Arturo
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Posts posted by Arturo
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I have the book, and.remember.that passage. Besides the fact.that it seems.uncharacteristically cutthroat.of.Linda to do that, I think she may have desired.to be in it,.and doubled-down in her push for it by going straight to the Boss's office. Of course, all.of Hollywood already thought Darnell.was.Zanuck's.mistress,.so it would be natural to conclude this.Arturo, in case you hadn't read it, I thought you might be interersted in this passage from Tis Herself, Maureen O'Hara's eminently readable autobiography.
O'Hara, under contract to Fox at the time, described being summoned to Zanuck's office. She talked of having to walk a long distance from the door of his office to his desk, which was elevated higher than the chair in which she sat, forcing her to look up to him. (Sounds like the kind of stuff Chaplin satirized in a famous scene in The Great Dictator).
Zanuck then said to her, "I like your chemistry with Ty Power. I like what you did in The Black Swan. I'm casting you in The Razor's Edge with him." I was thrilled and could hardly contain myself. I knew Ty and I had a strong chemistry on-screen, and I was eager to sink my teeth into a great dramatic role. After I thanked him repeatedly, Zanuck cautioned me. "Listen to me. Im planning a big publicity campaign for this picture. You are not to discuss this with anyone until the formal announcement is made. Is that clear?"
I stood and extended my hand up to him. "Oh, yes, Mr. Zanuck. Perfectly clear." I promised, "I won't say a word. Not a single word." I had every intention of obeying his order, but I was bursting with excitement when I got back to the set. It kept building and building as the day went on, and I had to tell someone or I was going to burst. So I stupidly met Linda Darnell at the Fox commissary for a bite of lunch and told her everything. Linda was a close friend and I figured she would keep her mouth shut after I told her how important secrecy was. It was a monstrous mistake.
By the time I got back to the set, there was a phone call already waiting for me. It was Mr. Zanuck. He said, "Maureen, I told you not to discuss our conversation with anyone, and you did. You're out of the picture." He slammed the phone down. I was so disappointed that I ran to my dressing room crying. I was absolutely devastated and couldn't return to the set. Director Gregory Ratoff finally came to me and asked me what had happened. After I told him, he started to chuckle and said, "Oh you silly, stupid girl. Don't you know what you did? You told Zanuck's mistress."
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I came a cross some sketches Travilla did for the costumes in GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES.
They are amazing.
I've come.across a large.book.at.the library, of Travilla.and.his sketches. It seems.an inordinate amount.of it focuses on.his.designs.for.MM,.understandably so. He also.did outfits for her personal use, sometimes.adapting.the designs.he did for her films,.sometimes.just.in different.colors.
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Here's an interview with Alexandra Moltke, who played Victoria Winters on DARK SHADOWS.
Among other things, she talks about the resemblance between her and Joan Bennett and how Joan once mistook her for one of her own daughters from a distance.
Joan had a daughter, Melinda I think, who looked quite like her, per a Life Mafazine article from around 1949. I wonder if Melinda also dyed her hair black.
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Sounds.like they substantially opened up.Williams' stage drama, which I've never seen or read. I think the movie is a very good, harrowing drama with an excellent cast, succesdfully adapting it to suggest several then distasteful and/or taboo topics.Yes, in the play all the action takes place at the Venable home.
All the hospital scenes in the movie SUDDENLY, LAST SUMMER were written by Gore Vidal.
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Any idea why Zanuck didn't like Linda, Arturo? Did she refuse to go the casting couch route??? I know Zanuck's reputation.........
Supposedly, shortly after she turned 18, Zanuck called her into his office to discuss a role.in an upcoming film. He seemed.to be deliberatively provocative, and.apparently led her into his inner.sanctum, and/or unzipped. She ran out of there, and soon realized.that she did not.get.the.choice.role.he had dangled in front of her, but what few assignments.she got were low-budget films, or were supporting.roles. Other producers, similarly unrestrained by her turning of.age, followed.suit and did not cast her in anything important.
To add.further to her woes, in April 1943,.Linda.married cinematographer Peverell Marley, who at 42.was over twice her age. Zanuck felt her girl next door.image was being threatened by the marriage. Her fans supported her, however, in this decision. If wasn't until a confluence.of factors.in 1944 that Linda's.career.and.image got revitalized. But Zanuck never did get over his dislike of her, and grudgingly cast her in films, if only because she was a moneymaker.for.the studio, not from any conviction in promoting her career.
