flickerknickers
-
Posts
664 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Never
Posts posted by flickerknickers
-
-
You don't have to be a fan of the late movie legend, Ramon Novarro to enjoy "Beyond Paradise" by Andre Soares. This is a brilliant, beautifully written study of the enigmatic Latin performer whose remembered mostly today as the victim of a brutal murder by two gay bashers. Soares has done his homework and research. This is no cut-and-paste job like the "Complicated Men" and "Complicated Women" tomes where there's nothing new or fresh. Soares creates a flawed performer who helped destroy his own movie career. Contrary to legend, Navarro was one of the few successes in the "talkies" and could have continued on indefinitely if he hadn't ignored his movie career and concentrated on his musical projects. By the end of his life, he was a chronic alcoholic who was heavily into the hustler scene. One big plus about this book is that Soares doesn't make Novarro's sexual orientation the big deal. This is written about naturally and contrary to myth, this beautiful man did not have an affair with the asexual Valentino. Soares writes in fascinating detail about the vanished Hollywood of the Jazz Age and the tumult that resulted from the talkies. A must have book for any film buff.
-
Of the two, I think that Deanna lucked out the most when she signed up with Universal and MGM kept Judy Garland. With Garland, MGM always partnered her with a musical giant, like Astaire, kelly, etc. With Deanna, she was Universal's ONLY femme super star and she carried it off with exuberant charm and strength of character. While Garland conveyed a fragile, nervous quality, Deanna looked like a feisty, All-American heroine who would never breakdown. Very much like she was in real life. And although she was paired with usually Robert Stack or Franchot Tone, Universal made sure it was their phenomenal song bird who stayed in the spotlight. Universal surrounded her with the greatest of supporting cast members, stunning black and white photography (just look at her close-ups in "His Butler's Sister) and Vera Wang designed nearly all of Deanna's memorable 40s frocks. One curious factoid about the enchanting Deanna: after she left movies for good in the late 40s, she eventually became a grandmother and still lives in seclusion in France. In her last comments made back in the 60s or 70s, she claims she has never ever seen any of her old movies, even on French TV where they are perennial favorites. To anyone whose never seen a Deanna delight, you should definitely try l942's "His Butler's Sister" with a delightful supporting cast and thrilling musical numbers, especially Deanna's finale from "Turnadot" and before that, the "Russian Medley," that brings down the house.
-
Spencer,1964, you're one obviously savvy movie buff. you're right indeed about Bette Davis' struggle to make "Of Human Bondage" against the wishes of her boss, Jack Warner. His demand that Davis' name be kept off the Academy Award ballots not only backfired on him but changed Hollywood history. Movie goers back then were outraged that Davis' name was not on the list of Best Actress contenders for the l935 list. When Davis did win her Oscar for the l935 "Dangerous" she always said it was a consolation prize for not winning for Mildred. But, as usual, Davis was never her best critic. "Dangerous" might have a laughable ending and a corny plot, but Davis is phenomenal as the bad-luck dame, Joyce Heath. Her great genius is obvious in the "barn" scene with Franchot Tone during the storm, when she suddenly looks at him with a calculating/cruel/lascivious expression all intermingled into one moment of screen time. Bravo to the movie's greatest artist!
-
Deanna Durbin is among my most cherished movie goddesses. To see the ultimate Deanna Durbin flick, you simply must try to catch her in the l941 Universal masterpiece, "Nice Girl?" with the equally gorgeous Robert Stack. And what an incredible small-time milieu that Universal created for its greatest star! Another Durbin knockout is "HIs Butler's Sister." I watch this one once a week. Durbin is fabulous in her "Russian Medley" sequence and oh, those gorgeous close-ups and 40s frocks by Vera West. Her frequent co-star was the strange looking Franchot Tone but in a strange way, he counterbalances her vervy, exuberant charisma. Hail, Hail, Deanna! We love you!
-
What if Marlon Brando had played the Peter O'Toole role in "Lawrence of Arabia" and Frank Sinatra had played the Marlon Brando role in "On the Waterfront"? This is the way it's supposed to have happened--but luckily Hollywood fate entered and moved the players around. In a new tell-all about super producer Sam Spiegel, you discover all kinds of "What if's..." that very nearly happened. For instance Spiegel wanted Vivien Leigh for the Katherine Hepburn role of Sebastian's mother in "Suddenly Last Summer." His theory was that Leigh bore an amazing resemblance to Liz Taylor who played the niece, Kathy. Taylor, by the way, was also the number one candidate to play Bonnie Blue Butler in "Gone With the Wind" because she looked so much like Vivien Leigh--but Liz's mother, for some bizarre reason, turned the role down for her darling little daughter. Sinatra forever after hated Spiegel's guts for giving Brando the "Waterfront" role that won him an Oscar. But can you imagine Brando as "Lawrence of Arabia"? I sure can. He was so god-like in his prime he could have played King Kong and knocked us out of our seats.
