JackFavell

Did anyone happen to watch *Confessions of a Nazi Spy*? I watched it, mainly for the performances of Francis Lederer (always very fine), Edward G., and George Sanders. Unfortunately, the only fun in it was watching Edward G. trap Lederer into confessing by appealing to his giant ego. Sanders was good, but most of what I like about him was completely subverted in this movie.His voice was unrecognizable, under a pretty decent German accent. His cool, sophistication was nowhere to be found. He had only one scene that made him a little more than the one dimensional character that his role called for. It was when he berates his assistant in front of higher ranking Gestapo(?) men. She leaves the room, and we realize that she is also his lover. He comes out and apologizes for his behavior, citing nervousness in front of the officials. The movie was pretty lame if you ask me, but maybe I was disappointed in it after the big build up it got the night before in the Warner's at War doc. I guess I wasn't expecting a fear-mongering hatefest bound to incite people to attack their German American neighbors......it was simply propaganda, not very well done.

The romance was part of the charm of the first one, Scotchie, as were the locations..... very romantic.....

> It's just harder I guess to really make an impression with action movies these days because the bar has been raised so high. Nothing will ever come along I guess that could quite duplicate the impact Bond movies must have had in the 60's. B-) That's for sure. I agree that the Bourne movies have gotten successively less good. The first is the best. But I like the way they come full circle. I also enjoy the sort of shock value they employ- like when Jason is talking to Joan Allen and you suddenly realize he is right across the street! I love the way they do that kind of thing over and over! You really can't top the first one, because he didn't know why or how he knew to do the things he did. (Whew. What a convoluted sentence). The fact that he could kill someone, but didn't know why he knew how to do it was intriguing.

Hibi- you are so right. And I totally agree about every character actress you mentioned.

I hate to say it right at this moment, but I like the Bourne movies.....

> > Odd. He seemed to talk normally in the Bond movie. Maybe it's just a little trick he borrowed from Marlon Brando? He certainly seemed to be a mumble and stumble type for a while there. I like Grace Jones. She looks strong and I kind of enjoyed the gender games that were going on back then.

Benicio del Toro is a really good actor, but for the first 3 pictures that I saw him in, I could not figure out a word he said. It is amazing to me that he ended up with a career at all.

I haven't seen them, FF. I hate to say that I have never really warmed up to Pierce as an actor. Not since he was on TV. My sister always liked him, but he seems really weak acting wise. That being said, I believe he was born to play Bond.....I just can't appreciate him.

I too fell asleep. But I love this movie- I find it really funny in a sick joke kind of way, and you are right about Robert Walker. He's amazing! I posted this on the Movie Rambles thread, but thought I would post here too if nobody minds.... skip it if I am off base as far as topic.....I just want to talk about this one! I love the imagery. And the sound. *SPOILER ALERT* I was noticing the "stalking" scene in particular last night, partly because I had just been reading the voyeurism thread. I found it fascinating that as Bruno is following the happy threesome further and further out of the park, he is eating popcorn as if he were watching a movie (Miriam has been suggestively licking a big ice cream cone). The boys stop at the "big hammer" and attempt to impress Miriam with their strength, but she only has eyes for Bruno. She is obviously excited by him following her, and she looks around when she thinks he is gone. He appears next to her and she is relieved, and maybe a little scared too. But she likes that feeling. He looks at his hands and then at Miriam before taking a swing with the big hammer. We know he will strangle her with those hands, but we read that she likes the idea that he will "put his hands on her". I also really like the sequence in the tunnel of love. The shadows on the wall make it look like Miriam is making love with the "boys", but it might also be that she is struggling in the arms of murderer......They look the same. Bruno's shadow crosses over Miriam's. Then a scream rings out, echoing in the night. It is a fake out- Miriam is just screaming with delight at being in the dark on a ride with her fellas. She is also showing off for Bruno. When Bruno finally speaks to her, he actually acts like he knows her. I don't just mean her name...Bruno thinks that because he has watched her, he "knows" her. When she is murdered, we get to see the whole thing from the distorted view through the lens of her broken glasses on the ground. Super shot! The camera THEN takes a huge step away, and we listen to the sounds of the carnival quietly drifting on the wind to our vantage point, miles away. We hear the sounds of the "boys", who have found Miriam's body....and we realize that nobody will be able to tell their screams from those of the people on the carnival rides. I also noticed that there is a blind man at the end of the scene that Bruno helps across the street. Does this man appear at the end of the movie to clear Guy? I don't remember, but I don't think so. I think it is Bruno's little joke- and also an homage to Fritz Lang's *M*. I think that any other director would have cut away from the actual murder. The genius of Hitchcock is that he shows us exactly what is happening, and yet none of the suspense is lost. We now know exactly what Bruno is capable of.

