CineMaven

EVELYN ANKERS?????!!!!!! I can't wait!! Thank you.

Wha'chu tawkin' about Willis?! I heard American Airlines was downsizing.

'DANCES WITH WOLVES" Nah...say it ain't so Ennis. "...Wolves" was a good spirited epic out the lost of the West, Native Americans... Gee. SEIK: "My choice for the worst film in the modern era would be Gladiator, I haven't made myself very popular by saying that..." Boy, I can see why. Another epic, ultimately a sad story for our hero... Gee.

FRANK: "My bro also has The Last Picture Show on DVD, too, so I may borrow it and post some more mama Ellen, as well. I really like that film." The Nurse at my school invited me to her house the day CLORIS LEACHMAN came by to listen to her Jewish accent in researching for a movie role. Funny thing...as I was DYING listening to Leachman mimic Nurse Nath, my nurse doesn't feel she even has an accent AND the Nurse doesn't watch tv or go to many movies (Orthodox) and didn't even KNOW WHO CLORIS LEACHMAN IS!!! and I'm sitting there knowing who she is and trying NOT to ask for an autograph. I rolled when Nurse Nath was reading a line from script, (and she's no actress), and then Leachman re-read the line with verve and feeling, Nurse Nath looked over at her and said: "You sound like an actress![/u] I literally went under the table. Oy vey!!!

"One can vocalize lines and someone else can say anything they want to with their eyes. Mary Beth Hughes has such eyes as they are very expressive. She has the essence of innocence and naughtiness all at the same time, whereby she can change her look in an instant and it all looks so natural." This could also describe GLORIA GRAHAME. But Mary Beth Hughes was really cool. I enjoyed her films. I think she was the Queen of the B's and soooo pretty. I've said this before, but there were so many actresses that were popular at the time: (Vivien, Myrna, Irene, Ingrid, Kate, Crawford-Davis-Stanwyck, Ava-Lana-Rita) or (Veronica, Sheridan, Paulette, Gail, Eve, Ilka, Bonita, etc.) that one had to be truly exceptional to stand out. I loved Anne Gwynne, Evelyn Ankers, Ramsay Ames and all those ladies of that ilk. It must've been really tough to make a name for yourself...and without a big studio backing you up, coddling you, massaging your career, or you're not seen at the right club: Mocambo, Brown Derby Ciro's etc. it must've really been tough. Love her though, and must check out more of her films. Thank you Mongo for spotlighting this unsung beauty.

Thank you for the encouragement MetsFan. Staying strong is a struggle. (P.S. I didn't know that about Roberto. Poor guy).

Does one have to have sympathy for characters to like a film, or have it be a deserved Oscar winner?? And Seik..."METROPOLIS" would have been the more forward thinking thought. But no one could ever accuse the Academy of NOT making safe choices. Ugh!!

I just saw Michael Ansara (without the toupee) walking out Hildegarde Knef in the Tyrone Power/Patricia Neal film: "____________________________." And his ex-wife Jeannie (known to us as Barbara Eden) did a scene with Paul Newman in "FROM THE TERRACE."

How about Natalie ("Mrs. Thurston Howell III") Schaeffer in 'FEMALE ON THE BEACH" with Crawford and Jeff Chandler. And how can you folks forget Billingsley in "THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL" playing an Edith Head-type bringing Lana in the room to see Kirk Douglas after her dress fitting??? And Ward Cleaver (okay...okay...Hugh Beaumont) in "THE BLUE DAHLIA."

