Go Check it out now!

Jonas' post on All Talking! All Singing! All Dancing! regarding the lost film Mamba (1930), which has recently been discovered. Yay!

Classic Film Series

There are so many classic film series out there that I just thought I'd make a list of them. I love the Nancy Drew series and I have dabbled in The Falcon, The Thin Man, Charlie Chan and Philo Vance. I really want to try Andy Hardy, Blondie and Boston Blackie among others.

Which classic film series is your favorite and why? Which one do you want to watch but haven't gotten to yet?

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Andy Hardy ~ 1937-1958. Various DVDs available. 16 movies.
Blondie ~ 1938-1950. Not available on DVD. 28 movies.
Bomba The Jungle Boy ~ 1949-1955. Not available on DVD. 11 movies.
Boston Blackie ~ 1941-1949. Not available on DVD. 14 movies.
The Bowery Boys ~ 1937-1958. Not available on DVD. 86 movies.
Bulldog Drummond ~ 1929-1951. Various DVDs available. 17 movies
Charlie Chan ~ 1929-1949. Various DVDs available. 41 movies.
Crime Doctor ~ 1943-1949. Not available on DVD. 10 movies.
Dr. Christian ~ 1939-1941. Not available on DVD. 6 movies.
Dr. Kildare ~ 1937-1947. Various DVDs available. 16 movies.
Ellery Queen ~ 1935-1942. Not available on DVD. 9 movies.
The Falcon ~ 1941-1949. Not available on DVD. 16 movies.
Francis (The Talking Mule) ~ 1949-1956. Various DVDs available. 7 movies.
Henry Aldrich ~ 1939-1944. Not available on DVD. 11 movies.
Hildegarde Withers ~ 1932-1937. Not available on DVD. 6 movies.
Jungle Jim ~ 1948-1955. Not available on DVD. 16 movies.
The Lone Wolf ~ 1935-1949. Not available on DVD. 15 movies.
Ma and Pa Kettle ~ 1949-1957. Available on DVD. 9 movies.
Maisie ~ 1939-1947. Not available on DVD. 10 movies.
Mexican Spitfire ~ 1939-1943. Not available on DVD. 8 movies.
Michael Shayne ~ 1940-1947. Not available on DVD. 12 movies.
Mr. Moto ~ 1937-1965. Available on DVD. 9 movies.
Mr. Wong ~ 1938-1941. Available on DVD. 6 movies.
Nancy Drew ~ 1938-1938. Available on DVD. 4 movies.
Nick Carter ~ 1939-1940. Not available on DVD. 3 movies.
Perry Mason ~ 1934-1937. Not available on DVD. 6 movies.
Philo Vance Mysteries ~ 1929-1947. Various available on DVD. 14 movies.
The Saint ~ 1938-1954. Not available on DVD. 9 movies.
Sherlock Holmes ~ 1939-1946. Various Available on DVD. 14 movies
Tarzan ~ 1918-1960. Various Available on DVD. 29 movies
Thin Man ~ 1934-1947. Available on DVD. 6 movies.
Torchy Blane ~ 1936-1939. Not available on DVD. 9 movies.
The Whistler ~ 1944-1948. Not available on DVD. 8 movies.

He Made Me Watch It ~ Dr. Strangelove (1964)

Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

This is the first installment in a new short series called He Made Me Watch It. "He" refers to my beau Carlos who is coercing... errr I mean, encouraging me to watch some of his favorite films. Most notably, these are films that I have had no interest in prior to Carlos' recommendation. You may recall a couple months ago I wrote about The Hustler (1961). This is one of Carlos' all-time favorite movies and I was so impressed with the film that I was resolved to be open-minded and watch more films that Carlos recommended to me, regardless of any hesitance I had previously to said films. And because I have such a soft spot for the man, I'm even allowing him to take me to see It's a Wonderful Life (1946) - a film I've been avoiding like the plague - on the big screen around Christmas. So stay tuned for a post on that.

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My viewing of Dr. Strangelove (1964) came at the perfect moment. I had just seen Seven Days in May (1964) (read my post about it here) and had been thinking a lot about the Cold War and how it has been represented on film. I've also been watching the 3rd season of Mad Men and had been particularly interested in 1960s America especially the political and social changes that our country faced during that time. And here enters this Kubrick classic.

Now everyone and their mother has seen this film. So I won't pretend to be an expert or to give you any new insight. I just want to say that I enjoyed how this film manages to blend farce and suspence into this witty film. George C. Scott is a hoot as General Buck Turgidson, a man so on edge and so sensient that he is just bursting at the seams. His facial expressions and mannerisms are hilarious!

My favorite line of his is quite a naughty one. He says the following to his bikini-wearing secretary: "You just start off your countdown and ole' Bucky will be back here before you can say 'Blast Off'". Oh my!

I also have a soft spot for Sterling Hayden (The Most Beautiful Man in Movies) who plays General Jack D. Ripper - great names huh? - a deranged General who has just ordered several B-52 to drop atomic bombs on Russian soil. Eek!

When I hear people talk about this movie, they usually talk about Peter Sellers who plays three roles: The President, Dr. Strangelove and Captain Mandrake. I can't say I was all that impressed with Sellers (I'm waiting for someone to throw tomatoes at me). He's okay. I think Hayden and Scott were much more interesting actors to watch on screen.

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I think for me to truly appreciate this film I need to learn more about it. I want to spend sometime reading a few articles about it and watching the extras on the Special Edition DVD. If you have written a post about it on your blog or know of an interesting post or article online, please send me a link! I'd also really love to hear your thoughts on this film and if you have any tidbits of information to share or interesting observations, please please please leave me a comment. Speak!

Jean Harlow Films @ the Brattle

Okay, okay. I should have really titled this post Victor Fleming Films @ the Brattle but I didn't go to the Brattle because of Victor Fleming, I went because of my darling Jean Harlow. The Brattle Theatre was showcasing 2 Victor Fleming films, Bombshell (1933) and Red Dust (1932). Michael Sragow, author of the book Victor Fleming: An American Movie Master, was there to talk about his book and the Fleming films. The big coincidence here is that even though these are Fleming films, Jean Harlow happens to star in both. I wish I had stayed for Sragow's talk and Q&A, but it was a miserable day outside and a big crockpot full of beef stew was waiting for me at home.

I did however get to see Bombshell (1933) on the big screen with my beau Carlos and what a treat it was! Jean Harlow plays Lola Burns, a superstar blonde bombshell who graces the cover of every movie magazine read by her legions of fans. You'd think she has it all but she's surrounded by leeches. Her drunkard father and brother are gambling away her millions and her assistant (Una Merkel) is helping herself to Burns' wardrobe and everything else. The worst of them all is publicist/reporter Hanlon (Lee Tracy) who is so hell-bent on getting lots of juicy gossip and keeping Lola Burns on the headlines of newspapers that he willingly sabotages Burns' life whenever he can.

The film has a lot of rapid-fire dialogue. So much so, that it's very easy to miss a lot of great one-liners. It's a film that begs several viewings. In fact, they cram so much dialogue that when there is a moment of silence in the film it seems very strange, like the silence is out of place. The audience at the Brattle seemed to enjoy Franchot Tone's performance the best. He plays Burns' fake lover and the cheesy lines he uses to woo Burns made the audience laugh out loud.

