FrankGrimes

*1. A Night in Casablanca* This has been my favorite Marx Brothers film, thus far. I thoroughly enjoyed Harpo. He really puts on a show. I thought his physicality was excellent. I've come to really like his "charades." I thought it was hilarious at the end when Groucho and Chico revived the Nazi pilot only to have Harpo knock him unconscious again. *2. Warlock* I really liked this one. I just loved the messy stories. Many characters in the film mattered. This person loves that person while this person loves that one. The loyalties and motivations are everywhere. It's such a complex western. *3. The Passionate Friends* I loved the emotions in the film. I was captivated by the imagery of thoughts. The entire idea of loving someone else while being committed to another is interesting. I'd say *Brief Encounter* is a working class kind of film whereas *The Passionate Friends* is ritzy. And, surprisingly, I prefer the ritzy. It's probably because I really liked Ann Todd. *4. A Streetcar Named Desire* Ah, Blanche. She's the kind of woman that can drive a man insane but you still love her. As a man, I can see how frustrating it would be to have her live with you, but that Stanley is mighty cruel. Tennessee Williams mesmerizes me. *5. Picnic at Hanging Rock* Sex as a horror film. Captivating. Love the mysticism of the film. This is another "messy, haunted" film. Everything is beneath surface. It's very unnerving. *6. Desire Me* A very pleasant surprise for me. I would have never guessed a Greer Garson film would be this screwy. But it is. Yet another "messy, haunted" film. *7. The Long, Hot Summer* You star in this one, Fordy Guns! Paul Newman could seemingly play these kind of characters in his sleep. He's really good. I was a little annoyed by Clara (Joanne Woodward) at the outset, but I started to warm to her. She started to come to life. I was expecting Will (Orson Welles) to be more disagreeable, but he's nothing like this. I like how Ben gets on Clara. He's tough on her. *8. Comanche Station* A very solid Boetticher/Scott western. It was the two twists in the film that really elevated the film for me. *9. Seven Sinners* This one is very enjoyable. Marlene Dietrich is really good in the film, as usual. And the supporting cast is superb. Oskar Homolka, Broderick Crawford, and Mischa Auer are terrific. As Movieman pointed out, John Wayne is muted in this film, though. I believe this is a "Jackie" film. I hope she gives it a look. *10. The Bribe* A very good cast really elevates this escapist flick. It's pretty entertaining. Robert Taylor does a nice job as the protagonist. Ava plays mostly sweet, and I like her that way. Charles Laughton is the most interesting character in the film. He's really good. *11. The Ace of Hearts* A Lon Chaney silent that features a secret society that has chosen to off "the man who has lived too long." It's not an elaborate film, but the triangle element to the film and, of course, Chaney's classic role in such a triangle makes it rather interesting. *12. Party Girl* I thought it was interesting that this film is really a gangster flick. I wasn't expecting that. I liked how Robert Taylor was dealing with a physical impediment. It really added an important dimension to his character and the film. I came to like Vicki's (Cyd Charisse) character as the story progressed. She was definitely awakened. Cyd was quite alluring. *13. Pat and Mike* This one is mostly silly but I did like it whenever Collier (William Ching) showed up. I just loved his "supportive" boyfriend words of encouragement to Pat (Kate Hepburn). It killed me. All I could think of was how infuriated Jackie would be with such a man. Spence didn't do too much for me in this one. I liked Kate the most. *14. Secrets of a Soul* A Freudian German Expressionistic film. I loved all of the Freudian stuff, especially the visuals. What I didn't like was the hand-holding of the audience with explanations of what's going on. I would have liked it more if we were left to figure it all out ourselves or have the film be surrealistic. Still, it's an intriguing film. *15. Angels with Dirty Faces* Loved James Cagney's character in this one. It's probably the character of his I have the liked the most, thus far. I also liked Ann Sheridan, at least in the first half of the film. What I didn't like was the ending and the Dead End Kids. That really lowered the film for me. *16. Life Begins at Forty* I'm not sure any performer brings a smile to my face more than Will Rogers. He can be in the most ordinary of films and I'll still like it because of him. *17. Penelope* I didn't know Natalie Wood was this sexy! This is a breezy robbery film about a wife seeking the attention of her banker husband, so there isn't much substance here. But the good news is that Natalie Wood shines. It's her film, all the way. Plus you get Peter Falk playing "Columbo" before Columbo. I wasn't into the film at the start, but I ended up liking it by the end. *18. Frisco Jenny* A good Wellman flick about a mother's sacrifice. My criticism of the film is that it passes through time mighty quickily. We lose the middle years of Jenny (Ruth Chatterton). But the time we do spend with Jenny is worthwhile. A very good performance by Ruth. *19. Night Nurse* Barbara and Joan are fun to peep, I mean, watch, but the story just goes downhill, to me. The film feels like a comedy but then it becomes a drama about saving a child. Strange. But I guess the 30s did have its share of genre-mixes. I just wasn't into it. Poor Clark. *20. The Winning of Barbara Worth* I found this "triangle" film to be rather ordinary. I liked seeing Ronald Colman in a film like this, but I just couldn't get into it. *21. Before I Hang* Boris Karloff stars as a scientist who has been convicted for killing a man who tried his serum to reverse aging. Karloff eventually takes the serum himself and it starts to work with him. The only problem is, the blood transfusion he uses is from a killer who is executed and he starts to take on his tendencies. Because of this, the film comes off a little like *Mad Love*, but it's nowhere near as good. Karloff is on the docile side, for the most part. *22. The Kiss Before the Mirror* I really like the opening of the film. It's very stylish. It definitely pulls you in. From there, the film becomes more of a courtroom flick. That didn't sit well with me. I will say that it was rather interesting to see Frank Morgan as the protagonist. I didn't know he played leads. *23. A Star Is Born* I'm just not into the Hollywood scene and I didn't care for the primary characters. I couldn't grab onto anything. *24. Shall We Dance* I liked Fred the most in the film. I didn't think Ginger did all that much. I didn't really like the story of a phony marriage. *25. Flesh and the Devil* The good news is that I liked Garbo. Once again, she played well with me. She's been right on. What I didn't like was the story and the male leads, John Gilbert and Lars Hanson. I also didn't like the ending.

