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Xavier Cugat?!

I am reasonably certain that: TomJH is correct that it is: Xavier Cugat. The hump of the nose, the hairline and especially how the mustache and lips meet the nasolabial furrow.

Another possibility: Xavier Cugat

Could it not be both? Did you ever see them in a room together? Ameche, Sample, Brent I would say that it is much closer to Brent but the shape of the nose forces me to wonder if it might not be some other person.

No, no, NOT any of these three you see here. You must click on the YouTube link to see who I'm talkin' about here. It's set to go to the exact moment in this video and in which my question is posed. It's just before Cary Grant's little shtick. (...and btw, while the lady seated to this gent's left is supposed to be Claudette Colbert and which I can kind'a see, I couldn't find any take on who the lady is supposed to be seated to his right...I'm thinkin' maybe Norma Shearer...what say you?...Norma Shearer, right?...and George Brent NOT Don Ameche, RIGHT?!

I can't believe I have lived 43 years and not seen BODY HEAT, I just sometimes like to leave certain titles unseen so that I have something to look forward to. I randomly caught some of the last act of PULP on TCM awhile back, I didn't watch enough to ruin or spoil the story, I was just HYPNOTIZED BY LIZABETH SCOTT IN THE AUTUMN OF HER YEARS, it's worth seeing JUST FOR THAT.

Actually, Dargo, to me that guy doesn't look like either Brent or Ameche but, instead Mike Romanoff, a Hollywood restaunteur and a well known character in those days who tried to pass himself off as a Russian aristocrat. I found a photo of Romanoff in profile. http://cruiselinehistory.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Screen-shot-2011-10-24-at-5.26.54-PM.png He's second from the left on that link. Of note, Romanoff was an outrageous tall tale teller, and would be a friend, unsurprisingly, of Errol Flynn. In fact he would be one of Flynn's pallbearers.

Yeah, Claudette Colbert. Yeah, Norma Shearer. No, not George Brent. Or Don Ameche. Tantillizing, but I can't place da faace. But you do get a boatload of points for what surely must be the longest title of a thread ever in the world. I mean, what used to be the longest title of a thread ever in the world.

The 2020 edition of Noir City featured a number of non-English language titles. I'd love to see EL VAMPIRO NEGRO (The Black Vampire, 1953, a version of M localized to Argentina) on Noir Alley. In 2019, when the Noir City program came to AFI Silver, Muller was there the second week. Between a couple of screenings I was able to talk to him about Underworld USA. I might have asked him about the TCM forums, but there was a line behind me of other film-goers waiting their turn.

I can still well recall a summer job I had as a youth working in a factory. The job was a simple one and it was for a full eight hours every day, shovelling dirt and minerals into a kiln. Simple as the job was it was also an exceedingly dirty one. The minerals, with the rotation of that kiln, hung literally like a dark cloud over our heads as we shovelled this mess into it. Everything would be covered with dirt and grime. Blowing one's nose produced a black product such as I would, thankfully, never see again after I quit the job. At the completion of the day's work, of course, there was always the big shower. Even then for some time I could never quite get rid of a dark ring under my eyes. It looked like I was wearing mascara. One day when a workmate (Pete, I think his name was) and I were once shovelling this endless ghastly supply of dirt and minerals the topic of The Adventures of Robin Hood was surprisingly brought up by him. He said that he had always enjoyed the film as a kid but, because of his black and white television, had no idea that it was a colour film. He said that seeing the film for the first time in colour made it a new viewing experience for him. So there we were, shovelling this crap, but at the same time losing ourselves with memories going back to the lush Technicolor greens of Sherwood Forest as we talked of Robin (Errol Flynn) meeting Little John (Alan Hale) for the first time on that fallen log over the creek. Years later at clean job far removed from shovelling stuff into a kiln I met another guy, Jim. Jim had had a hard life, but he had been a successful amateur boxer, undefeated after 50 contests, actually winning either the lightweight or welterweight (I forget which) Golden Gloves. He had a dream of turning professional but suffered a bad cut over one eye in his 50th bout (given to him when his opponent ran across the ring while they were awaiting the decision,which Jim won, and giving him a vicious head butt). Jimmy lost his next bout when that cut was re-opened and a doctor told him that he would never be able to box again as the skin over that eye was thin as tissue paper. The guy who fouled him with a head butt after the match, by the way, was a Montreal tough guy Gaetan Hart, who later became a professional boxer, eventually losing a gutsy title match to the legendary Aaron Pryor ( I'm sure Jimmy enjoyed very punch Pryor landed on him). With his boxing dreams over Jimmy then lived for ten years or so on the streets and there he saw all the meanness there was to see there. He became known as a local tough guy, though he told me he never picked on anyone. People came to him for protection from others. Knowing Jimmy, I could well believe this. Tough guy or not he was also a sweetheart with a big heart. But the streets lead to drug addiction for him and, his biggest lifelong battle, alcoholism. When I first met Jim he hadn't touched a drop in ten years and was going to AA meetings on a weekly basis. Jimmy and I talked about the streets and boxing a lot but one day I brought up a new topic, movies, asking him if he had any favourite actors. "Well, I always kinda liked Errol Flynn" he said, much to my surprise, and then made specific reference to the enjoyment he had received from watching Captain Blood and those tall sailing vessels in a long ago Caribbean Ocean. There's nothing new in talking about the pleasures of escapism that the movies can bring us, but these are a pair of specific illustrations of that pleasure in unpleasant (my case) or harsh circumstances (Jimmy's). Errol Flynn's big budget adventure films made at Warner Brothers have always been a source of particular enjoyment for me, with the elegance and dynamic appeal of the best of those often stirring epics, combined, of course, with the winning combination of athleticism, devil may care charm and light heartedness that Flynn could bring to his roles, making them all seem, at least during his prime years before his self destructive lifestyle took its toll, like such a lark. And it was good to see that my love for Flynn and, in particular, the films of his pinnacle years as a film star was shared by some others that I've known, including a guy shovelling minerals into a kiln and a tough guy seeing the meanness of the streets. Any other Flynn fans here care to comment?

