CineMaven

#1. I'm gonna go out on a limb and say "The Ambassador's Daughter," with Olivia DeHavilland. I agree. Take this question above ground to the TRIVIA thread. As for "YOU CAME ALONG" this was Lizabeth Scott's first movie. Gosh, she was a pip!!!

ILRM: "Here is a pic of Audrey with Shirley Maclaine from when they were filming "The Children's Hour". Shirley is usually quite beautiful, but next to Audrey...she simply fades into the background! Even though Audrey is wearing a very plain outfit and hair." No fair! They're both playing characters in this very lovely photo from "The Children's Hour." Shirley plays a very plain girl who (in Wyler's depiction of what a lesbian is) is not attracted to men and therefore therefore not making herself attractive to men. Audrey and Shirley were both great looking actresses from the 50's & 60's. But Audrey was truly a fashion icon in the industry. Let's not go by that photo of their characters from this very solid re-make.

Professor Cutter!!! Professor Cutter!! Professor Cutter, Molo is distracting me from reading this thread while I try to learn more about John Ford's cinematic mythology!! P.S. Molo...I have a younger brother and sister. I know how to get out of trouble. (Shhhh!)

I can't top you so why do I keep trying? Let's move right along and let men be men. No more gender-switching a la "Victor/Victoria" or Hepburn in that first movie she did with Cary Grant. Let's just agree that Charles Dutton will replace Marty Fatso Borgnine. Shall we??

Raining Violets: "CinEMaven - can you put together two for me ? *Natalie Wood from West Side Story and *Cathy O'Donnell from Best Years of Our Lives ?" I don't think these two actresses look alike really. I think Natalie Wood favors Catherine Zeta Jones. This is the best I could come up with: Whaddya think Violets???

Berry nice Miss Goddess. That second picture of Lana ( in the white pants ) is stunning. Great shot!

I understand. And I agree...I'm not looking forward to Mr. Osborne's departure; not for a long long long time.

Psssst! Molo...now that lz's back is turned on the class.

Ah-ha...a man who makes promise: "I see there have been a lot of good comments, but I just skimmed over them for now because I want to see the films first. I hope that makes sense. I will try to watch all three films and have my comments as soon as possible. In the mean time if you guys need to move on I'll understand. I will catch up.? Yet you leave the Gloria Grahame thread cold. So, I take it you'd rather see John Ford in a black negligee rather than Gloria. Okay.

OMG, John Burke!! I totally forgot about him. Yes, Burke please. At least he'll be good to look at, and he can read a cue card. I see him dressed more casually. No suit and tie.

You know, you may not be too far off. If he comes out with more wit and less scatalogical, he might just make it.

Dude, you always go too far. Now why you gotta spoil a perfectly cast film by bringing back actors who can't act, and having Pam playing Borgnine. Jesus. Now if you said Queen Latifah, then maybe...

A female Brando. I loved her in "THE GODDESS." She was sexy and troubled always a good combination.

Easy folks...easy. Let's not all bombard Miss Day at once.

...I say let old #32 reprise his role.

1. FEDYA: "The gas chamber scene goes on so long that I found myself yelling "Die, b*tch, die!" at the TV (hence the title of the blog post). Geez Louise, holy crap, Fedya. 2. VISUAL FEAST: "Your sensitivity is overwhelming. I'll bet you eat hot dogs and popcorn while watching SCHINDLER'S LIST. I hope HHH files your opinion where it belongs. What fare would you suggest for "Schindler's List"?? Raisinets and Twizzlers are kind of quiet. 3. FEDYA: "What can I say? I thought the movie was way over the top." Well you could not say "Die, ****, die!" for a start... 4. VISUAL FEAST: "You're entitled to your opinion, but to put Hayward's performance in I WANT TO LIVE up for comparison to that of VALLEY OF THE DOLLS is like comparing prime filet mignon to **** roast." I agree V.F. Fedya, you should eat crow.

Have I ever told you you're too good for me, SCSU? ;-)

Call me an old ****, but I say bring back REX REED and RONA BARRETT.

CHIP...Where the heck have you been man??? I too enjoyed Laurence Fishburne's interview. I'm thinking of a re-make of "Dirty Dozen" with this group of men: Laurence Fishburne, Samuel L. Jackson, Morgan Freeman, James Earl Jones, Denzel Washington, Terrence Howard, Wesley Snipes (after he pays his taxes), Benicio del Toro, Danny Glover and you can pick the other three. Hope all's well.