*I'd really love to hear Goddess' views on all this.* You just wish to see me slapped! *They seem like it at first though.* You're right, they do. They are hurting so much that they take it out on each other. That's definitely George and Martha. *how true. Scott can't be a man without the complicated part - doesn't it seem in noir like a certain dysfunction happens with the men? They can't perform without a certain component of complication? I am only just realizing the metaphor.* Most film noir protagonists are chasing something they feel will make their life better. It's really a "genre" about dashed hopes. It's very much tragedy. I love it so. *Well yeah, if I see a movie is over 2 hours, well... that makes me put it off usually. I try not to look at the running time when I check out a film. Sometimes finding more than two spare hours in a day is hard.* Being a wife and a mother is a full-time job, without a doubt. You could do like Quiet Gal does and lock the husband and kid in the closet. *I still think it's not just chemical then, but something spiritual. As earthy as Peggy is, they find something in one another that alleviates the pain, and I am sure it is understanding, not just body heat.* Oh, now I see what you're saying. Yes, I agree with you. There's a spiritual connection between Scott and Peggy. "Kindred spirits." Or is that kindling spirits? *like Squirrels to the nuts!* Nuts ot the squirrels! *Peggy has understanding. She's seen it all already. Whether that's a good thing, I don't know. but it lends a depth that Eve can't possibly match, except by her altruism and loyalty.* That's good. Peggy is exposed while Eve is sheltered. *Which adds up to more? Probably the actions. Plain understanding can only go so far if it isn't backed up by actions.* It really is a personal thing and where you are in your life. Some men and women love dependability and loyalty whereas others need stimulation. *Eve has shown she will do for Scott. Despite her waver at the beginning of the movie. I think Scott was surprised that Eve didn't really need him. She's pretty modern too, at least at the start of the film.* That's interesting. You're right, there is a modernity to Eve.

