FrankGrimes

What's the word, Lively Gal -- *VALENTINO GRIMES* **You must be at the pub! *I think I know what Jackaaaaaay means. (Correct me if I'm wrong Jaxxxx). I think we would have liked to see just a moment of transition from Bobble-Head O'Keefe, of being rebuffed by Paula (Lizabeth Scott) to checking out this new girl Diane (Jane Greer); just a brief moment of piquedness in his decision to take this nurse out.* Larry didn't pay any attention to Diane at the hospital. He called her advances "obvious." He wasn't interested in her, so he really wasn't looking to find another woman or even some action. I think his words to Joan about being "thrown out in the open market" are meant to be a form of a threat. I really don't think he was looking to leave her. At the hospital, Diane goes after him... hard. She's doing all she can to to be asked out on a date. She eventually wins out. End of story? No. Larry ignores her at the race track. He's really not into her. She's just a date to him. But that all changes when she opens up to him outside of her apartment. *Their priorities were different. But I think Paula (Lizabeth Scott) had more going on in her life, as a woman, than Diane had going on in her life. Paula's holding down a job, and must be accountable to the State and to these gals. Diane's raison d'etre seemed to be to hook up with a guy. Work? Naaaah. That was just a means to an end...so I see a broader scope in Paula's worldview.* This is true. I understand what you're saying. But I think if you really love someone you can make it work. If you want to. That's what I meant about assigning values to things in your life. *That was nicely said Grimesy. I think Diane has to love herself first, so she can trust that she IS lovable and worthy of love. This trust will help her believe she will not be abandoned.* Brilliant! That's definitely how I see Diane. She was abandoned by her parents at age 11 and her first run in with the law was when she was 12. *I don't know that I'd use the word deprivation, but I believe with balance...I think Paula can have a fulfilling life and not just one where her job overwhelms everything else.* You would think so, but something is keeping her from doing so. The reason why I used the word "deprivation" is because I believe many people who pour their life into one area end up depriving themselves. The constant need to be responsible also leads to some deprivation. You're gonna hear the words "I can't" a lot more.

Bonjour, Madame Bovary -- *That's true, but I didn't see his frustration much. People are human, and he might have had a moment of "to hell with her...I just want to have someone to go out with right this minute". I would expect it in fact, if he was that frustrated with the situation.* Larry's (Dennis O'Keefe) frustration is evident, it's just he tries to laugh it off since Joan (Lizabeth Scott) is laughing about her being a horrible woman. When we first meet Larry, Joan pushes away his kiss. And his reaction to her pushing away his kiss? "Now I'm not even supposed to kiss you?" Those words speak to his being constantly pushed away. They are words of frustration. Joan then says, "I'm sorry about dinner." His reply? "Ehhh, it's the fourth time in a row." More frustration. She then tears herself down, so she knows what she is doing to him. He goes on to speak of her "dreams as a little girl, saying, "... and I'll never have dinner with the man I love because I'll always be busy out eating with a pigeon." He eventually says, "I've been waiting a long time, Joan." So everything points to Larry and Joan being like this for a while and he's wanting them to take the next step. He's frustrated. *He didn't really mind letting things slide a bit with Joan. He wasn't so deeply into Joan that he couldn't sleep or eat or anything. They just weren't really a good match. Comfortable, like you said, as if they had already been married for years. More friends than lovers, it seems to me.* I think Joan kept him at bay. You see how he reacts to Diane. He turns romantic. And Joan takes notice of this. *In fact, I think she was more into him than he was into her, it's just she carried her love deep under the surface, and didn't let it get in the way of doing her job. She would never be late to work because of a man, and I wouldn't expect her to be. But that didn't mean she didn't love him.* Yet, she puts her job on the line for Diane because she (Joan) does love Larry. Joan just couldn't pursue love for herself. This is where Miss G's comparison to Tom Doniphon rings true with me. *And I felt something else between the two of them - I've known tons of guys who said they wanted to marry me, or even to go out with me on a steady basis, but the truth is, when push comes to shove, they aren't really that eager to settle down. I can't tell you how many have said something like "If you ever get divorced, come and see me." But they don't really mean it.....It's a line, and once the line works, their interest wanes. I get the impression that he thought Joan was refreshingly bright, and that he was one of these guys who tried a line on every woman he meets. Joan didn't fall for it, and kept him at arms length because deep down, she knew he was just a fooling around kind of guy. And with her, he kind of was. I think her "arms-length" position actually may have kept him interested for longer than he would have been had she rushed into his arms.* He's still interested in her despite of her constant refusals. And if she only saw him as a "fly-by-night" guy full of lines, I can't see her loving him, then. Did she love him more than he loved her? That's hard to say. What's a person to do if their love is always pushed away? Joan would have him wait forever. This makes love very one-sided. It's all on her terms, then. *I do think that both of them were deeper than the other one thought. And that's why they weren't really meant to be together.* I do see them as you do, more friends than lovers. I think Joan liked his being there for her. *Diane is nothing if not inventive, so she could probably keep him, as long as she saw when he was losing interest. She truly needed him, but need is a tricky thing.* She wanted him. She set out to get him. At first, I think she did so as a challenge. She hated the feeling Joan was giving her, that Joan was better than her and knew what was right and the right way to go about it. Joan certainly doesn't know the "right way to go about it." Through her time with Larry, Diane started to feel a trust coming from Larry and this helped to relax her and make her feel better about herself. As Diane says about Larry, "he treats me like I'm a somebody." That's really important. I found Larry and Diane's first date to be very interesting. He wasn't paying any attention to her. He was spending the time talking to the guys. She was basically invisible to him. But when she opens up to him before saying goodnight it created a spark inside of him. She was letting him in. You get the feeling that Joan never lets him in. And, yeah, you could take that a few ways. *He might feel choked and smothered at some point - then Joan will look good to him. * Boy, is that ever true. It can be difficult to keep a clingy relationship going. A relationship of convenience would start to look better. *I think for a lot of men, they would love to be in Dennis O' Keefe's shoes, forever. The perfect relationship - a threesome.* So long as we're not married!

