speedracer5
-
Posts
11,245 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
22
Posts posted by speedracer5
-
-
1 hour ago, Hibi said:
Yeah, I don't think it was ever mentioned and Andy went on w/out a deputy! I never realized he was on such a short time. I thought it was a full season.....
I didn't like Warren. I thought he was annoying.
My favorite part of the Barney-less episodes was the relationship between Howard Sprague and his mother. Lol.
-
1 hour ago, David Guercio said:
Cool. Do you think it’s still on HBO?
https://www.hbo.com/movies/catalog.the-girl
I think it is if you have an HBO subscription. I don't have HBO so I cannot test it for you. It looks like it's also available to rent on Amazon Prime. You may also want to see if it's available at your library. I see that it's available at mine.
-
574 is Sahara. Bogart doesn't have military weaponry in High Sierra.
-
1
-
-
I don't know if they'll make a sequel to this film, but I believe that there was a TV movie about the making of The Birds.
-
1 minute ago, TomJH said:
While I haven't been particularly exposed to them I suspect there really are some cuckoo clocks like Wiseman played in the real world. But that doesn't mean you have to like them.
I'm sure there are, but he was just so loud and irritating. I was hoping someone would just shoot him and put the audience out of their misery.
-
1
-
-
1 hour ago, TomJH said:
Joseph Wiseman in DETECTIVE STORY for his violent over acting. (Either that or he was a perfect psychotic, in which case he's still irritating as Hell).
"Me? Over act? What a laugh! WHAT A LAAAAAAAAAAUGH!!!"
He was the one thing I didn't like about that movie. The rest of it I thought was pretty good.
-
10 hours ago, David Guercio said:
Why would they have Alec Baldwin as Monster Of The Month? He’s an actor. Not a Monster and he’s a really great and really funny guy too. Isn’t he? I really love him a whole lot and that’s right. Godzilla was Monster Of The Month. He was the last one. I think I kind of forget to mention him.
It was a joke. Alec Baldwin has had some savory behavior in the past and depending on your political leanings, he may or may not be a monster in that regard.
David, if it’s not too forward, how old are you? If you don’t want to answer, feel free.
-
1
-
-
16 minutes ago, LornaHansonForbes said:
I recall it being kind of a big deal (at the time) that the EX-WIFE of THE PRESIDENT was on a Prime Time Soap Opera.
¡ESCANDALO!
If that were the only scandal we had to contend with right now.
-
1
-
-
I don't think this is the movie you're looking for, but there's Easy Living (1937) where Ray Milland, son of wealthy banker, goes to work at an Automat as a means to show that he can make it on his own without his father's money.
-
I know the obvious choice is to want to pitchfork the villain of the film, because they're so awful. For me, sometimes the villain is so delightfully horrible, that I want to see more of them and less of the so-called good character. Bette Davis' mother in Now Voyager is such an awful person, but she's so over-the-top that I love her. The frenzy that Barbara Stanywyck incites in My Reputation when she decides to date George Brent, doesn't make me want to pitchfork her mother (who is ridiculous), but I want to pitchfork her kids because they're so annoying. In The Two Mrs. Carrolls, Humphrey Bogart's character is insane, but I want to pitchfork his daughter in that movie because she's the only character who speaks in a faux-British accent and she's such a patronizing child. In Snow White, I don't want to pitchfork the Evil Queen, I want to pitchfork Snow White! She's such an idiot. In The Wizard of Oz, I'd rather see less Glinda, and more Wicked Witch of the West and more gate keeper of Emerald City.
-
2
-
-
I don't typically watch much during the 31 Days of Oscar, but right now I'm watching things on Watch TCM that I can stream onto my other monitor while I'm working. I just watched The Apartment, but wasn't really paying much attention to it. Now I'm watching The Adventures of Robin Hood. I just noticed that TCM put up a title card listing the Oscar wins and nominations that the film received. I don't recall them doing that prior--but I could obviously have not been paying attention. I thought that was a nice touch.
-
1
-
-
I've seen 564 Caged! (Loved it); 566 If a Man Answers (I love Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin); and 569 Beetlejuice (Fantastic, weird film).
