FrankGrimes

Hi, Sweet T -- *Okay you used to think I was sweet. what happened between then and now? Don't make me bring out my puppy dog pout!* You can still be sweet! *I actually loved his character in The Razor's Edge. I thought he was very determined and not boring!* He was determinedly boring! *And I just love how you put that Ty Power is "highly entertaining" in The Black Swan...It's almost like you are making fun of him. Heehee! I think YOU are highly entertaining. * Are you making fun of me?! I really like Ty's "Jamie Boy." I love his playfulness and energy. He's exciting. Rama? No! *See, I disagree with the whole George Brent wonderful beginning. It isn't fun to watch without Myrna there for me.* George is great! He's playing a Clark Gable character. And I found Brenda Joyce to be cute. *What about their relationship did you not like? I mean, it might have been a bit on the dry side, but it was still sweet.* I didn't feel anything with Rama and Edwina. I didn't buy into Edwina's transformation. *She is serious throughout the whole thing, silly goose! Is it that you just prefer Myrna in a more playful setting? Because I know you LOVE when your Gloria is all serious in her stuff.* She is playful in the beginning and very much into herself! She was tearing into Tom! *Oh. My. Goshly. My smile just turned to a smack on the head.* You need one! *Well and the threat of war hanging in the air. I mean Anthony Perkins did such a phenomenal job with portraying angst in wanting to serve is duty, yet being torn between his family's beliefs.* I'm not that big on Anthony Perkins unless he's crazy. *Okay, so I may be a little on the prejudice side, becasuse he is so cute, but REALLY.* Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! *But there are those happy endings with dramas and westerns too.* Those are the bad ones! *Death?! Bite your tongue! There may be a little tragedy in the relationship, but no death! How could you suggest such a thing for Funny Girl?! Barbra would be thoroughly disappointed in you!* I meant it would be death to watch it! *Well it most certainly wasn't a comic western. Heehee! It was definitely a more laid back drama than you are probably used to, though. I agree with how you depict the value of Friendly Persuasion. It is definitely about sending a message to all who view it about family values.* And the message is to hide the organ in the attic! *I know you all were talking about this a little ways back, and I remember someone talking about Marjorie Main's character. I'm sorry, I don't remember who it was. It might have been Wendy. I LOVED Marjorie's contribution to the supporting cast. She really lit up the screen for me! What did you think of her?* She was quite amusing. I liked her daughters even more. *Only you would compare Three's Company to Friendly Persuasion. It rather made me giggle out loud, actually. heehee!* Did you understand why I post that? The soldier boyfriend in *Friendly Persuasion*, Peter Mark Richman, plays "Chrissy's" dad on Three's Company, the "Reverend Snow." *Well, this is what might happen to you, Jack... (looks to the sky whistling)* I need one of those!

*I know she loves Jack MacGowran.* I think she'd enjoy each of the stories. *Yes, Flo's change is jarring.* It didn't add up. I couldn't see her just saying she would be okay with him leaving her. *He is a consummate actor. There is something very universal about his sardonic ease. Perhaps because you always sense the sensitive discomfort underneath. He's good at projecting two very different states at once. Like many men, his characters only seem very confident.* That's a very good description of Boyer. He does play differing states at once. He always seems trapped, which I love. *So is "reality" only the hum drum and negative things that happen in the daily course of life?* No, of course not. But we never dream of the tough stuff. And if we dream of the mundane, it's in a loving light. *I think so, too. That's where valuing unselfishness, compromise and giving comes into play. That's when love becomes "real", when you care more about the other than yourself.* And there's more to even that. It's the how. I also think love enters different stages. The kind of love one experiences when they are in their teens is going to be different by your 20s, 30s, 40s, etc. Most people don't think of love in the daily or long-term. They may dream of long-term, but the actuality of it is so much different. *Ha, I know. The ending was code enforced. The original story does not end that way. Edwina goes back to England, a changed woman, but very sad because she loses just about everything.* I'm not sure I'd like that one, either. I saw that you didn't rank the film too highly on your list. So what are your likes and dislikes with the picture?

