ValentineXavier

As I recall, in one post when you pointed out that a director was Canadian, I listed some of my favorite Canadian directors, including Maddin. Back a few pages in the "Lists" thread, I listed my favorite US and Canadian directors. I know there was one Canadian director I was forgetting. I hoped you would come back with the names of some more. Alas, I guess you were away from the board then.

> {quote:title=FredCDobbs wrote:}{quote} > and it's called the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and Engraving?. > I guess it was named by The Department of Redundancy Department.

To me, part of the fun of a good mystery is trying to figure out "who dun-it," which necessitates paying attention to details. This film doesn't really function on that level - it just reveals the bad guy, with insufficient clues before you meet him, IMO. But that's okay, I can still enjoy the film, even if some of the details are a bit off.

It seemed to me like Gomez was trying to goad Tone into action right there, turning his back to give him the opportunity. Even if he was setting Ella up as bait, that would hardly be the first time the heroine was deliberately used as bait for the baddie in a noir. But, I think they just wanted us to think that, deliberately setting up a red herring.

> {quote:title=fxreyman wrote:}{quote} > Ten films with hanging scenes............. > *The Ruling Class*, assuming that wearing a tutu doesn't invalidate the hanging...

Might include *The Abominable Dr. Phibes*.

Well, I like Claude Rains, but I'll take Olivia de Havilland over him any day. But then, I'm a guy.

> {quote:title=misswonderly wrote:}{quote} > Was that a "band camp" experience? > > (you'd have to be familiar with dumb teen sex movies to get the reference...) I get it. I was banned from camp when I was a teen...

Plastic Surgery: *Dark Passage*

> {quote:title=misswonderly wrote:}{quote} The "hat" aspect, for one thing; do you remember how the mystery lady, on her mystery date with Alan Curtis, exlaimed when she saw the performer on stage wearing the same hat? She exclaimed "MY Hat !" , as though she was surprised, even though, as we find out later, she had had the hat commissioned to be duplicated for herself, presumeable after having already seen it previously in the same show. She asked the hatmaker to make a copy of the singer's unusual hat, hence why the surprise when she saw it on stage? > Actually, I'd bet that the 'Phantom Lady' saw the hat at the hat maker's shop. Remember, they said that she was a regular customer, so she probably saw it in the shop. Having asked for a duplicate, she might have known who the original was made for, and you might wonder why she would wear it where it could be seen by the person who commissioned the original. But, she was in such a state of shock, it wouldn't have mattered to her, if it even occurred to her. > But what I really wondered about in *Phantom Lady* was the pivotal point upon which the whole plot hinged: the need to find the mystery lady, or at least a witness who would attest that they saw her, for Alan Curtis' alibi? But why? Her testimony should have been unnecessary, since both the bartender and the cab driver readily agreed that they had seen the Alan Curtis character himself. They could testify that they had seen him, the accused, shortly after 8pm, the supposed time of the murder; they did not deny that they'd seen him, therefore what did it matter whether the mystery lady was produced or not? > I agree with you. That did occur to me as I watched the film. To play devil's advocate, the cab driver was kind of non-committal about things, and the bar tender placed him in the bar shortly after 8pm, but I think they said that the murder was 8:30-9pm, so he still would have had time. He needed to prove that he was at the show, and the 'phantom lady' was the only one who could do it. I think that should have been made clearer in the film. Edited by: ValentineXavier on Jan 30, 2011 9:03 PM

What film is the second shot down from? I don't remember ever seeing her with long straight hair like that.

Earthworms.

> {quote:title=misswonderly wrote:}{quote} > the oft-screened and execrable *Dr. Zhivago*. I quite agree. In fact, I call it Dr. Zilchvago... I watched four noirs on Friday, *Lucky Jordan*, *The Phantom Lady*, *Christmas Holiday*, and *The Glass Key*. TGK was the cream of the crop. Alan Ladd, Brian Donlevy, Veronica Lake, and William Bendix. I think it has about the most brutal beating scene in it that I've ever seen, Ladd's character is very clever, and reserved, in atypical ways. It has a good twist ending. A real treat to see again, it's been a few years.

If you actually believe the BS you are spouting, I suggest you see a documentary film called *HairKutt*, about a heroin addict who wants to quit, and his friends try to help him go cold turkey. It is available on DVD.

So I'm NOT the only Guy Maddin fan on the forum!

*V for Vendetta* *The Shawshank Redemption*

> {quote:title=MissGoddess wrote:}{quote} > I thought for a minute Gomez was on to him in that dressing room scene, when he kept going on and on about "paranoiacs". I kept waiting for the sly sideways look that would give away Gomez's game, but he was really unaware. That fooled me. I thought the same thing, even though I'd seen it before, years ago. Fooled me, too. > > And I agree, those statues were frightening. One looked like a squashed Chuck Connors, and the other like an exaggerated Basil Rathbone. Probably the one you describe as a squashed Chuck Connors is one that I thought looked an awful lot like one in the original Star Trek series. In fact they all looked science-fictionish to me.