-
1
-
-
Most of my favorite Robert Ryan performances were mentioned, but:
(not ranked in any particular order)
1) Odds Against Tomorrow. I absolutely love this noir where Ryan plays a racist. He is so mean and nasty to Harry Belafonte and uses racial slurs, even when talking to black children. He's also cheating on his girlfriend with a lonely housewife in his apartment building. However, his performance (like so many of his others), is underscored with a level of vulnerability. Ryan only takes the bank heist job because his pride is hurt that his girlfriend is supporting him. He doesn't want to be a kept man. This is such a fantastic film. I notice new things every time I watch.
2) Beware, My Lovely. Ryan's performance in this film is terrifying. WWI war widow Ida Lupino makes the mistake of hiring Ryan to maintain her home. He seems friendly at first, but little outbursts that he has for seemingly small reasons makes her realize that he isn't what he seems. She soon learns that he's schizophrenic and murdered his previous employer in a violent blackout. However, even though his character is on a whole, very unpleasant, I felt sorry for him only because I don't think he wanted to murder people. He cannot control his behavior, but wants to do honest work for honest pay. The true villain in this story is Ida Lupino's niece who chides Ryan for doing "woman's work" (and what's with that? Nobody wants to scrub the floor, man or woman). She's the one who sets him off the first time, because he's not only embarrassed, but angry.
3) The Set-Up. I love boxing movies. Robert Ryan's performance as the washed up boxer who doesn't know that his manager has accepted a bribe from his opponent's manager (associated with the mob, of course) that Ryan will take a dive in the fight. Figuring that his opponent will lose against the much younger fighter, Ryan's manager accepts the bribe without telling his fighter. Ryan finds out about the deal after a particularly brutal 3 rounds. Ryan's vulnerability as a man who after 20 years in the ring, keeps hanging onto the idea that this next fight might be the one that makes his career worthwhile--despite being a bit long in the tooth as a boxer and seemingly has lost more bouts than he's won. The main conflict in this film (aside from "the set-up") is his wife, Audrey Totter's despair that her husband may not survive the fight.
4) Tender Comrade. This is a different type of film for Ryan, featuring him as the husband of Ginger Rogers, who goes off to fight in WWII. I liked his performance in this film if only for the scenes of he and Rogers living an idyllic life before his deployment. It's not often that Ryan gets to play a romantic character.
5) Crossfire. This is a great film featuring Ryan as a anti-Semitic who murders a Jewish soldier who has returned home from WWII after being honorably discharged for injury. He goes through great lengths to keep from being caught.
6) Born to Be Bad. In another different type of role for Ryan, he gets to play a hunky novelist who serves as one side of the love triangle for Joan Fontaine to lust after. Fontaine's character comes to stay with her cousin, Joan Leslie, for an extended period of time. Fontaine's character presents herself as being sweet and virginal, but it soon becomes apparent that that is not the case at all. When Fontaine meets Leslie's fiance, Zachary Scott, she falls for him and schemes to get him to leave her cousin for her. Ryan's character has also fallen for Fontaine and makes it clear that he sees right through all her scheming. In many ways, Ryan's character is presented as the male equivalent of Fontaine's character, except he isn't trying to keep up a facade of being sweet and virginal. He's aggressive and overbearing from the get-go.
7) On Dangerous Ground. Here Ryan plays a cop known for using violent tactics to elicit confessions and such from his suspects. His tactics don't go unnoticed by his boss and co-workers and he is sent upstate to take on a more low-key case. While upstate, he ends up joining a manhunt for the murderer of a young girl, led by her father, Ward Bond. While investigating, Ryan meets a blind Ida Lupino. Lupino lives with her brother. The conflict in the film lies with Ryan discovering that Lupino's brother is the murderer of the young girl. Ryan taking a liking to Lupino, and learning that her brother is mentally ill, offers to hide the brother. I thought this was a great film for Ryan and I loved the snowy setting of the film. I thought the snow brought a certain bleakness to the situation.
