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Okay, here's one. Every time I've watched that bigoted little southern creep spit in Gregory Peck's face in that Mockingbird flick, I ALWAYS yell out, "PUNCH that freakin' little twerp RIGHT in his freakin' MOUTH, Atticus!" (...yeah yeah, I know the whole idea is because he doesn't, that supposedly makes him "the bigger man"...but I STILL say, PUNCH the freakin' little twerp, DUDE!!!) LOL

I do like Davis in The Man Who Came to Dinner. We watch it every Christmas. However, I like Ann Sheridan's performance in it more.

I love Eleanor Parker. She has such a beautiful voice. She was also very adept at portraying a wide variety of different types of characters. One of my favorite films of Parker's is The Very Thought of You. This film is one of those WWII homefront movies that were popular during the early 1940s. In the film, Parker plays a young woman who meets an old acquaintance (Dennis Morgan) during the days leading up to Thanksgiving. Morgan, along with his friend Dane Clark , are soldiers on a 3-day leave for the Thanksgiving holiday. Parker invites Morgan to her family's home for Thanksgiving, where he's given a very cold reception. Parker's mother, Beulah Bondi, doesn't approve of her daughter being involved with a soldier. Part of this stems from Parker's older sister Molly's marriage to a soldier. She is depressed that her husband is away and to cope (I guess?) she's dating other men. Then Parker's brother, who medically cannot fight in the war, is openly hostile as well. It is apparent though that he feels some sort of shame because he isn't able to go to war. The only family members who support Parker and Morgan's relationship is her father, Henry Travers, and younger sister. Clark and Parker's friend, Faye Emerson, also have a fun "no strings attached" type fling. This is a very sweet, romantic film and is a good example of the comforting WWII homefront films that I find so much more appealing than the films depicting the actual war. Another great Eleanor Parker film is Never Say Goodbye, co-starring my fave, Errol Flynn. Parker and Flynn make a gorgeous couple in this film. It's one of my annual Christmas films. Parker and Flynn also have a hilarious daughter named Flip. Normally, I don't care for child actors, but this little girl is funny. In this film, Parker and Flynn are a divorced couple and Flip is the poor kid who is shuffled back and forth between her two parents. Flip desperately wants her parents to get back together. At the same time, she's also pen pals with Forrest Tucker, a soldier, who unexpectedly appears in Parker's bathroom wanting to meet "Smoochie." When mailing a photograph to Tucker, dad Flynn has Flip mail a photo of Parker instead. There are some very funny scenes with Flynn dressed as Santa, where he even recreates the Duck Soup mirror routine. Lucile Watson plays Parker's mother who has a disdain for Flynn, whom she deems a womanizer due to his profession. SZ Sakall plays a restauranteur and friend of Flynn and Parker's. And my girl, Hattie McDaniel, plays Flip's nurse who mysteriously disappears about halfway through the film. Bogart has a voice cameo playing Flynn's vocal impression of a gangster. Other Parker films I enjoy: Caged! Callaway Went Thataway A Millionaire for Christy Woman in White Pride of the Marines The Voice of the Turtle

