florida. When he gets home his wife and children hardly acknowledge his existence. He goes out for cigarettes. He doesn’t smoke. He goes into a hotel to use his miles and he there are no rooms with points available. He goes into the bar and sees a woman singing. After she sings he tells her how good she sang and she explains karaoke. He states that he was in mental jail. He hesitates but after a pill and a kiss he goes onstage and sings. He does well and is happy. He is wearing his suit and tie with a conservative flat hair cut. The next time we see him his speeding along a desert highway driving all over the road with an earring and looser hair style, jacket and tie gone. He stops to pick up hitch hiker Andre Braugher. They go to stop at a bar and sing karaoke. They win the contest and can go to Omaha for the big contest. Paul gives Andre driving lessons since he can’t drive and Andre is uncomfortable with stoned Paul. Paul finds a gun in the car. They stop for the night and Paul tries to use his points. The points expired the day before. He pulls a gun an aims it at the man. Andre tries to talk the gun away. Paul fires at the wall, the couch and centerpiece. Andre drags Paul out. They stop for gas and Paul stoned puts on a face mask and sunglasses and pulls the gun on the clerk. Andre asleep in the car wakes up to shooting. He goes in the store and tries to get the gun away from Paul. As Paul is distracted the clerk goes over and gets his gun. There are more shots fired. The next scene is of them driving. Andre sees the picture of the family and at a gas station he calls Paul’s wife to meet them in Omaha. They meet but he goes on and she leaves. He once again tries to use his points at the hotel, but there is no room available.
At the contest Andre sings with no music and dedicates the song to his friend who taught him how to drive. As he sings it is dead quiet and the police come in. After he sings he pulls a gun and aims at the police who shoot him. Andre’s last breath tells Paul “go home”. After everyone has left he sits alone and his wife comes in. She gives him a pack of cigarettes. He states he can’t go back to his old life, that he is different. He sings to her. As he and his wife are at a plane ticketing agent he asks if he can use his points and he is told yes they take the points.
I remember when the film me out and it didn’t seem very interesting to me. I really enjoyed the story. The singing was ok. There were a few surprises in the karaoke contest. There were a lot of long shots. When Paul was in the wrong meeting the camera follows him all around the room and back. When Paul is home the camera follows him in the door, to see his family, up the stairs around the bedroom, with very little cutting or close ups.
Paul has a very challenging role. He is staid, ordinary, happy, stoned, confused, frustrated, indifferent, angry and lost. I feel like he has been around forever. I didn’t originally have anything scheduled today, a 2nd day in a row. I found new site and Paul and Harvey were listed. Paul is a year younger than I, which I couldn’t believe. I feel so much younger than I am. Paul is also featured in The Hangover Part II. He is very good in his small role.
To celebrate Paul Giamatti’s birthday I watched Duets. Paul plays a business man who travels so much he doesn’t know what city he is in. He goes to a meeting in Texas and the meeting is Florida. When he gets home his wife and children hardly acknowledge his existence. He goes out for cigarettes. He doesn’t smoke. He goes into a hotel to use his miles and he there are no rooms with points available. He goes into the bar and sees a woman singing. After she sings he tells her how good she sang and she explains karaoke. He states that he was in mental jail. He hesitates but after a pill and a kiss he goes onstage and sings. He does well and is happy. He is wearing his suit and tie with a conservative flat hair cut. The next time we see him his speeding along a desert highway driving all over the road with an earring and looser hair style, jacket and tie gone. He stops to pick up hitch hiker Andre Braugher. They go to stop at a bar and sing karaoke. They win the contest and can go to Omaha for the big contest. Paul gives Andre driving lessons since he can’t drive and Andre is uncomfortable with stoned Paul. Paul finds a gun in the car. They stop for the night and Paul tries to use his points. The points expired the day before. He pulls a gun an aims it at the man. Andre tries to talk the gun away. Paul fires at the wall, the couch and centerpiece. Andre drags Paul out. They stop for gas and Paul stoned puts on a face mask and sunglasses and pulls the gun on the clerk. Andre asleep in the car wakes up to shooting. He goes in the store and tries to get the gun away from Paul. As Paul is distracted the clerk goes over and gets his gun. There are more shots fired. The next scene is of them driving. Andre sees the picture of the family and at a gas station he calls Paul’s wife to meet them in Omaha. They meet but he goes on and she leaves. He once again tries to use his points at the hotel, but there is no room available.
