JamesJazGuitar

Finance, you don't have a cell phone? My wife thinks I'm the only one in America that can afford a cell phone that doesn't have one. As soon as she gets home I'm telling her she is wrong! I'm the type that likes to control my communications. The last thing I want is people calling me when I'm not at home. But there are times a cell phone would of come in handy. e.g. I go to my friends house to jam and find out after I get there that the jam has moved to another friend's house. Yea, I'm planning on getting one, but the wife will tell you I have been saying this for years (and she would be right!).

Well I have to question the use of 'original intended format' as it relates to many B&W movies. Often B&W wasn't the intended (or desired format if you will), of the producer director, but instead chosen instead of color due to production cost. Of course with some film styles (e.g. noir films) B&W was the desired format, but if in the 30s - 50s making a color film had a cost similar to that of a B&W film my assumption is that there would of been mostly color movies from that era. I support what you say in your post especially the last point about younger viewers. But I don't see many of them seeking the original B&W version after seeing a colorized version. E.g. if one watched the colorized version of Casablanca I don't think they would get much 'value' out of seeing the original version (similar to why I don't seek out the colorized version of movies I have already seen and fell in love with).

Thanks for the info. Sounds like a book worth having mostly for those so called lesser-known WB stars since I don't have much reference material about them and I really enjoy stars like Farrell, Francis (who was really the WB star until Davis became big), Leslie, Smith, Parker and a gal that never gets enough credit Ann Sheridan. Note that the best book I have about actresses is called The Leading Ladies. It features Blondell, Davis, Stanwyck, Russell, Crawford, and DeHavilland. The book covers their personal lives as well as the movies they made in chronological order. It has a good amount of text and pictures. i.e. it covers each in a good amount of detail. Thus it is a balance between a book that only features a few pages per person and having to buy a book just for one star (which I do buy but only for those I really love).

I'm surprised that a book about the women (actresses) at WB would NOT feature Bette Davis on the cover (hard to tell who it is but it looks like Glenda Farrell), but of course there are already many books on Davis. Do you know if this book features the other (so called lesser known) WB actress? If it did I would find that interesting since I already have specific books about Davis, DeHavilland, and Lupino. Edited by: jamesjazzguitar on Mar 29, 2013 9:20 PM

Fred I know the term is used but as you say in your reply it is used in all the "middle Midwest, the Western Midwest, and the Southern Midwest,,,". I view terms like Midwest, East Coast,,, as actual geographic terms, but NOT heartland. Sorry but to me it is a term mostly used by arrogant people to brag about where they live. (often the same folks use the term 'true American'). Oh, and flyover country is a term similar to 'heartland'; a term used by those living on the coasts as an insult to those in the midwest and central USA. Again, I view neither term as valid geographic terms.

Jean Arthur is one of my favorite actresses. Great in comedy but also drama. I'll check this out. Oh, and why just a plaque? How about a petition to change the town's name to Arthurburgh or Arthurvile?

If you don't mind me asking a few questions: Would you have watched this films if they were not colorized? Assuming you have seen the B&W version do you enjoy the colorized version more? For the record my POV on the topic is that colorization just adds another option for viewers, but my personal peference is to watch the original version (but of course even without colorization there are often multiple so called original versions).

Yes, Cregar was a talent and his roles are memorable. Don't forget the cad he plays in This Gun For Hire.

Fred, I have to agree with Dargo as it relates to the made up land of 'heartland'. You mention various parts of the USA: "This is America, all of it.... East Coast, Midwest, South, Southwest, Heartland and West Coast". Yes, alll of those except "heartland" are parts of the USA. But what if I said I lived in the 'good people' land; This implies others that live somewhere else don't have as many 'good people'. There is no such place in America as the 'heartland' and when one uses the term it implies those in this made up land are somehow special and better than those NOT in this made up land. But I do agree with those that say one should avoid the use of a term like "true believer' in a forum like this.

The comment about the accordion reminds me of 'soft jazz'. Often this type of jazz has the melody being played in the background during the solos to assist the so called 'simple minded' with following the harmonic changes. This is also true with swing and big bang jazz (maybe not the entire melody but enough of it to make the music easier to follow). But of course many instruments, like drums, are used to assist the listener. e.g. people often get 'lost' when the only musicians are, say, a sax and a piano since they need more 'standard' musical structure. This was true for me when I first got into jazz but being a jazz musician one gets to the point of being able to 'follow the changes' (the harmonic progression), without the added 'stuff'. Anyhow, back to colorization; The post that inspired the comment did have an interesting point as it relates to colorization as it relates to the screenplay. i.e. that the screenplay is a key element to a movie. I interpreted that point as being 'hey, if it takes colorization to get people (typically younger ones), to watch a 'classic' black and white movie, and be exposed to a high quality screenplay (acting, vibe, etc..) then colorization serves a purpose. Of course I understand the alterative POV that it shouldn't take changes to the original product in order for it to be viewed by the 'simple minded'.

