Wanna See a Movie with Me?

 When the movie theaters closed, in March 2020, I started looking for a way to share movies with family and friends online. After months of research and practice, I've discovered two platforms that allow folks to watch movies together online. I tried taking a poll on Facebook, to see how much interest there was, but got very little feedback. Yes, movie theaters have opened up, but I'm not having any luck finding someone to take me. (I don't have a car.) So, I have decided to just press forward. Read on, for details on how to join me.

I will create events on Facebook and Meetup, for movies I'll be watching. Even if I'm the only person watching, that's fine, because that's how I typically watch, anyway. The event listing will include everything you need to know to watch with me.

You will need to sign up for each platform, in order to join me. It does not cost anything to join either platform, and you will not get bombarded with emails from these platforms (at least, I don't, but I'm a premium member of both). (If you do, you can certainly unsubscribe, opt out, or change your preferences.)

The first platform is found at https://twoseven.xyz.

• The best browser for twoseven is Firefox. If 1-10 people are watching, webcam and mic are enabled for all participants. If that is the case, I will insist you use earbuds or headphones.
• When you sign up for twoseven, you will need to share your nickname with me, so that I can add you as a friend in twoseven.
• When I create an event using this platform, there are two ways to watch. If every participant is a subscriber to the streaming service I'm watching (choices are YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon, HBO, and Vimeo), we will sync our watching. The event listing will indicate which streaming service will be used. If you join the event on Facebook or Meetup, you will need to indicate whether you subscribe, or are willing to subscribe, to the streaming service. If any participant does not subscribe to the streaming service, I will just share my screen.
• If we watch via sync, the only costs to you will be anything you pay to subscribe to a streaming service, and/or the cost to rent a movie on Amazon.
• Every participant will need to sign in or log on to the streaming service, prior to entering the room on twoseven.
• Once I have the room set up, I will invite friends to join me in my room. You will receive the invite as an email or a text, depending on how you signed up.
• Once everyone's in the room, I'll start the movie!

The second platform is found at w.kast.live.

• The best browser for kast is Chrome. There is also an app for iOS and Android. Kast has the ability to chat, but chat is not viewable, in full screen. There isn't the option to share a webcam or talk, unless you ask the party administrator for permission to do so.
• When you sign up for kast, you can create a new account or use your google account, if you have one. You will need to share your account name with me, so that I can add you as a friend in kast.
• When you respond as "going" to an event created for kast, I will invite you to the watch party, once I've set it up.
• Once everyone's joined, I'll start the show! 

NOTE: There may be some glitches, especially the first couple times we do this. However, they should be cleared up in a minute or two.

What I Don't Like About "Woman of the Year"

I don't like Katherine Hepburn. "Woman of the Year" (1942) is one of the few movies she's in that I can bear to watch. I'm not very fond of Spencer Tracy, either, but I do appreciate his skill as an actor. I get the impression that Hepburn had a lot of control over the parts she played, as well as her directors and producers. I think she got what she wanted because she was held up as a brilliant actress, but I also think she was held up as a brilliant actress because of her well-thought-out and deliberate choices.

Every time I watch this movie, there's something that bugs me ... really, really bugs me, However, there are also things about it that I really enjoy, which is probably why I continue to watch it. I'm watching the movie right now, so what better time than now to talk about these things?


The thing that bugs me is Katherine Hepburn's character, Tess Harding. While I identify with this character, I'm also confused by her actions. For example, when I'm invited to an event that I don't know anything about, such as a baseball game, I read up on it and learn everything I can about it, to avoid looking stupid and foolish, which is something I would think Tess Harding would also want to avoid. Instead, she asks silly questions and doesn't understand any of the concepts that are explained to her. This also happens later in the movie, when she decides she needs to become a bit more domestic and has no idea how to make coffee or separate eggs. I don't see the character as a woman who wouldn't bother to read instructions or call someone, to avoid embarrassment.

I have read that the reason the ending was changed, so that she looked foolish, was over concern that "the average American housewife, seated next to her husband, staring for two hours at this paragon of beauty, intelligence, wit, accomplishment, and everything else, (could not) help but wonder if  her husband (wasn't) comparing her very unfavorably with this goddess he sees on the screen." I'm not able to think like the average American housewife of the 1940s, but I don't believe anyone in Hollywood could think like the average American housewife, either (including Katherine Hepburn). I think Tess's behavior throughout the movie is deplorable enough that the average American housewife (or any woman) would not need to worry about what men would think. Wouldn't men be thinking like Spencer Tracy's character, Sam Craig, who is disgusted with "this paragon of beauty, intelligence, wit, accomplishment, and everything else," and only warms up to her when she's acting coquettish and like a dumb broad?

That being said, here are the things I love about this film:

Fashion - Adrian designed the gowns. I'm not sure if he contributed to the other costumes, but I love everything Hepburn wears in this film. Perhaps I'm a pushover for '40s fashion, but the dresses, hats, and gloves just knock me over.

Script - The only Oscar awarded to the film was for the screenplay. Hepburn was nominated, but lost to Greer Garson for "Mrs. Miniver." Except for the dumb ending, it's a great script.

Supporting Performances - Some of my favorite actors and actresses whose names most people don't remember, although they recognize the faces, are in this film. Fay Bainter, William Bendix, Reginald Owen, Roscoe Karns, and Sara Haden, all have small, but significant, parts in the film.

"This was no boating accident!"

Wednesday night, June 24, 2015, I went to see "Jaws" (1975) on the big screen.

I remember the first time I saw this movie. It was the summer of 1975. That was the summer after my freshman year at college, when I couldn't get a summer job, because I attended college out of state, and every place I applied wanted someone who would work past the summer. That was the summer our summer stock show, for which I played violin in the orchestra, was "Fiddler on the Roof." That was the summer I got the best tan ever, because I had nothing else to do. That was the last summer my age was still in the teens (19).

