FrankGrimes

*I'll say! I don't think I ever saw her so thin. sometimes her face reminds me of Ava.* Oh, you think? *The shootout with the cops is silly. Raoul Walsh should have directed this.* How Rico (Lee J. Cobb) is foiled is very silly. *Yes, the middle is the weakest part. I also didn't care for the trip around Europe part, that was unnecessary.* I don't remember the European trip. *I like him best playing sarcastic guys like Johnny Eager or* *Rogue Cop.* I've yet to see either of those films. I thought he was good in *Devil's Doorway*, *Westward the Women*, and *The Bribe.* *He's a movie star, not an actor's actor.* Definitely. *I was surprised to read that Nicholas Ray seemed to like working with him, from what I remember. He wasn't as flattering about most actors.* Probably because he's a movie star and not an actor! *Roses are known for their thorns as much as their beauty. You want to do what she does to them, rubs her cheeks against them sensually, but usually that would scratch up and scar your face. It seems to foreshadow the threat that comes later, to scar her face with acid. There's beauty in her newfound love, but thorns to reckon with as well.* Very good! It sounds like you have experience with hugging roses. I don't remember exactly the context of that scene, though. Could you help me out with that? *I wonder if Nick Ray saw this photo session:* What's that all about? *Some extravagant praise for Party Girl here:* *Jonathan Rosenbaum really puts it best when he calls PARTY GIRL one of (Rays) most affecting love stories. A flamboyant poem in delirious color and 'Scope that is treated with a mixture of violence and lyricism unique to Ray. Taylor and Charisse have never been better, and rarely has Ray's theme of two flawed individuals trying to strike a symmetrical balance achieved a more beautiful and convulsive expression. 1958, NR, 99min, 35mm "Ray's handling of color and Scope is as masterful as everideas and emotions are transformed into stunning visuals. Time Out (London)* I first became aware of *Party Girl* because of Rosenbaum. He's the reason why I wanted to see it. The characters are more interesting than the story. I can't say I went for the color, although the reds are very memorable.

*That's it! She is some scary pent up old maid type in his mind, then he hears how she is good looking and all that from Tony Randall, and he decides to 'get to know her better'.* And that still rings true today. *In her mind, he's this debauched weak playboy type... unprincipled, rude, and ready to have a fling with 'bad girls' in order to satiate himself.* And she's pretty much right about him! She thinks it's ridiculous that these other "weaker" women fall for such a phony. Yet, she ends up doing the same. So both are challenged by the other. It's a really good formula, even in life. *Both ideas are kind of outmoded, even at the time the movie was made.* I actually think it's very much the same today. Both sexes have this built-in idea of how the other is going to be. What's changed is that women today are more "giving." The challenge is gone. *It is funny to me, I always stayed away from the film because of the first five minutes or so, I hated to see Doris cut down for being rather chaste. I am glad I watched the whole thing finally, because it really is poking a little fun at both sides.* Oh, really? I love seeing Doris get those "pies in the face." And a big reason why is because we just know she's going to get the last laugh. *I still like Lover Come Back, I think it makes the same points, just does it a little better.* The ending to *Lover Come Back* is something that lowers the film for me. *No, I mean I was in Send Me No Flowers. I played Doris' role. I'd love to see it with people who can really act. * Wow! That's impressive! Now I'm trying to think of you as Doris. MADELEINE IS SPOILED *Ah, OK. I didn't really get the Wuthering Heights connection.* It's a mix of "Romeo and Juliet" and "Wuthering Heights." Her true love is a Frenchman and her father would never approve of him. The switch is the man dies here. Suicide or murder? *I really, really like her. I hope you got to record some of her movies with Joel McCrea this last week...* *Bed of Roses is really good and I haven't seen the others yet, but I'm going to sit down and have a little Constance filmfest.* Wow, I didn't know you liked her that much. I've been trying to record Connie movies for the past two years, actually. I believe *Topper* is the first I've watched. Which movie of hers would you say is the one I'd like the most? *She's insouciant, elegant, and somehow kind of down to earth all at the same time. Comfortable in her own skin. You don't get the idea she'd like to be anyone else. She's kind of like royalty, with a relaxed air about her, which puts other people at their ease. However, I also get the idea that she held back on her smarts in public. Gosh, If I were a man, I might hate to have her size me up at a glance. I imagine that she had far more sense than men really wanted to see in her. I bet she could cut you so easily with a word, had she wished. She definitely has that same humor that Joanie has, but Joanie is more approachable. I think Connie would have been equally content had she not been an actress. It seemed to make little difference to her to be in Hollywood. She couldn't care less.* That was nicely said. I definitely noticed the "comfortable in her own skin" that you speak of. And I was certainly attracted to that. She seemed to be a mix of Myrna and Carole to me, but a little more out of reach than either of them. With me, I tend to like the blondes who are "above it all." *Oh well. I haven't watched it for some time, and I seem to remember that the music was intrusive. This is one of those movies where most prints are really bad. It can be distracting, and I think also with those bad prints, there is bad sound as well, which makes it impossible to enjoy. Levels are screwed up as well as making it hard to hear the dialogue. Maybe you'd like Young in Heart better. Yes, I definitely think so. "The Flying Wombat! Car of the Future!"* Maybe I'll watch *Young in Heart* next. *I thought she was very Joan, but with a twist. You are right that anyone could have played this part, but frankly, I thought Joanie was superb. I completely believed her and felt for her.* I think that's great! I'm gonna have to watch it again. *Yes, That's what I loved about it - the irony and humor. Even the signs cracked me up:* I don't even remember that! *I liked that it was far-fetched, but then they made it work anyway. I loved how intensively he studied his mark, and to what lengths he went to mimic him, and that they showed you every step in the process. Except, oops! One little mistake.... :DBut I can see your points. I felt it all worked, because of the direction. It really knocked me out.* You make an interesting point about the far-fetched working for you. It's almost like a horror film, in this regard. Since it made such an impression on you, I really do need to watch it. I'll try to do so tonight.