*Well, like you say, I was constantly shifting my emotions all around, from character to character. I didn't want to like Tod, but I did in the end. The same with Peggy. And yet, there is a case to be made that Tod and Peggy were just users, who drew different people into their orbit and then spit them out after they were done with them. Like Martha and George in Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf. Very much like them.* That's a really good comparison! Although, I don't think they wished to tear each other down like George and Martha do. Talk about naked! But Scott does find himself in their world. That's a nightmare on top of a nightmare. Complicated versus simple. Peggy is complicated and Eve is simple. We humans sometimes make our lives worse by choosing complicated. But I guess it's what you wish to get out of life and love. Some people need complicated to keep things interesting while others need simple to remove the stress. *Oh gosh, that's right! You tortured us!* And then I got horse-whipped! I should have known a "Frank" was in trouble in Hadleyville! *I put off watching for a variety of reasons -* *from* *1. I really DON'T want to watch it, but someone wants me to* *to* *2. I really don't want to watch it, but someone gave it good reviews and it intrigued me* *to* *3. I know it will be a hard movie for me to get into but once I do I will like it* *to* *4. It will be emotionally exhausting* *to* *5. I know I will love it, or it has someone in it I love and I know I will never have the experience of watching it the first time again.* *I can come up with tons of reasons to procrastinate. Even with something I love as much as watching movies.* ** That was funny! You make my procrastination seem "run-of-the-mill"! The length of a film and its topic matter are the two biggest worries with me with watching films. If I know a film is around two hours and is overly dramatic, I start to dread it. For example, *Mr. Skeffington* is 145 minutes. That becomes a "dread" watch. But I usually push myself to watch. I may need a "me" film after such a viewing, though. *I LOVE the way she says that line. It's possibly one of the best line readings I've ever heard. She's so funny!* It's very much "Joan." She was so good at taunting. And I love taunting. *Another Searchers tie in. Wow, I'm so glad we had this discussion. I think I need to watch WITW again....* *but maybe later.* ** I'd give it a little time. I think you'll like it even more in a second viewing. *I shouldn't have said they are all jerks, now I feel bad, because none of them really are, especially not Scott.* Yes, especially not me! *That's true, Renoir sets us up to see Peggy a certain way. Both she and Tod are living in the past. She can't move forward without some kind of change, and he can't either.* They are drowning just as Scott was/is. Their lives were torpedoed, as well. Peggy's gathering the wood is almost like picking up the pieces. *And yet they are tied together by some magnetism, and maybe a sort of mutual respect of the other's strengths? Like George and Martha, they are kind of the only two who will have each other - faults and all. That would be hard to get rid of - someone who knows you and still cares on some level. And they have a mutual past of fun and glamour. I liked that scene where they are sitting on the couch together remembering - they look as if they belonged together then. In some ways, that deeper connection that Scott is looking for, the understanding, exists between Tod and Peggy.* Very good! That was excellent, Jackie. The scene where Tod and Peggy relive the good times in their life is a big moment in the film. It lets you realize they were once happy and "living." Since the life-altering accident, caused by Peggy, they have been frozen. Peggy is carrying guilt and Tod is on the bitter side. The daily reminder of each other's pains is very difficult to live with. *Wait do you mean that his feelings for Peggy are all chemical? or his connection to Eve is all chemical?* Peggy. Eve is the right kind of woman for most any man, but the chemical connection for Scott is with Peggy. Peggy is the kind of woman that gets inside your system. She's hard to get out. Eve is the kind of woman your mind tells you is right. *or to Akron. Maybe Scott needs a Chumley's Rest....* I'm headed for the tree! *So Peggy is actually more open than Eve? hmm. That's something to ponder.* In regards to certain things. Eve doesn't have much to hide whereas Peggy has a lot to hide. But women like Eve struggle to get deep inside.

