faceinthecrowd

I don't recall that happening in the novel. In what chapter does she frame him? I remember that *he* framed *her.*

Eddie Fisher is listed in the credits of ALL ABOUT EVE as "Stage Manager." But you'll look for him in vain: his scene hit the cutting room floor before the film was released. Are there any other examples of reasonably well known people who were in the credits but not in the movie?

Lancaster was a good enough actor to realize that underplaying (which is often mistaken for lack of emotion) can be more effective than going over the top (which is often mistaken for great acting).

I hope the movie inspires people to read Sinclair Lewis's novel. Now, about Shirley Jones's character: ====================SPOILER ALERT===================== In the movie she becomes a prostitute. In the book she suffered a worse fate: she got married. Really. To get out of marrying her, Gantry tricked a simple young farmer into a compromising position with her (no more than a passionate kiss, actually), then summoned her outraged father to witness it. A shotgun wedding quickly ensued. I suppose it was felt that her being a prostitute would play better on the screen.

Well, in SPARTACUS we got to see one of the sexiest bare female backs in the history of cinema. (With the possible exception of Sally Kellerman's in BIRDY.)

Tex Ritter sang the HIGH NOON theme song on the soundtrack, accompanied only by a guitar and drums (and perhaps a discreet bass). For me, his version was far superior to Frankie Laine's hit record. Laine had a great voice -- I bought a CD of his big hits -- but sometimes less is more.

You make a good point about RED RIVER. It's a good movie, but: ================SPOILER ALERT===================== John Wayne is seen to be implacable in his desire for vengeance, but when he's about to exact it, Joanne Dru fires a gun in the air and yells, "Stop it!" -- and suddenly the Duke calms down, just like that. Unbelievable. And Clift and Ireland were headed for a showdown all through the movie, and it never happened. Two glaring weaknesses in a good film that could have been a great one.

I don't have any heartwarming anecdotes to back up my choice, who is: Orson Welles Citizen Kane The Magnificent Ambersons The Trial The Lady from Shanghai Touch of Evil Macbeth

If memory serves, Radar scrounged some *blood* that the surgeons needed urgently. He got it from an unconscious officer.

Helen Mirren.

Yeah, but he was a Fascist.

Very good observations about Slim Dundee in his last scene. The nightmarish holdup scene in CRISS CROSS was well done. The tear gas making everything murky, people emerging from the clouds of gas and shooting their supposed accomplices -- the film's title was fully justified. When there are triple crosses, not mere double crosses, it makes the plot even more delicious. (It's reminiscent of THE KILLERS, in which the triple cross theme was in the screenplay, not in Hemingway's short short story.) Take note of Yvonne DeCarlo's dancing partner in the opening scene of CC. He's an excellent dancer with no dialogue. This was his movie debut, and his name doesn't appear in the credits. It's Tony Curtis.

To all who mentioned Susan Hayward: HOUSE OF STRANGERS is worth seeing again and again.

"Fox had a thing for brunettes." So do I. And I'm afraid I've neglected to mention Claudette Colbert.

Paul Newman, definitely. And Meg Foster, with the palest blue eyes I've ever seen.

Welcome to this forum. You chose a good film to comment on in your first post -- it's a love story for adults. As to the larger subject you discussed: a young man asked Socrates, "Should I marry or stay single?" Socrates' reply was: "Whatever you do, you'll regret it." For me, that sums up the dilemma of marriage very nicely.

I'm not surprised to hear that about Durante and Tucker. Sinatra is another story; he was a complicated guy. I've heard many examples of his generosity which came to light only after his death -- he didn't seek publicity in that area. He also quietly supported the literary magazine The Paris Review. (Yes, Sinatra.) As to SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER -- either you respond to Tennessee Williams' works or you don't. I think it was Gore Vidal who said, "There's enough happiness in real life; I don't have to go to the movies too see it."

That's the test of who wears the pants in a marriage: who controls the remote? Also: when Bette Davis died, the announcer said that she had won Oscars for OF HUMAN BONDAGE and JEZEBEL. Naturally, I started to yell at the TV screen. (Not that she shouldn't have won for OHB instead of DANGEROUS.) Don't TV stations have researchers? (The announcer, obviously, was just reading what was put in front of him, as so many do.) And there was a western that began on the day the Civil War ended. A reporter was saying, "I'm been covering this war for five years now...." Which I thought interesting, since the war lasted for only four years. I don't remember if I yelled at the screen, but I sure felt like doing it.

Lancaster goes back to his old flame, Anna, and explains why: "You're smoking a cigarette and you get a piece of tobacco stuck in your teeth. So you use a bit of cellophane to try to get it out. What happens? The cellophane gets stuck too. Anna." What great writing!

Unfortunately, PALE RIDER should have been called "Pale Copy" -- of SHANE, that is. Or should we consider it an "homage"?

Dear crazy: I'm glad you find blue eyes so attractive.

I think we should add Robert Mitchum to the Bedroom Eyes category, male division.

A CBS poll in 2009 asked, "Do you believe in ghosts?" 48% said, Yes. 45% said, No. Maybe we should feel encouraged that as many as 45% said No.

There are four movies from 1941 that I consider great, not merely very good: Citizen Kane -- the greatest of them all The Lady Eve The Maltese Falcon The Shanghai Gesture The last one is debatable. It's an odd number, but so fascinating that I have to include it. If the very good movies are included, I think 1941 rivals 1939.

You're right. For that sort of thing I recommend Poseidon's Underworld. We can't post there, but the website is pretty funny.