We usually have closed captioning on if available for whatever we watch. Helps to catch the too soft spoken word or the modern drowned out by the noise, music, etc. Have noticed how many things show up in CC that I never even realized was in the soundtrack.

I actually like the chemistry between the two of them also. Ben has a kind of novitiate's hesitant awkwardness when he talks about the moves almost as if he knows that the Noire Lord is ready to swoop in and strike him down in vengeful fury if he says anything mistaken. To his credit, Eddie sitting comfortably in his leather chair plays the role of Dark Master pretty darn good too. Sort of a Dracula/Renfield meets Holmes/Watson in a vintage Waring blender.

According to https://texaveryatwb.blogspot.com/2019/09/hollywood-steps-out-and-les-films.html "Hollywood Steps Out is mostly the film audiences of May 1941 saw. " However. "Hollywood Steps Out is an example of how certain cartoons were altered for their reissue--in this case, seven years after its director had moved on to M-G-M. In this window of time, a war was fought, times changed and some celebrities lost their mass appeal; others matured and no longer resembled their caricatured selves. As wartime gags were scissored from post-war reissues, cultural references that no longer made sense got 86d. None of this mattered to the average moviegoer. The cartoon was not the reason they came to the theater. " There's a link to the "Blue Ribbon reissue of 10/2/48" of Hollywood Steps Out. Looks to be the same cartoon with a different title card.

no one believes the claim of the gremlin on the wing in The Twilight Zone---tv show and film Steve McQueen can't get the cops to believe his story about The Blob Barbara Stanwyck overhears a murder plot, but no one will listen in Sorry, Wrong Number no one believes Goldie Hawn's claims about Scotty or the Dwarf in Foul Play In five Halloween films, Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasence) has warned about Michael Meyers...and they still don't get it!

The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) I Am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang (1932) The Story of Louis Pasteur (1936) Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956, 1978) North by Northwest (1959) Galileo (1975) The Fugitive (1993)

Supposed to be: William Powell, Spencer Tracy, Ronald Colman, Errol Flynn (top row); Noah Beery, C. Aubrey Smith (bottom row).

Yep, I'm catching all three tonight too...if my DVR and Spectrum Cable cooperates that is. I've never seen TLaDiLA but I've heard nothing but good things so looking forward to it. I may have seen Pulp years ago but don't recall much if I did so that could be a good or bad thing. I usually like Michael Caine though so here's hoping it's not one of his just phoning it in performances. I've definitely seen Body Heat and it is magnificent! Perfect cast and story. Beautifully written. It's the best tribute to Noire I've seen. Just like Silverado and westerns, you can tell Lawrence Kasdan was a huge fan of the genre. Really looking forward to seeing this one again.

interesting triple feature tonight of PULP (with MICHAEL CAINE and LIZABETH SCOTT), BODY HEAT (which I have never seen, but want to) and TO LIVE AND DIE IN LA, directed by WILLIAM FREAKIN FRIEDKIN. I know where I'll be at 8:00 and 10:00 tonight, in my chair with my finger hovered on the mute button. [WHY oh WHY didn't they let EDDIE host alone, I ask again????? Charisma AND talent are NOT contagious...if THEY WERE, JERMAINE JACKSON would be selling out arenas worldwide TODAY.]