I went to see this movie with Becky Teeter. At that time and place, when going to a movie, you needed to get there at least 30 minutes before it started, so you could get tickets before it sold out, and movies regularly sold out. As we were standing in line at the box office (a line which, when we entered, started at the opposite side of the building from the box office), I remember Becky saying, "I can't believe I'm paying $2.75 to get the s*** scared out of me." (I think it was $2.75, which was outrageous at the time. I'm pretty sure it was still under $3, and it may have been $2.50.)

It did scare the s*** out of both of us. I had read the book, and had become fond of Richard Dreyfuss as an actor, after having watched him at least 10 times in "American Graffiti." In the book, Richard's character, Matt Hooper, has an affair with Chief Brody's wife and gets eaten by the shark, when he goes into the water, inside the cage, to try to kill the animal. There is no affair in the movie, which I felt was a good thing. When the cage scene started, I got very nervous. I didn't want to see Richard Dreyfuss get eaten by the shark, so I covered my eyes through the entire scene. Becky kept pulling at my arms, whispering to me (as best she could whisper in this frantic moment) that the shark wasn't eating him and that he was getting away. What a relief that was!

Peter Benchley, the book's author, also co-wrote the screenplay and had a cameo as a TV reporter, so I'm sure he approved of the changes. John Williams wrote the music, which greatly contributed to the suspense. I don't think Steven Spielberg has ever collaborated with any other composer, which has probably been a great thing for both of them. I bought the soundtrack on LP. I remember playing it for a fellow music major at college, the guy who sort of ran the campus radio station. He was not impressed. His first comment was, "It's Stravinsky's Rite of Spring. He stole the concept from Stravinsky." At the time, I was not familiar with Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring," but I did eventually listen to it and fell in love with it. I could hear the "plagiarism" my fellow music major had mentioned, but it wasn't a total copy, and I don't think Stravinsky's work was copyrighted.

While "Jaws" is a movie I recommend, I realize that, as far as special effects go, it's a dinosaur of a film, so those who take CGI for granted could turn up their noses at it. However, it does maintain a good old-fashioned scare vibe, the acting is really good, the score is truly a part of the film, it's a great story, the camera work is superb, and it produced a few great quotes:

"You're gonna need a bigger boat."

"That's some bad hat, Harry."

"This was no boating accident." (This one was used in "Stakeout" (1987), when Richard Dreyfuss's and Emilio Estevez's characters would take turns guessing what movie a quote came from. Emilio's character repeated this quote to Richard Dreyfuss's character, who actually said the line as Matt Hooper in "Jaws." Richard Dreyfuss's character couldn't guess what movie it was from.)

I don't think this movie will scare you enough to make you not go in the ocean, but, hopefully, it will give you goosebumps.

Happy Viewing,

Teah

The Ten Commandments

I don't think "The Ten Commandments" was the movie in which I first saw Charlton Heston, because I believe I first saw it on the big screen, in the mid-1970s, as a re-release. I remember that night quite vividly. I went with Gary Wilson. The movie touched us both so deeply, we couldn't stop talking about it afterwards. When we got to my house, we sat in my front yard, holding hands and praying, praising and thanking God for His commandments, for Moses, and for anything else in and about the movie that filled us with such joy. I should have married Gary Wilson. I still love him dearly. But our paths veered in different directions.

I will be watching tonight, on ABC, remembering that night I first saw it, and hoping to reignite the joy that filled my heart and soul, when I was a young and naive "Jesus freak." It's not very likely that today's teens will find anything about this film to be very exciting. Even so, I still joyfully and highly recommend it. It was released in 1956, the year I was born, so it was considered old, when I first saw it. Perhaps it was a 15-year anniversary showing that I saw, and I would have been 15 years old and a sophomore in high school. That would be about right. When you consider how much movies had changed in those 15 years, this movie would have seemed old in 1971. Hollywood had most recently brought us "Airport," "Five Easy Pieces," "Love Story," "M*A*S*H," "Patton," "A Clockwork Orange," "The French Connection," and "The Last Picture Show."

I remember a night, after I had seen "The Ten Commandments," when I saw another Charlton Heston movie being shown on TV, "Number One." In this film, he plays a has-been quarterback who turns to booze and women to try to solve his problems. My father warned me that it was not the kind of movie I was accustomed to seeing Charlton Heston in; that his character in this movie was not a good guy. I don't think I watched the movie all the way through; it was a bit too brash and worldly for my cloud 9 view of life. But it didn't thwart my desire to see more movies he was involved in.

So, if you're interested in seeing Charlton Heston on film, long before he was the President of the NRA or publicly embarrassed by Michael Moore in "Bowling for Columbine," here is my list of must-see, probably-should-see, and it-wouldn't-hurt-you-to-see films starring or featuring Charlton Heston, in chronological order, starting from the oldest:


"The Greatest Show on Earth" (1952) (Won the Academy Award for Best Picture and features Jimmy Stewart as a man who killed someone hiding out in the circus as a clown)

"Ruby Gentry" (1952) (He plays a bad boy who Jennifer Jones can't seem to resist)

"The Naked Jungle" (1954) (An early disaster film)

"The Ten Commandments" (1956) (He plays Moses)*

"Touch of Evil" (1958) (Directed by Orson Welles)*

"The Big Country" (1958) (Also starring Gregory Peck and Burl Ives)

"Ben-Hur" (1959) (Another Best Picture winner, for which he also won the Oscar)*

"El Cid" (1961) (I believe this was the first movie I saw him in)

"The Agony and the Ecstasy" (1965) (where he gets away with playing Michelangelo, a much shorter man than he)

"Planet of the Apes" (1968)*

"The Omega Man" (1971) (He plays a man who might be the last man on earth)

"Soylent Green" (1973) ("It's people")*

"The Three Musketeers" (1973) and "The Four Musketeers: Milady's Revenge" (1974) (Two of my favorite movies, also starring Faye Dunaway and Oliver Reed)

"Airport 1975" (1974) and "Earthquake" (1975) (both part of the big disaster film craze of the 1970s)

*Now showing on Amazon Instant Video

In the 80s and 90s, he was seen more in TV movies, playing Long John Silver, Sir Thomas More, and Sherlock Holmes. He also played Jason Colby, in "Dynasty" and its spin-off, "The Colbys," as well as playing himself in "The Bold and the Beautiful." And he had cameo roles in "Tombstone" (1993) and "True Lies" (1994).

