JackFavell

Oh, you made my day! You know I love John Gilbert, but did you also know how much I love Lars Hanson? I just adore him. George O'Brien is cute as a button in his picture, too, and I love Barrymore as an actor, though not much as a matinee idol. Anyway, that set of pics just made me laugh, because you picked all my favorites.....Thanks!

Claudette Colbert.

*The mother wishes to save the money and the father wishes to spend the money on a doll the girl has been asking for. Both parents mean well, it's just that they differ in the now versus the later. If the father gets his way, does this mean he doesn't care about the child's future and is "black" to the mother's "white" in this regard?* The mother is always right. *Kathy*, I'm gonna jump on the bandwagon (even though I may be accused of mob mentality) and say that I enjoy listening to your opinions as well!

*Re: Ox Bow ramble* I find this conversation most meaningful. Have either of you thought of going into politics? :0 Every time Frank writes something, I find myself agreeing wholeheartedly. Then Ro writes back, and I find myself agreeing wholeheartedly. In paring it down to essentials, I think you are both saying the same thing. I agree that there are people who use grey (as you say, Ro) to distract or muddy the real issues. However, this is not at all the same as those who truly want to look at all sides, and make up their own mind, the "grey guys". As you say, Ro, white is white and black is black, but we are not always able to see that clearly on first look. It takes time and patience, a steady, probing mind, and above all, tolerance to find the truth. If we are intolerant, we can never find the truth of a matter, since it will always be filtered through our fear and hate. I think the rigidity that Frank talks about is actually intolerance. When you say that people who truly believe in "White" appear rigid, that can be true. It doesn't make them so, but it can stop some good people from speaking up- the fear that they will seem "rigid". But if you believe in white, and also listen to all viewpoints, that is when the situation changes. Listening is the key. Really thinking about the validity of your own opinion, opening your mind to other thoughts- that is terribly important. However, when you assume that a situation is white (or black) without benefit of thought or input from others, then you truly are "rigid", and not only that, dangerous. *fxreyman* - Great reasons to watch of *Best Years of Our Lives*. I love the movie, and find it to be outstanding because it deals with a situation that was true, but unspoken. No one thought much of what it was like for a veteran coming home before this picture- there was so much lost time, and how do you go back to reading the paper every morning? How do you live with a family that doesn't know you anymore? How do you explain to someone who thinks you're a hero that you are traumatized by the whole thing? How can you communicate with someone who feels sorry for you? Hemingway deals with this in the only story I ever liked by him, "Soldier's Home", but Hollywood steered clear of these subjects, and with reason. America wanted to forget the war and all the baggage that accompanied it- including the veterans scarred by their service. Another reason to watch it is that it is a most modern picture- not just the subject matter- but the way in which it is made. It starts out just like any other picture, then turns a bit documentary in style. But the camera angles, the clear, deep focus photography turn it into something amazing. I think especially of the scene in which Fred (Dana Andrews) sits inside a plane being readied for demolition. It is a stunning way of describing Fred's own situation, a cinematic metaphor for his own obsolescence. Fred is trapped in his wartime persona. The movie is a humane look at life in the modern era. It deals with questions of tolerance (that word again) love, and alienation. I love the scenes in which Fredric March goes back to the bank he worked at before the war- but he is a changed man. He realizes that his life before was shallow and perhaps even prejudiced. Or maybe he knew it before, but never had the guts to say anything about it. Now he does. Anyway, the movie is like none before or after. It is as relevant now as it was when it came out. It is completely out of the ordinary, and there has never been a copy of it or a remake, because it completely transcends it's time and era. No movie has been as brave and unflinching in dealing with war's aftermath- the scenes with Harold Russell explaining to his girlfriend how he gets himself to bed at night are probably the most moving I have ever seen. And on top of this, the movie is still entertaining, romantic, and even funny. Frank should watch this one! Message was edited by: JackFavell

Now this is why I come back to this thread over and over for great discussions! Between the Ox Bow rambles and the Bond rambles, I have been thoroughly entertained tonight! Message was edited by: JackFavell

rayallen- that one's a must see at the holidays!

I must agree that he was the weak link.... maybe I like this film a bit more because I simply discovered it one day on TV. I wasn't waiting for it to come out, or expecting anything from it. I simply stopped to watch because I am a real fan of Edward Hermann.

That math professor seems familiar..... Gorgeous pics, scsu! I am thrilled that you took so many and showed such detail. Thank you very much for taking the time to take them and post them. I wish I could see it in person. I will have to take a trip up north one of these days! It is a shame that after all these years, and many critics and reviews that state otherwise, Ford still branded a racist. Very sad.