Originally published August 11, 2008, 09:59:49 PM » (SLWB) I was watching episodes of the old "Wild Wild West" the other day, most of the episodes if not all are supposed to take place during the Grant administration, the series being basically James Bond in the West makes use of all sorts of gadgets and is very free with anachronisims. That said some episodes are very entertaining reguardless of their ridiculousness. Anyway for you aspiring Western novel or screenplay authors here is a chronology of some modern archetypes. Add more if you can think of any. 1812 tinplate canned goods began to be manufactured, in the West in the 1800's were referred to as "airtights". 1829 Tremont Hotel in Boston was the first hotel to have indoor plumbing and became the prototype of a modern, first - class American hotel. 1830's Gaslights, towns with central manufactured gas plants begin to appear and spread to the West. Open flame type (mantles didn't appear until the turn of the century) I've seen pictures of the Leavenworth Kansas in 1867 with a large Gas tank along the Missouri waterfront. 1830s, at least one private house, a James River mansion, had a wood-fired hot air heating system. Heat wafted up to the first floor via handsome brass registers. Ladies of New York City's High Society wasted no time in flocking to the parlor after dinner to stand over its registers for warmth. 1836 in the United States, Alonzo D. Phillips of Springfield, Massachusetts, obtained a patent for "manufacturing of friction matches" and called them locofocos. The danger problem was not resolved until the invention of amorphous (red) phosphorus in 1845. Carl Lundstrom of Sweden introduced the first red phosphorus "safety" matches in 1855. Joshua Pusey invented book matches in 1889. He was a well-known lawyer in Pennsylvania before the turn of the century. He smoked cigars. 1847 Cigarettes - The first patented cigarette-making machine was invented by Juan Nepomuceno Adorno of Mexico However, production climbed markedly when another cigarette-making machine was developed in the 1880s by James Albert Bonsack. 1856 Kerosene Lamps early ones were dead flame type in 1868 the development of hot blast & cold blast improved the brightness of the flame. 1851 Telegraph long distance lines began appearing after 1851. 1854 The farm wind pump was invented by Daniel Halladay in 1854.[26][27] In early California and some other states the windmill was part of a self-contained domestic water system including a hand-dug well and a redwood water tower supporting a redwood tank and enclosed by redwood siding (tankhouse). Eventually steel blades and steel towers replaced wooden construction, and at their peak in 1930, an estimated 600,000 units were in use.[28] The multi-bladed wind turbineatop a lattice tower made of wood or steel hence became, for many years, a fixture of the landscape throughout rural America. Firms such as Star, Eclipse,Fairbanks-Morse and Aermotor became famed suppliers in North and South America. 1860's The first ceiling fans appeared in the 1860s and 1870s, in the United States. At that time, they were not powered by any form of electric motor. Instead, a stream of running water was used, in conjunction with a turbine, to drive a system of belts which would turn the blades of two-blade fan units. These systems could accommodate several fan units, and so became popular in stores, restaurants, and offices. Some of these systems still survive today, and can be seen in parts of the southern United States where they originally proved useful. 1861-Grain Elevators almost every fly spec in Eastern Montana has one so I thought I'd check them out here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armour%27s_Warehouse) is one from 1861 that looks like some of the relics I saw on my trip through Montana which probably post date to the building of the Great Nothern RR 1889-1893 1865 Kerosene & Alcohol Powered fans (Lake Breeze Motor Company 1865-1915) 1871 Steamcars 1880 Electric power lighting systems began to replace gaslights. 1880 The practice of illustrating news stories with photographs was made possible by printing and photography innovations that occurred between 1880 and 1897. While newsworthy events were photographed as early as the 1850s, printing presses could only publish from engravings until the 1880s. Early news photographs required that photos be re-interpreted by an engraver before they could be published. 1882 The electrically-powered ceiling fan was invented in 1882 by Philip Diehl (pronounced the same as "deal"). Diehl had engineered the electric motor used in the first Singer sewing machines, and in 1882 adapted that motor for use in a ceiling-mounted fan. "The Diehl Electric Fan", as it was known, operated like a common modern-day ceiling fan; each fan had its own self-contained motor unit, eliminating the need for costly and bulky belt systems. 1885 Telephone long distance networks began to spread out from the East and major cities in the US. 1892 Phonographs tin foil cylinder type, Graphophones wax cylinder type sold for $150, by 1899 for $20 with a small version called the "gem" for $7.50. 1895 The Gramophone record type player, by 1901 mass produced. 1900 internal combustion Gas autos 1915, the familiar U.S. curbside mailbox with its curved, tunnel-shape top (to prevent water and snow collection), latching door, and movable signal flag was designed by U.S. Post Office employee Roy J. Joroleman. With the introduction of rural free delivery (RFD) by the U.S. Post Office in 1896, and in Canada in 1908, ranchers, farmers and rural homeowners at first resisted the purchase of dedicated mailboxes, often using old boots, empty bushel baskets, tins, and wooden boxes in which to collect their mail.

The House on Haunted Hill 1959 Psycho 1960 The Haunted Palace 1963

Watched an extra on a DVD of Double Indemnity last night. Eddie Muller (circa 2006) stated that he thought Barbara Stanwyck was the best actress ever. I agree with him.

The Giant Claw Little Shop of Horrors

I always thought he should have won the Best Supporting Actor Award for BEN-HUR instead of Hugh Griffith. Not that Griffith wasn't fantastic as well, but Boyd was just perfect as the back-stabbing, devious Messala. I mean with 'friends' like Messala, Ben-Hur didn't need any more enemies. Anyway, Boyd was indeed a fine actor who made a strong impression in a lot of films.

