Happy Birthday to Eve Arden, David Manners and Jill Clayburgh.
To celebrate Eve Arden’s birthday I watched and listened to Our Miss Brooks. She plays Constance Brooks an English teacher at Madison High. In the movie she did a triple take as she sees Mr. Boynton shirtless working with weights in the school courtyard. She lives in the house of Mrs. Davis and her cat. When Mr. Boynton asks to speak with Mrs. Davis in a confidential matter she asks the cat to leave the room. After they talk she opens the door for Mr. Boynton and the cat comes in the room. She would probably give up 8 lives to know what we were talking about. I have not seen the television program.
In the radio series Mr. Boynton is only interested in his frogs. No matter what Miss Brooks does he doesn’t seem to notice her. Gale Gordon as Mr. Conklin the school principal and don’t we all have a Mr. Conklin in our life. A boss who doesn’t like our methods but wants us to do things for them. People who are a part of everyday life that we don’t understand, such as children or co-workers but we enjoy being in their presence.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Friday, April 29, 2011
April 28 Ann-Margaret
Happy Birthday Ann-Margaret and Lionel Barrymore
To celebrate Ann-Margaret’s birthday I watched Twice In A Lifetime. She plays the other woman. Gene Hackman plays a married man celebrating his 50th birthday in a bar with his friend. A new waitress, Ann-Margaret, catches Gene’s attention. They start meeting and fall in love. She knows what she is getting into and plays the role with maturity and grace and very low key. Gene decides to leave his wife, Ellen Burstyn. They don’t have an unhappy marriage, but it is dull and Ann-Margaret “is new” as Ellen states. I think the character is best summed up by Gene, “she is not young, but she thinks young“. When Gene and Ann-Margaret talk about going to his daughter wedding, she says ‘look around, see if that is where you belong”. He gives him an out to decide what he really wants. If he doesn’t return to her, she will be sad, but wants the best for him.
As a side note, I have never seen a film that people were watching All In The Family before. It is kind of nice. I remember sitting on the floor while my parents watched that program. Most of it was over my head.
A year or two ago I saw Ann-Margaret perform live at The Moon River theater in Branson, Missouri. She would sing alone and duet with Andy Williams. She still looks and sounds good.
To celebrate Ann-Margaret’s birthday I watched Twice In A Lifetime. She plays the other woman. Gene Hackman plays a married man celebrating his 50th birthday in a bar with his friend. A new waitress, Ann-Margaret, catches Gene’s attention. They start meeting and fall in love. She knows what she is getting into and plays the role with maturity and grace and very low key. Gene decides to leave his wife, Ellen Burstyn. They don’t have an unhappy marriage, but it is dull and Ann-Margaret “is new” as Ellen states. I think the character is best summed up by Gene, “she is not young, but she thinks young“. When Gene and Ann-Margaret talk about going to his daughter wedding, she says ‘look around, see if that is where you belong”. He gives him an out to decide what he really wants. If he doesn’t return to her, she will be sad, but wants the best for him.
As a side note, I have never seen a film that people were watching All In The Family before. It is kind of nice. I remember sitting on the floor while my parents watched that program. Most of it was over my head.
A year or two ago I saw Ann-Margaret perform live at The Moon River theater in Branson, Missouri. She would sing alone and duet with Andy Williams. She still looks and sounds good.
April 27 Jack Klugman
To celebrate Jack Klugman’s birthday I watched Goodbye Columbus. Jack Klugman played Ali MacGraw’s father. Richard Benjamin sees her at a pool and watches her in and out of the pool. He gets her phone number from his cousin and they make arrangements to meet. The outdoor lighting of the couple are very well done. They are walking around a lake and at one point the picture is the reflection of them walking. As they sit and talk they are both sides of the camera and the green reflecting pond is behind them. They are silhouetted against a window bright with sunshine. They are lying in the grass and the sun shadows the tall grass over them. Walking outside they hug and blot out the sun, once again silhouetted. At dusk they are shadows against a bridge over the water. In the final scene there is a close profile of Richard on the right and Ali either off camera or standing in the background away from him. Music by The Association.
