ChiO

I don't think anyone has mentioned *Letter from an Unknown Woman* , which I just got around to seeing. Wow -- and double wow. Beautifully shot and as moving a one-sided love story as I have ever seen (aside from *King Kong* ).

[snorky] -- *Didn't make it down to the Facets sale.* I came, I saw, I spent.

Dave Kehr did a rave review today in the NY Times on *Drunken Angel* , one I haven't seen, but hope to soon.

For reliving my childhood: *Miracle on 34th Street* -- it was shown locally every Christmas Eve. When those letters get dumped in the courtroom, it's almost as rousing as the French anthem scene in *Casablanca* . For family: *White Christmas* and *It's a Wonderful Life* -- a double feature at the Music Box Theater (with a sing-along led by Santa between features) that we have gone to every year for about 14 years. My daughters, now in their upper- and lower-20's, sing-along to Sisters and it chokes me up just thinking about it. The "ooohs" at Vera Ellen's waist. The cheers when George Chakiris appears. The hissing everytime Lionel Barrymore is on screen and the ringing of bells for Henry Travers. The wolf whistles for Gloria Grahame. That's Christmas!

[Metro] -- *You didn't understand my posts.* Guess you're right. *Please don't start another flame war.* My intent was to stop an incipient one, not start one, by calling you out on what I perceived to be unwarranted namecalling regarding someone who had made a valid point. Let civility reign (and rain -- but never rein).

*"CineSage jr" is an idiot.* As if CineSage jr needs me to defend him, but I find the above statement unwarranted, offensive and false. You may find him annoying and perhaps **** retentive, but he's no idiot. And his post here, and many posts elsewhere on the boards, nailed it. I'm a big one for disagreement, sabre rattling, and fiery discussions about films, so if you disagree with his opinion, let him have with both barrels. Resorting to a schoolyard epithet, however, does your cause no good. I initially intended to avoid this thread like the plague, and assumed that others would as well, but when I saw the number of replies, my stupid side took over and I peeked. I'm not one of those who avoids *Birth of a Nation* for its portrayal of African-Americans; in fact, it is one of my favorite films -- not for its source material or theme, but the brilliance of Griffith's work. It, however, is not "political correctness" to fail to find it "amusing," and instead to wince, cringe and feel disgust when a minority is denigrated.

As for my favorite (as opposed to "best") decade, I'll cheat a bit and go with 1945-1954. Film noir was in full flower, Italian neo-realism was on the rise, "adult" Westerns were being released, some wonderful musicals were made...Ozu, Fuller, Mizoguchi, Kurosawa, De Sica, Kazan, Renoir, Chaplin, Ray, Clouzot, Cocteau, Lang, Ophuls, Wilder, Powell/Pressburger, Donen/Kelly, Welles, Tourneur, Hitchcock, Daves, Minnelli, Mann....

*Burt Lancaster OR Kirk Douglas?* That's a tough one. When they're at their acting best or emoting worst? Ohhhh.... Burt Lancaster (*The Killers* and *Sweet Smell of Success* turned the tide) *Silver Lode* or *Terror in a Texas Town* ?

but frankie, those arent really considered romantic movies, they fall under another category The others, well, I suppose there are some people who find those romantic. You win, FrankieG, though maybe on a technicality. I believe the initial poster -- who might that be? Hmmm. -- asked for favorite "love stories", not "romance". As Tina sang, "What's romance got to do with it/Do with it?" Or something like that. *Scarlet Street* -- Excellent selection. Need one by an "F" director, say *Naked Kiss* .

That doesn't sound like an internet sale. I imagine they have info about it online though. Based on my memory of going to the Facets warehouse sale a couple of years ago, and reading between the lines on its site, I think it's fair to say: It's not a sale of all items in inventory, but a sale of certain items, such as DVDs (and VHS) that are overstocked, or just not moving, or newer versions have been issued, or individual DVDs that are part of a box set. Purchases of sale items probably cannot be made online. The vast majority of stuff was of no interest to me, but there were some deals. I remembering finding Huston's *Moulin Rouge* and Resnais' *Mon Oncle D'Amerique* and some others at nice prices. But I doubt that there'll be any Bela Tarr movies.

[Welcome, Rebelene] -- *Miller's Crossing* is enjoyable every time I watch it. And Joel Coen, along with Tim Burton and Jim Jarmusch, is a favorite contemporary American director. The only two features of his that I haven't seen are *Crimewave* and *No Country for Old Men* . The only ones that made me cringe are *Intolerable Cruelty* and *The Ladykillers* , so I'm hoping that *No Country for Old Men* is (for me) a return to form. Yes, I'm a h-u-g-e fan of *The Big Lebowski* . There's no accounting for taste. And, *Miller's Crossing* was released in 1990. That's 17 years ago. When does a movie cease to be "new"? Oh, the debate rages on.

[bronxChiBocaGirl] -- As always, Mr. Grimes' taste is so impressive for a relative newbie, putting this oldie and Mann fan to shame. I really need to dig deeper into his Westerns and it's embarassing that as a Mann and Stroheim fan I have not yet seen *The Great Flamarion* . For what it's worth, my ordering (based on my enjoyment more than my feeble judgment of artistic merit) is: 1. *The Naked Spur* 2. *Reign of Terror* (aka *The Black Book* ) 3. *Raw Deal* 4. *He Walked by Night* (uncredited director) 5. *The Man from Laramie* 6. *Winchester '73* 7. *T-Men* 8. *God's Little Acre* 9. *Railroaded* 10. *Border Incident* 11. *Desperate* 12. *The Glenn Miller Story* 13. *Strange Impersonation* I haven't seen *El Cid* and *The Fall of the Roman Empire* since seeing them at release, so I won't rate them. And I've assumed that most of *Spartacus* is Kubrick's. It's hard to go wrong (my top 4 could be shuffled), but I suggest saving *Strange Impersonation* for the end of your journey -- it might derail you if seen too early.