Bombshell is not available on DVD and TCM shows it on occassion. So it's really a treat to have been able to see this on the big screen (I had seen it once before on a TCM Harlow marathon). I'm glad Carlos was willing to trudge through the cold rain, which later became snow, to see this hilarious film with me at the Brattle. And how lucky am I that there is a local repertory theatre like the Brattle that will show films like this to the public.

TCM Monthly Audio Podcasts

Here is some exciting news regarding TCM. They are turning their Private Screening interviews into monthly audio podcasts available at iTunes and on the TCM website. Yay! Now I just have my fingers crossed that TCM will develop an iPhone app (a girl can dream!).

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For Release: October 9, 2009

Turner Classic Movies Brings PRIVATE SCREENINGS UNCUT
Interviews Online with Monthly Audio Podcasts

Special Audio Editions of Robert Osborne Interviews
With Hollywood Legends to be Offered Free through tcm.com and iTunes

First Podcast Available in October, Featuring Star of the Month Leslie Caron

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is bringing PRIVATE SCREENINGS UNCUT, unedited versions of the network’s acclaimed interview specials, to the Internet with monthly audio podcasts made available free through tcm.com and iTunes. Each month’s podcast will be drawn from TCM’s archives of the series, which features TCM host Robert Osborne conducting in-depth interviews with Hollywood legends. The podcasts will be expanded versions of Osborne’s conversations, including portions not included in the original telecasts. In addition, Osborne will record special introductions for each interview. TCM kicks off its PRIVATE SCREENINGS UNCUT podcasts this week with October’s Star of the Month Leslie Caron.

“One of the greatest privileges and joys for me at TCM is being able to sit down with some of Hollywood’s greatest personalities for PRIVATE SCREENINGS,” said Osborne. “This podcast will allow fans to enjoy some of the most memorable interviews we’ve conducted in the past, including a lot of material that has never been heard before.”

Each PRIVATE SCREENINGS UNCUT podcast will be timed to coincide with TCM on-air programming. Upcoming podcasts are slated to feature Angela Lansbury in November, when TCM will air her Oscar®-nominated performance in The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945); Lauren Bacall in December, when her late husband Humphrey Bogart will be honored as TCM’s Star of the Month; Betty Hutton in January, when TCM airs a selection of her movies; and director-producer, five-time Oscar nominee and honorary recipient Sidney Lumet in February, during TCM’s 31 Days of Oscar.

TCM will draw future podcasts from its extensive PRIVATE SCREENINGS archive, which includes interviews with such luminaries as Ernest Borgnine, Robert Mitchum, Jane Russell, Mickey Rooney, Charlton Heston, Jane Fonda, Tony Curtis, producer-director Norman Jewison and producer Walter Mirisch.

Turner Classic Movies is a Peabody Award-winning network celebrating 15 years of presenting great films, uncut and commercial-free, from the largest film libraries in the world. Currently seen in more than 80 million homes, TCM features the insights of veteran primetime host Robert Osborne and weekend daytime host Ben Mankiewicz, plus interviews with a wide range of special guests. As the foremost authority in classic films, TCM offers critically acclaimed original documentaries and specials, along with regular programming events that include The Essentials, 31 Days of Oscar and Summer Under the Stars. TCM also produces a wide range of media about classic film, including books and DVDs, along with hosting a wealth of materials at its Web site, www.tcm.com. TCM is part of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

Seven Days in May (1964) Monologue

I think this monologue really captures the fear and uncertainty that was so much a part of the Cold War in America. It's delivered by Frederic March who plays the fictional American President Jordan Lyman in Seven Days in May (1964). This film has a great cast of stars but it's March's incredible performance that carries the film.

The enemy's an age. A nuclear age. It happened to kill man's faith in his ability to influence what happens to him. And out of this comes a sickness, a sickness of frustration, a feeling of impotence, helpessness, weakness. And from this desperation, we look for a champion in red, white and blue. Every now and then, a man on a white horse rides by, and we appoint him to be our personal god for the duration.

Stanley Donen @ the HFA ~ Two for the Road (1967)

I went back for more...

This time the Stanley Donen film being featured was Two for the Road (1967). It stars Albert Finney and Audrey Hepburn as a married couple on the verge of breaking up. The film takes an unconventional look at marriage, in a both humorous and saddening way. The story focuses on the biography of the marriage, from courtship and through the happy moments and the hardships and is told through their adventures on the road in Europe. The films dances back and forth through time and we see how the relationship evolves over time. The sequences are marvelously placed together oftentimes with vehicles serving as a fadeout into the next scene. It's easy to tell which timeframe your in simply by watching Audrey Hepburn. She goes through about 4 or 5 different hairstyles, with her hair getting shorter and shorter as she gets older. Also, they fitted Audrey Hepburn with what seemed to be hundreds of the most unusual and interesting 1960's fashions. Visually, it's a stunning film which just adds to the great script.

The audience seemed to enjoy the film a lot as there were a lot of laughs at the appropriate parts of the movie. This time the theater was packed with not even one seat left open. In fact, I think some patrons had to be turned away!

There was a Q&A segment much like on Friday night but this time with many more questions but fewer interesting insights into Donen. Donen said that he doesn't watch any of his films anymore because they don't give him as much pleasure as they used to. Also, during the filming of Two for the Road, Donen, Hepburn and Finney were all having marital problems in their personal lives so being on set with each other was a nice escape. They found comraderie with each other. However, Finney and Donen did not see eye-to-eye on Finney's character Mark Wallace. Donen wanted Mark to be charming and Finney thought that being charming wasn't really acting, so in the end the character didn't come out quite how Donen wanted it. However, he was pleased in the end.

Donen and Hepburn got along fabulously and this was the third and final film they did together. Donen said that when he first shot Hepburn it was for Funny Face (1957) and he had to do a shot of her overlooking Paris while on a plane. He said that he was so taken aback by Hepburn's beauty and presence that he couldn't stop staring at her even when it came time to call "cut". In fact, someone had to shake Donen out of his daze in order to keep working! I thought this was particularly interesting because Hepburn is such an icon and I often wonder why her. I think it was a combination of her beauty, her dazzling face, her charm, her voice, her grace and her elegance that makes so many of us enraptured with her. I'm sure Donen agrees.

Overall, I think both nights turned out well. They were amazing experiences both getting to see the director up close and to hear him speak but also to watch a couple of his films on the big screen.

Stanley Donen introducing the film

Stanley Donen on his filming style

Stanley Donen on the difficulty of shooting Two for the Road (1967)

A special thank you to Carlos for letting me know about Donen coming to the HFA and for taking me to the first night.

Stanley Donen at the HFA - Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)

A few days ago I got a phone call at work from my beau. He asked me if I recognized the name Stanley Donen. I replied that yes I recognized his name and that he was a film director. My beau proceeded to tell me that Stanley Donen, the Stanley Donen would be at the Harvard Film Archive on Friday to present his film Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954). It took me a while to grasp the magnitude of this opportunity and by the time it did, I had already gotten off the phone with my beau and I was staring blankly into my cubicle. I get to see the great director Stanley Donen in person! Oh... my... God! It was all I could do not to get up and dance around the office in pure joy.

