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Just to add a bit of context, early articles after the movie came out had Mary praising the film and being happy to play a more sexual grown character. She wanted a little edge. It was the public that turned against Pickford with this role and the movie Dorothy Vernon of Hadden Hall 1924 which I hope TCM screens next as a future Pickford premiere. As a result of her fans almost “canceling” her, she put out an article asking her fans what she play next?? The replies were back to the “little girl” types like Pollyanna, Heidi, Little Princess etc. some of which she had already played. So she wrote the screenplay for Little Annie Rooney and signed it in her grandmothers name for some reason. She went back to her “Little girl” role and fans were once again satisfied. Years later when alcoholism took over her life and she became reclusive, she did bizarre interviews where she attacked Rosita and called it the worst most stupidest movie she ever did and that she didn’t even give her prints to the Library of Congress or any archive. As a result, the prints she owned deteriorated and lost for several decades. Finally I believe recently, they were able to restore the film using prints with Russian subtitles from an archive in eastern Europe. anyway, in conclusion, Pickford in the beginning thought of it as her best acting work and thought the direction was what she needed. She didn’t have a yes men director like she normally used, she had a very stubborn perfectionist German director. Anyway, sorry for the long response. I’m a bit of an amateur Pickford historian.

Ruth Chatterton did make 20 talking pictures (and many silent films). She was born in 1892 and therefore was already 37 when the silent era ended, and that was considered "old" for an actress. So in some ways one could say she was lucky to even have a talking-picture career as a lead actress. At the age of 46 she left Hollywood for England.

I did not realize until I went to wikipedia that TONYA HARDING is only 5'1! I was a little split on ROBBIE's performance, I came close to turning off the film in the first third because she is supposed to be playing Tonya at 15 and she looks IN NO WAY SHAPE OR FORM a day under 34. her wig is also terrible. but the charms of the film pulled me through (it has a great, SPINAL TAP-like mockumentary feel and every time a character broke the fourth wall, it 100% won me over. ) [i think they realized there was an issue with Robbie's physicality, because they have a scene where her TROG MOTHER tells her that she looks young with her hair pulled back and Tonya replies with "I'm 23, Mom."] she won me over in the end though, she has a very JUDY GARLAND-A STAR IS BORN "SMILIN THRU THE TEARS" in front of the dressing room mirror scene that was good. [ROBBIE was also an executive producer on this, so the film is filled with gifts to actors- ALLISON JANNEY has one particularly outstanding scene where the two confront one another and she admits that she HAD to be AN EVIL MOTHER because if she hadn't, TONYA would not have worked SO HARD at her skating. in the hands of lesser actors, it could've killed the whole movie, but JANNEY really knocks it out of the park. the screenplay was very good and the director is a talent, he has a real ear for incorporating music into the soundtrack at just the right times- everything from SLEEPING BAG by ZZ TOPP to DORIS DAY'S version of DREAM A LITTLE DREAM (OF ME) I will readily admit that I am EXTREMELY PREJUDICED AGAINST MODERN MOVIES- i have probably only seen about 15 movies made since 2007 because they are just so SOUL CRUSHINGLY BAD, and 9 times out of 10, I end up turning them off, and I was FULLY PREPARED to really dislike this, but no- it was a solid movie and one I heartily recommend.

