mrroberts

I am just not a big Bette Davis fan. Barbara Stanwyck is way , way ahead for me. That being said, I do believe that *The Letter* is my favorite Bette movie. Its a great movie and I guess the character just fits my impression of Bette Davis. --- speaking of impressions, anyone ever see Jimmy Stewart's Bette Davis impression thats on the Dean Martin show?

My favorite Kim Novak film is *Bell Book and Candle* , she is perfect for that part. Actually its James Stewart (who I am a big fan of) who is somewhat miscast (he's just too old for Kim) in that film. Kim was just right for *Picnic* , her inexperience as an actress and shyness fit the character well. Again it was the male lead , William Holden , who was a little too old for his role. And Holden apparently felt the same way, he was reluctant to play the part.

Cary Grant made a number of so called "screw ball comedies" in the 30's, *The Awful Truth* , *Bringing Up Baby* , *His Girl Friday* etc. My favorite actor of all time is William Powell, who somewhat influenced Cary Grant. Powell was a major star in the 30's when Grant started his career. Clark Gable also imitated Powell in some ways. William Powell did the famous "Thin Man" films, *My Man Godfrey* and others. William Powell is the SOTM in December on TCM so watch the schedule for some of his work.

I agree with stjohnrv. Today's audience and what they apparently want to see is very different from years ago. Which begs the question --- Do the movies make the public or does the public make the movies? Or better still, Do the movies influence the public or are the movies just a reflection of the public?

How about the Howard brothers, Leslie, Trevor, Moe, Curly, and Shemp?

I believe that Lana Turner also owned one of the Chrysler Thunderbolt cars in the 40's. One of the cars is currently on display in the lobby of the Walter P Chrysler Museum in Michigan,

I have said it before Mark, TCM should hire you to to promos

To help you get into appreciating older, black&white movies, check out the Cary Grant movie *Arsenic And Old Lace* from the 1940's. Its just non stop funny with a whole great cast of characters, and with Halloween coming up soon it can be a great movie to have at a party.

Broderick Crawford / Joan Crawford

Here's a good question, Why didn't that attractive and talented Christine McIntyre get further ahead in her career?

Anyone who saw the film *American Madness* and found it interesting might want to look up another film from the same year 1932, *Manhattan Tower* . Its from a low budget studio but is rather well made. A big part of the movie deals with a bank run panic similar to *American Madness*. *Manhattan Tower* can be found on the internet and free download. --- [www.archive.org|http://www.archive.org]

I am really happy that Bob will be back in time for William Powell month ! Edited by: mrroberts on Sep 30, 2011 3:36 PM

Just a few off of the top. --- James Cagney's final scene in *The Public Enemy* ; William Powell (Nick Charles) shooting balloons with his pop gun in *The Thin Man* ; William Powell (Godfrey) putting Carole Lombard in the shower in *My Man Godfrey* ; Cagney as the Captain in *Mister Roberts* going out to water his palm tree, and its gone; James Stewart in *Rear Window* when he blabs on the phone, then realizes its the murderer on the other end. Last scene in *How Green Was My Valley* when the boy and his dead father come up on the lift. Richard Widmark, with a price on his head, running through the streets in *Night And The City*

*Emperor of the North* (Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine) was just on FMC recently. An underrated Marvin gem.

Bullock, Irene --- Carole Lombard in *My Man Godfrey*

"Constructive criticism". Thats the point to make here. I love the TCM channel and feel it has a lot more positive qualities then negative ones. And if I want to offer criticism, I do it respectfully, the tone of some of these critics is the real problem.

After reading the last comment (finance) I started wondering if there were any actors/actresses in *North By Northwest* who only have a one movie credit. If so let's make them SOTM.

This is a very entertaining thread to read, for anyone just coming in check it out from start to now. --- Several have said "there's good ham and there's bad ham". I believe it more a question of whether you like the actor or not. A long time ago I decided that I really liked actors like Charles Laughton and Edmond O'Brien so when these guys get "hammy" I just accept it, even enjoy it. When others do the same I just find it very annoying. I will say the really good ones seem to know when to ham it up and when to show restraint.

What would the TCM schedule look like if James Dean were SOTM?

Richard Widmark in *Kiss Of Death* . Honorable mention, Yosemite Sam (most lovable villain?)

I just remembered a wage illustration shown in *I Am A Fugitive From A Chain Gang*. When Paul Muni gets a job on the construction gang he gets several promotions, and they show how his hourly/daily wage goes up. Someone will have to refer to the movie, I don't remember the specifics.

Even if those stories have some basis of truth, who cares? Is there filmed footage or documentation of these things to prove the stories, again who really cares? I say stick to information that helps give better understanding of the film itself, no national enquirer crap.

As you have said, its only in the current digital era that we can find these "flaws" , the technology we viewers of today have is certainly as good or better then what the film makers themselves had 70 years ago. So if we were to frame by frame examine other films we would find other "flaws" I'm sure. For the audiences of the day and for many years in the future these little moments were never seen. --- I am thinking of the original *Invisible Man* movie from 1933 with Claude Rains. I have the DVD box set of the "Invisible Man" movies and in the commentary it is mentioned about the numerous tricks used to show off the "invisible man" ; the wires to work the clothes around, a track in the ground for a riderless bicycle, etc. Here's a flaw in that movie; when the invisible man (whose obviously naked, no clothing) is walking through the snow we see foot prints, but they are shoe foot prints. My point is that today we can actually see the evidence of these tricks with our enhanced viewing, but back in the day the audiences never could.

Since this sort of a Jimmy Cagney thread, on Thursday 12 noon est is the 1932 film *Taxi* . Its a typical early Cagney flick (which means its good) and its near the end of that film when Cagney comes closest to saying that famous "You dirty rat" line that all of the Cagney impersonators love to use. *Taxi* also stars a very attractive young Loretta Young.

Doris Day was in *The Man Who Knew Too Much* with Brenda De Banzie