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Ashley Wilkes was a closet case if I ever saw one and there were tons of closets in Twelve Oaks.

"What a dump." I say this every time I go outside.

I'm having a funday watching all these wonderful William Powell movies TCM is airing today. I've seen them all plenty of times but it doesn't matter. It's total comfort food. It's days like this that I'm grateful for TCM.

"It's alive! It's alive!" (usually said to gently tease someone who has finally woken up, much later than usual) "I am a shimmering, glowing star in the cinema firma-mint" (usually said with self-mockery, in recognition of some tiny, insignificant achievement). Basically a variation of the Stuart Smalley mantra, "I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and goshdarnit, people like me!" "I dunno nothin' 'bout birthin' babies, Miss Scarlett!" (to indicate my lack of knowledge or skill in some particular area). But usually adapted to whatever the situation is ("I dunno nothin' 'bout cookin' Brussels sprouts, Miss Scarlett!", etc.) Admittedly, nowadays I sometimes think twice about referencing/imitating this particular character. The two my Mom seems to use most often are "Practically perfect in every way" (again, usually used ironically, or to acknowledge her own sometimes excessive attention to detail) and, for no apparent reason, "He...vuz...my...BOYFRIEND!!" (always delivered with gusto)

The Little Ark

TCM celebrates William Powell's 129th birthday with a day's worth of WP films. Sit back and enjoy! One of my absolute favorite actors. Some of his best (IMHO) are: The Thin Man, Star of Midnight, My Man Godfrey, Jewel Robbery, Crossroads, The Kennel Murder Case, Double Harness, Evelyn Prentice, Mr. Roberts and the list goes on and on and on. What are your favorites?

Bottom line: There's simply no way to not like William Powell. (...if you have any taste at all, anyway)

So wonderful in LIFE WITH FATHER. I think it's his best role. One of my favorite actors.

If TCM decides to do one Neo-Noir Friday evening once a month-i hope they will do(minus Ben may I suggest).The Grifters should be presented. I watched it again ,i saw it first run in 1990 but never since. Last week everything was fresh-except i always remembered Annette Bening was showing everything(This is the movie that 'convinced' Warren Beatty of her talents to offer her a role,he was friendly with Anjelica Huston).Back to the movie ,directed by Stephen Frears produced by Martin Scorsese. Anjelica Huston gives her best performance i prefer this one than her performance in The Dead. John Cusack is also very good in it-it does not happen often in his case. A great movie.

foggy ferry ride--They Can't Take That Away From Me Shall We Dance French countryside--Two For the Road Empire State Building--Sleepless in Seattle

Italy IL POSTINO (1994) MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING ENCHANTED APRIL ONLY YOU UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN

A Place in the Sun (1951) From Here to Eternity (1953) L'Avventura (1960) Ryan's Daughter (1970) The Way We Were (1973) Manhattan (1979)

Also, if you love Geico commercials, I should tell you I'm pretty sure there was a series starring the Cavemen that originated on the commercials, but it only lasted a handful of episodes.

It's a farily predictable answer, but it's hard to beat the origingal Thin Man.

According to author Peter Biskind's account in EASY RIDERS, RAGING BULLS, producer Evans envisioned POPEYE (1980) the movie to capitalize on SUPERMAN's box office success. Director Altman, who was on a run of box office failure and obnoxious, drunken behavior was engaged after a "tubful of turndowns" from more highly-regarded directors. Evans took on the risks and headaches of Altman because he thought Altman would be motivated for a rebound after the flop of QUINTET. Evans' decision-making ability may have been hampered by his own substance abuse. He was using among other things, cocaine, quite heavily at the time and was even charged with felony drug trafficking after attempting to buy a large amount of powder (5 lbs!) in 1980. The well-connected, wealthy Evans and his lawyer Robert Shapiro eventually plead down to a misdemeanor. Also according to the book Paramount president Michael Eisner wanted Gilda Radner to play Olive Oyl. Altman successfully insisted on Shelley Duvall (one of his regulars).

And speaking of "Deborah Kerr" and movies about "invasions"... Even after now probably ten years since I first happened upon the following film shown on TCM and one that I hadn't at all been familiar with prior to watching it... ...I still remember being quite impressed with it and it haunting my thoughts for days afterward.

