[Noir Alley]

7 minutes ago, cigarjoe said:

Odds Against Tomorrow, 

Noir, then and Now

Then (1958-9) - New York Central RS-3 Alco Diesel Switcher rolling North through the 7th & Warren St. intersection, Hudson, NY

Now, I took this December 21, 2018 a CXS SD40-2 (EMD) going South through same intersection.

they removed the stop lights, rail road crossing gates, and the old bus terminal is a store but everything else is essentially the same.

All these decades later and there are still poles with wires. 

[Cloris Leachman, 1926-2021]

On 2/2/2021 at 5:14 PM, Hibi said:

I sent in a complaint. Will share here if I ever get an answer. Am sure it will be the standard B.S.

And you wonder why the programmer didn't get back to you?

 

[A Paramount film you'd like to see on TCM]

8 hours ago, TopBilled said:

I've been curious about SALTY O'ROURKE.

THE REMARKABLE ANDREW used to air on the old AMC. It's pleasant enough and features William Holden near the beginning of his career.

I'm a big fan of Salty O'Rourke.   The cast is good with Alan Ladd,  Gail Russell,  William Demarest,  and Stanley Clements,  Spring Byington,  and Bruce Cabot.

Good balance of tension (related to gangster Cabot), romance and comedy (mostly by Demarest similar to how he supported Bogie in All Through the Night).      Stanley Clements really makes an impact as a young man that falls for teacher Gail Russell  (of course Clements is no match for Ladd in the romance department).

   

[What Are You Listening To?]

12 hours ago, LuckyDan said:

Recorded at Sun Studios in late 1987, with the Memphis Horns, U2's tribute to Billie Holiday.

Not sure why Bono has a guitar, unless he just liked wearing it while he sang. Maybe to be like Elvis. Doesn't seem to be audible.

It can help with ones timing as a singer to play rhythm guitar.    But that is just for me;   My guess is that Bono wants to be like Elvis (ha ha).

   

[John Garfield as SOTM February 2021]

1 hour ago, BingFan said:

I really enjoyed re-watching Humoresque last week.   I admire John Garfield more and more, each time I see him. 

Does anyone know whether the original soundtrack, featuring Isaac Stern and Oscar Levant, is available on CD?

I have the excellent partial recreation of the soundtrack music by Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, which I'd highly recommend.  But I'd really like to hear the original music from the actual film, if it's available.

Humoresque is one of my favorite films.   I played violin as a child and up until Jr. High so I relate to the parts of how his parents viewed him as a musician (but luckily I didn't meet any dames like Joan!).

There is CD available:

[JOAN BENNETT for SOTM THIS CENTURY]

42 minutes ago, TopBilled said:

Nice grouping of Joan Bennett films, James.

I would add two horror films under the "dark side" sub-theme-- HOUSE OF DARK SHADOWS (1970) and SUSPIRIA (1977) which are both classics.

A precode that TCM has shown before is ME AND MY GAL (1932) which was an early picture she made with Spencer Tracy at Fox. They also did SHE WANTED A MILLIONAIRE (1932) but that one has never aired.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_I_Married

I really love THE MAN I MARRIED (1940) so that's one I'd definitely include. It's a good example of pre-war propaganda from 20th Century Fox. Francis Lederer plays a German-born American who gets drawn into the Nazi party when he and his wife (Bennett) visit his relatives in Germany. They have a young boy and she is afraid their son will end up being a Nazi too. Maria Ouspenskaya has a supporting role and so do Otto Kruger and Lloyd Nolan. It's basically a "B" film but is a cut above, thanks to Bennett's performance. It also features Anna Sten, whom I always enjoy watching despite the fact she never became a bonafide star in Hollywood.

THE MAN I MARRIED is currently on YouTube.

You mention some very good films I didn't include.   Looks like Joan needs to be featured in a month where she can get 5 days instead of just 4.