8 ) Caught. In this film, Barbara Bel Geddes plays a young model who marries a deranged millionaire, played by Ryan. Bel Geddes knows that Ryan is bonkers, but she married him anyway. It becomes apparent quickly that Ryan only married Bel Geddes to have a piece of eye candy on his arm. He showers her with jewels and gives her everything she could possibly want. But he's also abusive and treats her like garbage if she says or does anything he doesn't like. Bel Geddes finally has enough, leaves Ryan and finds employment at the office of Dr. James Mason. Mason's office is a small operation and doesn't earn much money. Bel Geddes and Mason find themselves falling for one another, and while Mason cannot give Bel Geddes the material objects bestowed upon her by Ryan, he gives her respect and treats her nicely.
9) Act of Violence. In this film, Ryan appears as an old army friend of Van Heflin's who seeks revenge for Heflin's role in the death of their comrades during an escape attempt at a Nazi POW camp. It seems that in exchange for food, Heflin informed the Nazi's of the escape attempt assuming (for some reason) that the POW's would not be harmed. Ryan survived the ordeal, but was left crippled. After seeing an article in the newspaper about Heflin receiving a civic award, Ryan is able to deduce where Heflin lives with his young wife (Janet Leigh) and child. Throughout the film, Ryan terrorizes Heflin and Leigh, trying to give Heflin his just desserts.
10) The Woman on Pier 13/I Married a Communist. In this film, Laraine Day marries Robert Ryan, a San Francisco shipping executive. Day seemingly thinks that she and Ryan have it made until she discovers that Ryan was once a member of the communist party. Ryan is up for a big promotion at his company (or perhaps is on the cusp of brokering a large deal, I cannot remember), when his former Communist cohorts, including an ex-girlfriend, come crawling out of the woodwork. It seems that they want to blackmail Ryan into putting off a deal with his company and the unionized dock workers. At some point, the Communists also go to work trying to recruit some of the dock workers to join their ranks. This isn't the best film, but Ryan is good in it (as he is in most of his films) and it's an interesting propaganda film.
I've also seen Clash By Night (still trying to "get" that film), and The Woman on the Beach. I just borrowed The Naked Spur from the library, but haven't seen it yet.
I also have Berlin Express, and God's Little Acre recorded, but haven't watched those yet.
Robert Ryan is one of my favorite actors.
-
2
-
1
-
-
18 hours ago, misswonderly3 said:
Often when I've watching an old movie with my husband, he'll point out something like that, or he'll go "that's just a painted backdrop", or, "look at how obvious that rear-view projection is" (you know, in car driving scenes.) Stuff like that. But I always tell him I don't care, I would probably not notice these things if he didn't point them out and I don't want to notice them. And my lack of sophistication in this department works for me, since I don't notice such things, and therefore don't get "taken a little bit out of the scene".
Ugh. I also notice these things too, but I want to get lost in the film. Sometimes the rear projection is really obvious, like in All About Eve when Addison and Eve are walking down the street.. I swear that the background repeats and it makes you wonder if they're just walking in circles around the same block. The rear projection in driving scenes are also obvious when the driver can have full conversations with his passenger, not even looking at the road--or when they're turning the wheel so much that in real life, the car would be all over the place. Or there are scenes like On the Town where you can see the driver's entire legs while driving, making it obvious that the car doesn't have a dashboard. There are other films where it's supposedly a city scene, but its obvious that it is a set in a soundstage--only because the sidewalk and everything just looks too clean to be a real city.
But none of that ruins my enjoyment of the film--I just roll with it and I wouldn't sit and point it out to someone with whom I was watching the movie.
I think the rear projection, the painted backdrops and such are all part of what gives old movies their own aesthetic and makes them enjoyable to watch.
-
3
-
-
22 hours ago, misswonderly3 said:
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, 1941 version
Guess I'm one of those people who still watches movies aired on TCM in real time. So I just watched this film, which was aired in what's normally the Noir Alley time slot (which I will miss, but we get it back in March.) I'd seen it once before, years ago, but this time 'round I liked it even more than that first viewing.
