feaito
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Posts posted by feaito
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I've seen it many times and I have it on DVD. In my opinion, and not denying the charisma of the actors in the 1956 version (Doris Day, Jimmy Stewart, Brenda De Banzie et al), the 1934 version is superior. For one, I loved Peter Lorre as one of the villains. Also I feel it's less glossy than the 1956 remake, thus it looks more real.
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Today I bought a domestically released DVD (in my country) of "Night Flight" (1933). The print's quality is pretty awful; some parts are almost unwatchable because of the extreme brightness and whiteness. (I was luckier with the Collector Copies I bought of "Letty Lynton" and "Constant Nymph" last year) I think that the source must be a very old airing of the film on some TV station; I'm not sure.
It's a pity TCM hasn't aired (whatever the reason) this wonderful picture, because it's very poetic, evocative and unique, for a MGM Super-Production of the early 1930s (it hasn't the typical MGM Look). John Barrymore is quite good as the ruthless Director/Manager of the Airline Company; his brother Lionel is good as an inspector working for him. Myrna Loy and Helen Hayes give sensitive performances as the wives of pilots William Gargan and Clark Gable, respectively, who are very good too; Robert Montgomery is another pilot, much the playboy-type, and fares well. As far as I could see, excellent stunts and airplane flight footage for 1933.
Maybe TCM Programmer could tell us if there's any chance that this film can be scheduled.
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Ken,
There's a great Barbara Stanwyck Set (PAL-Zone 2) issued in the UK, from the Screen Goddesses Collection, which includes 6 of her films: "The Miracle Woman", "The Bitter Tea of General Yen", "Golden Boy", "The Lady Eve", "Double Indemnity" and "All I Desire". It's beautifully packaged and the quality of the prints is good. I bought it, although I already had "The Lady Eve" Criterion Edition DVD and I loved the Set.
You can check it here:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000B7VZN8/026-2955066-3331615?v=glance&n=283926
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"Magnificent Obsession" is available on VHS from marketplace sellers at Amazon.com.
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"Theodora Goes Wild" is one of my favorite films too, Movieman; I'll make a point of asking my brother to copy my VHS to DVD!
Other films in which Melvyn Douglas has either starred or co-starred, besides those already mentioned, that I have seen and enjoyed are:
- "As You Desire Me", an interesting Pre-Code flick that deals with World War I and Amnesia and in which he plays Greta Garbo's long time estranged husband. Erich Von Stroheim also has a role in it.
- "The Old Dark House", a unique, offbeat Pre-Code Black-Comedy-Horror-Film, directed by masterful James Whale, with a stellar cast that includes Charles Laughton, Raymond Massey, Gloria Stuart, Boris Karloff, Ernest Thesiger, Eva Moore, Lillian Bond et al. IMO a masterpiece.
- "The Vampire Bat", A good, eerie, above standard Horror film, in which he appears opposite creepy Lionel Atwill and wonderful screaming victim, Fay Wray.
- "Counselor-at-Law", yet another masterpiece, directed by William Wyler, one of the all-time best directors, which contains one of John Barrymore's best cinematic performances. Bebe Daniels (excellent), Thelma Todd, Doris Kenyon, Isabel Jewell, Vincent Sherman, among others, are also in the cast.
- "Angel". Though not one of his best, an interesting and in my opinion, unjustly underrated Lubitsch film, with Marlene Dietrich, Herbert Marshall. E.E. Horton and Laura Hope Crews. I've watched it twice and have been vastly amused by it.
- "The Shining Hour". Another underrated (Borzage) film in which he plays Joan Crawford's husband. Robert Young, Maggie Sullavan and Fay Bainter complete an excellent cast.
- "A Woman's Face". An excellent George Cukor drama with Crawford, which in turn is a remake of an Ingrid Bergman Swedish movie.
The only films of his I recall not enjoying are Lubistch's "That Uncertain Feeling", which is highly praised comedy, but for some uncanny reason, left me cold; I'm going to give it a try again someday! and "The Guilt of Janet Ames", an offbeat drama with Rosalind Russell, which I found rather exasperating and boring, but nevertheless worthwhile, because it's a serious attempt at Psychological drama, if flawed (IMO).
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Dan, it is so good to read your great, informative posts; you made my day today. Please, keep them coming! I also watched all those movies include in the Lombard Set. What a gifted comedienne she was! A great actor and grand person. Carole Lombard was truly an "original", never a phony, like so many others.
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Yes I have seen "The Swan" with Grace Kelly, beautiful film, handsome leading couple (Kelly and Louis Jourdan). I'd like to see the silent version (1925) starring Ricardo Cortez and Samuel Goldwyn's future wife, Frances Howard; also the 1930 early talkie remake: "One Romantic Night" with Lillian Gish and Conrad Nagel. As for "Mayerling" I have only seen the 1936 French Version with Danielle Darrieux and Charles Boyer. I also saw "Forever Amber" many years ago. Have you seen MacDonald's and Chevalier's "The Love Parade" and "Love Me Tonight"? Great films too, especially the latter which is a landmark film, a masterpiece of American Cinema.
