For Richard Chamberlain’s birthday I watched Petulia. George C. Scott and Julie Christie are the stars of the film. Joseph Cotton and Richard Chamberlain co-star. It is a story that takes place in 1968 San Francisco. I was pretty much lost after the opening credits so there is no way I can describe the plot of the film. There are some interesting montages that are interspersed with psychedelic music and lava like painting on the camera lens. John Barry scored the film but there were songs by The Grateful Dead and Big Brother and the Holding Company. They could have performed the music in the film, but I could not tell.
Richard was very intense in his role and looked good. I should have stuck with my original idea of watching The Thorn Birds, no matter how long it takes to watch the whole program. My favorite mini-series of his is The Count of Monte Cristo, which happens to be my favorite Dumas story also.
It just occurred to me that my all time favorite movie is Slipper and the Rose, a musical version of Cinderella with Richard as the Prince. Why did I not watch that? I have obviously been working too hard.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
March 28
For Freddie Bartholomew’s I watched David Copperfield. Freddie’s Hollywood debut. Freddie makes his appearance as a normal boy, bored in church and doing his family duty. The intelligence in Freddie’s eyes shine through. When talking with the adults he looks everyone in the eyes. When he has displeased his stepfather and is dragged from the room, he shakes and trembles so much you really think he is terrified. When he does get beat his screams are very realistic. After his mother dies he is forced to work in London. He works at a winery. After his boss is released from debtors prison he goes to his aunts in Dover. His money and items are stolen and he walks all the way. He sells his coat for money to buy food. When he finally gets to Dover he is tired, hungry and his clothing is torn. His aunt takes him in. When his stepfather comes for him, he wants to stay. The aunt fights for him and he gets to stay.
Freddie was an amazing actor.
Freddie was an amazing actor.
March 29
TCM showed 7 Crime Doctors films and a drama to celebrate Warren Baxter’s birthday. The Crime doctors series are so short I was able to watch several and still watch Jean Harlow films.
The original film Crime Doctor starts off with a car passing a sign re-elect Herbert Hoover. From a speeding car a door opens and a man comes out and rolls down a hill. The man is taken to a hospital. You can’t see who it is. In the hospital a man has bandages taken off by a doctor who tells the patient he was hit by a car. Once the bandages come off it is Warren Baxter and he has amnesia. While he is recovering a man comes up to him and asks him “where is the valise?” and to drop the act. He tries to choke Warren. Warren gets rescued before any damage can be done. The next day they go to the police station to have Warren fingerprinted to see if he matches any records. Outside as a group of policemen go by Warren backs up to the wall having second thoughts about going in the building. The doctor and Warren work to get his memory back, but no luck. Warren lives a wild life drinking and women. The doctor talks him into trying to find a new life because he can’t get the old one back. There is a montage of Warren studying to be a doctor. He has the name Robert Ordway. 9-10 years pass.
At a nightclub a man cuts his hand on a glass he squeezed when he saw Warren. Warren takes him to another room and takes care of his hand. The man asks “haven’t we met before?” Warren tries to get more information but doesn’t get much. To find out more about himself before his amnesia he does a lot of pro bono work with a prison and becomes a member of the parole board. While making a speech that is transmitted to all the prisons in the area, a woman Pearl recognizes the voice. She applies to the parole board to see him and to test him. At the review she states his is Phil Morgan who robbed a $200,000 payroll. Warren tracks down the others in the gang, who want the money, to reenact the events to see if he can get his memory back. While going over the events at the hideout there is a fight. Warren gets his memory back. He turns in the gang and the money. He confesses to the police and stands trial. At his trial he makes an impassioned speech that there are two men involved, one who committed the crime and an innocent man. The jury finds him guilty with a recommendation of clemency. The judge sentences him to the minimum amount of 10 years, but suspends the sentence based on the juries request of clemency.
I like films that show you the time reference. Instead of showing exactly what year, there is a sign ‘re-elect Herbert Hoover”. Instead of showing one, two, three etc years there is a montage of book, studying and then operations. It is probably supposed to be coming to modern times 1943 when the film was released. The film series was based on the radio program. The stories are very creative.