Hey there, Spunky -- *I don't understand why Dennis went out with her in the first place. A better actor might have shown him a little frustrated with being put off by Joan all the time, and deciding at that minute to get back at her somehow.* I don't think it's a matter of getting back at her. I don't believe that's his thinking. I just think Joan (Lizabeth Scott) kept him at a comfortable distance for her and he wished to be closer. That's what can happen with two people in love. One is hot-to-trot while the other, for whatever their reason, goes at it slow. *But O'Keefe was OK, I liked that you coul see that Greer would be all for Dennis - he was her world, pretty much. You can see that he likes a woman who will make him the center.* That's a very good point. Many guys do wish to be the center of a woman's attention. Also, I think he wanted his affection returned. That can be another tough thing to handle in a relationship. If one is constantly showing affection for one while the other doesn't return it, it can become tiring and frustrating for the affectionate one. *Lizabeth had a much broader scope to her life.* I think it's priorities. We all assign values to things in our life. Her priorities are different than his. *I just hope he doesn't end up getting all bored with the drama. Diane is too fragile to take a rejection from him....she might go over the edge. I see a good film noir in the sequel....* Brilliant! I believe you are right on it. Diane is about passion (Jane Greer) and Larry (Dennis O'Keefe) tends to be a mix. Can he keep the passion flowing with Diane? That's a very tall order. Joan is built more for love, it's just she cannot express that love. She seems very unsure of love, yet she feels the pain of it. It's a very interesting triangle with two different kinds of woman. There's the slow, professional approach to life (Joan) that leads to deprivatin and the fast, impulsive approach (Diane) that leads to indulgence. Each has their dangers.