*Yes. Again, you have a central character who is so wedded to old, traditional ways he is willing to go to jail for it. He is depicted as both foolish, stubborn and loveable. He's the bad and good of Irishness. I feel Ford's ability to show Irish duality (which is universal, and perhaps the secret to the appeal of the country) is best served by "The Majesty of the Law". He doesn't say "the old ways are best" unequivocally because Cusak, the policeman, is a good man, only doing his duty and trying to be fair. Purcell wants special treatment, nobless oblige, which is wrong, yet he is a dear man, very human, not defined by anything but how he lives his own life. He won't be defined by changing mores and opinions...and laws. Bad and good.* And all of what you just beautifully wrote is very Fordian. You have to appreciate the subtlety of this code of life to value "The Majesty of the Law." I think it's wonderful that you do. I think she may eat up the three stories. Lots and lots of Irish charm in each. If Jackie hasn't seen the film, I believe she'd really appreciate it. *That it was, though I feel her death scene with all that orchestral sturm und drang was overwrought. I fault the direction more than the actress. We were being hit over the head.* The music was too much for me and I found the ending to be poor. I especially didn't like Florence's (Alexis Smith) complete turnaround. That came out of nowhere and much too easily. *Joan's best moment was when she watched him leave her, knowing it was the last time she'd ever see him.* That was a lovely scene. And I do like Joan throughout the picture. She's my draw. I prefer Boyer as a rascal more so than these kind of roles. Although he's always comfortable feeling to me. He makes it look so easy. *Juliette was 14. Yes, I definitely think you can be in love at that age. Sometimes I wonder if its the only time you can be in love so purely. At least a girl, anyway.* I believe Tessa's feelings to be true. I think every 14-year-old girl is in love. The tricky part is dreams versus reality. The idea of love is often much different than the reality. We hold all the cards when it's our idea and dream. It's impossible to be of one mind with two. *And this is what I think I like best about the movie, and [b[Letter From an Unknown Woman, best. It attempts to capture what a very ideal love is or can be. Because melodramatic license aside, people do feel these things, and have done so all through human history.* Love is so much easier when you project and fantasize. It's how we wish to be. What's best, the before, the during, or the after? And what is "a very ideal love"? All of that becomes a personal definition. *Often artists can feel something in them is bottled up or trapped, if they only knew how to free it. They may appear the most uninhibited members of society, but they often feel the most constricted because they can't ever quite capture what they see with their mind's eye or imagination. It won't free itself and be born just as they wish it to be. And then people without much imagination or experience can be so utterly free and seem to have a direct channel to their deepest feelings with no effort at all.* That's nicely expressed. I agree with you. There is a lot of frustration to be found in the actuality of art and love, but the imagined is often perfect. *I feel ATaHT is more like Jane Eyre than The Constant Nymph. Though in both, Boyer loves to hold an image in his mind of a lover who seems to hold the key to understanding his feelings.* *Jane Eyre* is another good comparison. You're very right about both of Boyer's characters being frustrated with their existence in some fashion and the belief that the girl really does understand their feelings. There's a femininity about these characters of Boyer in that they are being driven by their feelings. *Ha! I've always said that movies have the hardest time depicting "goodness". They invariably make it dour and boring.* There's a lot of truth to that. But there are fun exhibitions of goodness, such as Penny (Gail Russell) in *Angel and the Badman*. *Friendly Persuasion* is a very warm presentation of goodness. But Ty and Myrna in *The Rains Came* are so very restrictive. I understand Rama being this way. What he is most serious about is his work, as Tom points out. But it bored me to see Edwina turn into a "nun." And the ending was silly to me.

Hi, Music Man -- *I don't think I've seen half your list.* What have you seen? *Colorado Territory is one I like but mainly for McCrea. I don't care a lot for Mayo's character and I don't always buy into McCrea loving her but she does stand by him and will do anything for him.* I completely see that and understand that. McCrea really is the main draw in the film. One of the reasons why I greatly prefer *High Sierra* is the "other woman" story. The feelings Roy (Bogie) has for the young Velma (Joan Leslie) are presented more strongly and with more of a tortuous result. You could feel the pain with Roy. This also helped us to like Marie (Ida Lupino) even more. I didn't get that feeling with Wes (Joel McCrea) and Julie Ann (Dorothy Malone). I also preferred Ida's "Marie" to Virginia's "Colorado." *I like Friendly Persuasion a lot too. My only issue was they could have made more out of the difference of opinion between the difference of opinion in the family about the war.* In the end, I really don't think that was the issue in the film. It almost felt like a "MacGuffin." The film seemed to be mostly about how this family lived and loved more so than about Quaker beliefs. *I do like the scene around the organ. I can't imagine not having music in the house and it almost seems odd that McGuire is the one with the problem.* She's the one who takes their faith the most seriously, I'd say. She's the mother, trying to keep all their ducks in a row. We are shown she wishes to dance and enjoy music by her tapping her feet at the carnival. But she must live a certain way because of her faith. Jess, on the other hand, is more mischievous and much more relaxed. I guess the fear of parents is that if you relax some of your beliefs, it opens the door for more and more to be relaxed. That's also the fear of the Church and Society. I liked Eliza's (Dorothy Malone) protective mothering. *The Constant Nymph was not a big deal for me. It's nice they got it out of its rights problems but it was only okay.* Yeah, I can't see that one being to your liking. I wasn't moved by it much, either. I wanted to be.