Okay, I've got one. Here are 1000 words on, appropriately, The Other Side of the Wind, by Orson Welles The story about this movie is as entertaining as the movie itself, and knowing a little of it made the history a part of the narrative for me, maybe to the point of distraction. If you decide to give this one a look, I recommend waiting until after your first viewing to study the backstory. When I pressed play I found the Netflix account was set up with subtitles activated. While reaching for the remote to turn them off I decided they might actually be helpful. They were. Without them, much of the off-camera chatter and mumble (and not a little of the on-camera chatter and mumble) would have been lost to me. John Huston plays Jake Hannaford, a 70-year-old director who is throwing a party to raise money to finish his work in progress, The Other Side of The Wind (a title which, it occurs to me now that I write it down, may be a comment on pretentiousness in art films). The first thing we learn about Jake is that he is dead, and there is an open question as to whether his death was the result of an accident (plausible) or a suicide (also plausible). The story that follows is told with a pastiche of various bits of film shot by Jake's aspiring movie maker party guests. Among them are Henry Jaglom, Paul Mazursky, and Dennis Hopper (whom I was hoping to see more of) and many other familiar faces, along with many who are less familiar but whose names you may have heard. This approach to story telling means we see different film from different cameras with different audio, mostly in black and white, all interspersed with Jake's vivid and unedited color footage, which we see first in a screening room as it is played to an unimpressed producer modeled on Robert Evans, then at the party in the home of a long-retired leading lady and possible former love of Jake's played by Lilli Palmer (because Marlene Dietrich couldn't or more likely wouldn't do it - and how I wish Jeanne Moreau had, though she wasn't really old enough at that point) and finally at a drive-in theater after the party changes venue due to power outages. Peter Bogdanovich is prominent throughout as Jake's would-be biographer turned fellow director, Brooks Otterlake. (I think I read or heard somewhere that that name is a play on the name of a real person but I can't confirm it now.) Orson's - and I call him Orson simply because I have developed an affection for him and I don't think he'd mind - Orson's actual biographer Joseph McBride appears as a luckless movie geek named Mr. Pister. (See? This kind of thing. I can't help but think there is a LOT of wordplay going on here.) Edmund O'Brien, Mercedes McCambridge and Cameron Mitchell appear as long time cronies and loyal crew members of Jake's. Gregory Sierra plays a convincingly menacing antagonist who needs his a$$ kicked but knows there is no one in the room who will try it. (Orson was friendly with Hemingway, but others say John Milius may have been in mind here.) Susan Strasberg appears as a critic on a mission, and when she speaks you can't help but think of Pauline Kael Bob Random, five years after his role as Gidget's TV boyfriend, plays John Dale (though his real name is said to be Oscar and somehow that matters) the leading man in the movie-within-the-movie, wherein he wordlessly portrays a kind of doomed moth attracted to the flame that is The Actress (also referred to as Pocahontas) played by Oja Kodar, Orson's own flame then and after. Orson is very generous to the viewer in presenting his lady love, who appears to be well ahead of her time in particular visual respects. Feminists will cheer her Girls Rule attitude toward her obsessive pursuer, which is depicted by heavy-handed symbolism up to and including castration, but they will flinch at the nudity, before finally pressing the stop button after the Mustang speeds off. I have to say though that, nudity and sex aside, watching some of their scenes together put me in mind of the early 1970s television ads for perfumes. All the Wellesian touches are here, including overlapping dialogue and crosstalk, subtle humor where you don't expect it, (Head fake: "Is the camera eye a reflection of reality or is reality a reflection of the camera eye?" Then a left hook: “Or is the camera merely a ph@llus?") an improvisational feel to the action though there was a script, and throughout a unique look that you just won't find elsewhere, even if he is imitating (no, ridiculing) much of contemporary cinema and criticism. Michel Legrand provided the score, but I don't really remember much about it. Somebody said Orson wanted a jazzy score. It sounded contemporary to the time and didn't get in the way. I do recall a sort of lyrical interlude in the club scene from the movie-wiithin-the-movie that featured a bass-driven rock piece worthy of Iron Butterfly, complete with a brooding baritone vocal. The movie-within-the-movie was shot in 1970/71, and much of the party footage was shot in 1974. Because of all kinds of issues I don't fully understand, this final edition was not begun until 2014, then released in 2018. In many ways it is like opening a time capsule and I enjoyed it in that frame of mind. Huston as a flawed hero is worthy of sympathy, and he makes an appealing stand in for Orson, whose voice can be heard in one or two spots only because he never got around to recording Huston in his place. Peter Bogdanovich, too, presents believably and does a fair Jimmy Cagney in a role begun by Rich Little, who himself gets a little screen time, though why he didn't keep the bigger role is another matter of whom you choose to believe, and is probably a good thing. These are initial impressions after a single viewing. I'm going to take another look soon, and I'm certain to notice things I missed last night. It is streaming currently on Netflix but be cautioned, there is a lot of skin in a few parts, especially the opening. Wait till the kids go to bed.