This Victor Fleming -directed version of the Robert Louis Stevenson tale is probably the best. I love the cinematography, all those noirish scenes of rain-swept Victorian alleys with gas lights burning, wrought-iron fences (which, by the way, Spencer Tracy keeps leaping over, quite nimbly), the recreation of that time and place, 19th -century London, so well done. I also really enjoy all the actors in this version. I used to be not the biggest fan of Spencer Tracy, but I'm slowly changing my mind. And as the dual character(s) of the respected Dr. Jekyll and the sadistic Mr. Hyde, Tracy nails it. I also really like Donald Crisp. I've always liked him, he's an actor who somehow conveys decency no matter what role he's playing. There's a dignity about him that shines through in everything I've seen him in, even when he's playing an unsympathetic character. In this film he plays the father of Beatrix, the girl Dr. Jekyll's engaged to. This somewhat thankless role goes to Lana Turner. I say "thankless" because, of the two female leads, her character is far less interesting than Ingrid Bergman's as the tormented victim of Hyde's lust and brutality.
It's not really fair to compare these two actresses, I suppose. But I've never really taken to Lana Turner, I'm not sure why. I like her well enough, and she's certainly been in some fine films, and done well. But when you compare her to Ingrid Bergman, who plays the unfortunate "Ivy", Turner literally pales by contrast. It's not altogether Lana's fault; she's cast to play the "good" girl, in love with Jekyll, upper class, obedient, long-suffering, sweet, but rather dull. That is, she's dull when compared to Ivy's character. If I had to put it in a few words, I'd say that Lana Turner often seems "prissy" to me, and she certainly is in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, whereas Ingrid always seems warm and human. Lana Turner is lovely, but in a waxwork lovely kind of way, where Ingrid Bergman always radiates warmth. Every role I've ever seen Ingrid Bergman in has this quality. She's luminously beautiful. Remember how touching and vulnerable she is in Casablanca and Notorious, as well as beautiful. She brings this same quality to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
I don't know why I'm going on so about these two actresses, I sound like one of those guys here who are always opinionating about women's looks, something I dislike. And I'm a hetero woman. But I've always thought that about Ingrid Bergman, and this seemed as good a time as any to say it.
Anyway, the film has more to offer than the two beautiful actresses. It's an interesting interpretation of the Stevenson novel, emphasizing the conflict in Jekyll's psyche over the more lurid aspects of the story. I love the special effect they use when Tracy transitions from one of his characters to the other; I know it would be done much differently now, with CGI. But I think the way they showed Tracy's metamorphosizing from his "good self" to his "evil self" and back has an almost dream-like quality which works.
The one other thing that really struck me, watching this 1941 film, is how relevant in some ways its premise still is today. The conversation the doctor has with his friends and fellow scientists at the dinner party he attends, near the film's beginning, centres around the danger of messing with nature (reminiscent of the conversations in "Frankenstein"), and the folly of unleashing forces which humans may not be able to control. Sounds like a conversation one might have today.
21 hours ago, TomJH said:Thanks for the thoughtful review, Miss W. While the Tracy version of Stevenson's novella is not my favourite screen adaption (I find the Rouben Mamoulian-Fredric March version more exciting and bolder as far as sexuality is concerned, being done in the pre Code period; I'm also partial to the Jack Palance take, a Canadian production, from the late '60s), the 1941 MGM version is interesting, mostly for Ingrid Bergman being cast against type as Ivy.
I happened to catch the ending today and laughed a little when I saw the surprised look on Ian Hunter's face when he saw Tracy transform from Mr. Hyde to Dr. Jekyll. I mean, come on, Tracy's Mr Hyde looks like Tracy's Dr. Jekyll on a rough day with his hair messed up and a bit of a hangover. Did Hunter really not have a clue that one could be the other (unlike the Mr. Hydes in the March and Palance versions which bore no physical resemblance to their Jekyll counterparts).
You made reference to Tracy's nimbleness in leaping over wrought iron fences in the film, MissW. We might also give a little credit to the actor's stunt doubles in those same scenes, as well. I was struck (to my eyes, at least) by the obviousness of the doubling in any of the action scenes in the film's latter part. Spotting stunt doubles like that always take me a little bit out of the scene for a moment, even if I appreciate the skill of the stunt men involved.
