rosebette
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Posts posted by rosebette
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For those disturbed by the adultery theme, you should watch the British miniseries of Dr. Zhivago with Keira Knightly as Lara. Julie Christie is obviously a grown woman playing a 16-year-old. Knightly was evidently still a teen-ager, and there were actually nude scenes, so her affair as a teen with the man who was essentially her mother's lover is even more shocking. Also, in the British version, Tania is visibly pregnant when Zhivago abandons her for Lara. Apparently, this version is more faithful to the book than the Lean film.
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I think this is one of the worst musicals of the 50s, with the bad plot and acting almost incapable of redemption by the great Berlin music. The great scripts and sophistication of the MGM product of this era -- American in Paris, The Bandwagon, and Singin in the Rain -- outshine this schlock. I can sit through those movies 3 or 4 times a year, but I can barely stand a half our of this one.
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How about Coop? There's a scene in Mr. Deeds where all he does is just react to the guy who almost commits suicide. Cooper could communicate so much with just a look, yet always appear to be "underplaying."
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I think silents can be an acquiredd taste. I actually prefer later silents, and my preference is also based on the director. Vidor's The Crowd and The Big Parade are both great films that hold up well today and present some timeless themes. Gilbert's acting in the latter is very natural. I find Garbo's acting in silents very natural as well. Murnau's Sunrise is also a beautiful film. In some ways, late silents (1925 and later) present tremendous advancement in cinematography, visual storytelling, and sheer beauty. Then, when talkies came, it seems as if the visual aspects of film took a step backward for a few years to accommodate the microphone. Some early talkies are actually much cruder than late silents. Some of the better early talkies, like All Quiet on the Western Front, have long stretches with no dialogue, letting the images tell the story.
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I agree with the resemblance to Bing Crosby. I also noticed many similarities in voice and mannerisms.
> {quote:title=Dmallon wrote:}{quote}tonite they are showing Platinum Blond . the male lead is a man by the name of Robert Williams. tragically he died just as this movie was being released. he is unknown today, but had he lived I think he would have been a major star. he has a great screen persona, but the way he talks and moves is so much like Bing Crosby down to his pipe, that you would think he was copying him, except for the fact that this movie is from 1931. Its almost as if Crosby borrowed his mannerisms from Williams.
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Just so The Adventures of Robin Hood last week during the snowstorm. I never tire of that one.
A few others:
The Awful Truth
An American in Paris
Singin in the Rain
Casablanca
Baby Face
Gold Diggers of 1935
Best Years of Our Lives
Lost Horizon
The Bandwagon
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I love David Denby and Anthony Lane in The New Yorker. I especially like it when they give a bad review of a movie because their bad reviews are absolutely delicious to read. I remember one of them gave Sex in the City a bad review,calling it an overlong triviality focusing on shallow women in designer clothes, and comparing it negatively to the women's films of yesteryear. I recall the critic said the women in the films of the 30s were also fashion plates, but they were "thoroughbreds." The review of the remake of "The Women" was especially cruel.
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I'm not too concerned about the sight of an occasional breast, or even plot appropriate nudity in "A Room with a View." When you think about it, that nude bathing scene is quite comical and innocent. I'm more disturbed by depictions of excessive violence. I had a friend who was a parent of a teen-age son who said that nudity didn't bother him because he felt that some day, in the natural course of events, his son would have a sexual relationship. However, this dad was more concerned about movies that depicted violent acts and car crashes because he knew his son would be driving a car, or even might end up with a "rough crowd," and so many films depict these events unrealisticly, with people even walking away from car crashes or violent incidents that would be fatal in real life.
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After seeing Razor's Edge, I had to take a look at Anne's screen test for Rebecca. Although she's too young for the part, her acting was so instinctive and natural, the best of the lot, except for Joan Fontaine. In The Razor's Edge, Baxter brought me to tears at least twice. I hated Gene Tierney's character for what she did to her.
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The actor I would most like to have a relationship with is Ronald Colman. I was haunted by his character in Lost Horizon from the time I was a little girl, and ultimately went to divinity school, searching for something, but never finding it. Later, I read that he felt that character and the one in Random Harvest were closest to his own -- introverted, and looking for peace and calm, as he was much affected by his WWI experiences. I think we would be a good match.
My idea of a perfect dilemma is Talk of the Town, where Jean Arthur has to choose between Ronald Colman and Cary Grant. Gee, that's a problem I'd like to have.
Despite my spiritual leanings, I don't think I'd turn down a one-night stand with Errol Flynn or Burt Lancasater -- what gorgeous creatures, but not my type emotionally!
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I have just finished a terrific book by Robert Matzen, Errol and Olivia: Ego and Obsession, which I highly recommend. Matzen says that Olivia's supporting role in Elizabeth and Essex was "punishiment" for taking the role of Melanie in Gone with the Wind. JL didn't want her to think that just because she got this role at another studio that she was going to be regarded differently at Warner's. According to Matzen, the cast and crew, except for Flynn, were rather rude to her and were instructed to ignore her throughout production, so no wonder she turned in such a lackluster performance. No wonder DeHavilland eventually rebelled!