*Now see, I like the first one the most and the third one the least (though I love Denis O'Dea and Eileen Crowe). I love Cyril Cusak and Noel Purcell and Jack MacGowran's "poteen maker". I also like the setting of the ruined castle.* So you like it for the performers and atmosphere more so than the story. Since there was no story! I guess the story was about honor and respect. *So you think her "love" was just girlish idolization?* That's always hard to know. She certainly had him on a pedestal way above herself but she wasn't afraid to tell him his music was all wrong. I'd say how it was presented was very schoolgirl crush since she was supposed to be a girl in school and he was a figure who was bigger than life to her. All of this was played very well by Joan. *So you think his real love could only be inspired by someone like Helen Walker, who stirred him physically?* *I don't know what to believe. I see it both ways. I guess I like to believe that a man could sublimate his desires with a love that is more spiritually satisfying. Especially if most of his passions get put into his art anyway.* Do you believe a grown man can be in love with a 14-year-old girl? It's an interesting discussion because it really gets to the idea of what is love. Is understanding, alone, love? That's what I think Lewis is most drawn to with Tessa. His wife doesn't understand his art (his feelings), but Tessa does. Is that love? I don't think Lewis ever thought to love Tessa on the level he professes at the end until the music comes out of him thanks to her. She frees him from himself. I got the feeling he liked how free Tessa was. That was something he wished to feel within himself but never really could. *I don't see the comparison, except he's married to a rather imperious, demanding society woman in each case. ATaHT features a woman, not a child.* There is a forbidden wall that keeps the two apart in both films. In *All This, and Heaven, Too*, Henriette (Bette Davis) is a woman but she is very much a child when viewed in comparison to Duc (Charles Boyer) and his world and experience. She is subserviant to him and his world. *I see the comparison and I agree there's more conflict and emotion to be found in The Sundowners. It's bawdier, too, which is more your style.* You are very correct. "Gentle" is something that is hard for me to enjoy. I can appreciate it, but not enjoy it. *I know what you mean, they are more fun and loose.* They are more in the open with their feelings. Edwina starts out this way but then she turns into a "nun." *I also think Myrna is more enjoyable to watch when she's selfish and snotty in the beginning.* She had her twinkle going! *But you want her to grow as a person and not remain such a brittle creature. The story just doesn't give you enough to hang her change on in your opinion.* Yes, that is correct. I do like when characters change, but I'd like to feel that change. *I think I'm able to use my imagination.* *I've also read the book its based on. Ty's character "Rama" is much more interesting in the book. He's also blonde and blue-eyed! "Aryan", you know.* Oh, goodness.

*The very three I figured you'd stumble the most with.* But since I start with low expectations for such films, they can end up being great surprises to me if I end up liking them. *First let me just hear a word of praise if you can think of any of Pappy's Irish pilgrimage.* The first story of the film had me worrying it was the worst Ford film and this was his "*Juno and the Paycock*." The second story then had me worried but it slowly won me over and I found it sweet. The final story was done exceptionally well and it pushed me to think well of the film. Now, the film still ranks lowly on my Ford list, but I actually think it's rather charming. I think it's very Fordian. It ended up being a good watch. *The Constant Nymph* *Too much of the sisters romping and the childishness. I imgagine any scene with Boyer alone with one of the girls, talking that way that he has, are the best scenes.* I liked Joan Fontaine and Joyce Reynolds, so it wasn't the sisters romping that bothered me. It's the kind of film it is that just doesn't sit well with me. It's a "little girl" film. I will say that it did help me like *Letter from an Unknown Woman* more. *Tell me, did you buy the love between them?* I completely believed Tessa (Joan Fontaine) having her schoolgirl crush on Lewis (Charles Boyer). I didn't buy Lewis really loving Tessa. I think he cared about her and loved her on that level, but not in the passionate sense. I think he loved that she understood his art, which he takes as understanding him. The film kind of reminded me of *All This, and Heaven Too*. Although, I thought the emotion in that one was a bit stronger. *The Hitch-Hiker* *Starts out tense, but situation gets predictable and the ending is not great.* Right. I wanted the film to progress but it never really does. *Friendly Persuasion* *Now given your deep abiding admiration for Coop,* What?! Did you hit your head?! *and your growing fondness for Dorothy MacGuire,* This is very true. *I figured you'd have responded to the warmth of their marriage.* Well, you're very right about that. I did like how their marriage was shown to be. Of course, she's stubborn and unreasonable, throwing her snippy fits. Why is this so familiar to me? *They can still make hay at their stage of life. * *I think the threat of taking the young boy away from them, and his decision not to be a conscientious objector, would have been a more darkly executed wrent in their world. But it seemed to work out too easily.* You've got it. But this film didn't set out to be dark. It's a light, loving film. It's told in a very kind, gentle, humorous way by William Wyler. It's very lovingly made. It reminds me of *The Sundowners*. But that film moved me a lot more than this one. I believe my biggest issue with the film is that is lacks events until the very end. The film is spent showing us the family and their passions and how they fight them since they are Quakers. *I'd say Shenandoah is a little better on these lines.* Maybe I'd like that one more. *The Rains Came* *Well you said it, Ty bored you in his turban. He is muted and serious. But romantic.* That's definitely a big part of it. *Didn't you like Myrna's transformation for love? It looked completely and believable a real transformation for love.* I thought the opposite. I didn't believe her transformation. She did such a huge turn and very quickly. She bored me by film's end. But I liked her at first. *However I do confess that Georgie and his bright young thing were more interesting! I felt for her frustrations being stuck out there and admired her chutzpah to just show up in his rooms like that.* I found those two to be much more interesting, mainly because of Tom (George Brent). I liked that Fern (Brenda Joyce) jumped him and that he rejected her out of respect for her. *He was another who had no desire for women that way, in the long term or to be responsible, and he ends up changing just as much as Lady Whoosits (Myna).* Edwina knows him well. She tells him what's up: *What do I have to do to keep the career and get the husband.* That's correct. *You can't fool me! You were the tigress!* *No way!* Yes way! *It's interesting to compare the "immaturity" of characters like Bob occasionally played, with how they would be today. Since everyone today is acting immature, they have nothing to really thumb their noses at, no one to shock with outrageous behavior (of the wittier kind, not the crudeness now)* Today is about being in your face with the humor. In the past, snide remarks was the delivery system. *He was dying to see a fight!* He was! I always enjoy those who encourage such fights from the sidelines.