Tobitz, thank you for the compliment. Yeah. I'm noticing little typos so I keep going in. I'll leave it alone. Two weeks huh...throw in "In A Lonely Place" and "Out of the Past" in the DV-R, leave popcorn in the room and lock the door. C'ya in two weeks. Thanxxx again.

MOLO --" I watched In A Lonely Place last night. It just gets better each time I see it." FRANK -- "I saw In a Lonely Place for the first time a couple months ago. I've since watched it a couple times more. You are very right, it does get better with each viewing." CINEMAVEN -- I hope I don't break the bank at Monte Carlo with this write-up. I knew no other way to express what I saw with "IN A LONELY PLACE." Read by only those who dare: SPOILERS AHEAD: "IN A LONELY PLACE" (1950) Starring Humphrey Bogart & Gloria Grahame ?I was born when she kissed me. I died when she left me. I lived a few weeks while she loved me.? Confidence/control - denial/protectiveness - unease/doubt -fright/fear - hysterical terror. These are the stages that Gloria Grahame goes through in "In A Lonely Place." I think she does a wonderfully subtle and credible job of showing the erosion of a woman from confidence and self-assurance to becoming a woman acquiescent, bargaining and living in fear once she falls in love with Humphrey Bogart. Bogie plays failing screenwriter "Dixon Steele" - Dix to his pals - and a name fraught with the most salacious interpretation by yours truly ;-) . He can?t seem to get a successful writing gig and needs a hit. When an old flame (actress Alix Talton) tries to pick him up and take him home for drinks, he insultingly rebuffs her. She retorts: ?Do you look down on all women or just the ones you know.? ?I was pretty nice to you,? Bogey replies. ?No, not to me, but you were pretty nice.? Bogie brings home a hatcheck girl to tell him the synopsis of a book he?s slated to adapt. Gloria Grahame literally crosses his path as she cuts in-between Bogie and the hatcheck girl as they go towards his apartment. Yes the change in incidental music heralds Grahame?s entrance. He can?t help but notice her. He gives her the once over, twice. When Bogie opens his bedroom window he sees Grahame standing on her balcony. The hatcheck girl played by Martha Stewart (and given a nice turn of screen time by Nicholas Ray) is murdered and Bogie?s brought in for police questioning by an old Army buddy (Frank Lovejoy) who?s turned detective. Bogie?s quite nonchalant and flippant throughout the whole process. http://tbn0.google.com/images?q=tbn:Ngo3SaauPZ-bYM:http://lh6.ggpht.com/_5ysue5rM8I8/Rgrsyoxtd-I/AAAAAAAABLg/xQyZVWS3Elo/In%2Ba%2BLonely%2BPlace,%2BGloria,%2BHumphrey2.jpg> Grahame plays Laurel Gray, a "B" actress, which I think has all sorts of connotations. She?s summoned as well and here we see her characterization played out for the first time. She'll serve as an alibi for Bogie. She?s every bit as Bacall as Bacall but without the husky sultriness. By this I mean she serves and volleys her quips with Bogie with aplomb. She?s laid back--unimpressed with celebrityhood. It seems to me the interrogation serves as a bit of foreplay for Bogie and Grahame. Detective Lochner (Carl Benton Reid) asks, ?Can you see Mr. Steele?s door from your bedroom?" But it?s Bogie who replies, ?She was standing on her balcony...in a negligee.? Grahame responds to Bogie, ?It was a warm night. My apartment was stuffy.? The detective continues with Grahame as he sits in the background and watches the interplay between them: ?You sure he didn?t leave with the girl?? ?Positive.? ?What was he doing?? ?I believe he was looking at me.? ?Considering you never met Mr. Steele you paid quite a bit of attention to him.? ?I have at that.? ?Do you usually give such attention to your neighbors?? ?No.? ?Were you interested in Mr. Steele because he was a celebrity?? ?No, not at all. I noticed him because he looked interesting. I like his face.? Helloooo? Is this a police investigation or a dating service? (Ladies, I don't know if I want to pick up a guy who's being questioned for murder. Do you?) And check out Bogie. He?s still got it...he can still pull those younger chicks, ey? Her questioning done, she?s free to leave. Gloria has made her feelings pretty clear and Bogie is most definitely interested. He meets her at the water cooler and offers to take her home, but she refuses--?Thank you. But I always go home with the man who brought me.? Confident...calling the shots. I like that. That's my girl. She later goes to visit Bogie. I like her outfit in this scene; a turtle-necked top and buttons all the way down its long sleeves and back. Looks like Nicholas Ray has her wrapped up in a cocoon but that still doesn?t hide her sensuality. See her later on in the film; her toplessness is explicitly implied during her restless night and her massage. Hmmm...that massage. Wait, let me not get ahead of myself. Bogie expresses his interest now and his impressions of her are