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I just finished watching The Big Clock, for maybe the 5th time. Great little movie, I love it. But that's not what I want to talk about here. What I want to talk about is how funny, how likable (because she's funny), how quirky, how memorable Elsa Lanchester is in everything she touches. As was the case most of the time with Elsa, she has a small but important role in The Big Clock. As usual, she plays a quirky side character, not a lead, but her part plays a key role in the story. This is also the case with another great little noir, Mystery Street. What can I say? Anyone who's seen this extremely unusual and talented actress knows how she takes a character and makes them completely her own. No matter what you see her in, no matter how small the part, you remember her. And god, what a natural comedian she was ! She's so damn funny, her voice, her mannerisms, the way she says her lines. She's a treasure to classic Hollywood (not to mention other earlier British films she was in) and I love everything I've ever seen her in. She brightens the screen with her oddball presence - she's hilarious ! I love her.

First time viewing for me and I loved it, 8/10. Crawford gives one of her best ever performances. Great direction too, it hooks you in right from the beginning with that haunting scene done on an actual location. Then we meet the dazed Crawford and the flashbacks start and away we go. It is a real gold standard of melodrama with it's incredible twists and turns. I also find it an excellent study of a disturbed mind.

I had too many in my head, so I settled on reliable/unreliable characters by actor Peter O'Toole: reliable--Goodbye Mr. Chips unreliable--My Favorite Year William Powell: reliable--Life With Father unreliable--I Love You Again Cary Grant: reliable--Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House unreliable--Suspicion Gene Tierney: reliable--Heaven Can Wait unreliable--Leave Her to Heaven Rosalind Russell: reliable--My Sister Eileen unreliable--The Velvet Touch Spencer Tracy: reliable--just about everything...Father of the Bride, Boy's Town, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner unreliable--Dante's Inferno Joan Crawford: reliable--Mildred Pierce unreliable--Possessed, The Women Claude Rains: reliable--Mr. Skeffington unreliable--The Unsuspected Jack Lemmon: reliable--The Apartment, The China Syndrome unreliable--Under the Yum Yum Tree Olivia deHaviland: reliable--The Heiress, GWTW unreliable--The Dark Mirror Frederic March: reliable--The Best Years of Our Lives unreliable--A Star is Born Frank Sinatra: unreliable--A Hole in the Head, Guys and Dolls, Come Blow Your Horn Barbara Stanwyck: unreliable--The Lady Eve, Double Indemnity, Baby Face reliable Bette Davis--The Corn is Green unreliable Bette Davis--The Little Foxes

Reliable Billie Burke as Glinda the Good Witch Unreliable Margaret Hamilton as the Wicked Witch in Wizard of Oz 1939

Reliable James Stewart as Jefferson Smith Mr. Smith Goes To Washington 1939 Unreliable Oliver Reed as Bill Sikes Oliver 1968

I find her very funny in that I Love Lucy ep.

Reliable: Henry Fonda in 12 Angry Men (1957) Unreliable: Verbal in The Usual Suspects (1995)

Elsa Lanchester was indeed a treat and a unique talent. She does leave an impression well beyond the few minutes of screen time she gets. Some of my favorite roles (other than those mentioned), are: Ladies in Retirement, The Spiral Staircase, The Razor's Edge, The Bishop's Wife, Hell's Half Acre, and Bell, Books, and Candle.

Not a movie, but I love Elsa in her episode of "I Love Lucy" where Lucy and Ethel mistake her for an escaped hatchet murderess based on a radio report and circumstantial evidence. Meanwhile, Elsa mistakes Lucy for the escaped hatchet murderess based on another radio report that indicates that the grey-haired woman may have dyed her hair red. Elsa, Lucy and Ethel are on pins and needles throughout most of their trip, until Elsa ditches the girls about a 100 miles away from their destination. Elsa's character is so delightfully wacky and weird, that you don't blame Lucy for thinking that there's something off with her. But Lucy herself is also a nut, that you also can't blame Elsa for thinking the same thing about Lucy. My favorite part: ETHEL: What's that you're eating? ELSA: Watercress sandwich (Lucy and Ethel start eating Watercress sandwiches) LUCY: Very tasty. If you love buttered grass. (Ethel tries to take Lucy's sandwich) LUCY: I love buttered grass! --- I also love Elsa in The Spiral Staircase where she plays one of the weird servants at Ethel Barrymore's house. At one point, Elsa's character is passed out in the kitchen, having drunk all the brandy.

I love her very much! She definitely brings a special smile to every role. I love her dearly as the slightly addled and more than slightly inept witch in: Bell Book and Candle (1958). She is perfect as the saucy nurse in: Witness for the Prosecution (1957). I could go on and on because she was quite wonderful in every role.

David Lean went out on a high note with A Passage to India. I had forgotten that was his last picture.