*okay, i'm not that chatty...okay maybe i am, but i'm sweet! * Oh, no, you're not! *Ty Power is never boring!* Oh, yes, he is! He's boring in *The Razor's Edge* and this one! Now in *The Black Swan*, he's highly entertaining. *Although the story does have a rather slow start for me, but it does make up for that later on when things get spiced up.* The beginning is what I liked! Tom (George Brent) was fun to watch. It's from the middle on that I drown! The entire Rama (Ty Power) and Edwina (Myrna) relationship did nothing for me. *I actually have mixed feelings about her character's actions in The Rains Came. I think you think she was boring, simply because her character was quite bored in the story until she became entangled with Tyrone.* Quite the opposite! I preferred her in the early going. When she turns serious, I tune her out. Her and Rama become zombies! *I think you're getting confused. you see, life is suppose to end on a happy note, not with someone getting shot!* I wanna see a horse getting pinned with a medal! *I don't recall the whole movie being pleasant.* The only unpleasant thing is Sam Jordan's (Robert Middleton) fate. *Initially there were issues in the movie until Gary fixed everything.* He fixed everything? How?! You've got Gary eyes! *I consider comedies and musicals to be pleasant.* This is mostly true. And I do expect such endings in those genres. *You know, like Funny Girl. Now that's a pleasant film.*. Only if you think death is pleasant! *Friendly Persuasion is a dramatic western. a very good dramatic western with a good story, I might add.* I didn't think there was much drama in the film. And the little drama that happens had me thinking, "big whoop." I'd say it's a very loving family film. The value of the film is how the family and community care about one another. And then there's this:

*Oh good gravy.. But the goose has a happy ending too.. how you gonna resolve THAT one Mr. "I hate happy endings" guy?? * Touche! It would have killed me to see Samantha hurt. *(PS.. I also liked the running gag w/ the horse racing.. ha.. running.. oh me.. I am just so witty and I wasn't even TRYING to be.. ha)* It was cute, but that's all this film ended up being. Yuck! *The Sundowners* is a family film that I like a heckuva lot more. The emotion in that film is much stronger. I will say that *Friendly Persuasion* is a very loving film. *Did you watch A Canterbury Tale yet* *Thanks for REMINDING me!! (talk about a SHIFTLESS person.) Good golly.. I keep forgetting that I am DYING to see what is UP w/ that whole "glue man" thing.* I'm pretty sure you will enjoy it. It's a beautiful film with an ending you will most likely appreciate. *How could I be so dopey as to forget that???* I shall remain silent! *(to quote the little plastic green dinosaur in Toy Story.. "Oh great, Now I have GUILT!" )* Very good!

Hiya, Invisible Woman! -- *Okay I have just two things to say about this.* Only two? You're losing your touch! *First of all, There is no such thing as Myrna Loy going wsouth in ANY movie she has ever been in. She is simply a genius in all of her movies and is always interesting, including in The Rains Came, silly.* She drowns in this one! She became as boring as Rama (Tyrone Power)! She should have stuck with Tom (George Brent)! And what about her husband?! Poor Nigel! You and your adultery! Awful! *Second of all....WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU?? Heehee! Too much happiness? What kind of phrase is that? that is just so mean. I believe it's called raining on our parade about happy endings. Hello, those are the best of the best, silly goose! and Gary Cooper with a happy ending? I mean that just takes the cake with what a good movie is. I mean, honestly Frankie!* Yes, too much happiness! It's a much too pleasant film! Everybody gets what they want! Horrible!