*WOW! May I just say, WOW!* What I find so interesting about *The Woman on the Beach* is that I didn't go for Tod until a second viewing. You are way ahead of me with that. Although, it may also have to do with your own sensibilities. *I bet even you never waited three years to see a movie posted about on this board, that you really wanted to see.* I strung out my *High Noon* discussion for seemingly forever! But I had seen the film. A film I've been wanting to see for years that I've yet to sit and watch? Hmmmm... I fall into that trap with contemporary films more so than classics. On this board? Hmmmm... I've been doing quite well with my movie watching, of late. Maybe Snippy can slap me with one. *You know, I wanted to mold Peggy into a femme fatale, a hateful, vengeful harpy or siren, but she wouldn't go there.* She comes the closest when she admits she's a "tramp." But after that, she starts to turn the other way. It's a fascinating character arc. Scott is looking to be healed and he helps to heal Tod and Peggy. It's very interesting. *All three are jerks, but all three are also so lost, you have to feel sorry for them. And all three have some component that I can empathize with.* I feel the same about the characters. I find my feelings shifting around throughout the film. *Peggy just liked excitement and as you say, virility - and Renoir doesn't seem to be too judgmental about it. She's no murderess, and no siren - I actually think that this character is kind of revolutionary - a woman who likes sex but doesn't become a caricature or get killed for it in the end. She's human.* I agree. It's funny, she's basically a ghost yet she seems very alive. And we really are being tricked by Renoir about Peggy. She's introduced as a siren, but she's a very different kind of siren. *Now this helps me a lot. I never thought about Scott as a Frankenstein monster. I think that's great! I had the most trouble with his character, because in some ways, he's left so unresolved, and his motivations are somewhat veiled. Do you think we are to assume he's going to go back to Nan Leslie, now that he's worked out his demons? That doesn't really play for me somehow, even if that is what we are led to believe. I see him kind of like Ethan Edwards, a searcher never really finding what he's looking for, which is himself. Everything comes out all topsy turvy from what he thinks it's going to be, at least with Peggy and Tod it did. Nothing was as it appeared, and no one lived up to what he thought they ought to be.* I'm with you on Scott. I believe you are right in saying he's an "Ethan Edwards." Either he comes to grips with who is and where he is or he will be forever searching. Some of us spend our lives searching. Even with a lovely girl such as Eve there for Scott, he continues to search. Eve just doesn't connect with him on the level Peggy does. That's not Eve's fault, either. That's all chemical. *Why is this always a bad thing in the movies? As I said before, maybe this is a new kind of heroine - she's certainly not likable, exactly, but she is real.... kind of like the swerve that male actors were making later on in the sixties and seventies - she's the anti-heroine? Or maybe a prototype for the anti-heroine. Was there ever an anti-heroine? even in the sixties and seventies?* You know, I never thought of that before. It's a fascinating question you raise. I don't know if it's a moral issue or not with a character like Peggy. It takes a brave kind of honesty to admit sexual desires. Our society has lived on dishonesty. *I think Tod was still virile, he just needed a new way to show it, he thought he was useless without his eyes... but he was the kind of man who would find another way, no matter what happened to him. I liked Charles Bickford here very much... what strength he finally projected!* A very good point. He just needed a catalyst to show Peggy he was still a virile man. *Poor thing.... you poor poor thing. * I'm going out to the wreck! *She was very good. I thought she was Janis Carter at first. She had a way of being puzzled and worried by Scott, but keeping it under wraps.* "Keeping it under wraps." That's precisely it. That's the difference between her and Peggy. *You bet I am! Thanks.*

*I remember now. I admit I was a bit skeptical about that scenario, at how sloppily Scott and Pecos tied up the bad guys and then didn't even bother to run off their horses, so they managed to get free and ride after them in under a minute it seemed. That part was a little too easy.* I agree. I was thinking that while watching. So, yeah, that was much too easy and on the weak side of storytelling. *Was he? I don't remember. I've seen worse on episodes of "Gunsmoke", I guess I'm becoming hardened to western violence. * The truth comes out! You're much more violent than me!

Bonjour, Miss Gun for Hire -- *This movie has definitely gotten better to me since that discussion.* Same with me. *gee, I sounded so shallow like Peggy. * I see the resemblance, Tramp! But you do look cute gathering the wood. *I fell asleep to it last night, I didn't even make it to Joan's classic "I'm a tramp" line, darn it.* I love that moment. Joan's delivery is so very "Joan." She's bewitching. *My copy is also rather bad. Does anyone know if the DVD-R is a remastered print or just the same quality as what TCM aired?* I'm not sure. I'm planning on getting it this year, at some point. *I can see now how Tod and Peggy could be likened to "ghosts" or at least all three are definitely haunted people. Eve, in contrast, like Granny and the rest of the people around them are all "normal" and seem to live in a totally different world.* Excellent point. I'm with you all the way. As much as Eve would look to do anything to help Scott, she's not going to understand his torment on the level he needs. Tod needs a virile man like Scott to awaken him from his slumber. In a screwy way, this is a fairy tale where a prince awakens a king from his deep sleep.

