FrankGrimes

I'm only concerned about the on-screen. That off-screen stuff just doesn't do a thing for me. If Marilyn was the most professional of performers, would that really change the opinion? I guess you are focusing on respect more than anything. For me personally, that's not important. Many directors were cruel and classless, but I still like their films.

*I agree, she is a little girl inside, that's very astute of you. She opens up to everyone, and doesn't really realize the chaos she leaves in her wake. Look at how Eli Wallach and Gable end up after she enters the picture.* She's naive, ignorant, and innocent. She worries about animals like they were her children whereas everyone else doesn't even think of them. She doesn't want to see anyone hurt, like a mother child with her baby doll. She's not a 12-year-old girl, she's a 5-year-old girl. What's a guy to do with a girl like that? Take advantage of her? What's that say about us? She pushes you to be more unselfish. You look to love and protect versus seek selfish desires. She's quite lovely.

I do think what works for Marilyn also works against her. It's the same for John Wayne. For men, there is the obvious carnality with Marilyn. For women, this very same thing can be what pushes them away from her. She can be seen as a threat and/or a "disgrace" to woman. It's the kind of woman Marilyn naturally projects. Those seeking a strong woman will not like Marilyn for she is weak. She's a helpless child full of emotion. She is the antithesis of Bette Davis. Ava Gardner is actually closer to Marilyn than Bette, for she often played "hiders" with childish tendencies. (Marilyn wasn't a "hider," though. She was very "naked.") Ava played the longing lover as good as anyone ever has. And I do feel Ava is a very underrated actress. But she played characters who mostly stayed in her "hot zone," ala Marilyn. Love her characters. Audrey had a lovely childish quality to her, as well. She comes off as the "proper," sophisticated Marilyn, to me. Although, Marilyn is more of a puppy dog and Audrey is more of a kitten. But ultimately, I think Marilyn falls victim to her naturalness. Her natural body and personality are what they are and most people just cannot get past this. Marilyn is the "damsel in emotional distress" and these kind of women are becoming less and less attractive for women. But I think there is plenty of room for both the "strong" woman and the "weak" woman. A mix of the two is always wonderful.

I'd say Marilyn has great presence more so than great acting ability. And presence can often times trump ability with the viewer.

That was wonderful, Jackie. Very sweet. I really like Marilyn. It's her "little girl" that I'm so drawn to. She's the kind of woman that places a man in a spot. Her natural sexuality makes us wolves but then her "little girl" turns us into a protective father. I feel you see this most clearly with "Roslyn" in *The Misfits*. Your mentioning the "paddle ball" scene is the perfect example of the male quandry with the very innocent Roslyn (Marilyn). What to do? *The Seven Year Itch* "piano" scene is another. Marilyn is a little girl.

Welcome to the board, Lance -- *Love lists like this. I list 250 in my best order :Don IMDB . For here, i'll list the top 10 from that list. I always like to say, it's eclectic and borderline psychotic, like the owner of the list < * Fantastic! If possible, could you post your list or provide the link to it on the following thread?: http://forums.tcm.com/thread.jspa?threadID=157528&tstart=30 I also have a running top 250 and lists for every decade. I update them all after I watch a film. My top ten (classic film only): 1. Scarlet Street 2. Cape Fear 3. Once Upon a Time in the West 4. M 5. Pickup on South Street 6. 12 Angry Men 7. Night and the City 8. Out of the Past 9. Psycho 10. Inherit the Wind

*i agree the movie paints emotions with visuals in a striking way. that's what i responded to the most.* It's easily one of the greatest visual films I have seen. *you could really "see" the inner lives, feelings/thoughts of the characters via the setting, tone, mise en scene, et al.* All very true. I also enjoyed the little flashbacks. *interesting movie comparisons...how is it like the shining and i walked with a zombie?* The setting helps to create a change in those who move in, that's how it's similar to both *The Shining* and *I Walked with a Zombie*. The cultural effect is also similar to *I Walk with a Zombie*.

*What did you like so much about Black Narcissus.* I loved the horror aspect of *Black Narcissus*. There's so much personal torment in the film. The mixture of being a nun and living in an isolated, exotic place heightens the torment. The film actually reminded me of *The Shining* and *I Walked with a Zombie*. The film just builds and builds to a very enjoyable ending. It's as if we're watching feelings and emotions, not people. It's wonderful.