*So hopefully I'm not your kind of woman, lol.* Like I'd wear a tie! *Ah, you are perceptive. Yes, I guess I lean toward the "female" Hitches, the more "traditionally romantic",* "Traditionally romantic" is a very good way of putting it. You tend to like literary films, overall. Quite a few of your favorite Hitch films are a "good read." *as opposed to the complicated and dare I say, perverse attractions of NOTORIOUS (Cary Grant's character really bothers me) and VERTIGO, both superior films but they leave me emotionally chilled.* I view *Vertigo* as a commentary on the obsessive side of the male sex drive. I do see it as being perverse. But since I'm a guy, I understand that perversion. You seem to have the same reaction to *Notorious* as CinemAva, although she seems to have warmed to the film... a lot. I suppose you are reacting to Devlin's (Cary Grant) cruelty towards Alicia (Ingrid Bergman). Ahhhh, yes, we men handle jealousy and female rejection so very well. What's great about the film is that each jumps to the wrong conclusions about the other. It's great. *UNDER CAPRICORN in my opinion is very underrated,* It certainly is underrated. It's still not a favorite of mine, but I like it more than when I first saw it. It's just a heavy watch. *and I'm beginning to think that JAMAICA INN (which I love in a very wild moor kind of way) is as well.* The atmosphere and mood of the film is what I like most about it. It's similar to *Under Capricorn*, in that way. Also, they share similarities in the strangeness of the triangles. *As for PSYCHO, it's the perfect distillation of a horror film -- "we all go a little mad sometime"* Very good! *I do enjoy DIAL M FOR MURDER, ROPE, THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH (1956) TO CATCH A THIEF.* That's an interesting mix, there. *Rope* is a film that I rarely see women liking. *I always have to watch THE PARADINE CASE whenever it's on.* It's definitely on the dry, boring side, but I tend to like it more than most. In a way, it's an early version of *Vertigo*. *I can never get through I CONFESS and STAGE FRIGHT.* The seriousness of *I Confess* can weigh it down. I can see how many would find it boring. But I'm surprised you don't like *Stage Fright*. Is Marlene the reason? The film is definitely one of the "fluffiest" of Hitch's. *I like Ludwig Donath's overacting in TORN CURTAIN, lol,* I love the early death scene in the film. It's one of Hitch's best. *and, weirdly, the Russian marching music in TOPAZ.* I pretty much enjoy *Topaz* because of the adulterous love affair in the middle of the film. *Haven't seen MR. AND MRS. SMITH all the way through, but I know I'll love it.* If you like Carole and Robert, you should really like it. Carole is very good. *SABOTEUR, eh. Robert Cummings, oy.* I can't say I'm big on Bob, either. But I do love the entire vibe of that film. It's basically the American version of *The 39 Steps*. *Oscar Homolka is great in SABOTAGE.* He really is. I just love the "big" scene in that film. It's one of the best in all Hitchdom. *MARNIE and THE BIRDS have their moments.* Not a Tippi fan? *Marnie* is one of the heaviest of Hitch's films. I think it's a very tough watch. But I have come to like it more with repeat viewings. It's another Hitch film that prominently features the male sex drive and the fear it can strike in woman. The mother/daughter relationship is fascinating. I like *The Birds* for the mother/"daughter-in-law" story. *I don't know why NORTH BY NORTHWEST bores me.* Many on this board would say overexposure. Is that why? *FAMILY PLOT does the same.* I think that's what most would say with that film. I really like it, though. I see the couple as being Hitch and Alma. But I will say that Hitch's final two films were "ugly" compared to the "beauty" of most every one of his other films. *Frenzy* and *Family Plot* ain't Cary Grant and Grace Kelly.

Wow! That's a really unique list of Hitch favorites, Bronxie. My analysis? You like the mid-30s to the early-40s. It seems like many people like a certain era of Hitch. But the biggest thing I see with your favorites is that they lean "female" for Hitch. Rebecca is often cited as a Hitch favorite by women. I often see women favoring The Lady Vanishes, Suspicion, and Shadow of a Doubt. Psycho is the one film that doesn't fit, but since you're a horror fan, it makes sense. I'm impressed by your liking Under Capricorn and Jamaica Inn as much as you do. That's a rarity. They have a similar feel to them.

Those are some heavyweights you got there, Movieman. Big-time stars. I like it.

Thank you, Movieman. I did think a little about "J.J. Hunsecker," and I decided he plays as a villain. *Speaking of nasty - it's a small part but for pure meanness I'll add Jack Elam in "Rawhide."* Oooohh, that's a really good one. He's despicable.

*But he turns out to have been a man.* The mummy is a man! He's just a reeeeeeeeeeeealy old man!

