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I watched the James Whale version of Waterloo Bridge (1931) on TCM On Demand last night. I had seen it once a few years back, but with This version is far superior to the cleaned-up MGM version. Mae Clarke was a revelation, an earthy, natural actress, and it's sad that she ended up being typecast as gangster's molls at Warner's. Her acting style reminded me a bit of a young Barbara Stanywk. Kent Douglass (aka Douglass Montgomery) was also exceptional, despite the heavy eyeliner (I know very blonde actors often had to wear that for their eyes to photograph). The scene where he is in tears, barking at the landlady, got me choked up. His naivete and earnestness are a lot more believable than the wooden Robert Taylor in the remake. In the 1931 version, there was a naturalness and intensity in both leads' performances, very un-Hollywood. I also loved how Whale "opened up" the story in the air raid scenes.

It's unlikely that that many reading this will be familiar with this moody, highly atmospheric adventure film produced by Paramount in 1936. Directed by Lewis Milestone, THE GENERAL DIED AT DAWN is set in the civil war torn China of the 1930s, reminiscent in some respects of the better known SHANGHAI EXPRESS, released four years earlier by the same studio. Gary Cooper stars as O'Hara, an American adventurer fighting for democracy abroad, this time against the oppression of a Chinese warlord, General Yang (Akim Tamiroff in an Oscar nominated performance). The beauteous Madeleine Carroll, in a sympathetic role, plays a woman who, against her better judgment, is talked into luring Cooper into a trap so that he can be captured by Yang for the funds he carries intended for the purchase of guns for oppressed Chinese villagers. Unlike other big budget "A" adventure films, THE GENERAL DIED AT DAWN jettisons the usual big action scenes in favour of character interplay, all amidst an almost overwhelmingly atmospheric backdrop, thanks to superior art direction, the at times stunning black and white photography of Victor Milner and Werner Janssen's moody, Oriental-tinged musical score. If the story has more than a slight pulp fiction quality to it (screenplay by Clifford Odets of Charles Booth's novel), this is still movie pulp fiction of an exceedingly handsome, stylish quality. Here are the screen credits. Please note the creativity of the presentation of the credits on the sails of Chinese junks, accompanied by Janssen's wonderful score. And here is a brief clip to give you an idea of this production's outstanding cinematography. As you will see by the close ups of Cooper and Carroll here, this film was from the era of movies which presented their stars like Gods and Goddesses. It's too bad they didn't use Janssen's music here (including his sensitive love theme), rather than the piano accompaniment selected which has nothing to do with the actual film. If anyone else is familiar with this film, I hope you'll offer an opinion on it. For any who have yet to see THE GENERAL DIED AT DAWN, as it is a Paramount production, it's not likely, unfortunately, that it will receive a TCM broadcast. In fact, I don't know if the film has ever been shown by the channel. However, it is available on both DVD and Blu Ray. I haven't seen the Blu Ray but apparently the imagery is impressive.

He was our Honorary Mayor here in Pacific Palisades, a neighborhood of Los Angeles, for five years. Used to see him in our 4th of July parades.

Although McLeod and Moore share no screen time together in it, in one of my favorite episodes of the TDVDS titled 'Empress Carlotta's Necklace', he played a fast-talking salesman who sells Rob one of the gaudiest pieces of jewelry you'll ever see but which Rob thinks Laura will really love. Sorry to hear of his passing. The equally as great The Mary Tyler Moore Show wouldn't have been the same or as great without MacLeod playing the Murray Slaughter character. (...R.I.P.)