I loved the 1931 version of this film with Fredric March and Miriam Hopkins. I thought it was fantastic. When I saw the 1941 version, it definitely lacked the grittiness and sleaziness of the precode version. I was turned off by Spencer Tracy's hammy performance. Though honestly, Tracy isn't among my favorite actors. I just don't see what's so special about him. I did agree that Ingrid Bergman was an interesting casting choice for Ivy, the prostitute. I loved Miriam Hopkins' performance in the precode version. She brought a certain vulgarity and sleaziness to the role. Bergman's performance was a more highclass take on the character.
I do agree with Miss Wonderly's assessment of Lana Turner. I don't dislike her, she's good in some of the films of hers that I've seen like The Postman Always Rings Twice, and Imitation of Life. But she does come across as stiff at times. While Lana is touted as one of the all-time great Hollywood beauties, I find her to have a very generic brand of pretty. She is beautiful, but there's nothing remarkable about her. I think someone, like Barbara Stanwyck, who is not usually remembered for being a great beauty, is very pretty because she has a unique look and I like the types of characters she plays. Even someone like Marilyn Monroe, who has a similar appearance to Lana, I think is pretty pretty because she brings a level of charm about her that I think Lana lacks. I have this theory (and yes, I know that it's not true) that all the NFL QBs are married to the same average height, thin, buxom, blonde woman. Lana reminds me of that woman.
Maybe I need to give the 1941 version another chance?
-
1
-
-
2 hours ago, TikiSoo said:
Annoying. I especially agree with that last sentence- I want to be caught up in a film-at least when seeing it the first time.
Except the movie I just watched STAR 80 (1983)
This is the story of model Dorothy Stratton who was murdered by her husband in 1980. I was the same age as Stratton when she died and wanted to know more details of her story since I was too busy at the time to watch the news.
Mariel Hemingway (also the same age at the time) plays Dorothy. Hemingway absolutely embodied the innocence & charm of Stratton, although some might feel her performance was a bit flat or wooden. With that soft sweet face & voice, I felt the character was underplayed, evoking a shy and unassuming young girl. Talented Eric Roberts plays her "pimp" husband to perfection-boy, is he slimy!
Since Stratton was a model -a Playboy centerfold- there are many beautiful stills and scenes with Hemingway bare breasted and in suggestive poses. I don't think it's any spoiler saying there is also graphic sex & violence in the last 5 minutes that was uncomfortable for me to watch. Just a warning for those who have a tough time with that sort of thing like I do.
The 2 leads are excellent but the standout for me was the direction (Bob Fosse) & editing. Very emotional, artistic and clever all evoking the feeling you're a voyeur watching real life and flashbacks. Sordid real life. Painful. I won't ever watch this again.
I watched this last year (?) I think when TCM honored Carroll Baker with a SUTS day. I'd heard about this movie, and loving true crime, and being familiar with the sad demise of Miss Stratten, I wanted to see this film. I agree with everything that you've written above. Eric Roberts as Dorothy's husband was so gross and reprehensible.
Since I knew what happened to Dorothy, I wasn't anticipating a happy ending. I agree with the voyeurism aspect. The film had somewhat of a dreamlike quality--which juxtaposed with the action of the film made it very uncomfortable.
Like Looking For Mr. Goodbar, I will never watch this film again. I don't think there is anything else that I could get out of it.
-
1
-
-
2 hours ago, TikiSoo said:
Heh I saw my first one catching up on a TCM recording of a few months ago. I found it pretentious & annoying.
BUT.....I did like the idea of drinking red wine & popcorn with parmesan and basil while watching a movie.
I could just taste the combination- I must be "pretentious" too. 😕
I think red wine w/ popcorn sprinkled with parmesan and basil sounds good too!