Charlton Heston died in 2008, after having been diagnosed with Alzheimer's, in 2002. He was married to the same woman for 64 years. His son, Fraser, is close to my age, as he plays the baby Moses in "The Ten Commandments." He is my favorite actor of all time. I admired him for his loyalty to his family, his morals, and his defense of civil rights. I think he was one of the last great actors from the days of studio bosses and contract players. I will always enjoy watching his films.

Until next time,
Teah

Witness for the Prosecution (1957)

It has been said that people thought "Witness for the Prosecution" was directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Indeed, it does have a Hitchcock vibe, but this one was co-written and directed by Billy Wilder, the brilliant man who won Oscars for writing and directing "The Lost Weekend" (1945), writing "Sunset Blvd" (1950), and for writing, directing, and producing "The Apartment" (1960) (the latter being one of my favorites).

"Witness for the Prosecution" stars Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich, Charles Laughton, and Elsa Lanchester, all of whom were what might be considered today to be "box office magic." Tyrone Power was one of the most beautiful actors to have ever lived. Marlene Dietrich was brought to Hollywood from Germany, around 1930, just before she turned 30 years old. She has never appealed to me, though I do have a great respect for her acting; however, she seems to have a speech impediment similar to that of Elmer Fudd, which I find a bit comical, even when she's trying to be serious. Charles Laughton is one of the all-time greats, and he and Elsa Lanchester were married from 1929 until he died, in 1962. Elsa lived another 24 years and never remarried.

Another interesting tidbit about the movie is it's the last film Una O'Connor appeared in. Born in Ireland, Una was one of those what-they-called "character" actresses, in that she seemed to always play the same type of part. She made 84 films in 28 years. If you'd like to catch some of her seemingly redundant performances, I recommend "The Invisible Man" (1933), "David Copperfield" (1935), "The Bride of Frankenstein" (1935), "The Adventures of Robin Hood" (1938), "Random Harvest" (1942), "Christmas in Connecticut" (1945), and "The Bells of St. Mary's" (1945), Una was never nominated for an Oscar.

This was also the last movie for Tyrone Power, who died of a heart attack, shortly after the movie was released. Tyrone never was nominated for an Oscar, either. Charles Laughton was nominated for his performance, as well as his wonderful performance of Captain Bligh in "Mutiny on the Bounty" (1935), but he didn't win for either role. He did win for his performance of Henry the VIII in "The Private Life of Henry VIII" (1933), which also starred his wife, Elsa. Elsa was nominated for her performance in "Witness", as well as her great performance in "Come to the Stable " (1949), but she didn't win. The winners that year were Alec Guiness, for "The Bridge on the River Kwai," and Miyoshi Uneki, for "Sayonara."

If you're new to this blog, you'll notice I don't provide plot summaries or synopses. I just tell you whether or not I recommend a movie. I do recommend "Witness for the Prosecution," not only for the great performances, great screenplay, and great director, but for the wonderful twist at the end, thanks to Agatha Christie, who wrote the short story on which the play, and then this movie, are based.

Until next time,
Teah

What's Wrong with "The Santa Clause"

I first saw this movie in the theatre, with a friend from work and my son, who was almost 12 years old. I was traumatized, and vowed never to watch it again. Well, I have watched it several times since that vow, hoping to get a different (or better) perspective of the plot, but, it turns out, I get a different thing to be annoyed by, with each viewing. Perhaps I should just give up and stick to my vow to not watch it again, but I'm hoping that blogging about what's wrong with it might help me to be more understanding of the film.

I was initially traumatized by the idea that the married parent and step-parent were the better option for the kid, because the single parent was a dreamer with his head in the clouds and completely detached from reality. At the time, I was that single parent with my head in the clouds, and I felt my son's stepmother was viewed as the better mother. During my first viewing of the film, this idea was all I could think about, and it defined my first impression of the film.

During subsequent viewings, I was less traumatized by what initially bothered me and more irritated by how annoying the kid was. He vacillated between being really smart and really stupid. For example, he invented all these brilliant safety features and gadgets for Santa's sleigh, yet he thought being incredibly vocal about his dad being Santa Claus would actually help his situation. Another thing that happened as a result of this movie, which completely annoys me, to this day, is that people somehow thought that the proper spelling of his name was Santa Clause (with an "e" at the end).

I am watching this movie right now. I think this is maybe my fifth or sixth viewing. I really love the story and the way it answers all the questions surrounding the idea of Santa Claus and how he has been able to live for so long and get the job done every year. I love the ending, when the doubting parents get the presents they never got as children. But the kid still totally annoys me. Honestly, his obsession with Santa does seem too obsessive. He certainly calms down by the time "The Santa Clause 2" and "The Santa Clause 3" come around, and I enjoy both sequels much more than the original.

In the end, blogging about it has helped me release some steam, but it hasn't helped me to enjoy the first movie any better. I still have my head in the clouds, I still believe in Santa Claus, and I think I would love to be Mrs. Claus. However, I don't think I will ever completely enjoy "The Santa Clause".