*Orson's always fun to watch. He's terrific in* *The Stranger, too.* And those two characters are complete opposites. One is very "loud" while the other is "quiet." Then you have an intellectual villain such as "Harry Lime." *Sometimes, yes. My list would have been too long with them included. I just can't see them as the same category. Godzilla vs Liberty Valance?* Darth Vader!

*Why so shocked about Max? I've always been proper scared of him.* I didn't think he would top the list. He's definitely a physical presence and threat. *That's a nice list, lots of "lethal ladies" on it, which I'm sure CinemAva will appreciate, and many others I should have thought of, like Hank Quinlan. I should have even included Orson Welles from The Third Man and Basil Rathbone in* *Captain Blood and* *The Adventures of Robin Hood. He made a dashing foe for Errol Flynn.* You like the swashy villain, eh? Very classic. "Hank Quinlan" is quite a force. *Now I deliberately refrained from putting any monsters on my list, like the "mummy" or else I would have put Dracula (Bela) and* *The Wolf Man (Lon, jr.).* Monsters make for interesting "villains." Many times they are merely misunderstood or outside the "rule" of Society for one reason or another.

Wow! I'm thoroughly impressed by your list of villains and your write-ups for each. Expertly done, Snippy. I'm absolutely shocked that you listed "Max Cady" as the top villain for you. I would have never guessed that. I would have guessed "Liberty Valance." I'm surprised "Frank" and "Mrs. Iselin" are on your list. My favorite villain list: 1. Kitty March (Joan Bennett in *Scarlet Street* ) 2. Max Cady (Robert Mitchum in *Cape Fear* ) 3. Reverend Harry Powell (Robert Mitchum in *The Night of the Hunter* ) 4. Cabman Gray (Boris Karloff in *The Body Snatcher* ) 5. Mr. Scratch (Walter Huston in *The Devil and Daniel Webster* ) 6. Margot Shelby (Jean Gillie in *Decoy* ) 7. Johnny Prince (Dan Duryea in *Scarlet Street* ) 8. Dr. Mabuse (Rudolf Klein-Rogge in *Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler* ) 9. Mrs. Iselin (Angela Lansbury in *The Manchurian Candidate* ) 10. Bruno Anthony (Robert Walker in *Strangers on a Train* ) 11. J.J. Hunsecker (Burt Lancaster in *Sweet Smell of Success* ) 12. Hank Quinlan (Orson Welles in *Touch of Evil* ) 13. Ben Wade (Glenn Ford in *3:10 to Yuma* ) 14. Raven (Alan Ladd in *This Gun for Hire* ) 15. Ed Cornell (Laird Cregar in *I Wake Up Screaming* ) 16. Im-ho-tep/Ardath Bey (Boris Karloff in *The Mummy* ) 17. Mr. Hyde (Spencer Tracy in *Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde* ) 18. Kathie Moffat (Jane Greer in *Out of the Past* ) 19. Uncle Charlie (Joseph Cotten in *Shadow of a Doubt* ) 20. Elsa Bannister (Rita Hayworth in *The Lady from Shanghai* ) 21. Annie Laurie Starr (Peggy Cummins in *Gun Crazy* ) 22. Diane Tremayne (Jean Simmons in *Angel Face* ) 23. Connie Wallace (Mary Beth Hughes in *The Great Flamarion* ) 24. Woman (Millie Perkins in *The Shooting* ) 25. Irene Neves (Gloria Grahame in *Sudden Fear* )