https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/gavin-macleod-dead-dies-love-boat-mary-tyler-moore-show-1234984591/ Gavin MacLeod, a sitcom veteran who played seaman “Happy” Haines on “McHale’s Navy,” Murray on “Mary Tyler Moore” and the very different, vaguely patrician Captain Stubing on “The Love Boat,” has died. He was 90. MacLeod’s nephew, Mark See, confirmed his death to Variety. MacLeod died in the early morning on May 29. No cause of death was given, but MacLeod’s health had declined in recent months. MacLeod played a relatively minor character on ABC hit “McHale’s Navy,” starring Ernest Borgnine, but as newswriter Murray Slaughter, he was certainly one of the stars of “Mary Tyler Moore,” appearing in every one of the classic comedy’s 168 episodes during its 1970-77 run on CBS. Murray was married to Marie (Joyce Bulifant) but was in love with Moore’s Mary Richards. His desk was right next to Mary’s in the WGN newsroom, so MacLeod was frequently in the shot during the sitcom, and Murray, like all the other characters, was richly developed — a hallmark of MTM shows. MacLeod originally tried out for the part of Lou Grant, which went to Ed Asner, but claimed to be happy that he ended up playing Murray. He also auditioned for the role of Archie Bunker on “All in the Family,” but of reading the script for the first time, he wrote in his memoir, “Immediately I thought, This is not the script for me. The character is too much of a bigot. I can’t say these things.” When Norman Lear called the actor to say that Carroll O’Connor had gotten the part, MacLeod was relieved. The “Moore” cast — MacLeod, Asner, Valerie Harper, Cloris Leachman, Betty White and Georgia Engel (Ted Knight had died in 1986) — reminisced with Moore in 2002 on CBS’ “The Mary Tyler Moore Reunion.” MacLeod had the great fortune to roll right from one hit show to another in 1977, when “Moore” ended and ABC’s “The Love Boat” began. The hourlong romantic comedy set on a cruise ship ran for 10 years. The actor’s Captain Stubing was known for his signature salute. Even after the end of the voyage in 1987, the actor returned for telepic “The Love Boat: A Valentine Voyage” in 1990 and for the “Reunion” episode of rebooted series “Love Boat: The Next Wave” in 1998. MacLeod may, indeed, hold a record for consecutive long-running series: He went straight from “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” (168 episodes) to “The Love Boat” (249 episodes). The New York Times said in 2010: “Perhaps no actor has embraced a signature role the way Mr. MacLeod has with Captain Stubing. Since ‘The Love Boat’ went off the air, he has been a spokesman for Princess Cruises.” In 1997, the actor joined the rest of “The Love Boat” cast on “Oprah” in what was the first full cast appearance since the show was cancelled. Another cast reunion occurred in 2013 on “The Talk.” MacLeod was born Allan George See in Mount Kisco, N.Y. His mother worked for Reader’s Digest, while his father was an electrician who was part Chippewa. He grew up in Pleasantville, N.Y., and went to Ithaca College, where he studied acting and graduated in 1952. After serving in the U.S. Air Force, he moved to New York City and worked at Radio City Music Hall as an usher and elevator operator while seeking work as an actor. During this time he changed his name. After a few uncredited film roles, MacLeod made his credited bigscreen debut in the 1958 Susan Hayward vehicle “I Want to Live,” playing a police lieutenant, then played a G.I. in Gregory Peck starrer “Pork Chop Hill” the next year. His supporting role in Blake Edwards’ WWII comedy “Operation Petticoat,” starring Cary Grant and Tony Curtis and focusing on the chaotic goings on aboard a submarine, gave the young actor a flavor of what he would be doing a few years later on “McHale’s Navy.” In the meantime he appeared in the 1960 thriller “Twelve Hours to Kill,” which starred future “I Dream of Jeannie” star Barbara Eden; Blake Edwards’ musical comedy “High Time,” starring Bing Crosby and Fabian; and the critically hailed but now forgotten Korean War film “War Hunt.” He also did a boatload of guest appearances on TV before his stint on “McHale’s Navy.” MacLeod left “McHale’s Navy” in order to be able to appear in a supporting role in the excellent period adventure film “The Sand Pebbles,” starring Steve McQueen, and he appeared in a number of other films throughout the decade: “A Man Called Gannon” and Blake Edwards’ Peter Sellers comedy “The Party” in 1968; “The Thousand Plane Raid,” “The Comic” and “The Intruders” in 1969; and, in 1970, the World War II caper film “Kelly’s Heroes,” in which he played Moriarty, Oddball’s machine-gunner and mechanic. In the meantime he was guesting on both dramas (“Perry Mason,” “Ben Casey,” “Ironside,” “Hawaii Five-O,” “The Big Valley”) and comedies (“The Andy Griffith Show,” “My Favorite Martian,” “Hogan’s Heroes”). In December 1961, he guested on “The Dick Van Dyke Show” in what was his first time working with Mary Tyler Moore. After his years on “Mary Tyler Moore” and “The Love Boat,” MacLeod did not work on a steady basis — he did not have to. He made an impression, however, in a 2000 episode of HBO prison drama “Oz” in which he played the Roman Catholic Cardinal Frances Abgott, with whom Rita Moreno’s nun Sister Pete discusses leaving the order. The actor had assumed a certain gravitas as Captain Stubing, even amid the silliness of “The Love Boat,” that made this role possible in a way that it couldn’t have been before. In the 2000s MacLeod also guested on series including “The King of Queens,” “JAG,” “Touched by an Angel” and “That ’70s Show.” MacLeod, who had appeared on Broadway in 1962 in “The Captains and the Kings,” also returned to stage work after “The Love Boat.” He toured with Michael Learned of “The Waltons” in A.R. Gurney’s “Love Letters,” and he appeared in musicals such as “Gigi” and “Copacabana” between 1997 and 2003. At a concert in 2008, he conducted the Colorado Symphony in Denver. During the mid-1980s, MacLeod and his second wife became Evangelical Christians, and the pair credited the religion for reuniting them. He wrote about it in his 1987 book “Back on Course, the Remarkable Story of a Divorce That Ended in Remarriage.” He and wife Patti appeared in the Christian bigscreen time-travel epic “Time Changer,” along with Hal Linden, in 2002, and he played the title role in the 2008 Christian film “The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry.” His memoir “This Is Your Captain Speaking: My Fantastic Voyage Through Hollywood, Faith & Life,” was published in 2013. MacLeod was first married, from 1955-1972, to Joan Devore, with whom he had two sons and two daughters. He married actress Patti Kendig in 1974. They divorced in 1982 but remarried in 1985. He is survived by Patti and the four children by Devore.