Merry Christmas, one and all!
Teah

Oliver! (Reed)

This is a still of Oliver Reed from "The Three Musketeers" (1973), which is, I believe, the first movie I saw him in.  One of my best friends in high school had a huge crush on Michael York, and she wanted me to see this movie with her, so she could show me what a hunk he was.  I'm always up for a movie, so I agreed to go along.  She was poking me and whispering, "There he is!  There he is!", as soon as the movie started.  Yes, he was really a hunk, and, as I continued watching, I was delighted to see other actors I loved, Richard Chamberlain and Charlton Heston.  However, I left this first viewing with an admiration for Faye Dunaway, and a solid infatuation for Oliver Reed.

A side effect of seeing the film, for me, was a desire to read the book, by Alexandre Dumas.  Athos, Oliver Reed's character, had already become my favorite Musketeer, and the book just solidified that.  I loved the book so much, that I sought out other novels by Dumas, and read "The Count of Monte Cristo" and "The Man in the Iron Mask".  Then, I was first in line to see any movie adaptations of any Alexandre Dumas story.  There were several "Three Musketeers" movies before and after the 1973 version, but the 1973 version remains my favorite, and Oliver Reed's performance remains my favorite Athos.

Back in the 1970s, there was no Internet or social media, so being obsessed with a celebrity only went as far as plastering photos all over a bedroom wall and watching every movie and TV appearance of the object of obsession.  The entertainment media was also quite tame, so any information about a celebrity's personal life was limited to what the celebrity's press agent wanted you to know.  Sure, some scandals occasionally leaked out, but most celebrities were presented in a positive light.  So, it wasn't until after he died that I learned about Oliver Reed's storied life.

He was incredibly outspoken and had a voracious appetite for alcohol and fighting.  In order to make a sort of comeback with "Gladiator", he remained sober during the majority of filming.  However, he decided to go on a binge, shortly before filming concluded, and died of a heart attack.  It is said, the night he died, he drank three bottles of Captain Morgan's Jamaican rum, eight bottles of German beer, numerous doubles of Famous Grouse whiskey and Hennessy cognac, and beat five much younger Royal Navy sailors at arm-wrestling.  WOW!

His personal quotes are candid and to the point.  Throughout November, I will be sharing a quote a day on my Facebook group page, which is open for anyone to join.  Here's the link:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/classicmovieblog/

And here's a list of Oliver Reed movies I highly recommend:

I'll Never Forget What's'isname (1967), the first movie to use the "F" word
Oliver! (1968), the best performance of Bill Sikes
Women in Love (1969), first mainstream movie with full frontal male nudity
The Three Musketeers (1973)
The Four Musketeers: Milady's Revenge (1974)
Tommy (1975), in which he sings(!)
Burnt Offerings (1976)
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988)
The House of Usher (1989)
The Return of the Musketeers (1989)
Gladiator (2000)

Guest Programmer

Every month, Turner Classic Movies invites a Guest Programmer (usually an actor or actress, or other qualifying "celebrity"), to choose four movies from the TCM catalog to share.  The guest will then talk about these four movies with Robert Osborne.  Recently, I have been thinking about what four movies I would choose, if I were ever asked to share four movies with an audience.  There are hundreds of movies that I absolutely love and warrant inclusion.  I decided to limit it to movies released in the 1970s.  Even after this first "whittling down", dozens of movies kept coming to mind that I would want to include.  After much deliberation, here are the four movies I would choose, and why:

My first pick is a no brainer (for me).  Whenever I am asked to name my favorite movie of all time, I always say "American Graffiti" (1973).  I believe I first saw this movie in Emporia, Kansas, when I tagged along as my parents took my older brother to Emporia State University (and I was also checking out the music department and auditioning for a possible music scholarship).  This movie came into my life at a time when I was completely identifying with the characters on screen.  I wanted to turn the clock back 11 years and live the way they were living in 1962.  When I got back home, I saw the movie again and again, taking with me (one at a time), anyone who was willing to go.  The last time I saw it in the theatre was during my Freshman year in college.  I believe that was the 11th time I had seen it.  In the late 70s, when movies started being released on video, and cable TV became all the rage, I had the opportunity to view it over and over again.  Six years later, I was first in line to see "More American Graffiti".  I remember sensing that nobody else in the theatre felt the kinship with these characters that I did. These characters had become part of my family, my dear friends.  This movie came out at a time in my life that I needed to feel a part of something.  My family unit was separating, I was preparing for my last year of high school and feeling pressure to make a decision about college, and my self esteem was not as positive as it should have been.

My second film is "Kotch" (1971).  This was the first time I had seen Walter Matthau, and I actually thought he was as old as the character he played.  My main reason for choosing "Kotch" is that I have yet to meet anyone born after 1970 who has even heard of this movie, and it is actually more relevant today, when the Baby Boomer generation are becoming senior citizens, than it was, when it was first released.  It's also the only movie to be directed by Jack Lemmon.  It's labeled as a comedy, but, while it IS funny, it is also quite heartbreaking, at times.  When a movie becomes a favorite of mine, it becomes part of my family, and I immediately want to introduce the rest of my family and all my friends to it.  If I were to ever be given the opportunity to pick four of these family members to share with others, I would be tickled pink.  I cannot express in words how giddy I get at the thought of sharing a movie with someone who has never seen it before.  I am not able to personally share "Kotch" with pretty much anyone reading this blog post, but I think everyone reading this blog post should watch it and tell me here how you felt after watching it.  Next to sharing films with those who have not seen them, I love discussing films with those who have just watched them.