Just too cute! You can catch one in: Where the Boys Are (1960) Performance (1970) Le Petite Soldat (1963) Le Fille Coupé en Deux (2007)--Yikes! The Collector (1965) Coogan's Run (1995)

Btw, this comment of mine here has now prompted me to re-examine my own earlier posted top ten list in order to see if there might be a similar strain running through it in this regard. And so... 1- The Best Years of Our Lives - Nobody dies in it, although one character DOES go missing after the first reel, but nobody seems to care 2- The Apartment - Nobody dies in it, although one person DOES get punched pretty well in it 3- Singin' in the Rain - Nobody dies in it 4- Casablanca - a few people die in it 5- The Third Man - a few people die in it 6- Out of the Past - a few people die in it 7- Sunset Blvd - one person dies in it 8- Dr. Strangelove - EVERYBODY dies in it except the few people who will make it into those mine shafts and where there will be ten women to every man...YEAH!!! 9- A Night at the Opera - nobody dies in it 10- It's a Wonderful Life - nobody dies in it except one person and from a stroke, but wouldn't it be nice if that cranky old Mr. Potter had too?! (...and now the only question here is: Do you think I should have prefaced this post with one of those "Spoiler Alerts"???)

Rain Songs Let it Rain Eric Clapton The Rain Song Led Zeppelin Rain on the Roof The Loving Spoonful Rain The Beatles Rainy Day Woman Waylon Jennings Rain Drops Keep Falling On My Head **** Thomas Singing In the Rain Gene Kelly

THAT'S 'cause all THOSE kind'a scenes that were filmed inside Belle Watling's cathouse were left on the cutting room floor, Tom! (...didn't know Belle catered to all sorts, did ya!)

I'm having trouble getting through The Good Die Young (1954). On the surface looks it okay. We got Laurence Harvey, Richard Basehart, John Ireland, Gloria Graham, Joan Collins, Robert Morley,. Margaret Leighton. and a couple of other familiar English faces that I've seen before and who are apparently pretty good actors. The story is made up four flashbacks to fill in the backstories of four men. One man is ne'er do well but a high class one, living off his wife's considerable stash of money and pining over not getting an advance on his inheritance from a father who hates his guts and who says, "My greatest ambition in life is to outlive you." Ouch. Another is an honest sort who wants to take his pregnant wife to America (they are in England) but is hampered by a mother-in-law from hell whose very existence explains why some people see fit to murder other people. Another is man whose wife is in the movies and is continually wandering about with good looking leading men types, the both of whom most probably do more than just wander about. And another is a good sort who, after 12 years in the fight game with nothing to show for it, but who has a pretty wife who is staying put with him. Everything I've said so far is known withing the first hour, so anyone interested in this film need but watch the second half. The four backstories converge held together by something they have in common. And you see this coming from afar. The movie begins with what I consider an ill-advisedly chosen scene. This scene is the source of why my interest flags. I wish it weren't there. So I have refrained from mentioning it here as a spoiler averted. It is not a spoiler, per se, the film chooses do it this way, it just doesn't work for me. I am stuck in the middle of the film and am seriously considering just skipping to the end and see the finale. That might be a tacky (tacky, is that word still used, after four years of ... oh, never mind) way to watch a film but I can live with it.

So, I take it you didn't watch that documentary on Buddy Guy last night on PBS' American Masters series, eh James? (...THAT "wasn't so boring", anyway...ahem...well, I liked it, anyway)

One of my favs is Bob Mitchum's best line from Out of the Past: "I don't want to die either, but if I have to I'm going to the last one!". And indeed, he is the last one. Hard to work this one into 'normal conversation' but I always look for openings. Another one from Jan Sterling's character in Ace in the Hole: "I never go to church to pray. Kneeling bags my stockings" (not that I ever wear stockings, but I'll marry any woman who uses this line in my presence). Or how about her smack down of Kirk Douglas' character: "I've met some hard boiled eggs in my time, but you're 20 minutes". John Lennon's classic dying words from How I Won the War: "Fought for three reasons. Can't remember what they were ......" And of course one of the best lines from a mostly forgotten 30's western: "Smile whenever you call me a low down, two-faced lying varmint!". Response: "Why, I always smile when someone's poking a gun into my belly". Why can't today's scriptwriters carve out lines like that? Answer: Because they're only interested in making comic book movies these days. Here's another one: "Somehow I can't recall ever having had amnesia". Okay, full confession, that's one of my own quips and doesn't come from any movie that I know of, but dammit, it should be in there somewhere!

