FrankGrimes

*She's very beautiful in it. Her character is basically the same as the girl in* *Blood and Sand.* If that's the case, I'll like *The Black Swan* more. *I don't think Let Us Live as so much of a crime film. I guess I do mean the more gangster type ones.* I view gangster films as just that, even though they are all about crimes. Then there are crime films without the focus on gangsters.

*And Ty is Don Diego at the party! You have to see* *The Mark of Zorro now because Ty is in a similar, playful mode in that one. Plus it has your girl in it.* It's been on my list to watch for a little while. I have it as the next "Linda" film for me. *Those siblings must have been scary to drive a good looking girl like her to Jack Elam.* You don't think Jack is a prize? *Which ones are soft to you in the thirties?* *Let Us Live* is an example of one. *Sinners in Paradise* has a softness to it. They are light crime films.

*But that was the style of the day so everyone was looking like that. Your caped crusader stands out a little at parties.* He's Bruce Wayne at the party! *I liked him in Dangerous, too, though Bette really runs roughshod in that one.* When doesn't she?! *Oh the little hillbilly girl. Wasn't she the girl in On Dangerous Ground, the underage kid in the bar? She looks so familiar. Poor thing, she probably got kicked around a lot, you can't blame her for wanting some baubles, bangles and beads.* "Baubles, bangles, and beads"? That was great! That's you! She said she was playing mommy to her younger siblings and that drove her to good ol' Max Verne (Jack Elam). *I liked it.* You have horrible taste! *Those are usually not soft at all.* It depends. If it's gangster flicks, you're right. *You're already so low you'd have to dive up!* You're right!

*Good golly, Mr. Grey.. either this board is whacky.. or my computer is..ha. I tried to answer you last night.. but I got knocked off of here and it would not let me back on.. (kept getting an "error" message and then re-routed to the TCM main page.. don't tell me.. you hated GE so much that you complained and tried to have me banned!!! Oh gee.. I better get posting quickly here or they will kick me off again.) * I had the same problems last night. It took quite a while to load pages and then I couldn't log in. *Alas, poor Molo.. we knew him wel.. oh wait. that's Shakespeare..not Dickens. ha. I bet old Molo has been hanging out too much with Gloria and forgotten all about us.. or it COULD be that he is buried under a mound of snow still.. didn't you folks out east get a snow storm a few weeks back?? Did it hit Richmond too???* Did you toss that much snow on him?! *I will have to check it out and see if I can find it. There are couple of "yet to see" Dukes on my list lately from the talks you've starting up around here.. that along w/ Miss G's recommendation of Cahill US Marshall.. I need to have me a good old fashioned Duke filmfest around here sometime soon.* A Duke fest? Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo! *Well that wouldn't necessarily give it a seal of approval for me (if it were Disney-ish) ha.. but I just thought the story would be good for a movie.. so I was surprised you did not rate it very high. (I did see a made for TV version many years ago w/ Rick Schroeder all grown up.. as I recall I don't think it made a huge impression on me.. but it was ok.. don't know how it would compare to the film you saw though)* The focus of the film starts off being on the dog but it certainly doesn't end up there. It's not really a "family" film. *That was my guess.. ha. And isn't she LOVELY!!!! (and fiesty too!!) I just was surprised you still went for the whole "hoist the mainsail" and "avast me hearties" kinda movie.. even to get a glimpse of sweet Maureen! ha. Although to be honest it HAS been a good long while since I saw this movie.. maybe it is not so "avast me hearties-ish" as I am thinking.. ha)* I'm mostly neutral on the pirate stuff. I'd say the meat of the story was the battle between Jamie Boy (Tyrone Power) and Lady Denby (Maureen O'Hara). The ending is where the swashie stuff shows up. *And what's THIS I see... an opening credit for .. can it be???????????????????????? (somewhere in Hel..sinki!! It is freezing over right now. Oh, wait.. it's already cold in Helsinki.. but you get the idea) :DWell.. I will just be WAITING on the edge of my SEAT to hear what you have to say..ha.(but my track record with pegging you is SO lousy that I will TRY not to have TOO Great of an EXPECTATION for your reaction to this story (HA!) But you gotta at least admit.. it is NOT P&P, now is it??? * I hope it's not *Pride and Prejudice* ! But I do have muted expectations. I'm not sure Dickens and Lean is my kind of combination.

*Did you watch Great Expectations ? Or just buy it?* I bought it last weekend but I haven't watched it yet. I will do so next week. *I know you do! By now, you probably look like Tom after Jerry has hit him in the face with the iron.* Yes! And Tom and I are both innocent! *I rarely buy anything, I'm too cheap. I usually just wait for it to show up on TCM.* It's the one thing I buy for myself. I'm an amateur collector. *I am not the biggest Loretta fan, though there are a few of her films I do like a lot. I really like The Stranger and* *The Bishop's Wife and* *The Farmer's Daughter.* *Midnight Mary is pretty good Loretta.* Of those films, I've only seen *The Stranger*. I like that film but it's not because of Loretta. *From what you have written, I believe that's a huge draw for you. In general, that's a huge draw for you. That's why I'm now curious to see these films. Will I like them as much as you?* *I doubt it.* Such faith! *You are Sleeping Beauty. or maybe The Beast. Have you ever seen Beauty and the Beast - Cocteau's version? La Belle et la Bete?* I haven't. I could though, because my brother has the DVD. He's shown me the look of the film, which is fantastic. *What's wrong with All About Eve?* It's too catty for me. *You couldn't stop me from putting my two cents worth in, unless I haven't seen a movie in a long time, or if a movie is ephemeral. I have a bad memory.* Perfect! *Did you ever see Frankie Darro before? He's a tough kid. He's super in* *The Mayor of Hell with Jimmy Cagney. and Cagney's really good in it too - it showcases his appeal very well.* I'm not sure I'd like a tough kid. I just ordered the last two Warner Gangsters box sets, so I'll be able to watch *The Mayor of Hell*. *I like him when he stretches himself. His personality doesn't appeal to me on it's own.* *Mitchum performances I like best:* *1. Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison* *2. Night of the Hunter* *3. The Story of G.I. Joe* *4. Two for the Seesaw* *5. Rachel and the Stranger (more Loretta, and I like her here too)* *6. Blood on the Moon* *7. The Red Pony* *8 River of No Return* *9. Out of the Past* You seem to like him on the soft and sensitive side. Well, except for *The Night of the Hunter*. I've yet to see *The Story of G.I. Joe*, *Rachel and the Stranger*, and *The Red Pony*.