Good evening to you, Spunky -- *Ha! And it only took me three years to get back to Woman on the Beach! That must be some kind of record. * Are you kidding?! Look who you're talking to! *I was way off key in my thoughts back then, trying to comment on a movie I hadn't seen yet!* I didn't think your comments were bad. *Wow! There wasn't much there in that thread.* It was "General Discussions." *I thought it was very interesting to have two men who were noir heroes, both with troubles beyond the normal. Three if you count Bennett in that mix, since she was just as messed up as the two men. Somehow, women seem to be able to deal with their troubles better, more pragmatically...and Peggy was nothing if not pragmatic.* Definitely I like how all three are torturing themselves. Tod no longer feels like a whole man. He's become rather bitter, and rightly so. I like the irony of his being a painter. His medium is one of the most visual of all. I also feel for him with Peggy. He has to rely on her for a lot. It's a tough life for both he and her. Scott seems to be reliving his nightmare. You get the feeling he sees himself as a hidden monster. How can he tell the "healthy" souls about himself? Even the most loving persons in our life struggle to understand our emotional pains. I also associate Peggy with the dark side of man. She's sexual desire. There's no judging with her. She won't see man as a monster. Peggy is someone who is really in a spot. She's virile but her husband no longer is. How can she cope with her own needs and desires? It's not easy. *I was so shocked at the ending. At 70 minutes it came up fast and completely unexpectedly. I never expected Tod to act the way he did, though I suspected Peggy would remain with him once that scenario presented itself.* I really wasn't sure how it would end. It's definitely a "cleansing." *Poor Scott! Honestly, even though it was Ryan, I don't know how he could have competed with Bickford's bravado at that moment. Interesting how they left poor Scott completely unresolved.* It's the name! Doomed! *I really liked the cast a lot, including Nan Leslie in the thankless role of the girlfriend.* I adored her and her dress. *But man, I HATED Granny and the kids. Terrible! She drove me to distraction.* You're a Peggy!

*Westerns and comedies for me.* I definitely knew that. *Oh my. I guess that should worry me.* Why? I think that's a great mix.

*He did get a wake up call, but what is also interesting is he knew his wife very well, in fact, in one respect at least he knew her better than Trevor did. He knew her weakness. And he accepted it. In a way, isn't that a kind of love?* What is Mary's weakness? The want of security? Don't you think Howard (Claude Rains) was surprised to find Mary with another man? *Oh, I think you'd hate Mr Skeffington, it's a very annoying characterization by Davis and Raines is a door mat for her for most of the film.* That's most every Bette film! But Rains plays hapless really well. I may check it out.

*Did you really watch* *Desire Me?!! GREER!! Did you like it? Tell me, tell me!* Uh-oh. I better tell Miss G she needs to run off to Paris with me! Pronto! Haven't you read what has been written? We've been talking about your Greer, Invisible Woman! *And why is Shall We Dance all the way at the bottom?* I just wasn't into this one. Oddly enough, it seems like my least favorite Fred & Ginger films are the most loved: *Shall We Dance*, *Top Hat*, *The Gay Divorcee*. *I had a feeling A Streetcar Named Desire would be at the top of your list.* Why? *Oh and Which A Star is Born version did you watch? Janet Gaynor, Judy Garland, or Barbra Streisand? I'm guessing Janet Gaynor?* Yes, I watched the Gaynor version of *A Star Is Born*. I'm not sure I could handle Judy.

Good evening, Movieman! I mostly liked comedies in my youth, which is represented by the 70s and 80s. As I've gotten older, I have found myself liking dramas more. I do like classic comedies but I definitely prefer film noir, westerns, and dramas. I'm much more emotional and deeper thinking today than when I was a teen or in my 20s.

Welcome to the board, Gwynplaine! I like your list of favorites. You have great taste. My favorites: Silents 1. *The Man Who Laughs* 2. Diary of a Lost Girl 3. Faust 4. Sunrise 5. Nosferatu 1930s 1. *M* 2. The Invisible Man 3. Only Angels Have Wings 4. The Testament of Dr. Mabuse 5. Destry Rides Again 1940s 1. Scarlet Street 2. Out of the Past 3. The Body Snatcher 4. Cat People 5. The Curse of the Cat People 1950s 1. Pickup on South Street 2. 12 Angry Men 3. *Night and the City* 4. Vertigo 5. Rear Window 1960s 1. Cape Fear 2. Once Upon a Time in the West 3. Psycho 4. Inherit the Wind 5. The Manchurian Candidate 1970s 1. Star Wars 2. Smokey and the Bandit 3. Young Frankenstein 4. The Omen 5. Halloween 1980s 1. Top Secret! 2. Better Off Dead 3. The Naked Gun 4. The Empire Strikes Back 5. The Thing 1990s 1. Fargo 2. Barton Fink 3. Happy Gilmore 4. As Good as It Gets 5. Bob Roberts 2000s 1. No Country for Old Men 2. Donnie Darko 3. Punch-Drunk Love 4. Burn After Reading 5. Let the Right One In

I'll reply to you words a little later on, but I did dig up some discussion on the film: http://forums.tcm.com/thread.jspa?threadID=114903&start=810&tstart=0 There's an invisible woman who takes part. And you even made an appearance!