Gregory Sierra was also the bartender in the promenade room at the top of The Towering inferno.

"Oh, really? I rather appreciate anyone who appreciates someone who wears a good bow tie."

I thought BORN TO KILL was fantastic. I know most of you have seen it before but this was my first viewing. It has moved into my top ten favorite noirs. I also enjoyed Eddie and his guest's comments before and after the film. I wish they had spent more time talking about Claire Trevor. Her performance of a woman torn between doing the right thing, her physical attraction to a strong, but violent man and her desire for self preservation was terrific. She seemed to always make the wrong choice until it was too late. Lawrence Tierney was his usual menacing self. He was an intriguing character both on and off the screen. In my humble opinion, BORN TO KILL is Eddie's finest selection in quite awhile.

Chatterton specialized in the sort of woman's picture that is dismissed as "suffering in mink." I'm assuming her stage career was more of the same. But in FEMALE (1933) she's a lot more electric because she so actively pursues men, using them and sending them on their way when she's had enough. (Until she meets George Brent, of all people. But I subscribe to the theory that her 180-degree turn, and the detail of winning a pig at the fair, represents the filmmakers poking fun at the Hollywood convention of bad girls repenting in the last reel.)

The Last Emperor (1987) The Wedding Banquet (1993) The Farewell (2019)

Raise the Red Lantern (1991) Curse of the Golden Flower (2006)

Ya know James, ever since I was a kid, I always looked forward to seeing ol' sleezy Slezak in a movie. (...he seemed to always make whatever character he was playing an especially interesting one, and often steal the scenes he shared with the leads in the film)

I have a friend who was in charge of VIPs at a major airline in NYC back in the day. I asked him if there were any celebs who were especially rude or caused trouble. He said: "Only one. Lucille Ball. I had to deal with her many times. She was either drunk and making demands by throwing the F word around. Or she was sober and making demands by throwing the F word around."

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) Next: Abortion.

A rare occasion to see Karloff as the handsome man he was instead of an ugly monster. My caption: "Steal a scene from ME eh? There's a spotlight for hams like you!"

I just watched, off of TCM Underground, "Bobbie Jo and the Outlaw", or as it is actually known, "The Film Where Lynda Carter Takes Her Top Off". It's the sort of cheesy, grainy 1970s car chase and shootout movie that Quentin Tarantino homaged with "Grindhouse". Unmemorable, which is probably true of most of those movies which is why we remember the style but not any particular film. Unmemorable, except for oh my goodness, the glorious physical specimen that was Lynda Carter. She was a pretty terrible actress so you can see how her career really didn't go anywhere after "Wonder Woman", but holy cow, her body was strong evidence for the existence of a benevolent God. Apparently they were only able to talk her into shooting one sex scene, so they just repeated it in the second half of the movie.

Alberto Grimaldi, Producer of ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’ and ‘Gangs of New York,’ Dies at 95

Swedish actress Gunnel Lindblom, a veteran of Ingmar Bergman's films like THE SEVENTH SEAL, WILD STRAWBERRIES, THE VIRGIN SPRING, THE SILENCE, WINTER LIGHT and SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE, and the Mai Zetterling films LOVING COUPLES and THE GIRLS, died on January 24, 2021. Her most recent appearance on-screen was in the 2009 Swedish-language version of THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO. She was 89.

I saw about the last half hour of Splendor and wished I'd seen the whole thing. This isn't one of Miriam Hopkins' best performances, but the art deco design was great, and oh my, those costumes by Omar Kiam! Forget what's going to happen next; what matters is what they're going to be wearing next. I had also seen Design for Living again when it was on recently. One of Miriam's best performances, and just as funny this time around. Eventually I was laughing every time someone said the word "Eaglebauer." In case anyone should wonder if there is something sexy going on between Gary Cooper and Fredric March, the film brings in a couple of real he-men, Edward Everett Horton and Franklin Pangborn, to restore our faith in the red-blooded American male. Fredric March has never looked this handsome--it's as if he has to compete with Cooper, and surprisingly he does. Gary Cooper turns out to be adept at this kind of comedy, which no one would ever imagine after his wooden performance in, say, Morocco--just as if Cooper knows he has to compete with March as a light comedian, and he does.