Well Heart isn't made up of 'all sisters' either, but only two sister. i.e. the rest of the band members are NOT related. Thus I fail to see the difference. (but what is it about the last name Wilson and sisters forming bands!).

How about the group started by the daughters of Brian Wilson; Wilson Philips, with Carnie and Wendy Wilson and Chynna Philips. Sold 12 million records and had 3 #1 singles. Edited by: jamesjazzguitar on Mar 28, 2013 1:12 PM

Well I like how Rebecca ended. To me the real end, as it relates to the plot is when it is discovered how Rebecca died and the Max wasn't the killer (as well as allowing the new Ms. DeWinters to be secure in the fact that Max wasn't madly in love with Rebecca). That is the end of the story. Danny is a minor character and just a loose end. Thus I'm fine with how the movie deals with her and I don't see where an extended ending with the burning of the house would of added to the story. Instead it would of distracted from the romantic part of the story (which is the heart of the movie in my view).

They Knew What They Wanted is the remaining 'must see' Lombard movie for me. (since I have seen all of her 'hits' and the vast majority of her other films). Here is hoping TCM shows it.

Very interesting take on the Philadelphia Story and the Stewart character. Yes the guy was indeed a smarmy d*ck but as played by Stewart one does have sympathy for the guy. i.e. if judged only on his actions there would be no sympathy but with Stewart and his type of corny playing of the role (similar to that in Mr. Smith), the character does manage to win people over. Compare this to the remake with Frank Sinatra. Frank's persona fits that of the character!

I wonder if the movie is Sante Fe Trail. Reagan plays the second male lead behind Flynn and they both are in love with the DeHaviland character.

I'm confused by the comments about the ending of Rebecca? Are you talking about the burning down of the mansion? What additional footage would you want to see? Now that 'grand finale' as it relates to the actual Rebecca was a let down since it was only cancer (e.g. that really was a bummer for the Sander's character since we get the feeling dying of an illness was somehow beneath a gal like Rebecca), but I didn't need to see the Anderson character burning to death to make the ending more enjoyable.

Did you read today's L.A. Times' Calendar story about Leno Fallon and the possible move to NYC? I only ask because the article uses the term 'heartland' a few times. e.g. it said, Leno's gets his biggest ratings in the 'heartland' (Midwest and Rocky Mountain region where his shows airs at 10:35). Underneath a picture of Fallon it says 'Jimmy Fallon would have to win the heartland'. So it does appear if it wasn't for the heartland Leno would of been replaced due to a lack of ratings but for Fallon to retain the job (if he gets it) he will have to get ratings close to what Leno gets there now.

Due to financial reasons around 2 decades ago I moved back in with my mom and her boyfriend and he was a big fan of Bogie and he controlled the remote. So I ended up watching those dang black and white movies. What do you know: I also ended up becoming a major studio era movie fan!

What I'm reading here is a sound take on why Weidler didn't have a productive late teen young adult career. Yes, "she was simply not able to compete with other ingenues of her day". She just didn't have the talents of, say, a Garland or Durbin or the looks of a Turner or Reed. But as you noted she might of been able to because a character actor, say in the mode of Eve Arden.

That is one funny picture. I hope they just took knit dolls they already had and then made the changes necessary to fit the film. But yea if they took the time to create these dolls and the bed just for the purpose of mimicking the movie; well, yea, they need to get a life!

Wow my take on TBG is the same as yours. I have always been a fan of Jeff Donnell and she always adds something even when the role is a minor one (which is often the case), and Ann Sothern still has some magic to her (not as much as she had in those 30s and 40s roles but still it is there). But yea, Conte is my least favorite character. But then I have never been much of a fan of his. i.e. in my view a second rate hard as knuckles type of guy.

Interesting that you mention Astaire since one of the first statements in the Wikipedia post on Judy is: Described by [Fred Astaire|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Astaire|Fred Astaire] as "the greatest entertainer who ever lived" I would say both Fred and Judy were "geniuses". I would add Bette Davis as a dramatic actress.

You're making the point I have been making about colorization; as long as the original is available all colorization is doing is giving consumers an additional choice option. But you will find many here feel colorization is offensive. i.e. an attack on the people that created the original content. I often find they have a similar feeling to the concept of a remake.

Manhattan Melodrama is a fine film and all three stars shine in it. I do find the ending somewhat weak but I understand why the story goes in that direction. Yes, TCM should show this movie more often.