Rumors she was his mistress persisted, deapite both denying this. The joke in Hollywood when she was.cast in a cameo.role in SONG OF BERNADETTE was that Zanuck had cast his mistress as the Virgin Mary.
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FOREVER.AMBER will be on a couple of times this week on FMC, Tuesday, 11/24 @ 9:30.am est, and Wednesday, 11/25 @ 7:15 am est.Thank you for mentioning Forever Amber. I think Linda is terrific in it, I am reading the best-selling novel and the movie was tamed -down (or subtexted if you prefer) but Linda gave plenty of suggestion with her tease and incredible beauty. I like her in My Darling Clementine and the by all means, A Letter to Three Wives, and Unfaithfully Yours needs to be included.
This film was based on the racy bestseller, and Fox quickly ran afoul of the Breen office, which basically suggested the story was unfilmable at that time. The studio cut out large chunks of the book, eliminating most of Amber's lovers and husbands, illigitimate.children and abortions. The sanitized script still met with disapproval, and after filming was done, the Production Seal was withheld without some.deletions. Even then, the.Catholic Legion of Decency condemned the film,.leading to more cuts, and a prologue and epilogue inserted.about the wages of sin.
Despite all this, the film.is still.quite good, with superb.work from.all.the departments. Unfortunately, due to the expensiveness of the production, and the condemnation and subsequent banning of it in certain areas, the film has the reputation of having flopped; however, it was a major moneymaker. It did receive mixed reviews, but is better than the impression they leave.
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It's sad that her career went into freefall after leaving Fox and freelancing. The talent was there and she was still young and beautiful, but like many others, her career went downhill and never really recovered.
Unfortunately, Linda's long-term.contract ended in the early 1950s, at a time when studios were downsizing and retrenching. She ended up competing for the fewer and fewer movies being made with others also suddenly freelancing. Plus, marriage and extended overseas trips for filming led to her being away from the Hollywood scene for long periods.at this crucial time.....out of sight, out of mind,.and she wasn't considered for roles for which she might've. A perfect storm, in a sense.
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Tom,.even with the new (older) traits that Atticus has in the new book?I know, I know, there are so many to choose. Name a couple, if it makes it easier for you.
I've got two, off hand.
Gregory Peck's Atticus Finch in TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
He is, perhaps, a bit of a pat pick, since he is one of the great humanitarians of the movies. Still, I find it difficult to not respect someone possessing so many of the admirable virtues that many of us would like to find in an individual, intelligence, tolerance, integrity, courage. Some might say Finch is a little too perfect, but I can live with that too.
My second pick, and a rather contrasting one, Walter Huston's Old Man Howard in Treasure of the Sierra Madre.
He was a wily old bird, with genuine wisdom and a keen insight into human nature. Howard was also big enough to gain a quick perspective on things (remember his quick booming laughter over the irony of the manner in which he lost his fortune?). I think that with the wealth of experience Howard possessed he would have been a valuable person to have known. And this is a guy who could tell a tale!
So what about the rest of you?
Want to sit around with cocktails and banter with Nick and Nora Charles?
Any wannabe privates eyes eager to know Sam Spade or Philip Marlowe?
Any masochists out there who think that Cody Jarrett might be a fun time?
My choice would.be Gene.Tierney's parents in HEAVEN CAN WAIT. I like the way Marjorie Main and Eugene Pallette interact with each other, even if they use me as the conduit to speak to each other. Of course, after awhile of this, I too may flee the household, like Tierney.
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late Sat., 11-7 for Underground...
2:00 AM (ET)
Color
93 min
TV-MA
drama
Smithereens (1982)
A talent-challenged girl tries to promote herself to stardom in New York's waning punk music world.
Dir: Susan Seidelman Cast: Susan Berman , Brad Rijn , Richard Hell .
Article: http://www.tcm.com/t...s/articles.html
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Wow. I missed this when I was on vaca. I love the revisionist poster, smphasizing the director's later successes.
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Maybe TCM representatives are reading the thoughtful well written responses in this thread. I'll bet more than a few will make a positive enough impression to be noted & contacted when TCM looks for a representative "fan".
The fact that TCM does occasionally use fans as Guest Programmers is another great thing about this channel.
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On FMC (all times eastern):
Sunday, 11/22:
3:30 am: FROM THE TERRACE (1960).............................6 am: JOHN AND MARY (1969)......................................7:35 am: MY LUCKY STAR (1938)................................9 am: HOLIDAY FOR LOVERS (1959).................................10:45 am: APRIL LOVE (1957)...........................12:30 pm SURF PARTY (1964)....................................1:40 pm: WILD ON THE BEACH (1965).................