Crime \ noir film pros Claire Trevor and Elisha Cook Jr. add the punch to Born to Kill. Lawrence Tierney is fine as the killer with just enough charm to make the attraction of the two main women characters in the film plausible. Yet another hard-as-nails role in a noir for Claire Trevor, who, during the 40s was the one of the top noir dames (if not the top), carrying over from the Warner Bros. gangster \ crimes of the 30s into the noir films of the 40s, like Murder My Sweet, Johnny Angel, Crack-Up, Raw Deal, Born to Kill , and of course the swan-song, has-been performance of her 30s character type in Key Largo, which earned her a much deserved Oscar. Trevor would make one more crime \ noir film Borderline in 1950, but here she only pretends to be a hard case. After this she was in many westerns.

To me Born To Kill has some strange changes in atmosphere. It starts out with a fairly grisly double murder, then morphs into a drawing room play and then back again to more killings. Pretty good, though a bit one-track. I felt sorry for Cookie. He did all kinds of favors for Tierney and then as a reward Tierney kills him. Thanks a million, buddy. I got a kick out of the old beer-loving floozy who hired Slezak. She was a riot. Slezak never looks as fit as he did playing Willy in Lifeboat. Must have been those pills he had. Many years ago I saw Tierney in The Devil Thumbs a Ride. He's pretty mean and crazy in that one too. That would be a good selection for Noir Alley, though it only runs about an hour.

The Good Earth (though leads not played by Asians) Ran (based on King Lear) Rashamon

Lucky you!! Didn't see them in their prime together but did see them (or what was left...) years back at Count Basie Theatre. They rocked and were quite funny and clever

The Last Hurrah (1958).

Walter Slezak also gives another fine performance in a noir film. He was in The Fallen Sparrow, Cornered, and Born to Kill: From Wiki: He also played a cheerfully corrupt and philosophical private detective in the film noir Born to Kill (1947) (of course nothing tops what he did in Bedtime for Bonzo!).

I always kind'a felt this way about it too Cid...that is until I watched it again last Saturday night. It seemed to click more with me this time and as I more noticed how excellently this film was shot by director Robert Wise and his cimematographer Robert De Grasse. (...and now I think those aspects of it alone have moved it higher on my list of favorite Noirs ever made)

I once read somewhere that The Invisible Ray was the first Hollywood film to deal with the responsibilities of atomic energy/radiation. At the end of the movie, Karloff's mother, played by Violent Kemble Cooper, says to Karloff: "My son, you have broken the first rule of science." Meaning using science for destructive purposes. Kemble Cooper was a descendant of the Kembles, a prominent British acting family which included Sarah Siddons.

You have to remember..... No matter how much YOU thought he was a "terrible interviewer", the majority of the people he interviewed thought otherwise. Perhaps it would help advance your judgmental remark by pointing out WHY you thought he was a terrible interviewer. Over the years there's been a LOT of TV shows, movies, music and musical artists and the like I TOO thought were "terrible" but were also were loved and popular for years that still mystify me. But as they never impacted my life either negatively or positively or any way in the least, I just let it go and/or shrug it all off. Sepiatone

I thank you for your insightful impressions. I have this on "my list" but just haven't gathered up the energy for it yet. Good to know there's some comedic moments in it. I'm currently wallowing in lighthearted pre-codes & screwball comedies trying to keep myself out of depression.

