Joyous Jean

     I'm sure I'm not the only one who was glued to my television yesterday for Jean Harlow's TCM Summer Under the Stars day.  As long time readers know, I'm generally not a fan of Summer Under the Stars.  I used to be, but just like with Oscar month, is tending to feature more and more recent material, 1970's stars, and the like.  When I think of the term "classic film star" I don't think Angie Dickinson, featured August 18th.  I understand she is well known, had a lot of roles, and is part of pop culture, but when I think 'classic' she's probably about the last person I would think of.  It's all about context.  Bette Davis or Angie Dickinson - which one is more of a 'classic film star'?  There's no comparison.  And yes, Summer Under the Stars features Bette Davis and Spencer Tracy for the umpteenth time.

Matinee Monday - The Reptile (1966)

     I really love cheesy horror films, so I had to check out The Reptile (1966) which appeared on TCM last week.  It's a Hammer production, so that will tell you what kind of film we are talking about.  I recognized a couple faces, but generally was not familiar with any of the actors.  While not well known to me, they did a good job with the material.  But frankly, any time there is an old horror film on television, I'm there.  The fact that it is a Hammer production is also very intriguing.  I love their horror films with Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing such as Dracula and The Mummy.

Daring Dors

I adore Diana Dors.  Often thought as just another blond in the mold of Marilyn, she always seemed so much more to me.  Calculating, talented, and seemingly always up to mischief, I have always thought she had more talent than she was given credit for.

Greta Garbo, Spy

Mata Hari; 1931

Today, I thought I would be treated to some wonderful films on TCM because it was Lionel Barrymore day.  Anyone who has experienced TCM's Summer Under the Stars programming knows that it can be a real treat - or a real dud.

Lionel Barrymore and Greta Garbo

Since Lionel is one of my favorite stars, I was expecting some real gems.  As a whole I wasn't disappointed. Mata Hari (1931) by MGM was not one of the gems.  I've always wanted to see this picture because I've heard the film was fantastic, the costumes looked great, and I find the real Mata Hari's story intriguing.  I should have known not too keep my hopes up, since it was a Garbo film.  Barrymore and Novarro were fantastic, as were several of the minor characters as well.  But Garbo again proved why she is on my Least Favorite Actresses list.

The REAL Mata Hari

When I think Mata Hari, I think of someone who has to be charismatic enough to have everyone in the palm of their hands - someone who causes men to lose their loyalty and honor.  Garbo, as usual, was cold as a fish.  Everyone seemed drawn to that coldness, which frankly is incomprehensible to me.  Perhaps it is my peasant stock, but I saw no reason why anyone would want to know her, let alone poor out government secrets to her.

Greta Garbo in the Death Scene

Naturally, she was fantastic at being stoic on the way to the death scene.  This she did wonderfully well.  As a viewer, I cared more about how her death affected Alexis, Ramon Navarro's character.  So on the whole, everyone but Garbo was wonderful in this take on Mata Hari's life.  If someone can explain the appeal of Greta to me I would be grateful, because for the life of me, I find her cold and emotionless.  I just don't feel any kind of connection to her when I see her films.  It's like watching a beautiful statue walk around - beautiful, but distant.

Sunburning with the Stars - Dusty Anderson

Dusty Anderson; Physical Culture; June 1946

Dusty Anderson, born Ruth Anderson on December 17, 1918 in Toledo, Ohio was active in films from 1944 - 1951 before retiring to become a painter.  As far as I can tell, the Boston Blackie film references was either never made or renamed.  While she only has 10 credits, Dusty was a very popular WWII pinup.  The lovely Ms. Anderson is still with us at the time of this post.




Dusty Anderson on TCM:
Tonight and Every Night - August 8, 2012 - 2:30 PM est
Down to Earth - August 8, 2012 - 10 PM est
Cover Girl - August 23, 2012 - 8 PM est
Tonight and Every Night - September 10, 2012 - 8 PM est

Sunburning With the Stars - Nancy Gates

Nancy Gates; Physical Culture; June 1946

Nancy Gates was born February 1, 1926 in Dallas, Texas.  She starred in 34 films and serials and 55 television appearances.  Ms. Gates married American Airlines Captain Bill Hayes on May 17, 1948.  They were married 44 years and they had 4 children together.  Nancy retired in 1969 to be closer to her family.  At the time of this post, the lovely Ms. Gates is still with us.  