quite accurate to how she?s playing the role in this movie: ?You know, when you first walked into the police station I said to myself, there she is, the one that?s different. She?s not coy or cute or corny. She?s good guy. I?m glad she?s on my side. She speaks her mind and knows her mind.? Gloria replies: ?Thank you sir. But let me add I also know what I don?t want. And I don?t want to be rushed.? She does the picking. I like that. That's my girl. But we hear things about Bogie before Grahame does. We hear the police talk about his history of violence; we even see Bogie get his Army buddy & wife Sylvia (played by Jeff Donnell) to re-enact his theory of Mildred?s murder. I?m just thinking...watching Bogie play the voyeur (with that little spotlight on his face) with the couple who acts out his fantasy, uh, I mean theory, about the murder might?ve built up some sexual tension in him that he needed released because he visits Gloria right after that. She?s ending a phone call and the first of his questions begin...who was that on the phone? It?s Martha her masseuse she nonchalantly assures him in that way people do when they have nothing to hide. Gloria lets him know they can be together. Her demeanor is confident...for now. The ?morning after? they?ve settled into a loving relationship. We see a domesticated Grahame. Not only can she make with the quips, but she cooks and cares for Bogie. She looks like she knows her way around a house, though they do maintain separate apartments. After all this is the 1950's. She even types up the screen adaptation he?s working on. She mockingly threatens to leave him to become a Fuller Brush girl if he doesn?t stop working and gets some rest. ?You?ll go when I tell you to go and not before. Remember that,? he playfully portends. The Iago-like police haul her in again and plant a seed in her mind revealing Bogie?s violent nature to her. This is her first warning. But she?s in love. While they?re at a piano bar listening to music, they are quite lovey-dovey. I love looking at Gloria when she?s not doing anything but listening. I can take my time gazing at her. Here, she listens to the pianist and you can just stare at her feline features. We see Bogie whisper sweet nothings into her ear as she softly laughs. They?re sharing intimacies. He puts a cigarette into that pouty mouth of hers. Aaah, the fifties; what you can?t say one way... Bogie asks her, ?anything you want to make you happy?? I must confess, Gloria sent a searingly hot chill up my spine the way she leans into him and breathlessly whispers in his ear: ?I wouldn?t want any more than you.? She slightly nuzzles his ear when she looks up and sees the young detective who took her home. She reacts like a mother lion and protectively lets Bogie know that he?s there. Gloria gets her second warning from her masseuse, Martha, a big brawny blonde with hair pulled back and a soothing voice; she brings a certain...prison matron image to mind. You know the type--the one that gets all the cute prison girls to do her ?favors.? And she?s got Gloria on the table. I dunno. I know what they?re talking about, but it?s the subtext I?m listening to. C?mon don?t ask me why I find the massage scene so sexy. Okay, so I might need some psychotherapy to explain this and the TCM board is no place to explore that issue. Let?s just say the subtext between the two women seems awfully charged and don't think Ray didn?t know what he was doing here, either! (Your thoughts?)The dialogue serves to have Martha warn Gloria about Bogie. She?s another Greek chorus that plants doubt in our blonde Othello?s head. Yes I?m comparing Gloria to Othello because like him, she?s having doubts planted in her that will drive her to the brink. Bogart will ultimately become Othello before this thriller is done. Gloria rejects Martha (probably in more ways than one) and tells this buxom "Cassandra" to get out, pushing the idea with her. The third warning begins at the beach when it?s revealed that the police questioned Gloria again, something she neglected to let Bogie know about. A Freudian slip by the detective?s wife? Me thinks not. I think she?s subtly trying to warn Gloria as well. Bogie is very upset and drives off. Gloria?s mistake is getting in the car with him. The speed-driven ride down the road is frightening. She tries to calm him with a cigarette but he?ll have none of it. A car cuts off Bogie and they have a fender bender. The driver calls Bogart a ?blind, knuckle-headed squirrel.? This enrages Bogie and he unleashes his full fury on the hot-rodding kid with a beatdown, Bogie-style. <POW!!