-
I used to wish a freight truck would run over the "Roseanne" character, brillaintly portrayed, by Shelly Winters in "A Patch of Blue." God, was she a mean old witch. And the way she slapped poor little blind Selena, also brilliantly played by Elizabeth Hartman. In her memoirs, Winters wrote that when they filmed the "slap" scene, she just couldn't slap Hartman hard enough. Finally, Hartman screamed, "Hit me, you b*****! and Winters socked her good. A curious film factoid: Hartman, who killed herself in a welfare hotel in real life, won the very coveted role of Selena over Hollywood's top young femme stars back in the early 60s. This included Natalie Wood, Carol Baker, Suzanne Pleshette, Vera Miles, Susan Kohner, Joanne Woodward, etc. Hartman was Oscar nominated for Best Actress. Her death was indeed a heartbreaker when she jumped from the l4th floor of the hotel. Her possessions included only one rayon gown, rubber sandals and a battered scrapbook of her past glories.
-
Moira, Moviejoe and fellow film nuts: I hate to say it but both books, "Complicated Women," and "Complicated Men" didn't do anything for me. They were both mostly rehash and rewrites of stuff I've read a million times before. I found nothing fresh or exciting in either tomes. Especially, "Complicated Men" which hardly even mentioned the adorable Billy Haines but spent much too much time on the usuals: Clark Gable, Cagney. As to the documentary on TCM, it looked dazzling and spiffy but I am SO tired of seeing Molly Haskell trotted out for the zillioneth time to give her two cents worth on movie women. I was happy to see Frances Dee and Leila Hyams (who died recently). Also glad that snippets of Talullah Bankhead's "Tarnished" was presented but there were so many tantalizing glimpses of other gals and movies. One hour was too short. This should have been a two hour documentary.
-
"Son of Frankenstein" was a stunning, Germanic shocker that is even more thrilling to watch today than when it appeared in l939. Just dig those expressionistic sets of the castle interiors, the Vera West gowns, the European tone and rain-soaked exteriors. This was originally planned as a super Technicolor Universal production but all the Technicolor cameras were being used for Gone With the Wind Also, has anyone else mentioned another Selznick classic made in l939: Intermezzo. The ultimate love stock, filmed in an incredible, creamy, glossy style with a fabulous musical score.
-
Heaven! I'm in Heaven! It's Pre-Code Week on TCM! I've got my stacks of blank tapes ready to copy some of these long-buried classics and many you can't even find on video. One Warner Brother's sizzler I hope they show is--believe it or not--a Bette Davis firecracker, named "Ex-Lady." From the snippets I've seen, the Davis character stays half-naked through most of the film. Another pre-code goodie is the Buster Crabbe version of "Tarzan the Fearless." If you thought Johnny Weismueller wore litte as the Ape Man, the gorgoues, ravishing, cute-as-hell Buster is virtually nude--and what a hot bod! Now, gotta get ready to put in the tape!
-
Who do you consider the most hateful male/female villian in movies? I'm thinking Bette Davis as the horrifying, vicious psycho in l934's "Of Human Bondage." Here's another one: Charles Laughton as Captain Bleigh in l935's "Mutiny on the Bounty." What a slobbering, vicious SOB. How about Veda, the snarling little b*** in "Mildred Pierce." You got any favorites?
-
I second that vote, ih8ldymviebuf. She's called me an "idiot" and "stupid" and all those other wonderful Christian names. I believe I know who it is. She changes her name. She ripped through the boards last year, starting fights and having a grand old time. We should give her the name: "Bloody Mama."