*I'd rather remain ignerent.* And remain you shall! *They only look ridiculous.* Not as ridiculous as the ruffles, plumes, and wigs! *I forgot he was in one of my favorite Merle Oberon films, Dark Waters. I guess I'd put* *Three Comrades at or near the top. I'm not sure I've ever seen* *The Unguarded Hour or* *The Man on the Eiffel Tower. They sound interesting.* I haven't seen any of those, although I have *The Man on the Eiffel Tower* on DVD. *The Lives of a Bengal Lancer* features my favorite Tone character. My favorite performance is *Phantom Lady*. *I'm not a spoiled heiress! I wish! She was getting on my nerves because I couldn't see her with a guy like that. "Yes dear I know a man is going to die but we have a party to go to!" My word.* I wasn't referring to her! You're the one who wants the shoes, dresses, and jewelry! *Well, so do I because I like the cast better.* I like Henry Fonda. *You mean a small town with intrigue?* No. I was speaking of the pairing. *I thought the whole weird music and how the crime took place was kind of cool.* I liked the opening. That pulls you in. The pay-off isn't good, though. *It's definitely a cheapie "B" movie, but I enjoyed it.* It's too "soft" for me. It actually felt like a 30s crime film. *I was surprised when the diver decided to take the plunge with Theresa. That was pretty low.* We divers have needs, too!

Howdy, Stranger -- *Wowsa.. I am out of it for a week or two and I come back and find all THIS to read through.. I am going to be forever just trying to catch up. (good gravy.. pretty soon I am going to be the one getting called "shiftless" around here)* No, not really. You've got a life! I'm still trying to figure out what you did with Molo. *And the answer is.. NOPE!! I have not seen it.. but now I want to.. not JUST because it is a DUKE.. but now if ONLY to see how it made it THIS high on the latest list:* I'm pretty sure you'd like it. I think the QT would like it a lot. *However I DO like the STORY of The Call of the Wild.. so I am surprised it rated so low.. Because even though I have not seen the film it is a great story. (so that one sort of surprised me on your list)* I don't think you'd think as highly of this film version of "The Call of the Wild." This is not a "Disney" type of film. I like the meaning Wellman went after with the title. That was my favorite part! But the story falls short with me. *But I was the MOST suprised that THIS one came in so high:* * 3. The Black Swan* *It is the only one I have seen among all the ones in your lates batch that you listed.. and though it has been some time since I saw it (and I did like it more or less as I recall) Still I can't recall it enough to comment on it.. but just knowing the type of film it is makes me do a double take to see you have listed it like at #3!* *Talk about your shockers.. wowsa. I need to get a bit more time and read through all your posts about it.. as I see there was some discussion but I have not had a chance to read it yet. I am on the edge of my seat to hear what it was that made you list that one so high on your scale...* Oh, there's a quick and easy explanation for why I liked *The Black Swan*: *In the meantime... WHAT?? Still no DICKENS??????? (hey.. wait.. isn't it NOVEMBER????????????????????????????????) *

*Spoken like a real phony!* You need to learn how to read! Lots of studying at night is required. *Oh yes of course. Capes, masks and Bat-phones are so streamlined.* They are! They're not puffy and cumbersome! *But he's also the opposite of a mug, the learned man, the self-made man, the genius. He could play both ends while never losing the humanity of the inner person (unless the character calls for icy remoteness, in which case he can also deliver).* He could play either man, that's true. But I was specifically speaking of his 30s roles. He seems to always be the unpolished fella. I like him as that. *I'm trying to think what my favorite Franchot Tone role or movie is. I'll look over his filmography and think about it.* Do it! I've only seen eight of his films. *He's really good in Mannequin. I find his character so attractive in a quiet way. That's also one of my favorite Joan Crawford movies, because she's a little softer in that one, and she's very warm with Tracy.* I don't have that one. I'll have to check and see if it's on the schedule. *You might say the expression "war is hell" is really depicted here.* That's what I like with war pictures. *So you didn't like Count the Hours as much as I did. I wish I'd recorded it, I wouldn't mind watching it again.* That's correct. It didn't do much for me. I always like seeing darling Teresa Wright but the story was much too bland and uninteresting for me. You're right, her husband (John Craven) was a bore. But you were quite entertaining, Gracie! I like *Let Us Live* a little more. *Lately, I think I have seen more MacDonald Carey movies than in my whole life. I think they even gave him a whole day recently, or maybe he just happened to be in most of them. Then I've seen him in some TV shows and a western or two. For someone with such an "average Joe" look, he sure worked a lot and in leading roles.* He's nothing special, but he does project competence. It's interesting to see *Shadow of a Doubt*... a decade later.