 Pick three ... "The Three Musketeers" (1973).  One of my friends, who was insanely in love with Michael York, asked me to go see this movie with her, because I didn't know who Michael York was.  (For you youngsters, he played Basil Exposition in the Austin Powers movies.)  While I did agree with my friend that Michael York was, indeed, quite handsome, I came away from the first viewing in love with Oliver Reed.  So, my main reason for choosing "The Three Musketeers" is to introduce everyone to Oliver Reed.  Because of his performance, Athos became my favorite musketeer, I read the book, which became my favorite book of all time, Alexandre Dumas became my favorite author of all time, and I began reading his other books.  Oliver Reed's portrayal of Athos remains my favorite, to this day.  "The Four Musketeers" (1974) was actually filmed at the same time as "The Three Musketeers", and it is said that the actors thought they were making just one movie, and they were supposedly surprised, when it was split into two films, released a year apart.  In addition to Oliver Reed and Michael York, this film also featured Richard Chamberlain and Charlton Heston, two actors I was already quite fond of, and Faye Dunaway, whom I believe I was seeing on screen for the first time, and who quickly became my favorite actress in the world.  Finally, all three musketeers movies (there was a third movie, "The Return of the Musketeers", released in 1989), were directed by Richard Lester, who directed "A Hard Day's Night" and "Help!".  If I had a second opportunity to share four films, I would most likely choose these three "musketeers" movies, and then add "Oliver!", in which Oliver Reed plays Bill Sikes.

My final pick is "The Turning Point" (1977).  I first went to see this movie because it was nominated for Best Picture by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.  I believe 1977 was the first year I thought I'd enjoy watching the Oscars more, if I at least saw the five pictures nominated for Best Picture.  I was living in Phoenix, Arizona, at the time, and I later discovered that one of the girls in my dorm knew Leslie Browne, who was the ballerina in the film.  I don't remember, now, how she knew her, but it made the movie seem more familiar.  For the awards, it was up against "Annie Hall", "The Goodbye Girl", "Julia", and "Star Wars" ("Annie Hall" won), but it was my favorite, that year.  After seeing it for the first time, I wanted to see it again, and images from the film stayed with me for days.  The ballet scenes were gorgeous (as was Mikhail Baryshnekov), and Anne Bancroft and Shirley MacLaine were so believable as two formerly competitive ballerinas that took different paths in life.  I have been in that place where I had a huge blowout with my best friend and didn't speak to her for years, then, when I saw her again, years later, we behaved as if nothing horrible had happened.  The relationships between all the characters in this film are fascinating.  A few days ago, I watched a performance of Prokofiev's "Romeo and Juliet".  I had never seen the ballet before, nor, to my knowledge, had I ever listened to the music.  However, during the Pas de deux, the music was hauntingly familiar.  Later, I looked up the piece and discovered that this was the music playing during a love scene in "The Turning Point".

So, those are my four picks.  I'd love to know yours!

Teah

Gene vs. Fred

 

I adore Fred Astaire, so I'm a bit embarrassed to report that I saw "Royal Wedding" today for the first time. While watching, I remembered that I had an idea a while ago to compare Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly. The same year "Royal Wedding" came out, Gene Kelly presented "An American in Paris", which won the Academy Award for Best Picture that year, and is one of my least favorite best picture winners. There's just something about Gene Kelly that I don't like. He seems arrogant and a know-it-all, perhaps a bit narcissistic. In an interview with TCM's Robert Osborne, Liza Minnelli was asked to compare the two dancers, since she grew up on the MGM lot. I love her description. She stated that, when you watch Gene Kelly dance, you come away with the feeling that it was a wonderful dance number, impeccably produced; when you watch Fred Astaire, you feel like he is making it up as he goes along. What a great way to describe Fred. That is exactly how I feel about every dance number I've seen him perform. He can also play a cad, a totally unlikable character, and still have you smiling with his dance numbers. I'm thinking of "Holiday Inn", where his character treats Bing Crosby's character horribly, stealing every woman Bing cares about, but then does a 4th of July tap dance with firecrackers that just blows everyone away!

In "Royal Wedding", Fred dances with a coat rack and defies gravity by dancing around his hotel room vertically. In "An American in Paris", Gene performs a 20-minute ballet at the end of the movie that's one of the most boring things I have ever seen. It doesn't really have anything to do with the story line ... he wanted to do the ballet, so he had to come up with a story that would draw the audience in to see the ballet. I don't believe the story is Oscar worthy.

Another great movie featuring Fred Astaire, when he was feeling washed up as a performer, is "The Band Wagon". In this film, Fred starts off with a great tap number and has a beautiful dance with Cyd Charisse, to "Dancing in the Dark".

If you even remotely like musicals, you must check out a few Fred Astaire movies. Be sure to include a couple of films he did with Ginger Rogers ... I'll talk about her some other time.

Now That's Funny!

One of my FB friends posted a request for suggestions of comedy movies that were not rated R, which she could watch at night, when she was having trouble sleeping. While reading the many responses, I was a bit stunned to notice that none of those posting had listed any movies made prior to 1980. And movies made in the 1980s and 1990s were referred to as "old", "older", or "not new", as if older movies are not as good.

I beg and plead to differ. Movies made before the rating system existed are truly some of the best movies ever made. I don't think I could put all the great comedies I've seen throughout my life in one blog. But, for my friends who, for whatever reason, shy away from classic movies, here's a short alphabetical list to get you started:


"Bye Bye Birdie" (1963), starring Ann-Margret, Dick Van Dyke, Janet Leigh, Paul Lynde, Bobby Rydell, and Maureen Stapleton. All about a singer joining the Army, and how a PR gimmick affects a small town in Ohio. Lots of great songs, romance, and Ann-Margret is absolutely stunning.

"The Court Jester" (1956), starring Danny Kaye, Glynis Johns, Angela Lansbury, Mildred Natwick, and Basil Rathbone. The song Danny Kaye sings throughout the opening credits became his "theme song". The best example of the genius of Danny Kaye.