I love *Strangers on a Train*. It is one of my favorites. I love the imagery. And the sound. And I find it extremely entertaining. *SPOILER ALERT* I was noticing the "stalking" scene in particular last night, partly because I had just been reading the voyeurism thread. I found it fascinating that as Bruno is following the happy threesome further and further out of the park, he is eating popcorn as if he were watching a movie (Miriam has been suggestively licking a big ice cream cone). The boys stop at the "big hammer" and attempt to impress Miriam with their strength, but she only has eyes for Bruno. She is obviously excited by him following her, and she looks around when she thinks he is gone. He appears next to her and she is relieved, and maybe a little scared too. But she likes that feeling. He looks at his hands and then at Miriam before taking a swing with the big hammer. We know he will strangle her with those hands, but we read that she likes the idea that he will "put his hands on her". I also really like the sequence in the tunnel of love. The shadows on the wall make it look like Miriam is making love with the "boys", but it might also be that she is struggling in the arms of murderer......They look the same. Bruno's shadow crosses over Miriam's. Then a scream rings out, echoing in the night. It is a fake out- Miriam is just screaming with delight at being in the dark on a ride with her fellas. She is also showing off for Bruno. When Bruno finally speaks to her, he actually acts like he knows her. I don't just mean her name...Bruno thinks that because he has watched her, he "knows" her. When she is murdered, we get to see the whole thing from the distorted view through the lens of her broken glasses on the ground. Super shot! The camera THEN takes a huge step away, and we listen to the sounds of the carnival quietly drifting on the wind to our vantage point, miles away. We hear the sounds of the "boys", who have found Miriam's body....and we realize that nobody will be able to tell their screams from those of the people on the carnival rides. I also noticed that there is a blind man at the end of the scene that Bruno helps across the street. Does this man appear at the end of the movie to clear Guy? I don't remember, but I don't think so. I think it is Bruno's little joke- and also an homage to Fritz Lang's *M*. I think that any other director would have cut away from the actual murder. The genius of Hitchcock is that he shows us exactly what is happening, and yet none of the suspense is lost. We now know exactly what Bruno is capable of. Message was edited by: JackFavell

TikiSoo- I must agree that her autobiography is a fascinating read. She was an uncommon woman. Her bold opinions and lifestyle choices were ahead of her time. I find her to be the only reason to watch certain movies....I think my favorite of her small appearances is in The Razor's Edge with Tyrone Power. Her lascivious gaze at Ty's beauty completely cracks me up. The cameo lasts for less than a couple minutes, but I still think of it as a highlight of the film. Now, of her larger roles, the ones I like best are Witness for the Prosecution (the best), Lassie Come Home, and especially The Private Life of Henry VIII. In this movie, I just adore her portrayal of Anne of Cleves, who was able to survive being married to Henry by outsmarting him. The scenes on the wedding night of her practicing an ugly grimace are hysterical. I highly recommend this performance. Here's a nice, wacky picture of Elsa: I think she looks just beautiful...seriously.

> > Glad to know you also like escargots, but my name's not Frank! I knew that! I was just trying to tease Mr. Grimes, knowing that the idea of eating a snail was about as repulsive to him as dreaming of Gary Cooper..... Just to get you in the mood for Paris..... The Kiss by the Hotel de Ville by Robert Doisneau

I love both. Especially escargots, Frank. Think of those buttery, delicious snails, Frank. Are you tortured? That's for shamelessly posting pics of Lamby...