RAW DEAL is one of the best of the Mann films, loaded with hyper-erotic imagery (thanks largely to the brilliant cinematography of John Alton) and savagely ferocious performances. I'm in total agreement with all three points in that sentence. Although Alton's cinematography may be marginally more stunning in *T-Men* , I think *Raw Deal* is the better film overall. And Raymond Burr -- wow! *Raw Deal* is a quantum leap for Mann in the two years since *Strange Impersonation* . And Alton helped with that leap.

[bronxsieG] -- How could I leave out *King Kong* -- one of the great weepies. I always go for a good love triangle story, especially if a hunky beast is involved. Speaking of a hunky beast, my list should have included Cocteau's *Beauty and the Beast* .

FYI for the folks in the Windy City & environs: Facets is having its warehouse sale (DVD & VHS)on Dec. 1-2 & Dec. 15-16.

But is it Ingrid and Charles or Ingrid and Joe who sparks your interest? Angela and Chuck.

Dagnabit! I hate lists. Forgot two of my favorites: *Diner* (when that bouquet hits the table & Jack Scott sings Goodbye Baby over the closing credits, it's another blubber moment) *Play It Again, Sam* Often considered suing Woody Allen and Daniel Stern for identity theft for their respective roles above (+ Stern again for his voice-over work on The Wonder Years ), but my better angels prevailed.

Here's the Lucky 13 (+ 1) of the moment for me: *Bonnie and Clyde* *Broken Blossoms* *Casablanca* *City Lights* *Clash by Night* *Day of Wrath* *The Deer Hunter* *Dr. Zhivago* (the moment Sir Alec says "It's a gift," I start blubbering uncontrollably) *Gun Crazy* *His Girl Friday* *Sunrise* *Sunset Boulevard* *West Side Story* *You Only Live Once* I try to balance my sentimental side with some semblance of reality. Was tempted to include *Gaslight* .

[kimpunkrock] -- My copy of *Merrill's Marauders* is on its way. *Fixed Bayonets* and the set of Fuller's first three movies are on my Christmas list. Hope my family loves me.

Take a look at www.trailersfromhell.com/index.php I think that Joe Dante started the site. Trailers from *Spartacus* to Larry Cohen's *God Told Me To* . The trailers can be watched with or without commentary by Joe Dante, Allan Arkush, Larry Cohen, and more. Great fun.

I believe it was James Brown who said, "It's a Mann, Mann, Mann's World". And a noirish one it is. I've only seen a couple of the Westerns -- *Winchester '73* and *The Naked Spur* -- but they, especially the latter (James Stewart and Robert Ryan), are among my favorites. His noirs rank with the best. And John Alton was the cinematographer for *T-Men* , *Raw Deal* , *He Walked by Night* and *Reign of Terror* (aka *The Black Book* ). That immediately puts them a cut above (some shill for John Ford; me, it's John Alton).

[FScottFitzGrimes] -- Has this ever happened to you? You're in high school and a movie comes out with one of your movie heroes (in my case, James Coburn: I knew if I were taller, had a smile from heaven, generally goodlooking, & old enough to drink, I'd be just like him. I did pick up one of those attributes.), but for some reason you don't see it. Over the next 40 years (or, what, 5 in your case?), you forget about the movie. Then you walk into Facets and the first two movies you ask for are checked out. You look at the chalkboard of weekly suggestions, and its "Joan Blondell vs. Sylvia Sidney" movies. You've just watched *You Only Live Once* , so you look at the Blondell side and there it is : *Waterhole #3* . You get home, pop it in and there's Coburn's name, first in the opening credits and, though he's not at the top of your list anymore, it'll be a night of nostalgia. Then, plain as day, about the fourth credit, a name you hadn't associated with the movie in all those years, appears: *TIMOTHY CAREY* Not Harry (actor or Bud pitchman) or Dobe, but the real acting Carey. The movie was so-so, but Mr. Carey was brilliant, brilliant , I say. Did that ever happen to you, huh?

*Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz* (aka *Z XVII* ) was the 16th sequel to *Z* (1969). I'm still awaiting *Mmmm* .

The initial post doesn't suggest limiting selections to American movies, so I haven't. I won't opine on the [best] , but here are my [favorites] : 1910-19: *Birth of a Nation* 1920-29: *Passion of Joan of Arc* 1930-39: *M* 1940-49: *Citizen Kane* 1950-59: *Tokyo Story* 1960-69: *Dr. Strangelove, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb* 1970-79: *The Godfather* 1980-89: *Love Streams* 1990-99: *Dead Man* 2000-07: *A.I: Artificial Intelligence*

To paraphrase [Cinemaven] , "(I really want to say Dustin Hoffman in "Tootsie" but I don't want to be stoned, dissed, lambasted, tarred and feathered or IGNORED.)" Rene Falconetti as Joan in *Passion of Joan of Arc* Message was edited by: ChiO