Jack has a small part. He plays the typical father, loving, loud, clueless, sweet, gruff, hardworking and protective.
I have to admit I like Oscar Madison character that Jack Klugman played on television opposite Felix Unger played by Tony Randall. I liked that the television characters were given hobbies and interests that the actors really had. I have two favorite episodes when they are on Match Game and David Brenner’s talk show. These two really show that the men who are total opposites can be friends.
Jack has a small part. He plays the typical father, loving, loud, clueless, sweet, gruff, hardworking and protective.
I have to admit I like Oscar Madison character that Jack Klugman played on television opposite Felix Unger played by Tony Randall. I liked that the television characters were given hobbies and interests that the actors really had. I have two favorite episodes when they are on Match Game and David Brenner’s talk show. These two really show that the men who are total opposites can be friends.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
April 26 Carol Burnett
Happy Birthday Carol Burnett and Edgar Kennedy.
To celebrate Carol Burnett’s birthday I watched A Wedding. She plays the mother of the bride. She has a southern accent and talks a lot. Pat McCormick dances with her and states that he loves her and wants to be with her. She tries to get away and rushes out with a hand over her mouth like she is going to throw up. She gets to the bathroom and throws up. As she goes back down the steps she trips over the wedding camera equipment and falls down the steps. Pat helps her up and puts her behind him stating to stay there until everyone leaves. When they are alone he asks her to meet him in the green house in five minutes. She says that is too soon, so he says ten minutes. When they meet outside they run to meet each other and she bounces backwards. As they go to kiss a group of children came along. She goes back into the party. A strong gale develops and people go to the basement. Carol goes to the bathroom and Pat follows. As Geraldine Chaplin comes into the room, he locks himself in the bathroom. As Carol and Geraldine talk you hear the sound of breaking glass and Pat comes in through the door to get them to the basement. In the basement they agree to meet in two weeks. After the storm it comes out that Carol’s other daughter (Mia Farrow who does not speak one line) is pregnant and the groom (Desi Arnez Jr.) is the father. (I swear I hear someone say that he “has some splainen to do”.) It turns out there were a lot of men so it could not be blamed on Desi. The family leave and come up to a car accident. A car has hit a gas truck. It is the couples’ car. They go back to the groom’s family to tell them what happened, in a state of shock. The couple come down the steps and it turns out that the former lovers of the bride and groom borrowed the car. That scene was unexpected. There is a circle of shock and amazement. Shock and amazement at the accident, anger that Desi was drunk and shouldn’t have been driving and shock and amazement that the couple was still alive. Carol sees this as a sign and tells Pat that they can’t meet. The families all leave.
There are many great actors in this film. There are more actors listed at the beginning of this film then I have ever seen before. I could actually keep everyone straight, normally I can’t.
I am a big fan of Carol Burnett. I got to stay up Saturday nights to watch The Carol Burnett Show. I thought that was the best show ever. The comedy, the music, the stars, Steve Lawrence, the commercial skits, Mrs. Wiggins, Mama, Madam and the great movie parodies. I miss The Carol Burnett Show. They don’t make television like that any more.
So as always “I am so glad we had this time together, to laugh and sing a song. Seems like we just got started and before you know it, it’s time to say so long (ear tug)”.
To celebrate Carol Burnett’s birthday I watched A Wedding. She plays the mother of the bride. She has a southern accent and talks a lot. Pat McCormick dances with her and states that he loves her and wants to be with her. She tries to get away and rushes out with a hand over her mouth like she is going to throw up. She gets to the bathroom and throws up. As she goes back down the steps she trips over the wedding camera equipment and falls down the steps. Pat helps her up and puts her behind him stating to stay there until everyone leaves. When they are alone he asks her to meet him in the green house in five minutes. She says that is too soon, so he says ten minutes. When they meet outside they run to meet each other and she bounces backwards. As they go to kiss a group of children came along. She goes back into the party. A strong gale develops and people go to the basement. Carol goes to the bathroom and Pat follows. As Geraldine Chaplin comes into the room, he locks himself in the bathroom. As Carol and Geraldine talk you hear the sound of breaking glass and Pat comes in through the door to get them to the basement. In the basement they agree to meet in two weeks. After the storm it comes out that Carol’s other daughter (Mia Farrow who does not speak one line) is pregnant and the groom (Desi Arnez Jr.) is the father. (I swear I hear someone say that he “has some splainen to do”.) It turns out there were a lot of men so it could not be blamed on Desi. The family leave and come up to a car accident. A car has hit a gas truck. It is the couples’ car. They go back to the groom’s family to tell them what happened, in a state of shock. The couple come down the steps and it turns out that the former lovers of the bride and groom borrowed the car. That scene was unexpected. There is a circle of shock and amazement. Shock and amazement at the accident, anger that Desi was drunk and shouldn’t have been driving and shock and amazement that the couple was still alive. Carol sees this as a sign and tells Pat that they can’t meet. The families all leave.