Possessed is a movie that I actually own, but hadn't watched yet. It came in a Joan Crawford box set that I have. I really enjoyed it. It was like a precursor to Fatal Attraction, minus the horrific bunny on the stove scene. Joan's character was bonkers, but also sympathetic. Was she just that enamored with Van Heflin that she didn't want to take "no" for an answer? It seemed like the film tried to explain that Van's rejection of Joan triggered her psychosis, as if it were lying dormant, waiting to come out. I wish we'd seen more of his relationship with Joan. Did he lead her on only to reject her? Or was he just keeping things casual and she made the relationship more than it was? I know that he was the co-star of the film, so he couldn't do this, but I wish he'd stayed away from Joan. Each time he re-surfaced, he re-ignited her obsession. When he hooked up with Geraldine Brooks, I felt like he fully crossed into cad territory. It was weird how she points out to him that they last met when she was 11, and then he's checking her out and wanting to go out with her. But anyway, she was an adult, so I digress. I think Geraldine was interested in him because he was an older man and had a bit of a mysterious aura around him. With him though, I was thinking that he was perhaps a golddigger, and maybe liked the idea of having a young woman on his arm. Joan was a little long in the tooth for him if Geraldine is more his speed. Anyway, I really liked this film. I'm always a fan of the films that Joan made during the "woman in peril" part of her career and this film was no exception. Poor Joan is now seen as a "Mommie Dearest" caricature with the big lips, the big eyebrows, the shoulder pads, all that. But I think that Joan was actually a very attractive woman in the 1940s, more attractive than she was during her ingenue days.

Actually the padded shoulders was a problem for Michael Curtiz as he was against her casting for Mildred Pierce complaining iam paraphrasing 'she will be coming with her padded shoulders'

Have you seen Humoresque (1946)? Here is a photo where the design of the dress stresses those shoulders. This is a first rate movie about music and obsession.

Since my favorite films Elsa was in have been mentioned, I'll add a charming, small role she had in The Razor's Edge. Elsa sings a song to herself in the film. It's lovely, she gives Tyrone an invitation for dying Clifton Webb. Another sweet role I don't think anyone's mentioned was in The Bishop's Wife. Elsa was always a joy to watch no matter the role.Wonderful actress.

WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION is a favorite movie of my sweetie and mine. We've watched it twice together. And we both love Elsa Lanchester in this movie and in others we've seen together and on our own. Knowing that Charles Laughton and Elsa Lanchester were married in real life puts an interesting spin on how insulting his character in WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION is to hers: at one point he says he can think of nothing more revolting than seeing her without her clothes on!

She had memorable roles in 5 different decades. The Bride Of Frankenstein (1935) Mary Shelley and the hissing Monster's mate Come To The Stable (1949) -eccentric artist who helps a couple of nuns Witness For The Prosecution (1957) -the bossy but concerned nurse That Darn Cat (1965) -the nosy busybody who do anything to spy on her neighbors Willard (1971)-nagging mother to rat loving Bruce Davison

She liked 'em tall, dark and hairy.

Thanks for the info. I had no idea. But one of my favourite J. Carrol Naish performances (for which I think he got an Oscar nomination) was in SAHARA (1943), in which he played an Italian soldier captured in the North African desert during WW2 by an American tank crew (headed by Bogie). Bogie makes the decision to leave the "plate of spaghetti" in the desert and not take him with them because of water shortage issues. His decision, as everyone on the tank knows, is a death sentence for Naish. The most touching moment in the film in when Naish pleads with Bogart for compassion and to take him aboard, showing him photos of his wife and bambinos. It's a great scene and Naish undoubtedly produced more than a few tears from audience members watching it. This scene is the followup to it in a clearly above average WW2 military propaganda film, a dated movie genre for which I generally, with the occasional exception such as his drama, find limited appeal. Many WW2 films showed Italians as comic buffoons, leaving the heavy villainy for the Germans and Japanese. Naish's portrayal, however, is one of humanity.

Right on target Miss W. This was totally a Joan Crawford vehicle. I think "OBSESSED" would have been a more accurate title, but maybe that was already taken. It was somewhat entertaining and Ms. Crawford gave an excellent performance. However, I wouldn't classify this film as noir. While it's obvious Crawford's character is going to eventually kill someone, the only mystery is who. The term melodrama fits perfectly. While I'm glad I watched, it's doubtful I'll sit through it again. On my Film Noir one to ten scale, I give it a three.

Not a movie here of course, but I felt Ike's famous speech might be apropos to the subject of this thread. (...btw, my father was a soldier in Patton's Third Army which didn't land on France until D-Day+30, however as a member of that Division since late-1942, he was involved in the North African, Sicily and boot of Italy invasions)

Gypsy Colt(1954)

8.) As a teenager, he played saxophone in the Temple band for Aimee Semple MacPherson.

1934

The Spiral Staircase

7. He played Stanley Kowalski to Uta Hagen's Blanche DuBois in the national tour of the original production of A Streetcar Named Desire. Some critics preferred the Quinn/Hagen pairing to the Brando/Tandy pairing (which they also liked).