-
Okay, here's my take--once more--on John Gilbert's connection with the ill-fated "His Glorious Night" where he is purported to have uttered those never-to-be-forgotten words: "I love you!" Three times! From my research on this matter for my book, "Kiss of King Kong", oldtimers today say the film colony back then was aghast that Louis Mayer would suddenly rush the studio's top male star into a "talker," with no planning. Irving Thalberg demanded that the great Garbo wait for more than a year before she "talked." Thalberg correctly assumed that the primitive sound equipment would have vastly improved during that year. This is why Garbo's voice registered so richly in "Anna Christie." Another important factor is that Thalberg hired a specialized voice coach who specialized in lowering voices. Garbo's natural voice until then was average, with a deep undertone. She realized her career was on the line with "Anna Christie" and she worked steadily every day for more than a year to lower her vocal timber. Numerous sound tests were made to check her progress. Poor Gilbert was never given this consideration. He was thrown to the wolves. Also, I try to imagine how I would have reacted if I had actually heard for the first time these incredible screen gods and goddesses actually talking like real people. That might account for the devastation of the silent stars who couldn't survive as "talkers". The glorious Vilma Banky, Pola Negri, Billie Dove, etc. An entire world of beautiful men and women literally vanished overnight after the box office returns were tallied up. Sometimes I listen to Rudolph Valentino's recording of "Pale Hands" he made in l922. This is on a compilation of silent stars and early "talkers" actually singing, and this is one weird experience. Valentino's voice comes across as light and hollow. Yet, Ramon Navarro does a delightful medley of light opera. It's a mystery as to why he never continued his movie musical career a la Nelson Eddy, Bing Crosby, etc.
-
Nick,who could ever forget the ultra handsome, ultra virile Rockliffe Fellowes in "Regeneration." He was indeed a dazzing surprise to find in a l915 movie. Here's a real curio: TCM showed one of a series of documentaries about old Hollywood, especially one regarding its scandals. There was this fantastic five second snippet of a movie called "Twilight Baby," that starred the one and only, Virginia Rappe! She's the one who destroyed Fatty Arbuckle's career. But in that brief segment I was stunned by this dark, voluptuous beauty as she came out of a pool of water. She wore her hair long and it framed this sensual face.She had a raw, passionate air about her. She might have been a real sex goddess if fate had dealt her a better throw of the dice.
-
A century of movies is littered with hundreds of sexy, beautiful performers who are now forgotten completely today. Francis X. Bushman was the first Pin-Up Boy of the l900s movies because of his knockout torso. Today, nobody's heard the name. Here's a new name I want to add to this pantheon of Forgotten Sex Gods and Goddesses. His name is Don Red Barry. I've been watching this incredible, virile, gorgeous cowboy star in Republica's l941 l5-chapter serial, "The Adventures of Red Ryder." This is one guy you've got see to believe. He looks like a macho, Adonis-like James Cagney. His performance is electrifying as Red Ryder, the crime-fighting hero. His body would make Adonis look ashamed. His virility is mesmerizing. He went onto make other many movies for Republic where they called him the "Cowboy James CAgney." By the 50s, he was so destitute he was begging movie fans to send him a dollar each so he could begin a new TV western series. Younger stars camet to his rescue: Burt Reynolds and others who always gave him bits in their movies. But to witness this Apollo at his prime--much like Buster Crabbe and Johnny Mack Brown--is a sight for the ages. Check out "Adventures of Red Ryder" and discover a Sex God who makes the like of George Clooney and Tom Cruise look like the Marx Brotehrs.
-
Ayn Rand's great, sweeping novel of the Russian Revolution, her l937 novel, "We The Living," would make a great spectacle. It was filmed literally underground in Italian during the Nazi occupation in l941 and the Italians did a beautiful job, with Alida Valli portraying the fiery heroine, Kira. Another Ayn Rand blockbuster, "Atlas Shrugged" would be terrif. Rock Hudson brought the movie rights back in the 60s but nothing ever happened to it.
-
Rhett Butler should have married either Belle Watling, or, seriously, Suellen O'Hara. Belle was exactly Rhett's kind of gal. She accepted him for what he was. A mucho macho hunk of a guy. Suellen would never have strayed if she had rhett as a spouse or boyfriend. Yet, she was so spoilt and self-centered that she was similar to Scarlett in some ways, but more hard-boiled.
-
Fitzhunny, your reference to the Clift/Ann Revere phone conversation in "Place in the Sun" was high on my list of memorable phone conversations. I also loved the phone conversations in "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?"--especially when Blanche tries to call the cops and Baby Jane mimics Blanche. Hey, I nearly forgot--"Pillow Talk." The whole Doris Day/Rock Hudson movie revolves around problems created by having to share a party line.
-
Buster Crabbe would easily surpass Brad Pitt as today's Hollywood Adonis. Look at Crabbe's Tarzan movies and drool, even if they were made in l933. The gorgeous, hunky Charles Starrett and Johnny Mack Brown and incredibly massive George O'Brien (just watch this Apollo in F.W. Murnau's l929 classic, "Sunrise") could easily fit the shoes of today's action stars--especially when these stars are the worn-out, has-beens Arnie, Sly Stallonne and Bruce Willis. Faye Dunaway and Kathleen Turner would have been major femme stars back in the 40s. Today, they're completely ignored. Anita Page would probably get the Kate Hudson, Reese Witherspoon roles today. Rudolph Valentino would probably have had no trouble getting a starring role in the "Godfather" movies.