There are many great actors in this film. There are more actors listed at the beginning of this film then I have ever seen before. I could actually keep everyone straight, normally I can’t.
I am a big fan of Carol Burnett. I got to stay up Saturday nights to watch The Carol Burnett Show. I thought that was the best show ever. The comedy, the music, the stars, Steve Lawrence, the commercial skits, Mrs. Wiggins, Mama, Madam and the great movie parodies. I miss The Carol Burnett Show. They don’t make television like that any more.
So as always “I am so glad we had this time together, to laugh and sing a song. Seems like we just got started and before you know it, it’s time to say so long (ear tug)”.
Monday, April 25, 2011
April 25 Al Pacino
Happy Birthday Al Pacino and Ella Fitzgerald.
To celebrate Al Pacino’s birthday I watched Scarecrow. It stars Al Pacino and Gene Hackman. I found the film boring. The two men meet on the side of the road in the Southwest. Al is just out of the Navy going to Detroit to see the child he never saw and does not know if it is a boy or a girl. He has a lamp gift wrapped to present to the child. Gene just out of prison is going to Pittsburg where his money is in the bank and going to set up car wash. He has a bad temper. Al is quiet and keeps himself amused. At first Gene doesn’t want anything to do with Al. They share the experience of the road.
The scenery is beautiful along the way. They get rides and hop trains. They cause a fight in a bar and are sentenced to a work farm. Al is assaulted, beaten up pretty badly. Gene beats up the man that beat Al. They get to Detroit where Al calls the mother of his child. She is upset that he just up and left when she was pregnant. With the boy sitting next to her she tells Al that the baby died when she was 8 months along and it would have been a boy. She also said the baby could not be baptized and it’s soul would be in limbo and it was his fault since he was not around. He decides not to go see her. He leaves the present by the phone. They go to a park where there is a large fountain (statues and several pools all combined). Al entertains some children by acting out Treasure Island. He picks up one of the children and he drags him into the water. The mother starts screaming and Gene sees what is going on. He goes to Al gets the child and hands him to his mother. Al climbs up on the statue and Gene drags him out. The water is very loud, but it sounds like Al is saying, “I have to find him”. Before Gene can get him out of the water he becomes limp with his eyes open. At the hospital Gene is told that Al is comatose and will be transferred to a state hospital. Gene thinking he is fooling tries to get him to wake up. Gene is dragged away and Al is taken to anther room. Gene leaves the hospital and goes to the bus station where he gets a ticket to Pittsburg.
The movie is a co-winner of the 1973 Cannes film festival grand prize. Maybe I am missing something. I like buddy pictures, I like road pictures, but this film seemed a little slow.
To celebrate Al Pacino’s birthday I watched Scarecrow. It stars Al Pacino and Gene Hackman. I found the film boring. The two men meet on the side of the road in the Southwest. Al is just out of the Navy going to Detroit to see the child he never saw and does not know if it is a boy or a girl. He has a lamp gift wrapped to present to the child. Gene just out of prison is going to Pittsburg where his money is in the bank and going to set up car wash. He has a bad temper. Al is quiet and keeps himself amused. At first Gene doesn’t want anything to do with Al. They share the experience of the road.
