JackFavell

That's the problem with the Sam Woods of the world isn't it? They not only want to spout their opinion, they want the world to kowtow to it as well. Dreadful man. The mention of Hitler in the same sentence as Sam Wood does not seem so far fetched. His words are sanctimonious and malicious. Then he had the nerve to die before he could see how destructive he was.....or see the world come around to honor the very men he tried to destroy. Too bad.

The Westerner is my favorite Gary Cooper western. Beautiful cover art- thanks.

Oh my gosh, Lidash! I watched and loved Gilmore Girls and never knew that. I am going to have to look carefully at the houses next time I watch. If only I had taped "King's Row", I could have done some real research! Interesting discussion, guys! I am fascinated by the knowledge you guys posess. Cinesage- You have a point about Herbert von Karajan. I guess I didn't think my position out well enough. "Unapologetic" may be the key word in your statement. Von Karajan was a good conductor, but a bad man. I don't think I would want him to have an award for his contribution to music. But, I think there might be a difference between someone who says he wants to kill all jews and was unapologetic, and someone who named names knowing full well that HUAC already had those names, and perhaps thought he was subverting the committee that way. Kazan may well have ruined some careers, I am not sure, but it seems to me that they were ruined already. I am ambivalent about Kazan. Granted, saving your own skin by giving up someone else's is reprehensible, but I am not sure that that is what Kazan did. And do you really think Abraham Polonsky was right in saying he wished Kazan would be shot onstage? Shouldn't there be a point in time when one can let go of such hatred? And likewise, should I then say that King's Row is a bad film because I thought Sam Wood was a @#@$%% and I didn't agree with his politics? Maybe I shouldn't have started a thread about the movie or the director, because Sam Wood was a reactionary jerk. If they could give Sam Wood an award today for his career in movies, would I want him to get it? Maybe not. It is all very confusing to me, and I find that I cannot make it clear in my mind, no matter how much I think about it. My sister was at the Oscars the year of the Kazan award, and she was one of the people who did not applaud. I felt a little differently, but I have never talked about it until now. To me (an actress), Kazan was probably the most incredible actor's director ever. I would have loved to work with him. I think his films are great, maybe not so much his life. For what he did, I felt he had paid enough, that's all. Message was edited by: JackFavell

I'm embarrassed to say that at one time I had read every possible scrap of paper I could get my hands on about or by Groucho Marx. I have even read the book you are speaking of, but it was some time ago, and my mind has filled up with a lot of meaningless junk since then... I did not remember any of that at all. I must admit, though, in getting ready to start this thread, when I found out that Sam Wood may have been responsible for thousands of careers and lives ruined, I almost didn't post my glowing review. I was more than a bit sickened to find out about Mr. Wood's political life, and thought long and hard about starting a thread about him. What changed my mind was my feeling about Elia Kazan. Remember the Oscars a couple of years ago, when there was a huge tempest about an honorary Oscar for Mr. Kazan? Some thought he should not receive an award because of his cooperation with the House Committee. Back then, I thought long and hard about the same issue. I decided, rightly or wrongly, that a man's artistic and creative career should be a separate entity from his politics- I can't condone what he did, but to deny that he did this one thing right seems wrong to me. To deny someone an award that they won on the merits of their work based on politics would be as bad as say, denying someone a job based on their politics. Prejudice begets prejudice. Now Wood is no Kazan, but the same thought process applies. I can appreciate the artistic achievement of a man I would have probably hated in real life.

Cinemaven- I am glad I could help you relive your first time..... I have seen *The Letter*. I don't think I saw the whole thing for years, just little bits and pieces. and I was too young. I had to grow up to appreciate this movie. Of course, I always love Bette, but in this one, there is no clear cut right or wrong, something my young mind needed. it's really left to the viewer to make the decision. Was she right, was she wrong, was she a victim or rotten to the core? OR BOTH? About that Groucho comment (I dearly love Groucho), I am curious if this was just a random barb, or more pointed. They worked together on two pictures. I don't know whether they got along or not, but I read this bout Wood on IMDB: Late in his life, he served as the President of the Motion Picture Alliance for the Preservation of American Ideals, a right-wing political organization whose aim was to ferret out "subversives" in Hollywood. In this capacity, he provided key testimony before the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1947, helping to fan fears of Communist influence in the U.S. film industry. I don't know much about Groucho's politics, but I wonder if he got along well with such a staunch right winger. There is this NY Times article: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F04E1D91531F937A2575AC0A96E958260 and this quote about the music director of Groucho's You Bet Your Life, again from IMDB: the musical conductor Jerry Fielding was blacklisted after he was called before the House Committee on Unamerican Activities (HUAC) and refused to testify. (The sponsor of the program, the DeSoto-Plymouth Dealers of America subsequently demanded that he immediately be fired. Fielding later told Marx biographer Hector Arce: "They wanted me to name Groucho." Marx himself later remarked, "That I bowed to the sponsor's demands is one of the greatest regrets of my life.")