*I don't even remember them!* They are Millicent's (Billie Burke) relatives, who are "pinch-hitting" for the Ferncliffes.

*All the while he exhibits such a wonderful, self-mocking humor.* Great point. He cannot believe he's such a sucker. *The only time it vanishes is when he's with Gru. Everything changes for him, then.* Why do you think it does? *Well, her moments with the Baron, her reactions, the scene on the phone, those are "typical Garbo" and what made her a star. I just mean the flitting excitedly around and exclaiming over everything, that's the character of a prima ballerina. In her other roles, she is dramatic but not so flamboyant. And like I said, there is always a scene where her emotions spill out, like the audience witnesses her own dawning awareness of the depth of her feelings (all her movies are about love, usually tragic).* I liked her as a ballerina, Ballerina. I may go for her since the love is tragic. She may have a "Marlene" effect on me. *If you were to watch Ninotchka next, you'd see the opposite of Gru. She's playing a Soviet official and so the point is she's cold and mechanical until love comes along, then she's transformed.* Hmmmmmm, now that would be a change. I can't believe that's Lubitsch. GRAND SPOILER! *He didn't have a chance, he was almost fragile and broke like china under Beery's strength.* But he ended up going after the wrong person's money. The others let him off the hook, but Preysing reacts much differently. *Seeing that little dog, looking lost at the end always breaks me up.* It's a wonderful shot. And then the guy with the broom tries to brush Adolphus away at the end! Terrible! *I agree. I found it a bit puzzling the first time I watched it. I wasn't sure who or what Ian Hunter was supposed to be or represent.* Oh, I'm pretty sure I know that part. *I liked it a lot the last time I watched, but some aspects are still strange to me. The religiosity.* That surprises me. *Not Molo!* You're going to drink the water? That's really nice of you. *Oh I didn't care for that either, I liked the journey of Carton's ascent from a man who'd given up on himself to redemption. It didn't happen overnight and I liked seeing the progression.* I gravitated to the love, the very most. A love you can never have. *She's a rather heartless golddigger and since she only has a limited role in the ensemble, there's not much to it unless you just enjoy Jean being that way. I do. I like Kitty more than I like "Lil" in Red-Headed Woman though it's essentially the same character.* "Kitty" is more likeable, but I find Jean to be more interesting in *Red-Headed Woman* since it's her film.

Hey there, Magnificent Molo -- *That is not an unusual reaction. She was in a couple of Lon Chaney films, He Who Gets Slapped (Which was MGM's first production) and* *Tower of Lies which unfortunately is lost.* *He Who Gets Slapped* is a good suggestion for me. I'm going to check that one out. *I'm not sure you will like many of her films.* Why do you like Norma? *Yes I think they added a lot of spark. I thought they were hilarious and I was so impressed with how Jean held her own against Beery.* She definitely throws it right back in his face. I liked when she tossed the bracelet on the floor and then kicked it. *I am thinking you probably haven't seen many Dressler films either right?. She was hugely popular when this film came out.* I'm pretty sure this was the first I saw of her. How was she so popular with such a small amount of films? *I thought Carlotta was a hoot from the time she came on the scene.* She plays the character perfectly. I'm just not that crazy about such characters, typically. I need Alice Brady, I believe. *I also liked her relationship with Barrymore's Jordan. She was down on her luck too but she really didn't want to hurt him either (regarding the stock) I liked how Jordan brightened a bit when he saw her.* Oliver (Lionel Barrymore) definitely had a boyish love for her. She made him feel young and alive. *I am glad but a little surprised by your affection for Burke. We have talked about some of her characters before so I knew you liked her. Nobody does "flighty" better than she but I sense that other variations of this type of character, played by other actresses wouldn't be nearly as appealing to you. Maybe it's that Billie just seems so genuine and sincere when playing these characters.* I think my being attracted to Billie is a big part of my liking her flighty women. I think she's pretty. This makes her zaniness cute to me. She's the epitome of the kooky socialite wife. *I thought her dealing with the dinner party and the gradual deterioration of her household staff was pretty funny. What I liked at the end was that she showed her true feelings for her husband. She was there when she needed him.* I thought it was rather heartbreaking when she berates Oliver and Paula when we know the two of them are dealing with far greater worries and hurt than her dinner party. *Are you saying he was too depressing? I found his character sad but I liked him.* Yes, precisely. I don't like seeing characters fighting such physical ailments. I hate being sad and depressed. *Now this is a character that was depressing. I guess it is hard to separate the role from the actor here for me. He played these characters several times over. In this film it's all too real for some reason.* Self-destructive, to be sure. Once a living lie is exposed, it's hard to live on. *And the closing line to the film is one of the best ever.* *Definitely a classic!* ** And I just realized it's not the closing line! Oh, well. And who do I like the very most in *Dinner at Eight* ? These two:

You've watched *A Tale of Two Cities*, already?! You're fast, Queen of the Furies! *I mean.. it is NOT hard to understand why conditions were what they were (in terms of the people finally rebelling and deciding to act out their frustrations) This story starts out with "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" but REALLY.. if you think about it.. it could also be said.. it is about "The best of us.. and the worst of us" because the mentality of the "mob" as it begins to break down goes even further with theme of "desperate people will do desperate things) and takes my favorite movie line from Empire of the Sun.. "People will do anything for a potato" to a whole new LEVEL. Because they stop fighting just to get the "potato" in this story.. and they start seeking retribution and revenge on anyone and everyone they think is responsible FOR the "potato" (whether they had anything to do with the "potato" or NOT)* Very good! I like that. I do find it interesting how those who are trampled in one area can easily do the trampling in another. I guess it's human nature to lose one's way when in power. Your way all of a sudden becomes the right way. *It was the "have nots' punishing the "haves" just for being a "have".. whether they were ever guilty of harming anyone or not. And that sort of mentality shows the "worst of us" to be sure. And I must confess that I wanted more because even though it WAS a big part of the story.. I felt like the progression from how they go from a buch of angry and disgruntled (and surely mistreated too) "citizens" to a conspiracy... to a "mob'. was only handled just "alright" in the film.. in some respects, it was almost too "one-diminsionsal in the way it was told, to give as clear picture of most of the folks (altogether) as I wanted to see.* It does take a while to build and then it happens very fast and all chaos breaks out. But I was okay with all of that. I understood the entire power switch and how both sides end up being the same in the end, or the mob being even worse than the aristocracy. Both abuse the power, albeit for different reasons (superiority vs. revenge). *I would have liked to have seen more depth given to some of the individual characters (and their situations) on both sides of the "good guy/bad guy fence"... because, you are right in that they really only focused on Colman's character in a lot of the story.. for the most part. And while I know Sydney Carton is the protagonist, I seem to remember more about the FEELINGS I had for some of the other characters TOO.. WAY on back when I read it all in school.* I'm sure that's how it is in the book. It's hard to shoot so much depth in a film. *I was glad they had the little seamstress have her "moment in the sun" in this story.. (she is one of the most tragic characters of all) but it seemed like even though she gets her moment in this film.. I remember her last moments with Sydney (as they sort of "hang together" before they go their seperate ways) from what I read in the book and I am nost sure why that is.. because I don't think her part in the book was MUCH bigger than it was in the movie.. their conversation and relationship just left more of an impression on me when I read it (than when I watched it) for some reason and I wish we could have gotten a bit more out of moments like that in the film..* And I'm sure the book spends more time with Sydney and the seamstress. I really didn't need her to mean anything to me since it was about Sydney. I guess she just represents the innocent. *I think some of the characters and some of the important moments in the story are just too "glossed over" to get a good enough feel for them. (Except maybe for Madame de Farge.. they did do a pretty good job of showing her to be hate-filled.. and hateful.. but even she was not as hideous as I remember her being in the book... though again.. I freely admit I might remember her wrong)* Madame de Farge (Blanche Yurka) is definitely given the spotlight in the film. She's the face of the mob, without a doubt. She's played to the hilt, too. *But even though the other charcters and some of the plot did not seem to "stand out" as much as Colman's role did (overall) you gotta admit.. there were still a few really great moments. Good golly.. don't MESS with Edna Mae in this one, buddy. ha. She is a gal after my own heart to be SURE.. woo hoo) * Edna is almost always good. She's very funny in the film. And I'd definitely be her "Sydney." *All in all, I have to say it was Colman's film though.. it is easy to see why this version of the film is always the one that I hear about (whenever someone talks of it all)* He's truly spectacular in the film. Even though Colman has one of the greatest voices in film history, it's his eyes that mean the most to me. *So based soley on the films alone.. which story seemed to be more to your liking?? GE.. or ATOTC??* *Great Expectations*, without a doubt. I prefer the story and characters. *HA.. aren't YOU the funny one. You wouldn't last five MINUTES in old "Ro-town". (And Miss G is right.. NO substitutions allowed) We are strictly a hang first.. and no NEED to ask questions later kinda town.* Madame de Farge! That's who you are! *Don't worry.. we'll give you a last meal, though. We got plenty of sawdust on the jailhouse floor.. and we'll have some saur kraut shipped in special, just for you. * Can you find me a cute seamstress?