*You're right, though Cyd's acting is a little better at the end.* Right. It's her character arc that becomes less and less interesting. *She is an amazing looking woman. She's about 37 when this movie was made. Such a disciplined dancer, I love that.* Yes, her figure is quite disciplined. *I do like the movie overall, but it is flawed. I thought the movie dragged, lacked a certain tension. They made these gangster type movies tighter in the 1930s.* I completely agree. I always cringe when it's prison time and then the courtroom. That's usually a drag with me. And then the ending is just silly to me. *It looked to me like Ray ignored Cyd entirely. She's not giving much with her expressions and that kind of stiffness signals to me the director didn't know what to do with her or didn't bother. She's extremely lovely, and I thought the hardness in the beginning was very good, suitable to a girl like that who was smarter than the average dancer, but other times she seemed to be modeling the gorgeous clothes rather than acting. Joan Fontaine did the exact same thing in Born to be Bad, so I think Nick Ray was not the type to guide actresses he had no affinity for.* You probably have something there. I thought the film was far more interesting early on when Cyd was the focus. I was then into the relationship between Cyd and Robert. But then it became all about "Tommy" (Robert Taylor) and the film faded for me. *Taylor, on the other hand, is very good in the last scenes when he shows fear for Vicki's safety and tries to cajole Ricco (Cobb).* Taylor was an actor I wasn't looking forward to watching because I thought he was the epitome of a cardboard lead. I've come to like him more often than not. I don't think he's great, but I usually find him to be good. I'd say *Party Girl* is one of my favorite performances by him.

*Finally got* *Party Girl from Netflix and I'm watching it now.* All right! *So far I like it even better than I remember!* I thought the beginning of the film is when it's at its best. *I love how Cyd told Taylor off for his preaching to her.* Of course you do, Vicki! *And she looks so great in those clothes.* Cyd does look really good in the film. But, then again, she usually does look good. *He looks good too, much more attractive to me than when he was younger.* I thought his impediment helped to humanize him.

*Yikes! I'm going to bed... there was a big ugly spider on the wall behind my computer and desk. I tried to mash him in a napkins and he fell behind there and I'm not sticking around waiting for him to crawl up my leg! Eeeek!* Women! And how cute!