I saw these episodes at METV reruns a year or two ago. I was excited to recognize the man!

"Never can please you!"

Oh no! I am heartbroken. GAVIN MacLEOD was always a delight.

Btw, and to answer Thompson's earlier question here: Yes, the general rule of thumb here would be that ANY black & white movie which features a scene in which you see a bat killing and eating a mouse, could be called a "film noir". Well, this is of course unless the movie might've starred Bela Lugosi. And THEN we're talkin' the genre of "horror" of course. But THEN, any movie that features the aforementioned "bat killing and eating a mouse" in Technicolor, could of course ONLY be called a "NEO-noir". (...but once again ONLY if it didn't star Bela Lugosi, and who thankfully I don't recall making all that many movies in Technicolor and so which would then make all this even MORE confusing than it already is!)

What Price Glory? (1926 and 1952) The Lost Patrol (1929 and 1934) Journey's End (1930 and 2017) A Farewell to Arms (1932 and 1957) All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) and The Red Badge of Courage (1951) were also both remade as television films starring Richard Thomas (in 1979 and 1974, respectively). I guess Thomas's long stint as John-Boy on The Waltons made him seem like an avatar of innocence, all the better to then grow cruelly disillusioned. The remakes of What Price Glory? and The Lost Patrol were both directed by John Ford. He was also the second-unit director on the original What Price Glory? (directed by Raoul Walsh).

This is sad. Everyone from my second favorite show have been passing away at such a quick rate. Murray was one of my favorite characters on MTM. I loved how much of a friend he was to Mary, despite having a huge crush on her. And I love how at the same time, he was so devoted to his wife, Marie—even if he at times felt that his life wasn’t as exciting as he’d envisioned. I loved how complex Murray was. He wasn’t just Mary’s dopey co-worker who had a crush on her while hurling insults at Ted. I just saw Gavin as a police sergeant interrogating Susan Hayward in “I Want to Live!” Looks like another re-watch of MTM is in store. RIP, Mr McLeod. Thank you.

Gavin did a nice interview with the Television Academy Foundation in 2003. https://interviews.televisionacademy.com/interviews/gavin-macleod In his three-hour Archive interview, Gavin MacLeod talks about changing his name from Allan See to Gavin MacLeod and his early years as an actor in theater, movies and as a guest on such television series as Peter Gunn and The Untouchables. He discusses his appearance as a regular on McHale's Navy and how despite playing the character of "Happy Haines," it was an unhappy period in his life where he experienced a bout with alcoholism. He speaks earnestly about inspiring others to overcome such obstacles and describes his own career resurgence after appearing in Robert Wise's "The Sand Pebbles" and as a notable recurring character on Hawaii Five-O. MacLeod then details the roles on the two series for which he is best remembered and most beloved, playing "Murray Slaughter" on The Mary Tyler Moore Show and "Captain Merrill Stubing" on The Love Boat. Regardng both series, he talks about how he was cast, his thoughts on the other regulars and the series creators and reminisces about memorable series episodes. He also mentions his recent talk show series Back on Course: A Ministry for Marriages, a series on the Trinity Broadcasting Network that he co-hosted with his wife Patti. Karen Herman conducted the interview on January 3, 2003 in Santa Monica, CA.