The original film Crime Doctor starts off with a car passing a sign re-elect Herbert Hoover. From a speeding car a door opens and a man comes out and rolls down a hill. The man is taken to a hospital. You can’t see who it is. In the hospital a man has bandages taken off by a doctor who tells the patient he was hit by a car. Once the bandages come off it is Warren Baxter and he has amnesia. While he is recovering a man comes up to him and asks him “where is the valise?” and to drop the act. He tries to choke Warren. Warren gets rescued before any damage can be done. The next day they go to the police station to have Warren fingerprinted to see if he matches any records. Outside as a group of policemen go by Warren backs up to the wall having second thoughts about going in the building. The doctor and Warren work to get his memory back, but no luck. Warren lives a wild life drinking and women. The doctor talks him into trying to find a new life because he can’t get the old one back. There is a montage of Warren studying to be a doctor. He has the name Robert Ordway. 9-10 years pass.
At a nightclub a man cuts his hand on a glass he squeezed when he saw Warren. Warren takes him to another room and takes care of his hand. The man asks “haven’t we met before?” Warren tries to get more information but doesn’t get much. To find out more about himself before his amnesia he does a lot of pro bono work with a prison and becomes a member of the parole board. While making a speech that is transmitted to all the prisons in the area, a woman Pearl recognizes the voice. She applies to the parole board to see him and to test him. At the review she states his is Phil Morgan who robbed a $200,000 payroll. Warren tracks down the others in the gang, who want the money, to reenact the events to see if he can get his memory back. While going over the events at the hideout there is a fight. Warren gets his memory back. He turns in the gang and the money. He confesses to the police and stands trial. At his trial he makes an impassioned speech that there are two men involved, one who committed the crime and an innocent man. The jury finds him guilty with a recommendation of clemency. The judge sentences him to the minimum amount of 10 years, but suspends the sentence based on the juries request of clemency.
I like films that show you the time reference. Instead of showing exactly what year, there is a sign ‘re-elect Herbert Hoover”. Instead of showing one, two, three etc years there is a montage of book, studying and then operations. It is probably supposed to be coming to modern times 1943 when the film was released. The film series was based on the radio program. The stories are very creative.
March 30
For Warren Beatty’s birthday I watched Lillith. The first thing that gets you is the beautiful black and white cinematography. Warren Beatty plays a recently discharged soldier who applies for work at a mental institution that is near the city in which he lives. When he meets someone in the street she says “I heard you were wounded or something” Warren replies “or something”. Warren gets the job. He treats all the patients as equals and tries to help them the best he can. On a picnic a woman, Jean Seberg drops her paintbrush and another patient Peter Fonda goes to get the brush. Warren has to help him climb back up.
During a staff meeting about Schizophrenia. There is a presentation with transparences. The camera shows the speaker’s head in between the legs of the projector.
Warren get caught up in the world of Jean. They become very close and intimate. When he finds out that Jean is also sleeping with a woman another patient he gets very upset. He fights both women and is forceful with Jean. He takes the women out for a movie, but doesn’t see the film. They wait outside a few moments and the film lets out, they go back to the institution. Later when a patient commits suicide Jean goes back into her old delusion of her brother’s death. The manager of the institution goes to see Warren but his is not in his room. There she sees the fish tank with the blond doll floating upside down and the photos of his ex-girl friend and Jean (who look a lot a like). She tracks him down at a bar. They talk very little. He gives a drink to a woman at the bar and says “This is for you Bit***.” He goes back to the institution and does something to Jean. The DVD froze so I don’t know exactly what happens (I may not want to know what happens). He goes through the hallway and on the grounds as if it is a normal occurrence. He sees the doctor and the manager and goes up to them “help me”.
During a staff meeting about Schizophrenia. There is a presentation with transparences. The camera shows the speaker’s head in between the legs of the projector.