At the contest Andre sings with no music and dedicates the song to his friend who taught him how to drive. As he sings it is dead quiet and the police come in. After he sings he pulls a gun and aims at the police who shoot him. Andre’s last breath tells Paul “go home”. After everyone has left he sits alone and his wife comes in. She gives him a pack of cigarettes. He states he can’t go back to his old life, that he is different. He sings to her. As he and his wife are at a plane ticketing agent he asks if he can use his points and he is told yes they take the points.
I remember when the film me out and it didn’t seem very interesting to me. I really enjoyed the story. The singing was ok. There were a few surprises in the karaoke contest. There were a lot of long shots. When Paul was in the wrong meeting the camera follows him all around the room and back. When Paul is home the camera follows him in the door, to see his family, up the stairs around the bedroom, with very little cutting or close ups.
Paul has a very challenging role. He is staid, ordinary, happy, stoned, confused, frustrated, indifferent, angry and lost. I feel like he has been around forever. I didn’t originally have anything scheduled today, a 2nd day in a row. I found new site and Paul and Harvey were listed. Paul is a year younger than I, which I couldn’t believe. I feel so much younger than I am. Paul is also featured in The Hangover Part II. He is very good in his small role.
Monday, June 6, 2011
June 5 Katherine Helmond
Happy Birthday Katherine Helmond and Mark Wahlburg.
To celebrate Katherine Helmond’s birthday I watched the first season of Soap. I was a preteen when the original series aired, but I remember watching it. If I remember right the last part of the final season did not air in Toledo OH where I lived at that time. A lot of the story was over my head and later on things got strange, but I enjoyed it. My favorite character was Benson portrayed by Robert Guillaume. I also liked ventriloquist Jay Johnson, who came along later in the first season. Almost every story line from day/night dramas and real life were in this series.
Katherine played Jessica Tate the matriarch of the rich family. She was like butterfly, but the heart of the family. She seemed like she was clueless about what was going on, but actually was in denial. Once she accepted what was going on, she was a stronger person.
To celebrate Katherine Helmond’s birthday I watched the first season of Soap. I was a preteen when the original series aired, but I remember watching it. If I remember right the last part of the final season did not air in Toledo OH where I lived at that time. A lot of the story was over my head and later on things got strange, but I enjoyed it. My favorite character was Benson portrayed by Robert Guillaume. I also liked ventriloquist Jay Johnson, who came along later in the first season. Almost every story line from day/night dramas and real life were in this series.
Katherine played Jessica Tate the matriarch of the rich family. She was like butterfly, but the heart of the family. She seemed like she was clueless about what was going on, but actually was in denial. Once she accepted what was going on, she was a stronger person.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
June 4 Rosalind Russell
Happy Birthday Rosalind Russell and my friend Carol.
TCM celebrated Rosalind Russell’s birthday last month with a movie celebration. I watched Never Wave At A WAC. It is Korean War version of Private Benjamin. Rosalind played a divorced Washington DC socialite, who is also the daughter of a senator. She is involved with a military man stationed in France. She decides to join the WAC so she can be stationed their also. Her ex-husband played by Paul Douglas is an inventor who creates weather resistant clothing for the army. When he sees her on base he decides he needs her for his weather experiments. She is put in blizzard like environment several times to test coats, sleeping bags and walking. Then she is forced through rain during an obstacle course. Each time she is issued a 6 hour pass, but has it revoked due to the experiment. Her boyfriend is stateside and comes to visit her each time. Her ex-husband keeps her busy so she can’t take a leave. During the raining part she has a breakdown and decides to separate from the WAC. After a board decision she is approved to leave. As she is packing her items her group graduates and she is very proud of them. As she is leaving with her boyfriend a group of new WAC members are coming on base. She gets out of the car and gets on board with the new WAC members.