The Ship of Monsters (1960) Mexico/Dir: Rogelio A. Gonzalez - Here's an incredible oddity that could only come from Mexico. Two alien women (former Miss Mexico's Ana Bertha Lepe and Lorena Velzaquez) are sent by the Queen of Venus (Consuelo Frank) to look for suitable males to help repopulate their planet after an atomic war. After collecting a menagerie of alien creatures, the ladies crash on Earth, where they meet a singing cowboy (Eulalio Gonzalez). Soon the other alien males escape their captivity and the cowboy must save the day. This is even more ridiculous than it sounds, but it moves quickly and is never dull. The monsters are truly a sight to behold. (6/10)

Excellent topic, Lilypond and it certainly got me thinking about why I think Stanwyck absolutely gets the "Better Actress" nod over Davis. To me, Davis is a Star who Acts while Stanwyck is an Actress who is a Star. Barbara Stanwyck always seems to "become" her characters while, particularly from the 1940's on, Bette Davis is generally playing a variation on the Bette Davis character. I also think Barbara Stanwyck is equally gifted in both dramas and comedies while Bette Davis is (for me) not as compelling in comedies. Stanwyck was somewhat of a revelation for me. Prior to TCM, I had only seen her more famous films -- Double Indemnity, The Lady Eve, etc. And, of course, like any good baby boomer, I knew her from The Big Valley. When I discovered more of her early work -- Baby Face, Stella Dallas, Ball of Fire, etc. I was totally hooked. Don't get me wrong, I love Bette Davis but, for me. Stanwyck is, always and ever, #1 on my Best Actress List.

Who else has shouted at something on screen? Once when I was a teenager, I was channel surfing and came across an episode of Three's Company from the show's first season. My father came into the room and saw Norman Fell and said "get that s.o.b. off my screen!" He did not like the Ropers and was a fan of Mr. Furley (Don Knotts). My sister ran off with the remote and he was forced to get out of his recliner to change the channel. Another time, a few years later, I was in a movie theater at the Hancock Building in downtown Chicago. I went to see GHOST. There is a scene where Whoopi Goldberg leans in to kiss Demi Moore. As this is about to happen an old lady shouts out in the dark "oh my god, they aren't really going to kiss are they?!" Just then Patrick Swayze's image appears in Whoopi's place and he's the one that we see plant one on Demi's lips. I thought someone was going to have to call the ambulance because that lady a few rows over nearly had a coronary.

I occasionally get really fed up with these overlong commercials like the ones with ice-T, jimmie walker and joe namath. they are inhuman torture especially four or five times during a movie. I wanna shout GET THE **** OFF MY SCREEN!

I generally dislike westerns because they simply don't get anything right. The lack of even basic common sense when it comes to campfires means the Old West would have been constantly under a black cloud because of all the wildfires/grass fires/forest fires. I've been shot. It often happens only once in a person's life (usually right at the end), and despite my inexperience, I think I handled it well. That said, it was a small caliber pistol, and if it'd been 1/2" over, it would have missed me completely. (The reason it wasn't center-of-mass was because I ran for cover the instant I saw the weapon (from sheer terror, not training).) Over an hour before medical help arrived, so although no bones/nerves/arteries were involved, I spent six days in the hospital. In contrast, I've totaled two cars and was treated at the scene, and after spending most of a day under a collapsed building and being hauled out with contusions, lacerations, and abrasions (and approximately seventy-nine drops of blood left in me), they kept me in hospital only three days. No amount of suspension of disbelief is going to get me past a scene where a guy standing there while someone shoots at him. It's not only idiotic, it goes against all forms of sane behavior.

Every Little Crook and Nanny (1952)

I HAVE been known to do so (Summer) Olympics Especially. Politics on more than one occasion. Ditto for certain scenes in some films.