The HFA was doing a series called Debonair: The Films of Stanley Donen where they were showcasing 14 of his films. Stanley Donen would be there to present two, Seven Brides and Two for the Road (1967). The Boston Globe had an article about the 85 year old director giving a great overview on his career. The article concluded saying that Donen always wears a large medallion on a chain around his neck which is inscribed: Stanley Donen. If lost, please return to Elaine May. Sure enough when I saw him enter the HFA, he was wearing that same medallion!

Stanley Donen spoke a few words after he was formally introduced. We got to see two of his famous choreographed works: the Gene Kelly-Jerry the Mouse Anchor's Aweigh (1945) dance number and the Gene Kelly & Gene Kelly's ghost dance number from Cover Girl (1944). Then they pulled the curtains aside and we got to see Seven Brides for Seven Brothers in all it's widescreen Cinemascope glory!

The audience reaction was great. There was applause after the really wonderful dance and song sequences, especially the Barn Raising dance number that makes this film so iconic. I think my beau like the story, Howard Keel's brazenness and the acrobatics. I most enjoyed the choreography and Jane Powell's spunkiness. It's hard not to be impressed by this movie. It has it's sleepy moments but it's truly a feast for the eyes and there is something for everyone to enjoy.

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I think the most awkward part of these sorts of things is the Q&A portion. The people who have the courage to ask the questions (not me) are the ones who either hog the spotlight solely to praise the guest or to ask some dumb question. It's the dumb questions, which these people take way too long to ask (what's with the throat clearing people, just get to the point), that illicit the best answers. One guy asked about the long scarf in one of the dance sequences in Singin' in the Rain (1952). I'm not going to even begin to contemplate the way he asked the question because it makes me want to cry. Donen said that they had used to airplane propellers on either side of the studio turned on at full blast to create enough wind force that when Cyd Charisse stood in one spot, it lifted the long silk scarf up and held it up. There were no computers or fancy technology involved; just pure ingenuity and resourcefulness.

Another person asked the question about what Stanley Donen thinks about films today. A good question just poorly presented by the asker. Donen's answer really struck me and I wish to God that I had done a video-recording of his answer. Donen said that he watches films today and he tries to limit his viewing of newer films to those of quality, but it's getting more and more difficult to find these films. He dislikes computer generated movies in which you see something on screen that doesn't really happen. There is a magic and realness to watching real people do things on screen that he misses in contemporary film. Granted, his films had fancy effects. Gene Kelly didn't really dance with the cartoon mouse Jerry in the famous Donen-choreographed sequence in Anchors Aweigh (1945). Donen struck a chord with me while he was speaking. There is a humanity in classic films that is lacking in contemporary movies, especially blockbuster ones. We as the audience become increasingly disconnected with what's going on on the screen. There is the magic of the movies, the fantasy element that sweeps us away to another time and place and to another reality. However, the story, the people, the realness is what grounds us. Contemporary movies seem to isolate us more and more. Don't some of you feel this way too? I know I do.

An interesting thing to point out about Stanley Donen is that he started off as a dancer. He was inspired by Fred Astaire and when he was 9 years old he watched Flying Down to Rio (1933) on the big screen and he knew he wanted to be part of whatever it was that made films like that so magical. The day after he graduated high school he moved to New York. He got the opportunity to be a dancer in Pal Joey. He got to meet, become friends with and work with dancer Gene Kelly extensively. And although Kelly's dancing was much different, Donen still felt inspired by Fred Astaire. Donen was interested in street dancing instead of dancing on point. He liked the realness of dancing in every day situations. On the street, in a barn, on a field, wherever. As long as it was in a real location and not just a stage or a dance studio.

Donen really impressed me with his candor and frankness. People tried to kiss up to him but he wasn't about to let anyone be his sycophant. Listening to him talk was truly remarkable!

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Here is some secret footage... Shh!

Part of Donen's intro

RE: Dancing & Masculinity

RE: What dancing means to Donen

to be continued...

Men are difficult too! ~ Double Harness (1933)

There is the standard misconception that in romantic relationships women are difficult and men are easy. I think this is a load of claptrap. Men are as difficult and depending on the individual, sometimes more difficult than women. They have their own hang-ups and emotional baggage that can muddy the relationship waters. What I find interesting in classic films especially from the 1930s and the 1940s is that there is a good mix of romantic drama from both sexes. It's not always the girl who is reluctant to marry the guy, oftentimes you find it's the guy who is dragging his heels.

In the recently found RKO film Double Harness (1933) , William Powell plays John Fletcher, a shipping tycoon who is uninterested in business and marriage, basically anything that would tie him down. He's the eternal bachelor who spends his money wooing dames and neglecting his future. In comes Ann Harding as Joan Colby, the daughter of a rich Colonel whose sister Valerie just married her love. Joan has a cool head about marriage and believes that is' as much a business arrangement as it is an emotional connection. Joan sets her sights on John because she sees great potential in him as a husband and as a shipping tycoon. Yet she's also in love with him which complicates things. They date for two months, which in contemporary dating would equal around two years, yet John, although in love with Joan, is reluctant to make the leap into marriage. When John's former flame, the wiley Monica Page (Lilian Bond) comes back into the picture, Joan becomes desperate and as a last resort devises a scenario that will trick John into marriage.

This movie can easily be split into two smaller ones because really there are two romantic plot lines. First is Joan's quest to marry John. Then after they are married, it's Joan's quest to stay married to John and to help him re-establish himself in the shipping business. Joan is the only one holding the relationship together as John has a plethora of hang-ups; his major one being maintaining his personal freedom. Even when he sees that marriage and business have been good to him and credits Joan for being a positive influence in his life, he still longs for the glory of his days as a free-wheeling bachelor. Whenever I watch this film, I feel exhausted for Joan. She builds a relationship from virtually nothing only to have to constantly work on it so it doesn't fall apart at the seams. That's emotionally taxing. Relationships can't be one sided and at one point or another John has to step up his game and work on the relationship too.

I could go on but I don't want to give the plot away (more than I already have). I really recommend this film. It's quite a diamond in the rough. It's available on DVD exclusively in TCM's Vault Collection.

Tuesday Weld ~ I'll Take Sweden (1965) ja ja ja

On the surface I'll Take Sweden (1965) is your typical teen vs. parent '60s comedy. Yet on a deeper level this film is representative of the changing sexual mores in society, especially when it comes to youth sexuality, and how that was affecting American culture. What's interesting about I'll Take Sweden is that we get to see how Americans treat sexuality and how that differs from the looser Swedish sexuality (or at least the Swedish stereotype).

Bob Hope stars as widower Bob Holcomb who is dealing with his teenage daughter JoJo's budding sexuality. Tuesday Weld plays JoJo and her petite frame, blonde locks and little girl voice make her a sort of an alternate Sandra Dee. JoJo is head over heels for Kenny (Frankie Avalon) a young ne'er-do-well who plays the guitar, rides his motorcycle dangerously and lives in a trailer. Not quite what JoJo's father expected for her daughter's future husband. In an effort to get his daughter to give up Kenny, he whisks her off to Sweden. At the Stockholm branch of his work, is womanizer Erik who immediately sets his hooks on JoJo. In the meantime, Bob is falling in love with beautiful divorcee Karin, an interior decorator.