Ciao, Lively Gal -- *I might be the second one behind JackFavell on that list. I confess (no, that didn't make my list), I've never really been emotionally attached to "REAR WINDOW." I respect it, but its story and Stewart's dilemma doesn’t touch my heart. The voyeurism makes me feel distant to it. Like JackaaaAaaaay said about "Vertigo" I say about "Rear Window" masterful, but my heart...not so much. I liked the sum of its parts rather than the movie as a whole. But I acknowledge it's a great film.* Wow, I'm impressed! Most everyone chooses *Rear Window* over *Vertigo*. But I do like the emotion of *Rear Window*. It flips the sexes. Typically, it's a man who goes out of his way to prove his love for a woman. It's the opposite in *Rear Window*. The man is in a wheelchair, so the woman has to do the physical work. She's the one who places herself in danger for the man. *What would those signals be?* *Vertigo* signifies a seriousness with the viewer, be it intellectual, psychological, or artistic. Basically, *Rear Window* is more for the masses. I expect most to prefer it. If someone doesn't prefer it, it means they are a little different. Anything that makes a person different than the majority, for whatever the reason, is gonna pique my interest. *I would love to see this test. But then again, wouldn't that be a bit of a sticky wicket? WHAT would it say about the person that makes up the test? What would it say about their psyche if the creator of the list posts:* * "LAST TRAIN FROM GUN HILL"* *vs. "3:10 TO YUMA.” instead of "M"* *vs. "METROPOLIS" Isn't the list creator's psyche susceptible to bias? What does say about him...or her?* Remember, I said *Vertigo* is a litmus test film for me . It's my litmus, so it's completely biased to how I learn about people. My litmus test would be completely different than yours and most everyone else's. Still, I can discern about people through the litmus. So, yes, whoever the author of the litmus is gonna have a bias that they use to discern. *I agree (provided the person is being honest and forthright) with that. Now with this gauge, is it hard and fast scientific, is it playful? Will I be judged and doomed and shunned b'cuz my favorite film might be "DETOUR" or* *"MR. SARDONICUS" and not something lofty like* *"TRAIL OF THE LONESOME PINE"?* Only if someone is inclined to do so for those reasons. That's on them, not you. If their goal is to find out if you have taste in film, then I guess you could be vulnerable if they deem what you like to be in horrible taste. *I was going to work on a film a few years ago, and I was looking for an assistant producer. My film was a comedy and I wanted to see if this applicant had a sense of humor...and since my humor and sense of cinema is rooted in classic films, I gave her "THE AWFUL TRUTH" to watch. It's funny, zany and...well you know the movie. She told me it was okay but she didn't really care for it. It wasn't that funny.* *Hmmmmm. That was my litmus test. I couldn't use her. She didn’t "get it."* There ya go! That was a litmus test of your own. And *The Awful Truth* is funny. Very funny. So you're more of a 50/60s Hitch lass and Jackie is more of a 30/40s Hitch lass. That makes sense to me because I believe it matches you both. My Hitch list: 1. Psycho 2. Vertigo 3. Rear Window 4. Strangers on a Train 5. Notorious 6. The 39 Steps 7. North by Northwest 8. Spellbound 9. Shadow of a Doubt 10. Frenzy 11. Rope 12. To Catch a Thief 13. Dial M for Murder 14. Foreign Correspondent 15. The Birds 16. Blackmail 17. Mr. and Mrs. Smith 18. The Lady Vanishes 19. Saboteur 20. The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) 21. Suspicion 22. The Manxman 23. Family Plot 24. Young and Innocent 25. Sabotage 26. I Confess 27. The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934) 28. Marnie 29. Stage Fright 30. Secret Agent 31. The Lodger 32. Topaz 33. Rebecca 34. The Paradine Case 35. Rich and Strange 36. Torn Curtain 37. Lifeboat 38. Number Seventeen 39. Murder! 40. The Wrong Man 41. The Trouble with Harry 42. The Farmer's Wife 43. Under Capricorn 44. The Ring 45. Champagne 46. Easy Virtue 47. Jamaica Inn 48. Waltzes from Vienna 49. Downhill 50. The Skin Game 51. Juno and the Paycock

*THe only other two that I've seen on your list we haven't talked about are* *Man of the World and* *Doubting Thomas. I know why you wouldn't like the latter,* Why do you think I wouldn't like *Doubting Thomas* ? *but I don't really remember much about the Powell/Lombard movie. It was kind of serious, wasn't it? This was before Carole really found her persona.* It starts off as a comedy but it turns dramatic. The ending really surprised me. It really boosted the film, in my estimation. I'd say the film plays like a lesser *Trouble in Paradise*. William Powell is always so very good. He's sensational. Carole is playing a straight character, so she's not very interesting. Wynne Gibson is the female that is interesting. She's playing a "Miriam Hopkins" character.