You'd think that if there was any foul play, she would have written about it at some point. I liked the casting of Joanna Lumley as Glyn. She caught the spirit of Glyn, and there was something prim in Glyn's face that matches Lumley's look. Of course, her books were anything but prim.....

Chacun a son gout! Or as my dad always says "To each their own goo".....

I actually like Cat's Meow. I think Bogdanovich could have done it better had he been given more money and time. I believe he was only allowed to make it under an extremely strict schedule (I'm trying to remember, but I think it was a matter of only a few weeks), and with little financing. I believe he also said that although the script was written completely without his knowledge, this particular version of the story was also told to him by Orson Welles, who was told it by .... my memory is weak, but I'm thinking it was Chaplin???? Anyway, someone on board the yacht at the time. Then he received the script in the mail and decided to do it. Jeff, only Clara Bow can make overalls look like a million bucks! I love the little necklace she is wearing with them. Great pics.

Yes. I was putting my daughter to bed so I was in and out for the first half hour. I know he talked about Do the Right Thing, but missed other discussion of Lee.

I'm looking forward to seeing that statue! As for Lee, given what you say about his movies it seems doubly sad that he has been most vocal about denouncing Pappy's films as racist. Very interesting. I didn't know that. But I still think Lee is a fine filmmaker. I especially like the two movies I mentioned. He has a right to his own opinion, but I bet you he learned a lot about film from watching Pappy's movies! I am sure he took every possible trick he could from Ford, no matter how he felt about his themes.

I think the problem with Ford is that people see what they want to see, depending on their circumstances. He is one of the few directors not to comment on his own work IN his own work. He never hits you over the head with his "theme" or "agenda". It's all about subtle shifts in viewpoint. His work remains open to subjective interpretation. The only director I can think of who has done this recently is Spike Lee in Do the Right Thing or maybe She's Gotta Have It. The ability to stand away from your work and let people figure it out for themselves, draw their own conclusions, is rare.

Very interesting. Because we all love them so, I made a list, in order of liking from highest on down: 1. Victor McLaglen 2. John Qualen 3.Thomas Santschi 4.Ward Bond 5. Edmond O'Brien 6.Jane Darwell 7.Thomas Mitchell 8.Alan Mowbray 9.Mildred Natwick 10.Jack MacGowran Bonus points to Rhys Williams and Edward Brophy

That's funny. You have put into words my feelings exactly. I want to like Ann Harding.... her well modulated voice, her carriage, her rather intelligent reading of dialogue. But then she plays these .....well, saps. And something just bugs me about her. Maybe it's that I always feel like she is slumming in her pictures, or that she is so "holier than thou". I don't get her either. Did women actually identify with her? She is always such a victim. Probably her best roles that I have seen are in Animal Kingdom and Enchanted April, maybe Double Harness. I would love to see Holiday, because maybe she isn't so put upon in that one.

Those are amazing. It really makes you realize how many of these types of photos, and other parts of history have been lost, or simply ignored. I suddenly realize that these silent and pre-code stars were as big as Angelina Jolie in their time. Now they are sadly forgotten or have all but faded from history. And only because no one cared enough to save the photos and articles.

He was so cute. Only about 3 inches long. My elderly neighbor was quite relieved to have him out of the house, too.

Do you have a favorite from the Ford "company"?

Ooooh! Those pics are so cool! I love bats! They are awesome. We have some in our backyard. We have a bat house we put up about 8 years ago, though I am not sure they actually live there. We have never found any evidence (bat guano) under the little home. They fly around at night over our deck and it's amazing to watch them swoop and turn. We actually rescued a bat from our neighbor's house - he had crawled in through a hole in her wall, and couldn't get out. So we got my daughter's giant homemade butterfly net (broom handle, old lampshade rim, and a nylon laundry bag) and my husband and brother in law, who's about 6' 7" rescued the poor thing. They brought it out of the house, and we looked at it for a minute in the net before releasing him. It's one of my daughter's favorite memories. The poor little guy was peeping, and so scared, but he was happy to fly off when we let him go.

I remember now. I like that Ford brought him in for that scene- it's nice when old friends pop up like this. One of the reasons I enjoy Ford so much is that he gave each actor his moment, and then stood back for a minute to let them do their thing.

I gotta go, I'm making "Bubble and Squeak" for dinner. n case nobody knows what that is, it's an English recipe for potatoes, meat (usually ham or sausage) and cabbage hash. I just love the name! Then I am going to go see "Changeling" with Angelina Jolie. See ya!

"Keep Austin weird!" That explains so much. I was born in Austin.....

Carol/Boris = Priceless!

Wow!