I could go into a full summary of the movie but I won't because I'd rather you watch the film instead. The most interesting aspect of this film is the clashing ideas of sexuality. Bob doesn't think JoJo should go off to a youth retreat alone with Erik because they are unmarried yet Bob has no qualms of taking his girlfriend Karin on a romantic outing. Also, it's made very clear that the Swedes have little interest in marriage and are okay with premarital sex. I know that the Swedes have a less Puritanical view on sexuality than Americans do, but this film is obviously playing up on stereotypes for the humor factor. No matter how exaggerated it is, it's still a nice insight into the sexual dilemma of the 1960s.

And it's got Tuesday Weld in awesome outfits!!!

Tuesday Weld is the new Pamela Tiffin

Remember back in the earlier part of the year I had a strange fascination with '60s actress Pamela Tiffin? Of course not. So you should take a moment to look through my archives and readed the series I did for her. Currently I seem to be leaning towards the lovely Tuesday Weld. Stay tuned for all things Weld in this space!

Classic Film Lovers Guide to Hulu

If you missed an episode of Family Guy or Dollhouse, chances are you'll run to Hulu.com to watch said episode online. Full-length TV episodes are what this site is most known for. But did you know Hulu has a big selection of full-length classic film features available for viewing?

I ran across the full-length video of Pleasure Seekers (1964) on Hulu a few months ago, purely by accident. I was doing research on Pamela Tiffin who had been my main interest at the time and who happens to be in that movie. I had caught the last 40 minutes or so on the Fox Movie Channel and wanted to see the whole thing. That's where Hulu came in and I got a chance to see the whole movie!

Fast forward a few months later and I took a couple hours to do some real digging. I went through Hulu's vast collection of full-length movies and grabbed links to any films from the 1920s to the 1960s. I created a guide to the Classic Films on Hulu (see below). I tried to organize them by categories so it's more user friendly.

This list is only temporary as a lot of films on Hulu have expiration dates. In fact, Pleasure Seekers expired today! (boo). So if there any films on here you are interested in, watch them now.

Creme de la Creme

Charade (1963) http://www.hulu.com/watch/94303/charade (with Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn)
His Girl Friday (1940) http://www.hulu.com/watch/63243/his-girl-friday (with Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell)
Captain Kidd (1945) http://www.hulu.com/watch/70587/captain-kidd
Dillinger (1945) http://www.hulu.com/watch/66708/dillinger
The Stranger (1946) http://www.hulu.com/watch/34115/the-stranger (with Orson Welles, Loretta Young and Edward G. Robinson)
Inherit the Wind (1960) http://www.hulu.com/watch/65442/inherit-the-wind (with Spencer Tracy)

Alfred Hitchcock
The 39 Steps (1935) http://www.hulu.com/watch/63055/the-39-steps
Sabotage (1937) http://www.hulu.com/watch/63051/sabotage
The Lady Vanishes (1938) http://www.hulu.com/watch/63050/the-lady-vanishes

Hidden Gems

Blackmail (1929) http://www.hulu.com/watch/66718/blackmail
Dead End (1937) http://www.hulu.com/watch/39077/dead-end (with Humphrey Bogart)
Moon Over Miami (1941) http://www.hulu.com/watch/80543/moon-over-miami (with Betty Grable and Don Ameche)
Rings on Her Fingers (1942) http://www.hulu.com/watch/64844/rings-on-her-fingers (with Henry Fonda and Gene Tierney
Thunder Birds (1942) http://www.hulu.com/watch/80728/thunder-birds (with Gene Tierney)
Woman's World (1954) http://www.hulu.com/watch/80727/womans-world (with Fred MacMurray and Lauren Bacall)
Big Noise (1944) http://www.hulu.com/watch/81275/the-big-noise (with Laurel & Hardy)
Man in the Middle (1964) http://www.hulu.com/watch/82140/man-in-the-middle (with Robert Mitchum!)
The Train (1965) http://www.hulu.com/watch/70571/the-train (with Burt Lancaster)
The Chairman (1969) http://www.hulu.com/watch/80546/the-chairman (with Gregory Peck)
A Hole in the Head (1959) http://www.hulu.com/watch/88202/a-hole-in-the-head (with Frank Sinatra and Edward G. Robinson)
Bachelor Flat (1961) http://www.hulu.com/watch/70068/bachelor-flat

Film Noir

99 River Street (1953) http://www.hulu.com/watch/95974/99-river-street
Crime Against Joe (1956) http://www.hulu.com/watch/95972/crime-against-joe
Cop Hater (1958) http://www.hulu.com/watch/88185/cop-hater

General

Cynara (1932) http://www.hulu.com/watch/95167/cynara (with Ronald Colman and Kay Francis)
The Last of the Mohicans (1936) http://www.hulu.com/watch/61166/the-last-of-the-mohicans-1936
Secret Agent (1936) http://www.hulu.com/watch/62721/secret-agent
The Little Princess (1939) http://www.hulu.com/watch/66720/the-little-princess (with Shirley Temple)
Earthbound (1940) http://www.hulu.com/watch/66803/earthbound
Happy Land (1943) http://www.hulu.com/watch/64845/happy-land
Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon (1943) http://www.hulu.com/watch/81702/sherlock-holmes-and-the-secret-weapon
Love From a Stranger (1947) http://www.hulu.com/watch/61165/love-from-a-stranger
The Noose Hangs High (1948) http://www.hulu.com/watch/75331/the-noose-hangs-high (Abbott & Costello)
Africa Screams (1949) http://www.hulu.com/watch/67432/africa-screams
Prince of Foxes (1949) http://www.hulu.com/watch/69521/prince-of-foxes
Anne of the Indies (1951) http://www.hulu.com/watch/80851/anne-of-the-indies
Fixed Bayonets (1952) http://www.hulu.com/watch/65861/fixed-bayonets
Night People (1954) http://www.hulu.com/watch/80550/night-people (with Gregory Peck)
Captain Kidd and the Slave Girl (1954) http://www.hulu.com/watch/71578/captain-kidd-and-the-slave-girl
Big House, U.S.A (1955) http://www.hulu.com/watch/95170/big-house-usa
Untamed (1955) http://www.hulu.com/watch/80537/untamed (with Tyrone Power and Susan Hayward)
Dance with me, Henry (1956) http://www.hulu.com/watch/31470/dance-with-me-henry (Abbott & Costello)
Time Limit (1957) http://www.hulu.com/watch/73938/time-limit (with Richard Widmark)
Counterplot (1959) http://www.hulu.com/watch/97582/counterplot
The Son of Robin Hood (1959) http://www.hulu.com/watch/80850/the-son-of-robin-hood
Circle of Deception (1960) http://www.hulu.com/watch/70078/circle-of-deception
Anatomy of a Psycho (1961) http://www.hulu.com/watch/38088/anatomy-of-a-psycho
Boy Who Caught A Crook (1961) http://www.hulu.com/watch/95973/boy-who-caught-a-crook
Sniper's Ridge (1961) http://www.hulu.com/watch/80725/snipers-ridge
Hero's Island (1962) http://www.hulu.com/watch/88187/heros-island
Incident in an Alley (1962) http://www.hulu.com/watch/75334/incident-in-an-alley
Mr. Arkadin (1962) http://www.hulu.com/watch/63043/mr-arkadin (Orson Welles)
California (1963) http://www.hulu.com/watch/85350/california
Sergeant Deadhead (1965) http://www.hulu.com/watch/88200/sergeant-deadhead
The Knack, and How To Get It (1965) http://www.hulu.com/watch/30657/the-knack-and-how-to-get-it