CM: Okay...stop dilly dallying...get crackin'!!! M14: OK, I'm on it. Here goes, CM: Boy, when you get crackin' you really say something. M14: I just got back from a weekend getaway and I've been reading your wonderful comments CM, and the interesting discussion you and Frank have going. You both have expressed it all so well they I might sound redundant chiming in but here goes. CM: To paraphrase William Hurt in 'Body Heat,' "I love to read the chimes." CM...cont'd: The blare of a trumpet and an out of focus shot coming into focus announces the appearance of Gloria Grahame as Ginny. For some reason her as Ginny reminds me of a young Joan Blondell. Grahame plays a dance hall girl (to put it politely)... M14: I always liked Gloria's entrance into this film. It's a harbinger of something interesting about to happen. It's also interesting that you make the comparison of a young Joan Blondell. I was making the same association just the other night when watching Gloria in It Happened in Brooklyn. In Crossfire I'm so blown away by Gloria's arrival that I just try and take it all in. That first scene really does something to me. CM: You've given me an idea for a thread: "Great Entrances in Motion Pictures." Becuz of what you've written, I will start to pay attention to that. Gloria as Joan Blondell...hmm, great minds think alike, ya think?? ;-) CM: Gloria's angry and hurt. She?s hurt because she?s no one?s wife; hurt because being a dance hall girl probably ruined her chances of ever becoming anyone?s wife. As she says, ?I?ve been working for a long time.? M14: This scene all comes back to me while reading your vivid description. At first she dismisses him almost out of habit. She's tired of the routine. Then he makes the crack about the wife and I think the reasons you give for her reaction are right on. The anger and hurt of being deprived of that dream, of "ruined chances" and increasingly few options... CM: You say this well Molo. She dismisses him out of habit. CM: Look, I?ve seen lots of movies. (Hell, I?m a CineMaven after all) but how can Gloria merely dancing feel like one of the sexiest things I?ve ever seen in movies? I?m puzzled, but I shouldn?t be. The answer is right there. It?s her...it's the way about her. FG: Oooohhh, that was so beautifully expressed, CM. I believe you are dead on with "Ginny." She secretly longs for love but the kind of men she meets are not interested in loving her. They are users. Well, "Mitchell" IS different. He's not interested in Ginny for sex. He seeks companionship. Ginny is thrown by this at first. What guy is not interested in her for sex and only sex? M14: I'm very glad you mentioned my favorite moment of the dance: Ginny placing her cheek against his. The gesture is seemingly small but the meaning is quite large. You are definitely right, she has decided to lower her defenses. She trusts him. She wants him. CM: I've made some films and I must MUST learn to use subtlety as is used in this scene by Gloria; such a small gesture as dancing cheek-to-cheek. M14: ...Gloria, like so many others, tend to show disdain for something that they begin to view as unobtainable even when that something is what they really dream of having... CM: You've helped me face another day at work with that line (that I've italicized). I work in an elementary school with E.D. kids (emotionally disturbed). So many times they are SCREAMING: "I don't care!!!" when what it is, is that they really DO care. See folks...talking about Gloria can give you insight into your own private life. Thanks Dr. M. and well-said, yet again! ;-) M14: CM I really agree about that dance scene and I like what Frank says about Ginny placing her cheek next to his. This slow surrender of her safeguards she's been building up. As Frank said in his screen captions "this is a very sad dance hall girl. It's a dance of longing and of hopefulness". CM: Frank, since I hadn't said it before, your screen caps are perfect. Yeah, my description might be vivid...but those pictures