JackFavell
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Posts posted by JackFavell
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Oh, Molo! You and I are completely in synch today. I am positively salivating with your talk of *Stage Mother* and *Young in Heart!* I like both those movies, especially YIH.
Well, this is a switch, a discussion in my neck of the woods, the thirties! Heaven...I'm in heaven....
I adore Marie Dressler, especially as Carlotta. She is just brilliant, playing scenes for laughs, but also able to switch on a dime over to the more serious one as a confiding friend - this is where tone is really important. She retains a certain tone throughout the picture while switching gears to the deeper more serious questions the film occupies itself with. The levels of desperation in the film are very interesting, and how the different characters deal with it. Somehow, you know Carlotta will be alright, she's a tough old bird. I wait for Dressler to show what's she's got in that scene with young Paula. One of my favorite comic moments comes in that scene as well. I think she is talking about past loves, looking at her broaches and her rings, and she can't remember who gave her what...it's tossed off really, nothing overt, but it's totally Dressler's invention, a little improv to make her role more interesting.
I really like how in *Dinner at Eight,* the desperate situations are pitted against one another - we want everyone to get what they want, and yet for one to win, another has to lose. This film and *Grand Hotel* vie for favorite status- sometimes, if I'm in the mood for wit, I like DAE better, and if I'm melancholy, I like GH better.
The one constant for me in both movies is John Barrymore. I think he's particularly fine in these two films, and he's the only cast member in each film who consistently moves me, and has my highest regard, no matter how many times I've seen them. He's heartbreaking and perfect in both, but I think his Larry Renault is a masterpiece. Barrymore pulls no punches. It's the actor looking straight into the mirror, which actors are loathe to do, and reproducing for us what he very likely felt in real life. He's magnificent.
Last time I watched *Dinner at Eight,* I was so impressed with Harlow. I mean, if you look at Harlow starting out, this shy, uncomfortable girl who is unsure of herself, and then look at *Dinner at Eight,* you would never know she had this kind of all out performance in her. She goes for it! (Another reason I like *Riffraff* too). She lets it all out, there isn't a flaw that doesn't show, or a brassy loud comment that isn't slung. She's amazing!
I love that you spotted Grant Mitchell and Louise Closser Hale on the first go round! Thta's unusual. Good for you, they are a riot.
The last time I watched *Grand Hotel,* I was really floored by how good Joan Crawford was. She plays every note perfectly, and I realized that this was very like Joan in real life - trying to scrabble up from a working class environment, thinking about taking the easy way to get ahead. Jaded, but just shy of turning a trick to get
what she wants. Flaemmchen is at the crossroads of innocence and knowledge of the world and Crawford gets a lot of nuance out of her role. Again, Barrymore is pitch perfect with her, kindly, but he's a victim of his love, just as she is.
As for Garbo, I am really happy that you liked her, Frank. I think it's amazing that you "got" Garbo, because some think that she is a bit over the top here, I disagree. I see exactly what she was going for, and as far as the emotion is concerned, no one could show it better, that pure emotion, except for maybe Ingrid Bergman. There is something so warm and deep about Garbo. She's kind of like Grace Kelly, a fire roars underneath the ice. I've been thinking about it lately, and I think this is what you responded to. It bodes well for your next Garbo watches. I think *Ninotchka* works well because it is actually a bit of a take off on Garbo's mysterious "I Vant to Be Alone" persona - and how she wore trousers and such outside of the film world. Wilder totally takes off on it. We'll see how you like it. Your track record with comedies is really up and down, so it's very hard to say whether you will like it or not. I;m betting on like, I'm always the optimist.
Please forgive me for running off at the mouth, I am just so excited to be here in the 1930's!
As for *A Tale of Two Cities,* I think you all have written exceptionally well of it, it is a flawed movie... but for Colman it's tops, and also for Edna Mae. Now personally, I LOVE *David Copperfield,* and I think Frank might actually like it too! I know I know....groan! But it doesn't have the problems that *A Tale of Two Cities* does, and frankly, I think it's one heck of a movie. Edna Mae is even better in it than she is in ATTC, in fact it's my all time favorite of her characters. I think if you could slip it in sometime, Frank, you'd enjoy it. OY! I am pretty bad at predicting, but I wish you'd try it sometime. I think you would like all the plotlines.
I think you know I love *He Who Gets Slapped*. This is one I am pretty sure I know what your opinion of it will be.