The True Story of Jesse James (1957)

Eliot, Captain Jeff - played by Gene Kelly in The Devil Makes Three

Never saw "I, Tonya" but to me Margot Robbie was badly miscast. Now, Margot Robbie is awesome. But the whole deal with Tonya Harding was that she didn't fit the pretty little princess image that was the stereotype of figure skaters back in the day and for the most part still is. But here was this woman who came from a distinctly working-class background, sometimes earned money fixing cars, sewed her own costumes. And despite being pretty clearly the best female figure skater in America for a while (first to do a triple axel!) she got passed over by Nancy Kerrigan because Kerrigan fit the pretty princess image exactly. Of course there was more to it than that. But to take the tall, drop-dead gorgeous Margot Robbie and cast her as Tonya...

The wraps were purposely damaged for leftover sale - either by being punched with a hole, or cut about an inch from the top of the record.

Bob Strauss @bscritic #Hungary's #Oscar entry #PreparationstobeTogetherforanUnknownPeriodofTime (whew!) is a snaky, severe study of a neurosurgeon whose romantic obsession may be all in her head. Concludes too easily, but psychologically intriguing and what a showcase for actress #NatasaStork. 5:06 PM · Jan 24, 2021·Twitter Web App

Larry King’s sons pay tribute after iconic broadcaster’s death: ‘He loved us more than life itself’ https://www.nydailynews.com/snyde/ny-larry-king-sons-tribute-fathers-death-20210124-4dmv7zp4xvci7egyelz3hz3kem-story.html Celebrities and newsmakers pay tribute to broadcasting legend Larry King https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/23/us/celebrity-reactions-larry-king-death-trnd/index.html

Joan O'Brien

The Trouble with Angels

I had that on vinyl. I think the last YES album I bought was Drama... with THE BUGGLES.

After about the third time around it's time to give it up. Yeah fedoras, I get it.

Screaming Mimi (1958).

Cooper learned to be a comic actor, at least learning how to be deadpan in the face of everybody/everything around him. He's great in Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, and possibly the best thing in his scene in It's a Big Country. And, of course, he's great in Ball of Fire, which is more traditional comedy.

SPRINGFIELD RIFLE (1952)

Obviously hamradio since he died the thread was meant as a tribute thread. Be respectful, it's the DECENT thing to do. Save the nasty comments for tyrants and dictators.what did Larry ever do to you? LOL

The Wages of Fear (1953) Sorcerer (1977)

Hey Vidor and Lorna, this is a tribute thread to someone who has passed. If you have nothing nice to say, then don't

Rasputin - Lionel Barrymore, in Rasputin and the Empress 1932

Sun., 1-17 (times ET) 2:00 am The Falcon And The Snowman (1985) 2h 11m | Crime After his father finds him a job at the CIA, Christopher Boyce discovers the less reputabl... Director John Schlesinger Cast Nicholas Pryor, Macon Mccalman, Herbie Wallace ============================================================= 10:10 pm The Incident (1967) 1h 47m | Adaptation Two rowdy teens board a New York City subway and terrorize the passengers. ... Director Larry Peerce Cast Tony Musante, Martin Sheen, Beau Bridges ================================================================= 2:00 TCM Imports.......... am Matador (1986) 1h 47m | Thriller Forced to retire after a goring, matador Diego Montez has since become a teacher. Among hi... Director Pedro Almodóvar Cast Assumpta Serna, Antonio Banderas, Nacho Martinez 4:00 am Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988) 1h 38m | Comedy A wickedly amusing look at modern love through the relationships of several neurotic women... Director Pedro Almodóvar Cast Carmen Maura, Antonio Banderas, Julieta Serrano

HEAT LIGHTNING (1934)

I only know Carrie from Star Wars and not being a rabid Star Wars fan, I can't say that I'm too familiar with Carrie's other work. However, I love her books and her sense of humor and how honest she was about the things she'd gone through in her life. What I loved about Carrie was how close she was with Debbie. Their devotion to one another was one of the greatest things about both Carrie and Debbie. That was absolutely heartbreaking when they both passed. Carrie and Debbie lived in neighboring homes in a neighborhood in Los Angeles. I heard that Carrie's daughter, Billie Lourd, inherited the homes and she is currently in the process of having construction done to adjoin the two homes. I think that is wonderful that Billie will get to live in both her mother's and grandmother's home.