I absolutely loved reading Jean Renoir's thoughts on Joan Bennett. They really made me smile. I appreciate her even more. She really does seem like my kind of girl. Thank you for posting that, Fordy Guns.

What's the score, Little Red Buick? -- *No, I'd never seen it before.* I thought you did. Oh, no. Now I'm gonna have to tell Snippy she was right. I'll never hear the end of it. *It's funny, and don't think I'm crazy for thinking this, but I felt in this movie almost the same way I felt about Buchanan Rides Alone - the things that weren't said held more importance than the things that were. I felt like there was an entire movie in the spaces between the words and I couldn't quite grasp what was really going on....Everything was just out of reach and my poor feeble brain couldn't really comprehend it. The choices the characters didn't take were just as, if not more important than the ones they did. You just have to let it wash over you, like those waves that brought Ryan down to the depths. You can't struggle to find the answer, it has to be played out for you, you don't have control at all over what you are seeing.* I believe you are right about your feeling. There's a lot of hurt being shown in the film and it's not always expressed in words. Both Scott (Robert Ryan) and Peggy (Joan Bennett) are tormented souls, so they really do mirror each other. They connect through their pain. They are looking for someone who understands their pain. *I loved that Ryan was contrasted with that empty ship's carcass, needing someone to come and fill him up, but it had to be someone who knew his worries and fears. The woman he feels most attuned to, who has fears and longings like his own, is not his fiance, but a mysterious woman who represents his own self to him, or at least that's what I got out of the relationship. I think he was searching for the dark part in his soul, and he found it in Joan Bennett. Except she is not his soul, she is a human being who has her own wants to look out for.* Yes! See, you got it. And it's brilliant to compare Scott to the wreckage. That's right on. He's being haunted. Again, this is one of those 40s "ghost" films that you mentioned liking. You know, you could even say the film is similar to *Brief Encounter*. The difference is, the two men come to know one another. *The movie is a bit of a mystery to me, I'll admit. I liked it, but it was very free-form. I don't know if that's what anyone else got from it or not. I would love to chat about it, because I felt like it eluded me somewhat. I hope you and MissG can help me out with what it is you saw in it, and what you both liked about it.* I was dying to see this film when I first joined the board. It was a film I requested a few times. I finally got to see it on Joan Bennett's day under the stars. After my first viewing, I liked it but I was left wanting it to be more. I've since watched it two more times and each viewing is better than the last. I find the film to be mesmerizing. Here's my post from 2007: http://forums.tcm.com/thread.jspa?messageID=7980720

Howdy, Denver -- *but he's the one who changes most. He needed Scott to step in so he could see his own weakness, which is defintitely a BB theme. His heroes are almost ALWAYS catalysts for others, rather than for themselves. Craig Stevens needed to see how corrupt he had become, even for a man with his common sense, and so become what he should have been all along...sheriff or mayor of the town.* That's really good. And I must say, outside of Buchanan, I thought Abe (Craig Stevens) was the most interesting character in the film. You could tell he was mostly a decent fella, it's just he was a lackey. I think he valued the power he had in town being the right-hand man to the Judge (Tol Avery), but this also handcuffed him. I also loved the point you made about Boetticher's heroes being the catalysts for others. They force others to examine themselves. Even the bad guys get caught up in this... for a moment.

BUCHANAN RIDES SPOILED *That's right. I didn't even remember Pecos' dying, they didn't show it did they? Boettecher didn't seem to assign much importance to it.* No, Movieman is right. They definitely show Pecos' death. He's fleeing to Mexico with Juan (Manuel Rojas), but his former gang catches up to him and kills him. They then grab Juan and take him back to town. *Just the two evil brothers and one of their henchmen. Stevens, Scott, the character Gomez, the boy and the goofy brother all survive.* But wasn't Gomez (Joe De Santis) shot? He lives, but I thought he was shot. For a film to be rather loose and funny, it turns violent by film's end. *He'd be a Wall Street banker today.* He would be!