Rosalind Russell is the true star of the film, but the film is carried away by Marie Wilson. She plays a showgirl/model who is fed up with men pawing her and joins the WAC. She wants to work in intelligence. She wanted to be a girl spy. “Give my country what I’ve got”. She becomes friends with Rosalind and goes on the same experiments. A man chases her around and blackmails her into going out with him, he has copies of her calendar pin-ups. After she graduates she does get a job in intelligence and gets engaged to the man who pursued her.
Rosalind Russell is a TCM favorite. There are several days each year devoted to her films. The Front Page is on next week and last month they showed probably her most famous film “Auntie Mame”. A great film. My favorite part is when Mame has a role in a play.
TCM celebrated Rosalind Russell’s birthday last month with a movie celebration. I watched Never Wave At A WAC. It is Korean War version of Private Benjamin. Rosalind played a divorced Washington DC socialite, who is also the daughter of a senator. She is involved with a military man stationed in France. She decides to join the WAC so she can be stationed their also. Her ex-husband played by Paul Douglas is an inventor who creates weather resistant clothing for the army. When he sees her on base he decides he needs her for his weather experiments. She is put in blizzard like environment several times to test coats, sleeping bags and walking. Then she is forced through rain during an obstacle course. Each time she is issued a 6 hour pass, but has it revoked due to the experiment. Her boyfriend is stateside and comes to visit her each time. Her ex-husband keeps her busy so she can’t take a leave. During the raining part she has a breakdown and decides to separate from the WAC. After a board decision she is approved to leave. As she is packing her items her group graduates and she is very proud of them. As she is leaving with her boyfriend a group of new WAC members are coming on base. She gets out of the car and gets on board with the new WAC members.
Rosalind Russell is the true star of the film, but the film is carried away by Marie Wilson. She plays a showgirl/model who is fed up with men pawing her and joins the WAC. She wants to work in intelligence. She wanted to be a girl spy. “Give my country what I’ve got”. She becomes friends with Rosalind and goes on the same experiments. A man chases her around and blackmails her into going out with him, he has copies of her calendar pin-ups. After she graduates she does get a job in intelligence and gets engaged to the man who pursued her.
Rosalind Russell is a TCM favorite. There are several days each year devoted to her films. The Front Page is on next week and last month they showed probably her most famous film “Auntie Mame”. A great film. My favorite part is when Mame has a role in a play.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
June 3 Tony Curtis
Happy Birthday Paulette Goddard, Tony Curtis, Leo Gorcy and Josephine Baker.
TCM celebrated Tny Curtis’s birthday. I watched Don’t Make Waves. It is a swinging beach story. The opening is a cartoon montage of a car crossing the country with cuts of bikini clad women subliminally inserted. Tony Curtis is a man who drives to a look out over the ocean to eat his lunch. He sits on a wall and sees a woman painting, who looses control of her easel and in frustration throws her painting in the ocean. The woman, Claudia Cardinale, packs up and leaves. The bumper of her car then hits Tony’s car, a red Volkswagen bug an the car starts to go down the road. Tony tries to stop the car, but fails and it goes over the road. It ends up upside down right next to Claudia’s car on the road and into a van full of surfers. Tony follows the car down, he is battered but basically unharmed. Claudia lights a cigarette which catches the papers fallen out of the car on fire, which then spreads to the car. Everything Tony had was gone. Claudia takes him back to her apartment to get the insurance papers. She can’t find them. Since Tony has no where to go she invites him to spend the night on her couch. While they are a sleep, her benefactor comes to see her. Tony hides but he is caught. Tony goes to sleep on the beach. He goes into to the water to swim and get clean, but is caught by the surfboards. Sharon Tate rescues him. She is a girl of one of the surfers with the van from earlier.
