CineMaven
-
Posts
10,753 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Posts posted by CineMaven
-
-
Helllllllllloo there Moira. Always love seeing you in this neck of the woods.
> "Hi CineMaven: The Chinese woman played by Sondergaard in one of your (and many of ours) favorite films in the original version of Maugham's story was the mistress of the deceased Geoffrey Hammond character. This also appears to be the case in the above clip from the 1929 The Letter, though of course, you are absolutely correct...In the Wyler version, Sondergaard was Mrs. Hammond and some blue nose at the Production Ofc. probably conducted the ceremony marrying the pair during a story conference when the movie was in pre-production. ?
Yes, the Chinese woman in Maugham's story was The Mistress. I watched the clip and heard Herbert Marshall say this: "The Chinese woman is my mistress." And you got a laugh outta me: the Production Office probably was loading up for a shotgun wedding between Hammond and her.
> ?I did not intend to cast any aspersions on the Bette Davis version of The Letter at all, CM, but was simply struck by how the different the versions of the story were on the page and the screen...?
I didn't pick up any aspersions cast by you at all. Not one whit. Perhaps my writing was a little misleading. I didn't mean my comment about Bette's version of "THE LETTER" to be a defense of the movie. Those two sentences in close proximity to each other may make it read like a defense. But that wasn't my intention. It's all good between you and I.
( Let me make a space and new paragraph here to avoid any confusion in my writing. )
Looking at the clips provided of Jeanne Eagels' version of "THE LETTER" I was struck by the difference in the two films. Allow me to make these observations:
In looking at the clips from Jeanne Eagels? ?THE LETTER? I do prefer the Bette Davis version and her interpretation. I liked it?s unveiling of the story better. I liked not seeing what went on between Jeffrey and Leslie until (Davis?) Leslie finally reveals it.
But I so found Jeanne Eagels differently interesting (or should that be interestingly different?) She reminds me of a combination of Madeleine Carroll, Marlene Dietrich and (?The Little Rascals??) Miss Crabtree along with a touch of Gladys Cooper. Her voice kind of sounds like Tallulah Bankhead though not as husky or drawl-y. In the 1929 version, the characters talk as though their lines were written; a kind of stilted syntax rather than the more relaxed colloquial way of speaking in Wyler's version. The second clip was a little more natural for me on Eagels' part. (Ugh! There?s nothing you can do about Reggie Owen?s stiff upper lip). I loved loved loved Eagels? the way she answered:
Crosbie: ?Exactly what does it mean??
Leslie: ?Don?t ask me.?
Her voice drops and she says it declaratively...not an ounce of hesitation. I re-played that many times. As the scene played out she was thrilling, I say thrilling to watch. Her hysteria was growing while Bette played it cool. I loved Eagels' mannerisms. Was she a junkie...a love junkie.
She couldn't let Hammond go (ooh wasn't Herbert a cutie back then?) and she was fairly twitching.
I loved her defiance in her confession once she couldn't back away from Crosbie's insistence. In fact, she was spitting her confession right in his face, sort of a dare. Now, take that!!! And send me away!!! Quite an interesting difference in even the way (my favorite) line is used and said:
"With all my heart, I still love the man I killed!"
Why do lovers ask for the truth, and then get their feelings all hurt when they hear it; when what they really want is just their curiosity satisfied.
I do prefer Bette Davis' version of "THE LETTER" over Jeanne Eagels and how things are revealed. But from the clips I saw of Jeanne Eagels, she gives a real thrilling and edgy performance.
Now on a different matter...on the matter of Kim Novak, I don't care WHAT movie she does...I'm a fan.
And on a different different matter, I love your writing!
-
Well, I'm glad that the mystery is solved. No smoking gun here. WHEW!!! Glad to know that sometimes a cigar is just a cigar in classic filmdom.
-
Scudda hoo, Scudda hay...."GWTW" all the way.
Of course it is.