i watched AGUIRRE: THE WRATH OF GOD UN FILME DU WErNER HERZOG, ca. 1971 starring KLAUS KINSKI as a real d!ckhead I mean, you take a good look at that helmet and tell me that's not on purpose: I have seen NOSFERATU THE VAMPIRE (which I love) and I have tried to make it thru FITZCARRALDO but couldn't. I started watching this FULLY EXPECTING IT TO BE WELL OVER 2 HOURS [and a glacially paced 2 hours + at that], and thus I was STUNNED when the credits rolled at NINETY MINUTES! All in all, this is a pretty short film! But a lively one at that, and as much a study in sociology, politics and human nature as it is a film; sort of an extra violent ANIMAL FARM set on a RAFT IN THE AMAZON in 1560. apparently it was filmed with a 35 mm camera HERZOG stole (and kept and used again) from some FILM SCHOOL. Thusly, I can forgive the faded look and cinematography; and it's not something that counts as a strike against the movie (f anything, it beautifully compliments the MAD GUERILLA FEEL of the whole venture), which is really quite well-paced, visually compelling and even HILARIOUS (deliberately) at moments- "I SEE THEY'VE MOVED UP TO LONGER ARROWS"- says one man in the third act as he takes one to the chest from some natives on the riverbank and falls dead into the water. there is also a haunting image of a horse set lose in the amazon jungle that i am pretty sure died in real life; if any of you cineastes know differently, please tell me. Also includes a great decapitation scene. also also includes a dude who- I swear- beatboxes on a pan pipe and it is something to see.

Another Woman (1988)

Ulysses (1954)

1933

1942 - The Forest Rangers 1944 - Standing Room Only 1947 - Suddenly It's Spring Next: Judy Garland & Charles Winninger

Hi Peebs, I believe this message was meant for you. 🙂 Note for Cora: my Bruno Ganz/Natalie Wood link was Christopher Plummer (Inside Daisy Clover and Remember), but I like your Peter Falk answer better. He was also in The Great Race with NW.

To me it is similar to employees of a supermarket chain lecturing on the harmful effects of junk food, yet much of the store's business is selling unhealthy items. You can't have it both ways.

From May 29-June 1, 1921, the Poli ran Headin’ Home, starring Babe Ruth as … Babe Ruth. The film was released on September 20, 1920. It is available on YouTube, running around 70 minutes. Brief Plot: Babe Ruth comes from a hick town and gets involved in a lot of situations. He ends up as a baseball player. Review: Whoever came up with this idea should have been hit with a baseball bat. An iconic sports figure, one of the most famous of all time, is reduced to a guy growing up in the sticks, rescuing his kid sister’s dog from the pound, breaking up a romance between his girl and a louse, and playing very little baseball. This might be suitable for a Charles Ray film, but not a larger-than-life sports legend. Dull in the extreme, I kept dozing off. I tried to amuse myself by comparing scenes to other films. For instance, Babe is constantly shown whittling a piece of wood to make a bat. Joe Don Baker in Walking Tall. Then, in an exhibition game in his hometown (in which he inexplicably plays for the visiting team), he breaks a bat. His kid sister then hands him his homemade bat, and he hits a homerun. Robert Redford in The Natural (which of course featured Joe Don Baker as “The Whammer,” a Babe Ruth knockoff). After Ruth hits the homerun (again, for the visiting team), the townspeople chase him all over the place – like a Benny Hill sketch (absent Joe Don Baker). The beginning of Ruth’s career, as a pitcher with the Boston Red Sox, is completely ignored. We see very little footage of him playing for the Yankees, and those scenes are just thrown in without any context. Apparently, the filmmakers thought we’d be more interested in Ruth’s life pre-baseball, most of which was made up. Big mistake. Ruth was paid $50,000 for the film. He sued the producers, asking for an injunction restraining the producers from continuing to show the film until they paid him a balance of $35,000. Although he had received a check for the balance, Ruth contended it was worthless. The court ruled against him, stating that even if the check was worthless, there were other means for him to recover the money, but he could not obtain relief through an injunction.

Russell Arms, who played a Lockheed Aircraft plant worker during WWII in tonight's showing of Wings for the Eagle (1942)... AND Rip Torn...

1935 - If You Could Only Cook 1936 - Mr. Deeds Goes to Town 1936 - More Than a Secretary Next: Shirley Temple & Guy Kibbee

Agree. It ain't fittin', it just ain't fittin'!

Well, they did prosecute him over Deep Throat. Glad he got off. (double meaning not intended!)

That's not what happened. A TV personality is often and typically criticized. It's not the same as "dissing" people in your personal life. If one is in public life, one presumably grows a thick skin or drops out.