*They were, weren't they??? I thought this movie was T-riffic for the special effects with the earthquake AND all the rain.. and rain.. and rain.. and some more rain too.. ha.* Having seen *San Francisco* fairly recently, a film with a very good earthquake scene, I ended up liking the one in *The Rains Came* much more. *I like the way Myrna's character played out. (I think this was the first time I had seen her in a role like that... I was only familiar w/ her lighter roles up to that point) I liked the way she changed and developed over time. She started out SO much different from the way she ended up. Way cool.* I just didn't buy into her transformation. If I felt it more, then maybe I would have enjoyed the film. I wonder if I only like a playful Myrna. She started off this way in *The Rains Came*, but then she disappeared. *What did you think of little old Maria?? (can't spell her name even if I WANTED to.. ha) I LOVED her character in this film.* Oh, I did like Maria. I usually do. For such a little woman, she conveys a lot of power. *YOU loved the bit with the GOOSE??????????? Wonders never cease.. ha.* I usually like animal bits. I couldn't believe how well Samantha did. I cared about her the most. *(but how did you like the Marjorie Main bit w/ her daughters?? ha.)* I forgot about them! Yeah, I definitely enjoyed them. They were funny. *The parts that were silly like those are SO silly that if I have one complaint it would be that I thought they just did not fit w/ the whole "civil war" conflict w/ the son and the dad etc, etc. That was the area of the film that sort of changes the tone of all of it for me. Anyway.. I am glad you liked the goose. There is hope for you yet!! * I just kept waiting and waiting and waiting for something important to happen and when it finally does, it's a major letdown for me. The film actually plays like a longer Will Rogers film... minus Will Rogers. *OH dadgum.. how did you know??? Curses.. foiled again! There goes my REAL reason for wanting you to see this movie. Right smack in the middle of the movie Walter Brennan comes out and preaches a sermon to Pip!! (oh no.. now you are going to hate it for SURE!) * That was funny! Did you watch *A Canterbury Tale* yet?

Good evening, Quiet Gal -- *Good gravy, Grey Dude.. you didn't like The Rains Came????????????????????????? All that death and destruction and MAYHEM??? And it even has (MINISPOILER) a decidedly LESS than happy ending.. (at least somewhat anyway.... poor Myrna!!!!) :DHow can this BE???????????? * If it wasn't for George Brent and Brenda Joyce, I would have been bored to death. Although, the earthquake scenes were sensational. I loved all of that. Myrna started off interesting and then she went south. Tyrone Power bores me when he's muted. *The only other one on your list that I can say I have seen is Friendly Persuasion. I have always enjoyed that movie and I think we chatted on this one back in my Westerns thread a couple of years ago and I thought I remembered you being in on it too, but I might be remembering it wrong. Anyway.. I can see why you might not have liked it as well. I haven't read all the posts here tonight yet, but I bet it is likely the mixture of drama and "hominess" and perhaps a bit of out and out silliness all mixed together in the same movie that likely turns you off.* No, I wasn't involved in that chat. This another film that bored me. I loved Samantha the Goose and Dorothy McGuire, but the rest didn't do a thing for me. I didn't like the ending. Too much happiness. *Re: GE... will be sitting on the edge of my seat to hear what you think for that one... but am not going to get my hopes up. ha. :DYou SHOULDA watched it on youtube instead of buying it.. I always feel guilty when you go out and BUYa movie because it is one I ask you to watch and then you end up hating it. (a la Alice Adams, etc.. etc. ETC!!! ) OH the guilt.. I feel so weighed down already....* That's okay. I'm sure the film is worth owning. I doubt I'll hate it. Unless it's *Sergeant York* !