Monday, 11/23:
4 am: THE SWEET RIDE (1968).................................6 am: A FAREWELL TO ARMS (1957)................................8:45 am: APRIL LOVE (1957)...................10:30 am: SURF PARTY (1964).............................11:40 am: WILD ON THE BEACH (1965)..................................1 pm: THE SWEET RIDE (1968)...............
Tuesday, 11/24:
4 am: KING OF THE KHYBER RIFLES (1953).....................................6 am: THE PRISONER OF SHARK ISLAND (1936)...................................7:40 am: PRINCE OF FOXES (1949)...................................9:30 am: FOREVER AMBER (1947)...................................11:50 am: ANNE OF THE INDIES (1951).........................................1:15 pm: KING OF THE KHYBER RIFLES (1953) ..................
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Yeah, where were the women? Every time I've been to Texas there have been lots of women of all ages. And kids too.
I guess it was also no country for old (or young) women.
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Misswonderly, great encapsulation of one of my favorite movies of the last decade. I too am foggy about the order of the ending.scenes. I will try to watch it on Wednesday, as I cook I guess. It was on some station recently, and as per usual, I watched a part of it after stumbling on it. But I didn't see the last half hour or so; I think I had to go somewhere.
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I watched this movie Tuesday night--almost when it was on live, but had it recording anyway in case I wasn't able to start watching at 7pm. I ended up starting my recording when it was about 30 minutes into it-- the closest I ever get to watching movies "live" on TCM it seems.
Anyway...
I thought this was a great movie. I'd heard about it but had never seen it. The only image I had of the film was the indelible moment when Richard Widmark pushes the invalid woman down the stairs in her wheelchair. It was amazing to me that Widmark was capable of such a stunt, since prior to Tuesday, my only image of him was him playing himself on I Love Lucy in the episode "The Tour." He ends up signing a grapefruit for Lucy (one that she had stolen from his yard). He seemed like such a nice guy on 'Lucy,' I couldn't picture him as the villain.
...then I saw Kiss of Death. Widmark was fantastic as Tommy Udo. He was so diabolically evil, it was fantastic. I loved the way he spoke and how he was so unapologetic about his actions.
This is for Dargo: This film actually made me appreciate Victor Mature more. While I liked him in I Wake Up Screaming, I thought he was fantastic in this film. While I'll never see him as a heartthrob, I thought his looks work well for the world of noir. He looks like a cross between Cary Grant and Tony Curtis. Anyway, I really liked him in this movie. He was great as the non-hero protagonist of the story.
I felt bad for Mature's wife in this film. While she was never seen, the poor thing commits suicide over Mature's going to prison. He had the chance to get off easy for his crime, but didn't take advantage of the opportunity and loses his wife.
I liked Coleen Gray in this film. I'd never heard of her prior to seeing her in Nightmare Alley during the film noir fesitval. I liked her in this film, but I think she was better in Nightmare Alley and had a more interesting role.
It was also interesting seeing a young Karl Malden in this film.
Fox definitely had the market cornered on film noir during the 40s and 50s. I'm definitely going to look for Kiss of Death, the aforementioned Nightmare Alley and other Fox noir films to add to my DVD collection. I hope that TCM airs more of the Fox noir films on upcoming schedules.
For fhe first couple of years after KISS OF DEATH, Widmark played variations of the psychotic Udo. He is also very good in the noirs (and noirish) THE STREET WITH NO NAME (1948), ROADHOUSE (1948), SLATTERY'S HURRICANE (1949), and NIGHT AND THE CITY (1950). After his equally chilling portrayal of a racist hood on NO WAY OUT (1950), also with Linda Darnell and Sidney Poitier, among others, Widmark begged off from playing any more such characters, which Fox more or less honored. He was more like the character in I Love Lucy, and wanted to play more of this type.
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THEY have a "UNION"???
Didn't think those good ol' boys were smart enough to organize anything but a good ol' turkey shoot.
(...okay, and maybe a tractor pull now and then)
Naw.....hillbillies all live in Right to Work states; the can't attempt to unionize.without the State Troopers coming to mow the pinkos down.
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"Oh Elmer, when we graduate from college, I'll be glad to marry you. We'll have lots of kids and have a good time."
It's called makeup Fred. Plus, older women actresses.want decent roles, not necessarily as romantic leads.
