Bronxgirl48

The plot perhaps was a "little too fancy" as Fred MacMuray says to Eddie in DOUBLE INDEMNITY and could have benefitted in my view from a shorter running time, but it was still pretty good. Not great, but a fairly satisfying Stanwyck noir vehicle. And did you notice Gertrude CAGED Hoffman as the old aunt? Message was edited by: Bronxgirl48

Yes, I saw! Now mind you, I haven't seen FORT APACHE or SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON, so I can't compare/contrast with them, but, on its own, I think RIO GRANDE is excellent, and I completely agree with you about Ford's direction of Maureen -- (and that particular scene) O"Hara is luminous. I loved Wayne here, very low-key. (and his body language is just inimitable -- that almost-poetic balletic crouch as he's straining to catch a last glimpse of his son when he leaves the tent) Claude is very good and I loved Victor -- very funny but touching at the same time, the big brawling yet sweet lummox. J. Carroll Naish also very effective. The action scenes were brilliantly done (hope no stunt men or horses got killed in this one), and women in a Ford film are portrayed as waiting, waiting, waiting, as their men go off to war and do their "duty". I might have a quibble with perhaps one too many shots of Kathleen waiting, those iconic Ford poses. LOVED the gorgeous Victor Young score -- this is now one of my favorites. And I adore singing cowboys. All the songs were appropriate, like musical leitmotifs to the story.

I've said in other threads about Lewton films -- sorry to be redundant and you'll no doubt remember it, but it's relevant to our discussion -- that while they're a fascinating exploration of good and evil, the "good" is always awkwardly presented -- the dialogue for that "side" very in-your-face (i.e., Phyllis Brooks giving Dennis O'Keefe the "softy" speech in THE LEOPARD MAN; of Karloff in ISLE OF THE DEAD: "He wanted to protect us"; Alice's "what love is" speech (which I emotionally connect to, and I know you do too, but it's so...overt); Dr. Judd shaming the Satanists in THE SEVENTH VICTIM, etc. I could go on, but you get the idea. So Alice and Ollie are the typical good Lewton people confronted with horrors they've never encountered before, the evil they not only don't understand, but can't even comprehend existing. In Lewton's world, the "normal" people have no hidden agendas, so Alice as written is supposed to be unflaggingly supportive and loving, with no complex psychological underpinnings. That doesn't exactly seem realistic to me. But I think Jane Randolph brings some hidden depth there. Would Oliver's ideal girl be a combination of Irena's sensuality and Alice's comradeship?.. I bet if Midge switched to contact lenses and wore purple evening gowns, Scottie would "fall" for her. She'd also have to get a better hairdo and stop speaking in those AWFUL "distinctive" Bel Geddes VOWELS. No faker moi -- I ALWAYS like the slightly geeky guy. You know, the way MM tells Tony Curtis and Tom Ewell that she prefers the shy intellectual types to the macho showoffs. Of course, if he looks like Robert Ryan, Rod Taylor, Alan Ladd, John Wayne or Randolph Scott, it wouldn't hurt. . Message was edited by: Bronxgirl48

My favorite Tom Hanks film is NOTHING IN COMMON, which has been playing on the Flix Channel all this month. I say Yea. And Yay. Message was edited by: Bronxgirl48

Well if Alice was Irena's coworker and not Ollie's, then Simone might have confided in her. Normally I go for the good guys, not the ones with an edge (which is odd, considering I'm just beginning to appreciate Robert Ryan, a nice guy IRL but on screen very sinister). My little secret is that I probably could have a yen for Oliver myself, just as long as I wasn't a tormented Serbian catwoman. And I'm probably jealous of he and Alice, because they're no doubt making a lot of money in a field they enjoy, and they're great friends, and that's always the basis for a long-lasting relationship. And they can get great pie after hours. Even the chicken gumbo, though nobody likes it. And then they marry and live in that charming Early American house in that cozy upstate New York community and have a beautiful, sensitive, golden haired little girl. Are my eyes green with envy? Drat, I thought so.