say a thousand words and really makes it hit home, especially if one's seen the movie. What a great addition. As I wrote earlier: "...how can Gloria merely dancing feel like one of the sexiest things I?ve ever seen in movies? I?m puzzled, but I shouldn?t be. The answer is right there. It?s her...it's the way about her." M14: That is so true CM. It is so sexy and it transcends to desire and longing. Gloria can put that across. She is able to do that with her eyes and the way she moves her body. It's very sexual, that way of hers, and it's so damn human. She just has a way of putting that emotional carnal longing across. It's done artfully. It is art. CM: "...and it's so damn human." I like that Molo. Couldn't say it any better myself. And I didn't. ;-) You did. "Emotional carnal longing." Aaaaah. A wordsmith. CM: Director Dymytryk chooses to use a very long dissolve from her face to her apartment building. We linger on the close-up image of her face. FG: I absolutely love the "would you like me to make you spaghetti" line. Those words really say it all for Ginny and her longings. M14: I love that fade out! I really can't express it any better than you did Frank. As CM said "she wants to cook for him", "to play house" and that spaghetti line speaks to so much. I like what you wrote in your screen caps Frank about Gloria not being able to look him in the eye. CM: I'm going to have to check that out again, seeing that Gloria only looks at Mitchell as he's leaving. How'd THAT get by me?? Love the caps Frank. Thanx again. FG: Only after Mitchell has left the garden, she looks his way. Who was that man? Will he be there when I get home? Ginny has set herself up to be hurt in a way she's not used to being hurt. This "hurt" is one of the worst. M14:Yes that is so wonderfully put. Ginny is tough because she has to be to survive. She is setting herself up for a big hurt. People in her situation don't do this lightly but one has to take a chance, to not do so would be emotional suicide. She has to try with this guy...but to try and fail...that hurt might be too much to bare. CM: I still struggle with this in my personal life: 'tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. Damn, it hurts soooo much when ya lose though. There was this one time in Amsterdam when I... Oh...uh...I digress. Back to Gloria. M14: It's interesting to think that directors and writers saw that economy in Gloria. The ability to get a lot across in such little time, or that Gloria used it to her advantage in that she was given small roles and was able to put so much in to her characters and still leave us all wanting more. That economy of Gloria Grahame. I like that and I might want to borrow it sometime. CM: We'd better ask Frank if we can coin the rights to: "The Economy of Gloria Grahame: So Many Emotions...So Little Time." You are both so right about that. (Damn, why didn't I think that up? Not that this is a competition...) CM: But Gloria Grahame...just adds that lovely piquant edge of cold sarcasm softened by her sexy vulnerability. She's a wonderful addition to this classic motion picture. M14: She is indeed. You both express your thoughts about Gloria so well! I'm having trouble keeping up. I'll hang in there though because I like writing about Gloria and I love reading the thoughts and opinions of both of you very much. CM: Well...you're keeping up nicely Molo. You're chiming and adding and expressing all that good stuff. I think the three of us are a Mutual Admiration Society. We're mutually admiring each other and, more importantly, we're mutually admiring the talents of an actress who has become kind of a footnote to the public at large. I hope we three are piquing your interest out there for GLORIA GRAHAME. Look at the screen caps, look at her films. Chime in on this thread. The more the merrier. M14: I look forward to your next installment. CM: It's a-coming...it's a-coming. Message was edited by: CineMaven: WHEW!!! Message was edited by: CineMaven--Double WHEW!!