That picture is hilarious! I defintiely know the feeling of a skillet to the head! *You made me realize that I saw the end of Other Men's Women. It was terrific. All the movies are good.* *Midnight Mary is another tough little film, with Loretta Young, who I don't think you've seen much.* It looks like you've pushed me to try and get the box set. I hope it drops a little more in price. I've become such a snob with DVD prices. I try to get box sets for $20 or less. We'll see what Amazon offers up for Christmas sales. I'm not that crazy about Loretta Young. I mean, she's all right. It's just she rarely pushes me to like a film more like other actresses do. *Maybe I like Wellman because of his tough, survivor women.* From what you have written, I believe that's a huge draw for you. In general, that's a huge draw for you. That's why I'm now curious to see these films. Will I like them as much as you? *You are self-destructive?* Of course! I'm the master of my own hand-cuffs and building very high walls. *I think you'd absolutely get something out of the movie, even if you didn't like the framework. Though the construct is "women's picture", it's really got much more going on. Deep stuff. And Wellman is merciless in his depiction of Hollywood and the narcissism and self-destructiveness it engenders. I like directors who can take what is basically a sappy story and cold eye it - he doesn't force the emotion in the main part of the plot.* So long as it's not *All About Eve* ! I like when I'm told to watch something. I love those kind of challenges. But the key is I need to have real discussion afterwards. I know I'll get that with you. *I've never heard of Sinners in Paradise, but the description sounds just like* *Five Came Back (which I finally got a copy of. Oh, my poor brave Joe!). I bookmarked Sinners on youtube, it looks interesting and I like James Whale.* It's a weird kind of film. Nothing heavy, though. I think it's enjoyable. *I'm pretty sure you will really like Safe in Hell.* What you wrote about it and the setting really appeal to me. *Why? Kids in peril?* Just kids in general. That can be torture for me. *It struck me as another where Wellman takes a standard women's story and gives it some backbone. I really was impressed by it.* Interesting. *Wellman never pulls any punches when it comes to poverty or tough times. That's what I like about him. He's also got a great eye. Some of his films are very beautiful in their starkness - his black and white is really vivid, not so much in this one but in WTW and Battleground, for instance. And some of his scenes just move in such a fascinating way - especially in the underworld, or the desert or in the fog...he makes some scenes positively crackle with suspense.* I thought your using the word "sparse" was a good way to describe Wellman. He's going more for a natural feel, I believe. This also plays to your comment about the lack of phoniness. *I think you'd like this one. It's just fun. Plus - strippers! * I'm a goody two shoes! *There are very few Mitchum performances that really get me, and this is one.* I like Mitchum in just about everything. I love his lazy, sleepy style. *Oh, I think it might be, but I'll have to watch it again to find out. Very atmospheric, almost a horror movie as I recall. Ida is incredible.* Now that sounds better. I was picturing a serious drama. *I like the mystery in Beau Geste, so I hang in there till the end. I love circular stories that end where they began.* I also like "circular" stories. That's definitely what I enjoyed the most with *Beau Geste*. The opening is so creepy, like it's a horror film. I was completely taken by that. *You've really got a handle on him! I wish I had described him as well as you do. He gives me the vicarious thrill of speaking his mind at all times - I love it when he says something cutting to a goody goody character. Just what I'd like to say to a few people if I had the nerve.* You're naughty. I'm a fan of your Georgie. *Totally. There are some movies where it just doesn't matter what they are about, or how silly they are. You watch them for the personalities.* Most definitely. I know that's the draw and charm of some films for people. They want to see a performer unleashed, ala Bette Davis and James Cagney.

*A cactus rose by any other name smells as sweet.* That's not a real flower! *You don't fancy tights?* I do! I like superheroes! What can be crazy for me is all the ruffles and plumes. Lots of clothing! *And he can tap into all of them very quickly...the smallness of his expressions makes them somehow much more powerful. He's the opposite of the "declamatory" yet he's not a stoic, either, like Coop.* That's really good, Cactus Rose. I like how Spence plays a regular guy. I never feel he's a movie star. He's not Gable or Cooper. He's not Cagney, Bogie, or Eddie G. He's not Grant or Powell. He's a mug. *I forgot Tone was the other actor!* Uh-huh. I've seen him a few times, of late. It seems to happen that way. *Spence took him in and then Tone took his girl!* He thought he was dead! So did she! I do love that Spence is always the guy who misses out. *I really liked this story, it's one of the best of several movies made at this time that were quite bold in their criticism of war.* It's a unique way of being critical, too. *P.S. I'm also with Jackie on many of her Wellman suggestions...I forgot about G.I. Joe. I think you'd really go for that one, it's a male tearjerker, ha! Seriously, Wellman put a lot of his heart and soul in that one. Pyle was a friend of his and he wanted very much to tell this story as honestly as possible. No phony heroics. It's the emotions that register, so it doesn't feel so much like "war" movie. It's about the men, especially Joe and Pyle.* I remember Arkadin talking highly of the film. I didn't know it was a psychological war film. Those are the ones I like the most. *I also liked Safe in Hell. Really rugged movie. Whew!* I shall watch that in my next group of films.