I've never paid much attention to the hosts. Most of their intros and outros are only two minutes long, so who cares. They're all pretty vanilla and harmless. I didn't know Bogie was a bitcoin actor. Just shows the guy was ahead of his time.

The pivotal scene with Jo and Prof. Bhaer in any iteration of Little Women. ...and so on, and so forth...

btw, THE ACTUAL EXTERIOR VILLAGE built for the making of POPEYE in MALTA is still standing and is a tourist attraction. EDIT: THEY EVEN HAVE A MALTESE POPEYE AND OLIVE OYL.

Casablanca (1942) Roman Holiday (1953) Monsoon Wedding (2001) Match Point (2005)

6. Performed the broken mirror trick that was used later by the Marx Brothers in Duck Soup.

The Quiet Man (1952) Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994) Say Anything (1989) The Goodbye Girl (1977)

Alicia Malone as a TCM employee has NO control over the content she is told to read. So, if you have a problem with her "lecturing," blame the management, not the "reader." The idiotic "Star Signs" spotlight??? Not her idea, I'm sure. She's just the poor host who got the short straw and was forced to deal with these segments. I'm sure Ben and Eddie said: "No way" (and they have the power to do so) and Karger was lucky enough to get out of doing it. I've liked Alicia from Day 1 and she only continues to get better and better.

Alice (1988) Czechoslovakia/Dir: Jan Svankmajer - Bizarre, hallucinatory mix of live action and stop-motion animation in this adaptation of Lewis Carroll's works. Director Svankmajer wanted to make a version of the oft-filmed tale that was more dreamlike than fairy tale, and he succeeds, although it's more nightmarish than dreamy. The film has a unique (at the time, any way) visual aesthetic that became highly influential over the next decade, a mixture of children's iconography and distressed, decayed art direction. Recommended. (8/10)

There was the live-action Mr. Clean movies with Clint Walker, the two Ty-D-Bol Man movies with George Maharis, and the animated Scrubbing Bubbles movie. They all led up to the team-up film Water Closet: Endgame. It was all part of the BCU, Bathroom Cinematic Universe. Huge hits in Europe, I believe.

Nice pick here, Herman! Once one learns the details of his much too short life, it becomes especially amazing how well this highly decorated WWII fighter pilot veteran was able to portray the cowardly soldier in Kubrick's Paths of Glory, doesn't it.

Well in Theodora Goes Wild she didn't start out as a strong woman, but she clearly became one (helping the Douglas character become stronger as well). But yea, good selection. Dunne's character and her screen persona were able to take-it and dish it out when necessary. (and still be loving, sweet and enjoyable, verses well, something a lot less attractive).

Adding to the fine list of films already mentioned I would add; Manhattan Melodrama (with Gable and Loy) The Great Ziegfeld (with Luise Rainer The Ex-Mrs Bradford (with Jean Arthur, their only film together and they make a fine pair) The Last of Miss Cheney (with Joan Crawford) Libeled Lady (with Loy, Tracy and Harlow) The Girl that has Everything (with Liz Taylor as his daughter).

in many senses (the sets, the actors, the production design, the costumes) POPEYE is a surprisingly early (and now oft-followed) BLUEPRINT for "CINEMATIC" ADAPTATIONS of TV/ANIMATED/COMIC BOOK/COMIC STRIP properties that have become an increasingly BIG DEAL OVER TIME. i think without it, DICK TRACY and the 1989 BATMAN would have been rather different movies. (maybe some of you see that as not a bad thing...)

"It's terribly small, tiny little country. Rhode Island could beat the crap out of it in a war. THAT'S how small it is. They recently had the whole country carpeted. This is *not* a big place."

I sometimes say "Yeah, yeah", Lee Marvin-style when called upon to do something about an unpleasant but not unexpected situation, like when he's told the Dirty Dozen are acting up again.