Prescott, Nan--Joan Blondell in Footlight Parade

Of Human Bondage (1934) next--you would've ended it differently

The Cat and the Canary (1939) You'll Find Out (1940) Two on a Guillotine (1965) One Body Too Many (1944)

Oliver, Jean -- Claudette Colbert in The Hole in the Wall (1929)

Rebecca (1940) Dragonwyck (1946) Black Sunday (1960) The Innocents (1961) The Others (2001)

Wednesday October 13, 2021 Noir on TCM pitfall roadblock strange bargain border incident

two thousand two hundred twenty-second category The setting is a creepy old mansion THE OLD DARK HOUSE (1932) THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE (1946) BURNT OFFERINGS (1976)

Actually the Rockies in Montana had aspen, some birch, and a lot of cottonwoods along the rivers and creeks. We also had larch turning yellow in the fall.

Last night we watched our DVD of Double Indemnity. Great movie all around, but I also watched the extra: Shadows of Suspense on the disc. Had not watched it in a long, long time. Begins with commentary by a "younger" Eddie Muller (circa 2006). Other than being older, doesn't look or sound any worse than he did back then, other than his hair. He and the other commentators were spot on about Double Indemnity, Billy Wilder, Raymond Chandler, the actors and others involved in the production. Eddie did say that he thought Stanwyck was the best actress ever. Can't disagree with him. Real irony among the discussions was that Double Indemnity did so poorly at the Academy Awards. 7 nominations - no wins. Going My Way was the big winner - Best Actor (Bing Crosby), Director (Leo McCarey), Best Picture, etc. I have seen Going My Way and not at all impressed. Nor have I ever been impressed with Bing Crosby as an actor.

Both

Lloyd from The Shining (1980) Next: harpoon

THE GIANT SPIDER INVASION EARTH VS SPIDER GAMERA THE GIANT GILA MONSTER GORGO (Yes, these are all MST3K episodes)

I think Western comedies like Paleface should count, simply because all the elements are there, but there's just a difference emphasis in how the story is told. As for being exclusively about the American frontier, you already have Canadian Pacific and Saskatewan on the list, so even you think they're not just about the United States of America. If we're including the Canadian frontier, then films like North West Mounted Police should probably count, since the whole reason the Mounties were formed was to establish order and sovreignty over the Canadian prairies.

Of course, one might say there's more to a performance than physical attractiveness. Not sure DeNiro and Nicholson are such lookers, either, but who would judge their performances based on whether or not they're easy on the eyes. Certainly a double standard here. And I wouldn't rule out the radiant beauty of young Bette, the memory of which the song "Bette Davis Eyes" was obviously written about.

It's a fun movie. Carlos Ancira was an excellent character actor who could play heroes or villains in comedies or dramas and was always fun to watch.

Hollingsway, Lora Mae--Linda Darnell in A Letter to Three Wives

American Madness (1932) next--mail carrier

Lifeboat (1944) Next: Spencer Tracy, Lana Turner, and Zachart Scott

Yes, the author may "broadcast," but the reader can make up his mind what to receive. No doubt it was important to Greene to have the religious themes in some of his novels, but they can still be read and enjoyed even if the religious aspects are put aside, especially as they might be difficult for those of different religious beliefs to understand fully. I read The Heart of the Matter many years ago and it was fine, even if I didn't pick up on the Catholic angles. A Burnt-Out Case was good too and even The Power and the Glory is okay, although that's very obviously a Catholic novel. I never quite got the appeal of Travels with My Aunt. Didn't find it that humorous. Since Greene didn't write those lengthy doorstoppers his books are easy to throw across the room. Every cloud has a silver lining.

The Golem (1920) The Thing from Another World (1951) Splice (2009) Under the Skin (2013)

The New Invisible Man (1958) Mexico/Dir: Alfredo B. Crevenna - An unacknowledged remake/rip-off of The Invisible Man's Revenge (1944), the story concerns a man (Arturo de Cordova) who is unjustly accused of murder. His brother smuggles an invisibility potion to him in prison, and he uses it to seek revenge. Also with Ana Luisa Peluffo, Raul Meraz, Augusto Benedico, and Nestor de Barbosa. Some of the effects are fun, and a guy getting beaten up by the invisible man was amusing to watch, but the end results were too uninspired to recommend. (5/10)

Giddens, Regina -- Bette Davis in The Little Foxes (1941)

Indeed it is. Stanwyck is not a classic beauty like Gene Tierney, Jeanne Crain or Grace Kelly. She probably would not have made money as a model, for instance. But, her look seems to transcend that "All American Girl" kinda thing... As to the question at hand? I love both of these actors. If forced to pick, I'd have to go with Barbara, mostly because I feel she had more range and more ability to fully inhabit a role and become someone else. Davis, perhaps by dint of her control over her Directors (ahem...) ended up playing "Bette Davis" roles. For instance I love both Dark Victory and Now, Voyager, but sometimes I get them muddled in my head and think one scene from one movie was in the other! Just sayin', that she did a lot of similar stuff.... "It's straight down the line, Walter...."