*Maybe if he'd shot Ranse it would be more noble. * No! You've probably never seen real flowers! *There's probably little difference between some cowboys and pirates. Just different kinds of turf.* And clothes! *Like Jackie said, put a beard on him and a pretty maid in his lap and he's going to town with it!* Me, too! *It certainly does. It's a remarkable role for any actor yet Tracy makes it seem tailor made for him. He's an gruffly gracious loser.* It's these kind of roles where I like Spencer Tracy the very most. He's very emotional. *I really liked that they made a direct link between the violence of the battlefield leading to violence at home.* That's right. The focus was on the gun and what happens to those who come to feel at ease with the gun. Jimmy (Franchot Tone) was very hesitant about fighting but then he came around and he turned the other way.

*WESTWARD THE WOMEN! * Noooooooooooooooooooo! You're starting to make Greer Garson seem good! *Wellman has been getting higher and higher on my list recently, as I see more of his work. He never made a bad film that I have seen. Here are my favorites so far (aside from WTW):* I'm looking for films to really like and I think you may have plotted some for me. It looks like I may have to get the third "Forbidden Hollywood" box set. *1. A Star is Born (1937) - this is one of my favorite movies ever, and in need of a good restoration. It's an unflinching portrait of a guy who wasted his life. The sad part is, you like him. May have too much of the women's picture for you to like, but you must see it at least once. Brutally honest acting, except for May Robson who's an old ham. The beginning is slow going, but once we get to Hollywood, it's a savage and sometimes funny account of the movie business.* There's a film about me?! I've been avoiding the film like the plague because I always thought of it as a woman's pic. If the man is so self-destructive, I'll have to check it out. *3. Safe in Hell - You might like this one. A street gal tries to go straight, but is cornered by a nasty ex-boyfriend, whom she kills. She takes refuge on a tropical island, inhabited by the lowest of lowlifes. And that's just the beginning! Great performance by Dorothy Mackaill.* Now that's a film that sounds very good to me. It sounds a little like James Whale's *Sinners in Paradise*. *5. Wild Boys of the Road - gritty realistic depiction of children left to their own devices during the Depression.* That one worries me some. *6. Frisco Jenny - Frisco Jenny is an unwed mother who takes to the streets to give her newborn son everything she never had. When sent to jail, her son is given up to a wealthy established family. The son forgets Jenny, though she never forgets him, and he grows up to become D.A. He fights against everything Jenny has become.* It sounds like a woman's pic, but it sounds good to me. *7. Lady of Burlesque - murder mystery that takes place behind the scenes at a Burley-que show. It's a hoot!* Hmmmm, very Hitchcockian. *Murder!* and *Stage Fright* quickly come to mind. *8. Battleground - Beautiful war film, with stunning black and white photography, about a group of nervous soldiers taking ground near Bastogne in a thick fog. One of the few war films I like.* The thick fog is a selling point for me. *9. The Story of G. I. Joe - Ernie Pyle writes stories back home of the men fighting in WWII. Robert Mitchum is splendid as an officer who shows Pyle how difficult being in command really is. Psychological, like Battleground.* Psychological? Sign me up! *10. The Light that Failed - Ida Lupino and Ronald Colman in the story of an artist who slowly loses his sight. This one will probably move way up after I watch it again... I haven't seen it for years and remember being completely spellbound by it. A real shocker.* This one doesn't sound like my kind of flick. *I am one of the few who really loves Beau Geste, but that's because it's one of the first classic films I ever saw. LOVE the creepy beginning and end scenes at the fort, with the dead men lined up on the ramparts. The direction is what I love here. The British part, not so much.* I love the beginning. I was completely drawn to the mystery of the film. Then everything that follows just doesn't do nearly as much for me. Thank you for taking the time to list your favorite Wellman flicks. That was very helpful for me. Now I've got a compass! *I really love Georgie, and that is probably a prime reason why. He's so smart he runs rings around everyone, and can really portray a sense of mischief. At first you think, "oh my gosh he's totally hamming it up!" but by the end you see where he was going with his performance and it all works. He could be remarkably subtle or way over the top. However, there is always a reason for his choices. This was when he was a relatively young actor in the movies and was still trying. But stay away when he's bored in a movie! Ugh, then he's nothing at all and it's a shame, the ennui just drips off if him.* Is there anyone who does cat and mouse any better? He's always mocking and toying. I love his brand of "elitism." *I love this one because i get the impression that the beard made him feel he could just have fun and it shows. It's great to watch him have such a blast. Between him and Laird Cregar, it's so much fun! Scratching up under their wigs, doing bits of business that would make lesser actors look ridiculous, they are a riot! And Ty and Maureen are about at their prime.* It's a fun popcorn film with my kind of romantic battle. The stars truly do make the picture. *I honestly never knew his name, but he is my favorite character in both movies. He's one of the few actors who can keep up with Burt physically, and he's a terrific acrobat. He and Burt were kids together and formed an acrobatic act - when Burt hurt his hand, the act folded, but Burt never forgot him. He cast him in the two swashbucklers and the guy is wonderful! It's obvious that he and Burt are compadres, and that is one of the major reasons to see the films.* Hey, that's really interesting. That definitely enhances the pictures' value to me.