*Did any of these movies prove better than you expected?* Better: Three Loves Has Nancy Let's Make Love The Rising of the Moon Worse: The Constant Nymph Strange Impersonation The Hitch-Hiker Friendly Persuasion The Rains Came *What do you think is the psychology? The premise is pretty hard to believe, but it's still unique. Nora accidentally backs into a woman who turns out to be a real user. She and the ambulance chaser who saw it happen. That's the only thing that reminded me a little of Mann's noirs, how the cities are full of scurvy user types.* It's a film about a career woman's fears. I believe someone like Jackie would like it for some of that and hate it for how it ends. *Well it seems like you don't like noir, crime or mystery movies that are "soft".* I like mystery films that are "soft." Film noir and crime, no. *I think The Outrage is pretty hard hitting for the subject matter in that time, but it's still a story about a woman. And the title alone of* *The Bigamist aught to scare you away---marriage to more than one woman!* The guy must go crazy! *She's like a little beetle.* You're silly. *But I actually think some of the things she says make sense.* Of course! *I like that Bob's this know-it-all writer, the kind that's still filling the bookshelves (or online) today but he has no real experience with what he writes about. He's full of himself.* And he plays it wonderfully! He's very good at playing "full of himself." *I thought it was funny how she immediately thought everyone was stealing her purse, lol. It's like the scene in The Awful Truth, when Irene plays Cary's low class sister who accuses his future inlaws of stealing her purse. Ha haaa!* It became a really cute running gag. You women drive us men nuts! *It's funny that even though all this seems so corny, it's still happening. People in cities like New York really do have the same egotistical foolishness about themselves, and still look down on the rest of the world and vice versa. Some stereotypes just remain true.* I agree with that. It's just the rest of the country has now followed suit in their own way. Everyone thinks they are right. *I know! It's very funny how she's smiling and being friendly and right away the wolves start drooling. I know how she feels! That's happened to me, believe it or not, when I first started going out in London and New York. If you're really friendly, you can get mixed reactions.* You can't fool me! You were the tigress! *Oh yes, he never plays it dumb. He's often the smarter one.* And I like that better than the dumb ol' sap. *Oh yes, he lost the girl several times, right up until he was starting to be a really big leading man. He was considered a light-weight even more so than Tone. You saw that Tone would still be given an occasional serious role like The World Moves On in the early thirties. Not Bob. He was making with quips, downing martinis and trying to steal the girls from Gable or even lesser actors. Most notably in* *The Divorcee with Norma Shearer.* It will be jarring for me to see Montgomery as secondary. But now that I think about it, I can see him being the drinker pal who wisecracks, ala Tone in *Three Loves Has Nancy*. I got a big kick out of Grandpa Briggs (Charley Grapewin) asking if George (Grady Sutton) was gonna slug Mal. *me, too! Joel is funnier and Coop is as you say, more romantic, and could play tortured and suggest some darkness and complexity.* That's a very good point about the darkness and complexity. I don't believe I've seen Joel play anything like that. He always projects "wholesome."

*I did get the feeling that Mann's heart wasn't in this one. :)Did you see who the producer was? Billy Wilder's brother. The budget is clearly shoestring. Still, it was fun to me.* I did notice "William Wilder." I didn't know he was of relation to Billy. Heck, I thought it was possibly Billy, himself. I didn't dislike the film, per se. I was looking for more and that usually spells doom with me. *STRANGE IMPERSONATION SPOILER* *It made me giggle a little to see how glamorous these lady scientists were. Brenda's concession to seriousness was her glasses, which she apparently didn't need since she discards them after her impersonation.* All of that added up to the "corny" you spoke of. Soap opera science. *I think Mann was snoring, too, having to direct him. He is distractingly bad in this.* He's a sap, as you say, and then he attempts to come off as a suave guy. I wasn't buying. *Oh, yes she's one of the sisters. I've only seen her in two other films, Whispering Smith, with Alan Ladd, and* *The Sea Hawk, with Errol Flynn. She was Mrs. William Holden for a long time, but never much of an actress or star. She was so skinny!* I never heard of her before now. I had no idea she was married to William Holden. *I think the movie worked a little more for me the first time I saw it because I didn't know the twist was coming at the end.* I was actually okay with the twist ending. I like the psychology of it. *I don't think you'd like that one either. You might not care for The Outrage either. They aren't really noir.* They don't have to be films noir for me to like them, though. *Just thinking about it is funny. His face is so expressive.* He's always so incredulous. He's very good at the ego jolt. *Yes, she seemed to stick to him like gum in the beginning and he was so annoyed. He was a real New York playboy. He wanted to just push all the buttons and get the responses he wanted from women, and then not be bothered with anything pesky like having to be unselfish and committed. And along comes this little country girl who thinks he's the foolish one.* Janet Gaynor was definitely playing a "Jean Arthur" character. At first, I was annoyed by her. But then I started to warm to her. Mal was very much going "big city" on those silly "hicks." But Nancy (Janet Gaynor) didn't even know who he was and she didn't care. She thought he was just a guy she met. *I thought the scene in the restaurant funny. She didn't know the New York hoi poloi were making fun of her. Oh my goodness.* She's just being friendly! I like that kind of naivete. *That's exactly what he's doing. And he's cast this way in several films, especially playing second fiddle to Clark Gable. If Tone didn't play the role, it would Roland Young or Ralph Bellamy.* Tone was definitely more interesting and funny than Bellamy in such a role. *Interestingly, Bob Montgomery played a few of these characters himself early on.* Really? Him? I can't see it! *You've seen him comedies, right? His career is very similar to Gary Cooper's. I think he said he used to get scripts with Coop's fingerprints all over of them.* I never made the correlation, but you're certainly right about that. Joel does seem similar to Coop. I'd say Joel is warmer but Coop is more romantic. I definitely like Coop more in westerns. I prefer Joel in comedies.