The scenery is beautiful along the way. They get rides and hop trains. They cause a fight in a bar and are sentenced to a work farm. Al is assaulted, beaten up pretty badly. Gene beats up the man that beat Al. They get to Detroit where Al calls the mother of his child. She is upset that he just up and left when she was pregnant. With the boy sitting next to her she tells Al that the baby died when she was 8 months along and it would have been a boy. She also said the baby could not be baptized and it’s soul would be in limbo and it was his fault since he was not around. He decides not to go see her. He leaves the present by the phone. They go to a park where there is a large fountain (statues and several pools all combined). Al entertains some children by acting out Treasure Island. He picks up one of the children and he drags him into the water. The mother starts screaming and Gene sees what is going on. He goes to Al gets the child and hands him to his mother. Al climbs up on the statue and Gene drags him out. The water is very loud, but it sounds like Al is saying, “I have to find him”. Before Gene can get him out of the water he becomes limp with his eyes open. At the hospital Gene is told that Al is comatose and will be transferred to a state hospital. Gene thinking he is fooling tries to get him to wake up. Gene is dragged away and Al is taken to anther room. Gene leaves the hospital and goes to the bus station where he gets a ticket to Pittsburg.
The movie is a co-winner of the 1973 Cannes film festival grand prize. Maybe I am missing something. I like buddy pictures, I like road pictures, but this film seemed a little slow.
April 24 Barbra Streisand
Happy Birthday to Shirley MacLaine & Barbra Streisand
To celebrate Barbra Streisand’s birthday I watched Funny Lady. The film has a much different look and feel from Funny Girl. Barbra is still funny, beautiful and now a blonde instead of redhead with a hint of maturity. There is much wittier dialog and more songs.
The film opens with a closing night performance of the follies. She expects Omar to be there. He doesn’t come, but sends flowers and a divorce decree. She looks for a new show or a night club act to steal. She goes to a club owned by Billy Rose played by James Caan. She likes the music and agrees to record some of his songs. When he puts a story in the paper that she has agreed to do his new show she goes to visit him. They talk and she agrees to do his new show. While they are in rehearsal they start to like each other. Opening night and the show is a disaster. There is too much scenery, technical difficulties and absolute chaos. They decide to make changes while on the road.
When the perfected show opens up in New York Omar is in the audience. She sees him and is very happy. He goes back stage and she is happy to see him. She wants to get back with him and sees the wedding ring. She is very upset. Barbra has a lovely solo. If this were on stage it would have been the end of the first act.
James asks Barbra to marry him and she accepts. They don’t spend a lot of time together. She is in California working in movies and in radio and he is in Cleveland creating an aquacade. While in California she sees Omar. She tells him that the first night she saw the 7 toothbrushes and his pajamas in the bathroom of his hotel room. They kiss. She realizes she was in love with the 7 toothbrushes and leaves him. She is free. She goes to Cleveland to tell James. He is interested in someone else who loves him and will be around. They part.
To celebrate Barbra Streisand’s birthday I watched Funny Lady. The film has a much different look and feel from Funny Girl. Barbra is still funny, beautiful and now a blonde instead of redhead with a hint of maturity. There is much wittier dialog and more songs.
The film opens with a closing night performance of the follies. She expects Omar to be there. He doesn’t come, but sends flowers and a divorce decree. She looks for a new show or a night club act to steal. She goes to a club owned by Billy Rose played by James Caan. She likes the music and agrees to record some of his songs. When he puts a story in the paper that she has agreed to do his new show she goes to visit him. They talk and she agrees to do his new show. While they are in rehearsal they start to like each other. Opening night and the show is a disaster. There is too much scenery, technical difficulties and absolute chaos. They decide to make changes while on the road.
When the perfected show opens up in New York Omar is in the audience. She sees him and is very happy. He goes back stage and she is happy to see him. She wants to get back with him and sees the wedding ring. She is very upset. Barbra has a lovely solo. If this were on stage it would have been the end of the first act.