Ciao, Spunky! -- *I would love to see a* *Henry Hathaway tribute on TCM. He's a grand director that I've only come to discover through you, MissG.* I'd also like to see a Hathaway spotlight. He deserves more attention. *But I love Wellman too. He's so spare.* He's very hit or miss with me. I've only seen eight of his films, so far: 1. The Ox-Bow Incident (love it) 2. Island in the Sky (really like it) 3. The Public Enemy (very solid; love the ending) 4. Westward the Women (very solid) 5. The Call of the Wild (not much to it) 6. Beau Geste (rather dry) 7. Nothing Sacred (not a fan) 8. Blood Alley (not a fan) What are your favorite Wellman pics? Which ones would you suggest to me? *Isn't Georgie a riot in his red beard?!!* He really turns it on by film's end. He's always a lot of fun. Does anyone stir the pot better? *How about the Burt swashies? I always liked the tongue in cheek performances in The Crimson Pirate and* *The Flame and the Arrow. Plus, you get Nick Cravat as his sidekicks, and he does his own stunts. It's beautiful to watch him.* *The Black Swan* was my first swashie. I'm pretty sure Burt would go over quite well with me. I never heard of Nick Cravat, though.

*I confess I was always unsure whether he was sincere or not, but it does seem to be played straight. Yet...why cast Laird Cregar who everyone automatically mistrusts?!* I was thinking they wanted Captain Morgan to be big and boisterous. You could definitely make *The Black Swan* much more dramatic by showing Captain Leech as being similarly noble as Captain Morgan, just with a different worldview. That's Tom vs. Ranse. Wait a minute! Doniphon shoots guys from the shadows! That isn't noble! *There's something to that. I mean, Morgan certainly profited handsomely.* Captain Leech didn't want to give in to civilization. He wanted to be a free agent. Hey, he's Gay Langland! *Good call! George looks like he may have had the most fun for the only time in his career. He really eats up the scenery.* When doesn't George do that?! But I do agree with you, Sanders seemed to be reveling in playing the bad buccaneer. *A good movie for you to watch after this is Bob Hope's The Princess and The Pirate. :DIf you don't have it, you should get it. What a howl! I even want to say one of the pirates in it is Morgan.* I'm looking to watch some Hope flicks next year, so maybe I can get that box set. *What about the others on your list, like They Gave Him a Gun?* Now that was a rather interesting film. It starts off as a war film and then it turns into a gangster flick. Remarkable! I really enjoyed Spencer Tracy in this one. I liked his calling Rose (Gladys George) "Duffy." Spence is so good at playing the "other man." The sacrifice in the film is very interesting. It plays many ways.