 

[JOAN BENNETT for SOTM THIS CENTURY]

On 12/10/2020 at 7:44 PM, jamesjazzguitar said:

Here is my proposed Joan Bennet SOTM 4 day line-up;    

Week One - Pre-Code Joan:

Hush Money

Careless Lady

Week Ends Only

Wild  Girl

Arizona To Broadway

Little Women

The Pursuit of Happiness

Week Two -  Dark Side of Joan

The Women in the Window

Scarlet Street

The Women on the Beach

Secret Beyond the Door

Hollow Triumph 

The Reckless Moment

Highway Dragnet

Week Three - Mother Joan

Farther of the Bride

Father's Little Dividend

We're No Angels

There's Always Tomorrow

For Heaven's Sake

Week Four - Misc

Big Brown Eyes

Man Hunt

The Son of Monte Cristo

Trade Winds

She Knew All The Answers

The Macomber Affair

The Man Who Reclaimed His Head

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JOAN BENNETT for SOTM THIS CENTURY]

35 minutes ago, TopBilled said:

I thought I would ask what people would schedule for Joan Bennett.

Let's say there are four nights.

Night 1: Precodes

Night 2: Noir & Horror

Night 3: Comedies

Night 4: Romance Dramas

I posted a similar type set of four nights a while back (with the actual movies I wished to see).

The only difference is that I had a "as a mother" night,  since later in her career (like a lot of actresses)  Joan played a mother in some very good movies.

 

[Disappointed changes]

1 hour ago, Michael David Myers said:

In as much as new information is presented before and after the Movies, I find the repeated “commercials “...those selling wine and other TCM products distracting from my enjoyment of the movies.  I find myself changing channels now after the changes took place.

How many times must we see the same “commercials?”  How many times will the same video about Noir and the way hats are worn?

 I do not like the changes where we do not know the exact time when the next three movies will be viewed.

Overall the bottom line is there is less time devoted to experiencing movies and more time talking about the movies.

 I like seeing some of the same actors in a series of movies, if I like the actor or actress but not for days.

Native Son was on twice within 24 hours; other movies seem to be repeated in close proximity which is also annoying.

On a positive note, I suggest you develop interest facts about the music played in the movies.

Thanks for your consideration.

Michael David Myers

So you change channels.   AND what do you find?   Actual commercials.   Right? 

I.e.  what other movie network shows studio-era films with only a few minutes per hour dedicated to commercials? 

That would be none.    Also since stations like to start programming on the hour \ half-hour,  they have time.

Yea I wished they showed shorts or other type of movie related programming instead of those TCM commercials,  but  again, it still is only a few minutes per hour.

 

[Publisher cancels Woody Allen memoir amid backlash]

1 hour ago, GGGGerald said:

Woody's a filmmaker, make his own documentary, telling his side of the story.

Uh,   no media outlet would show it and no company would distribute it to be shown in theaters.     

[Publisher cancels Woody Allen memoir amid backlash]

1 hour ago, Hibi said:

Well, didn't he? You don't think someone off the street would've achieved the same result??? You've got some nerve talking about ARROGANCE. Forgive me, I forgot you're a GENIUS!

It doesn't take any nerve to see blatant arrogance when someone writes "actual truth will never be known" and then follows that with "but it's obvious to me".

Just own your POV;   you believe we do know the actual truth, AND,   that truth is obvious to you.

 

I clearly said multiple times:  I have no idea what happened or didn't happen.   NO clue.  NO opinion.  

[Clips of my favorite scenes]

On 2/5/2021 at 5:29 PM, LuckyDan said:

Yes. 

In my version, she's gonna pop his sorry butt, then sit down and sing.

Mitchum has a great voice so in my version they sing a duet and when Bob gets really into it and  is distracted,,,,,  she pops him!

 

[I Just Watched...]

2 hours ago, Lori Ann said:

Gotcha!  Thanks.  What I saw was "Tintorera".  Maybe I should have recorded "Piranha" instead.

Lori

Yea, this is all very confusing since both films were released in 1977 and the Italian and Spanish titles are very similar.   

[I Just Watched...]

2 minutes ago, Lori Ann said:

I don't fully understand this sentence.  What does John Huston have to do with "Tintorera"?  He wasn't in the movie.  Or are you just talking about 2 movies he did?  Actually, I didn't know a single name in the cast.

Lori

Tentacles (Italian title: Tentacoli) is a 1977 Italian-American horror film directed by Ovidio G. Assonitis and starring John Huston, Shelley Winters, Bo Hopkins and Henry Fonda

Tintorera is a 1977 Mexican-British^[1][2] horror film directed by René Cardona Jr. and starring Susan George, Hugo Stiglitz, Fiona Lewis and Andrés García

[Publisher cancels Woody Allen memoir amid backlash]

1 hour ago, Hibi said:

You would know.

