Bronxgirl48
-
Posts
14,533 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
2
Posts posted by Bronxgirl48
-
-
You're welcome, CM. I saw that Rhonda Fleming Lustre Creme clip as well -- she's really stunning there. Martha Hyer was indeed a cool Hitch-type blonde. She was married to a studio head whose name escapes me at the moment, so perhaps there were contractual or personal reasons why she never became one of his golden Muses..
I'm probably the only person on this whole board who hasn't seen OUT OF THE PAST.
Geraldine Fitzgerald I believe was auburn haired, a nice Irish lass with an intelligent, sensitive look about her.
Peaches and cream Virginia Mayo (great in WHITE HEAT) was made for Technicolor.
-
Rhonda's facial features remind me a bit of Vivien Leigh.
-
Better than I remembered, although honeymooner Hugh Marlowe slobbering over his wife's neck AS SHE'S DRIVING THE CAR still has me screaming "Idiot -- you'll both get yourself killed!"
Not really Harryhausen's spfx cup of tea I'm sure, but he does a great job with those saucers, and the Washington destruction is unsettlingly realistic (whatever your political views)
The aliens in their protective suits clumping around are rather eerie, as is their garbled warnings to Earth in foreign tongues. Touches like the glowing white overhead thingamabob that comes down and absorbs brains lends an INVADERS FROM MARS-like nightmarish quality, and there's a satisfying un-helmeting that reveals what the invaders really look like.
Hugh Marlowe trying on a helmet looks pretty stupid, but boy the fun things he can see and hear! "I feel just like Superman!" he exclaims. What a jerk.
Well paced, decently acted, no distracting comedy relief or dumb dialogue (except for the "tea and cookies" line, but even that is said with an almost earnest sardonic humor) and an ambiguous ending make for an above-average 50's sci-fi entry.
Message was edited by: Bronxgirl48
-
My late father's favorite screen beauty was Rhonda Fleming:
-
Terry, I just saw it again today.
I tried, I really tried, to see it with an open mind, and unfortunately my first impressions still stand.
I cannot get past the anvil-like barrage of ideas, images, philosophy, the tossed-off anti-Americanism. It's all done to my eyes with such a heavy hand, and for me with a lot of pretentious anti-pretension.
I admit it's brilliantly conceived, but all over the place.
I must tell you that I really, really loathe it.
Message was edited by: Bronxgirl48
-
Scary Castle. I still can't watch it alone at night. (along with MR. SARDONICUS)
The nightmare sequences always give me chills. (as does Hayden Rourke)
And watch for the chandelier!
Fascinating to see Barbara and ex-hubby Robert Taylor together again.
-
This is the ghost of Bronxgirl.
I just died laughing.
When Milland read the script, did he think there were redeeming social messages about racism that he felt needed to be "tackled", even in such a howler as this?
Message was edited by: Bronxgirl48
-
OMG -- I haven't seen that one, but I heard about it!
-
Yes, I've always taken note of Cagney in that scene with Jane Bryan. it's those little human touches that make him so natural on the screen. As well as electrifying, of course! (in more ways than one in AWDF)
In the latter, my favorite scene (it's quite poignant, and I'm sure Jimmy thought of it himself) is Rocky, ex-choirboy and full-blown gangster, mouthing hymns to the boys' singing; a remembered part of his innocent childhood.
-
btw, for another kind of horror, I caught some of THE RIVER'S EDGE with Ray Milland for the first time.
If you can imagine suave Ray saying corny hard-boiled lines (in 1957 yet) like "Well, sweetheart, that's how it goes. You gotta play the cards as they fall" and, (coming upon intense man-of-the-people Anthony Quinn getting cozy with beautiful Debra Paget in a cave) "Well, excuse me, I didn't know this was a hotel room".
Ray gets a little loose with his gun.
Why didn't he take aim at the script? (good premise though)
Is this it -- Ray's worst performance, and is he at his most miscast??
Message was edited by: Bronxgirl48
-
nightwalker, you've opened up a good thread topic, Dumb Cops; I love it.
Dumber than Costello; that's REALLY DUMB! (haven't seen WHO DONE IT? in a long time)
Dennis Hoey of course played second fiddle to Sherlock Holmes, but didn't he as the Inspector also fade into the background as Dr. Mannering (Patric Knowles) takes an unexplained interest in Chaney and follows him around the country iin FRANKENSTEIN MEETS THE WOLFMAN? Mannering practically plays detective tracking him down. I wonder what his patients back at the hospital thought. Did a nurse tell them, "The doctor can't see you for a month or so. He's on the trail of the Wolfman".
I actually had hoped there really were stupider policemen than Nat in SCARED TO DEATH, and you've given me a nice list. (haven't seen the others).
Message was edited by: Bronxgirl48
-
Maybe Darro did character parts later on? I don't know his filmography, but I could see him in noir, in supporting parts a la Elisha Cook, Jr., as hair trigger gunsels or something.
Yeah, then Mickey dominated the bantamweight arena.
Quick change of pace:
Guess what I'm going to watch now on HBO?
THE NOTORIOUS BETTIE PAGE.