*I think what complicates things about Mary (Ann Todd) is her final choice wasn't based on what she thought right, what was fair or loyal or even what she really wanted, only out of weakness or perhaps succumbing to the idea of convention. I don't admire that, I admit, though it is I suppose most realistic. Many people just drift along, especially if it comes down to making a big change...especially from "security" to more doubtful circumstances. They aren't really being loyal and true to their vows, just playing it safe.* I completely agree. If you're going to love someone outside of your marriage, it's unfair to your spouse. But I suppose lying to yourself about your feelings is next to impossible. It's not an easy situation for anyone to be in. Why not try loving your husband? She could get him going if she tried. But is a forced love really love? *While I thought Raines definitely put too much emphasis on material success, and you got the feeling his wife was just a component of that to him, I did think the actor did a marvelous job of bringing to the surface all the feelings he might not even have been aware of, once he realized he was in danger of losing everything.* Very nicely said. And I do agree with you. Howard (Claude Rains) took Mary for granted. She was basically one of the perks of being rich. She was mainly a comfort to him, a thing to come back to, not to really love and show your love. He needed a swift kick in the rear... and he got one. Ummm, two. *In a way, this character and relationship is somewhat like Mr Skeffington. His wife, Bette Davis, has many admirers and he knows she only married him for his money, but endures it all and surprises us, and his wife, toward the end with the truth about his life.* Hmmmmm, that sounds interesting. I should give that one a look.

*All that dangling, she was hard to like. I didn't even like her character much in the book, though one understood her better. Trevor was the one who loved her for herself, so she loved that feeling he gave her. But she was weak.* And I can't say that I was crazy about Mary. I thought she was enchanting, but I wasn't falling for her. You're definitely right about her being weak. She couldn't decide what she really wanted, so she always chose the safest route. Was love purely a vacation for her? She'd come to want it for a couple weeks or a month per year. *The whole thing is handled rather delicately, I thought. I liked the way the passing of time was shown, how they would meet up at different points of their life and not by design.* I also liked that. And the showing of thoughts during these times captivated me. I liked how wishes were even shown, only to be interrupted by reality. I was mesmerized by that. *i hadn't thought of that comparison to the Ophuls movie. That's a good one. Yes, it is rather similar, except the lover in Earrings is more worldly than Trevor's character and of course, unmarried.* You're right, the "other men" are much different. One is a player while the other is a professor. And how it must have felt for Steven to have Mary tell him she's staying with Howard when he thought for sure she'd leave with him.

*not me. i must have been absent when they were handing them out.* Oh no you weren't! Your town is definitely on the map! I have the scars to prove it! *That's a good way to put it. I have never seen After Hours.* It's kind of a New York City "Alice in Wonderland" for guys. The main focus is the lead just wants get home but he can't. BUCHANAN RIDES SPOILED *I hated to see him go, too, though the bizarre humor of the "burial" sort of undercuts any feeling of loss.* That wasn't Pecos' burial! He was the guy reading the last writes! He gets it later. But I thought that scene was funny. It's definitely dark humor, which is rare in westerns. *I didn't find it that violent.* Just about everyone gets killed or shot! And when you pair this with the humor that's throughout the film, it has a jarring effect. *He was, that. It kind of made the character "less".* Absolutely. He becomes less attractive when you see he's a boot-lick.

*That's a great analysis. Hmmm...I'll have to think on that some. Was it too good to be true? I thought the only impediment was her expectations. She just couldn't be poor.* Ultimately, she chooses security over love. She also has her freedom with Howard (Claude Rains). That's a double-edged sword. On one side, she can do whatever she wishes. On the other, it breeds loneliness and longing. Was it too good to be true? Probably. I think Ann wants her love when she wants it, just as she wants her freedom when she wants it and money when she wants it. There's no devotion, just desires. *That's even better! I agree with all of that. Especially if you're unfulfilled in your present situation. Then you can start attributing good qualities to an old flame. You forget why you might have left them in the first place.* Precisely. And it doesn't even have to be an old flame, it can be someone you've desired. When emotions start to bubble, it's hard to turn back the burner. *Well, in that respect I can sympathize with those who are tepid on Grace because I am not a fan of Ann Todd. I am okay with her here, though, since her character is meant to be rather cold.* I love how she "comes alive." Most of the time, she's icy. But when her button is pushed... *What did you think of how they show Claude Raines' character?* Your question made me think of *The Earrings of Madame de...*. The films are rather identical. I thought Claude was his usual superb self. His character is one I don't really care for because all he cares about is his business. But i did feel sorry for him and I did like how he finally came to profess his love for Ann. It's funny how so many of us hold this back.