-
> "...his version seems a bit closer to Maugham's original story, which emphasized that the woman's punishment was not as tidy as having Gale Sondergaard mete out some Asian justice, granting Bette Davis release from her existence."
I took it as Sondergaard meting out wifely justice. Bette Davis' "THE LETTER" is one of my favorite films.
-
Hi there Baby T. I'm not such a musicals lover. My genre is noir...the "B"-er, the better. But I do love watching the Astaire-Rogers films. I think they were absolute sublime perfection. There are many individual musical numbers I love. And I really enjoyed "THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT."
The three other musicals that I do enjoy are "CAMELOT" "WEST SIDE STORY" and I guess my favorite would have to be..."BYE BYE BIRDIE."
But now...I would loathe to see someone walking down the street in a movie, with their iPOD plugged in and just break out in song. No, I do not watch tv's new 'hit sensation' "GLEE."
Summer is winding down. I hope all my Ramblers out there are well and happy.
:-)
Now where are my fedora and trenchcoat....
-
Should have...would have...could have.
I love TCM for all it does and tries to do. :x
-
"I used to think Susan Oliver was in STRAW DOGS. Herbs to stimulate the memory would be good, except I'd forget to take them."
Ha ha...you still got it backwards. I'm afraid you need Ginkoba more than you know. Hey, don't forget to come back here next Friday. Have a good week!
-
Are you related to Dorothy D Barber from "The Little Rascals"?
-
Hi MusicalNovelty - ?I thought I sensed a friendly spirit in the area! Hope you had a nice visit.?
Yup, that was me M.N.. Worcester, Leominster, Cambridge and Boston. Hung out for brunch in Cambridge at the Grafton Street restaurant. A little kid pulled the restaurant?s fire alarm. Two fire trucks pulled up in a matter of moments. The kid's mom thought it was amusing. The firemen were not happy. Our waitress was pretty, friendly and got a nice tip from the four of us. What does this have to do with movies? Uhhhhhhhhhhh, we walked through Harvard?s grounds. Beautiful.
Good Morning Bronxie...and a good Sunday morning to all you good people who are reading this thread. Here, is where anything goes...just make it relate to movies.
"Why did I ever move down here? Mutant ants and the beast from 20,000 fathoms. A real paradise.? - << ((Cecil Kellaway)) >>
HA! Wait until he sees who?s coming to dinner!
"There is. I have a recording of the frog singing "Oh, My Papa".?
"...To me he was so wonderful? Oh Lordy. Don?t tell me one of those frogs is the dad?!
"What the heck is Bruce Jenner doing with these women???
Bruce was a great decathlete. He was very attractive back in the day. Now he too looks like a mummified woman so he?s fitting right in with the Kardashians. (The son-in-law looks like a young Robert Evans. NO!!! I do not watch the show!!) Here?s the payback for being on the team that de-
fended O.J. The Kardashian name is now synonymous with ?****?!? Couldn?t Bruce have gotten a job as a sportscaster, you know...like Frank Gifford (who looks like a mummified woman). Yikes! Gazzara, Scheider...sheesh! Has anyone seen Joe Namath lately?
?She was also in that Twilight Zone episode with Roddy MacDowell, ?People are Alike All Over.?
Yup, you?re absolutely right. Though Susan George and Susan Oliver...I dunno about mixing up the names though they're both blondes. I?d say sprinkle some Ginkoba on your frog's legs.
?Pleasant dreams, by your leave, The Lady of Shallots (onions give me gas).?
I?m awake now...and don?t eat ?em when you have company.
-
Why Baby T. How have you been? Hope all's well. I've seen a number of classic films on the big screen, the last being "All About Eve" at NYC's Ziegfeld theatre, when TCM hosted an event there. Unfortunately I just blew the chance(s) to see some Hitchcock films at the Symphony Space. "Rear Window" and "The Birds" will be shown tonite. But another dream screening was
to see "West Side Story" and "Psycho" at Radio City Music Hall's magnificent theatre. Wow! Hitchcock and Norman Bates, in all their glory.