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It was on sale in my country (luckily enough) and I saw it at amazon at US$ 12,99 (good price I think).....I also loved Tovarich!!! Great, great film!..... I also like films that have to do with Royalty!
The only John Gilbert talkies I have seen are "Way for a Sailor" and "Queen Christina". Ahhh and the sequence of "The Hollywood Revue" in which he played the balcony scene from Romeo & Juliet with Norma Shearer (the first time he spoke onscreen).
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feaito
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You Know GarboManiac, I must admit that when I watched this film, I was somewhat sleepy.... The characters which I liked the most were those played by Isabel Jeans and Maurice Chevalier (Loren's parents) and Angela Lansbury (Loren's nemesis)... BTW Isabel Jeans and Chevalier had played ex-lovers in MGM's 1958 "Gigi"...A Bit of trivia: "A Breath of Scandal" is based on the same Molnar story in which John Gilbert's disastrous talkie debut, "His Glorious Night", was based.
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I watched George Clooney's "Good Night and Good Luck", a good film with a "documentary" style. Not entirely of my taste, but absolutely worthwhile. Excellent attention to period detail and good performances.
I enjoyed Mae West's "Goin' To Town" with Paul Cavanagh and Gilbert Emery supporting her.
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Thanks for those nice comments Moira, you make me blush
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Lately I've watched the very good Woody Allen film "Match Point", the amusing Lombard comedy "The Princess Comes Across", the very good film noir "Fallen Angel" and part of "They Met in Bombay" (the DVD was defective). I also watched Sophia Loren's "A Breath of Scandal", but it's only so-so.
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The Year of Living Dangerously
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I'm almost 100% sure this is "Three Daring Daughters" (UK title "The Birds and the Bees") with Jeanette MacDonald, Jos? Iturbi, Jane Powell et al.
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Wild guess.....Norman Rockwell??
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As always, thanks for your valuable input Larry.
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Apparently Miss Montez was somewhat egocentric about her looks, but she did not kill herself. I read that she liked hot baths so much that she usually left the temperature reach scalding degrees and it was while talking one of those very hot baths, that she suffered a fatal heart attack. She was only 34 years old when she died and she was survived by a small daughter and her husband Jean Pierre Aumont.
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Cleopatra! I would never have guessed it....When I think of "African Queen", I think of Jungles (Like the Jungle Queen/Princess Colbert becomes in "Four Frightened People")...... but never of Egypt! Although it is an African country, in my mind it's in the "Middle East"
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Way to go jd! I was intrigued by this riddle for days.... So the film was "Midnight"? So then, let me help:
- Francis Lederer (Dracula in a "Night Gallery" Episode)
- Claudette Colbert is The African Queen from "Four Frightened People"?
- Don Ameche must be the Golden Retriever... but I cannot think of the film
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feaito
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"Angel on my Shoulder" is a good film; beware though of the awful Alpha DVD edition.
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L.A. Confidential is one of my all-time favorite films; Kim Basinger is great in it and the period flavor of the 1940s (decade in which it's set) is excellently achieved.
Today I watched a funny but not top-notch Mae West vehicle: "Go West Young Man" in which she impersonates a glamorous movie star not unlike herself. Warren William shines in this film as her P.R. Representative and Randolph Scott does little much than playing the hunky object of Mae's desires. Elizabeth Patterson is very good as Scott's Auntie Kate and Isabel Jewell is quite funny as die-hard fan of Mae's character. Alice Brady is rather wasted here.
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Yeah that's right! My brother, who knows a lot about computers and all kinds of machines (unlike me), has helped me to transfer some of my VHS to DVD, but the result is not the same as in a Commercial DVD, so I think I'm going to transfer those hard to find titles (not available on any format), taped mainly from TCM, that most probably will not be released on DVD in the future years. Now, the commercial VHS are more problematic since many of them are copy-protected!
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Garbo was also a shy person.
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Don't forget "Tower of Lies", an intriguing film.
The Man Who Knew Too Much
in Information, Please!
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Good point, Fred.
Also, what bothers me about the 1956 version is the African stock footage used/padded at the beginning of the film; it just looks too obviously fake!
BTW, the leading lady of the 1934 version, Edna Best, was Mrs. Herbert Marshall and she did a very fine job in her role, as did Leslie Banks (who had been a florid villain in 1932 "The Most Dangerous Game") who portrayed her husband and the lovely Nova Pilbeam, as their daughter. Ms. Pilbeam later starred in the very good Hitchcock thriller "Young and Innocent".