Nancy Gates and Husband Bill Hayes

Upcoming Nancy Gates appearances on TCM:
Behind the Rising Sun September 4, 2012 - 9 AM est
The Member of the Wedding - September 12, 2012 - 6:15 PM est

Sunburning With the Stars - Joyce MacKenzie

Joyce MacKenzie; Physical Culture; June 1946

Joyce MacKenzie, born October 13, 1929 in Redwood City, California, is appeared in films over an almost 20 year span.  Known primarily for playing Jane to Lex Barker's Tarzan in Tarzan and the She-Devil, this lovely lady is still with us at the time of this post.

Upcoming Joyce MacKenzie appearances on TCM:
On the Riviera - September 10, 2012 - 10 PM est
People Will Talk - September 11, 2012 - 10 PM est
Destination Murder - October 11, 2012 - 5:15 AM est
The French Line - October 25, 2012 - 5 PM est

Fred MacMurray Channels Tony Curtis

Fred MacMurray

June and Fred

“I’ve had so many pictures taken with my wife (June Haver)  that I’m beginning to feel like Tony Curtis.”

[Source: Movieland; February 1955]

June and Fred

I find both Fred MacMurray and June Haver delightful.  They were married 37 years, from 1954 until MacMurray's death in 1991.  They adopted twin girls in 1956.  

Above Suspicion (1943)

June is not remembered as she should be and Fred seems to be remembered solely for My Three Sons.  Not that it wasn't a good show, but he was great in many other projects, most notably in Double Indemnity, a Film Noir classic.  My current MacMurray favorite is Above Suspicion (1943) which I saw recently on TCM.  My favorite June Haver film is her last film appearance, The Girl Next Door (1953).

Film of the Week - Come and Get It (1936)

I have been thrilled with May's TCM Star of the Month, Joel McCrea.  His voice was wonderful, and I definitely enjoy his acting.  Frankly, I've been spoiled watching such gems as Foreign Correspondent, which I've avoided because I always thought it would be too political.  Instead I found it to be an intense, yet wonderful wartime thriller  Hitchcock can do no wrong!

Joel McCrea, Edward Arnold, and Frances Farmer

Come and Get It (1936) had all the ingredients for a wonderful film:  a great Edna Ferber story, Joel McCrea and Edward Arnold, and the magnificent director Howard Hawks.

Walter Brennan - the scene stealer

The film was nominated for two Oscars: Walter Brennan for Best Supporting Actor and Edward Curtis for Film Editing.  Brennan earned the only Oscar for this film.

"Do you like my matted hair and poor acting?"

The film was supposed to be about how the robber barons destroyed the country.  Instead it turned out to be a love triangle between a married father (Arnold) and his son (McCrea) for the attentions of the daughter of a singer Edward Arnold's character loved as a youth but did not marry because she had no money.

Finally, a good costume

The plot was terrible.  I had a very difficult time trying to find sympathy for any of the characters.  Walter Brennan's character Swan, who definitely deserved his Oscar.

I'd be upset if I was in this film, too

Several problems plagued the film including Howard Hawks and producer Sam Goldwyn not agreeing on the actors to star in the film, Sam Goldwyn hating the rough cut of the film and hiring director William Wyler to replace Hawks and basically redo the film, the the acting loved by some and panned by others.

Pretty, but that's about it

The main issue I had from the film was the wretched acting of Frances Farmer.  I found her quite unconvincing and her voice annoying.  She played two roles in this film, the original singer (Lotta Morgan) who caught the eye of Arnold's character as a youth, and the singer's daughter (Lotta Bostrom) whom Arnold and McCrea both love.  Everything I have read says Farmer was such a fantastic actress, but I was stunned by the very poor acting I saw.  Perhaps my expectations were way too high.  Farmer's acting as Morgan was painful - bad costume; bad acting.  As Lotta Bostrom, she was a bit better, but the character was poorly created by Farmer and the script writers.  Perhaps someone knows a film Frances made with a stunning performance.  Based solely on this film I felt Frances Farmer's acting talent was incredibly overrated.

Frances and her mom Lillian

I wanted to like Frances Farmer's performance so badly.  I have been intrigued by her story ever since I saw Frances (1982) on TCM late one night last summer.  It was such a disturbing and heartbreaking tale, that I set about investigating her.  Sad the say, the film greatly fictionalized her life to the point that it is almost unrecognizable. Jessica Lange gave one of the best performances I've seen in modern films.  I'm not generally a fan of Lange, but her performance blew me away.  To find out what really happened in Farmer's life, I would read Jeffrey Kauffman's wonderful website Frances Farmer Shedding Light on Shadowland.

You'd have to pay me a LOT of money to Come and Get It

So, here's the short review: misplaced plot, poorly acted feminine lead, and disjointed.  The only saving grace is Walter Brennan.  Watch Brennan and fast forward through the rest - unless you feel like pitying the other poor fools in this mess.