Thanks for letting me vent on all these movies I love. It isn't often I get to chat with friends about so many good movies all at one time that I have actually seen! Yay!
Edited by: JackFavell on Jan 20, 2012 9:52 AM
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I just watched Raoul Walsh's *Uncertain Glory.* Did anyone else see this one?
While not a brilliant film, it has many great moments. It also has a couple of Walsh's earmarks - two leads (it's almost a buddy picture) from opposite ends of the spectrum - Errol Flynn as Jean, a rascally french prisoner fated to die at the guillotine, and Paul Lukas as Bonet, the Javert-like policeman who is responsible for capturing this devil-may-care prisoner.
The other Walsh standby is also represented. Flynn is an anti- hero on the outside looking in...he meets an innocent girl who falls in love with him too late to reform him or change his life. Flynn has a nice scene in which he berates destiny for sending her to him only after it's too late. One feels the hand of God playing with Jean's life as he is freed from his death sentence by RAF bombers at the beginning of the picture, only to be put in death's path again and again throughout the picture. God tempts him with freedom, then takes away his choices, one by one.
The movie has a fantastic opening. The first ten or twenty minutes are riveting. Flynn loses steam after that in this film (as he would continue to do throughout the forties), but retains his natural charm to the end. He has some particularly fine moments - one in a church, where he confesses to Paul Lukas, and another in a farmhouse with the girl as church bells ring for those prisoners of the Nazis about to die.
The girl (Faye Emerson) is fresh faced, but a bit of a let down, but this doesn't really matter to the outcome of the film. Flynn let me down a bit, I got the impression that he was going through the motions a few times, especially in his scenes with Emerson. I just didn't believe the emotion between them - a stronger actress might have inspired more pathos. It's a shame, because this film could have been a spectacular one had the leads sparked a bit more. Paul Lukas was brilliant, and got me weepy eyed more than once. The scenes between him and Flynn were great.
The film is directed perfectly, though the script slows down slightly in the middle. Walsh keeps it interesting, going at a brisk clip, but I think the script could have been more exciting, with one tweak. Adding a bit of action in the middle would have benefited the film greatly, but Warners wasn't a careful studio, and Walsh wasn't the type to fuss.
There is a lot of Walsh humor and dialogue here which helps greatly. As it was, the gorgeous direction and the unlikely comeraderie of the men kept me watching from beginning to end.
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h2. Happy Birthday, Lz!
Edited by: JackFavell on Jan 19, 2012 12:13 PM
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Hey, Ro! You're never too late! Especially when you bring ooey gooey caramel.....
Thank you darlin' for the wishes.
Maven- I don't know how you got all my faves in one post (and a reminder that I have to revisit Vertigo)! My Joey is so adorable. I'm glad you saved the best for last. Thanks for everything, especially the conversation.
Molo - I've really missed your posts. I hope there's a ramble coming up just to read what you have to say. I still haven't seen Strange Cargo. oops!
Frank - I've only seen eight off your list! I am one of those who would put Grand Hotel high on my list, along with Dinner at Eight, Student Prince, A Tale of Two Cities and Black Narcissus, which is a truly great film, full of foreboding and repressed eroticism.
Of the eight here is my rating:
1. Student Prince in Old Heidelberg
2. Black Narcissus
3. Grand Hotel
4. Dinner at Eight
5. A Tale of Two Cities
6. A Night at the Opera
7. Dressed to Kill
8. Terror By Night
I remember Dressed to Kill better than Terror by Night, since I've seen Dressed to Kill recently, so I ranked them accordingly.
I think I saw Spawn of the North when I was a kid, but I have no memory of it except that it was an exciting adventure story, which I usually like. If it's the movie I remember, it does seem a bit like Walsh's work. Walsh worked with Raft a lot, though apparently they couldn't stand one another.
I believe I've seen the very end of Backfire - is Virginia Mayo locked in a room with the bad guy after searching for something in a desk? It seemed like a very taut and suspenseful B movie. I know my description is vague, but I literally came in at the very end of it, and did enjoy what I saw, if that's the same movie. I just want to know if I have the right film.
The Pleasure Garden sounds really interesting.
Edited by: JackFavell on Jan 19, 2012 8:54 AM
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> Portrayals: Who portrayed the big, dumb and doomed Samson Posey in The Dirty Dozen ? A football player, I can't remember the actor's name...Jim Brown maybe?