*I agree. Hudson is like a ridiculous simon legree of womanizing. He's just about the chase. A woman's nightmare of what a womanizer would be. Ha!* Precisely. He's the big, bad wolf. *The movie is really smart about that. They skewer poor Doris, and you think, WELL. How dare they imply that Doris is just uptight and thinking about sex all the time! But then they turn around and make Rock look pretty bad too....his foibles are played for laughs just as much. And really if you look at it, he's freeing her and she's freeing him, they both have their misconceptions. This is what happens in the real world. People don't always fit stereotypes. Everyone is different.* Very true. We're all individuals who happen to belong to bigger groups. If you get to meet people on an individual basis, you can learn where they are typical or atypical. *You worded it just perfectly. He plays it up so much! He just goes SO far out there, playing to every evil stereotype she has in her mind. I thought it was really funny how he played her - first saying that Rex was just trying to get her into his apartment (for the view), then the part with him being a mama's boy. Then following through enough to make her doubt Rex for a minute! That's genius.* You hit the nail on the head: "in her mind." The fears of both man and woman are being shown with Doris and Rock, particularly sexual ones. All of us paint a picture before we have any of the paint. We let are preconceptions lead the way until we start to learn some facts. This is why I love being wrong about people. Well, unless I think better of a person only to find it's not true. *They are both screwed up. just like all of us I guess.* Just being lead by their judgments and fears. *Nope, I haven't seen any others, but maybe a smidge of Send me No Flowers. I do know the story of that one though because I was in the play.* You were in "Teacher's Pet" ? I hope you can watch the movie some time. I think it's fantastic. *You mean the haunted house approach to the story at the beginning?* No. I mean the dumping your true love because of reasons other than love. *Ah. That's too bad. I can understand those problems. It seems like it is going to be about Connie and Cary, but then it goes off with Topper. Personally, I think there is almost nothing funnier than Topper walking around all floppy. * He's floppy, all right. *Connie is a darling, and no one looks better in an evening gown.* Boy, you're right about that. She's truly elegant. *I like the idea of the whole movie, that this man needs freeing by the two drunken ghosts who have no inhibitions, maybe they should have a few. I love the way the stodgy women's group end up liking him BETTER when they think he is exciting and has been cutting up and doing naughty things. You might as well not worry about what people think of you. Billie Burke cracks me up, with her fluttering and worrying about underwear. And I love Alan Mowbray as the butler.* I absolutely love the theme, of course. That definitely works for me. And I really love Billie and her underwear. How wonderful. It's just how the film is told just wore on me. When a comedy becomes a tedious watch for me, that's troublesome. *I'm really shocked. I thought it was really good, and one of the things I liked best was Joan's character, since she's a bit different in the end from her usual femme fatales. She's just a woman who is close to the edge of giving up.* I found Joan to be mostly uninteresting and a side show. And I'm crazy about Joan. She didn't seem to be "Joan" to me. *I do understand about Paul Henreid... he can be so snooty that it's hard to like him, but he softened up when he met her. I also guess it's weird that his brother doesn't have any accent....* I really didn't like the plot of the film and how it all unfolds. It's definitely on the "far-fetched" side of the aisle. I did like the irony. It was very "Alfred Hitchcock Presents," a show that Paul Henreid directed quite often. Maybe I should revisit it. Maybe I had high expectations because of Joan.

*I warned you! I wish I could remember what Mitchum said about it and how bad it was. Something hilarious and mean.* He was right! He's stuck in a boring role in a weak film. *I find myself watching it whenever it's on. I like the first half best, after that it's predictable. Maybe I"m just fascinated by how strange the cast is. Yet I can't say I don't like it or enjoy it on a superficial level.* What I liked best was Kate's feeling inadequate. And that's the point of the film. Looks can be deceiving. She's all worried about fitting in, being accepted by "Mr. Wonderful" and his world, when she's the only sane one. Well, except for her brother-in-law.

*i remember now about the gas station. it's a very commonplace plot but the performers make it fun for me.* Very much so. It's definitely shorthand for the blue collar, honest man. Not much money with him. *why the sigh?* I wanted the film to be more and it fell woefully short for me. *i agree mitchum is the most interesting thing in the movie yet he's just kind of there, hovering.* He's definitely the "Third Man." *it's not a bad movie, just not great.* I thought it was rather poor. It's in my bottom twenty for 40s films.