That's great! It's definitely a "country wagon"; perfect for fishing in Mexico.

*Oh yes, Preston Foster drove it, right? The wood paneling.* Uh-huh, that's it. It's quite a ride for film noir. *There was one also in* *Now, Voyager, if you remember.* I don't remember! Crap! Whose car was it? *It sounds like fun to me. But like in the movie, not like they are now.* If you're gonna wear what Ida wears, let's bowl! *The movie kind of took the easy way out, make the guy out to be a bad guy.* It did. They wanted the "I own you" ending.

*Ha! I actually like the set up, it's one of my attractions to the movie. That ghastly decor, which is so charming because it's of the period. I imagine pictures of cowboys on the dinner plates.* And then there's the vehicle. And, ironically, a similar vehicle is found in *Kansas City Confidential*. Bowling after hours. Amazing. *I figured you'd like Celeste Holm's character. Dear O.Z. Whitehead manned the bar.* I did like Celeste. She was game for anything. *The dialogue exchanges between Lily and Pete pretty much make the whole movie for me, along with the setting.* There's some good energy in the first half. Ida is crackling. *Sometimes I watch the DVD just to laugh at Lily's outrageous wisecracks. She's so funny when Widmark wakes her up too early with breakfast in bed.* She's far from a "morning person." SPOILED AT THE ROAD HOUSE *He's actually rather sweet and I felt sorry for him. It was hard to read whether he went crazy because he's crazy, or because he was spoiled, or because he was just jealous.* I'd say it's because he's spoiled. Still, it does stink when you bring a gal to town and you defend her and speak highly of her to your "partner," who doesn't really like her yet eventually wins her away from you.

*I figured you wouldn't be crazy about* *Road House.* You were right. It's definitely a strange film. A bowling alley/night club... in the woods? Very odd. *I like it for the first half, the ending is not great or doesn't seem to quite live up to the build-up.* I had the same feeling. I enjoyed the burn of Lily (Ida Lupino) and Pete (Cornel Wilde) in the first half of the film. And even though I enjoy seeing Richard Widmark unhinged in the second half, the film becomes too predictable. I didn't like the finish.

It's not about finding what movie you are. It's that we can find out who you are through movies.

*How is it inhumanly possible for a movie maven to spend three harrowing, nerve-wracked hours in Macy's, shopping for bedding and looking at sheets, shams, skirts, duvets and comforters from helpful salesladies who gave me so much information my head swam...when all I wanna do is talk about movies???* Better you than me! Blah! *Just one question...would you explain to me what is meant by "litmus" in the context of films? Thanx.* Simply, a personality test. I think it would be interesting to see a classic film personality test and see how people match up. I always take notice of people's favorites, for I see it as a way to learn a person. Thanks to a message board like this, I can come to learn and understand people through their words. But that takes time. Personality tests are quicker gauges. Like I mentioned before, it's not what we like, it's what's behind what we like.

*Didn't you bring up The Searchers as a litmus in this thread at the beginning of this discussion? I'm all mixed up, I guess.* I did! *The Searchers* vs. *Once Upon a Time in the West* will usually let you know if the viewer is more of a traditional western fan or not. Not always, of course. *So what does each cavalry picture mean, when using them as a litmus?* For me, the test is with *Rio Grande*, since most people rarely mention that one as their favorite. If I see that someone chooses that one, I take notice. Naming the other two is more the norm. I find *Rio Grande* to be the most romantic of the three. *Fort Apache* is the stronger and darker of the three. *She Wore a Yellow Ribbon* is the sentimental, mature one.