*I love Molo's "Dinner at Eight Questionnaire"!* I do, too! I love such questions. *I like what you said about how the Baron starts out looking to gain something for himself (with increasing desperation) but at each opportunity he ends up helping someone else.* Exactly. He wants to score with Flaemmchen (Joan Crawford), but then he falls for Gru (Greta Garbo), so he gracefully bows out with her. He tries to steal Gru's pearls, only to give them back. He thinks about stealing Kringelein's (Lionel Barrymore) wallet, but he hands it back to him. All the while, he has a "price on his head." His ultimate fate surprised me. That made the film's end a powerful one. *I still can't believe you actually said "I love Garbo". I never thought I'd read those words from you!* Me, either! But I'm definitely worried about watching her films because you said she's mostly inward and I greatly responded to her being outward. *I have to give kudos to Beery for playing a heavy really well, with both a cravenness that is "small" and that overpowering physical menace that of course came easily. He was despicable. His arrogance toward everyone, particularly Kringelein, knew no bounds.* It was a juicy role for him. He's basically the mirror of the Baron. Both are facing desperate situations and each handles it so differently. But the Baron makes a serious mistake. *He's not always in such a bad mood, though, which he maintains for most of this movie. His charming side is in abeyance here. And that makes Joan increase her own spiritedness to match him.* Clark ain't much of a gentleman in *Strange Cargo*. *I think the subject matter turned audiences off who didn't want something so serious and depressing. And they wanted Joan in Adrian gowns, not a torn dress.* Some of us like her in a torn dress! It's certainly a somber film, but with a very uplifting message. *I'd like to see this one on the big screen.* Oh, yeah? I didn't think you were too keen on the film. *Oh, no! I know who you will demand to drink the water!* *Of course!* Poor Molo! *What about the story...it's one of the most interesting plots ever written, silly.* I didn't care much for the story. I guess the power switch is interesting, but I wasn't moved by it that much. I liked Sydney (Ronald Colman), but Lucie (Elizabeth Allan) and Darnay (Donald Woods) bored me. *I knew you wouldn't care as much for her character. I think she's funny screaming at Beery.* Why did you think I wouldn't go for Kitty?

Good evening to you, Madhat -- *I'm going to watch this again in the near term, so I will comment more on it later.* Wonderful! I hope others will share their thoughts on *Grand Hotel*, too. *Norma Shearer is one of those stars that was all but forgotten by the seventies. That just made me more curious about her work. With the advent of home video and then TCM she is more popular today. All of this is to say I have a soft spot for her. * I'm pretty sure this was my first look at Norma. I didn't dislike her, but I didn't go for her, either. I'm not sure why, either. *I am going to watch this one again too! :DI have to get busy. I hate commenting on films I haven't seen in a while.* I'm the same way. I still have to reply to Jackie with *The Big Country*. I did re-watch it, at least. *Okay I did watch Strange Cargo again last night. I'll work on some comments for that one. (There is a lot basketball on tonight < <img class="jive-emoticon" src="images/emoticons/happy.gif" border="0" alt=":)"/>* I mostly focus on pro sports, so the college game doesn't distract me. I watched the Flyers lose, so my teams are out of the way. *I'm also curious to know what you thought of Dinner at Eight. Here's a brief quiz. * All right, a quiz! *Did you like Jean Harlow and Wallace Beery?* For the most part, yes. Their energy was the only thing that interested me in the film for the longest time. I wasn't ga-ga for them, though. They were okay. *What did you think of Dressler's Carlotta?* She didn't do anything for me until she turned on the serious switch. Then I liked her. Her maternal discussion with Paula (Madge Evans) was very good. *Did you find Billie Burke funny or annoying and what about her relationship with her husband Lionel Barrymore?* Billie almost always entertains me. I find her to be attractive and her flighty way usually works for me. Lionel bothered me because I just hate seeing characters who are dying before my eyes. This is probably my least favorite character for Lionel. *What impression did you get of John Barrymore and the role he played?* I was loathing the film until he was confronted by Max (Lee Tracy). From that point on, I thought the film was quite good. I loved the emotional domino effect. I didn't care for his character until the pain set in. The painful honesty of the aging performer is played exceptionally well by Barrymore. *What did you think of the film as a whole?* It was a very painful watch until Max gives it to Renault (John Barrymore). Once that happened, the film started to really climb for me. I liked how all of the characters changed and became much more loving and caring. It was no longer about themselves, but others. In this way, the film ends up playing similarly to *Grand Hotel*. They are very interesting Depression Era films, for this reason. And the closing line to the film is one of the best ever.