Couldn't help thinking of this scene from THE TRUMAN SHOW

Aaah, yes, just found your earlier mention of her here, sewhite. (...I swear I went over this thread twice before I posted that, but still overlooked it somehow...sorry)

I did dig watching Mickey in Requiem for a Heavyweight the other night, maybe the third time I've seen in it, although it struck me this time his entire performance revolves around telling Jackie Gleason what a louse he is.

Thanks so much. I was initially blown away by her when I watched NIAGARA and BLUEPRINT FOR MURDER back to back.....

Costello, Peg--Joan Blondell in Desk Set

Yes...nobody mentions Jean Peters. So glad you just did!

Everybody Loves My Baby, But My BabyDon't Love Nobody But Me - Doris Day - Love Me or Leave Me Glenn Miller and his Orchestra

Others have already posted that Bette Davis played a lot of strong female characters but the film that made me a fan, is Marked Women (1937). Solid film made after Davis returned from England after her boycott of Warner Bros (because Jack put her in too many stinkers). This was his way of saying; forgive me, but giving her a solid script, tough of nails character and a high quality supporting cast (Bogart being the male lead).

Reminds me of a story once told to me by a famous jazz musician. When he got to be 78 years of age he finally gave in and went to a hearing specialist to get fitted with hearing aids. Right off he was surprised to be able to hear sounds he hadn't noticed for years ..... but when he got home he was even more surprised to discover that he was also married. 😂🤣

Ah youth! BUtterfield 8 refers to the phone exchange in NYC, which serves the Upper East Side. Phone numbers are allocated in batches of 10,000 numbers, and each "batch" is an exchange. Up until the late 50s/early 60s, exchanges had names. In larger cities, names were usually chosen to reflect the neighborhood they served. In other places, it was somewhat random. AT&T maintained a list of acceptable exchange names. For example, in the town I grew up in, our exchanges were CApital 3 and CApital 6, even though we weren't a capital city, and not near one. It was just a name chosen in order to efficiently allocate numbers. Exchange names are why phone dials and buttons have letters on them. The capitalized letters of the name (BU, in the movie) were the ones to be dialed, with the rest of the number. So if someone said their number was BUtterfied 8-1234, you'd dial 288-1234. Early AT&T research indicated that people could more easily remember phone numbers with exchange names rather than phone numbers that were just a string of digits. That's why they started using names for exchanges. AT&T realized in the 1950s that limiting phone numbers to meaningfully named exchanges was too constricting, as more people got phones (not everyone had a phone in the 50s). They would quickly run out of available numbers. So they dropped the names, and just went to two letters (BUtterfield 8 just became BU8). But this was just the first step. Next, they eliminated exchange letters altogether and used numbers only. This was extremely controversial in some cities (paradoxically, it was the larger cities like NYC, Philadelphia and San Francisco that put up the most fuss, as it seems people were attached to the association between neighborhood and exchange name). The reason for all of this was to get the entire nation standardized on 7 digit local phone numbers so that you could place your own long distance calls without operator assistance. Before this occurred, phone number length was not standardized (even within the same city, sometimes). Small towns might have 3 digit numbers. Large cities like NYC and LA would have 6 and/or 7 digit numbers. All were eventually transitioned into 7 digit numbers. Today, many places have 10 digit local numbers, due to multiple area code overlays. There's an old Glenn Miller song called PEnnsylvania 6-5000, which is the phone number of the Hotel Pennsylvania in NYC, and the number still gets you connected to the hotel today, as long as you prefix it with its 212 area code. The hotel is in the Penn station neighborhood, which is how the phone exchange got its name. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telephone_exchange_names

Eve Arden and Ben Johnson are two that I think don't get nearly enough credit for their abilities. I honestly can't think of a bad performance from either of them that I've seen. And that includes Johnson in The Town That Dreaded Sundown. Crap movie, solid acting (from him at least).

3. Linder was a major influence on Charlie Chaplin, whose films occasionally borrow gags or even entire plot-lines from Linder's films. (Chaplin also famously sent Linder a signed photo which read: "To Max, The Professor, from his disciple, Charlie Chaplin.")