Warren get caught up in the world of Jean. They become very close and intimate. When he finds out that Jean is also sleeping with a woman another patient he gets very upset. He fights both women and is forceful with Jean. He takes the women out for a movie, but doesn’t see the film. They wait outside a few moments and the film lets out, they go back to the institution. Later when a patient commits suicide Jean goes back into her old delusion of her brother’s death. The manager of the institution goes to see Warren but his is not in his room. There she sees the fish tank with the blond doll floating upside down and the photos of his ex-girl friend and Jean (who look a lot a like). She tracks him down at a bar. They talk very little. He gives a drink to a woman at the bar and says “This is for you Bit***.” He goes back to the institution and does something to Jean. The DVD froze so I don’t know exactly what happens (I may not want to know what happens). He goes through the hallway and on the grounds as if it is a normal occurrence. He sees the doctor and the manager and goes up to them “help me”.
Monday, March 28, 2011
March 26
Happy Birthday to Alan Arkin, James Caan, Sterling Haydon, Sruther Martin, Leonard Nimoy and Diana Ross.
To celebrate Diana Ross’ birthday I watched Mahogany. At the start of the film there is a fashion show and Diana comes out at the end of the show as Mahogany. She is basking in the glory of people accepting her designs. Backstage someone is telling her that she made it, that there is a party to celebrate with everyone. She freezes and as the credits start she is in fashion school. The great theme starts. As she is walking home from class she sees Billy Dee Williams. He is an alderman trying to get the people to rally to stop the city from tearing down buildings. By day she is a secretary for a model agency. While assisting she catches the eye of photography Anthony Perkins. She tells her boss that she has a doctors appointment, but is out trying to sell her designs. No one is interested. Her boss finds out that she is lying and fires her. She tries other places to sell her designs but again no one is interested. She works at Billy’s office and they date. Perkins calls her from Rome offering her a job as a model. She agrees and flies out that day. In Rome she goes to Perkin’s apartment. There are photographs of a woman “My Last Duchess” he states. There are darts on one picture. “You’re only young once, but you can be immature forever” as he pulls the darts off the picture. He calls people names of inanimate objects. “You are rich, dark, beautiful and rare. I shall call you Mahogany”. She becomes a model. The next part is a montage. Diana in costumes being photographed, interspersed with scenes of Rome and still photographs with the theme song once again playing.
Perkin’s in unable to become her lover. He tries to humiliate her but she stands tall. She is on the run way in one of her creations and Jean-Pierre Aumont purchases the dress for $20 million lira. Billy comes to Rome. At a party Perkin’s tries to kill Billy in an act of jealousness. Billy tries to get Diana to come back home and be herself not Mahogany. They argue and Billy leaves. The next day at a photo shoot, Perkin’s takes photos of her in a car. He is still upset and jealous. He takes photos instead of driving. They end up off the road in an accident. Diana is hurt. Perkin’s is killed. Jean-Pierre helps her recover. He creates a studio at his home. She becomes a demanding task manager. After the fashion show that opened the film Jean-Pierre wants to become lovers. He recognizes that she doesn’t want to have sex with him but would if he requested, that it was time to pay the piper. This discourages him and he leaves. Diana goes back to America and reunites with Billy at a political rally. Even though she realized her dreams it was nothing without the man she loved.
At the end credit’s the theme song played again. The costumes were designed by Diana Ross.
To celebrate Diana Ross’ birthday I watched Mahogany. At the start of the film there is a fashion show and Diana comes out at the end of the show as Mahogany. She is basking in the glory of people accepting her designs. Backstage someone is telling her that she made it, that there is a party to celebrate with everyone. She freezes and as the credits start she is in fashion school. The great theme starts. As she is walking home from class she sees Billy Dee Williams. He is an alderman trying to get the people to rally to stop the city from tearing down buildings. By day she is a secretary for a model agency. While assisting she catches the eye of photography Anthony Perkins. She tells her boss that she has a doctors appointment, but is out trying to sell her designs. No one is interested. Her boss finds out that she is lying and fires her. She tries other places to sell her designs but again no one is interested. She works at Billy’s office and they date. Perkins calls her from Rome offering her a job as a model. She agrees and flies out that day. In Rome she goes to Perkin’s apartment. There are photographs of a woman “My Last Duchess” he states. There are darts on one picture. “You’re only young once, but you can be immature forever” as he pulls the darts off the picture. He calls people names of inanimate objects. “You are rich, dark, beautiful and rare. I shall call you Mahogany”. She becomes a model. The next part is a montage. Diana in costumes being photographed, interspersed with scenes of Rome and still photographs with the theme song once again playing.