Hey there, Briny Marlin! -- *I like Rock Hudson playing the ladies man so much, because, like Cary Grant, he inhabits this completely unreal world where every woman falls for him. All he has to do is walk in a room, and they get a smile on their faces. it's hilarious! I like that he goes SO far over and above what any other womanizing man would do... he's a complete cartoon.* That's really good! I definitely love "cartoon characters." I'm always drawn to them in comedies. In dramas, they are horrible. I do love the womanizer he plays because he's exactly the kind of man so many women hate, especially the characters Doris Day plays in these films. *And yet, then when he meets Doris, the process of wooing her changes him, because it's so difficult.* He does change some, but he also loves the entire "game." He's the one who knows the truth and this gives him a major advantage. Until the gig is up. Then he's in trouble. But when Rock is holding all the cards, he revels in it. He plays it up so darn much. It's hilarious. The entire idea of his looking to "bed" Doris just kills me. *Hudson is so funny, in a role I would usually hate. I wanted to hate him, but he's like a big kid, you can't hate him when he's so boyish and charming. That's the appeal to me of Rock Hudson, he's just so disarming, literally disarming with Doris.. when they are in the restaurant, talking and laughing, that to me is the real Rock coming out, the one who liked to laugh, and it's so contagious and handsome, and it makes you like him instinctively*. He really is disarming. That's a great word for him. I love the insecurity that is shown by both Rock and Doris in these films. I love the clash of the oversexed man and the prudish woman. *Now that I've seen a few sixties Doris comedies here's my ranking:* *Lover Come Back* *The Thrill of It All* *Pillow Talk* *Please Don't Eat the Daisies* That's it? I would have thought you had seen them all. So you haven't seen *Teacher's Pet* ? *I don't like Madeleine, it's too cold and too unresolved, and I dislike Ann Todd in pretty much everything I've seen her in.* Awwwwww, poor, icy Ann! I pretty much fell for her in *The Passionate Friends*. I wasn't into her too much in *Madeleine* . It was the entire "Wuthering Heights" deal that I didn't like, mainly. *Tell me about* *Topper. So you disliked it? Or didn't like it as much as anything else on your list?* I wasn't too crazy about it despite my finding Connie Bennett to be darling. I just couldn't get into any of the story. I didn't like following Cosmo (Roland Young) around. For some reason, the music bothered me in the film, too. I don't know why. Billie Burke is cute. *Frankie, MissG and Maven, and any others who like a good noir story:* *I watched a little movie I think you would really like.* *The Scar (alternate titles* *Hollow Triumph and *The Man Who Murdered Himself*) , with Paul Henreid and Joan Bennett.* *I really loved it! I like Paul as a villain, he's infinitely more interesting that way. His villains are usually deluded with exaggerated self importance and overweening pride. I think he had a thing about twins or doppelgangers, too... first he made this movie, in which he plays a con man/robber who finds his lookalike, and then later he directed Dead Ringer with Bette Davis. This one has some visuals that are striking because John Alton was the DP. I hope you can put this on your list to watch. It's on Netflix for streaming.* I watched this one about two years ago. I definitely wanted to see it because of Joanie being in a film noir. The film ended up falling flat for me. I didn't go for Paul Henreid. I also didn't like Joan's character.

*There's a lesson? I really need to watch it again, it's been a while. I just remember liking Chester and Carole together. Nat's always fun.* Carole is playing you! :p May (Carole) is playing a woman who just goes where the money is. She doesn't love the guys, she just wants their money. "Office Boy" (Chester Morris) is similar to her in that he does the dirty work for the mobsters just for the money. His dream is to own his gas station, if I remember correctly. By the end of the film, May is no longer worried about the money. She even gives the money away. *That just leaves Undercurrent for me, which I warned you was underwhelming.* Sigh. Robert Mitchum is very interesting in the film, but he's mostly in the background. Kate is all right. Robert Taylor annoyed me. And then the ending to this one is on the ludicrous side. It seems like the late-40s featured a lot of these "who did I really marry" films.