Westerns

Angel and the Bad Man (1947) http://www.hulu.com/watch/63052/angel-and-the-badman (with John Wayne)
Blue Steel (1934) http://www.hulu.com/watch/62722/blue-steel (with John Wayne)
'Neath the Arizona Skies (1934) http://www.hulu.com/watch/63038/neath-the-arizona-skies
The Desert Trail (1935) http://www.hulu.com/watch/63047/the-desert-trail
The Outcasts of Poker Flat (1952) http://www.hulu.com/watch/80882/the-outcasts-of-poker-flat
Duel at Diablo (1960) http://www.hulu.com/watch/46783/duel-at-diablo (with Sidney Poitier and James Garner)
Zane Grey Westerns: http://www.hulu.com/zane-grey-westerns

Horror Flicks

Terror in the Haunted House (1958) http://www.hulu.com/watch/37957/terror-in-the-haunted-house The Devil's Hand (1962) http://www.hulu.com/watch/70585/the-devils-hand
The Giant Gila Monster (1959) http://www.hulu.com/watch/38082/the-giant-gila-monster
Atom Age Vampire (1960) http://www.hulu.com/watch/39995/atom-age-vampire
Black Sunday (1961) http://www.hulu.com/watch/85377/black-sunday
The Brain that Wouldn't Die (1962) http://www.hulu.com/watch/73925/the-brain-that-wouldnt-die
The Devil's Hand (1962) http://www.hulu.com/watch/70585/the-devils-hand
The Crawling Hand (1963) http://www.hulu.com/watch/38782/the-crawling-hand
The Terror (1963) http://www.hulu.com/watch/73924/the-terror
Taste of Terror (1963) http://www.hulu.com/watch/82877/tales-of-terror
Carnival of Souls (1962) http://www.hulu.com/watch/37958/carnival-of-souls
House on Haunted Hill (1965) http://www.hulu.com/watch/70582/house-on-haunted-hill

B-Movies

Reefer Madness (1936) http://www.hulu.com/watch/63039/reefer-madness
The Phantom from 10,000 Leagues (1955) http://www.hulu.com/watch/38781/the-phantom-from-10000-leagues
It! The Terror From Beyond Space (1958) http://www.hulu.com/watch/65658/it-the-terror-from-beyond-space
Attack of the Puppet People (1958) http://www.hulu.com/watch/12210/attack-of-the-puppet-people
Frankenstein's Daughter (1958) http://www.hulu.com/watch/39996/frankensteins-daughter
The Wizard of Baghdad (1960) http://www.hulu.com/watch/80726/the-wizard-of-baghdad
The Last Man on Earth (1964) http://www.hulu.com/watch/46780/the-last-man-on-earth
Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine http://www.hulu.com/watch/13465/dr-goldfoot-and-the-bikini-machine
Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs (1966) http://www.hulu.com/watch/13462/dr-goldfoot-and-the-girl-bombs
The Night of the Living Dead (1968) http://www.hulu.com/watch/41065/night-of-the-living-dead

Frankie & Annette Movies

Beach Party (1963) http://www.hulu.com/watch/81684/beach-party
Muscle Beach Party (1964) http://www.hulu.com/watch/81693/muscle-beach-party
Pajama Party (1964) http://www.hulu.com/watch/92145/pajama-party
Beach Blanket Bingo (1965) http://www.hulu.com/watch/27808/beach-blanket-bingo
How To Stuff a Wild Bikini (1965) http://www.hulu.com/watch/59316/how-to-stuff-a-wild-bikini

My Judy Garland Life by Susie Boyt

My Judy Garland Life
A Memoir
by Susie Boyt
ISBN: 978-1-59691-666-1
$25.00
May 2009
Bloomsbury

A memoir that takes readers through the mind of the ultimate Judy Garland fan. In it's chaotic and sometimes unapproachable form it gives us an honest look at a true fan.

What does it mean to be obsessed about a classic film star? You may have your top, all-time favorite actor or actress whose films you devour as though they were the most delicious desserts on the planet. But are you really obsessed with them? Has that person become an intricate part of your life? Do you worry about that person even though they are no longer around? Does every artifact of their legacy become interwoven with memorable moments of your life?

Author Susie Boyt is obsessed with Judy Garland. There is no doubt about that. Her memoir My Judy Garland Life is just that, a memoir about her Judy Garland life. Reading this book is like taking a look into the chaotic thoughts of an obsessed fan. Not to say that Boyt is a lunatic fan, sacrificing her well-being and the well-being of others for her obsession. Rather Judy Garland has such a profound influnce on Boyt and Boyt feels such a strong connection that their lives sort of intertwine. And what's interesting is that Boyt never met Garland, nor even lived during Garland's lifetime. Yet Garland becomes an important figure in Boyt's life. What I think is admirable about Boyt, is that she unabashedly delves right into her obsession with Judy Garland. Reading it, I didn't feel that anything was missing; as though she was being brutally honest and revealing everything she could about how she worshipped Garland. I thought that kind of honesty and frankness was very admirable.

While the topic was interesting, I didn't much care for the book. It was very disorganized and difficult to read. However, that same disorganization that I criticize I also think lends to the element of the book of exploring the author's brain. Whoever said thoughts had to be organized? My biggest problem is that I'm not all that interested in Judy Garland. This lack of interest may have been my downfall. I had hoped to enjoy the memoir given my interest in the personal experience as it relates to classic fim. Alas, it was not meant to be.

Even though I didn't enjoy the book, doesn't mean I don't think others won't. In fact, I would recommend this book to many folks. First are the Judy Garland fans; I think they would appreciate reading about another Garland fan's experiences and how they were affected by the star. If you are intrigued by fandom and obsession, I would also recommend this seeing as it's a peak into the brain of a fan. If you are a fan of Dirk Bogarde, you might enjoy the plethora of instances in which he is mentioned. If you generally gravitate towards memoirs and want something unique and different to try out, this books really stands out amongst the other memoirs out there.
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Out of the entire book, there was one section that really quite struck me. It was when the author discusses the differences between good and bad Judy Garland fans. Boyt says:

Good fans consider that bad fans seek to denigrate Judy Garland's achievements by dwelling first and foresmost on her personal suffering... Bad fans prize embarassment and feelings of excruciation above all other sensations because these are the kinds of strong feelings they prefer.

Just some food for thought...

Special thank you to Bloomsbury for sending me a copy of this book for review!