Coming from someone that would make this type of arrogant asinine statement: "What the actual truth is will never be known, but it's obvious to me, Allen used his celebrity to beat the system".

[JOAN BENNETT for SOTM THIS CENTURY]

54 minutes ago, TopBilled said:

Which film is this shot taken from...?

1941  - Confirm or Deny.

 

[What Are You Listening To?]

 

[Betty Hutton musicals]

The Fleet is In is a must-see for Hutton fans:

 

[Winter Under the Stars]

My Favorite Betty Hutton film is The Fleet's In (1942) with Dorothy Lamour,  and William Holden.

This was Hutton firm major film and I tend to enjoy films she is in where isn't is the lead.   

PS:  Saw Hutton in a 50s Gunsmoke.    At first I believed it was Alice Faye.   Anyhow,  Hutton was good as a getting-older entertainer out to get Matt for the death of her brother. 

Here is one of the best moments of the film:

 

 

[Noir Alley]

6 minutes ago, Thompson said:

The film following was Trouble in Paradise. It struck me right off that Patricia Highsmith  kinda borrowed from the protagonist to create Ripley. The film next week, Odds Against Tomorrow, listen to the score.

Odds Against Tomorrow is a fine film and for me the last from the core film noir era.    Yea,  some fine jazz music in the film is a bonus.  especially for me!

(i.e.  the story, and first rate acting would have been enough,  but the jazz scenes and film score make this one of my favorite noirs).

 

[Publisher cancels Woody Allen memoir amid backlash]

L.A. Times columnist Robin Abcarian Sunday article is:   "Is your mind made up about Woody Allen?".  

It goes on to mention the HBO docuseries "Allen v Farrow";  Her basic point is that if you watch this and are not convinced Allen molested Dylan,   well,,,,   something is wrong with you.     She also says that she used to be "taken" with the Allen film Manhattan,  but now "all I feel is deep discomfort and disgust".    

I took this as more messaging:   You not only have to believe Allen is guilty,  but if you enjoy any of his work,  ,,well,,,  something is wrong with you.

 My POV:  I don't know what happened and I don't really care as it relates to how I view Allen's work.    

 

[Saddle Pals and Sidekicks: Favorite Western Supporting Players]

25 minutes ago, KidChaplin said:

I really like Andy Devine. His raspy high voice and the way he carries himself is part of the main reasons I watch Liberty Valance and Stagecoach. 

Have you seen 1940's Torrid Zone?   This is a James Cagney \ Pat O'Brien film,  with Ann Sheridan (her best work IMO) and Andy Devine as a sidekick for the Cagney character.

The film is an adventure comedy leaning more towards the comedy.

 

[Aging out of a role]

Warner Baxter was getting to be too old to chase and fight criminals in the late 40s with the Crime Doctor serial.  

He was having health issues when he made the last one,  The Crime Doctor's Diary in 1949,  and passed at the age of 62,  3 years later.

 

[Your Favorite Film Of These Directors]

1. Henry Hathaway  --  Kiss of Death

2. George Seaton  --  The Shocking Miss Pilgrim

3. Delbert Mann  --  Mister Buddwing

4. Frank Perry  --  The Swimmer

5. Guy Hamilton  --  A Touch of Larceny

6. Ingmar Bergman  -- Secrets of Women

7. Tim Burton  --  Ed Wood

8. Robert Altman  -- The Long Goodbye

9. Vincente Minnelli  --  The Bad and the Beautiful

10. Sam Peckinpah  --  Ride the High Country.

 

[Winter Under the Stars]

2 minutes ago, TopBilled said:

Our eighth precode star is 

DAVID MANNERS

He was featured in DRACULA (1931).

He costarred alongside Barbara Stanwyck in THE MIRACLE WOMAN (1931):

And he was the love interest in Katharine Hepburn's first film, A BILL OF DIVORCEMENT (1932):

Interesting that Manners decided to retire from film acting at the age of 36 and from all acting at 53.     This from Wiki:

Following his retirement from acting, Manners spent the remaining decades of his life pursuing his personal interests, including painting, writing, and studying philosophy. His reflections on philosophy were presented in Look Through: An Evidence of Self Discovery, published in 1971 by El Cariso Publications.