Howdy, Fordy Guns -- *I think you've surprised a great many of us!* Thanks! *That's sweet. Yes, Lionel's "Mr Kringelein" (sp?) is endearing. You want him to enjoy his last fling, and he's so kind to Miss Flemschen (Joan). It's funny, all the protagonists are kind of suffering from need of something that one of the others is able to supply. (SPOILER) In the Baron's case, it doesn't quite work out.* They are all lonely in their ways and they each respond to genuine kindness. Well, all but Preysing (Wallace Beery). I love how money is an issue with all of them but Gru (Greta Garbo). She has all the money she could want but is miserable. *Hunter's character reminded me of "Smitty" in The Long Voyage Home, made the same year. A man with a secret.* That's a great comparison! And both are played by Ian Hunter. Terrific! I completely forgot about "Smitty." His secret was a great one. *Gable's like I like him here...not that buttoned up type in Wife vs. Secretary, but surly and sarcastic. Wee!* That's how he usually is! *It's Borzage's most unusual film and it's really too bad it's not better known or liked.* I find that to be shocking since it's Clark Gable and Joan Crawford, two of the greatest stars of all. And both are excellent in the film. *Well, the three of us with Molo will make our own "Strange Cargo". * Oh, no! I know who you will demand to drink the water! *But isn't his character wonderful, and Colman's performance of it? I admit the world is dry, it's just his character I focus on. His change and sacrifice, a big one.* Ronald Colman is the entire film to me, yes. He's superb. But I wanted more from the film. * She's a little more heartless as Kitty. But let me see, if I could cast Richard Boone for my M.D., I might spend a lot of time inventing illnesses, too. * There isn't much to Kitty.

Good evening, Movieman *Top Ten Coop Films* *High Noon* *Mr. Deeds Goes To Town* *The Hanging Tree* *Love In The Afternoon* *Meet John Doe* *The Court Martial of Billy Mitchell* *The Pride of The Yankees* *Friendly Persuasion* *Sgt. York* *The Private Lives of A Bengal Lancer* *(You can add near the top of the list - "The Plainsman," and "Vera Cruz.")* That's a really good mix; very well-rounded. You have the westerns, comedies, action flicks, dramas, and a romance. You also have a good mix of decades. I'm most surprised by *Love in the Afternoon*.

Ciao, Spunky! -- *I still haven't seen Strange Cargo. oops!* What?! *I've only seen eight off your list!* But that's really good! I'm all over the place in regards to genres and I watched some lesser-known films to go with some biggies, so I'm impressed you've seen more than half. *I am one of those who would put Grand Hotel high on my list, along with Dinner at Eight, Student Prince, A Tale of Two Cities and Black Narcissus, which is a truly great film, full of foreboding and repressed eroticism.* So I ended up watching some of your very favorites? *Of the eight here is my rating:* *1. Student Prince in Old Heidelberg* *2. Black Narcissus* *3. Grand Hotel* *4. Dinner at Eight* *5. A Tale of Two Cities* *6. A Night at the Opera* *7. Dressed to Kill* *8. Terror By Night* That's a really good ranking. I wasn't sure if you'd like *Black Narcissus* more than the 30s dramas. *I remember Dressed to Kill better than Terror by Night, since I've seen Dressed to Kill recently, so I ranked them accordingly.* I thought the music box stuff was on the silly side. I prefer the "Agatha Christie" train mystery of *Terror by Night*, although I don't consider it one of the better ones in the series. I didn't like how the killer's identity was shown before the end. *I think I saw Spawn of the North when I was a kid, but I have no memory of it except that it was an exciting adventure story, which I usually like. If it's the movie I remember, it does seem a bit like Walsh's work. Walsh worked with Raft a lot, though apparently they couldn't stand one another.* It's very "Hathaway" to me, and I've come to understand that's a great thing. Hathaway's early films are tremendous. I'm amazed by his emotion (very Fordian). It's quite remarkable. Dorothy Lamour is sensational. She plays a great woman. John Barrymore is toned down yet wonderful. And an animal is used for great emotion. There's a lot going on in the film. I think you'd really enjoy it. *I believe I've seen the very end of Backfire - is Virginia Mayo locked in a room with the bad guy after searching for something in a desk? It seemed like a very taut and suspenseful B movie. I know my description is vague, but I literally came in at the very end of it, and did enjoy what I saw, if that's the same movie. I just want to know if I have the right film.* That's a good memory! You do have the right film. *The Pleasure Garden sounds really interesting.* It's a rather straightforward film, but I like the entire idea of good men, bad men, good women, bad women. This is another film that features an animal for effect.