I am impressed that you read the novel. I haven't read anything much except magazines since my daughter was born. I used to read all the time, but she took my brain and I never got it back! Now she is in school full time I am slowly learning to focus and concentrate again, but now I have this long list of movies to watch! I looked up Sam Wood on IMDB and noticed he made some pretty great pictures- aside from the Marx Bros. best MGM movies, he directed: Pride of the Yankees Goodbye, Mr. Chips Raffles (1939) Kitty Foyle The Devil and Miss Jones Our Town For Whom the Bell Tolls Casanova Brown Command Decision The Stratton Story and Saratoga Trunk It's a pretty impressive list, and yet, he is not known well, and doesn't seem to leave a particular imprint on his pictures. I guess I mean that "For Whom the Bell Tolls" is nothing like "King's Row", which is nothing like "Pride of the Yankees".....

3 weeks from now I will be saying, "I really have to sit down and watch those.... oh, what were those movies I was going to watch?"

Lawrence of Arabia The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

I just got my Lubitsch box set in the mail!!!!! I am so excited. But, darn it, I don't have time to watch any of them today. How sad......

I think he just died of old age or a flu, maybe. I can't remember anything in particular. Maybe Nancy Coleman bumped him off? She should have.....

VF- I agree. They both were fascinating in the movie. Betty Field went on to do some great movies as a character actress, but apparently had an incredible stage career. I would have loved to see her in some of her roles on Broadway. Nancy Coleman had a few worthwhile roles- Anne in "Devotion", and Hazel in "Mourning Becomes Electra" but nothing much after. I am amazed that she played Abigail Adams in "The Adams Chronicles" in the seventies. I remember watching it, but I had no idea who she was then.....

I love Lillian gish ever since my sister came home at 14 with a super 8 projector and some films. She had Broken Blossoms, and I thought Lillian was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. My sister also got a big huge book about the Gish sisters, with absolutely breathtaking photos of the two....I read her autobiography a few years later and enjoyed her stories of acting and Mr. Griffith. I am now __ years old , and I admire Miss Gish most for her ability to have a long, successful career spanning decades. Some of her best performances are in "talkies".

He's got nice hair....

I have a hard time even getting to the ones I taped. I guess it's because I know they'll always be there....I have a tendency to watch whatever's on TCM, even if it isn't my cup of tea, rather than watching the great ones I taped specifically. I am too lazy....

Great points, everyone. I am glad that these actors and actresses had the chance to do the movie, too. So often a so-called "B" actor never gets the chance at so meaty a role... I somehow can't see Bette Davis as Cassie - I'm sure she would have been good, but it seems like it might have skewed the movie a bit. I am glad they cast it the way they did. Each person in the plot seemed important, but none was "the star"- It left room for great ensemble acting. Rainingviolets- I wondered at the relationship between Dr. Tower and Cassie- are you saying that in the book it was found to be maybe an incestuous relationship?. I got that impression anyway, by the strong acting of Claude Rains and Betty Field. I am sure that was the subtext that they were playing, even if audiences didn't see that specifically. Very daring for that time. Peyton Place was at least 15 years later, and I think that is the first I can remember on the subject- it was considered very shocking then. Fred- I know! I love to discover a "new" movie (new to me, anyway). I have seen so many old movies, that when I find one I haven't seen, it's so exciting. I do miss the days of the late show, when you could turn on the TV and find an old movie almost every night. Thank goodness for TCM!

Very well put, TripleHHH. Time to get Netflix.....

I just saw *King's Row* for the first time, and was amazed to find that it was beautifully filmed. I had stayed away from this movie because it had Ronald Reagan in it (I am ashamed to say), but I discovered that not only was it a good movie, Reagan was GOOD in it. I can never say he was a bad actor again. I apologize for making a judgement based on prejudice. Director Sam Wood was superb with the actors, giving each a special moment. With Reagan, it was the moment of despair as he turns to the wall, putting his arms up to hide his face..... The cinematography and art direction were superb, by James Wong Howe and William Cameron Menzies, respectively. The score, by Erich Wolfgang Korngold, is beautiful, and never invasive or overblown. But, most of all, I thought Ann Sheridan was just stunning. Natural, superbly realistic in her delivery, and beautiful to boot. Her clipped, rapid fire style was perfect for the part of Randy, maybe the only normal person in town, but from the wrong side of the tracks, literally. She was subtle, throwing away lines that other actresses would have chewed the scenery with. Betty Field and Nancy Coleman had these big, juicy scenes, and played them admirably. But what I came away with was a respect for Sheridan's calm and minutely shaded performance. Did anyone else see this movie, and if so, what are your thoughts on this revealing tale of darkness and redemption? Or on the unsung director, Sam Wood?

Charles Coburn as Dr. Gordon in *King's Row*.

Waldo- I second "What's Up, Doc".

I've always been interested in being a Foley artist. This is the person who makes up sound effects after the movie is filmed, to enhance the soundtrack. They go into a room, and watch a copy of the film and jump around and drop things or crunch paper to recreate sounds that didn't get picked up by the microphones. It looks like a blast, though I am sure it is more difficult than it looks!

Very informative, Fedya. Thanks for posting that info. I also like '33 best, but nothing can beat the "Lullaby of Broadway" number in '35. Absolutely great from that beginning shot of Wini Shaw's head, to the same closing shot. Love it!

I wasn't sure whether the dress was from the end- it's been a while since I saw the movie, and I was having a hard time remembering.

Mmmmm. Good to the last drop.....

I'll add it to my already incredibly long list of movies... This darn website is making my life miserable - I never realized how many movies I haven't seen