Friday, November 25, 2011

Comfort Movies on my Birthday

Today is my birthday! Yay! Having a birthday fall around Thanksgiving can be a mixed blessing. The big holiday competes with my birthday and my friends and family have other plans that revolve around Thanksgiving. While yesterday I spent quality time with my family, today I'm all by myself. But that's okay! Because I have my wonderful online friends and lots and lots of classic film to keep me company.

I don't tend to re-watch films all too often mostly because of personal guilt. I feel guilty watching my favorites when there are so many new-to-me films to explore. However, on the week of my birthday, I set aside my feelings of guilt and watched whatever I wanted! YEAH! There is something so comforting in watching a favorite old movie. It's like wrapping yourself in a soft blanket you've had for years. It feels delightful.

This week I watched these, my beloved classics:


Tony Rome (1967) - 1960s Miami seemed like a fabulous place to be (even with all the crime, extortion and junkies). Frank Sinatra is at the height of his coolness during this decade and his Tony Rome character is wonderful. I also love how sexy Jill St. John and Gena Rowlands are in this. I love watching this film for the ambience and atmosphere and for all the amazing details.



Ocean's 11 (1960) - In my mind, I've written several posts about this film but none of them have made it on to this blog. One time I watched this film 3 times in a row just wishing I could celebrate New Year's in 1960s Las Vegas with the Rat Pack. It's such a cool movie. I even watched this on my iPhone on the treadmill at the gym (and once on the stair master too!). Today I watched it for the great cast, the ambience, Ee-O 11 (one of my favorite songs) and that amazing final scene.


Bachelor Mother (1939) - In my opinion, Bachelor Mother is the best film to come out of 1939, the greatest year in movie history. It's such a cute fun movie. For years, I've dreamed of having a New Year's Eve like the one Ginger Rogers and David Niven have in the film. I ended up watching this film three times this week! 'Apply Nu Chea!


Holiday Affair (1949) - Of course, what birthday would it be without a healthy dose of my favorite big barrel-chested lug, Robert Mitchum. Holiday Affair is one of the few romances he did and this is a romance-family-holiday film to boot! He's just so incredibly charming as the Toy department clerk who gets fired because of Janet Leigh. The two fall in love in the midst of crazy circumstances. Such an adorable and heart-warming film. I had to watch it a couple of times.



A Patch of Blue (1965) - I fall in love with Sidney Poitier every single time I each this film. A Patch of Blue is a heart-wrenching/warming story of a blind Caucasian woman who falls in love with a seeing African-American man. So charming and your heart is made of stone if you don't empathize with poor Selina, the main character.



Christmas in Connecticut (1945) - I watch this film each year. I'm not a fan of Barbara Stanwyck but she's absolutely charming in this holiday classic alongside the dimpled Dennis Morgan, big-bellied Sydney Greenstreet and the hilarious S.K. Sakall who practically steals the picture away from the big stars. I especially love all the food talk. For fun, check out my Christmas in Connecticut Menus



Yours, Mine and Ours (1968) - My health in the past year hasn't been the greatest. But films like Yours, Mine and Ours always put life in perspective. Even when life gives you more than you can handle, make do with what you got and give it your best shot! And count your blessings. In the case of this movie, Lucille Ball and Henry Fonda have 20 of them! Quite a handful indeed. This is such a fun movie to watch too!


If you could watch as many of your favorite films as you wanted on your birthday, what would you watch? 

6 comments:

  1. first off Happy Birthday Raquele!! i sure can relate about rewatching stuff one has seen as opposed to viewing a "new" one! you have some interesting choices! i love Holiday Affair, Xmas in CT and Patch of Blue. you're not a Stanwyck fan? that surprises me! I guess cuz she is in so many movies i really love its hard to imagine anyone NOT being a fan of hers but its all good :)
    FWIW i dont think Janet Leigh was ever prettier than in Holiday Affair. there is much "sighing" when i watch that one.

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  2. Well, happy birthday to you. I have just recently started following your blog. I "follow" on Facebook, but since I'm on blogs more than FB, I decided to follow this way as well.

    My son can relate to your birthday feelings...his b.day is the 29th. Sometimes, that's the day after Thanksgiving (like the year he was born), and he usually feels like between Thanksgiving and Christmas decorating, that he doesn't have a birthday.

    Lots of great movie choices for your birthday viewing. My husband adores Ginger, and Bachelor Mother is his favorite of her films.

    I recently watched A Patch of Blue...fabulous movie. I'm just discovering the fabulousness of Sidney Poitier.

    I totally love Barbara Stanwyck, and Christmas in Connecticut is a total delight. I'll be watching it soon, during Christmas movie viewing season.

    Again, happy birthday!!

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  3. Happy Birthday! I can't believe Holiday Affair and Bachelor Mother aren't bigger classics. They're both such charming, perfectly cast flicks.

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  4. Happy Birthday! As a new reader I am fascinated by your taste in movies and Tony Rome is now in my watchlist :)

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  5. Sorry I missed your birthday Raquelle. I am glad you had some wonderful movies to keep you company. I like "Holiday Affair" and "Christmas in Connecticut" too. I just love "A Patch of Blue". Shelley Winters was so nasty in the movie. She's a good actress though. I read her autobiographies, she lead an interesting life.
    If it was my birthday and I could watch some of my favorites, here are 10 I would watch:

    1. Rear Window
    2. On the Waterfront
    3. Arsenic and Old Lace
    4. Some Like It Hot
    5. The African Queen
    6. The Wizard of Oz
    7. The Ten Commandments
    8. Singing in the Rain
    9. Wuthering Heights
    10. Casablanca

    I know how you feel when you feel guilty for watching something you've already seen when there are so many movies you haven't seen, but to me it's like curling up with an old friend. When I really like a movie, it never fails to move me, no matter how many times I've seen it.

    Kathy

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  6. Paulie! Thanks for stopping by. I don't hate Stanwyck, just not a fan overall. However, I'll watch any of her films. Most are very good and enjoyable. Oh and I love Janet Leigh in Holiday Affair. Howard Hughes made her extra sexy in that one, even though it's just a holiday-family movie. Ha! For me, Mitchum is very swoon worthy. I want him to swoop me up and take me to California too!

    Patti - Thanks for following me on FB and here too and for the birthday wishes. This time of year is tough for birthday folks. I spent my birthday all by myself but had a great number of classic films to keep me company.

    Kc - thanks! Oh yes, I agree. Holiday Affair and Bachelor mother should be standard Christmas/New Year's fare. I at least appreciate TCM for showing them both every year.

    Frank & Benni - Thanks! My taste in films is really odd so I'm glad you're fascinated. Report back once you've seen Tony Rome! Such a confusing plot but boy is it fun to watch.

    Kathy - Thank you! Wow that's a great list. You really love the big classics huh? Those are all top-notch films. What's the name of Shelley Winter's autobiography? I'd love to read it.

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