James asks Barbra to marry him and she accepts. They don’t spend a lot of time together. She is in California working in movies and in radio and he is in Cleveland creating an aquacade. While in California she sees Omar. She tells him that the first night she saw the 7 toothbrushes and his pajamas in the bathroom of his hotel room. They kiss. She realizes she was in love with the 7 toothbrushes and leaves him. She is free. She goes to Cleveland to tell James. He is interested in someone else who loves him and will be around. They part.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
April 21 Anthony Quinn
Happy Birthday Charles Grodin and Anthony Quinn
TCM celebrated Anthony Quinn’s birthday. I wasn’t really interested in any of the films except Road to Morocco, which is on almost every month. I like the film so that is not a complaint, but I wanted to watch something different. So I decided to watch Ben’s Pick Requiem For A Heavyweight. I tried to find a link to the printed version in the Now Playing guide article, but could not. It takes a while for the video to come up with the link for me.
http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/381780/Now-Playing-Ben-s-Pick-TCM-Original-April-2011.html
The opening scene is a panning long shot of men standing at a bar riveted to something off screen (television) with the sound of a broadcasters voice of a fight. It then cuts to the fight from the fighters view of Cassius Clay throwing punches. The camera stays as the point of view of the fighter with blurry view and then the picture changes to the ceiling and then sideways. The voice over still going, announces Cassius Clay the winner by a knockout. People come in and out of the shot and finally Mickey Rooney comes into frame and talks to the fighter. He guides him out of the ring into the hallway towards the locker room. You get the view of the fighter going through the ropes and down through the crowd. They come along to a mirror where you see the fighter is Anthony Quinn badly beaten and the point of view goes back to normal. The bell rings and Anthony as the “Mountain” Rivera goes into fighter mode. Jackie Gleason and Mickey calm him down and get him to the locker room. The doctor recommends no more fighting. His eyes are damaged.
He goes to the unemployment office, but he is not qualified for anything. He has been a fighter for 17 years. He speaks with a very soft, stumbling, pausing voice. The unemployment councilor is Julie Harris. In an elevator he stands in the corner with his hands hanging on the rails on each side of him. He walks at night to the arena where his fight promotion is being changed to another. As he walks he puts his fist up like he is practicing or reliving a fight. Julie comes to a bar to tell him he would be great as a children’s sports councilor in a summer camp. She lines up an interview. Jackie sabotages the interview by getting Anthony drunk. He goes to the apartment house and ends up knocking on the wrong door (he has forgotten the #) and knocking over a waiter with a tray of food. Embarrassed he leaves without talking to Julie, who was disturbed by the sounds.
Julie goes to visit him at his house to find out what happened. She runs into Jackie as she is leaving, telling her there is nothing she can do for Anthony. Jackie gets Anthony into wrestling. He is to be “Big Chief Mountain” Rivera where he wears a costume of wig with long braids, feathered head-dress and an outfit. Anthony states he doesn’t want to be a clown and refuses to wrestle as they are in the dressing room. The owners of the group don’t like the fact that there was money exchanged and Anthony not wrestling. The owners are going to take it out of Jackie, physically. Jackie seems to accept that fate, but Anthony does not want that to happen and goes out onto the ring. Like a repeat of the beginning the point of view switches back and forth from what he sees to his eyes. He doesn’t say anything and you don’t know what he is going to do. Does he actually wrestle or does he not? Since Ben won’t give away the ending I won’t either.
Ben wrote that Jackie was the pathetic character in the film, I don‘t see that. Yes he is frustrated at loosing his meal ticket, but there are other fighters if he wanted to start over. If he is loosing money with one fighter maybe he can make money with another even though it might take a little time. I agree with Mickey’s character that after Jackie admits to betting that Anthony would go down in 4 (he went 7) with Clay, Mickey says “You fink. You dirty stinking fink.”
I don’t care for boxing or boxing in film, even when Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin are doing the boxing in a comedic fashion. Ok I do like the 3 Stooges, usually Curley Howard fighting or wrestling. I like this film. The music is bluesy and jazzy, depending on the situation. I like the point of view at the beginning, that is the closest I want to be in a ring with a boxer. The actors do a fantastic job in their portraits of the characters. The story is well written and really shows the depth or shallowness of the characters. There is stunning photography with the placement of the actors. It stands out to me that there are few shots of a single person and even fewer close ups. If one person is speaking you see the person or people that are being talked with even if they are not looking at each other. Everyone seems to be involved that way.