Howdy, Denver! -- *I just watched Ride The High Country again and I loved it, maybe more this time around.* Woohoo! *I think I was so wrong when I said that the younger story had no resonance, like the older part did. What I discovered was that the two parts of the story are inextricably linked together, and couldn't come undone with any amount of teasing apart.* That's a very interesting observation. I happen to agree with you. I do believe the young couple was important to the story and they do have resonance. There's no doubting that Steve (Joel McCrea) and Gil (Randolph Scott) are the main story and our emotions are driven by them, but Heck (Ron Starr) and Elsa (Mariette Hartley) do have value and meaning, too. *The young actors don't have the presence of the older actors, but that actually works to the film's advantage, contrasting the experience and common sense of the elders, and the inexperience and foolhardiness of the youngsters. And even the old timers can make foolish mistakes in judgment. In fact, I think mistakes and judgment are what this film is about. All kinds of mistakes, and all kinds of judgment, including God's.* I completely agree with that. The generational gaps can sometimes lead to great ignorance. The old can easily dismiss the young and vice versa. "What do they know?" It applies from both points of view. I like how both Steve and Gil point out to the other about remembering they were once young, too. I like how Heck is drawn. He's like so many of us guys when we are young. He's all about himself. A woman is viewed as a selfish possession, a conquest. But what happens when a guy falls for a woman he really cares about? You start to worry about her, place her needs before your own. So Heck grows as a man. He changes. Elsa also goes through her own growing pains. She's very trusting, thinking the very best of men. She quickly learns that not all men are the same. I really feel for Elsa because she feels trapped at home with her father and she really doesn't have any promising outlets or escapes. You can see how a girl like her can fall into the wrong hands. *I love that Peckinpah takes this for his theme. He seems to take great care in telling his story from the side of the strong, benevolent underdog. Both Steve and Gil seem like men who could have become great, rich fellows, but they followed a different path. Their code is one of service and freedom. They are miles away from the men they encounter, for whom the love of money or power over people is also their weakness. Being an outsider can also be a strength.* Wow, that was brilliant. I certainly didn't think of anything so wonderful as that. You're very correct about it all. The pursuit of money and/or power can be viewed as a weakness. I never thought of that. Such people can end up placing those pursuits above humanity. That's ugly, to me. Gil definitely falls victim to this until he is confronted with an ultimate decision of money versus people. *When the film starts, we see Steve (Joel McCrea) riding into a small town, surprised that everyone seems to be cheering him on. We find out rudely and quickly that he has misjudged the situation.... he has accidentally strolled into a parade and race, and is in imminent danger of being run over by a camel. He is yelled at by every townsperson he runs into, who take one look at him and decide he is an addled old man.* I liked the levity of the beginning of the film. We're being told Steve seems out of place, out of time. His better days are supposedly behind him. It kind of reminded me of *Man of the West*. *First impressions and Images are often mistaken, and in this case almost everyone present underestimates Steve. Peckinpah carefully sets up this dichotomy between image and reality. Age can disguise some fine gifts - reason, a sense of purpose, goodness, skill, and even brilliance. It also disguises a lack of interest in monetary gain or power.* That's good! *We meet Gil (Randolph Scott, cue chorus), Steve's old deputy, literally wearing a false beard and moustache. He resembles Buffalo Bill in his outrageous costume. It's a canny disguise, designed to wring the last few cents from even the closest pocket. Due to financial difficulty, he has become a carny sideshow impressario. One senses that there has always been a bit of the con artist about him, but he is good natured and we instantly like him, despite his seeming interest in money.* I do find Gil to be the more likeable of the two because he's very loose and easy to smile and laugh. *Steve goes to meet with the bankers who are to employ him and Gil. They are two fat men in suits. This scene really stood out for me this time, maybe because it is so familiar to me in everyday life right now. The fat men, who are too weak to bring their own gold down from the mountaintop, look over Steve, and immediately doubt he is able to accomplish the task. He seems too old and easygoing for such a dangerous job.* That's the way the world works. Those with money call the shots. There's always a grunt to be found. The users and the used. *So we see a huge contrast between Steve's old life and this modern life. The fairly clear-cut western society may be raw, but there is something clean and noble about it. It has been built up by men like Steve and Gil, but is fast being taken over by an up and coming emphasis on business and grabbers of every kind. There are more contrasts to come.* Yes, these two old cowboys are now working for the bank. We see an element of this in *Once Upon a Time in the West*. Peckinpah shows us something similar in *The Wild Bunch*, too. *When Steve, Gil and Heck meet Mr. Knudsen and his daughter Elsa, we see that Steve and Knudsen have something in common. They both know the bible backwards and forwards. But whereas Knudsen has completely cut himself off from society, finding evil everywhere, Steve is good-natured and still feels a sense of service to the future. His responses to Knudsen's bible verses are hilarious, but they also show a keener understanding of people and how to get along in life, something important to the young people who are also present at table. Steve parries the tone of Knudsen's comments with aplomb. We now know that Knudsen and Steve are as far apart as can be. Though both profess Christianity, Steve is the real deal, while Knudsen uses his religion as a weapon and a shield, and to propel his own wants and needs.* I have found a lot of this in my life. People like to see what they wish to see. They will use scripture for their own needs, through their own prism. There is a lot of choosing self. You seek what you want and then apply it so. *Knudsen has lost his wife, and her grave bears that horrible epitaph, marking her as a fallen woman. We never know what happened to her, but that loss of love he and Steve have in common. Steve carries his grief over losing his love with grace, never blaming her or anyone else for it. Knudsen still seems angry and bitter, blocking out emotion but as much a victim of it. He seems to be taking out his hatred for his wife on the world and on his daughter.* I'm with you on that. I do believe Joshua Knudsen (R.G. Armstrong) has taken all of his own hate and disgust and projected it onto his daughter and the world that surrounds them. All very selfish. *I loved how these two worked as a team, even to the very end, and while fighting amongst themselves. They knew what was important, and what was foolish desire even within their own hearts. They knew when to go in to help the kids, and when to hold back and let the children take care of themselves. Time and again they helped one another, no matter what their personal desires were, never asking for any thanks. They both had seen enough of the world to know what is unavoidable - like the love between Elsa and Heck; and what was only greed - like the actions of the Hammonds.* That was superb. You raise a fascinating point through all of that. I would guess being a parent is what you just described. There are times when your experience and abilities are needed and there are going to be times when the children have to do it themselves. Knowing when and where that divide is is the trick. Joshua Knudsen is constantly taking control of Elsa and her life. There is no faith in her. The Hammonds are the exact opposite, for they are without any kind of oversight. If you cannot trust your child to do right on their own, you are basically distrusting your own parenting. *The scenes with the Hammonds before and during the wedding were some of the most vulgar I can remember seeing. Again, Peck holds his card close to the vest, Billy Hammond seems nice at first, but we get a bad bad feeling as we are introduced to the family. Finally, we see that Billy is not much better than his brothers, when he plans his wedding in a whorehouse. The girls' overly made up tear-stained faces as they watch the wedding is at once awful and beautiful, like a Fellini image. It was repellent but I can't help remembering it. Why is it assumed that a girl should just join in when men are partying? That the innocent is the one who is wrong, that she is not a game girl, if she doesn't want to join the party? This section actually felt rather modern to me.* It is rather modern. Sodom and Gomorrah, to be sure. So you've got the two extremes. *One of my favorite scenes was the one where Gil bypasses the law and finds "judge" Edgar Buchanan.... in order to steal his credentials. He knows something Steve doesn't about what it will take to keep the Hammonds from taking Elsa or killing them all. He skirts the law completely and cuts right to the heart of the matter, no messing around with what is right or wrong. I really really loved him for this, no matter that it was "wrong" or ignoble. He got the job done.* I liked that scene, as well. Gil has to play dirty to get the clean result he desires. Sometimes doing bad is good. *I find it amazing that Gil and especially Steve end up fighting their last fight over something considered so unimportant - a girl and a boy and their love. They realize that honor and the future are more valuable than the gold they are carrying. The job is unimportant in the scheme of things, the job well done is everything.* Wonderfully said. That's why I really love the film. It is about gold, but we must decide what our gold is. What do we value the most? *I still am not seeing what you saw in comparing the film with OUATITW (whew! even the INITIALS are too long! ). Perhaps you can tell me what the similarities are? What you saw that made you think Peck influenced Leone?* RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY AND ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST SPOILED The scene where Steve is dying, he doesn't want the others to see him die. He wants to die privately. This reminded me of Cheyenne's (Jason Robards) death in *Once Upon a Time in the West*. I also felt Sergio Leone was influenced by the high angle shot of the showdown. You see this in *The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly*. The way Peckinpah shoots the final scenes is magnificent; highly artistic.

