cascabel

Toss-up between Burt Lancaster and Johnny Weissmuller. Most people's legs are merely serviceable, so kudos to stars (like Mae West) who realize this and always keep those pins covered.

CineMaven---Thank you. I always enjoy your posts. They're very positive and generous--and wacky! I don't get FMC, but I'd love to see most of those listed movies on TCM. I'm only a bit tempted to stray, not planning to be unfaithful. TCM and I are in good, productive couples' counseling, fending off a truly undesired separation.

Exception should be made for the one-and-only Fred Astaire. He was all about lovely romance, as suggested through elegant dancing. He didn't make us watch him in heavy, naturalistic sex scenes. I'm sure all the women wanted to dance with him. If he was paired with younger and younger partners, one reason might have been that the best older female dancers wanted to stop dancing and do straight acting. Cary Grant had the grace to bow out when he knew he could no longer play his Cary Grant role as comfortably as before. If we want to get annoyed about something, maybe it should be that good actors like Nancy Marchand and Ethel Merman were cheated out of roles they were born to play simply because the studio wanted younger, more conventionally attractive women. But I think that was another thread......

Thank you,TCM, for restoring the edit function. Message was edited by: cascabel

TCM----The recent posting and editing problems seemed to have caused great forum confusion. When I registered on this board I was flustered and overwhelmed, but, after reading threads here and there, I was reasonably sure that, indeed, information about movies was being provided at the Information, Please! forum. The forums seemed fairly unmuddled then. If I were any newer, I'd have to assume that anything goes and that the forum titles mean little. Perhaps a gentle reminder of what's supposed to go where? My apologies if my message is in the wrong spot. Thank you. Also: Being bumped from personal to guest settings is very alarming. It feels like a security problem. Message was edited by: cascabel

FrankGrimes---Thank you for your kind words. You might actually prefer the more adult *Love With The Proper Stranger*. It's just that the quirky *Inside Daisy Clover* is dear to me. (BTW, I don't know if I meant "disorganized mess---as opposed to organized mess, whatever that would be." Sorry. I keep forgetting that edit option is gone.)

Thank you, moderator sugarpuss! Thank you, entrants #1 ChipHeartsMovies, #2 Fedya, #3 movieman1957, #4 filmlover, #5 benwhowell, #6 hlywdkjk! I've enjoyed reading your schedules and notes so much. What astonishingly varied and creative work. All your schedules should be adopted by TCM immediately. As a newcomer here, I'm trying to understand the need for this to be a contest with one winner. I gather that the voter turnout is usually low. Maybe this is the reason? Why do we have to choose? It doesn't seem a matter of taste so much as mood. And there's something for every mood in all the schedules. When I vote in most elections it's after weighing pros and cons, checking to see if any candidate's about to be indicted for something or other, holding my nose, etc. There's nothing unpleasant or discouraging like that here. It's a fabulous 6-course dinner party--and you've asked us to pick one course and then move along?! If you'd all produced movies or books, I'd see them, read them, buy them all as soon as I could afford to. You're saying we can only have one? No, I won't choose. I admire everyone's work. Congratulations to all entrants! And thank you, sugarpuss, for the best thread on the board.

coopsgirl---*Ten North Frederick* is a favorite of my family, even if it makes us cry. Gary Cooper was so good as the tortured character in that movie. I'm grateful my father had a much more fulfilling life. You never really know how things will work out, so I can't be categorically opposed to May/December romances. I just wish filmmakers didn't rely on them quite so much--especially if they're not honest about the sad downside to the relationship. Other older man/ younger woman movies: *Cass Timberlane* (Spencer Tracy-47, Lana Turner-26), *Bulworth* (Warren Beatty-61, Halle Berry-32), *Atlantic City* (Burt Lancaster-68, Susan Sarandon-35), *Poison Ivy* (Tom Skerritt-59, Drew Barrymore-17), *Lost In Translation* (Bill Murray-53, Scarlett Johansson-19). Of course, in *Georgy Girl*, Lynn Redgrave (23) had an enviable choice between James Mason (57) and Alan Bates (32). And then sometimes the situation is reversed. *Harold and Maude* (Ruth Gordon-75, Bud Cort-22)is one of the great life-affirming movies of all time. Katharine Hepburn (61) and Peter O'Toole (36) were splendid in *A Lion In Winter*. What was the fuss about in *All That Heaven Allows*? Jane Wyman was only 10, 11 years older than Rock Hudson. And the offensive issue in the *The Graduate* was the adultery, not the age difference. Sometimes it's fun to know the real ages of the actors. What did sexy 36yo Mrs.Robinson ever see in oafish 30yo Benjamin, anyway?