Take good care Butterscotch. :-)
-
Looks like James Whitmore to the left of Gwenn. But I digress.
?I am always fascinated by what goes on down there. It must be exciting for you, living moment to moment, never knowing what creature lurks around the next corner. I don't
think my nerves could take it.?
Molo, that made me LOL!
Saturday Night Fever, Bronxie? - "For some reason I'm in love with this one. It reminds me of Eddie Fisher in BUTTERFIELD 8. Look at his winsome, sweet little face:?
I am so grateful, that there is no sound to that image of the frogs you posted. << ( Ribbit! ) >>
"...And you're the only person I know of who has picked up on Lee's unique walk.?
Actually I think others have noticed it, but wouldn?t put the ?Remick Toddle? out there on the carpet.
Susannah York must be the only actress who can take your eyes off Elizabeth Taylor, because in 'X, Y AND ZEE', the close-ups of York's subtle, shaded, artful facial expressions are fascina-
ting to watch...By the way, York has a hairdo that can only be described as King Arthur andro-
gynous. Calling The Knights Of The Round Table.?
Oh Lady Guinevere...you are so right about York. She is quite a contrast in temperament and coloring to the whirling dervish known as ?Zee? in ?X, Y and Zee.? I like the way you described
her. I?ve always been a fan of York's: Superman's mom, "The Shout" but maybe not in "...Sis-
ter George." As for King Arthur androgynous cut (teehee!) I thought Jane Fonda had the best
hair (and outfit) of the 1970?s with her look in ?Klute.?
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm2117704704/tt0067309
http://www.imdb.com/media/rm190420992/tt0067309
As for Donald Sutherland, maybe he?s the frog on top??? << (( Ribbit! )) >>
?I'll take The Ray and Rosey Show over those horrid Kardashian girls reality program any day. Ugh!?
(Spit take!) Kim sort of looks like Elizabeth Taylor in that YouTube clip you cited of "What's My Line?" The not so funny thing is with Kardashians' reality program, there really is no reality to
their reality show.
?You nailed it with Susan Oliver: 'off-puttiing' and 'a touch of smugness', oh, yes. And her
voice is odd, with a strange vibrating lilt to it, almost as if she were singing instead of speaking. Weird.?
I hear ya. I find her voice unique with a very interesting quality (to me). The role she played (in ?Butterfield 8?) was a thankless one. Oops! I crossed threads here. That must mean it's time to
pack it in.
...I?ve just come back from a whirlwind trip to Massachusetts. Time for me to kick back, grab some Grey Goose and fire up the olde DVD player to watch some Monogram noirs I just received from one of King Arthur's knight. And to him I say "thank you, sir. Think I'll start with 'Betrayed' (aka 'When Strangers Marry')."
Have a great nite. ;-)
-
Thank you. Elizabeth Taylor disguised her voice wonderfully. And I watched Ava Gardner
as a mystery guest as well. WoW! John Daly was literally beside himself sitting beside Ava.
...And who wouldn't be.
-
"I hope we've got a crop of actors these days that will last 40 years as 'Second Bananas' like Qualen. I don't think most of them last 10."
Whoa...you're giving them ten???
-
Bronxie, wonderful. I don't think I can eloquently express how good your writing is. But let me just say again, wonderfully written. Funny, I agree with many many of your points when you describe why the movie is just ho-hum for you, but they work for me. And you're right...there is something rather off-putting about Susan Oliver. A touch of smugness.
I always liked Dina Merrill...classy rich type yup. Oh yeah...THIS is not the type of man you stand by. I agree. I like how you would have directed Gloria's confession of her childhood abuse. "I LIKED IT!!!" But you know how Hollywood was; I think with their big stars...Hollywood wanted to give the public its money worth. Let us see their million dollar stars emoting...in glorious close-ups.Why didn't Gloria and Steve hook up. How could Gloria fall for an s.o.b. like Wes? C'mon Bronxie. You know we girls do that all the time... fall for the 'bad boy', the man that's not good for us. Stable, patient, under-standing Steve, Bronxie??? HA < ( boring ) >. We sometimes want a guy who gives us a hard time...makes us "earn" his love. Oh yeah, and that too can be boring and tiresome. Great writing.