Doris Takes Over for Lana and Ava

Doris Day
Will have sixteen numbers to sing in “Love Me or Leave Me” – enough to please the most ardent Day fans. This picture has a strange history. Both Lana Turner and Ava Gardner turned it down. Doris took it for a reported $200,000. Cameron Mitchell, who was borrowed by MGM for the film, says it has one of the best scripts he’s ever read.

(Source: Movieland; February 1955)

I've never seen this film about singer trying to get away from the gangster who made her a star. Lucky for me, it's appearing on TCM next Friday April 22, 2011 at 8:45 am est. Can't beat James Cagney and of course the wonderful Doris Day so I might have to check it out.

Metropolis Monday

I was totally blown away by the restored version of Metropolis (1927) which premiered on TCM last Sunday. Another 30+ minutes of the film were discovered in Argentina in 2008. A fascinating documentary about the find premiered after Metropolis, and it was fascinating to see what goes into changing an official version of a film. I had no idea there were so many people who claim they have a lost film, but really don't.

The visuals were absolutely stunning. A powerful message about class, industrialization, utopias, etc. I could go on and on, but you should see it for yourselves. The restored version including the new footage will be released on DVD tomorrow, November 16, 2010 and the Blu-ray will be released a week later on November 23, 2010. For more info about it check out Kino's site.

To quote Maria, "There can be no understanding between the hand and the brain unless the heart acts as mediator"

Tidbit Tuesday: Fredric March finds a Fierce Fan

Mrs. E Hunt was quite impassioned about Fredric March, TCM's October Star of the Month. Reading this letter, I'm quite curious which "hair-cut-less boys" she was referring too.


This is what Mrs E. Hunt's house looks like today. She no longer lives there, but I definitely think she earned her $15 prize. What an impassioned letter from a true Fredric March fan.

Barbara Stanwyck ages 100 years in only 1 film!

"Barbara Stanwyck plays the oldest heroine ever depicted on the screen, a 100-year-old granny in Pioneer Woman. That might have been a tough job yesterday, but not now. They all look alike in slacks on Hollywood Boul" (Film Fun, 1941)

I looked everywhere for the film Pioneer Woman, and couldn't find anything with that title starring Barbara Stanwyck - or even everything near the year of publication with that title. Either the film was never made, or the title was changed to The Great Man's Lady (1942). In it, Barbara plays Hannah Sempler, a 100-year-old woman who tells the story of her life through flashbacks. Star crossed lovers, the Gold Rush, and the fabulous Stanwyck aging 80 years - how can you go wrong? The Great Man's Lady is appearing September 8, 2010 on TCM at 8 pm est and is available on The Barbara Stanwyck Collection.

Orson Welles Making a Film about William Randolph Hearst?

According to 1941 Film Fun - "Announcement: Orson Welles says that when he gets Citizen Kane off his mind, he's going straight to work on a great idea, based on the life of William Randolph Hearst."

I assume this is tongue and cheek. I adore Citizen Kane. The search for childhood happiness speaks volumes to me. It seems like people either love or hate this film. One of my top favorite films - a must on any list of great films.

For those of you TCM addicts like myself, Citizen Kane is on TCM October 6, 2010 at 8 PM est.

Guess This Film #1

Guess this Film - Here's Some Hints:

• If "Angry Fruit" is the film Grapes of Wrath, then "A digit on the port side" is this film

• It's from 1940

• Stars Myrna Loy and Melvyn Douglas

• It's on TCM October 7, 2010 6AM est
  

Vivien Leigh is Gone With The Wind to England

One never knows what Movietown will do to a girl - Lady Hamilton becomes That Hamilton Woman. And as far as the star of the picture, Vivien Leigh, is concerned in Hollywood, she has gone with the wind, and returned to her native England for war work.

That Hamilton Woman will be on TCM September 21, 2010 at 9:45 pm est in conjunction with Vivien Leigh as Star of the Month.

Tough Assignment: One Foot in Heaven

Tough Assignment: It's comparatively easy to find locations for highways that lead down in Movietown, but the Warner Brothers aerial location scout had a heck of a time finding a mile-high cloud band for the forthcoming production, One Foot in Heaven.

One Foot in Heaven, released in 1941, stars Fredric March, Martha Scott, Gene Lockhart, Beulah Bondi, and Laura Hope Crews. It follows the struggles to be relevant in the 20th century of Minister William Spence (played by Fredric March) and his wife Hope Morris Spence (played by Martha Scott). Set in 1917, it sounds like a sweet picture. Anyone wanting to check it out, it is playing October 12th at 1am est on Turner Classic Movies.

