JackFavell

I meant the 1949 version- sorry! I am going to try to find out if he was up for the part or if he was already losing jobs at that time. Maybe he didn't want the part.....I don't know. He only played in Rope of Sand in 1949.

I've seen *Palm Beach Story* written of as a "uniquely American Lubitsch homage". The problem with this question is that Lubitsch's style pretty much changed the way other people made movies. He was the first to integrate song into the story- so most musicals made after him look and sound like Lubitsch. The ones that don't are really revues or are set backstage, like 42nd Street, so they could get in the big numbers.Many early musicals were done in this way, because they simply couldn't figure out how to get the numbers into the story. But Top Hat looks like Lubitsch. I mean there would be no Fred and Ginger without Lubitsch.....

Hey, nowww.... watch what you say about Uncle Neddy....

I'm going back to my question, if no one minds. Why did they not cast Henreid as Professor Bhaer in *Little Women* ? Was he already being blacklisted at this time? I would love to know what Bette Davis thought of him. She co-starred with him in *Now, Voyager* and then went on to work with him again on *Dead Ringers* only with Henreid as director. I would have loved to be a fly on the wall during filming of either of those pictures..... I looked up his autobiography Ladies Man , and discovered it is quite expensive to buy. I think I will trot to the library and see if I can find it.

I have to agree, I can't sit through it either. But there are many 60's comedies that I can't sit through. The preoccupation with sex, the "modern" theme of man against the system- it's all a little overripe in the 60's for my tastes. *The Apartment* covers that ground nicely, and with a more subtle approach that stays fresh even now. I don't like *The Fortune Cookie*, but heaven knows, it's better than *Lord Love a Duck* playing on TCM right now.....

I only got to see part of In Our Time, but those pictures make me want to see it again! Thanks Metsfan.

Sorry - I couldn't find a picture of Jean Arthur from *A Foreign Affair*, but I didn't feel like leaving her out. So the one posted is the closest I could find to the time period.... A little too glamorous, but a really swell photo.....

Wow! Thank you, everyone. You make me feel great about writing. Your opinions mean so much to me. I would love to write when I get a chance to see the next couple of films. I am eagerly awaiting them, but others in my family will be hogging the TV until at least Monday. They like shows about engineering marvels of the world (which is kind of interesting), and The Matrix.They are NOT old movie fans, and do not understand scintillating light-hearted musicals with a European flair set in Ruritanian splendor! I simply cannot watch my dear Lubitsch in the presence of such folk.

I sat down today and watched *The Love Parade*, #1 in my box set. It was good, but I think there were a few flaws, mostly due to the lack of camera movement. Lubitsch made the most of his skills, cutting and timing the scenes so I would not be bored for a minute. It being made in 1929, I forgave the flaws and enjoyed myself thoroughly. Maurice Chevalier was a revelation as Renard, a foxy ambassador recalled to his country for various indiscretions - his obvious enjoyment in what he was doing was captivating. I really couldn't take my eyes off him, and he was very pleasing. He was slightly stagy (The same with Lillian Roth), but this was a good thing, since it was exciting wondering if his exuberance would make him literally jump out of the frame! His wit and his naughtiness kept me supremely entertained. He certainly made up for the camera's stodgy refusal to move. I found myself smiling at his performance throughout the movie. Jeanette MacDonald was good as the Queen of Sylvania, but her vocal performance became a little irritating (maybe it was because I had a headache)..... Her singing was lovely, and the soundtrack was really clear for an early talkie, but her arch reading of lines started to grate on my nerves just the teeniest bit. Lupino Lane, as Renard's servant, was ingratiating at first, then seemed a bit on the bizarre side; doing some crazy calisthenics in an acrobatic duel with the Herculean Lillian Roth, who played the Queen's maid. I wish she had had more to do. Eugene Pallette was seen in the smallest role, as part of a greek chorus of the Queen's courtiers and advisers. Apparently, Virginia Bruce and Jean Harlow are among the crowd seen at a performance of the ballet, but I could not make them out. From the minute the movie started, with a showy magic trick performed flawlessly by Lupino Lane, I was hooked. Everything is a surprise, just as the magic trick was a wonderful shock. The Lubitsch touch was definitely evident, and the sets and costumes were just fantastic. I wished I could be inside that movie, it was so beautiful and richly European. Lubitsch started out with all the wit you could expect from his movies. The movie starts with a great scene in which Chevalier, obviously in a tryst with his paramour, translates for us while his married lover and her husband quarrel over him in French! Debonair, and lovable at the same time, he makes us understand immediately why women fall for him. The first number is the best, with Chevalier and his dog singing a farewell to Paris and it's women- and the dog is on key! The rest of the movie is set in Sylvania, a mythical kingdom, but at this point, I started to fade a bit. When Chevalier is trapped in the role of Prince Consort, he has nothing to do, and we miss his bon vivant spirit. I took this development as a spoof of women's role in marriage. The idea that women were to be subservient to men in all respects, waiting patiently for them to come home from work so they could wait on them hand and foot seems a silly notion. By switching the roles, Lubitsch makes it clear that no one could put up with the demands of an authoritative ruler. I think this was Lubitsch's satiric side at work. But I've read some reviews that are offended by the way MacDonald's character is left simpering and stripped of her power at the end. All in all, I enjoyed the movie very much. For an early musical, it was great. However, I am looking forward to the later musicals, to see how Lubitsch makes his camera move.