:"The Farmer's Daughter" (1947), starring Loretta Young, Joseph Cotten, and Ethel Barrymore (Drew's great aunt). My mother remembers seeing this movie in the theater and laughing constantly. Joseph Cotten is one of my favorite actors, and Loretta Young won an Academy Award for her performance.

"His Girl Friday" (1940), starring Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell, one of my favorite comedic actresses. Cary Grant seemed to excel at romantic comedy, and this is one of the top ones.

"It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World" (1963), starring every single popular comedian of the time, including Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, Buddy Hackett, Phil Silvers, Jonathan Winters, Jim Backus, Don Knotts, Jack Benny, Carl Reiner, Jerry Lewis, and The Three Stooges. This one is best viewed as a comedy history lesson, as younger viewers may find the humor a bit outdated, but it can still hold its own.

"Monkey Business" (1952), another Cary Grant comedy, also starring Ginger Rogers and Marilyn Monroe. I adore Ginger Rogers, and her talents reach much further than dancing with Fred Astaire. I smile and giggle any time this movie comes to my mind.

"Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation" (1962), starring Jimmy Stewart and Maureen O'Hara, both great comedic actors whom I should devote a page to soon.

"The Philadelphia Story" (1940), starring Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart, and Katharine Hepburn. Jimmy Stewart won the Academy Award for his performance. If you feel this movie is too old for you, try "High Society" (1956), a musical remake starring Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, and Grace Kelly.

"The Pink Panther" (1964), starring Peter Sellers and David Niven. This is the first movie in which Peter Sellers played Inspector Clouseau, and I find it absolutely hilarious.

"Road to Morocco" (1942), which I think is the best of the "Road" pictures starring Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, and Dorothy Lamour. I believe there were seven "Road to ..." pictures made, and I've only seen two or three, but this one is the best representation of this type of comedy.

"Robin and the 7 Hoods" (1964), starring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Bing Crosby, and Peter Falk. This one, along with the original "Ocean's Eleven" (1960), also starring Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis, Jr., are a great opportunity to see the Rat Pack performing together.

"Topper" (1937), starring Cary Grant, Constance Bennett, and Billie Burke. This movie spawned at least one sequel and a 1950s TV show. There are some scenes in this movie that are so funny that I wouldn't trust anyone who didn't laugh at them.

There are at least 100 more comedies I could list, but this will have to do for now. And if you're ever wide awake, and have cable, turn to TCM to discover some great movies that you most likely have never heard of. Until next time, have a laugh!

David Daniel Kaminski was born 100 years ago...

actually, Danny Kaye would have been 102 on January 18, 2013, but he decided to list his birth year as 1913, instead of 1911, which is the year he was born. He has always been one of my favorite people. He made less than 30 movies, but he was a great storyteller and had a TV show in the 1960s. I don't remember watching his TV show, but I remember listening to a record or tape of him telling Hans Christian Andersen stories and Grimm's Fairy Tales. My favorites were "Clever Gretel" and "The Steadfast Tin Soldier".

Today, Turner Classic Movies is devoting 24 hours to Danny Kaye, which includes "The Court Jester", airing at 9:00 p.m. CST, tonight. It is probably the best representation of Danny Kaye on film. I'm almost ashamed to admit that I have only seen three of his movies. Besides "The Court Jester", I've seen "White Christmas" and "Merry Andrew". I love all of them, and I will watch many more, as part of today's celebration on TCM.

I have trouble putting words together to describe Danny Kaye. The best I can say is that watching his movies will take you to a lovely place, where you will laugh and be filled with love for everyone around you.You will forget about all the horrible things going on in the world ... for a little while.

So, if you like "White Christmas", make the effort to watch "The Court Jester". I guarantee you will fall in love!

Say Hello to a Great Director--Alfred Hitchcock

I watched "Stage Fright" (1950) today, for the first time. I did not know until the opening credits that it was directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Hitchcock got into the business when directors were directors; they were not also producers, writers, and actors. Back in the day, most people in the business found what they did well and stuck with it. And Mr. Hitchcock directed very well. While I believe he contributed to writing most of the stories he directed, he did not take credit. In addition, he did not list himself in the acting credits, although he made a cameo appearance in every film he directed. It was kind of a game with his fans, trying to find the cameo in each film.

"Stage Fright" did not disappoint me, on the whole. I was disappointed to see Marlene Dietrich in a major role, because I really don't care for her, but I suppose she was box office gold, at the time. I was delighted to see Alistair Sim in a prominent role. I suppose he is most famous for playing Ebenezer Scrooge in the 1951 version of "A Christmas Carol". This movie came out the year before, and I wonder if he was well known prior to "Stage Fright". He appeared in many movies that I have not heard of before "Stage Fright", and I imagine they were mostly British movies, and he was probably quite famous in Great Britain were he was born and died.

This was the first movie that Pat Hitchcock, Alfred's daughter, appeared in. She was to appear in several of her father's movies, as well as his television show, "Afred Hitchcock Presents", but she also appeared in other films not associated with her father. I was also delighted to Jane Wyman in this movie, an actress for whom I continue to develop an admiration. She gave some wonderful performances throughout her stellar career, but I am not here to talk about Jane Wyman's achievements. Let's talk some more about Alfred.

If you have a favorite Hitchcock movie, why not comment about it here? What follows is a listing of my favorite Hitchcock films, with a brief explanation of why I like each one.

"Rebecca" (1940) - The first movie in which I saw Laurence Olivier as a young man, and I fell hard for him. What a gorgeous man he was! This is a great story that keeps you guessing until the end.

"Shadow of a Doubt" (1943) - Joseph Cotton usually played the nice guy, but he plays a vicious criminal in this film, and he will blow you away. Awesome, creepy film.

"Spellbound" (1945) - With Gregory Peck, and the first Hitchcock-directed film starring Ingrid Bergman, whom I adore! Another one that keeps you guessing.