> {quote:title=Kinokima wrote:}{quote} > Captain Blood has Olivia & Basil but is missing Claude Rains > The Sea Hawk has Claude Rains but is missing Olivia and Basil > > How do I decide between them? Everything else about the movies are pretty much equal to me. *Captain Blood* is my favorite Flynn film, and my favorite swashbuckler, period. Flynn seems so fresh and energetic. It has loads of great character actors, like J. Carrol Naish, Guy Kibbie, Ross Alexander, Robert Barrat, and many more. I love many elements of the film, like the fact that Dr. Blood is suspected of being a revolutionary, and isn't, but becomes one, because of his treatment. I love his 'trial," where he is not allowed to produce witnesses, even though it is a capital case. To prove he is a doctor, he diagnoses the Lord who sits in judgment of him, thus making the judge a witness! I love the pirate compact, with its payments for the loss of various body parts. I love the two slave buying scenes, one where Blood is bought, and one where Arabella is 'bought,' and the sword fight that follows. I love the ubiquitous Rev. Ogle who regularly interjects bits of scripture, as a timely warning. I love the scene where Col. Bishop comes aboard the pirate ship, after Blood and his men have taken it. I could go on and on, but you get the idea. *Captain Blood* is so alive, and so much fun, and has sort of a seat-of-the-pants feel to it. *The Sea Hawk* is a fine film, but to me, pales by comparison. More of a historical epic, less fun. *The Adventures of Robin Hood* is doubtless one of the best swashbucklers of all time, and I love it, too. But, it is a lavish color spectacle, very produced, while *Captain Blood* is gritty, which I prefer. But, hey, there is no reason at all not to see all three. And, add *The Adventures of Don Juan*. Even though it isn't as great as the other three, it's still an enjoyable Flynn swashbuckler. Edited by: ValentineXavier on Jan 30, 2011 1:18 AM

> {quote:title=TikiSoo wrote:}{quote} > I was so happy to see a thread about Hale, my very favorite charactor actor. It seems Hale is in LOTS of pictures playing all sorts of different roles and believable in them all. I like the quality of himself he brings to these different roles, along with great humor. > Whatever the role, he always seemed to have such enthusiasm! I liked him in pretty much everything, but I think he was at his best with Flynn.

> {quote:title=kingrat wrote:}{quote} >. ValX mentioned how good Marynell Santacroce is as the landlady, a part expanded for the film. Credit where credit is due, it was Swithin who mentioned her. I would also mention Harry Dean Stanton, perfect to play Asa Hawks. I was born, and partly raised, in Oklahoma, which is pretty religious, but not exactly Southern. Although lots of the characters seem familiar sorts, I'd say that Hazel himself would have faced some physical resistance for what would have been called his sacrilegious behavior. His character doesn't seem in the least bit familiar to me, and that is part of his charm.

> {quote:title=mrroberts wrote:}{quote} > Whoever is responsible for this should have to spend some time with "Fatso" in the stockade. They should be assimilated by Borg-one.

Elisha's crazed drumming looks like an outtake from Reefer Madness, and Ella Raines is one of my faves - so glad to see this film on TCM again! One question - did anyone else notice that Ella followed up on all the witnesses, except the cab driver? They even state that there is no one else to be a witness, after two have died, and Estella has skipped town. I wonder if maybe they filmed a follow-up with the cabbie, and it got cut? Also, it seems to me that once the hat maker's assistant admitted to making a duplicate hat, and who it was sold to, the actual hat wasn't that important as evidence.

> {quote:title=finance wrote:}{quote} > Allow me to correct the oversight of having Sophia as the only non-American on my list by adding Elke Sommer. The oversight was yours. I had already mentioned Britt Ekland, Isabella Rosselini, Catherine Deneuve, Lupe Velez, Lena Olin, and Monica Bellucci. OOPPS! I missed that you said *YOUR* list. I thought you meant everyone's lists... so sorry! my fault. Edited by: ValentineXavier on Jan 29, 2011 11:12 PM

> {quote:title=soniquemd21921 wrote:}{quote} > I'm not homophobic at all, I'm just curious: why does Joan Crawford have such an enormous gay male following? Because she acted like a guy, a sensitive guy...

> {quote:title=MyFavoriteFilms wrote:}{quote} > Let's say you can choose from three to five titles, silent or sound, from any year except 2011. > > - A film that has great personal meaning to you *O, Lucky Man* 1973 Malcolm McDowell, Helen Mirren, great Alan Price soundtrack, directed by Lindsay Anderson > - A film that you think deserves a wider audience (either because it's obscure or not commercially available) Ken Russell's *The Devils*, recently restored, but WHV refuses to release it on DVD. Excruciatingly powerful film about the forces of religious dogma vs enlightenment. > - A film that is pure escapist entertainment, you just love it no matter how many times you've seen it Richard Lester's *Help*, starring the Beatles, and greats Leo McKern, and Eleanor Bron. > - A film that features your favorite artist in a standout role Robert Mitchum in Raoul Walsh's great 1949 film noir western, *Pursued*. > - A film that represents your favorite director's best work Fellini's *Juliet of the Spirits*, his first color film, my favorite, and IMO, his best.