Hola, Grahame's Guy -- *I really like the Sherlock Holmes films, particularly if I'm in the right mood. I mentioned that I loved series like these. They are film "comfort food' for me. I'll try to comment more on them later.* I can definitely see how the Sherlocks are "comfort food." They are very relaxing. *Actually Frank of the nine films on your list that I've seen, I really like them all so it's just a matter of degree. I haven't seen Grand Hotel since 1990! I remember the year because I saw it in a theater at a Classic film festival, so it's definitely not fresh in my mind.* Since '90?! Whoa! *That you liked it so much is a big surprise to me, but I did have you rating it at number five. I thought I was taking a leap there!* Yes, you did really well in guessing I'd like that one. I wouldn't have predicted the same. *I need to see the film again to refresh my memory. I am really surprised that you liked Garbo in it. Like Miss G, said, it's not the film I would have started with if you are exploring Garbo's work.* She's very outward with her love. I loved that she'd call the Baron, just to hear his voice. *I did think you might like the theme of the film and some of the characters.* I loved how the Baron would look to do bad deeds, only to stop himself because he cared about the person more than the money or other. I liked the scene where he loses his shirt gambling while Kringelein (Lionel Barrymore) makes a killing. *As for The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg, well I did like it. I probably watched it last about ten years ago at least. I like Norma in it, she's a favorite of mine anyway, and I liked the light touches.* It's most certainly a "soft touch" film. I wasn't crazy about Norma Shearer. But I did like her going to the Prince's room while he wasn't there and basically dreaming of them together. *I know I've seen Black Narcissus within the last six years. Remember my dancer friend? This was a huge favorite of hers so I was really primed to like it. Visually stunning, I like the isolation of the nuns. Isolation and fermenting emotions are big with me. I liked Kerr, I liked the conflict and I liked the disintegration of Sister Ruth.* "Isolation and fermentation." That's good! What I loved was the horror aspect of it. It seems as if Hitch took from the film for *Vertigo*. I thought Sister Clodagh's (Deborah Kerr) story to be fascinating. She could relate with all the sisters, including Kanchi (Jean Simmons). *A couple of years back, probably when I recommended it to you, a few of us were considering this film for a ramble, but I backed off because the board was so toxic at the time. Perhaps we could discuss it now.* Surely! It's a very good film.

*That is surprising!* There is no way I would have predicted myself to like the films as I did. No way at all. *I never would have dreamed you'd like Grand Hotel at all, let alone that much...unless you just hated everything after the first two.* No, I really liked *Grand Hotel*. Loved the Baron (John Barrymore). My kind of guy, all the way. Loved Garbo. I loved how she hated her life until the Baron entered the picture, and from then on, she wanted to do it all. Perfect. Lionel Barrymore was also wonderful. I've never seen him play "mousey." He was good. *I also like Strange Cargo the more I see it (I've only seen it twice).* The heavy Christian theme didn't bother me with this one because I believe in the overall message. It's a rather exciting film with two explosive leads. I also loved Ian Hunter's "Cambreau." It's a harsh film with a lot of love. I liked that. *So that's two Joan Crawfords, as well. Two of her most interesting performances, I might add.* I've yet to see a film where I didn't like Joan. Her "Julie" in *Strange Cargo* is easily my favorite of hers. She was very good in *Grand Hotel*, too. *I'm sorry you didn't like A Tale of Two Cities that much.* I was surprised that I didn't, since I love such sacrifices. But the story was very dry to me. It's all about Sydney Carton (Ronald Colman), and that's about it. *I guess you enjoyed Kitty Packard more. * Oh, she was a pip. But she's still no match for "China Doll."

