JackBurley

"Brolin, especially, was really good, playing it so straight -- 'I know you are, but what am I?'" Okay, the memory of that made me laugh aloud all over again. Thank you. "And by the way, didn't Ball look gorgeous in 'Best Foot Forward?'" No doubt about it, she was breathtaking in this picture. I believe her nickname on the lot was "Technicolor Tessie". I wonder what she thought about this role? If she like the way she was portraying herself in the picture. I can see how it might confuse the audience into thinking this is what Lucille Ball is really like. Who played this part in the original stage version? Sure the original wasn't about Lucille Ball. "There was something with Virginia Weidler, where she and her friend were trying to get into someone's hotel room to get an autograph." You're sure that you're not mixing this up with Best Foot Forward? Miss Weidler was in it, and there were some hi-jinx as she's sneaking into the dormitory to catch her beau...

Costumes were reused over the years; so I would suppose it's possible that Jack Pickford wore it in a film (he made pictures until 1928), and it was was used again in 1938...

Lucille Ball in Best Foot Forward was a great call. A meaty self-portrait, rather than a cameo. I had to giggle at the memory of James Brolin and Morgan Fairchild playing themselves in Pee Wee's Big Adventure. The show up as the actors in the movie-within-the-movie: a retelling of the Big Adventure with Brolin playing Pee Wee and Fairchild playing "Dottie" (Elizabeth Daily). But then, this was more of a cameo...

Bette Midler puts on the most amazing shows. I have seen her numerous times; fantastic production values; sets, costumes. You get your money's worth at a Bette Midler concert.

Thank you for this tribute to Ann Sothern. I love her. Always have. When I was a child I loved watching the reruns of her television shows "Private Secretary" and "Suzie". I'm not sure why she struck a chord with me a that young age, but I know that I love the timbre of her voice; and perhaps I found comfort in that. I never knew that the Maisie series was originally intended for Jean Harlow. What a surprise. For one thing, Miss Sothern so perfectly embodied Maisie, it's difficult to picture anyone else in the role. But also, I assumed that Miss Harlow's star ascended too high as a glamour-girl to play Maisie, who was down-to-earth and charmingly lower class.

With all due respect to the original poster, the Cheetah Girls hold little interest to anyone outside the demographic group for which it was intended. It's a Disney Channel movie for teenage girls, starring (among others) Raven (who was a teen star on the Disney Channel). These movies are about these girls trying to make a singing career.

You go, Mr. Master!

The movie versions of Carousel and Liliom begin in heaven, as we meet Billy/Liliom who is already in love. But he returns to earth to help those that he loves...

"I would have to say the worst musical I've seen is Show Boat." I'm curious; which version?

"I will look forward to those. Out of that bunch, Jezebel and Now, Voyager are the only ones I've seen." Be sure to see The Little Foxes; that's one of Bette Davis' greatest roles. It's based on Lillian Hellman's excellent play, and there are some knock-out supporting performances by Herbert Marshall, Patricia Collinge and Teresa Wright.

These are not theatrical movies, but rather movies for television. Cheetah Girls II will be on August 25...

I Married An Angel, Jeanette MacDonald's final movie with Nelson Eddy. Rodgers and Hart's lovely song, "Spring is Here", came from this musical... (and yes, City of Angels was a poor imitation -- I mean, a remake of Wim Wender's sublime Wings of Desire. It does feature the haunting Alanis Morissette song, "Uninvited" and an excellent score by Gabriel Yared.)

"my favorite astaire film was always 'royal wedding' with ginger rogers, but i haven't seen them all so i'm probably misguided." Um, but Royal Wedding was with Jane Powell (and Sarah Churchill). This is the movie wherein he dances on the ceiling. Moira Shearer was considered for this movie. What a missed opportunity. I'd loved to have seen her with Mr. Astaire...

Attention New Yorkers: For the first time in 126 years, the Metropolitan Opera is offering a free dress rehearsal. On September 22, 2006, the doors will open for the rehearsal of film director Anthony Minghella's (Talented Mr. Ripley, Cold Mountain...) new staging of Puccini's Madama Butterfly. The production, conducted by James Levine, will open the Met's season on September 25, with soprano Cristina Gallardo-Dom?s in the title role, Marcello Giordani as Pinkerton, Dwayne Croft as Sharpless, and Maria Zifchak as Suzuki.

Remember, Bette Midler got her start playing Tzeitel in the original Broadway production of Fiddler on the Roof...

Seven Year Itch?

What?! Marcy McGuire was in Summer Magic? This was a favorite film of my childhood. I first saw it in St. Lake City; I think it was my birthday! I went a few times to see it in the theatres; and later saw it televised on Disney's Wonderful World of Color. Ah, Sunday nights with popcorn and fresh pajamas! Looks like I need to take out the DVD now and find out who the grown-up Marcy played. The joy of discoveries like this, is what makes this game so interesting...

Perhaps then, we can make a case of the "artist" vs. the "craftsperson"? In your example, Michael Curtiz is the latter. Someone who is assigned a project and can bring all the details together with care and excellence. Hitchcock would be an artist, who develops his own ideas into final form.

On August 1, 2006, richardny4me wrote in the "Seen Any Good Movies" thread (in the Hot Topics Forum): "I saw a French swashbuckler today at the Film Forum in New York, entitled 'FanFan la Tulipe'. It starred Gina Lollobrigida as a beautiful gypsy and French actor Gerard Philipe in the title role. It was very lighthearted and enjoyable. It also kicks off the Film Forum's swashbuckling film festival, so I hope to see several more rarities soon." So I thought I'd mention that this new 35mm print of FanFan la Tulipe is making the rounds of U.S. art houses. This film won the Silver Bear award at the Berlin Film Festival in 1952, and the Best Director (Christian-Jacque) prize at Cannes. It will play in San Francisco at one of the Landmark theatres November 3 - 9, 2006. So keep an eye out for the theatres near you...

A chat room wouldn't preclude those from having more personal conversations. Quite the opposite: it would give a special forum to have dialogues for nonexclusive movie conversations. This chat room would lend an appropriate place for banter. The chat room can be about us; and the forum can be about movies. I think it's a great idea, and I hope TCM will consider it.

Too bad, Mr. Ranger. May was definitely a great Bette Davis month. As I recall, two days of every week were devoted to her flicks. And they premiered the new documentary on her life (that was included in the volume II DVD set of her work). But take heart, there's plenty of Bette coming on TCM: 20,000 years in Sing Sing - September 11 Juarez - September 22 Now, Voyager - September 25 Jezebel - October 5 The Letter - October 5 Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte - October 5, 10, 14 The Little Foxes - October 8 Pocketful of Miracles - October 21

I want to hear you sing that disclaimer!

"More Bette Davis and Katharine Hepburn vehicles please! Hardly ever see these two ladies on TCM lately." But, but, but the entire month of May was devoted to Miss Davis. It was swell though!

"I purchased :The Big Heat " last December from Amazon, and it is still available." I wonder what the TCM site means then"? Do you suppose they literally mean "video" as in VCR? Here's the quote: "Our records indicate this title is not available on Home Video."

"Do you know if it is in the first noir collection?" According to TCM it is not available on home video yet...