Perkin’s in unable to become her lover. He tries to humiliate her but she stands tall. She is on the run way in one of her creations and Jean-Pierre Aumont purchases the dress for $20 million lira. Billy comes to Rome. At a party Perkin’s tries to kill Billy in an act of jealousness. Billy tries to get Diana to come back home and be herself not Mahogany. They argue and Billy leaves. The next day at a photo shoot, Perkin’s takes photos of her in a car. He is still upset and jealous. He takes photos instead of driving. They end up off the road in an accident. Diana is hurt. Perkin’s is killed. Jean-Pierre helps her recover. He creates a studio at his home. She becomes a demanding task manager. After the fashion show that opened the film Jean-Pierre wants to become lovers. He recognizes that she doesn’t want to have sex with him but would if he requested, that it was time to pay the piper. This discourages him and he leaves. Diana goes back to America and reunites with Billy at a political rally. Even though she realized her dreams it was nothing without the man she loved.
At the end credit’s the theme song played again. The costumes were designed by Diana Ross.
March 27
I decided to watch some comedy shorts for Gloria Swanson. I have the Gloria Swanson DVD Set and the first DVD is dedicated to comedies. She was in a Charlie Chaplin short His New Job (1915). She was basically an extra as a secretary in the casting office.
The Danger Girl (1916) she is interested in Bobby Vernon. Several other women come around who tempt him away. Gloria dresses up as a man to take the other women away from him. She is very convincing except when she physically fights.
Teddy at the Throttle (1917) she plays a heiress with Wallace Beery as her guardian. Her boyfriend Bobby Vernon asks her to marry him and she agrees. Wallace with his sister have been stealing funs from both of them. They decide that Bobby will marry his sister. Wallace gets another telegram that if Bobby doesn’t marry Gloria that Gloria would get the funds. Wallace doesn’t share the information and decides to marry Gloria. Bobby breaks his engagement to Gloria and gets engaged to another woman. At a party the couple decide to elope. Gloria resists Beery and finds out the truth. She tries to get to Bobby to tell him what is going on, but keeps getting pushed away by his eager fiancée and then locked in the coat closet. Beery gets her out of the closet and she tells him she knows the truth and will have him arrested. She goes after the couple. The weather has changed to a terrible storm and the couple get stranded in the mud. Gloria also gets stranded and gets a man help her out of a puddle, he gets stuck and she steals his bike. She catches up with them to tell Bobby the truth but will have nothing to do with him. Beery to stop her from telling the police ties her up to the railroad tracks with an iron chain (when I saw this several years ago at a festival a groan came from the audience). She whistles for her dog Teddy and he comes running. He can’t get her out. She gives him a note. He takes it to Bobby. The two of them race to her. Bobby can’t get her out and tries to signal the train. Teddy goes to the train and gives the engineer the note. They slowdown and the train goes right over her and breaks the chain. Teddy trees Beery and he is arrested. Bobby, Gloria and Teddy get on the train.
Sultan’s Wife (aka Caught in a Harem) (1917) Gloria and Bobby Vernon are on a boat and agree to marry when they reach land in India. Bobby has a dog Teddy, and Gloria has a monkey. Bobby takes a liking to the native girls. Gloria helps a rajah when he falls out of his carriage. The rajah tries to get her to go to his castle, but she escapes him. The monkey runs away and goes into the palace. Gloria and Bobby follow. The rajah recognizing the money plans to trick Gloria. She is taken into the harem. The prime minister who is unhappy with the rajah get the single men in the city to go against the rajah to divorce some of his wives so they can marry. Bobby finds Gloria. They decide to switch cloths so she can get away. She as Bobby is to be executed. Bobby as Gloria dances and everyone likes the dancing and everyone dances the same. The men start to revolt which creates a diversion and the two go back to their clothing. Teddy and the monkey are outside the palace. They get a note to Teddy who gets the note to Bobby’s father at the docks. Bobby is once again caught and to be executed. Teddy comes over the wall gets the executioner and scares the men into another room. Once again Teddy saves the day.