Bye, Bye Birdie (1963) & Mad Men

This film has been on and off my Netflix queue for goodness knows how long. I was interested in watching it but would always push it off to the side (I do that a lot it seems). However, a few weeks ago on a lazy Sunday evening, I was watching my favorite TV show Mad Men and Bye Bye Birdie (1963) was an important part of the storyline. The folks at Sterling Cooper (the fictional advertising agency at the center of the TV show) were given the assignment to come up with a commercial for Patio Cola. The opening sequence of Bye Bye Birdie (1963) is shown to the board. It features the bubbly '60s icon Ann-Margret in front of a blue screen singing the title song "Bye Bye Birdie". What seems to be a very plain set up, is actually quite alluring. Ann-Margret's vivacity, the shock of the blue and the catchiness of the tune gets you all riled up for the movie that follows.



Beware of Mad Men spoilers below!

The men are captivated by the clip and enamored by Ann-Margret and how she oozes youthful sexuality. They want to do a spoof-type commercial for the soda Patio Cola based on this clip. Everyone thinks it's a great idea except for the one lone female in creative, Peggy Olson, who thinks it won't work. Patio Cola is a diet soda with the intended target of young women who are trying to maintain their figures. Recreating the vivacious reprise into commercial form is selling sex to a male audience, who wouldn't necessarily want to buy the soda anyways. No one listens to Peggy and they continue with the project.

Salvatore, the repressed gay man in a sham marriage, is put in charge of creating the commercial. He's an illustrator in a time when the public demands more and more photography, so this is a great way for him to use his creative juices. He puts together the concept and explains the project to his wife. This results in probably one of my favorite scenes of the show. The subtlety and the indirectness of this scene says so much! Just look at his wife's face as the scene progresses. Genius!

Well the commercial fails big time. The Patio Cola people just don't like it. There is something off about the commercial. If you get a chance to see it, you might know what their talking about or you might be confused. I thought there was something off about it too. As though the girl in the commercial was trying too hard to be Ann-Margret. As though this commercial was trying to be sexy, but it just came out seeming forced. As though you feel a little molested after watching it! When everyone leaves the boardroom, Peggy has a very triumphant look on her face because she knew the whole time that this would be a complete failure!

So after all of this, I was DYING to see Bye, Bye Birdie. I put it at the top of my Netflix queue and it was sent to me almost immediately. I have to say, I thoroughly enjoyed the film. The musical numbers were good and even the bad ones were still enjoyable. What I like most about it is that it explores teen culture as well as the effects of the burgeoning pop culture amongst youth. Conrad Birdie is a popular, hip-swinging singer who has all the girls swooning. In a not-so-very-veiled reference to Elvis Presley, Birdie is being shipped off to war and his music company wants one last chance to make some money off him. A big media appearance is just their meal-ticket. Starry-eyed Kim McAfee (Ann-Margret) wins a contest to get a kiss from Birdie live on the Ed Sullivan show. A whole media-storm infiltrates Kim's town and everyone comes down with Conrad Birdie fever. The women are all flustered and the men are all disgusted. Hilarity inevitably ensues.

I think that it was very wise for Mad Men to include Bye Bye Birdie (1963) in the show's plotline. If the film both spoofs and exemplifies pop culture, then an advertising agency in the 1960's would definitely look to it for inspiration, especially if the film itself becomes part of the contemporary culture that it mocks/explores. If you are a fan of Mad Men and haven't seen this film yet, please take some time out to watch it! In fact, make sure you research any cultural references you see on the show. Even if you don't watch Mad Men (and I know some of you out there even dislike the show), watch the film anyways!

Movie Watching Efficiency

I have been overwhelmed lately with too much to do and too little time to do it in. Or so I thought...

I haven't been very efficient lately in many aspects of my life. When I do get free time, I tend to squander it away instead of using it to be productive. This has interfered with my movie watching lately, Netflix being the main culprit. I have many movies to watch (but don't we all). I have borrowed DVDs, DVDs I have purchased but haven't seen, DVDs given to me as presents, taped movies from TCM (recent and old) and rented Netflix movies. This is in addition to great classic films being shown at local repertory houses and the occassional interesting contemporary film at my local first-run or second-run theater.

Since Netflix is a paid service, I make priority to watch those films first and return them as quickly as I can to get the most out of my money. However, this interferes with me viewing my stash of DVDs and tapes. As soon as I finish of the 3 Netflix movies, I already have 3 more waiting for me. Since I know that the other films can wait, Netflix rentals get first dibs on my free time.

What ends up happening is that I borrow a film from a friend and return it to them months later because I never get a chance. Poor Frank, my fellow employee and classic film enthusiast, is still waiting for his Criterion Collection DVD boxed set of Amarcord (1973) back after lending it to me months ago. Or that tape of Jean Harlow films I taped off TCM months ago, collects dust in my entertainment center. The real shame is all those wonderful rare Norma Shearer films my friend Jonas (of All Talking! All Singing! All Dancing! fame) sent me from Sweden are sitting nicely in their sleeves, just waiting for me to watch them.

At first I wanted to discontinue Netflix once I got through the 30-40 films on my queue, but since I keep on adding films to the queue, I don't see an end any time soon. So I have formed a plan to help me be more efficient in my movie watching.

For every 1 Netflix movie I watch, I have to follow it up with 1 borrowed movie and 1 taped movie/owned DVD. I won't be taking full advantage of the rental service but at least I will be making a dent in my collection of movies. If push comes to shove, I might go on a different rental plan with Netflix so that I don't feel overwhelmed.

Do any of you have methods to maintain the efficiency of your movie consumption? Doesn't that last question make movie watching sound terribly trite? Thoughts?

You Got a Little Something There. No there... and there... and well all over really

Can someone tell me what the name of this type of college sweater is? Someone?! Anyone?!

It was common during the 1920s and 1930s. The pictures above are from Good News (1947) which is based on a musical from the late 1920s and the setting is 1927. I researched sweatshirts and they were sports/collegiate wear that came about in the 1920s. I couldn't find anything on these.

What's unique about these sweatshirts is that they have all sorts of writing and drawings on them. Notes, signatures, drawings, fun quips, colloquialisms and my favorite 1920s slang!

I would really like to do some research on this particular clothing fad but I need some direction to go on as I'm coming up blank.

Help?!

Out of the Past - Into the Now ~ Jeff Bailey is a Baseball Player

You know you are a die-hard classic film fan, when movie references follow you around in real life. Carlos and I went to a Pawtucket Red Sox game on Sunday and their Left Fielder just happened to be named Jeff Bailey. Out of the Past (1947) anyone?!


Things have been hectic lately, hope to return to real blogging soon.

The Arrangement (1969) @ the Harvard Film Archive

Ever since I've known Kevin, I've been bugging him to watch Elia Kazan's The Arrangement (1969). We both missed watching the film before Kevin's Kazan lecture in November of '07, but finally I pulled the DVD out of the Netflix sleeve and sat down to watch this strange and alluring film a month later. Fast forward to August of 2009 and Kevin still hadn't seen it. I had to make right that severe wrong.

As part of the Harvard Film Archive's salute to Elia Kazan, they showed The Arrangement (1969) on Monday evening. I dragged Kevin (he was willing) to go see it. The print was in poor quality, very grainy and scratchy. However, it was still a treat to watch this film on the big screen.