Saturday, July 17/19 12:15 a.m. Los Tallos Amargos (1956). Argentinian film incorrectly listed as a 2016 release on the imdb. NB: The imdb have now corrected the release date. I sent them a notification.

So nobody is buying my Mike Romanoff suggestion. Instead some are going for Xavier Cugat. Who's the idiot that suggested him? Of all the ridiculous . . . Oh, wait. Never mind.

For crying out loud, Speedy, take a look at Rocky Mountain. It was clearly made on a smaller budget than many of Errol's earlier westerns and he is no longer the glamourous cowboy that he was in his earlier efforts either. But Flynn's now rugged features brings a greater credibility to his characterization, which is effectively understated, as well as his credentials as a screen cowboy. Flynn doesn't fall back on his patented charm for audience approval in this one. He sure doesn't overact (not that he did in any of his films). I think he gives a lovely performance here. And the film has a memorable climax, too. Nuff said. In contrast to this is his glamourous cowboy in the big budget San Antonio, which I find (particularly the first half) to be a really fun (if conventional) affair. Flynn is really at the peak of his charm when he first meets Alexis Smith after sliding boots first into her stagecoach. He was an actor with so much personality (certainly when he was a young man) and it's shown off to a marvelous degree in his earlier scenes in the film, largely played for light hearted humour. In addition, he and Alexis Smith always had very nice chemistry.

Mr. Brent's hair--(I cant' believe I'm participating in this conversation)--on the side of his head Oh, this is just too ridiculous.

It's not the nose, but the hair that clinches it. Definitely Mr. Cugat.

LOL No, no I haven't. And in fact, I don't think I've ever seen 'em in a movie together either. But then as I recall, Ameche was under contract at 20th Century Fox and Brent at Warner Bros, and so that could explain that. (...and which now might beg the question: With this short being produced by W-B, I wonder if they had to get permission and/or pay some kind of fee to use the likenesses of the stars who were under contract at all the other studios?)

I'm pretty sure the other woman is Norma Shearer. She is at a table with Adolphe Menjou.

I don't know: I happened to run into Ben at the Atlanta Airport and he was kind, witty and assuming. We only talked for a few minutes but he really appreciated the fact that I was a big fan of TCM and American studio era movies.

Ray, you, above all people, must appreciate the brilliance of the musical accompaniment that Flynn had in many of his best films, not only from Korngold but Steiner too. Robin Hood, The Sea Hawk, Dodge City and Adventures of Don Juan, among so many other films of his, wouldn't be quite the same experiences without their marvelous contributions. As for Flynn's deft and hilarious musical contribution to Thank Your Lucky Stars, I think it's Errol at his cheeky best. I wish Warners had cast him as a scalawag vaudeville musical performer of some kind. This clip from TYLS is the closest that we ever came.

Though he dressed conservatively and looked nerdy with his thick-lensed glasses, Joe Morello laid down the odd 5/4 signature and solo drummed the Dave Brubeck Quartet's milestone piece, "Take Five":

Warner Archive has released "The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex" on blu-ray with a transfer that is dazzling. Not only are Bette Davis and Olivia de Havilland great in their cat-and-mouse games, but the detail in their costumes shines as never before--with proper 3-strip registration. But Flynn is a revelation, a perfect movie star, who also hits subtle and varied notes as an actor. I believe this title is underrated --as is his acting in general.

I saw Pulp maybe seven or eight years ago. As I remember, it was rather underwhelming and like a wheel spinning around not going anywhere, but I'll watch it again just to see. I haven't seen Body Heat in a fairly long time. One of the best of the neo-noirs IMO. I've never seen TLADILA, so I'll check it out. Better than three Elvis films in a row fersure.