-
Naturally, more silents, especially from the l900s. The Thanhouser films from the l900s to 1913 are priceless, featuring nostalgic looks at children and animals and featuring phenomenal child performers--long before Shirley Temple. Also, as I've mentioned before, a marathon of Charlie Chan movies, Judy Canova's Republic musical comedies (especially 'Sis Hopkins') and all the available Republic Serials, the Universal Sherlock Holmes series, "flapper movies" with Sally O'Neill, Madge Bellamy, Gertrude Astor and Marion Davies. Clara Bow is always a tremendous favorite. And, how about a series on the Jazz Age's movie Adonises and Venuses--the hottest looking flapper guys and girls! Buddy Clark, Billie Dove, Richard Arlen, Johnny Mack Brown, Barbara LaMarr, the gorgeous George O'Brien ("Sunrise"), Valentino, Pola Negri.
-
I love thinking of these phone scene classics! Who can forget Jean Harlow as "Kitty Packard" in "Dinner at Eight" talking on that art deco white-on-white phone to her lover boy physician? Also, Bessie Love, with her face covered with lotion, trying not to cry as she calls up her manager to tell him to book her a new act without her sister, Queenie (Anita Page). There's the glorious Liz Taylor in "Butterfield 8" snarling at her boyfriend, Laurence Harvey. And Judy Garland taking the phone from Peter Lawford in "Easter Parade" to inform Fred Astaire that he'd better get dressed because he's taking her to the easter parade.
-
Hollywood and Alexander Graham Bell's invention have always enjoyed a love affair--from D.W. Griffith's one-reelers to the number one movie in America last week: "Phone Booth." What are your favorite phone scenes? Here's some trivia: Joan Crawford addicts refer to her as the 'Phone Diva' because some of her greatest scenes used the phone as a prop: think of her scene with Lionel Barrymore in "Grand Hotel," calling the cops in "Mildred Pierce," saying farewell to John Garfield via phone in "Humoresque," etc. Also "Grand Hotel" is considered the ultimate "phone" movie because ALL the characters used it through out. Luise Rainier won her l937 Oscar primarily because of her unforgettable phone farewell to Florenze Ziegfeld. You got any favorite phone scenes?
-
Ken and other serial buffs, I just struggled to sit through the l947 "The Phantom" serial starring Tom Tyler. Since it was from Columbia, this may account for almost zero action, horrible acting, horrible stunt work--or lack thereof--and terrible sets. This was the DVD version so at least it looked okay. I'm getting "Adventures of Red Ryder" through the Walmart DVD rental program (I had lots of problems with Netflix) so I'll let you know how it turns out next week. Why, oh, why isn't Republic releasing any of its incredible serial goodies? I'm buying William Witney's "favorite" serial, the l940 "Drums of Fu Manchu" next week, too. Will let you know how it turns out.
-
I'm going to tell one more true-life sighting of Garbo and then I'll shut my big mouth. But if some of you are as Garbo obsesesed as I am, you might appreciate it. In l979, the wonderful old Regency Theater here in NYC held three month festival of true, genuine movie queens: one week of Louise Brooks, one of Kay Frances, two weeks of Bette Davis, two of Garbo, etc. The night I went with a friend to catch "Queen Christina" and "Love" the theater was jammed. There were incredible, huge posters of the Great Diva lining the lobby walls. The movies were beautifully restored. At the end, as we left, we noticed a lone woman sitting at the very rear of the theater. What made her stand out was that she wore dark glasses, a floppy, wide-brimmed hat and she held a handkerchief up to her face where she'd been crying. Everyone whispered: "My God, it's her!" No one approached her and after she got up and left, my buddy and I went up to the maanger who was in the lobby. We asked him: "Was that her?" He nodded his head. "She always sits in that same rear seat. We never bother her. She wants to cry alone."
-
movieloverny,you're on the ball! I knew it was one of those "kirk" gals. In fact, I think that Phyllis Kirk screen tested for the role and was reportedly terrif. But--they wanted a STAR! I can easily imagine the heart-break poor Ethel Merman had to suffer when she saw Roz Russell grab the role, then strangle and then murder it.
Deanna Durbin
in Your Favorites
Posted
ohmigawd, moira, you sharp-eyed minx, you spotted my error. Yes, it should definitely be the vastly underrated Vera West, and not Vera Wang, who designed those great 40s frocks and gowns for Deanna, Maria Montez and all those brides of the monsters.