Lightning Flash Giveaway ~ To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) Book and Screening Tickets

It's time for another lightning flash giveaway and this time it's hosted by publisher Harper Perennial (a division of HarperCollins). I'm giving away one prize package which includes pair of tickets to the Thursday November 15th screening To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) and a 50th anniversary edition of the book from Harper Perennial. Check out the NCM Fathom Events page for the screening for more information including which theaters are showing the film.

Note from Harper Perennial:

You’ve read the book…now see it come to life on movie screens nationwide!  

For one day only on Thursday, November 15^th, select movie theaters nationwide will show the award-winning film version of Harper Lee’s classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird, in an event in honor of its 50th anniversary. In partnership with Fathom Events, Harper Perennial is offering YOU a chance to win 2 tickets for this event, plus a copy of the book!

Even though I have a Bachelor's in English (summa cum laude!) and a Master's degree in Writing, Literature and Publishing, I was never taught To Kill a Mockingbird in school! It's a book I've been meaning to read and a movie I've been meaning to watch so I'm very grateful for this opportunity and to be able to share a nice prize package like this with one lucky reader.

You can enter to win a chance to see this here! It's a lightning flash giveaway so please be prepared to respond ASAP to my email if you are contacted.

Rules and Regulations:

1) US participants only.

2) Enter by Sunday October 28th at 11:59 PM EST.

3) Winner will be chosen at random and contacted via email.

4) There is only ONE SHOWING. If you are not available to see this on the evening of Thursday November 15th, please do not enter this contest.

5) If you win, you must reply to my announcement email by 8 am EST on Tuesday October 30th so NCM Fathom can get you the tickets in time.

6) If I don't hear from you by the deadline, I'll award the prize to another person.

Good luck!

CONTEST IS NOW OVER

Congrats to the winner Andy!

Warner Archive Wednesday ~ The Bride Walks Out (1936)

The Bride Walks Out (1936) stars Barbara Stanwyck as Carolyn, a model who makes decent money and enjoys her independence. She's got her own apartment, a steady job and even a maid.

Her beau Michael (Gene Raymond) is an engineer who is down on his luck. It's the Depression and there aren't enough well-paying engineering jobs to go around so Michael makes do while he waits for an opportunity to come along. All Michael can offer Carolyn is a $35-a-week lifestyle. And a happy marriage. But Carolyn isn't so sure that's what she wants.

Michael offers Carolyn a small modest bouquet of flowers.

While Michael is in court for a serious traffic violation, after trying (successfully) to get fired from his taxi driver job, Carolyn meets wealthy and permanently drunk Hugh McKenzie (Robert Young). Hugh is the opposite of Michael. He's carefree and reckless. But they have one thing in common. They are both in love with Carolyn.

And Hugh offers Carolyn huge fancy bouquets.

Carolyn marries Michael but life is hard as a stay-at-home wife on $35 a week. Bills start adding up, payments missed and repossessors are knocking on their door. Carolyn tries to keep this from Michael but she can't much longer. She needs to work to help support the family. But Michael is old fashioned and wants to be the only bread winner. And then rich boy Hugh steps in to save the day but what about their marriage?

You can't really afford a $49.50 gown on a $35-a-week budget

The Bride Walks Out (1936) is a light drama with some comedic elements. I love watching films about people during Depression era 1930s trying to make something of their lives with very little opportunity. In many of these films there is a strong tension between love and money. Barbara Stanwyck is quite lovely as Carolyn. I enjoyed Gene Raymond's and Robert Young's performances as well. To add some humor to the story there is Ned Sparks as Paul Dodson as Michael's sidekick. You may remember Ned Sparks as the disgruntled show producer in Gold Diggers of 1933. Also, Helen Broderick plays Paul's wife Mattie and she brings a wonderful element of comedy to the story. Paul and Mattie are a sour couple whose bickering overshadows their deep down devotion for each other.

Also of note is Billy Gilbert who plays Mr. Donovan, a collector for the Acme Furniture Company. There is a hilarious scene in which he comes to collect Carolyn's furniture and he, Carolyn, Mattie and the movers all get drunk over champagne that Hugh (Robert Young) brought over. Hilarious!

Also the delightful Hattie McDaniel has a small role as Carolyn's maid.

This movie really hit home for me. Times have been a bit tough financially with house expenses and some surprise medical and car bills. We want to buy a home and start a family but not having the funds to do that keeps us from moving forward with our lives. It comforts me in a way to see another couple going through something similar.

The Bride Walks Out (1936) is available on DVD via Warner Archive.

Warner Archive Wednesday - On (random) Wednesdays, I review one title from the Warner Archive Collection. Movies selected are rented from Classicflix, watched on TCM or purchased from Warner Archive, Classicflix or TCM. This series is not sponsored by Warner Archive.

It (1927) with Clara Bow

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Clara Bow was one of those mega-watt stars whose light burned bright in the silent film era. What makes an actress like Clara Bow a star? The x-factor and she had “it”. Now the x-factor isn’t one solitary thing. It’s a combination of things including personality, looks, appeal, approachability, charisma and talent. Not everyone has the x-factor. There is no way to manufacture it or manipulate it. You either have “it” or you don’t. And Clara Bow had “it”.

The film It (1927) explores another kind of x-factor: sex appeal.  This is how a quote from the film explains “it”.

 “’IT’ is that peculiar quality which some persons possess, which attracts others of the opposite sex. The possessor of ‘IT’ must be absolutely un-self-conscious, and must have that magnetic ‘sex appeal’ which is irresistible.”

Clara Bow plays Betty Lou, a poor shop girl with good looks and an eye out for the boss Waltham (Antonio Moreno). While Waltham doesn’t know she exists, his employee Monty (William Austin) has eyes for Betty. But Betty wants Waltham and she’s desperate to get his attention. She has “it” and he needs to know “it”. However, when she stands up for her sick friend Molly (Priscilla Bonner) whose baby is about to be taken away from her, Betty Lou’s two suitors, her boss and his employee, are turned off by her appearance of single motherhood. Just one bit of miscommunication and the it factor is snuffed out. What’s a girl to do?

One of the sad things about the x-factor or having “it” is that you are almost guaranteed to lose it. Some stars keep it forever, like Marilyn Monroe and Humphrey Bogart, but that’s very rare. Most of those who have “it” lose “it”. And how depressing that must be to be on top of the world only to be knocked off. It’s something I’m sure Clara Bow and many other stars struggled with.

I think a lot of folks today purposefully ignore the “it” factor. Some of us think too highly of ourselves to come to the realization that we’ll never have “it”.  It is something that I struggle with too.

I had never seen a Clara Bow film before so watching this was a real treat. My friend Paulie from Art, Wood, Movies and Whatnot   is a huge Clara Bow fan and has done several very fine illustrations of her.  I had hoped that I would see this film on the big screen with live musical accompaniment but the opportunity escaped me. Maybe I will someday in the future. It’s a nice film and most interesting for its lead star and its focus on that elusive “it” factor.

Note: Author Elinor Glyn meant "it" to be more about the overall x-factor than specifically sex appeal. But Hollywood had other ideas.

It (1927) used to be available on DVD but that DVD is now out of print. You can watch it on Netflix Instant or rent it through Classicflix.