FrankGrimes----I want to recommend *Inside Daisy Clover* even though it was considered a disorganized mess when released and many people seem to hate it. The critics say Natalie was too old to play a teenager and the movie wasn't evil enough to be about show business. That's nonsense. I loved it---the backstage at (I think) Warner Brothers, the Hollywood power plays. Best of all--Natalie's scenes with Ruth Gordon.

Thank you. I'd like to make it clear that I meant no disrespect to William Holden. He's amazing in *Sunset Blvd.*. I used to try to imagine Montgomery Clift as Joe Gillis--a little younger, prettier than Holden. But, it's no use. Holden was perfect in that too young (and sane) for Norma, but too jaded for Betty dilemma. The young girl wasn't going to redeem him any more than he was going to effect Norma's return to glory--and he looks like he knew it all along. I'm sorry if I got off-base here. I see that the topic is more like---homely leading men, and leading ladies forced to be flawless. Most of the actors (m&f) I admire and think are so beautiful are on someone's Funny-Looking List, so I'm sure both men and women are denied the right to look unique and to age gracefully in Hollywood. I'm guessing that it's getting harder and harder for men even as it gets marginally easier for women. Life is not fair.

No, the older man/ younger woman relationship isn't exactly "far-fetched" in real life. It's just that in Hollywood, it's the norm. My own happily-married parents were over 30 years apart, but I certainly grew up hearing from schoolmates and neighbors how unusual that was. And it was a far from ideal situation. My dear father left my sweet mother a widow too soon. Hollywood May/ December love stories usually end before that grim reality sets in. In real life--as opposed to Hollywood--couples tend to be close in age for excellent reason, and people can fall in love hard at any age, but how often do we see an interesting romance of middle age like *Away From Her*? In his sublime anti-Hollywood movie, *Sunset Blvd.*, perhaps the great Billy Wilder was working out his own fears of getting old and (more?) unattractive; perhaps he didn't have the desire, courage or studio backing to make a movie about an older man (Chaplin? Keaton?) clinging to a girl and his illusions; perhaps, to compensate, he gave the women most of the energy in the film. Perhaps not. In any case, it's clear that lively Gloria Swanson doesn't seem that much older than William Holden, who does look too worn-out, depressed and cynical (old!) for fresh-faced Nancy Olson. When I was younger I saw this differently, but, as an adult, I think it's the funniest thing in the movie.

Ooohh, love this movie. *Champagne For Caesar*. Ronald Colman, Vincent Price, Celeste Holm, even Art Linkletter. I commend you for continuing to struggle with this board. It's become too frustrating for me to reply, having to click repeatedly and start over. Good luck.

Hello, FrankGrimes---Natalie Wood's talent was wasted in her later mostly forgettable films. She was at her best in the late adolescent/ early adulthood roles--*Splendor In The Grass*, *Gypsy*, *Love With The Proper Stranger*, *Inside Daisy Clover*, *This Property Is Condemned*. Favorites are *Gypsy* and *Daisy*. In those movies, she really seems to be getting back at her family and Hollywood--anyone who tried to possess and use her--but she does it in the wriest, most charming way (with the occasional explosion). This beautiful lady had too much intelligence and dignity to let herself be bitter.