I'm looking forward to RIO GRANDE. I've never seen it. I'm gettin' my Pappy westerns, thanks to the Western Channel and TCM! Message was edited by: Bronxgirl48

You are right about Scorcese's "absorption" of film -- that's just the word for it. I also love all the Scottish melodies and the score in THE BODY SNATCHER, very evocative. I can't imagine anyone else playing Irena. And to think she had to fall in love with that lox Kent Smith and he's never been unhappy in his whole little life and doesn't know how to handle a tormented beautiful woman going through hell. I felt like throwing that apple pie in his face. And as bad as he treated her, I can't abide what he did to daughter Amy. Get lost in a snowbank yourself, Oliver!!

There she is in all her feline-like glory; beautiful photo, Miss G.. Another thing I love about her performance in CAT PEOPLE is her eerie delivery of certain words, especially ones that start with the letter "h". I don't know if it's her particular enunciation in English, or an excellent attempt at creating a mood, but she halts before the words "haunting", "husband" and "happy". Message was edited by: Bronxgirl48

FF, if for any reason you missed watching or recording POLLY on January 2nd, it's playing today, Thursday, on Sundance at 7:15 PM, Eastern Standard Time. Message was edited by: Bronxgirl48

You know, I never thought of that before in connection with Sullavan's character, only with his irritation with Kralik for obvious reasons, but he did seem to take out his frustrations over his wife with everyone at the store.. Message was edited by: Bronxgirl48

Yep.

How come Mr. Matuchek didn't like that blouse? Did he think the dots were too "busy"? But he likes busy-ness in his store!

Whoa! Move over, Missy, I'll take your place next to Robert! Thank you! It's worth it to have the Western Channel cause you never know what gems will pop up.

Yeah, ultimately America is always more generous......

I always get more frightened with metal robots and electricity and nuclear power.. Remember that OUTER LIMITS episode (with George MacReady I think as a scientist) with aliens who could only be seen by radiation suits, because they were just pure energy? That always creeps me out.

I have to agree with you about Roy Webb's tremendous contribution to the mood of Lewton, especially in CAT PEOPLE and I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE. . null Message was edited by: Bronxgirl48

Since I haven't seen MADEMOISELLE FIFI, YOUTH RUNS WILD, and saw WOMAN ON THE BEACH eons ago and don't remember it too well, I was very happy to see them given their due. Simone certainly looks adorable in FIFI -- well, I'm sure you'll agree with me -- when DIDN'T she look cute? I LOVED the ample time given to CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE. And the street singer in THE BODY SNATCHER being engulfed in the dark, and the deadly abbreviation of her lilting song.... One reason the doc seemed short on running time to me is that whenever I watch something I love, time just flies. Message was edited by: Bronxgirl48

Re: THE TALL T: you have Richard Boone to look forward to in that one.

But probably not in a western. Message was edited by: Bronxgirl48

I think Bob is in an undershirt in CLASH BY NIGHT, so I'll look forward to that.

I was very happy they had an encore showing, so I was able to catch this at midnight.. It could have gone on another half hour for me -- I don't know why, but I felt like they had more material to work with but couldn't include it all in the time frame that was given them. Did you or anyone else think so? Sonething just seemed "missing" to me -- I was still "hungry". In trying to present the documentary almost as a mood piece, like Lewton's work, I agree with joefilmone that the narration was a bit pretentious -- and repetitive, straining to find new ways to communicate verbally the poeticism and melancholy aspects of the films. The best part was showcasing the Lewton "stock company" supporting players. All in all, I thought it was very good. Message was edited by: Bronxgirl48

Hi, Miss G. - Terrific THE OKLAHOMA KID and THE TALL MEN posters -- love them, thanks so much! That cowboy hat seems bigger than Jimmy. Yeah, those Russell boots. Just like Shirley's "Shut up and deal". And you know what? Robert didn't immediately scare me in THE TALL MEN -- he actually seemed less intimidating for some reason. And he really has lot of sex appeal which I'm ashamed to say I hadn't always noticed.

I can't imagine America giving the Russians anything in 1956, not even to save the Earth. We probably gave the weapons plan to the non-Communist countries. Message was edited by: Bronxgirl48

That's really sad....

I love the ending -- why, the aliens JUST CAN'T invade again, because it's SUCH A WONDERFUL WORLD, according to Joan. Nothing bad can happen to us because we're the Earth. And did you wonder as I did, what about the other nations? Are we to assume they successfully repelled them as well? Message was edited by: Bronxgirl48