Thanks MissWonderly3 for starting this thread! Elsa Lanchester is great in everything she does, although Hollywood didn't use her talents as much as I would have liked. She really used her voice a lot to convey charactor, it's amazing she did not speak in her most well known role. Her autobiography "Herself", is rare, rare, rare & I was lucky enough to find a completely beat up copy a couple decades ago. Fascinating read, insightful. She had a tough upbringing, but you absolutely see why she went into acting, it was natural for her. She describes her life with Laughton with fondness even though the relationship brought her heartbreak. Truly a great, strong woman-so glad she shared her talent with us! I think she was very beautiful, here's a few pretty shots of her: Those EYES! Such a beautiful bow mouth:

Just wanted to say it looks like this issue was resolved. Trailers of all aspect ratios seem to be back to normal! My brain feels better... Now on to solving that pesky world peace problem!

THE MIAMI STORY

And something of a dish in her heyday, if I may say so! Her Bride of Frankenstein has such a spark (forgive the on the nose phrase) because she treads this bizarrely alluring line between monster and sex symbol, which set the tone for that quirkily appealing quality you describe in her body of work. She was also one of those character players who were equally at home in high-brow and low brow-productions. She could elevate B material with her high-tone theatricality and yet not seem incongruously pretentious for the effort, perhaps a side effect of that same quirky gameness. I remember seeing her in a very silly but entertaining technicolor adventure of the 1950s, Buccaneer's Girl, in which she basically plays a placage madame in old New Orleans, and she's as delightful and committed to her craft in that as any of her finer films. It's just a joy to watch!

How Green Was My Valley (1941)

Yes. I love the teen beach movie subgenre, but Where the Boys Are definitely has more substance than Frankie and Annette's "Beach Party" movies. I love when Merritt scandalizes the "Courtship and Marriage" (what kind of class is that anyway?) teacher with her thoughts on "backseat bingo." I can see the correlations between Mary and Rhoda with Merritt and Angie. Poor Connie Francis. The movie acts like she's homely, when she's adorable and a great singer. She even says that her parents never worry about her, because as the captain of the field hockey team, "your parents know you're safe." She even gets stuck with Frank Gorshin. I agree that his character is a little annoying, but I guess the film needed to have some comic relief. And poor poor Yvette Mimieux. Her character is the most heartbreaking in the film. I love Paula Prentiss too. Before I saw 'Boys,' the only film of hers that I'd seen was The Stepford Wives. Now I've seen her in a few films, I think all with Jim Hutton. Errol Flynn's son, Sean, is in this film too apparently. I don't think he has any speaking roles. I always try to find him and always miss him. I believe that he's in one of the crowded beach scenes. I think he was friends with George Hamilton (?) . I wonder what happened to the girls when they returned to school after this very formative spring break. I like to think that they all transferred to a more progressive college. I wonder what the girls were majoring in.

The Scarf (1951)

Hobson's Choice (1954) Next: Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy and Millicent Simmonds

And let’s see more bare shoulders.

Crawford actually made a pre-Code picture called "Possessed", with Clark Gable, at MGM. There are some accounts that she wanted the producers to change the title of this film because of that earlier production.

I agree with you about HBO MAX. I don't subscribe either but I have been tempted to based on some of the content they offer --- such as ZACK SNYDER'S JUSTICE LEAGUE.

Peter O'Toole as I can't get enough of Lawrence of Arabia. Next: Cary Grant or Rock Hudson

HBO MAX Has been very very very smart about attaining programming that people are interested in. I know this because I don’t have it and yet theyve run any number of things I would’ve watched if I had it (ie The woody Allen and Mia Farrow documentary)

New York Daily News @NYDailyNews Tribeca Film Festival screenings, some of which will be online as well, include: “In the Heights” “Monsters at Work” “Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain” A Dave Chappelle doc about pandemic relief + aftermath @petersblendorio @Tribeca #Tribeca2021 Tribeca Film Festival 2021: Movies to watch, and how organizers brought back the in-person event The Tribeca Film Festival returns to an in-person format with a dazzling lineup. nydailynews.com 9:42 AM · Jun 5, 2021·Twitter Web App

From someone working a 9-5?

HOBSON'S CHOICE (1954)

The Poseidon Adventure

4. Anthony Quinn directed the film The Buccaneer (1958) with Yul Brynner, Claire Bloom and Charlton Heston. The preview audiences liked the picture, but Cecil B DeMille re-edited the film.

My dad was on a destroyer in the Navy during WWII as well and I love "Mr. Roberts". The men were at such close quarters on those ships and always worried about the Pacific. I feel so proud and grateful to WWII veterans who fought the war against fascism. D-Day was fought by incredibly brave men. The experience of landing on the beach and the noise and terror is captured in "Saving Private Ryan". I think the movie "Dunkirk" is an extraordinary film about the rescue of troops.

Klenk, Ernest-- Danny Kaye in The Man from the Diners' Club (1963)

Ives, John, Played by Forrest Tucker in "Jubilee Trail"

Across the Wide Missouri (1951)

Ah yes, from the alternate happy ending of Erich von Stroheim's Greed where she gets to keep all the money and runs off to become a chorus girl... But seriously, Zasu Pitts is in the cast of Paris (1929), but that definitely ain't her. My best guess is that it's Margaret Fielding, although it's hard to tell since there are so few photos available of the subsidiary cast members.

The answer that I was seeking is Anthony Newley. For your song clues is it Fred Astaire? Thanks