I'm looking forward to watching *La Jetee* tomorrow, but I'm a little sorry TCM didn't program more of a Labor Day-specific schedule. Do you have any suggestions for next Labor Day? I'm anxious to learn more about good movies (from before the 1960s.) Thank you in advance. My wish list: *Metropolis* (1927) *Modern Times* (1936) *The Devil And Miss Jones* (1941) *Employees' Entrance* (1933) *Black Fury* (1935) *How Green Was My Valley* (1941) *Salt Of The Earth* (1954) *The Grapes Of Wrath* (1940) *Animal Farm* (1955) *On The Waterfront* (1954) *Edge Of The City* (1957)

Hi. The description in your first paragraph reminded me strongly of the ending to *The Big Sleep* (1946) http://www.tcmdb.com/title/title.jsp?stid=45 ---but that movie, of course, stars Humphrey Bogart as private investigator Philip Marlowe, not Jimmy Stewart as a reporter. Stewart did play a reporter in *Call Northside 777* (1948). http://www.tcmdb.com/title/title.jsp?stid=70092 Hope this is of some help.

HOW I WON THE WAR (1967) with John Lennon as Gripweed

Is it Greg Kinnear?

Hello, abrownfan. May I chime in here for a moment? I'm worried that you're getting stressed about this. I'm sorry if your posts have been deleted. There are all sorts of new things to get used to around here today. It might have been unintentional---as other, more experienced posters have explained. When I read the page you mention, I see a couple people making serious political arguments, a couple more engaging in what is, apparently, an ongoing personal conversation (entirely their own business), and some more posters just having fun with *Caine Mutiny* wisecracks. One of those enjoy it or ignore it pages. Anyone who had wanted to say anything objective or admiring about Ms. Fonda's movie career had already done so, I guess. We all love movies, and, on this forum, that's what's important, right? Peace, cascabel

hlywdkjk, I don't really disagree with you either. All forms of bigotry are wrong, of course. But, when I see movies like Bright Road, Hallelujah, and Cabin In The Sky, I'm so impressed with the level of talent and so sad that these gifted actors weren't working all the time in bigger and better roles--the way so many (not all, but many) of their white counterparts were. At least one day of showcasing these fine actors might provide a revelation to someone out there in the TV audience. In a better world, we'd see these movies all the time. In a truly ideal world, thousands of great movies with integrated casts would have been made throughout the 20th century. Please understand that I'm not really disagreeing with you. Your list of movies is good, and I'd like to add Salt Of The Earth to it.

Dear Ms. Jason-- Well, this just gets nicer and nicer! I can't wait to read your books. It's so refreshing to hear that you enjoyed your career and have no hangups. What a lovely testament to your sister--and to your own beautiful spirit. May I suggest you get your publisher or someone to provide a Wikipedia entry for you? I wasn't able to find enough information there. Oh, and I'd like to see you sometime on TCM talking with Robert Osborne about your interesting life and friends. What a treat that would be! Thank you again! FredCDobbs: Thank you for the link. I loved those photos.

Ok, now. We're trying. Jack Paar was born in Ohio, and he played himself in Variety Time, right? And sweetheart Marilyn Monroe was in Love Nest... Message was edited by: cascabel

Dear goldenerakid-- Are you really Ms.Sybil Jason?! Forgive my wariness, please, but cyberspace is a funny place full of people claiming to be everything they're not. Anyway, if you are Sybil Jason, thank you! I've never received a letter from a movie star before. This is the coolest thing! It was very kind of you to take the time. I am looking forward to reading your memoirs--both volumes. I hope you do a book tour to promote your work. If so, please try to include a stop in New Mexico. I'd love to get an autograph from you. Thank you again. Peace, cascabel

Excellent idea! Bright Road (1953) featuring Dorothy Dandridge

Steve Allen?

Oh, thank you, but I'm no good at making up challenging clues (as I demonstrated in the DoYouKnowMe thread awhile back). I just like to hazard a guess now and then. Hoping one of the masters will take this on....