"Notorious" (1946) - Another one starring Ingrid Bergman, this time with Cary Grant. This is one of my all-time favorite movies--wonderful acting, great story, and fantastic ending. Love Claude Rains' performance!

"Strangers on a Train" (1951) - I watch this one just for Robert Walker's chilling performance.

"Dial M for Murder" (1954) - The best thing about this one is it stars Ray Milland, one of my favorite actors. It also stars Grace Kelly, which is probably why everyone else likes it.

"Rear Window" (1954) - This is probably my favorite Alfred Hitchcock film. One of the most suspenseful films you'll ever see. Starring Grace Kelly, again, with Jimmy Stewart, this time, and the great Thelma Ritter.

"The Wrong Man" (1956) - An obscure film starring Henry Fonda. It is very interesting. I have only seen it once, but would watch it again. A great example of awesome directing.

"North by Northwest" (1959) - Another favorite Hitchcock movie. It stars Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint, another wonderful actress. It also stars James Mason, an actor I'll have to talk about on this blog sometime. What a great voice, and Eddie Izzard thinks he's God. Then there's Martin Landau, who starred in the Mission: Impossible TV series a few years later. And Leo G. Carroll, who would later head up the United Network Command for Law and Enforcement on TV's "The Man from U.N.C.L.E." (but this was after he was killed in "Tarantula").

"Psycho" (1960) - Okay, I guess everyone knows this one. My point is, Hitchcock made lots of films before "Psycho" that were just as innovative and maybe even better. Don't get stuck on one movie. The whole point of this blog is to get you to become familiar with films you may not have heard of before. If you haven't seen "Psycho", you should watch it, but please look at some of the others, as well.

"The Birds" (1963) - Probably as famous as "Psycho", and it has some creepy moments, but it never blew me away. Probably because it was built up so much by everyone before I saw it. When I finally saw it, it was like "what's the big deal?"

You might also enjoy watching some episodes of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents", which was a very innovative TV show, hosted by Alfred, himself. His introductions were usually tongue-in-cheek and hilarious.

I really gotta run now ... "Mister Roberts" is coming on! You'll find it listed on my blog about James Cagney.

I'm "On the Waterfront" with Marlon

Tonight, I'm watching "On the Waterfront". I love this movie in so many ways. This post will be full of history and trivia, in the hopes of peaking your interest and compelling you to watch it for yourself.

Frank Sinatra was originally cast as Terry Malloy, the part eventually given to Marlon Brando, for which he won his first Oscar. Believe it or not, Frank held a grudge and was not friendly toward Marlon, even when they were filming "Guys and Dolls" together. However, I believe Marlon got the part that Frank wanted in that movie, as well. I find it interesting that one actor would hold a grudge against another actor for being a more talented actor. Anyway, this has been heralded by many as Marlon's best performance, and I agree, although "A Streetcar Named Desire" comes close. John Turturro said that if he asked a girl to go see "On the Waterfront" and she declined, he would not have anything else to do with her. Speaking of John Turturro, his character, Herbie Stemple, in the movie "Quiz Show" was asked to give a wrong answer to the question, "Which movie won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1955?' "On the Waterfront" was the winner that year, and Herbie was told to say "Marty".

This was the first movie for Eva Marie Saint, who would later star in "North by Northwest". It was also the first movie for Fred Gwynne, who would later become famous for playing Herman Munster, and also appeared in "The Boy Who Could Fly" and played the judge in "My Cousin Vinny". I would say this was also the first substantial role for Rod Steiger, who gives an incredible performance as Terry's older brother, Charley.

This movie is probably most famous for the scene in the back of a taxi, where Terry explains to Charley why he won't be a mug for the union anymore. He says, "You don't understand. I coulda had class. I coulda been a contender. I coulda been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am, let's face it." It's a heart wrenching scene that really sticks with you. That line may seem corny, taken out of context, but, when you watch the movie from the beginning and see Terry's struggle, it becomes one of the best scenes in the film, one I look forward to every time I watch. Right after this scene,Terry breaks down Edie's apartment door to convince her she loves him. Love that!

This movie was directed by Elia Kazan, who won the best director Oscar for doing so. He also received an honorary Oscar in 1999. At that time, much of Hollywood protested his receiving such an award, based solely on his actions before the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1952. This committee was chaired by Joseph McCarthy, who was intent on finding and punishing famous people who were communists. Kazan was the first in Hollywood to cooperate with the committee, and is credited with ruining the careers of many people in Hollywood who were communists. I believe Kazan stood by his actions the rest of his life.

The music for the film is by Leonard Bernstein, who is probably most famous for writing the music for "West Side Story". The music fits perfectly with the movie. It's somewhat thematic, but mainly just there to help your emotions along.

This is one of those films that seems perfect. I can't imagine that it would have been so, had anything been different. The acting, directing, music, and screenplay are exactly as they should be. If you've never seen this film, I highly recommend it. If you haven't seen it, and you want to, and you live near me, I'd love to come to you or have you over to my place so we can enjoy it together! It is a movie that I hope will become as memorable to you as it will always be for me.

And, John Turturro, if your current wife ever dies, I'm available.

Allow Me to Introduce, James Francis Cagney

Born July 17, 1899, in New York City
Died March 30, 1986

He was the second recipient of the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award, and the first actor to receive it. I remember watching the event on TV. It was 1974, and he hadn't made a movie since 1961. As he walked down the steps, he did the same little tap and shuffle he did on the White House steps in "Yankee Doodle Dandy" over 30 years before. I was 17 years old, and I absolutely adored Jimmy Cagney, but I didn't know why, exactly.

