God Speed Elizabeth Taylor

 

Elizabeth Taylor (1932-2011)

We all knew this was coming and that it was coming soon. Unfortunately, Dame Elizabeth Taylor passed away this morning. She had been suffering from so many health problems in the past few years and they escalated recently. She's now at rest. It would have been mean for us to want her to stay with us longer so let us instead appreciate her long life and wonderfully varied film career.

Elizabeth Taylor was one of those few actresses whom we've seen at every stage of life. She started off as a child actress in well-known films as National Velvet (1944) and as a teenager in Father of the Bride (1950) (still a virginal dame just around the time of her first of many marriages). She blossomed into a stunning woman with a figure to die for, eyes that bore into your soul and with a charisma that kept audiences transfixed. I loved watching her in A Place in the Sun (1951), Giant (1956), Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) and BUtterfield 8 (1960).

When I wrote about Jane Russell's passing, I pointed how good a friend she was to Robert Mitchum. Elizabeth Taylor was a good friend to many especially troubled entertainers such as Montgomery Clift (she saved the man's life when they were in a car accident) and Michael Jackson. Yes she stole a couple of husbands along the way but for the most part she had a kind, humanitarian heart. Elizabeth Taylor had quite a life; one full of ups and downs. Now that she's passed on, let us be kind and remember her for all she contributed to film history and to entertainment culture. God Speed Elizabeth.

The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973) at the Somerville Theatre

Carlos, Frank, Kevin and I saw The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973) at the Somerville Theatre in Somerville, MA, a historic building in the middle of Davis Square. Built in 1914, it first started off as a theater for plays, vaudeville and other shows but since the advent of motion pictures it added films to its repertoire. Today, the Somerville theatre showcases contemporary films, live musical performances and fun shows like the annual Slutcracker (oh yes, Carlos and I went to that. Two years in a row!). What the Somerville Theatre doesn't often show is classic films. So when they announced on their Facebook page that they would be showing an archival print of The Friends of Eddie Coyle (1973) in March, this Robert Mitchum loving gal was so excited. 

The Friends of Eddie Coyle is a quiet crime caper. And no that is not an oxymoron. It takes place in my beloved Boston and it centers around criminals and detectives connected with Eddie Coyle (Robert Mitchum). While there are some action scenes, it's a quiet movie that focuses more on interpersonal relationships between the other characters and Eddie Coyle and the plot escalates as Coyle gets himself into deeper and deeper trouble. Coyle is an ex-con who just got out of prison but faces more jail time in New Hampshire for helping a guy from Burlington, MA smuggle some booze over state lines. He's trying to earn a lot money to get his family out of Quincy, MA and to Florida so they can live new lives and leave Coyle's criminal past behind. He simultaneously tries to make a bargain with local police detective Dave Foley (Richard Jordan) to get himself out of the NH jail time while also buying guns from a gun runner to help out a gang of robbers pull off various bank heists. Coyle thinks he's got it all figured out but there are way too many hands in the pot and things become very complicated. The film was directed by Peter Yates and also co-stars Peter Boyle. It inspired much of The Town (2010). 

Filmed in the Boston area, one of the novelties for myself and for other Bostonians is seeing all the 70s era version of our favorite Boston locations. Or seeing some long gone sites. I don't want to go into this film in too much detail because I still have a dream of writing a more in depth homage. So instead, I wanted to share some pictures of our outing to see this film on the big screen. Special thank you to Carlos, Frank and Kevin for joining me in this adventure.

The Friends of Eddie Coyle on the Somerville Theatre Marquee. If you look closely, I'm on the far right looking up at the marquee.

Here is Frank in front of the Somerville Theatre sign in the lobby.

Somerville Theatre serves beer and wine. Here's my cup o' beer and my cloche hat.

This is the inside of the Somerville Theatre.

An action shot of Kevin with his beer getting ready to enjoy the movie.

Had to get a shot of the film name in the Title Sequence. Fo sho!

I almost missed this shot because some lady wanted to sit right in front of me. No one, and I mean NO ONE gets in the way of me and Robert Mitchum.

Some more shots in front of the sign. Me, Kevin and Frank.

Carlos and I.

God Speed Jane Russell

Jane Russell

1921-2011

Jane Russell was a full-figured woman with flare and attitude. She spoke her mind and wasn't afraid of what people thought of her. I think her impervious personality, her thoughtfulness as well as her down-to-earth nature was what Robert Mitchum, her best friend for many years, admired so much about her. In fact, she was the only non-family member who attended the spreading of Mitchum's ashes.

In the book Baby I Don't Care: Robert Mitchum, Lee Server says the following about Russell's early friendship with Mitchum.

Bob and Jane got along like old buddies... She would rave about his astounding command of the English language - even as he would tell her she was the most inarticulate girl he knew. He would tease her about her God-fearing ways, but he understood she was no Loretta Young, wallowing in piety. He loved to tell the one about the pestering report who couldn't believe a girl with her 'image' read the Bible and went to church each Sunday. 'Hey buddy,' she told him, 'Christians have big breasts, too.' She was good-natured, generous, strong-minded when she had to be, a stand-up guy. Mitchum nickname her 'Hard John.' They became fast friends. 

If you haven't seen the Private Screenings episode with Robert Mitchum and Jane Russell being interviewed by Robert Osborne, I highly suggest you watch it. You learn a lot about both of the actors as well as their dealings with Howard Hughes and their days at RKO. I hope TCM will show it soon with Jane Russell's recent passing.

God Speed Jane Russell. Hope you'll continue to be fabulous wherever you are.

Here is the trailer to my favorite Jane Russell film, His Kind of Woman (1951).