This has been going on forever. Bette Davis had to put out an ad in trade papers in the early 1960s, begging for work. Jeanne Crain (admittedly a less iconic star, but one still in her 30s, made a statement around the same time saying that all decent women's roles.were being offered to Audrey Hepburn.
This is just in front of the camera; it must be much worse for the behind-the-scenes talent.
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Who wants to see aging women kissing and ripping their clothes off? Should they be matched with younger men or older men? What is the age cut-off? 50? 60? 70? 80?
You and orhers here have already determined the cutoff.age to be 1960.
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I would love to see Darnell honored as SOTM. Not because I'm a major Darnell fan, but because I've never seen a Linda Darnell film! Having Darnell honored as SOTM would be a fantastic way to see a bunch of her films all at once!
She seems like she's similar to Gene Tierney, however without having seen her in action, I definitely do not have any evidence to back up that comparison.
I really hope TCM honors Linda Darnell, a (from what I have gathered) very talented performer who unfortunately was dealt a bad hand. I have read about her passing-- tragic.
Thanks Arturo for your dedication!
It looks like these films are airing soon:
Anna and the King of Siam is airing on 1/10
Blackbeard and the Pirate 1/19
No Way Out 1/24
It Happened Tomorrow 2/7
I was looking over Darnell's filmography and realized that I recorded My Darling Clementine the other day, which features Darnell with Henry Fonda. I'll have to watch this one along with some other Linda Darnell films which have been recommended to me by my wonderful friends on the board :-)
I would love to see Darnell honored as SOTM. Not because I'm a major Darnell fan, but because I've never seen a Linda Darnell film! Having Darnell honored as SOTM would be a fantastic way to see a bunch of her films all at once!
She seems like she's similar to Gene Tierney, however without having seen her in action, I definitely do not have any evidence to back up that comparison.
I really hope TCM honors Linda Darnell, a (from what I have gathered) very talented performer who unfortunately was dealt a bad hand. I have read about her passing-- tragic.
Thanks Arturo for your dedication!
It looks like these films are airing soon:
Anna and the King of Siam is airing on 1/10
Blackbeard and the Pirate 1/19
No Way Out 1/24
It Happened Tomorrow 2/7
I was looking over Darnell's filmography and realized that I recorded My Darling Clementine the other day, which features Darnell with Henry Fonda. I'll have to watch this one along with some other Linda Darnell films which have been recommended to me by my wonderful friends on the board :-)
Speedracer, thank you for your support. Hope you will enjoy the aforementioned Linda Darnell films.
Interesting.comment about you feeling.Linda and Gene Tierney were similar. They weren't really, although as contractees.at.20th Century Fox.in the 1940s.and into the 50s, they had parallel career trajectories. They started at Fox.about a year apart, Linda in 1939 and Gene in 1940, both were.instantly given lead roles,.and.struck a chord with the puboic from the beginning. The studio hoped with each.to have a replacement for Loretta Young, the studio's.top.dramatic.actress, who refused to renew her contract there in 1939. Tierney.was.the more suitable imagewise.to.replace.Young, with her patrician airs, but.the studio loaned her out initially to portray an exotic (Fox also cast her as such); Linda.also was.cast.as.an.exotic.
Both actresses were up for many of the same roles during most of their mutual.tenure at the studio,.despite their very different.images. This was even with Linda's image.early on as a virginal.innocent,.and later.as.a.femme.fatale. Darnell usually got roles that fell into these stereotypes,.while.Tierney was given all.types of roles. Additionally, Zanuck favored Gene (he disliked.Darnell), and by the mid 40s, she was getting.most.of the plum assignments at Fox, and she was their number one dramatic actress for the rest.of the decade. Linda.fought for better.roles, but Zanuck's dislike for her caused him to put.little.energy into her career, and she grew.resentful.of the ill.treatment towards.it. On the other hand, Zanuck nurtured.Tierney at.all.times,.and when suffered her mental instability, he faithfully.offered her.parts in films.into the 1960s.
One last comparison, despite very different looks, both actresses were among the most.beautiful of their day, and both had tragic lives.
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Maybe TCM can get long-time French ex-pat Olivia DeHavilland to cohost the series. Now that would be a coup.
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Of course, this can be done as a Theme of the Month, in tandem with a real Star of the Month, maybe as a Friday Night Spotlight. One night of the Theme could be done just featuring Audrey Hepburn films set in Paris, FUNNY FACE, LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON, etc.