TCM celebrated Anthony Quinn’s birthday. I wasn’t really interested in any of the films except Road to Morocco, which is on almost every month. I like the film so that is not a complaint, but I wanted to watch something different. So I decided to watch Ben’s Pick Requiem For A Heavyweight. I tried to find a link to the printed version in the Now Playing guide article, but could not. It takes a while for the video to come up with the link for me.
http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/381780/Now-Playing-Ben-s-Pick-TCM-Original-April-2011.html
The opening scene is a panning long shot of men standing at a bar riveted to something off screen (television) with the sound of a broadcasters voice of a fight. It then cuts to the fight from the fighters view of Cassius Clay throwing punches. The camera stays as the point of view of the fighter with blurry view and then the picture changes to the ceiling and then sideways. The voice over still going, announces Cassius Clay the winner by a knockout. People come in and out of the shot and finally Mickey Rooney comes into frame and talks to the fighter. He guides him out of the ring into the hallway towards the locker room. You get the view of the fighter going through the ropes and down through the crowd. They come along to a mirror where you see the fighter is Anthony Quinn badly beaten and the point of view goes back to normal. The bell rings and Anthony as the “Mountain” Rivera goes into fighter mode. Jackie Gleason and Mickey calm him down and get him to the locker room. The doctor recommends no more fighting. His eyes are damaged.
He goes to the unemployment office, but he is not qualified for anything. He has been a fighter for 17 years. He speaks with a very soft, stumbling, pausing voice. The unemployment councilor is Julie Harris. In an elevator he stands in the corner with his hands hanging on the rails on each side of him. He walks at night to the arena where his fight promotion is being changed to another. As he walks he puts his fist up like he is practicing or reliving a fight. Julie comes to a bar to tell him he would be great as a children’s sports councilor in a summer camp. She lines up an interview. Jackie sabotages the interview by getting Anthony drunk. He goes to the apartment house and ends up knocking on the wrong door (he has forgotten the #) and knocking over a waiter with a tray of food. Embarrassed he leaves without talking to Julie, who was disturbed by the sounds.
Julie goes to visit him at his house to find out what happened. She runs into Jackie as she is leaving, telling her there is nothing she can do for Anthony. Jackie gets Anthony into wrestling. He is to be “Big Chief Mountain” Rivera where he wears a costume of wig with long braids, feathered head-dress and an outfit. Anthony states he doesn’t want to be a clown and refuses to wrestle as they are in the dressing room. The owners of the group don’t like the fact that there was money exchanged and Anthony not wrestling. The owners are going to take it out of Jackie, physically. Jackie seems to accept that fate, but Anthony does not want that to happen and goes out onto the ring. Like a repeat of the beginning the point of view switches back and forth from what he sees to his eyes. He doesn’t say anything and you don’t know what he is going to do. Does he actually wrestle or does he not? Since Ben won’t give away the ending I won’t either.
Ben wrote that Jackie was the pathetic character in the film, I don‘t see that. Yes he is frustrated at loosing his meal ticket, but there are other fighters if he wanted to start over. If he is loosing money with one fighter maybe he can make money with another even though it might take a little time. I agree with Mickey’s character that after Jackie admits to betting that Anthony would go down in 4 (he went 7) with Clay, Mickey says “You fink. You dirty stinking fink.”
I don’t care for boxing or boxing in film, even when Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin are doing the boxing in a comedic fashion. Ok I do like the 3 Stooges, usually Curley Howard fighting or wrestling. I like this film. The music is bluesy and jazzy, depending on the situation. I like the point of view at the beginning, that is the closest I want to be in a ring with a boxer. The actors do a fantastic job in their portraits of the characters. The story is well written and really shows the depth or shallowness of the characters. There is stunning photography with the placement of the actors. It stands out to me that there are few shots of a single person and even fewer close ups. If one person is speaking you see the person or people that are being talked with even if they are not looking at each other. Everyone seems to be involved that way.
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