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> *I didn't get this one, either. I've only seen small bits and pieces of the film. It's Clint Walker.*
D'oh! My bad. I was completely off on this one. I'm not nearly as smart or good at trivia as I think I am! I must have been thinking of another movie in that genre.... like Kelly's Heroes or something.
Edited by: JackFavell on Jan 18, 2012 8:10 PM
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I'm still laughing!
I really did enjoy it, thanks very much. It's so appropriate. 
Oh, I love The Doll. What a great movie! Boy meets girl, boy gets scared of girl, boy wins girl to his chagrin.... love is always timeless, at least in Lubitsch's hands.
She looks lovely here, doesn't she, MissG! I love Liz with the really short hair, she is one of the few women who could really look good in that style with the Dior look. I just like her when she is laughing - there is something uncontrolled and fun about her when she giggles. I suspect she had a wonderful sense of the absurd.
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Oh my gosh, you couldn't have picked a better set of caps! _You_ are hilarious! Hahahahahahahaha! And it's one of my favorite movies....Perfect! Perfect! oh my goodness, that is the funniest! I can't stop laughing.... you are too much, Frank Grimes! Thanks!
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Thank you all so much! From Shirley to Bela to Ben.... what a treat! And I am really looking forward to being waited on by Mr. 'udson and Mrs. Bridges, the dears.
You're all invited to my special feast.
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h1. Happy Birthday, Maven!
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I didn't know that! Blore is such a great personality, I dearly love it when he "pops" up! What a sweetie.
I feel the same way about the Bowery Boys, I like everything, probably because they were always on on Saturday in my childhood.
I'd love to revisit the Moto series, maybe I should watch them in order, instead of just what "pops up" on TCM. Lorre to me plays oriental better than any other actor, and I remember him as not being a stereotypical Asian.
I 'll let you know when I watch Double Wedding. I have to find it in my pile of dvd's first.
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Oooh, it would be fun to try and track down the films of the actors and actresses in the running during those early years.
It killed me to see that fragment from The Way of All Flesh, Emil Jannings Academy Award winning performance, knowing that the film is completely lost. He was heartbreaking in the one minute clip that exists.
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Thanks, Miss G, I was hoping you'd chime in!
I still want to watch it, but won't force anyone else to.
Maybe they gave it to him because of his performance in Gatsby the year before, which is unfortunately lost.
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Ha! I haven't got that one yet, but when I do, I'll definitely let you know it's on the way back.
I have no idea how good IOA is. I think this is the film that Walsh was making when he had the accident and lost his eye. I can't remember if he ended up giving credit to the man who finished the movie for him, or if the man who finished it gave Walsh credit, but anyway he did not make the whole movie.
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Oooh, thanks for the reminder! Duh! Somehow I knew I was going to forget Double Wedding.
I have Yellow Sky and The Big Trail coming in soon. Let me get to DW first so I can make sure I remember.
Then after that I have a few Raoul Walsh films to watch.... I don't know if In Old Arizona counts as a western....
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Wow! I love the way you continued the story, WBS! I figured Pat and Steve would get together, someone has to tell Pat about her dad after all. I don't see her remaining alone like Luz, but you never know.
It's so true that it's big waste, the two men could not stop fighting over the land, and it's kind of fitting that they should both end up dead with neither winning anything. What a waste!
Ro- thank you kindly, ma'am... I really owe any love of westerns to you guys and this thread. I am about to go on a western rampage, I am in the mood again, and have a few westerns coming up in my Netflix queue.
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Ain't it the truth!
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Sweet Madhat made points with me by liking Harold and Maude. I won't be stringing HIM up very soon....
Besides, he likes 1930's films and we just got him back! I just have to try to answer some of these:
>Here's an actual card:
>Settings: What African city saw Pepe LeMoko hide out in the Casbah?
Algiers
>Titles: What film saw Nelson Eddy announce: "Your dream prince, reporting for duty!"?
My first thought was I Married an Angel, but I'm switching my answer definitely to *Naughty Marietta.*
>Off-Screen: What director, asked what frightened him, replied: "I'm terrified of policemen"?
Alfred Hitchcock
>On-Screen: What was the secret identity of Britt Reid?
Don't know this one.
>Production: Who was Charles Boyer's leading lady in Algiers ?
Hedley LaMarr.
d'oh!
>Portrayals: Who portrayed the big, dumb and doomed Samson Posey in The Dirty Dozen ?