Anybody got a Queen of Diamonds?
-
> "And am I the only one who notices that Lee had a very distinctive walk? I call it the Remick Toddle."
> "Our program director thought it was the frogs mating, but the rest of us couldn't believe it. Frogs do not sound like sheep, even in the throes of passion.Or do they? If anybody has this crucial information, please let me know and I'll pass it on to my co-workers, because WE NEED ANSWERS."
OMG!!!! Will someone get this woman a publisher!!!! You notice EVERYTHING (yes, I know what you mean about Remick) and your reviews are truly a great read!
-
How could I get my Bessie(s) and Bebe(s) mixed up. Thank you for the correction, Dred. Now let me skedaddle outta here.
-
You've got to go on YouTube and listen to Steve Hayes' Tired Old Queen at the Movies' review of "Stage Door." He's the only man who I've ever heard, who can do a spot-on imitation of Eve Arden. Arden was fantastic.
-
As usual I can't take credit for the Mummy line. I picked this up from something that wild and wacky Bronxgirl wrote in the Films and Filmmaker Forum > Rambles II when she talked of the movie premiere "The Spy Who Came in From the Cold" and Suzanne Pleshette's attendance.
>"But unfortunately in 'A Rage To Live' the pestering guy isn't exactly as good-looking, sophisticated, or icily attractive as Laurence Harvey, instead, it's the always creepy Ben Gazzara, who now as you know is a mummy."
Looks like poor Roy Scheider suffered from the same mummification look as he aged.
-
C0CK-A-D00DLE D0000!
-
Sue (x2) You won't believe me if I tell the word Teutonic was in my head, but I didn't type it. I watched this with my father on the "big" tv in the living room. It was long but interesting to me. I felt grown-up 'cuz he let me stay up to watch it. I tell you, I love this judge and his voice.
Rape, panties, et al. Pretty frank stuff in this film. Nothing for a five year old to hear. "Go to your room future SueSue." Now a five year old today...Ha! It's scary what they know now.
Just noticed Lee's loneliness when Stewart takes her back to her trailer.
"Barney Quill is...is..."
-
Just saw your boy, the ubiquitous John Qualen as the jailer in "Anatomy of a Murder." That accent is unmistakable.
-
Let me take a giant frog leap to Lee Remick in "Anatomy of A Murder." Whoa!
I also love James Stewart in this one. No "Aw shucks!" No stuttering or stammering. Straight, measured. Quiet Eve Arden, a girl Friday you want on your side. Rigid George C., Wacky pre-mummifed Gazzara. Love the judge. Love the dueling between Stewart & George C. Great Preminger fare. And then there's Lee Remick.
When I was in junior high, I saw her in the play "Wait Until Dark." Hooked ever since. She's got
to be one of the prettiest, most pleasant looking of all actresses. Quiet understated, in "Wild Ri-
ver" then turns up the heat here with sunglasses and spandex and a small beer drinking dog. Worked with Steiger, Stewart, Peck, Franciosa, Griffith, Lemmon. Played so many different kinds
of parts so you couldn't peg her as a specific type. I really like her in this.
-
They know better than to come to New York. Why, our Central Park squirrels would eat them alive!
-
The twenties into the very early thirties (or 1927-1930) looked like a very deadly time for many movie stars due to the studio. Perhaps both sides thought good times would last forever. I saw Bebe Daniels in a small role in "The Barefoot Contessa." Jesus. It looked like only the strong survived.
Hooray for Hollywood??? Hmmm...
The best filsm of 1970-40th anniversary.
in General Discussions
Posted
> "I'm not afraid to state that my hatred for that film makes my hatred for My Fair Lady seem like a love story!"
Gee, you sure hate a lot, John. :-(