*I see. So with Ford, I definitely would pick* *The Searchers, but with Hitch it's hard for me.* With Ford, I always find the "cavalry" trilogy as a good starter litmus test. I'm not sure what kind of litmus can be found with *The Searchers*. One I've noticed is Laurie Jorgensen, though. She's a great litmus. *I would pick* *Vertigo - it's truly a masterpiece. However, it is not an easy film for me to watch... and I have to admit that I dislike the characters. It's disturbing to me on a profound level, not in the way I like to be disturbed. My brain says it's amazing, but my heart.....not so much. I was never a fan of* *Rear Window, but it is growing on me recently.* Wow! You're the only classic film fan I've encountered who wasn't a fan of *Rear Window*. The entire reason behind the comparison is that *Rear Window* is more mainstream (easy to watch) and *Vertigo* is psychological (demanding to watch). If someone prefers *Vertigo*, that will send off some signals with me. *For years, before I saw Vertigo, I liked* *Strangers on a Train, then* *Shadow of a Doubt. Now I think Shadow edges out Strangers.* Both are big favorites of mine, but *Strangers on a Train* is one of the very first Hitch films I liked the most. *But as for favorite to watch, I might pick something like* *Mr. and Mrs. Smith or* *The Trouble with Harry.* *The Trouble with a Harry* is usually a litmus film with Hitch. I'm not that crazy about it but I've seen many on this board who list it as a favorite. I've always taken these people to like the "lighter side." This applies to you, since one of your favorite genres is comedy. *So my Hitch picks would be all over the place, and I might just be stubborn and rebellious in picking his comedies rather than the deep spiral of Vertigo....* I'm sure that's part of it. But I do believe you prefer comedy, overall. *I think in the end, when the dust has settled, I am a* *Shadow of a Doubt girl. Does that make me a Mary Ann? * You're definitely a Mary Ann. I think most gals are.

For me, it's not what they like but what's behind what they like. One can say, "I like Hitchcock," but then there's more to be found. Hence my saying *Rear Window* vs. *Vertigo*.

*It's definitely not a film for men. Hawks inverts everything. The men may be gawking but they are the "objects" of pursuit.* Well, sort of. The object of pursuit isn't always man. *I think Marilyn is hilarious, and she and Jane make a great team. Jane's great at the wise cracks.* Marilyn has some good moments, to be sure. I thought Jane was on top of her game. And I did like them as a team. I liked a couple of the naughty moments. *Did you spot Harry Carey, Jr.?* Oh, heck no.

*So how did you handle* *Gentlemen Prefer Blondes? Just about the only MM "biggie" left for you is* *Some Like it Hot.* Movieman was right, it's sleazy! Just kidding. I still get a kick out of his calling it "sleazy." That's great! I didn't hate *Gentlemen Prefer Blondes*, but I can't say there was anything that was "me" in the film, in terms of entertainment. I thought Marilyn was adorable and I once again fell for Jane, but the overall story just doesn't do much for me.

*Alas, in my dreams. I WISH I could be "Ginger". I'm afraid except for being blonde, I'm a Mary Ann. I even bake pies. * I can't see you dressing like Mary Ann, Ginger! Even your personality seems to be more like Ginger. But, you're right, Ginger wouldn't be baking pies. *My favorite episode is the one with the dueling "Gingers". Remember when the mousy "double" showed up and Ginger taught her to walk and dress and she tried to take over Ginger's place entirely? I loved that one!* I vaguely remember that. It's been so long since I watched an episode. I do like the show. *Yes, the cute little scenes with the animals harkens straight back to Ava's wonderful rapport with the baby elephant and baby rhino. That's when you know a girl is ok, when animals like her. * Are you talking about rats liking you? *Really?? Yet you mention the French girl, who is more in the background, I'd say. I just like Elsa's style. But it would have been more fun with Maureen!* The French lass is definitely in the background. And Maureen would have slapped the heck out of the Duke. *Oh, I think I get it..Elsa's skinny and a brunette and the French girl is voluptuous and a blonde! No wonder you noticed her more!* I thought Michele was sweeter and looked like Ingrid Bergman. I'm gonna fall for that most every time. *Don't you remember when butterT and I used to post screencaps of the ephalents from this movie every time you made us mad??* Oh, I definitely remember that. But the elephants are chasing after their "mommy"! They're not coming after me! *I never can consider TQM a "comedy", it's more fantasy and romance to me, as you say.* There's a lot of comedy in the film, it's just not my kind of comedy. But I do laugh at some things, such as the lady with the stick. *I wonder if you'll like A Lady Takes a Chance. I don't think Wayne is really funny in that one...it's all Jean's show, but It's my favorite JW comedy. Just seeing her trying to make him a steak dinner cracks me up.* I'm sure I'd like it since I really enjoy Jean Arthur.