The story kind of goes down hill after that. Claudia’s benefactor, who is married, owns a pool company, a specialized pool company. Tony goes to his office to get everything the man has by working for him. He gets a house and has a pool installed. It is rainy season in California. Tony notices a large crack in the pool. He tries to get assistance from the fire and police department but can’t get the help he needs. At is house is all the cast of characters. Tony, Claudia, her benefactor, his (soon to be ex) wife, Sharon and her boyfriend. The pool breaks off and slides down the hill. The front door is stuck and won’t open. The house partially slides to the right. They pry the door off and mud slides into the room. The house then flips to the left and then upside down. Later the house slides down further the hill and lands right side up. Everyone gets out safely. Tony and Claudia go off into the sunset.
The Bryds sing the opening theme song. There are women in bed topless, there are body building men in shorts, Tony Curtis often only in his boxer shorts and bikini clad women. It is a beach story but it is an adult version which you will not find innocent Frankie and Annette. To me the best part was the beginning and the end.
TCM celebrated Tny Curtis’s birthday. I watched Don’t Make Waves. It is a swinging beach story. The opening is a cartoon montage of a car crossing the country with cuts of bikini clad women subliminally inserted. Tony Curtis is a man who drives to a look out over the ocean to eat his lunch. He sits on a wall and sees a woman painting, who looses control of her easel and in frustration throws her painting in the ocean. The woman, Claudia Cardinale, packs up and leaves. The bumper of her car then hits Tony’s car, a red Volkswagen bug an the car starts to go down the road. Tony tries to stop the car, but fails and it goes over the road. It ends up upside down right next to Claudia’s car on the road and into a van full of surfers. Tony follows the car down, he is battered but basically unharmed. Claudia lights a cigarette which catches the papers fallen out of the car on fire, which then spreads to the car. Everything Tony had was gone. Claudia takes him back to her apartment to get the insurance papers. She can’t find them. Since Tony has no where to go she invites him to spend the night on her couch. While they are a sleep, her benefactor comes to see her. Tony hides but he is caught. Tony goes to sleep on the beach. He goes into to the water to swim and get clean, but is caught by the surfboards. Sharon Tate rescues him. She is a girl of one of the surfers with the van from earlier.
The story kind of goes down hill after that. Claudia’s benefactor, who is married, owns a pool company, a specialized pool company. Tony goes to his office to get everything the man has by working for him. He gets a house and has a pool installed. It is rainy season in California. Tony notices a large crack in the pool. He tries to get assistance from the fire and police department but can’t get the help he needs. At is house is all the cast of characters. Tony, Claudia, her benefactor, his (soon to be ex) wife, Sharon and her boyfriend. The pool breaks off and slides down the hill. The front door is stuck and won’t open. The house partially slides to the right. They pry the door off and mud slides into the room. The house then flips to the left and then upside down. Later the house slides down further the hill and lands right side up. Everyone gets out safely. Tony and Claudia go off into the sunset.
The Bryds sing the opening theme song. There are women in bed topless, there are body building men in shorts, Tony Curtis often only in his boxer shorts and bikini clad women. It is a beach story but it is an adult version which you will not find innocent Frankie and Annette. To me the best part was the beginning and the end.
Friday, June 3, 2011
June 2 Johnny Weissmuller
Happy Birthday Jerry Mathers, Marvin Hamlish, Sally Kellerman and Johnny Weissmuller.