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I just finished watching The Razor's Edge on TCM On Demand, and I couldn't help but noticing the resemblance between Ty Power and George Clooney; even the voices are a bit similar at times. I havene't been able to post images, though.
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I just finished watching The Razor's Edge on TCM On Demand, and I couldn't help but noticing the resemblance between Ty Power and George Clooney; even the voices are a bit similar at times. I havene't been able to post images, though.
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Watch out, you might have an old movie junkie in the making. Errol Flynn as Robin Hood was my first crush, but Gene in Singin' in the Rain came a little later. I think I was about 10.
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Watch out, you might have an old movie junkie in the making. Errol Flynn as Robin Hood was my first crush, but Gene in Singin' in the Rain came a little later. I think I was about 10.
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> {quote:title=mongo wrote:}{quote}
http://s592.photobucket.com/albums/tt8/MovieJoe/silver/bronze/Platinum/?action=view¤t=000aaaerrolbloodfitting.jpg> Errol Flynn gets measured for his outfit in "Captain Blood
>
> A very young Flynn, prestardom in an unguarded moment. What a treat! My vote for the most beautiful man in Hollywood that year.
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I have had a couple of weird infatuations over the years. One is Basil Rathbone, both as Sherlock Holmes, as as various villains. About a year ago, I saw Confession for the first time, and I could totally understand how Jane Bryant could be seduced by him.
Warrren William is another one. Something about those guys with deep baritones and aquiline profiles...
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Fred and Ginger dance to "Isn't it a Lovely Day to Get Caught in the Rain?" in *Top Hat.*
The rain at the end of Gary Cooper's speech where he is set-up and heckled by Edward Arnold's corrupt machine in *Meet John Doe.*
Gary Cooper walking in the rain at the end of *A Farewell to Arms.* (I can't abide the Rock Hudson version!) Gary Cooper always seems to make me cry!
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One option would be any of the Astaire Rogers films or the screwball comedys of the 30s, like "The Awful Truth." It's much easier to have romantic problems when you're living in a penthouse, on a cruise ship, etc., wearing glamorous costumes.
My second choice might be having the lead female role in "Talk of the Town". What a dilemma! Ronald Colman or Cary Grant? Or Philadelphia Story? Cary Grant or James Stewart.
Third choice -- the Olivia deHavilland role in Charge of the Light Brigade. Forget Patrick Knowles, we know she really has the hots for Errol. And Elizabeth and Essex -- why bother with Bette Davis in a skullcap, when Olivia's decked out in a lowcut gown. Someone's got to change the ending for those flicks.
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Basil Rathbone as the seducer in "Confession" is scarier than his Sir Guy. That one should be retitled "Portrait of a Stalker."
George Sanders as the Nazi in "Manhunt."
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I guess I have to agree with many of the posters. This is more of a 3 star rather than a 4 star movie. I did think Joan Fontaine was very good, and perhaps this is her best role; I found her convincing as a gangling and idealistic, yet fragile teen-ager. The Korngold score was fabulous, but I found the story rather cliched and Boyer hard to sympathize with. There's a natural coldness to Boyer that I find difficult to relate to. Coburn did steal the show, but he had stolen more than one picture in his day!
About casting Flynn and Joan Leslie, I think it would have been a mistake, in light of Flynn's legal troubles at the time. I also feel that Leslie, while the right age, was not developed enough as an actress and lacked the underlying fragility required for the character. Sometimes, she actually gets on my nerves; I couldn't sit through "Thank Your Lucky Stars" because she was especially grating. She's fine in young, vivacious parts, but "The Constant Nymph" woulld have been beyond her skills.
Flynn actually played a similar part to Boyer's in "Escape Me Never," which is also based on a Margaret Kennedy novel. He got terrible reviews at the time, but I've seen it, and I think he's actually suited for the part of a caddish bohemian, and the movie isn't as bad as the reviews make it out to be. He had good chemistry with Ida Lupino, but I think the direction in that movie was kind of sluggish and the secondary leads Gig Young and Eleanor Parker were ill-suited. If Alexis Smith was in the Parker role, there would have been some real sparks flying!
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> {quote:title=mongo wrote:}{quote}
http://s592.photobucket.com/albums/tt8/MovieJoe/silver/bronze/?action=view¤t=000aaflynndogs-1.jpg> Errol Flynn shares some breakfast with his pets:) Wouldn't mind watching him feed my pets in the morning! Yum!
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On what basis was Wynona Ryder chosen as host for TCM? I've seen high school girls give oral reports who are more interesting and convincing.
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I thought Kirk Douglas' comments about radio would work perfectly today if they were about TV, which has taken over peoples' lives way more than radio. The business about schoolteachers being not respected and underpaid is also true.
ERROL FLYNN IN YOUR SHOW OF SHOWS
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I didn't really care for the youtube of Errol on Abbot and Costello. He seemed forced and a bit slow in his deliviery. If you want to see some really great television with a classic Hollywood star, catch the youtube of Basil Rathbone on the Milton Berle show. It's a pirate sketch and is incredibly funny. It's obviously live TV, so lots of goofs, Milton and Basil cracking up, etc. It shows a whole different side of Rathbone.