*I've finished. I realize better now why you wouldn't care for it. It's very much a woman's picture and the acting is a bit corny. I liked it as a kind of oddity.* It felt more like a soap opera because of the story and low-production values. "Corny" and "oddity" do come to mind. You're right on it. *It starts out with "Nora" reminding me of Cary Grant's intended in Bringing Up Baby. All work and no play.* Hey, yeah, you're right! *William Gargan, poor old thing. He'd run out of gas by this time. He was in tons of 1930s films. I almost didn't recognize him.* I never heard of him before. He was a huge turn-off for me. *His character is a sap, just a bone for the two women to fight over.* He seemed like an old-fashioned soap opera actor. He was a snore. *Hillary Brooke, always a cat. I never realized before how tall she was, or that Brenda Marshall was so small. Hillary looked like Goliath next to her.* I liked Hillary. Brenda, not so much. And I had just watched Brenda in *The Constant Nymph* prior to this film. *That's kind of true, yes. Of Ida's films, I like The Outrage and* *The Bigamist much better.* I haven't seen either and I only have *The Bigamist*. *He was!* That's more like you! *Does anyone act funnier when he's peeved?* That's an interesting point. You know, he may be the funniest when peeved. *The expression on his face whenever he caught sight of Janet is very funny.* You mean when he was looking to avoid her? I like how he wanted to be with a woman then he didn't then he did. *And I like the way Franchot Tone makes fun of his egotism.* He played a good "needle." For some weird reason, it felt like he was playing a drunk Ralph Bellamy or an early version of a Tony Randall character. I liked the relationship between Mal (Robert Montgomery) and Bob (Franchot Tone). *I'm supposed to believe she's a "half breed"? Please. The body make-up was so fake and her hair. Sometimes I can let those things slide, sometimes they jolt me out of the story.* That's a good point. I completely forgot she was playing that. That's definitely why her look was off. *I know. Joel is always a welcome presence, especially in westerns.* I don't believe I ever saw him in a western until recently. Now I've seen him in three, if you include *Stars in My Crown*.

*It was pretty surprising to me too. It's a good entry. You can see they really tried to stay "topical" with the entries. Adventures was the only one true to the original stories' period, I think.* I've noticed that. I'm curious to see if they return to the turn of the century. *Then I'll talk about it by myself. I've almost finished re-watching.* Oh! I didn't know you were watching it again. I'll certainly talk about it. *I kind of felt the same way about the situation. The actors weren't such that held me, either but it had its moments.* I liked the actors, but I kept waiting for something different to happen. It never really does. *That's different. TV shows are short. Movie comedies have to really be something special to keep my interest for an hour and half.* I thought Robert Montgomery was really funny in *Three Loves Has Nancy*. *So did her make-up and hair.* Oh, no! Appearances! I figured you wouldn't like Virginia's look. *I can't remember the ending. I guess it was along the same lines as High Sierra.* There's a twist with the ending in *Colorado Territory*. I think it's more similar to *Duel in the Sun*. *The movie has a lot of fans, though, so I'm in the minority on this one. I think I also can't buy Joel as a bad man. Bogie, yes.* I agree with you. Joel seems too "aw shucks" to be taken seriously as a bad guy. Still, I enjoyed his performance and the film.

*I do like them, they're just not at the top.* It wasn't a good group for me. Lots of disappointment. *Oh, yes! I do like that one alot. It has Milburn!* Now you got it! Your Milburn was actually a young love interest. I couldn't believe it! *Well, it's more of a woman's story, which is a draw. It was an unusual movie for Anthony Mann, I thought. I'll let you know after I re-watch it. I see it's on hulu.com here, in case anyone else is interested:* I won't comment on the film since you are offering up the link for others to watch. *It was suspenseful. Why didn't you like it?* I was into *The Hitch-Hiker* at the start. It's very tense and frightening. But after a while, I started to tire of the situation. I wasn't keen on how it all ends, either. *Not exactly, I just can't say that many comedies are really registering with me right now. Laughter seems a long way away.* But you know if you like something or not. You like The Dick Van Dyke Show ! *I like her very much in other things even other westerns.* I think I've only seen her as a hussy. She was certainly fiery in this one. McCrea and Mayo did make for a strange combination. *So what made you like it so much?* Well, you were right about my not liking this group of films that much, so I can't say I loved *Colorado Territory*. I did like it, though. The ending is what pushed it over the top for me. Without that ending, it would have been middle of the pack.