> With this incident, Gloria can no longer hide nor ignore admonitions of his violence. She screams for him to stop before he bludgeons the kid with a rock. Driving away and becoming calm, Bogie asks for that cigarette. He puts his forearm around her neck in the same fashion we saw him imagine Mildred to have been murdered. It gives her pause and us too. The next day Gloria visits Sylvia, (Jeff Donnell) the detective?s wife, to apologize for Bogie?s behavior at the beach, but Gloria finally gives vent to her unease and edge about him. ?...There is something strange about Dix, isn?t there? I keep worrying about it. I stay awake nights trying to find out what it is...What can I say to him, ?I love you but I?m afraid of you. I want to marry you but first convince me that Lochner is wrong, that you didn?t kill Mildred Atkinson.'" Sylvia tries to be reassuring, but she does a **** poor job of it and is not very convincing. Later that night (or 2:20 am to be exact) we see Gloria in bed tossing and turning. I was a little distracted by what she was not wearing and I did kind of chuckle over that old movie convention of hearing voice-overs in bed. But nonetheless we see this thing is weighing on her mind. She?s even resorted to sleeping pills. Bogie makes breakfast for her the next morning. It should be a nice domestic little scene but Grahame is shaken up. I like the self-referential quality to this breakfast scene: ?A good love scene should be about something else besides love. For instance this one: me fixing grapefruit; you sitting over there dopey half asleep. Anyone looking at us could tell we?re in love.? Newsflash Bogie, unfortunately that?s not what we see. Bogie asks her to marry him. Fear is stepped up another notch. The prospect of marriage to him frightens her. Gloria tries to slow Bogie down, but how do you put your foot down on a freight train destined to be a train wreck. There?s a desperation about him. She?s scared and trapped. So of course, she says yes. They kiss but her eyes are open. Bogie leaves to get the ring and has the entire day mapped out. When Bogie?s agent comes by to congratulate her, Gloria is now a total wreck. She?s in tears, utter melt-down. ?Why can?t he be like other people.? ?Other people?? replies the agent. ?Would you have liked him? You knew he was dynamite. He has to explode sometime. Years ago, I tried to make him see a psychiatrist. I thought he?d kill me.? He?s an enabler and he?s been working in fear himself. (while collecting his 10% too). He tells her to wait for something good to happen to Bogie before she leaves him. That type of sound advice has probably been the death of many women back then. She used her survival to escape from the real estate mogul but they?re not kicking in for her here. The celebration at the restaurant is the engagement party from hell. Gloria?s on edge and jittery but trying her best to mask it. But things unravel quickly and Bogie?s paranoia increases into a frenzy culminating in him smacking up his agent, grabbing a phone from Gloria and making a downright spectacle of himself. But it?s not over for Gloria yet. You see, once the fear kicks in, Gloria is no longer the suspicious Othello, but becomes the fearful Desdemona. And the good suspense of the story unfolding is that we know something both Bogie and Grahame don?t know. That the boyfriend of Mildred the hatcheck girl has confessed to her murder. Bogie?s in the clear. Gloria is back home after the restaurant, she?s frantically packing when Bogie comes by. She doesn?t want to let him in but she does. She no longer wears the ring but he wants to see it. She unlocks her bedroom door to get it. The camera slowly dollies into a shot of her 'Dear John' letter on her side table. (Oooh, I loved that shot). He peppers her with questions, she breaks: ?Stop it Dix, I can?t take any more of this!? The phone rings and it?s the ticket agent telling her of the availability of a flight to New York. Bogie cracks and goes over the edge. And begins to choke her. Gloria goes over too as her reaction crescendoes, ?I?ll stay with you Dix. I promise. I?ll stay with you. I love you, Dix. I?ll marry you. I?ll go away with you. Take me. Don?t act like this Dix. I can?t live with a maniac!!? They finally get a phone call exonerating Bogie but it is too late, Bogie knows it and Gloria knows it, as she rubs her neck:"Yesterday, this would have meant so much to us. Now, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter at all." I think Gloria should paraphrasically add: ?...I lived a few weeks (in terror) while (s)he loved me.? And Gloria is far luckier than Desdemona was. She did a nice job showing the different phases of fear. Message was edited by: CineMaven - Hey, I had to add pictures! Photos taken from Molo's thread below.

What a rogues gallery of Hitchcock babes you posted. Beautiful and represents the different takes Hitchock had on life. Lovely job.

Ha! Oh I wouldn't kick Gilbert Roland out of bed. Gaucho!!!

Yes, I remember reading that. I've got to see more pictures of this Barbara Lamarr. I heard she was quite a pistol in her day. WoW!

One of the great movies about Hollywood on Hollywood. I'll be there. By the way...do you know that Gloria Grahame is in that movie?? Oooh, I'm thread- dropping.