The Danger Girl (1916) she is interested in Bobby Vernon. Several other women come around who tempt him away. Gloria dresses up as a man to take the other women away from him. She is very convincing except when she physically fights.
Teddy at the Throttle (1917) she plays a heiress with Wallace Beery as her guardian. Her boyfriend Bobby Vernon asks her to marry him and she agrees. Wallace with his sister have been stealing funs from both of them. They decide that Bobby will marry his sister. Wallace gets another telegram that if Bobby doesn’t marry Gloria that Gloria would get the funds. Wallace doesn’t share the information and decides to marry Gloria. Bobby breaks his engagement to Gloria and gets engaged to another woman. At a party the couple decide to elope. Gloria resists Beery and finds out the truth. She tries to get to Bobby to tell him what is going on, but keeps getting pushed away by his eager fiancée and then locked in the coat closet. Beery gets her out of the closet and she tells him she knows the truth and will have him arrested. She goes after the couple. The weather has changed to a terrible storm and the couple get stranded in the mud. Gloria also gets stranded and gets a man help her out of a puddle, he gets stuck and she steals his bike. She catches up with them to tell Bobby the truth but will have nothing to do with him. Beery to stop her from telling the police ties her up to the railroad tracks with an iron chain (when I saw this several years ago at a festival a groan came from the audience). She whistles for her dog Teddy and he comes running. He can’t get her out. She gives him a note. He takes it to Bobby. The two of them race to her. Bobby can’t get her out and tries to signal the train. Teddy goes to the train and gives the engineer the note. They slowdown and the train goes right over her and breaks the chain. Teddy trees Beery and he is arrested. Bobby, Gloria and Teddy get on the train.
Sultan’s Wife (aka Caught in a Harem) (1917) Gloria and Bobby Vernon are on a boat and agree to marry when they reach land in India. Bobby has a dog Teddy, and Gloria has a monkey. Bobby takes a liking to the native girls. Gloria helps a rajah when he falls out of his carriage. The rajah tries to get her to go to his castle, but she escapes him. The monkey runs away and goes into the palace. Gloria and Bobby follow. The rajah recognizing the money plans to trick Gloria. She is taken into the harem. The prime minister who is unhappy with the rajah get the single men in the city to go against the rajah to divorce some of his wives so they can marry. Bobby finds Gloria. They decide to switch cloths so she can get away. She as Bobby is to be executed. Bobby as Gloria dances and everyone likes the dancing and everyone dances the same. The men start to revolt which creates a diversion and the two go back to their clothing. Teddy and the monkey are outside the palace. They get a note to Teddy who gets the note to Bobby’s father at the docks. Bobby is once again caught and to be executed. Teddy comes over the wall gets the executioner and scares the men into another room. Once again Teddy saves the day.
Friday, March 25, 2011
March 25
I have seen all but one of the films that TCM is showing for David Lean’s birthday, The Happy Breed. The opening title card says it all “this is a story of a London family from 1919 to 1939”. Robert Newton & Celia Johnson play a married couple who move to a new house in suburban London in 1919 with the whole family. The opening scene is Thames sweeping to the right over London, to the suburbs, into an empty house to the front door where Robert comes in preceding his family. It is a history of England told through one family. The story goes through the returning soldiers from WWI, British Exposition, transportation strikes, talking pictures, Charleston dance contests, marriages, births, deaths, friendships, rise of fascism, the Kings death, Chamberlain and the threat of war in Europe. The story ends as the family and Robert leave the house, the camera starts at the closed door, goes through the house, to the outside in the suburb then to London and the Thames.
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