*Well that certainly sailed past me. How do you get that?* Captain Morgan (Laird Cregar) was an infamous pirate like the rest but he decided to try and go straight. He agreed to be governor of Jamaica with the idea of cleaning up the waters. Captain Leech (George Sanders) didn't believe he was on the up and up. He thought it was a trick. He didn't abide by "crawling under the King's flag." So you have the old ways of the pirate (Leech) versus the modern ways of the pirate (Morgan). But in this film, Leech is clearly drawn as bad and wrong. It's not like a Fordian western. *Yes, he has a fun personality and seems more relaxed when he can be that way with his character.* I mostly enjoy Tyrone. *You'd never want to make the effort it takes to be a pirate. You're more like Laird.*

*It's not often you get both Sanders and Cregar villains in one movie.* And they're interesting villains. One is attempting to reform (Cregar) while the other disagrees with giving in to the Establishment (Sanders). *It's definitely a great cast and they make it seem like they're having a really grand time.* That's definitely the vibe I got. It's a really fun film. I enjoyed it. *Maureen said in her book that Ty was constantly trying to shock her with outrageous jokes on the set. It helps they liked each other. The movie's a real romp and one of the best non-Flynn swashies.* That dirty Tyrone Power! Who would have guessed? When Ty is muted, I find him boring. When he's playful, I like him. *Is it just me or does anyone else think that Johnny Depp could have modeled his pirate look on Ty's character?* Oh, I don't know. I know how Jamie Boy feels!:

*Very funny now can you say what you really liked about it?* That's a big part of it! I loved the entire back-and-forth of Jamie Boy (Ty Power) and Lady Denby (Maureen O'Hara). It's very similar to *The 39 Steps* with that. Then I enjoyed George Sanders, Thomas Mitchell, and Laird Cregar. They know have to liven up a picture. And I really like Ty when he's allowed to play loose.

*I noticed him, but he doesn't look like connors to me. The eyes and eyebrows are all wrong. But I'm not 100% sure.* I'm not so sure about it, either. I looked at the guys and I couldn't say for sure who was "Touch" Connors. *So you liked Maureen, that's not surprising. It's a fun one.* Yes! She played you exceptionally well!

*Which one of those? The guy standing is Fess Parker, I don't recognize the others. None of them look like Connors to me.* Is he in the corner here?: *Yes, another with Henry Fonda. Funny he worked with Fonda early on and Wayne later, just like Ford.* Very good! Hathaway is terribly overlooked. *So what did you like about The Black Swan? Is that your first swashie?* Yes, it was my first swashie. It's a fun film with terrific performers. But what I liked most was watching you in action, Snippy!

*The movie really had me on the edge of my seat.* That's a good way of describing the tension. And then you've got the relaxed Andy Devine. I can't believe it's Andy who is relaxed! ISLAND IN THE SKY SPOILER *It keeps life valuable. How sad Lovatt ended up being just steps away from the plane.* That's a really good point about where Lovatt meets his fate. He thinks he's worlds away and he's right there. Fear and panic. *One of the best. I didn't catch Mike Connors who is supposed to appear in it.* I believe he's one of the radio guys on the first three planes. *It was an easy camaraderie, a good "buddy" picture.* Precisely. There is some good emotion in the film, but its greatest strength is the "buddy" aspect. *I'd say so. He's really good at these movies involving friendship between two different sort of guys. Souls at Sea and* *Spawn of the North, both featuring George Raft, are good examples, too, and the later film is especially emotional. You can really tell when Hathaway is switching gears and giving special attention to tell a story in a very visual way. His filmography is punctuated with* *Peter Ibbetson,* *Shepherd of the Hills and* *Niagara, all of which show special attention to visuals.* There's also *The Trail of the Lonesome Pine*. *Especially since Bob is very hyper in that one and Tone plays it steady. It's very cute.* I have to check that one out just to see your Bobby all hyper. *Then I can highly recommend Spawn of the North and* *Souls at Sea. I wish TCM would air them, perhaps with* *Peter Ibbetson and* *Lives of a Bengal Lancer for a night of Hathaway in the 1930s.* Hathaway deserves the spotlight. He's a director I never really heard of before I joined this board who has really impressed me.