Stare into the light and repeat after me "The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles." "The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles." By gosh, I think he's got it. Big Jim McLain (1952) John Wayne, James Arness. Nancy Olson. Not a LOL red scare flick like some of them are, though it has a few hilariously absurd moments. More of a 90 minute long litany of patriotic blather and anti-commie shrillness. Wayne and Arness are members of the un-American House Un-American Activities Committee. Instead of chasing various commie rats in alleys in the big city while torn copies of The Daily Worker blow about, they are sent to Hawaii to investigate various communist schemes to wreak havoc on the island, done by the usual college professor and union boss suspects. Wayne maybe be Big Jim, but Jim Arness is a few inches taller than the Dukey, still with blond hair before he dyed it and moved to Dodge City. While investigating the commies Wayne meets Nancy Olson and the two fall in love, perhaps the most gut churning part of the movie. What does sweet Nancy see in this jingoistic jerk? Damned if I know. Maybe love is truly blind. The reds abduct Arness and accidentally kill him which really sets Wayne off. Up until then Arness had been the more fervent of the two. The commies hold a big meeting to review future plans when Wayne shows up and punches a few reds, both the rather effete types and the goons. The communist's plans for a red Hawaii go up in smoke and Wayne and Olson kiss and walk off into the figurative sunset. BJM isn't among the best, or funniest, of the commie rat films, but at 90 minutes it moves along fairly well and gets occasionally close to the over the top nonsense that is the best part of this genre. Veda Ann Borg has a funny turn as a lady who tries to seduce Big Jim with all the subtley of a sledgehammer and despite all her efforts gets nowhere. Nancy Olson thought the script was strictly for the birds, but couldn't resist a free trip to Hawaii and a chance to star in a movie with the Dukey. Hey, nobody's perfect. {Forgot to mention that Nancy was a liberal Democrat and John Wayne .........wasn't. Seems they had a few political discussions but she always let him have the last word.}

Thank you for that info! I found it a little bit surprising that so many stars from so many different studios, universal, Fox, MGM, were all in one WB Cartoon.

I read last night somewhere, probably wiki but I stopped at half a dozen places, that the original ending had Gable unmasking what he thought was a girl only to find Groucho. Gable kissed him anyway and said to the audience, a la Lou Costello. "I'm a baaad boy." Gable is said to have objected. Then Sally Rand's name was changed but the bubble dance remained with the dancer given a similar name. Supposedly a few frames from that segment were cut after being deemed risqué. Those cuts apparently did not survive. Edit: The Gable cut was found in 2016. He does say to the audience, "I'm a bad boy," but not in the style of Lou Costello , and he doesn't kiss Groucho.

You Only Live Once (1937) I want to live! (1958) Blow Out (1981) Dancer in the Dark (2000)

I LOVE the job they did animating WILLIAM POWELL!!!! I think it's my favorite of all.

Homer, you’ve got it set on w h o r e! Cesar Romero is seen dancing with Rita Hayworth in the short.

Yeh, they exaggerated George Brent so much that he wound up looking like Xavier Cugat!

Mel Brooks' movies (the comedies). Next: Made you see actor or actress in a new light!

There are at least 11 sound films called The Mirror. The two most respected ones are by Andrei Tarkovsky and Jafar Panahi. The first is a complex 1975 autobiographical meditation on Soviet history. The second is a 1997 movie about a girl trying to find her way home from school.

Another vote for Xavier Cugat.

I couldn't disagree more. I think his intros are usually pretty good, so actually there is another way to say it. He's knowledegable about the matierial with the occasional error, adn he makes me laugh a lot. Maybe you're hipper than me. I don't see him at all as desperately trying to be hip, just tryng to be funny occasionally and succeeding usually with me, anyway.

Just think of him as making dad jokes, only for movies.

As much as I love to watch Errol Flynn in his adventure films, I think my favourite Flynn performance (and one that shows off brilliantly his flare for light hearted humour) is in Gentleman Jim. I wish the quality of the video here was better but here is a clip of one of the loveliest scenes of Flynn's career as the once mighty John L. Sullivan (Ward Bond in what may be the performance of his career) comes to Jim Corbett's victory party to offer his congratulations. I've choked up a few times over the years watching this scene. Flynn and Bond are both perfect here.

Looks like discoloration with age, to me, especially after reading that it's been in an uncontrolled environment for nearly 50 years. I've read other articles that stated they believe there were 10 of these dresses made. In various photos of Garland wearing one, it looks like the sleeve length and puffiness varies, but it may just be how far up the sleeve is pushed, rather than a variation in the way they were made.

And in the silents, it would have been DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS SR. But sound has long been here to stay and nobody can TOUCH the archetype, ERROL FLYNN, who had it all, one of the immortals!

Not everybody. I hope they're yellow--the subtitles that is. So much easier to read in a b&w movie.

I know some hard of hearing folks that watch films in English with English subtitles on. For me, I'll deal with subtitles when necessary. They are a minor distraction while trying to take in the visuals in each scene.

Very true but I hate to think that would happen. That poster seemed to have a real grudge, sounded like it was personal. who knows. Anyway, Eddie if you're out there please come back. We'd love to" talk" to you, so many of us love Noir Alley and your takes on the films.