I absolutely adore Billy Wilder. I was trying to list my favorites here, but the list is too long. Of course I love the biggies- you know, Sunset Boulevard, etc. but really, I will watch anything that the man put his hand to. I can't wait for The Major and the Minor to be out on DVD- I have been waiting forever.

Ava, I went to a site called photobucket. it is free. You go to the browse section and then upload photos from your computer to your photobucket "scrapbook". Then, you just click "share" at the top of the pic. You can copy the link right onto this reply area, and presto! your pic shows up when you post your message. There is a place you can practice- it is under Technical Issues with Message Boards Forum General Issues posting images Here is the link if you need it: http://forums.tcm.com/jive/tcm/thread.jspa?threadID=99303&tstart=15

That's a really interesting movie you mentioned. I thought he was very good in it. I love his real name- Paul Georg Julius Hernreid Ritter Von Wassel-Waldingau

Of course he knew about her and Rick....even with that lame lie at the end. I definitely got that from his performance. But he had the class not to mention it. And you know he never would afterwards, either.

I remember a movie called *Clown*, I believe. It was on the CBS Children's Film Festival hosted by Kukla, Fran, and Ollie when I was a kid. It was about a boy and his dog, Clown- similar in feel to *The Red Balloon*, i.e. the boy lost the dog, and kept looking for it around his town. When he finally finds the dog again, he sees that Clown is now owned by a blind man.

Karl Malden- you pick the movie- It could be One Eyed Jacks, or maybe Nevada Smith......

John Garfield was sexy AND a good actor. I don't care what picture he is in......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-jNjOZACwQ

Asta was awesome, wasn't he? Teddy, in *Teddy at the Throttle* http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1275393/

I love Paul Henreid. I think he was the perfect man. I don't understand why they didn't cast him as Professor Bhaer in *Little Women*. He would have been great. My favorites are *Casablanca*, though he has little to do, *Goodbye, Mr. Chips*, *Now Voyager*, and *Devotion*.

I never realized how many really GREAT movies were made that year......

I love Celeste Holm in this movie. The scene where she finds out that Bette doesn't want the part of Cora is sensational. To laugh like that! I after such tension, it is the only thing to do. I laugh along every time. The women are so wonderful in this movie, every one of them. The poor men just can't keep up, except of course, for my beloved George.....but I do love Gregory Ratoff as Max. His voice sounds bubbly, like he takes a bicarbonate every day (and I'm sure Max needed to). I always find it strange that Hugh Marlowe ended up as a soap opera star. It's weird to me that the guy from Another world was Lloyd Richards.....

Izcutter- I haven't heard back yet from my sister, but she is pretty busy now the strike is over. I will see what I can find out.