*wow, that is topsy turvy.* Yeah, it's a real tough group for me. *i can't say any of these films are big favorites with me, and I would probably change the ranking quite a bit depending on my mood.* And that surprises me, too. I would have thought you liked some of these films. *I also can't remember the plot of Sherlock Holmes Faces Death.* It takes place in a home that features recovering soldiers. *I remember really liking Strange Impersonation.* Do you remember why? *The Hitch-Hiker not as much.* But you ranked it higher than I thought you would. *And yes, I'm not a huge fan of Janet Gaynor, at least not as a comedic actress, though she's cute enough for what the part calls for. It's a funny romp, she by no means spoils it for me.* So why don't you like it that much? Do you find it ordinary? *Colorado Territory is down in the dumps mainly because it made little impression on me when I last saw it and I don't remember liking Virginia Mayo in her part. She seemed glaringly out of place.* It's a strange watch if you have seen *High Sierra*. I can see how you wouldn't like Virginia Mayo. She doesn't seem to be your kind of dame.

*boy, i see a bunch that are definitely not "you".* There is a lot of truth to that. I struggled with some of these films. *In the order you disliked them, least to most:* You're bad! You were all over the place with this one. I would have been the same in guessing myself. And I would have been off with you, for sure. 1. Colorado Territory (5/12) off 4 2. Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (7/5) off 5 3. Three Loves Has Nancy (10/11) off 7 4. Let's Make Love (12/4) off 8 5. I See a Dark Stranger (3/7) off 2 6. The Spider Woman (4/2) off 2 7. Strange Impersonation (1/3) off 6 8. The Hitch-Hiker (2/6) off 6 9. The Rising of the Moon (11/8) off 2 10. The Rains Came (9/1) off 1 11. The Constant Nymph (8/10) off 3 12. Friendly Persuasion (6/9) off 6 What surprises me with you is that you list *Colorado Territory* at the bottom and I have it at the top. Wow! And how did I end up liking *Three Loves Nancy* that much more than you?! I think I know why. The actress. You like *Strange Impersonation* and *The Hitch-Hiker* more than me. That's an upset.

This next group of films that I watched is a very difficult mix to rank, so I wish you luck with it, Fordy Guns (or anyone else who cares to try). How do you think I liked them? I'd love to know how you like the films, as well. Colorado Territory The Constant Nymph Friendly Persuasion The Hitch-Hiker I See a Dark Stranger Let's Make Love The Rains Came The Rising of the Moon Sherlock Holmes Faces Death The Spider Woman Strange Impersonation Three Loves Has Nancy

*Wait till you see Henry Daniel. He is the Moriarty.* Yes, that should be very enjoyable.

*I liked all of that, too. And there's Lionel, again.* I liked him as "Moriarity." He had a real presence. *Yes, I love mystery train settings. That's one reason I like Terror by Night so much.* I hope to see that one by the end of the year. *tCM aired the Hammer version of Hound of the Baskervilles last weekend. It's enjoyable, too, in a different tone. One thing I noticed is the dog attack scene in the Rathbone version was much more realistic and the dog a better actor.* You just love that doggie. I don't mind the Hammer version. It's just that I prefer Basil's.

SHERLOCK HOLMES SPOILERS *Speaking of mysteries, did you like those two Sherlocks? Those are my least favorite of the series, but they still are entertaining.* I thought the "Secret Weapon" ended exceptionally well. To see Sherlock (Basil) being drained of his blood by Moriarity (Lionel Atwill) was very tense. I also enjoyed the underworld segment. This is the kind of stuff I like with Holmes. The first part of the film wasn't nearly as exciting. I liked the opening for "Washington," all of the intrigue on the train. I also thought the ending was mostly good. The museum setting was very nice. So I've seen five Sherlocks to date: 1. The Hound of the Baskervilles 2. Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon 3. Sherlock Holmes in Washington 4. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes 5. Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror

*She's not the same style, but she was very lovely at that young age, and spirited.* I mostly like Olivia, so I'm sure I'd be all right with her. *Oh, I always thought it was made in 39 or thereabouts. The Thin Man movies I guess are examples, though they play more like mysteries and comedies.* You're right, they are mysteries more so than crime. It's just I always feel the crime films of the 30s have the softer mystery feel to them. The edge seems to come later.

*I think so, too. For the kind of playful antagonism found in* *The Black Swan, your best bet is Flynn and de Havilland in* *Captain Blood. She plays a character rather similar to Maureen's. Very uppity and provoking.* Yeah, that does sound more my speed. I don't know if Olivia can match Maureen, though. *I am trying to think of crime movies from the thirties. Stranger on the Third Floor comes to mind.* That's a 40s film but it feels like a 30s crime flick. It has a little film noir feel mixed with 30s crime. The "Thin Man" films are 30s crime.

Have you ever seen *Holiday Affair* and *Not as a Stranger* ?