*At least he got to be chief! * How did that work out for him?! *He played A LOT of them.* Don't I know it. *And you haven't even seen The Story of Dr Wassel, have you?* No, not yet. The title makes the film seem boring as heck. *You didn't like The Gay Bride? I thought it was fun.* I liked the lesson of the film and Chester Morris. And Carole Lombard was all right. I liked when Nat Pendleton was around. But once he leaves, the film loses its way.

*Poor Woody!* I know it's poor Woody. He was stuck playing an indian chief. *That's a good point about TRG. It was definitely in that vein of movies.* Is Coop always a doctor?

*I like that one better than you but I admit mostly for the performers. I don't really remember the ending too well.* Sean squares off against Woody Strode. It's so darn anti-climactic. *You didn't care for The Real Glory? I rather enjoyed it but it's not first rate.* It's a lesser version of *Gunga Din*. I also greatly prefer *The Lives of a Bengal Lancer*, which is also rather similar.

*I don't care for it, either. I don't really like Ann Todd.* I like her. But the story just wasn't to my liking. It's a rather tedious watch. The setting doesn't help with that. *How about Shalako?* I was disappointed in it. Brigitte Bardot is cute (but nothing more) and Sean Connery is compelling, but the story is rather "blah." The ending is really bad.

*What about* *Madeleine?* I wanted to like it but the story just didn't do a thing for me. I guess it's a spin on Wuthering Heights. I really didn't like many of the characters, although I could associate with Emile (Ivan Desny).

*When Claudette first meets Gable she calls him Sir Modred because, though he looks like a knight in shining armour, he was actually the villainous knight.* Oh, now I get it. Gable plays a great "Sir Modred."

*I liked the "Sir Modred" bit.* I can't even remember that! I know it's mentioned but I don't remember the context. *I also agree it needed some trimming and tightening. It reminds me somewhat of Pittsburgh in the story.* It's very much the same story, you are right about that. I thought *Boom Town* was more entertaining. *What about Hedy?* I was very surprised by her character. I thought she was pretty good in her small role. She's quite the contrast to Claudette.

*So* *In Old Kentucky ranked higher than* *Boom Town? * I liked them about the same. I mostly enjoyed both. Will is always so wonderful. He's such a great watch. Will's films are typically formulaic, but since he's the primary ingredient, I usually like them. I thought Ezra Martingale (Charles Sellon) and his shotgun was funny. The "blackface" bit was an uncomfortable watch, although Will's dancing was impressive. *Boom Town* was a game of ping pong that wore on me a bit. Thankfully, I was crazy about Spencer Tracy. He was excellent. "Square John" is now one of my favorite characters of his. Gable and Tracy formed a great connection. They are so different. I almost always associate with Spence. Well, except for when he's religious. Then I'm with "****."

*I actually think it's easier for women (and men) today in this brave new 21st century world, because the "coldness" of all this rapidly expanding "science-fiction" technology makes the "old-fashioned", traditional, vive la difference virtues sort of a biological necessity, lol.* It's definitely a cold, self-absorbed world today. And if you have kids, good luck. It's not easy. *I'm not sure how "confused" we all are nowadays about our gender roles (maybe 30 years ago) but certain segments of our society still have very rigid "guidelines" which I think are detrimental to the individual and family life, you know, all this "retro" fantasizing about the "ideal" nuclear family of the 1950's; the "Hi, honey, I'm home!" scenario.* I love the "Hi, honey, I'm home!" world! It's just that I have a modernized view of that. But Woman is definitely out of the bag. There's no going back. I'm all for that. But everything in life is cause and effect. *But it's still the same old story, men will continue to be confused about What Women Really Want, and women will always be searching for the sensitive Marlboro Man.* I completely agree. We are so very different. I love that, too. And, from what I've gathered, the women of today don't know what they really want, either. That's a big problem of today. Men are becoming the more content sex. *Check out THE SHINING. You'll either be horrified or feel the tug of recognition, ha!* It's my favorite horror film of all-time, and now I have a new way to look at it in my next viewing. That's fantastic!