*i don't have a town! unless you're talking about New York, which I guess could be called Angry Town. * We all have a "town," Manhattan Blizzard! *It was fun and enjoyable, but nothing really struck me or captured my feelings, I guess.* It's not a heavy film, especially for Budd Boetticher. *I don't know if it was the cast or maybe Tall T hit on something when she said that Scott didn't seem to mind whatever happened. That kind of one note reaction was funny, but it makes things a tad predictable, or at least it doesn't give you much to react to, emotionally.* Buchanan (Randy) just wants to get home, ala a film such as *After Hours*. He doesn't want to revenge his wife's death or anything like that. He just wants to get back home. Enter the screwballs of the world. BUCHANAN RIDES WITH SPOILERS What made me end up liking the film is the turns it takes. The biggest one is when Pecos (L.Q. Jones) bites the dust. I figured he may get it, but when it happened, I was still upset over it. It upset me more than when the wayward young cowpokes in the other Boetticher/Scott films get offed, such as in *Comanche Station*. I also didn't expect the kind of violence that happens at the end of the film. In this way, it's similar to *Big Jake*. Here you have this breezy, kind of goofy film going on and then, all of a sudden, it turns extremely violent. But what I truly enjoyed the most in the film is Randolph Scott. It was great to see him playing this loose. *I liked Craig Stevens, though I kind of wanted more from him and Scott, maybe a face off. But that might have been just as predictable. It's perhaps more of a twist that they don't clash.* He seemed to be the most competent and sure man in the town but he was a lackey. *I loved the horse! What a beauty.* Women!

*ok so you REALLY liked another david lean film. :)why?* I did! I thought it was fascinating. I loved how Lean showed the thoughts of Mary (Ann Todd) and Steven (Trevor Howard). It was like their love for each other was too good to be true, that they were living a dream. And, I guess, in many ways, they were. I think it's very interesting how love takes root within. You can put it aside for a time, but it's still there. Sometimes it re-emerges through encounters while other times it's called to the surface through longing and unmet feelings. *The Passionate Friends* connected with me where *Brief Encounter* and *Wuthering Heights* didn't. Ann Todd could have a lot to do with that. I definitely felt a Grace Kelly-like pull with her.

*I thought he was pretty tough in* *Bad Day at Black Rock. I mean tough as in hard, like Charles Bickford in* *The Big Country.* Oh, I see what you mean. He's tough and determined, not boisterous and angry. *The character is similar to one Spencer plays in Sea of Grass.* Maybe I'll watch that as my next "Kate & Spence" film. 1. A Night in Casablanca (J-18, M-15) 2. Warlock (J-10, M-1) 3. The Passionate Friends (J-4, M-6) 4. A Streetcar Named Desire (J-3, M-8) 5. Picnic at Hanging Rock (J-1, M-10) 6. Desire Me (J-25, M-11) 7. The Long, Hot Summer (J-8, M-2) 8. Comanche Station (J-16, M-4) 9. Seven Sinners (J-15, M-9) 10. The Bribe (J-9, M-13) 11. The Ace of Hearts (J-13) 12. Party Girl (J-5, M-3) 13. Pat and Mike (J-17, M-7) 14. Secrets of a Soul (J-2) 15. Angels with Dirty Faces (J-11, M-12) 16. Life Begins at Forty (J-20, M-18) 17. Penelope (J-24, M-22) 18. Frisco Jenny (J-19, M-16) 19. Night Nurse (J-22, M-17) 20. The Winning of Barbara Worth (J-23, M-20 21. Before I Hang (J-14) 22. The Kiss Before the Mirror (J-7, M-5) 23. A Star Is Born (J-12, M-19) 24. Shall We Dance (J-21, M-21) 25. Flesh and the Devil (J-6, M-14)

*It's hilarious, really. There's just one street that seems to run from Mexico across into "Agry" (I kept thinking it was "Angry") and no matter what side of the scurvy little bridge you were on, you got shot at. * That's how it is walking into your town! So what did you like and not like about *Buchanan Rides Alone*?