THEM! TREMORS ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL

Cyclops (1957) -- egad!

Mysteries of Black Magic (1958) Mexico/Dir: Miguel M. Delgado - Supernatural horror about female stage magician (Nadia Haro Oliva) who actually practices black magic capable of causing harm to others. A professor figures out her tricks and plans to stop her, while she sets her sights on seducing a young man that resembles a former lover. There's some nice, cheesy atmosphere, and I enjoyed the witch's rat-like minion (Carlos Ancira). (6/10)

Fulton, Edwina--Ginger Rogers in Monkey Business (1952)

People Will Talk 1951 next: Tallulah Bankhead, John Hodiak and Hume Cronyn

One of my favorite photos of Babs, she looks so sweet. I couldn't find a copy to post-so thanks Nipkow! There was a long ago thread here that went on for years, "Is Barbara Stanwyck Pretty?" It was an interesting multipage debate that wandered to other actresses similarly as this one, mentioning Hepburn, Young, Arthur, etc. It's very interesting what people do/don't find personally appealing.

Grayson looks great with that hairstyle. If only Julia opted for something less utilitarian and no-fuss and dressed up a little.....went to the Blue Whale for a few drinks... she could a got lucky and met a guy... (or gal. I don't judge.)

According to the moviecollectoroh.com website, "The Rose Tattoo" has only been shown 6 times on TCM (in 27 years). Last time was May, 2014. Prior to that, it was shown in June, 2005. That film was the first time I saw Anna Magnani on screen. It was shown on the CBS Late Show back in the early 1970's (I think). Back then, only ABC and NBC had talk show-type programs like "The Tonight Show" and "The Joey Bishop Show". CBS showed movies at 10:30. After that, the St. Louis affiliate would show one or two classic movies in the wee hours of the morning and would usually go 'off-air' for just 30 to 90 minutes before beginning the next day's programming. I always liked Magnani and her performances. Thanks to TCM, I've been exposed to more of her work. Unfortunately for her and other Italian actresses, they seem to fly under the radar due to the popularity and talent of Sophia Loren. That's not a knock on Loren. I like her work too, but it is a shame that others in her field seem to get overlooked for their performances.

I agree with TOTO's assessment of Bette's performance in Baby Jane. I thought she was also good in The Catered Affair in 1956, in the latter part of her career. These films were made during decades when roles for women over a certain age were scarce. Bette was bold and fearless in her career choices. As far as choosing between Davis and Stanwyck, I think it's like comparing apples to oranges. They were both excellent at their craft in their own ways.

yesterday's drive

I love both Bette Davis & Barbara Stanwyck's career performances and will watch any movie with their names in the credits. Both were adept at comedy and carrying strong dramas. While Bette often stars in more intense dramas than Babs, don't forget her comedic role in THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER that includes my very favorite Bette Davis gesture - gleefully drop kicking Ann Sheridan's hat out the door. Both men & women are attracted to both actresses, but men seem to find Stanwyck more desirable & sexier than Bette Davis. I also think that's why Kate Hepburn is not quite as popular, she doesn't come across as soft & sexy for some. I wonder if much of that has to do with some of the roles they played, possibly Stanwyck was more open to play sexpots like in BALL OF FIRE than Bette was. It's a lesson in good career choices. Most classic film newbies are SHOCKED when they see how beautiful Bette Davis was when young because they only think of her later years, especially as Baby Jane Hudson. Wow: But Stanwyck pretty much stayed away from those kind of schlock movies, in the 60's she could be seen in roles like THE BIG VALLEY. Look at how natural Stanwyck looks in her early years compared to coiffed Davis above. I'm convinced "sex appeal" is what keeps Katherine Hepburn's general popularity down, while has elevated Audrey Hepburn to cult status. Audrey (and Marilyn for that matter) always give great performances but it is her beauty, sex appeal that made her a star.