That oughta be fun.
Message was edited by: Bronxgirl48
-
I think Raft stole it from Jimmy in EACH DAWN I DIE, but nobody could top Cagney in ANGELS WITH DIRTY FACES. I think this is Jimmy's greatest role, and best performance out of a remarkable body of work.
-
Well, it was a treat to see THE MAYOR OF HELL -- sort of like an early Dead End Kids, with Frankie Darro as Muggs. Seems almost like he was the star, and Cagney the support!
I loved the opening where the ethnic cross section of boys come before the judge. And I'm sure you all knew as I did there'd be the "he was always a GOOD boy" plea from one or both of the parents (usually Ma)
I liked how Farina was treated as well. That was a very pleasant surprise. Unfortunately his father wasn't drawn in QUITE the same way. And I knew they'd show the Jewish kid being chosen to run the business, and I was waiting for the scene in the dining hall where he'd have to confront pork. It didn't disappoint -- he tried to get rid of some bacon.
The early scenes at the reform school looked like "Oliver" -- I almost expected Farina (he was the hungry one) to walk up to cruel warden Dudley Diggs with a plate and ask "please, sir, I want some more".
The last few moments were almost like a Universal horror movie, complete with torches and monster.
All in all, a minor but fairly diverting little Warners social conscious drama typical of the time, bolstered by Cagney's presence, although I bet if he wasn't in it and Wellman was directing, this could have been just as enjoyable as WILD BOYS OF THE ROAD was.
Message was edited by: Bronxgirl48
-
HAHA, love your heading.
I'd like to have seen John Wayne play Tevye.
That'll be the day.
(too much spaghetti; it's gone to my head (and incipient love handles)
-
I am your little prairie flower. That'll be the day. lol. No, I am, and just as sweet as I can be. (when I've had a good meal)
I really warmed to BEND OF THE RIVER. The steamboat scenes on the river were literally refreshing, away from those dusty trails which you know I love, but every now and then in a western I like to see bodies of water.
Speaking of bodies, have you seen RIDE LONESOME, and, what do you think of it?
Also, what's your opinion of ACROSS THE WIDE MISSOURI?
Miss G. and now you have given me good answers about Julie London in MAN OF THE WEST.
What was that Cagney-Bogart western? Ever see it? The plot probably played like a typical
Warner's gangster picture, except with saloons and ten gallon hats.
Message was edited by: Bronxgirl48
-
I read he made an excellent Tevye in FIDDLER ON THE ROOF.
-
i can't give you a snappy good answer why; I just never would have thought of them together. It always seemed to me that film couples who sizzled on-screen and were in more than one film together, usually had something going on IRL (or had rumors about them to that effect) i.e., de Havilland and Flynn, Tracy and Hepburn, Astaire and Rogers (I read where they had a fling), Patricia O'Neal and Gary Cooper.
Duke's screen persona always seemed so much larger than life that I always thought he needed a similarly grand actress to pair with. But he does have a big brother protective quality about him (coupled with his sex appeal) so I guess when I think about it, why not have Russell as his screen paramour?
Gotta go now; I've got THE MAYOR OF HELL and spaghetti waiting for me!
Message was edited by: Bronxgirl48
-
Apparently they were just friends, but Russell supposedly had a big crush on Duke and he didn't love her and so instructed a friend to let her down easy. Wayne was good-hearted, and would never hurt anyone intentionally.
-
Maybe when I see REAP THE WILD WIND, I'll have more reason to appreciate WITCH.
-
Great Morgan pix, Jack! My, he was handsome when younger. I think SHOP AROUND THE CORNER is his finest work. .
I love that line from OZ.
Thank you for your balloon investigation. I will continue mine.
Yours was an "uplifting" post.
Barbara
Message was edited by: Bronxgirl48
-
Hi, Frank, and mickee -- thanks for the BLOOD SIMPLE info.
-
Ricky, my sweet Ricky, sob...he's gone....my Travellin' Man's gone....easy to take in RIO BRAVO, yes. And NO UGLY HAIRY SHOULDERS!!!
Tom Powers as the doctor has all those heavy philosophical lines, but he tosses them off pretty neatly. I love that big breakfast -- what did Duke eat, six eggs, a pound of sausage, and twelve doughnuts?? Harry Carey, Sr. wonderful, that grand old cowboy.
Wayne should be very proud of ANGEL AND THE BADMAN.
Message was edited by: Bronxgirl48
-
Like Hitchcock, Ford's "lesser" efforts are usually always better than many others' "bests". He is an auteur after all, and the full body of his work should be mandatory viewing for film buffs..
I did recognize THE SEARCHERS music.
Holden was brilliant casting opposite Wayne; they played off against each other beautifully.
(RIO BRAVO was my lurve object)
Message was edited by: Bronxgirl48
Hollywood's great beauties in the 40's and 50's
in Hot Topics
Posted
Rhonda was pretty hot. She had cat-like features -- a lot of beautiful actresses did. Simone Simon, Vivien Leigh, many others whose names I can't call to mind at the moment because I'm watching THE WEREWOLF and stuffing my pie hole with chips and salsa.