Hellooooo Mr. Grimes: "That's a very interesting question, CineBabe. I personally like Burstyn more than Streep and Close because of the fearlessness that you speak of. She's very underrated. She's going to be playing Barbara Bush in Oliver Stone's W.. Hmmmmm..." I went to NYU (New York University) to take some film classes that were to be transferred to my undergraduate school (Hunter College). We watched films and listened to the star do a Q & A. Well the film we saw was "Resurrection" and Burstyn came out afterwards and talked. She's so soft-spoken and wonderful. I'm a big fan (though I couldn't do "Requiem for a Dream.")

Sssssshhhhhhhh!! Frank is watching "THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL" dvd he just bought. He's got to report back on the Gloria Grahame thread...don't disturb him.

Dig that hole deeper and deeper.

I don't think it was a fluke. Anne Revere was a fine actress. Sometimes when it rains it pours. Some years there's tough decisions. But fluke...nah! Just think...in five years, her career was ruined by the witch hunt.

Sorry for the back-handed dig Molo. (Good Sport!) But, on second thought...you must learn to multi-task. You must make time for your private life: (wife & kids, I assume), AND your business life: (nine-to-five, corporate, suit & tie, deadlines, presentations and coffee breaks, I assume) AND the TCM Message Board: (specifically GLORIA). But hey I'll be happy to read ya when ever you have the time. Thanxx for your responses. Okay...stop dilly dallying...get crackin'!!! ;-)

FG: Ciao, CineBaby -- You are on fire, girl! That was yet another wonderful read, T. I believe you captured "Ginny" perfectly. CM: Everytime I pat myself on the back thinking I'm writing something pretty good, I read what YOU write and I hang my head in shame. :-( CM: Gloria's angry and hurt. She?s hurt because she?s no one?s wife; hurt because being a dance hall girl probably ruined her chances of ever becoming anyone?s wife. As she says, ?I?ve been working for a long time.? She finds him corny. She dances with him...close. Very close. Her arms are around him; she looks him squarely in the eyes when they dance. Slowly, softly, tentatively she puts her cheek next to his; her body is pressed up against his. We can see her letting her guard down. The hard, cynical edge she?s hidden behind to protect her is now melting. She finds him corny but it?s probably because she misses what she never had...one guy, one steady guy to love her. Oh no doubt, she?s probably had lots of guys. But one steady guy, I doubt. She?s letting him in. And you get the feeling other guys didn?t get that much from her even if they did get her in bed. There?s something about this soldier. FG: Oooohhh, that was so beautifully expressed, CM. I believe you are dead on with "Ginny." She secretly longs for love but the kind of men she meets are not interested in loving her. They are users. Well, "Mitchell" IS different. He's not interested in Ginny for sex. He seeks companionship. Ginny is thrown by this at first. What guy is not interested in her for sex and only sex? CM: Nicely said Frank. It's a shame for some girls who think that that's all they can offer a man. I don't know if men make them feel like that or girls who have put themselves out in the first place think like that; makes me wanna protect Gloria even more. I mean, if I were in that position. I mean, I wouldn't be but if I were. Oh you take it away... FG: I'm very glad you mentioned my favorite moment of the dance: Ginny placing her cheek against his. The gesture is seemingly small but the meaning is quite large. You are definitely right, she has decided to lower her defenses. She trusts him. She wants him. Gloria's dance is easily one of my favorites. It's a dance of trust, a dance of longing. CM: Exactly. The whole dance just got to me; I've seen "Gilda" and this dance of Gloria's was something special I guess in the context of the film. "A dancing of longing," you say. Well you said it beautifully. CM: She invites the soldier to her place. She wants to cook for him. She gets to play house but in a different way. She gives the soldier a key to her apartment. Director Dymytryk chooses to use a very long dissolve from her face to her apartment building. We linger on the close-up image of her face. FG: I absolutely love the "would you like me to make you spaghetti" line. Those words really say it all for Ginny and her longings. She wants to take care of a man, and she wants to feel appreciated in doing so. It's such a very simple, basic want but it's anything but simple and basic to Ginny. It would mean the world to her. Could a man actually just love her for her? Is that possible? CM: I'm in awe of your words on this Frank. Simple and basic, but anything but... CM: The next time we see Gloria she?s changed into a robe. And she?s cold and hard as the soldier?s wife and detective Robert Young are at her door. They want to see if she can serve as an alibi to the soldier?s whereabouts, but she is unwilling to help. Why? The soldier was sweet and gentle and didn?t want to use her. What?s turned Gloria against him to not want to help? FG: I wasn't sure what Ginny's motivation was in not spilling the beans when first pressed by Mitchell's wife (Jacqueline White) and Finlay (Robert Young). I think all of the motivations you laid out are in play. I was also thinking she was protecting Mitchell; she wasn't the type to tell tales out of school, especially to a wife. CM: You're explanation is just as good as any my pointed head could come up with. CM: She did a lot with this small but pivotal role. In fact, I can?t think of another actress who could show pain and hurt and vulnerability and hardness and sexiness all done simultaneously besides Gloria Grahame. FG: I wholeheartedly agree. Gloria had the innate ability to elicit many emotional states with her characters and she did so with not much screen time. CM: Again, you've hit the nail on the head Frank and I hadn't looked at it that way. She did do a lot with a little bit of time. I think that's the sign of a good actress; an economy in getting what she wanted to get across to the audience. I still love Bette, and Myrna and Irene and Harding and Gene and Vivien. Just wonder why Gloria's not in a class with them. Could be her pictures were NOT the creme de la creme of the studio crop, I guess. CM: There's more of her films to talk about. But I'll wait on "The Bad and the Beautiful" until you've seen it Frank. FG: No, no, no. If you wish to speak about The Bad and the Beautiful, please do so. Don't withhold your Gloria favors from others on my account. Don't be shy, let it fly. CM: Well, I wouldn't feel right about that...and it looks like it's just you and me Babe, jawing over Gloria. So I'll wait for you. (Don't want to poison the waters). If no one else responds to "Crossfire" I'll talk about "A WOMAN'S SECRET." I'll wait. Hmmm...uh-oh, "The Letter."