When I see the title I have a mental picture of the Mankman talking into an old-fashioned radio mic, wearing a fedora, and saying something like Bulletin, this is your scribe Ben Mankiewicz with another edition of my exclusive insights. Citizen Kane, not Welles' best picture, not even his second best. More after this word from Camel cigarettes.

The other night on the Movies! channel I saw "Who is Harry Kellerman and Why is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me?" from 1970 or so. I'm really not sure what to say about it, other than I found it interesting on its own terms, and as a nostalgia piece. It is not one of Hoffman's better known movies - wiki doesn't even list it in his filmography. I have been aware of it's existence since my grade school days when my sister and I saw the first few scenes one night at the drive-in. It was the third movie on the bill and by the time it came on we were both ready to just go home and go to bed, so we left soon after it began. Dustin plays Georgie Soloway, a sort Bob Dylan type character who is struggling with thoughts of suicide, though we never learn exactly why. I assume he finds success hard to deal with, I don't know, but for whatever reason he is shown in many scenes standing on ledges or about to jump off balconies, only to land on his psychiatrist's sofa. Along the way we are shown vignettes of his life, some comic (the scene with his parents at the dinner table is hilarious) some more dramatic, some just ... odd. Roger Ebert in his review praised Barbara Harris's scenes, and she was very sympathetic. As we meet more and more of the people in Georgie's life it becomes obvious who Harry Kellerman is, even if we don't learn why he is saying such terrible things. Screenplay by Herb Gardner, who wrote "A Thousand Clowns" (another personal favorite) with music by Shel Silverstein, who makes an appearance in some mock concert footage along with Dustin and members of Dr. Hook. I'd say it is flawed, but worthwhile.

On Svengoolie tomorrow, May 29, 2021: I always confuse this title with The Man with Nine Lives, the movie in which Karloff plays a mad doctor specializing in "frozen therapy," who is thawed out at the beginning of the film. And I always confuse The Man with Nine Lives with The Man They Could Not Hang and Before I Hang. But The Frozen Ghost is not a Karloff film, it's one of the Lon Chaney Jr. "Inner Sanctum" films.

Howard Hawks is the correct answer. The thread is yours. Thanks

Defense exhibit A

Sunday May 30, 2021 Vietnam on TCM the green berets

It's broken into good/bad western. Most "bad" have Dean Martin in them.

THE WOLF MAN (1941) Next: Burt Lancaster, Telly Savalas and Ossie Davis

Loretta Young was in Clive of India with Montagu Love.

EYES IN THE NIGHT (1942)...JANIE (1944)...JANIE GETS MARRIED (1946) Next: Fred MacMurray & Paulette Goddard

Thank you for This review, I am still discovering just how many “reading of the will at the old dark house movies” there were in the late 1920s/early 1930s. It’s a fun genre. It’s wild that you mention Jason Robards Sr. because just last night I was re-watching ISLE OF THE DEAD (1945) A Val Lewton film he did with Karloff, and oh my God he is absolutely horrible. It is just a dreadful performance, it’s almost like he’s trying to give the flattest, least animated line reads he can. It’s a pretty good movie, but damned if he doesn’t ruin every scene in which he appears.

Paul Soles, a Canadian actor who was best known for playing Hermie The Elf in Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer along with the title character in the 1960's animated Spider-Man series, died on May 26th: https://www.thewrap.com/paul-soles-animated-spider-man-voice-1960s-dies-90/

Sunday, May 30 8 p.m. The Great Escape (1963). They don’t come much better.

Captain January 1936 Miss Annie Rooney 1942 Fort Apache 1948 next: Ann Harding and Edward Arnold

My observation wasn't directed at you, but other increasingly superfluous jabs. I understood your comment arose more from the phoniness of the ad campaign. But others took it as an opening to get out their rhetorical razors.

They were all scored by John Barry. (À propos of nothing, I've always felt that the "Born Free" theme bears an uncanny resemblance to Maurice Jarre's Lawrence of Arabia theme.)

Orson Welles was in The Long, Hot Summer (1958) with Joanne Woodward, who was in Philadelphia (1993) with Denzel Washington. Next: Bruno Ganz and Natalie Wood

Invitation

I can remember when the Oscars were held in April. But the Academy dislikes sharing the spotlight with the other awards shows, and it even pushed up its 92nd annual Oscars ceremony last ear to February 9. So don't be surprised if that happens again -- particularly if the Golden Globes are still in existence.

HIGH HEELS AND LOW LIFES (2001)

WINTERTIME (1943)

Decades also runs the old Sullivan show every weekday. It's a sister channel to MeTV.

Yet another unnominated song from 1986: Carly Simon's Coming Around Again from Heartburn.