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JackFavell

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Posts posted by JackFavell

    Movie Rambles

    in Films and Filmmakers

    Posted

    I can't believe I put off seeing this film. I was afraid it would be one of those where you just spend the whole time looking at the actors because you know they died right after the movie was made.....

     

    I couldn't have been more wrong. I was captivated by the story, and of course, Gable and Monroe, who were perfect together. I didn't mean to give short shrift to Monroe, who is really great in this movie. She is so totally trusting, and yet, you can see that she has been taken advantage of over and over again.....

    Movie Rambles

    in Films and Filmmakers

    Posted

    I have not seen The Oyster Princess yet, but it looks great! Thanks FF! I can't wait, after that tantalizing little picture you posted!

     

    Wow, you guys reminded me that I wanted to ask something about *Wings of Eagles*. I am so curious, because it struck me strongly during the film. I watched it after reading the Scott Eyman bio of Ford, and the way Eyman describes Ford's study at home was EXACTLY like the study in the movie. I remember he talked about how Ford had all these "trophies" up on his walls- rustic pieces - a saddle, and such. Just curious if anyone knew if this was a replica of his real home?

     

    I watched *The Misfits* for the first time the other night, and I stayed awake- oh, boy and how. I had a hard time sleeping after this one, it kept me thinking all night.

     

    First of all, Clark Gable was superb. Is it blasphemy to say that it was completely HIS movie? At first, I was worried that he was going to play it all in a totally different style than the other actors, but his early screen persona fit perfectly the character he was playing. He started out as the same old "King" of movies. But as he was "broken in" by Marilyn, he became more and more deep, more and more shattered by the changes in the job and the things he loved. The scene in which they are at the bar after the rodeo, when he looks for his kids just broke my heart. There was nothing of the "leading man" or "king of Hollywood" in THAT scene, just a broken man. I am so impressed with this performance, I cannot even write without choking up about it. He was wise enough to see that the very thing he loved about his job, was the very thing that was being destroyed by his job. I keep wondering now, after the movie, what will this man do now that he can't go mustangin'?

     

    I loved Marilyn as well. But I guess from all the clips I've seen of this movie, I expected the performance she gave, whereas I had no idea Gable had this in him. I loved all the breaking and roping in metaphors. I loved that Gable ended up being the "horse whisperer" - the one who could finally get Marilyn tame. Thelma Ritter is on a level all by herself, setting the tone of the picture, although I would have liked to see her again later on. Clift really didn't have that much to do, but his presence was a good and quiet one, especially in balancing the horribly frightening Eli Wallach. From the minute he came onto the screen I was afraid of him, but I didn't know why. He was a ticking time bomb of a person, never fully realized. I think it was scarier of Huston to leave him out in the world than having him do something violent in the movie. I was convinced he would crash his plane or kill or rape someone. He was so dead.... I am glad that Huston did not take the easy route in this picture.... nothing ends the way you expect it to, it was a surprise all the way through.

     

    Learning afterwards that Gable did all his own stunts just made it a more poignant performance- the performance of a lifetime. It is the way he would have wished to go, I think, and though I feel sorry for his wife and son, I think he did the right thing- To see that stunt work on film is amazing- as amazing as the acting he does - it will live forever thanks to the power of film.

     

    Thanks for letting me ramble here about this movie that I wasn't sure I wanted to see....

     

    Message was edited by: JackFavell

    John Gilbert's Later Career on TCM

    in General Discussions

    Posted

    Lovely piece (again), Moira.

     

    I have not seen any of the later Gilbert films, and your write up has spurred me to try to find as many as I can and watch them. Others on the boards know that I think of Gilbert as the quintessential silent film actor, underrated and unfortunately forgotten except by a few fans.

     

    *Downstairs* is the film I am most interested in seeing, and I am extremely excited that TCM will be showing it! I can't believe that after reading about this movie in Gilbert's biography, I will finally have a chance to see it, and even to record it. I am also glad that there are other movies from this time period in which Gilbert acquits himself well. I am looking forward to the showing today of *Gentlemen's Fate*.

     

    Thanks again, Moira, for posting, or I very possibly would have missed the two movies that I am so keen to see......

    Do you have a fave musica number in movies?

    in Hot Topics

    Posted

    _Cinemaven and Sandykpax_ -

     

    I know this is an older thread, but I am so happy that you mentioned *The Nicholas Brothers* . Their incomparable dancing is a highlight of any movie they were in. These numbers are the best that movies have to offer as far as dance is concerned. If you don't gasp at least once during a Nicholas Brothers number, then you are not human! We are fortunate to have the footage that we do of these superstars of dance.

     

    I was fortunate enough to see the Nicholas Bros. live in New York City about 20 years ago. They were still going strong, dancing like crazy and doing the splits!

     

    I went backstage to meet them after the show, and was so nervous that I was shaking when I shook hands with Harold and Fayard. Fayard was as sweet as could be. And Harold, dapper and gorgeous, was gracious enough to let me talk to him. I told Harold I loved their movies, and he asked me where I had seen them. I stammered a bit and said I was a movie buff, and he asked which ones I had seen and where. He was making a little point, that their movies were not shown regularly like Gene Kelly's or Fred Astaire's on major channels, or on video, and that he and Fayard had been sort of passed by. He never had to say this out loud, but by the pointed way in which he asked these questions, I got the feeling that over the years he carried a burden with him. He was very polite and rallied to answer the rest of my questions, but still the feeling lingered that though their dancing ranks with the very best of the best, somehow it wasn't good enough because of their race. I can't blame him for being deep down angry, and as I said, he was very nice and wonderful to talk to in spite of his brief show of sensitivity on the subject.

     

    A few years later, Fayard developed arthritis and was unable to continue dancing. I consider myself so lucky to have had the chance to see these great legends dance in person and to actually meet them. And because of my short talk with Harold, I will always work to promote their dancing as the high art that it is.

     

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