To celebrate Johnny Weissmuller’s birthday I watched Tarzan’s New York Adventure. Johnny plays Tarzan and Maureen O’Sullivan in her last Jane role. A plane expedition comes to Africa. Tarzan gives them a day to get out. The next day Boy goes to see the plane. One of the men wants to take him back, but the pilot tells Boy to leave. Boy saves one of the men’s life. They are attacked by natives. Boy calls for Tarzan. Tarzan and Jane go to Boy. The natives break the chain and they fall 20-100 feet. Natives then set fire to the area where they fell. Boy goes with the men thinking his parents are dead. Cheetah rescues Tarzan and Jane and tell them that Boy is gone. Tarzan, Jane and Cheetah walk across Africa to the closest city to find the plane. Pilot is headed for New York City. They exchange gold for money. Get clothing, Tarzan has to have his special made, being twice the size of the natives. The tape measure is not long enough to go from wrist to wrist. He finds it itchy. They take a mail plane to New York City, the stone jungle. In a cab Cheetah turns on the radio where Tarzan thinks the opera singer is crying for help. In the hotel room, Tarzan takes a shower with his cloths on. At a restaurant Tarzan opens the door for Jane, that is modern manners not something learned in the jungle. They track Boy down to a circus. Another circus offered a lot of money for Boy. The man who took Boy takes him away so that Tarzan can’t get him. Legally Boy belongs to the man who brought him in the country. They have to fight in court. Tarzan has to take the stand. The judge states that Tarzan “no savage, uniquely civilized”. When the attorney starts to badger Jane, Tarzan gets upset and picks up the lawyer and throws him in the empty jury box. He is held for contempt of court in another room.
Tarzan has to get Boy. He goes through a closed window, out the ledge to climb up to the roof. While being chased around roofs by police he climbs down a drain pipe to the ground. He gets a cab to take him to the circus. The police stop him at the Brooklyn Bridge. Tarzan climbs up the side with bystanders cheering him on. When he is surrounded by police, he takes off his jacket (the crowd gasps) he jumps in the water. I don’t know if this was a stuntman, dummy or staged, but there was a little splash. Tarzan gets to the circus and climbs the top of the outside of the tent. Tarzan gets trapped in the safety net. He is put in an empty animal cage. He calls to the elephants. They are chained. They pull up their stakes and pull at the bars of the cage. Tarzan has the elephants stampede to stop the car with the men who have taken Boy. Tarzan gets Boy from the car right before the car crashes.
Johnny played Tarzan 11 times in 16 years. During his run as Tarzan he could not play any other role. Wbshop.com/archive has recently released some of his non Tarzan films.
To celebrate Johnny Weissmuller’s birthday I watched Tarzan’s New York Adventure. Johnny plays Tarzan and Maureen O’Sullivan in her last Jane role. A plane expedition comes to Africa. Tarzan gives them a day to get out. The next day Boy goes to see the plane. One of the men wants to take him back, but the pilot tells Boy to leave. Boy saves one of the men’s life. They are attacked by natives. Boy calls for Tarzan. Tarzan and Jane go to Boy. The natives break the chain and they fall 20-100 feet. Natives then set fire to the area where they fell. Boy goes with the men thinking his parents are dead. Cheetah rescues Tarzan and Jane and tell them that Boy is gone. Tarzan, Jane and Cheetah walk across Africa to the closest city to find the plane. Pilot is headed for New York City. They exchange gold for money. Get clothing, Tarzan has to have his special made, being twice the size of the natives. The tape measure is not long enough to go from wrist to wrist. He finds it itchy. They take a mail plane to New York City, the stone jungle. In a cab Cheetah turns on the radio where Tarzan thinks the opera singer is crying for help. In the hotel room, Tarzan takes a shower with his cloths on. At a restaurant Tarzan opens the door for Jane, that is modern manners not something learned in the jungle. They track Boy down to a circus. Another circus offered a lot of money for Boy. The man who took Boy takes him away so that Tarzan can’t get him. Legally Boy belongs to the man who brought him in the country. They have to fight in court. Tarzan has to take the stand. The judge states that Tarzan “no savage, uniquely civilized”. When the attorney starts to badger Jane, Tarzan gets upset and picks up the lawyer and throws him in the empty jury box. He is held for contempt of court in another room.