Looking back, and watching one of his movies today ("The Mayor of Hell"), I think it was because he always played characters who had no fear. He was 5'6" tall, but bigger than life. I saw an interview with Joan Leslie, his costar in "Yankee Doodle Dandy", and she stated that Jimmy asked that any characters he had to fight with in his films be played by actors who were taller than he was. It doesn't seem like that would be hard to do, since he was so short, but, when you watch him knocking people down in film after film, it's believable. There's an actor currently in the business who reminds me of Cagney -- Jackie Earle Haley, who actually measures an inch shorter than Jimmy. Jackie also believably portrays guys you wouldn't want to cross.

Cagney appeared in his first film in 1930, but it was a starring role in "The Public Enemy" in 1931 that shot him to stardom. In this film, he is cruel to men and women alike. His character, Tom Powers, is the scum of the earth, but you might find yourself rooting for him to win. After "The Public Enemy", he was consistently cast as a gangster, maybe because he played the part so well.

I haven't seen every James Cagney film, but I have enjoyed every one I have seen. If I've peaked your interest in James Cagney, here's a list of films to get you started. (Unless otherwise noted, he plays a gangster or hoodlum of some sort):

"The Public Enemy" (1931)
"The Mayor of Hell" (1933)
"A Midsummer Night's Dream" (1935) (yes, the Shakespeare play--no gangsters)
"The Roaring Twenties" (1939)
"The Bride Came C.O.D." (1941) (romantic comedy, with Bette Davis)
"Yankee Doodle Dandy" (1942) (introduced to me by my Daddy; a musical biography of George M Cohan)
"White Heat" (1949)
"The West Point Story" (1950) (musical)
"Love Me or Leave Me" (1955) (a musical where he plays a gangster in love with a singer, played by Doris Day)
"Mister Roberts" (1955) (a comedy)
"Man of a Thousand Faces" (1957) (biography of Lon Chaney)
"One, Two, Three" (1961) (comedy)
"Ragtime" (1981) (drama where he plays a police chief)

So, pick up whatever movie you can find and join me in celebrating the acting genius of Jimmy Cagney -- a short guy I shouldn't like, but who had my heart from the moment I first saw him.

Fail-Safe vs. Dr. Strangelove

 

I watched "Fail-Safe" today, a movie which I had not seen before. It was released by Columbia Pictures, in the fall of 1964, when Americans thought a lot about whether or not Russia would launch nuclear bombs to completely destroy us. This was known as the "Cold War". Earlier the same year, Stanley Kubrick's "Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" was released by Columbia Pictures, on Kubrick's insistence that his movie be released first.

These two movies eerily follow the same plot line. Unfortunately for "Fail-Safe", "Dr. Strangelove" is a satire. "Fail-Safe" is dead serious. It is said that moviegoers laughed at "Fail-Safe" because it was so much like "Dr. Strangelove". I have seen "Strangelove" a few times, and it has never impressed me to the extent that "Fail-Safe" did today. I have never been a great fan of Stanley Kubrick, who also directed "Spartacus", "Lolita", "2001: A Space Odyssey", "A Clockwork Orange", "Barry Lyndon", "The Shining", "Full Metal Jacket", and "Eyes Wide Shut". Of these films, I was riveted by "A Clockwork Orange", and thoroughly enjoyed "Barry Lyndon". The others I could take or leave, particularly "The Shining", because it is so far removed from the book that I think anyone watching it who had not read the book would not get the movie. A TV miniseries of "The Shining", which aired in 1997, and for which Steven King wrote the teleplay, is a much better adaptation of the book.

"Fail-Safe" was directed by Sidney Lumet, a brilliant director, many of whose films I love, and a man who died earlier this year. Sidney Lumet got his start directing television. His feature film directorial debut was "12 Angry Men". He also directed "Serpico" (my first R-rated movie), "Murder on the Orient Express", "Dog Day Afternoon", "Network", "Equus", "The Wiz", "The Verdict" (hands down, my favorite Paul Newman movie), and "The Morning After" (one of the few Jane Fonda films I have enjoyed, probably because it stars Jeff Bridges, whom I adore).

If you have a hankering to watch both of these cold war movies, I would suggest watching "Fail-Safe" first. That way, it won't be funny, and you can appreciate the humor and satire of "Dr. Strangelove". I recommend "Fail-Safe", if you're in the mood for a serious thriller. Be prepared to avoid distractions, as missing any part of the plot can be confusing.

I had a similar experience with two other movies that had nearly identical plots, one meaning to be serious, and the other satirical. In this instance, I laughed at the serious movie, because it seemed so ridiculous. The serious movie was "Zero Hour". The satire was "Airplane". I later learned that the Zucker brothers, who wrote and directed "Airplane" with Jim Abrahams, bought the rights to "Zero Hour" so that they could remake it as a comedy. There are scenes in these two films that are identical, including the dialogue, which is delivered by the actors seriously in "Zero Hour", and comically in "Airplane". The characters all even have the same names.

Until next time, keep your ear to the ground and keep watching the skies!

Welcome!

While this blog is mainly devoted to classic movies, I will also talk about more recent films. My approach to writing about movies may be different than what you are accustomed to reading. It has been my experience that professional movie reviewers will recite the plot of a movie, then share their opinions about it.

In 1978, I went to the movie theater with my steady guy, not sure which movie we were going to see. We bought tickets for a movie called "The Deer Hunter", which neither of us had heard anything about. It turned out to be a great experience, not having any preconceived notions about the film, not knowing who was in it. From then on, I avoided reading reviews and tried to look for movies to watch that hadn't been heavily promoted. As the years have gone by, this has become much harder to do.

With this blog, I am attempting to introduce today's twenty-somethings, thirty-somethings, and even 40-somethings, to older movies, actors, and directors, that they may have never heard of or seen. So, "come on along, come on along, let me take you by the hand"* and show you some of my favorite films and the people who made them great.

*Quote from the song, "Alexander's Ragtime Band", written by Irving Berlin, and used in the movie by the same name, released in 1938.