What 100 Stars Want Most in 1956 - Margaret O'Brien

Margaret O'Brien (Born January 15, 1937) - One of my favorite child actors. Most people know her from Meet Me in St Louis, but my favorite Margaret O'Brien film is The Secret Garden. Incidentally, for all you TCM lovers Margaret O'Brien is one of the featured stars in this August's Summer Under the Stars. So mark your calendar for August 15, 2010. TCM will play The Secret Garden at 8 pm est, or if you love Meet Me in St Louis, it is playing at 3:45 pm est. If you ever get a chance to see TCM's special on Child Stars, I would definitely recommend it. Margaret seems like such a wonderful person!

Some Margaret O'Brien Trivia:

• She was born Angela Maxine O'Brien
• Margaret made her film debut in a 1941 civil defense film (Her major motion picture debut was 1941's Babes of Broadway)
• She won a special Oscar for Meet Me in St Louis. It was stolen in 1954, found at a swap meet in 1995 and returned to her.
• My favorite Margaret O'Brien quote: "When I cry, do you want the tears to run all the way or shall I stop halfway down?" - What a pro!

What did Margaret O'Brien wish for in 1956?

"I want a place in the Valley where I can keep a horse"

"I'd like the lead in the story The Life of Esther Costello. It's the story of a deaf and dumb Irish child who rose to fame and prominence despite these handicaps"

Unfortunately for Margaret, Heather Sears got the part. Has anyone seen The Story of Esther Costello? It apparently also stars Joan Crawford.






"I'm on a personal campaign right now to tell people about the other children, the ones who aren't juvenile delinquents. We're way in the majority, incidentally."

What 100 Stars Want Most in 1956 - Pat O'Brien

Pat O'Brien (November 11, 1899 - October 15, 1983) played the typical Irishman in many films - usually a Priest or a Policemen. He was well loved in films, and I have to say I adored him in every film I've seen him in. Some of them include: Some Like It Hot, Angels With Dirty Faces, and Knute Rockne All American.

Some Pat O'Brien Trivia:

• These photos were of Pat's daughter Brigid's 1946 Christening
• Pat had four children, 3 of whom were adopted.
• Mr. O'Brien was married only once. It was to actress Eloise Taylor. They were married on January 23, 1931 and were married until his death.
• Pat was lifelong friends with Spencer Tracy and James Cagney
• He made 7 films with James Cagney
• Pat was politically Right Wing
• He wore a toupee
• Pat voiced the famous film line: "Win One for the Gipper"
• He made his last acting appearance in 1974 on Happy Days
• Pat O'Brien died of a heart attack at the age of 83

What did Pat Wish for in 1956:

"Personally, I hope God grants me the time to live to celebrate my silver wedding anniversary - 25 years with the same girl - and I'm a lucky man."

They did make it. In fact, Pat and his wife were married for 52 years. I hope my husband and I can be so lucky!

"As an actor, I'd like any really good motion picture part, but particularly I'd like to do the life of John McGraw or General Patton."

Unfortunately George C. Scott played General Patton, and I'm not sure of a film about John McGraw. John McGraw is known as the best baseball player to become a manager with an astounding 2,669 wins to his credit.

"As a citizen, I'd like all peace and no smog"

I love Pat in Angels With Dirty Faces and Knute Rockne. For those who want to know, Knute Rockne will be playing on Turner Classic Movies July 27, 2010 at 9:45 am est.

What 100 Stars Want Most in 1956 - Kim Novak

Kim Novak (born February 13, 1933) is currently raising horses and llamas on her farm in Oregon: "If you're wanting glamorous or really beautiful or really sexy, well then, I wasn't really the one, but I could do all of that. You could just get really lost in that kind of image"

Kim's 1956 Wishes:

"Personally, I want a short vacation. I've been working very hard. I'd like a couple of weeks to do some lazy shopping, to sleep late, to have a little fun."

"Professionally, I'd like another picture with the same dramatic impact as the one I've just finished, The Man With the Golden Arm."

"As a citizen, I'd like to see the city planning commission find a way to build bicycle paths for the youngsters - so they can safely ride their bikes all they want."

Simply stunning photos of Kim from the 1957 film Jeanne Eagels for which she earned $13,000. Can totally see this as a fabulous burlesque outfit. FYI - Jeanne Eagels will be included in the Kim Novak Collection which comes out August 3, 2010. It's also playing on Turner Classic Movies September 1, 2010 at 10:00 pm est. My favorite Kim Novak film is Vertigo, of course. Could anyone beat Hitchcock?