I have written about this film in the past and I highly recommend you read my original post. I was quite impressed with myself when I read the post recently. Here is a quote I pulled from it:

"Based on his own novel, The Arrangement (1969) is a lesser-known Elia Kazan classic. Its a film that contemporary film afficianados might enjoy because of its chaotic, psychadelic, A.D.D. type of cinematography. Shots come at all sorts of strange and interesting angles and any remotely chronological timeline is thrown askew by patches of memory flashbacks. Watching this film felt new, fresh and invigorating in a way older films don't usually.."

http://outofthepastcfb.blogspot.com/2007/12/hunka-kirk-douglas-arrangement-1969.html

In watching the film a second time, I find that those 4 really trippy scenes that I pointed out in my original post are still my favorites. During the movie, I kept poking Kevin in the arm to make sure he was alert to them.

1) Kirk Douglas hallucinating, holding grapes over the pool.
2) Kirk Douglas hallucinating while flying an airplane.
3) Beach sequence camera trick, with torn photographs.
4) Kirk Douglas hallucinating, his naked manic self in bed with his past self fully-clothed.

Visually this movie is quite delicious and I found many things to savor. The film is also really quite a head-trip and parts of it can leave you feeling confused. What's amazing is that it really delves into the main character's mania by showing you his hallucinations as he experiences them and also by the use of experimental cinematography. Finding yourself in the midst of the character's mental anguish makes you really sympathize with him.

In the end, I had a ball and Kevin seemed to enjoy the film. I was happy we got to share it together.

Here are a couple pictures of Kevin and I at the HFA. Until next time...

Bob Hope Stamps

It seems like a shame to use them as actual postage, but so I must.

Wild River (1960) @ the Harvard Film Archive and the Walking Ethnic Stereotype

Lee Remick as Carol: You're getting awful human, Chuck.
Montgomery Clift as Chuck: I've always been human.

The Harvard Film Archive in Cambridge, MA is featuring Elia Kazan films this month. Knowing that I was a big Kazan fan (and classic film buff in general), Carlos gave me a clipped article from the Boston Globe about the series and suggested that we go see the film Wild River (1960) in particular. Wild River has yet to be released on home video (in the US) and it's distribution is very limited. The HFA just received a new print of the film and was showing the print to the public for the first time. It was an exclusive chance to see a lesser-known Kazan film and I was excited to partake in the experience.

The 15-minute lecture that preceded the movie was very informative and I learned a lot about the movie. Kazan wrote the screenplay for this film and considered it one of his favorites of all the films he directed. He was meticulous, writing 6 versions of the script and insisting that the film be shot on location in Tennessee. At first he had intended Marlon Brando to star as Chuck Glover, but Brando was otherwise occupied and reluctant to do the film. From what I understood from Kevin's lecture, Brando wasn't terribly fond of Kazan. The lead role went to Montgomery Clift, who was in his post-accident, alcohol-infused phase. He stayed sober throughout most of the movie, which I guess was a good thing. Kazan had a soft spot for Lee Remick, to whom he gave her first screen role in A Face in the Crowd (1957), and he gave her the role of Carol. Of the cast, the highlight for sure is Jo Van Fleet. The 46-year old actress played the 80-something matriarch Ella Garth.

Wild River is about the tumultous Tenessee River which floods in the Fall, taking down houses, flooding land and killing the townsfolk. Ella Garth, owns an island situated in the middle of the River. With Autumn approaching, the floods threaten to take over her land but she is determined to stay put. The goverment wants her off that lands so they can harvest the flood for the dam. The Tennessee Valley Authority sends Chuck Glover (Montgomery Clift) over to Garth's island to convince her to leave. It's not quite so easy a job but he's determined. Glover falls in love with Carol (Lee Remick) a sad widow who lives on the island with her grandmother. Glover helps Carol find hope again. The film touches upon a lot of subjects and has a lot of interesting themes. The Great Depression and FDR's New Deal goverment are at the backdrop of the story. The creation of dams and how they affect Americans and the American landscape was an interesting theme. There is the racial divide between the white and black townsfolk as well as the divide between authority and the lay people. For what is a pretty quiet film, it has a lot to say.

I very much enjoyed Fleet's performance as Ella Garth. She had some great monologues and dialogue in general and delivered all her words with great conviction. Remick was great as widow Carol. You see her character transform during the movie. I also think there is a realness that is quite unique to Remick and she really fits into this movie quite well. Montgomery Clift however was not the best actor for this film. In the post-accident phase of his career, his performances seem quite emotionless as his face was always so frozen. I know this wasn't his fault, but it's difficult to watch an actor or actress who can't emote.

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I was really excited for this film and on a whim decided to dress up for the occassion. I hadn't worn my new 1960's style blue wiggle dress out yet so I decided to wear it to the movie. I wore my hair curly; half-tied up and half-loose. I put on my gold-colored sandals, my big gold, red and white earrings and my white Mod-style sunglasses. I was feeling very stylish and confident until I got to the theater. The HFA is a very stuffy, collegiate theater and I looked terribly out of place. Also, being Hispanic, I can't really carry the vintage look very well. While I tried to go 1960's, I ended up looking like a walking Hispanic stereotype. Here I was, curly haired with my Spanish bangs showing, a tight dress, and humongoid earrings. All I needed was to smack some gum and ask "Why you so stupid, stupid?" and the look would have been complete. I felt so out of place and I wondered if anyone thought that maybe I had gotten lost and ended up at the wrong theater. I was just waiting for someone to ask me what the hell I was doing there, so I could declare "Wait! I do belong here and I have the blog to prove it!" The community of classic film enthusiasts is predominantly white, so sometimes I feel like I stick out like a sore thumb. But it could also just me being terribly self-conscious as I am wont to be. This didn't really sour my experience but it did get me thinking. And next time I go to the HFA, I'll try to dress a bit more casually.

Rebel Without a Cause (1955) @ the Park

On Thursday, I went to go see Rebel Without a Cause (1955) outdoors on the big(ish) screen. The film was screened at Nathan Tufts Park in Somerville, MA and it was part of the town's SomerMovie Fest where they show different films at different parks each Thursdy during the summer. The only classic film they were showing was this one and I invited my friend Kevin to come join me. Kevin's a huge fan of the film and has written about it for me as a guest post (check it out here). My friend Jeanine surprised me by coming along too. She saw that I had posted about it on Facebook and wrote to me about attending the screening. I hardly ever get to see her and really wanted to pick her brain about classic films, as she is a film buff like me. So it was great to have two good friends to see the film with.


Thursday just happened to have perfect weather. The evening was warm, not humid, the sky was clear and it didn't rain. We also weren't swarmed by mosquitos so it was easily just to relax and watch the film.

Here I am with my Rebel Without a Cause T-Shirt that I got from H&M. I'm not sure what the protocol about wearing a movie's design on a T-Shirt to the actual screening. Maybe it's taboo, like going to a rock concert and wearing that band's T-shirt. Kevin poked fun at me, but I wasn't about to wear my Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) or my Don't Bother to Knock (1952) T-Shirts to this screening. I thought it was great that I had the attire to suit the occasion. (So take that Kevin!)

Here are Jeanine and Kevin posing for me just as the opening credits are starting on the screen. The show is about to begin...

I snapped this picture of Natalie Wood for Sarah over at Cinema Splendor. Not the greatest shot, but I guess it's the thought that counts.