Oh, wow! Paris is wonderful! Congrats, Minya! It really is the city of light. Excuse me for asking, but are you lactose intolerant? I ask because one of the most fun Paris restaurants for me was Androuet- a very old fromagerie. The original restaurant closed, but there are several different locations now, and I've read that they still retain the Androuet quality. We chose the cheese tray meal for two (you won't want to eat any cheese for about 6 months after), which consisted of five trays of various cheeses- you start with a tray of maybe 12 or so soft cream cheeses. Taking small portions of about five cheeses on the tray is the best way to do it. Then come the goat cheeses and on through desert cheeses. They serve as much bread and wine as you can eat or drink with your meal. http://louisrecettes.blogspot.com/2007/05/androut-matre-fromager-paris.html

If it was indeed Curse of the Cat People, you should watch it again. It is a wonderful movie. Don't be put off by the title....it is a really great story of childhood innocence. I can see why you would remember it all your life.....

> {quote:title=Film_Fatale wrote:}{quote} > There's a little thing on the *Post Message: Reply* window that looks like a quote mark, you just click on it and it'll do it automatically. B-) Thanks. B-)

Sorry to interrupt, but can someone quickly post a link telling me how to post quotes in little boxes? Like that one, you just did, Miss G? or PM me? I don't want to interrupt conversation....

OK. You got me. I'm bumping Morocco to number one....I also added something called Fighting Caravans to my queue....

I was just thinking to myself how I have to start looking at the schedule because I missed the entire movie except this last few minutes... and Veidt just made me cry. Maybe it was knowing how close he came to death at the hands of the Nazis in real life. I hope it will be on again, I want to see him in a movie where he gets to do more than just order people around. I missed the last half of Stamboul Quest as well, which was really shaping up into a fun movie. Oh, well. If Conrad Veidt was my opthalmologist, I might just lean over and give him a kiss..... though I suppose if I were still a kid and had just seen him in Thief of Baghdad, I might have thought differently.

I like to think so.

I wouldn't be surprised. I can't wear a watch either. I kill them somehow.....

*Howdy, Jackie! So you like the Coop comedies best. That's interesting. Do you like westerns? If so, have you always liked them or have you recently started to like 'em?* It's not that I don't like Westerns, I just don't sit down to a movie just because it is a western. However, there have always been some that I simply loved. The Westerner is one of them. My Darling Clementine is another, and of course, the poster child for all who hate westerns- The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. I think there are a few more. But my liking of a western (or other genres, for that matter) has more to do with script than anything else. It simply has to have a good story. Lacking the story, I guess a good looking picture makes an impression on me most. If a western has a good story and is great to look at, I am in heaven! I am learning to appreciate westerns more in recent years. Mostly, it's the simple need to fill my empty belly with more and more old movies. I need new and exotic films to see.... *Coop comedies* I would say that comedy is my favorite genre.... the wittier, the better. So, the fact that I like a lot of Coop comedies is a given. But I also like his adventure pictures quite a lot. The sandier and more picturesque, the better. There's hope for Morocco! I think I may have misled you. I put Love in the Afternoon way up there. It is high on the list because of almost everything besides Gary Cooper. I love Billy Wilder, so it gets high marks. But if I were to look at it as a "Gary Cooper" film, I would say it is not the best. He is quite perfect in Ball of Fire, though. *Morocco* I may have seen it years ago, but cannot remember anything but some costumes and lighting. I really must check it out again.... I'll add it to the 400 other films I have waiting for me....Don't hold your breath..... WHY are my asterisks not working on long sentences!!!!????

I have not seen any of them all the way through, so I am really excited! I doubt I am going to be able to watch them when they are actually on, though. It's too bad. I used to love to stay up late on Christmas Eve, wrapping presents and watching old movies. How rotten is it of me to want to stay home with my TV set instead of spending the evening with the in-laws on Christmas Eve?!!

And totally, PeeWee's Playhouse Christmas Special and Blackadder's Christmas Carol! I am glad they are reshowing The Cheaters, Cluny Brown, and Three Godfathers. My mother-in-law always opens presents on Christmas Eve. We are usually there till all hours..... The Cheaters sounds so great. I hope it's as good as it sounds.

Daniel Craig is the first Bond since Connery to make me sit up and take notice. I love his craggy good looks. Of course, I haven't seen the movies.....just the previews.... I would love to see the Timothy Dalton Bond, he is a good actor too often overlooked. My inclination is toward the craggier, more bulky Bonds, rather than the svelte, debonair Bonds.