Wine really can be enhanced by pairing it with the right foods. I'm a member at a Wine Club (5 minutes from my house!) where you can bring your own food to eat while you drink wine. I will usually bring small croissant sandwiches and then 2-3 cheeses like: cheddar (specifically Tillamook Extra Sharp in the black wrapper. Mmmm), havarti, gouda, goat, or brie. Then I'll bring some type of "entertaining cracker" (as they're called), I like the everything ones. I like to make little sandwiches of the cracker, brie, fig jam, and a slice of pear. Mmm. Then usually a baggie full of cheddar Goldfish crackers, and some fruit like cantaloupe. Then you have to have the darkest chocolate you can manage (I have a pretty high bitter tolerance). All of these things come together to make a fun (and delicious) wine tasting experience--or just a nice lunch out. A lunch and a complimentary glass of wine 🙂
-
I think 567 is "Boy Did I Get the Wrong Number" with Bob Hope and Phyllis Diller.
-
1
-
-
On 2/1/2020 at 6:03 AM, Polly of the Precodes said:
In the beginning scenes, Stanwyck's father was clearly pimping her. She may have chosen to lean in to that line of work, but life wasn't offering her much better alternatives.
There’s also the point that is mentioned a couple times in the film that Stanwyck has spent her life being used and discarded by men. Now, as an adult woman on her own, she’s able to take back her power and opts to use and discard men like they did to her. Stanwyck probably didn’t have any opportunity to learn any marketable skills, so she had to use what she knew to get ahead in the world.
-
I think 551 might be “Vivacious Lady” with Ginger Rogers and James Stewart.
-
1
-
-
3 hours ago, hamradio said:
Or "What He Do For a Klondike Bar"
That is terrifying.
-
3 hours ago, JamesStewartFan95 said:
What She Did for a Klondike Bar?
A woman in the advertising business (Jane Wyman) tests the limits of the famous advertising slogan by embarking on a series of affairs despite her better judgment.
Also stars: Keenan Wynn, Joan Crawford, Jack Carson, Miriam Hopkins, Tony Randall, Alan Hale Jr., Doris Lloyd and Marjorie Main
The slogan actually originated in the 1980’s, but it makes for a catchy title.
Along those lines...
Where's the Beef?
This is a Mystery Western where a big-time rancher's prize winning cattle goes missing. The theft of her cattle is the latest in a string of bovine robberies. The film features Barbara Stanwyck as the rancher. Errol Flynn co-stars as the handsome neighboring rancher who wants to help Babs find her cattle as he fears that his cattle are next. Peter Lorre co-stars as a mysterious townperson whose odd behavior makes him a prime suspect. Wendell Corey provides support as Barbara's current boyfriend who works as a businessman in the big city. He feebly tries to help his girlfriend recover her livestock, but fails miserably. He also worries about the amount of time his girlfriend is spending with her handsome neighbor and fears that Flynn will steal his lady's heart.
-
1
-
-
Just now, LawrenceA said:
Deathsport is the inferior follow-up to Death Race 2000 (1974). It's a fairly humdrum car-crash exploitation flick indicative of the late 70's trend. It does feature David Carradine, B-movie queen Claudia Jennings, and creepy Richard Lynch, so there's that.
Cherry 2000 used to show up on HBO a lot in the 80's. Melanie Griffith co-stars, before she became a big-name star thanks to Working Girl the following year. Male lead David Andrews showed up in a lot of TV and movies, but never quite cracked the big time. The movie's not awful, and it does have a minor cult following, but I wouldn't rank it as a favorite myself. Appearances by Larry Fishburne, Harry Carey Jr., Brion James, and Ben Johnson are appreciated.
I thought that was Molly Ringwald at first and was confused that I didn't remember that film.
-
Based on Lawrence's list, I have seen #538 The Out of Towners.
I think #534 is the 1951 version of Show Boat with Howard Keel and Kathryn Grayson. I've seen part of that film.
-
1
-
Have you seen these 10 classic films..?
in General Discussions
Posted
I've seen 583 The Man Who Came to Dinner; 586 West Side Story; 590 Batman Returns. As much as I love Lucy, I'm kind of afraid to watch Mame. I heard how miscast she was and I don't want to see her in a bad performance. Lol. I should watch it though, just to be a Lucille Ball completist.