As the night progressed and the sky grew darker, the screen really lit up in the park. It was quite a treat to see a film outdoors like this. There were about 60 or so people in the park. Many folks had chairs, blankets, towels, etc. A lot of couples were snuggling in the dark, which made me wish that Carlos was there. Groups of people came prepared with drinks, snacks and dinner.

The experience was quite magical. My only complaint was the audience reaction to some scenes. Several people thought dramatic points were funny and laughed at the expense of the film. Jeanine and I looked at each other several times and asked what people were laughing at. It saddens me that these people don't have the capacity to appreciate a film like Rebel Without a Cause at it's full glory and chose to poke fun at things they don't understand. Oh well, it's their loss.

It was great to watch this film after having not seen it in so many years. After the film had ended, Jeanine pointed out the use of garments in the film which I thought was interesting. I hope she'll consider writing a post about it for me! If not, I'll take a crack at it later.

Have any of you seen an outdoor screening of a film? If so, what was your experience? I'd love to hear from you.

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And a special Happy Birthday to Nicole from Classic Hollywood Nerd. She turns 20 today. Feliz Cumpleano Nicole!

Queen Norma Shearer ~ The Trial of Mary Dugan (1929)

While Jonas of All Talking! All Singing! All Dancing! is away in Thailand, I wrote him a guest post for his site. Go check it out: http://talkieking.blogspot.com/2009/07/guest-blogger-raquelle-trial-of-mary.html .

Harvard, Mystery Street (1950) and Me!

Did you know that the film Mystery Street (1950) may very well be the first movie filmed on location in Boston?

I recently wrote a review of this film for Film Noir of the Week. It's up now, so go check it out: Review of Mystery Street (1950).

I was simply delighted that real Massachusetts locations were used in the film and I had fun watching as the characters traveled in and out of Boston. One particular shot caught my eye. Ricardo Montalban's character drives up to the gates of Harvard University. He parks his car at a metered spot (and doesn't pay of course) and walks through the gates. I know this may seem mundane to the average person, but being from the area and having walked through those same gates countless of times, I was giddy with glee to know that my beloved Ricardo Montalban walked through those same gates almost 60 years ago.

My friend Kevin took this picture of me (with his iPhone no less) in front of the gates. We happened to be in Harvard Square and I had just finished writing the review.

I hope you'll take an opportunity to read my review over at Steve-O's wonderful Film Noir of the Week blog and watch Mystery Street (1950) for yourself. It's a wonderful jewel of a noir that shouldn't be missed.

Leave Her to Heaven (1946) @ the Brattle

On Sunday afternoon, Kevin, H., Gina, Lisa, Carlos and myself went to the Brattle Theatre to see Leave Her to Heaven (1946). I've always really loved this movie, most notably the visuals, Gene Tierney's character Ellen (spawn of Satan?!) and Tierney's performance. For one weekend only, the Brattle was showing a newly restored print of the film, so I had to take advantage of seeing this on the big screen, and what better way to do this than to share the experience with the people closest to you?

It's an interesting dynamic watching a favorite classic film with friends (and with strangers) in a theater. You never quite know what to expect. I always find myself getting really self-conscious when I bring friends to see a personal favorite of mine. I get very worried that they will not like the film, will question why I dragged them to the theatre to see it or even worse, will think less of me after the experience (what's wrong with her?!). This never really happens, but I'm always scared that it will. This fear changes the way I watch the film in the theatre.


In the case of Leave Her to Heaven, I became very conscious of how over-the-top, or to use a modern colloquialism "cheesy", the film can be. It's as though we are supposed to be in a trance with Gene Tierney's red pouty lips and the gorgeous scenery, that we wouldn't be overwhelmed by the melodrama. Also, I noticed how weak the dialogue seemed to be at different points in the movie. There is one particular scene in which Ellen (Gene Tierney) and Richard (Cornel Wilde) are having a conversation after Ellen's swim. The conversation is filled with short questions and directly answered short replies. From what I understand about screenwriting (from taking a screenwriting class in Grad school) answering a question with a direct response results in boring dialogue. Here is an example: Q: Are you going to the movie? A: Yes or Q: Are you going to the movie? A: If I don't get hit by a bus first... . In this particular scene, I can see how the direct question and answer sequence can work. Ellen's character is intense and her constant questioning can demonstrate her inquisitiveness. She has to know everything about Richard in order to posses him. Yet I feltthat it could have also been done differently with the same effect.

However, none of this lessened my opinion of the film. It just changed the way I saw it. This is still a superb film and I even have the inkling to watch it again at home by myself (too bad I don't own the DVD!). Very few can walk away from this film without some appreciation of it. All of my friends and Carlos seemed to enjoy the film and I'm so grateful for that. While we were outside of the theatre, we partook in some post-show bonding and I brought up the fact that Kate Gabrielle (of Silents and Talkies fame) did a superb painting of the famous boat/drowning scene that makes this film so iconic. Kate did a wonderful job capturing Gene's cold facial expression and the vibrancy of the scene.

Silents and Talkies Etsy Shop

Gene Tierney Signed Art Print

Gene Tierney Signed Mini Art Print

"You're too hungry..." ~ The Hustler (1961)

The Hustler (1961) is not about pool. It's about one man, "Fast" Eddie Felson, and pool just happens to be the medium through which his story is told.


When a new person comes into your life in a significant way things inevitably change. If you are lucky, that new person improves your life and your outlook on it. This is what I call the "new-person dynamic" and so many great stories in literature and film are based around this concept. Personally, I have found that this dynamic always proves to be enriching. Everyone brings their own perspective and one can't help but see things differently when exposed to that other perspective. Think about the important people in your life that were introduced to you at one point and how they changed your life afterwards. Now think about your favorite film and how the new-person dynamic was a catalyst for the story. Kind of eye-opening isn't it?

The most interesting part of The Hustler (1961) for me is the love story between Eddie (Paul Newman) and Sarah (Piper Laurie). And no it's not because I'm female and I'd rather see love-dovey scenes than watch people play pool and gamble. Rather, it's because when Sarah is introduced into the story Eddie's character begins to evolve. The film starts off at a very slow and quiet pace and when Sarah and Eddie meet the rest of the film gradually quickens until it reaches it's climax. Without Sarah, Eddie would just be another hustler playing for a big pay-off. With Sarah, we watch Eddie's interactions with her and we start to learn how tortured these two characters are.

My favorite line of dialogue in the movie is spoken by Sarah when Eddie takes Sarah to her apartment and kisses her passionately outside her door. She pulls away from him and says to him, "You're too hungry". They've only known each other for a few hours and already she has discovered Eddie's major weakness and has revealed to us the most important part of Eddie's character. Eddie is a constant state of consumption. He downs JTS Brown (Bourbon Whiskey), he incessantly gambles in pool and he's is constantly striving to be the best hustler. This constant hunger proves to be his downfall. He continues to consume even though it puts his relationship with Sarah at risk.

I'm really very happy I watched this film. I had been avoiding it for years and it took that new-person dynamic in my own life for me to give it a chance. This film happens to be my new beau Carlos' favorite film. Just sensing his enthusiasm about The Hustler and talking to him afterwards about the different themes in the story, enriched my experience with the film. I hope this means I get to watch lots of other movies that have been off my radar but have been on his.