All right, Madhat! Way to take a shot at guessing me! I really like that. So you like the Sherlocks? I'd love to see how you like the Basils. I just finished the series, so it's very fresh in my mind. The big surprise from your list is *Grand Hotel* ranking last. That's an upset, to me. Not a fan of *The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg* ? What are you reasons? And I would not have guessed you liking *Black Narcissus* that much. *First off Strange Cargo is the one I recommended, right?* Yes! Good memory! I'll toss in another "Molo" suggestion in my next group. I have one on DVD. I bought it a couple years ago. All right, here's how I liked them: 1. Black Narcissus (MG 8/MO 4) 2. Spawn of the North (MG 7) 3. Grand Hotel (MG 15/MO 5) 4. Strange Cargo (MG 11/MO 8) 5. Lawman (MG 2) 6. The River's Edge (MG 4) 7. Backfire (MG 1) 8. Armored Car Robbery (MG 3/MO 1) 9. Terror by Night (MG 10/MO 3) 10. The Pleasure Garden (MG 6) 11. Dinner at Eight (MG 14/MO 9) 12. A Night at the Opera (MG 13/MO 7) 13. A Tale of Two Cities (MG 9) 14. The Student Prince of Heidelberg (MG 14/MO 6) 15. Dressed to Kill (MG 5/MO 2)

*Oh that's right. Well, maybe no shennanigans, just a lot of yelling.* And drinking! Can you imagine Hank with John? *I understand there are no "substitutions" allowed at Rohangings in case you hope for a Mr. Carton to pay you a visit.*

*Not by me! What do you expect of a purebred.* Yes, by you! Spoiled! *ha! It was a bizarre bit of casting. But I love that John Barrymore was being directed by Raoul Walsh. I can only imagine the shennanigans.* It's Henry Hathaway! *ha! I'd be careful how you talk in Rohanaka Town.* I'm sweet and loving! Crap! Those are hangable offenses at Rohanaka!

*And they are both rather dapper. * Felix von Kitten is a priss! He's been ruined! *Shame on me for forgetting! I was so surprised when he turned up in Alaska, lol. Poor John. He does pretty good, he doesn't sleepwalk through it like in True Confession.* Talk about culture shock! *I wish I could drag a few people off to Rohanaka...I mean the hangman. * "Rohanaka"! That does sound like a horrible western town with unfair justice! "Rohangaka."

*But he is such a "Felix".* He is! He's really sweet. *Three? Grand Hotel,* *Dinner at Eight and what else?* Spawn of the North. *What I respond to in GH is the self-mockery. It's often present in his mid and late career, but here it's more subtle, and more heartbreaking because he isn't really acting that. By this time he was sure he was just a well paid "****" who had sold out. On screen he gets to redeem himself. And he's Garbo's best leading man, the one most in tune with her. If this was your first look at her, you picked the wrong movie. She's playing a diva and most people think she's overacting when it's the character that is hysterical and melodramatic. She doesn't typically act that way in her other movies, she's much more internal. She didn't like the character and felt miscast, but Barrymore is the only actor she really respected. She said he was just about the only gentleman she'd worked with in Hollywood.* I'll hold off on replying to this until I post my order. I was giving anyone else a chance to share their favorites and guess my preferences before posting. *I liked them alot, particularly Burt and his implacability.* That's because you're a stubborn mule like he is!

*It's just where I'm at right now. A few years ago the movies would be reversed.* Hmmmmm, interesting. *And I love the Baron, I always liked him and his character the best out of that whole movie, though I do like the movie. I like it much better than Dinner at Eight. It moves me a lot more, emotionally. The Baron is so tragic.* Your kitten is nothing like the Baron! *And I do love his scenes with his brother, Lionel. He's so kind to him.* I've never seen Lionel play such a character. It was quite a wonderful change. You know, I think three of the last four films I've seen featured John. He's good. *I really was impressed with the story and characters of the two lawmen in Lawman. Just now that's more my wavelength than parties and hotels.* It's so violent! But it really is tough to top Burt and Robert. You're not going to find too many actors who are better.