CROSSING DELANCEY Amy Irving or Amy Madigan??

That's why I'm the CineMaven. Or maybe the clue was kind of easy?? What else ya got?

I will venture to say Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. Is it??

Even all blue, Double G looks sexy.

I was a closet Beach Boys fan back in the 60's. (My crowd was listening to Motown and would never understand my love for Lesley Gore etc. while the Black Panthers were being attacked). We would travel to upstate New York for picnics in my Dad's Chevrolet, listening to AM radio. And there would be The Beach Boys': What a sweet melancholy melody it was. Their harmony and the Four Seasons' and The Four Tops were wonderful!! SURF'S UP!!

I was a closet Beach Boys fan back in the 60's. (My crowd was listening to Motown and would never understand my love for Lesley Gore etc). We would travel to upstate New York in my Dad's Chevrolet, listening to AM radio and there would be The Beach Boys'

Could be a tad tighter editing but a nice job nonetheless. The song is a nice juxtaposition with the film. Vivien Leigh had one of the sweetest smiles in movies. I love when Gable gives her that tiny shove into Melly's party and the worried look on her face that she immediately wipes off to face the guests. The edit cut just before the nice dolly in shot of Scarlett standing there in defiant red.

C'mon...ya didn't think I'd put my real e-mail address on here, didja?

Hi there Poinciana: "Apparently he was the son of a Portuguese seaman and a Brazilian woman..." Juano's dad was Puerto Rican. According to Mongo: "The screen's first 'new style' black screen actor was born Huano G. Hernandez July 19, 1896 (some sources indicate 1901) in the capital of Puerto Rico to a Puerto Rican fisherman and a Brazilian mother..." Metsfan: "Juano had it more difficult than Jose Ferrer and Rita Moreno because of his skin color but he surpassed this adversity giving strong performances." You've said a mouthful. And when I look at today's Latinos like Eva Mendes or Jennifer Lopez or Desi Arnaz, I'd say the same (unfortunately) STILL applies when others like Rosario Dawson or Rosie Perez get a tad short-shrifted. (Psst! Yes I know Desi isn't from today, but you know what I mean). As a Puerto-Rican/African-American myself, I feel it. I've written a screenplay called "__________" (the title is too awesome & clever to reveal on this public forum until I can get a green light from some big studio muckety-muck) that takes place in modern-day Puerto Rico and I would love Rosario Dawson to play the lead...just to give a spotlight to the darker skinned Latino sisters and brothers out there. Sweetsmellofsuccess: "Unfortunately, he didn't get the breaks that later went the way of Sidney Poitier. Hernandez could have had a distinguished career as a character actor." He wasn't as young and as attractive as Poitier was when he started. That could explain why he didn't get those breaks. As for Harry Belafonte...he was TOO good looking and too threatening to have some midwestern wives fantasizing and drooling over him. "BTW, I can imagine Juano in some of the roles Spencer Tracy had (skin color aside). I always felt they had a similar style of acting. They were natural, and had a distinguished presence on-screen." I wholeheartedly agree with you. What an honorable comparison 'cuz Tracy was considered one of the greats by his own peers and by fans alike. Hey, if any big studio muckety-mucks are reading and writing on our beloved TCM MessageBoard, get in contact with me at this e-mail address: *******@****.com. Boy have I got a script for you. Thanks.