*I think I get what you're saying, that basically women want a combination of Alan Alda and a caveman.* Maybe not that drastic. But many women want a man of action, a "take charge" kind of guy. A man with confidence. A "Wilson." But where it gets so tricky nowadays is that if a man takes too much charge or does so in some sort of wrong way or shows too much confidence, he can be hammered for it. This creates an unsure man. Many women want to be modern but they also wish for a lot of the traditional. They are caught "in between." I always say that the women of today have it the toughest. They are expected to do a lot. And the societal stresses of today are far greater. It's not easy being a woman today. I have found all the different kinds of women I have met on this board to be truly fascinating. The similarities and differences of the group has been quite a learning experience for me. *You know, I actually felt sorry for Jack in THE SHINING, where the burden of what it means to be a man, "head" of the household, the "provider", what society expects out of him in taking care of his family, was frighteningly explored.* Really? I didn't even know the film was about that. That's really interesting. And it definitely makes sense. There is a pressure to providing. Many women today are now the providers and are wearing both hats. It's funny how both men and women sometimes feel completely trapped by the traditional roles. Many are running from them.

*Thanks, Frank, but, uh-oh, lol, what are you really saying about your perception of women in general? Please elaborate.* Women want men to be strong but only in certain ways and at certain times. Women want to have power with many things but then there are many things they don't wish for that power. So women of today are often caught in between two worlds. *And, in this same vein, does your "family man" self relate to Jack Nicholson in THE SHINING?* Oh, absolutely. He's my role model.

*I don't expect to care for them. Except for Charles Boyer, Yves Montand and Jean Gabin, French actors don't do a thing for me. I like many of the actresses, but very few of the actors.* They are very cold, selfish, and unexciting in the first two films. *I'm glad you like Rita. I am always drawn to the movies where she shows some of herself, her vulnerability. To me she was unique of all the glamour girls, until Marilyn, in that aspect. Most of the others projected confidence but rarely fragility like she did. It humanizes her amazing beauty.* You've got it. She has a great vulnerability to her. There's a lot of "girl" with her, just like Marilyn. She captivates me. *You might find yourself enjoying her musicals with Astaire, believe it or not. She's so adorable in them, and do you know that Fred said, incredibly given how much he liked and respected Ginger, that Rita was his favorite dance partner?* Now that's shocking. I'm definitely curious to see Rita with Fred. Ginger seems to be the playful type. She also seems like a "regular" girl, a girl many other girls can associate with. Rita exudes a different kind of presence. She's definitely a "bombshell."

*I think of The Awful Truth and My Favorite Wife always in tandem. I even confuse scenes from each. The characters are very similar. And I remember you liked Gail Patrick in* *My Man Godfrey. She plays a similar lady in MFW. I feel more sorry for her than I did for Polly Bergen in the remake. * I do like Gail Patrick. She's a really good selling point for *My Favorite Wife*. I hope they ship the box set soon. *That all sounds good. I Love Paris...* You'll hate the men. I don't like any of the guys. *I can't really comment on Pandora's Box since I have only seen it once too long ago, but did you like it better than the other Lulu movie,* *Diary of a Lost Girl or less?* I'm with Jackie with this one. *Pandora's Box* is stylish but the story is very weak. It doesn't compare to *Diary of a Lost Girl*. I really didn't care for too many of the characters. *How about Affair in Trinidad, I guess you agree it's no* *Gilda.* It's a lesser *Notorious* to me. What I've come to realize is that I'm really drawn to Rita. She's always so good. She's so very alluring. I was tantalized by her in this one. And I definitely like Glenn Ford's kind of moody, brooding man.

*It's very similar to* *The Awful Truth, both very funny. Grant's jealousy is very funny.* It's that good? Really? I'm looking forward to seeing it, now. *They sound interesting. I just hope they're not depressing.* There's nothing depressing about any of the films I've seen. The first two tales are about how men and women come to meet, mostly. The second one features male snobbery. It's really interesting. The first tale is about the fear of meeting and rejection. Charlotte and Her Steak is an experimental short. There's nothing to it. You get to see Jean-Luc Godard, though. *Nadja in Paris* is pretty much a Parisian "postcard." It's like a short documentary.

*You should see "My Favorite Wife." At a minimum you get a young Randolph Scott. At best you get a funny Cary Grant and Irene Dunne.* *It's fun.* I did order the box set it's in on Sunday night, but it's a first-time seller and they haven't sent it yet. Hopefully I get it and I don't lose all my money.