Two.mord Audrey/Paris films.......CHARADE and HOW TO STEAL A.MILLION. Guess I was having a brain freeze.yesterday. And if background scenes are going to count (a la the suggestion for CASABLANCA),.then the.story of Sabrina.in Paris, in SABRINA, should also be included.
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No worries about the discussion of Shelley. It's all a natural part of conversation--allowing the discussion to go where it may without trying to force an agenda. I know I am not above going off on tangents.
I think that's horrible that Robert Duvall broke down laughing on stage. Talk about having no decorum! I also think it's interesting how often she's killed in films. I am wondering if that is because of the type of character she often played. Everyone would want to see the shrill, annoying character go away. Despite how annoying she seemed to be in A Place in the Sun, I felt sorry for her. Boyfriend Montgomery Clift seems to be too much of a wimp to tell her that he prefers Elizabeth Taylor, so he takes the coward's way out. I also agree that she should have survived The Poseidon Adventure.
I haven't seen enough of Shelley's films to decide how many good or bad films she was in. I've seen A Place in the Sun, which I liked and thought was really good. I've also seen Lolita which I also liked, though it made me feel somewhat dirty watching it as well. I've also seen and enjoyed The Poseidon Adventure. I've seen her in Harper which was a so-so detective movie, but Shelley's part was effective, even if it was the same old same old screechy, clingy woman that she often played. I haven't seen her Oscar-winning roles in The Diary of Anne Frank and A Patch of Blue. I have The Diary of Anne Frank recorded on my DVR. I also have Night of the Hunter recorded. I haven't watched either film yet.
I guess I'm picturing the middle aged Shelley Winters living with the glamorous Marilyn, but I agree, I think I've seen pictures of Winters where she was a young ingenue--so perhaps they're not as much an odd couple as I'm picturing. I'm looking over Winters' filmography and she apparently appeared in uncredited parts in a couple films I've seen-- Two Smart People (with Lucy) and Red River. I hadn't realized she was in either film.
Who would just donate Marilyn Monroe's clothes to the Salvation Army?! Lucky Debbie Harry for swooping in there when she did. I can see Harry being Monroe's illegitimate child.
Both Shelley and Marilyn were young starlets at the time. As mentioned, besides men, they shared a number of articles of clothing. I distinctly remember.Shelley talking about a pair of (Come) F **** Me Pumps, and even labelled them as.such in photos in her first autobiography. I guess they were the same shoe size, among other things.
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IT HAPPENED ON 5TH AVENUE? with among others, Victor Moore and Ann Harding?I''ve been wracking my brain for a film title...
Storyline: A bum who uses rich peoples houses while they are on vactioning somewhere else.
So charming....can't remember the stars...thought it was Thomas Mitchell and Joel McCrea but that didn't come up in a search.
Someone help please and thank you.
Carol
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Of course, this can be done as a Theme of the Month, in tandem with a real Star of the Month, maybe as a Friday Night Spotlight. One night of the Theme could be done just featuring Audrey Hepburn films set in Paris, FUNNY FACE, LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON, etc.
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I, too, was disappointed by the ending of STRANGERS MAY KISS. Let's see...Hamilton's character is married but that's OK with him and Norma has some flings, isn't married, and she's a terrible person (I was going to use another word but you know what I mean). He expects her to remain chaste while he gets to have his adventures. To top it off, she still loves Hamilton even though he treats her like **** This reminded me a little of another precode: the one with Ruth Chatterton (FEMALE) playing the auto executive who likes her men but settles down and becomes the "respectful" woman for George Brent. Code or no code, bra or no bra, women are held to a double standard.
As for Norma's look in the early 30s, I really like it. I love her side-parted hair with the curls and waves, her smoky eye makeup and her slinky dresses (I read somewhere that she had a built-in bra for one of her tops in A FREE SOUL). The camera does love her (William Daniels was the cinematographer for many Norma and other MGM actresses' movies and he was a genius at it). By the way, did anyone catch LET US BE GAY? I saw part of it and my jaw dropped at the beginning because it looks like Norma isn't wearing any makeup and is rather frumpy (of course, she gets glamourous after her character's divorce). That took guts!
Great writeup. Yes the double standard.was alive.and.well,.despite what passed for a sexual revolution in the 1920s. "Liberation" for.women.meant they could bob their hair, and wear skirts/dresses down to the knees, but if they engaged in sex for the sake of sex, as per men's perogative, they were branded by society af large.
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Debbie Reynolds
in General Discussions
Posted
Of course, for whatever reasons, Debbie Reynolds' career.has lasted much longer.than Doris'.