Tarzan has to get Boy. He goes through a closed window, out the ledge to climb up to the roof. While being chased around roofs by police he climbs down a drain pipe to the ground. He gets a cab to take him to the circus. The police stop him at the Brooklyn Bridge. Tarzan climbs up the side with bystanders cheering him on. When he is surrounded by police, he takes off his jacket (the crowd gasps) he jumps in the water. I don’t know if this was a stuntman, dummy or staged, but there was a little splash. Tarzan gets to the circus and climbs the top of the outside of the tent. Tarzan gets trapped in the safety net. He is put in an empty animal cage. He calls to the elephants. They are chained. They pull up their stakes and pull at the bars of the cage. Tarzan has the elephants stampede to stop the car with the men who have taken Boy. Tarzan gets Boy from the car right before the car crashes.
Johnny played Tarzan 11 times in 16 years. During his run as Tarzan he could not play any other role. Wbshop.com/archive has recently released some of his non Tarzan films.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
June 1 Frank Morgan
Happy Birthday Rene Auberionois, Morgan Freeman, Frank Morgan, Andy Griffith and Marilyn Monroe.
TCM celebrated Frank Morgan’s birthday. I watched The Nuisance. Frank played an alcoholic doctor who assists shyster lawyer Lee Tracey. Lee gets to an accident before the ambulance. Frank states he will give up drinking, but doesn’t. Frank lies to Lee to get money to by more “cod liver oil”. When Frank is treating a patient he is very confident and sure of himself. He tries to convince Lee how bad one patient is, but Lee doesn’t listen, the man dies. Madge Evans is in a street car accident and works with the DA to get Lee. She is given a clean bill of health by a team of doctors and then goes to see Frank. He declares a problem with the spine. Frank meets up with a man who is getting into the racket and gives him the secret to the x-ray for $500 while under the influence of bourbon. Lee finds out and Frank feels awful. Frank says he wished he was dead so that he couldn’t testify against him. Frank leaves the office and goes out into the street at night. He is hit by a car and dies. Madge feels that she causes Frank’s death and falls for Lee and decides she has to leave town. Lee catches Madge on the train and pulls her off. He finds out that she is working for the other side. In court the next day as the trail turns to Lee’s coercion Lee cross examines Madge and she admits they were married the night before. A wife can’t testify against her husband.
Frank Morgan will probably always be remembered for The Wizard of Oz. He was great in his various roles in that film.
TCM celebrated Frank Morgan’s birthday. I watched The Nuisance. Frank played an alcoholic doctor who assists shyster lawyer Lee Tracey. Lee gets to an accident before the ambulance. Frank states he will give up drinking, but doesn’t. Frank lies to Lee to get money to by more “cod liver oil”. When Frank is treating a patient he is very confident and sure of himself. He tries to convince Lee how bad one patient is, but Lee doesn’t listen, the man dies. Madge Evans is in a street car accident and works with the DA to get Lee. She is given a clean bill of health by a team of doctors and then goes to see Frank. He declares a problem with the spine. Frank meets up with a man who is getting into the racket and gives him the secret to the x-ray for $500 while under the influence of bourbon. Lee finds out and Frank feels awful. Frank says he wished he was dead so that he couldn’t testify against him. Frank leaves the office and goes out into the street at night. He is hit by a car and dies. Madge feels that she causes Frank’s death and falls for Lee and decides she has to leave town. Lee catches Madge on the train and pulls her off. He finds out that she is working for the other side. In court the next day as the trail turns to Lee’s coercion Lee cross examines Madge and she admits they were married the night before. A wife can’t testify against her husband.
Frank Morgan will probably always be remembered for The Wizard of Oz. He was great in his various roles in that film.
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