A football player, I can't remember the actor's name...Jim Brown maybe?
I love Charlie Chan, Torchy and Boston ****. Mr. Moto was on when I was a kid, and I really love Peter Lorre, but I saw one recently that was not so good. Lorre, though was just great. I just watched *Crime School* this morning and was in raptures over The Bowery Boys. Billy Halop is a bit of a pain, but I love all the rest.
Molo- I never thought about Maude as being damaged, but of course you are right! There are all those allusions to specific events in her past, I won't mention any particulars here...and a definite sadness comes over her at times. But she saves Harold despite her own "troubles". She wouldn't be the same person without that mystery in her past.
I just love the movie. _And_ Cat Stevens!
And I'm glad you are back. We've missed you. Weekends are bad for me, so I'm sorry I didn't reply any sooner.
Edited by: JackFavell on Jan 17, 2012 12:10 PM
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Diary of a Wombat, lol! I know!
Alice is acting older than she is, but I will admit here, where she has no one to act all cool for, she watched Beauty and the Beast from beginning to end the other night.
She's still at an age where she can get excited about stuff, like all the Christmas specials, and the movie UP coming on - she was so happy. But she is also getting to the age where she wants to wear makeup to school, and won't wear her coat anymore unless I get scary with her. She snuck out of the house one morning wearing MY mascara, and I about killed her - she went to the bus avoiding me, and finally I figured it out just as the bus came to pick her up. She spent all day at school worrying about what mom would do (ha! she punished herself) and came home ashen faced. She was given a warning, and the mascara was confiscated. She also got a lecture on borrowing makeup, which can cause terrible health problems. So far, with the warning, she has not worn any makeup to school. She HAS learned that it's best not to lie to mom, or ugly things happen.... the worst thing is that mom stops trusting her, causing her to be treated like a liar all the time, questioned and looked at more closely. No one wants a bear of a mom breathing down their back, which is what happens when trust is broken.
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I love the Connie still, Jeff! She's one of my favorite actresses when she is at her best.
You are right about Owen Moore! Holy cow, he even took Two Gun Bill's hairstyle.
Edited by: JackFavell on Jan 16, 2012 5:54 PM
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I love Tony's wife! she's hilarious! I like that she constantly berates him while he looks smitten.
I really enjoy the Layover, he was completely trashed on this last episode. I don't share his obsession with Southeast Asia.
I liked Nigella Lawson when she first showed up on tv, but now she seems more pretentious because she isn't saying anything we haven't heard.
Giada makes me jealous but she has a nice relaxed presence.
I LOVE Barton MacLane - I think maybe you just sold me on THE GEISHA BOY.
I am not a big fan of Conquest, but Boyer gives a thoughtful portrayal of Napoleon, even though I think he did not want the role.
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I'll have to go and check out Harry, lol!
I watched *Downton Abbey* after Once Upon a Time last night. It's my soap opera.
Other than those shows and maybe one other night of TV, I will only watch TCM, and sometimes HGTV.. If things are really slow on TCM, I will watch AMC occasionally, but not for long. I'm spoiled!
Andrew watches Anthony Bourdain reruns every night at 6, and sometimes I watch too, if the food or the place catches my eye. Anthony is very good, he rips the right things. I wouldn't ever want to know him, but he's very entertaining, and he is very respectful of simple communities and family run restaurants. I like that, but man, what a cynic. He's right about most everything, but it would be a drag to have to try to be so hip. He did have a recent show that completely cracked me up - he did a take-off on Fellini when he was in Rome that was hilarious! His cameraman really knew his stuff, too, it looked exactly right - perfect black and white imagery.
Edited by: JackFavell on Jan 16, 2012 4:02 PM
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I think Alice Day is very pretty, but I've never seen her in anything - I have seen the Show of Shows number, but that doesn't really count.
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I love Ramon. Marceline is not an actress that I really respond to, but I've only seen her in a few movies. She's always very feminine and delicate seeming.
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Is it Ramon? And the actress looks just like Joan Bennett, with dark hair, but she would be way too young and blonde to play here.
RAMBLES Part II
in Films and Filmmakers
Posted
The first thing I did this morning was turn on the tv to see if there were any school closings. When the screen lit up, there was Jack Carson, and it just made my day! Even though we had snow, it felt like sunshine and flowers watching Doris and Jack and Dennis together. I wasn't able to watch the whole thing, just because we had to get ready, but I can't think of a better way to wake up in the morning!