Good day to you, Fordy Guns -- *You're right. I have to say it's an interesting movie in Anthony Mann's career. I can't think of another film quite like it.* It's similar to *Flying Leathernecks* in that the two men are contrasts. Mann was mostly interested in revenge and the past with his westerns, but in the two war flicks I've seen, it's been about different kinds of men and their thinking and the conflict that creates. *The Devil is a Woman seemed to mark Von Sternberg's end in Hollywood.* Oh, it did? That's a shame. It's not that bad. It just lacks a story. *I just rewatched Island in the Sky and it was better even than the last time.* That's great! I thought you may like it more. *I loved all the insights into the men's lives...and how this sets up Dooley nicely and his position, because he is the only one who's private life we are given no glimpse into, even as his men are in the dark, until the very last scenes. It's so that, just as he says to himself in the voice-over after the crash, he "can't be human" in order that he can keep the others "up" when they give in and act human.* I don't even remember that line! That's very good. I did like that he kept his family life hidden from his men. He had the biggest family of them all. ISLAND IN SKY SPOILERS *I wept for Lovatt, who was too hard headed to listen.* He's you! *I wept when they were found and they spelled out Lovatt's fate with the branches. I love that his death meant somethng in the movie, it wasn't just thrown in for "action" puposes and then forgotten as in SO, SO many films. Nothing bothers me more than when someone gets killed in a movie and immediately after everyone's making jokes.* That's a great point. The ending makes sure we don't forget about what has happened. You're happy they are saved but also saddened by the loss. *Jim Arness was hilarious, I forgot he was a Carolina boy. And I feel like him when I have to wake up in the morning.* It was good to see him so loose and acting a fool. It's a rich cast. *Coopsgirl's favorite scene from* *Lives of a Benal Lancer* Awful! Just dreadful! *I recently re-watched The Lives of a Bengal Lancer, and I agree about Tone and that this movie is better than* *Beau Geste.* *Beau Geste* is darker but I feel it lacks the energy and emotion of *The Lives of a Bengal Lancer*. Gary Cooper seems wasted in the former but he shares the screen well with Franchot Tone in the latter. *It's kind of neat how directors Wellman and Hathaway have crossed my path lately, and I now think that they most resemble each other except Hathaway was perhaps less passionate, though he could be just as sensitive and was perhaps the better action director.* Wellman tends to run hot and cold with me whereas Hathaway usually hits the right notes. I think there is more beauty and poeticism found in Hathaway's early films. He becomes more like Wellman, later on. *TLBL could have benefited by some trimming just as BG, but its story was much more involving.* I also found the story to be much more involving in *The Lives of a Bengal Lancer*. *It reminded me a little of Rio Grande, which you may have already mentioned.* If I didn't mention it, I was going to when I post about the film. The film shares similarities with *Rio Grande* and *Wee Willie Winkie*. *I laughed at all the "Mother Machree/MacGregor" sing songing by Tone.* He really gave McGregor (Coop) heck. It was funny. And you just knew the tide would turn with that, too. But what I most liked was that Forsythe (Franchot Tone) ended up being just as mothering as McGregor. *If you like Tone this way you have alot to look forward to. I'd say this was his standard role, he plays it like this in literally countless movies. The second banana to another leading man, but holding his own and often with the best lines.* If that's the case, I will definitely like him. He's very smooth and easy to digest. *He's very funny in The Three Loves of Nancy, at least I think that's what it's called. He competes with Robert Montgomery for Janet Gaynor's affections, only Bob thinks he only wants to get rid of her because she's cramping his playboy style. It's a cute comedy.* That sounds good! The combination of Montgomery and Tone seems like a winning one. *But back to Lancer, what else did you like about it?* For me, it was all about Coop and Tone. I liked how they interacted with each other and how they came to respect and even like the other. I also enjoyed the ending. It was exciting. Plus the ultimate fate of one of the characters was very pleasing to me.

*I've seen it in several war movies. You even saw it in* *Flying Leathernecks. That's usually the more interesting conflict than the actual battles.* I see it in the movies, but I never associate it with soldiers. *There you go. Your memory is better than mine. Ha, Ray looks like a "frogman".* I just watched it, for goodness sake! *I liked him here very much. He made you feel secure. I can understand why his men respected him so much. Ray felt that way about his C.O.* This is true. But the dynamics were flipped. The men feel Benson will look out for them while Montana has to look out for his C.O.. *It's always run down by people who've seen it.* It is? I never knew that. *I am still curious to watch it. Marlene seems very arch in it. I like her mysterious.* She's a tormentor. I don't think you'll hate her, though. *It's a strange rather fascinating little thriller.* That's pretty good praise from you. *I guess the idea is these are regular guys, like anyone else. The real heroes are just every day fellows.* That's correct. And they are all looking out for each other. They are especially interested in helping Dooley (John Wayne). James Arness was given a pretty good part, too. And, oddly enough, I've run into "Doc" (Milburn Stone) in a couple of films, of late. *Goodness, that's praise indeed! Now I really have to watch it again.* I hope you do. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. *I remember htinking how much better it was than the much talked about The High and the Mighty, which is rather a disappointment.* Maybe I'll watch that next.

*Ray seemed very realistic. Well, he was a soldier in real life before he came to movies, a Marine I think, but I'm not sure. I wonder if he was annoyed at having to go through it all again for a camera. :)At least he got paid better.* But I never associate soldiers with disobedience and rebellion. Montana wanted no part of what Benson was doing. I believe Robert Osborne spoke of Ryan being in the Marines as an instructor and Ray in the Navy as a frogman. *Robert Ryan is so wonderfully myopic.* He is. But I didn't find him to be hateful. He had it easy with his platoon, though. They all seemed to be in awe of him. Montana wasn't. *That's one crazy looking outfit. I much prefer the superb simplicity of her wardrobe in Morocco or the sensual clothes she wore in* *Shanghai Express.* Marlene's wardrobe and look are nothing like those in *The Devil Is a Woman*. All of this points to you not giving a hoot about the film. And I don't believe you would. *He's the star of one of Bronxie's favorites, Murders in the Zoo.* I'd probably like him in that. *That's what I take away most from Island in the Sky, how we got to look into the lives of the men. They weren't just names or functionaries, we got to know them personally. That was a nice difference in an adventure story.* And it's rather remarkable when you consider how many guys are in the film. I was surprised by how much I liked the "search" side of the film. It was rather engrossing. The "survival" side brought a different kind of feeling. I'm really glad you suggested the film, because I thought it was superb. I wasn't expecting such a film.

*Looks like it could be a message board issue.* All Greer photos are now banned on the board. Didn't you read the Code of Conduct?