[Noir Alley]

2 minutes ago, Thompson said:

What does ageist mean?  I could comment on the stupid boots that Ben wears, so out of place, they stand out like a sore thumb.  Eddie is all this and that with his ensemble but it comes across as phony with the color coordinated silk handkerchief.  Then I’ll badmouth the redhead from Australia.  Yes, she should have worn pants and a blouse buttoned up high.

So you lack class in all areas and not just towards old people.      I'm teasing you,  but really that is how you're coming off IMO.

 

[Noir Alley]

I don't see much "noir" in The Glass Wall;   MOVIES-TV shows the film a lot.     Mostly the film is an immigration procedural.

Only 80 minutes it is worth seeing at least once.

 

[I Just Watched...]

59 minutes ago, Katie_G said:

Thanks for the feedback James.  I always enjoy your contributions.   

If I could ask a small favor - I recently learned that screencaps that are quoted cannot be deleted by myself, which count against my accumulated total allowed.  I'm always having to go back and delete older ones to make room for new, but I'm almost at the limit again.   The poster art I'm learning to link from other sources, so that's okay I think?

Wow,  didn't know there were such limits.   In the future I'll remove screencaps when using the quote feature and I'll edit the one above.

 

 

[I Just Watched...]

1 hour ago, Katie_G said:

 

I'm a big fan of Robert Mitchum, who made this B-movie as kind of a family project, but unfortunately it also underscores his limitations when left to his own devices.  He plays "Luke Doolin", a moonshine runner in a family business with his look-alike son James as his kid brother. James' acting is about what I expected of a 17 year old, but singer Keely Smith (oddly miscast as Luke's girlfriend) makes James seem like Laurence Olivier.  Also onboard is Sandra Knight, who later married Jack Nicholson, and Gene Barry as a federal agent....

The best parts are the car chases but they're few and far between. Luke has a series of valves in his rear bumper that can dump oil on the road when being chased, or the entire tank of alcohol if all else fails. This was pretty cool, but when two Feds lose control and die in a crash Luke is hauled in for questioning. He's less than cooperative and is cut loose.

With a far-away look in her eyes, Keely breaks into song while they're out having a drink.

Considered a cult classic, but probably more because of Mitchum's anti-establishment rep and cool demeanor rather than a good film. 6.5/10

Nice take on this film.    Keely wasn't  an actress and it shows!     The part was a small part and the producers had  a limited budget but the film would have been so much better if Jane Russell was cast.      The screenplay should have played up the gang boss and his henchman angle and  reduced the  role of the Feds making the film more gritty and less police procedural. 

Mitchum's screen persona was a great fit for the character and as you note he carries the film.        I also dig the bluegrass instrumental music.   Pre-David-Grisman!

 

 

[What Are You Watching Now?]

I watched the 1948 version last night;

 

[Actor name?]

1 hour ago, JohnnyroccoC said:

https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/208246|63339/Grant-Withers#overview

Anthony George:  

[What movie would you live in?]

1 hour ago, Sepiatone said:

The New York City of THE SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS. 

Being in NYC during the 50s just for the jazz clubs,   like the one featured in the film,  would be great but I think I would rather visit the place instead of living there on a full time basis.

 

[Death Takes No Holiday -- The Obituary Thread]

Jazz bass master George Mraz passed on 9\16:  He plays bass on this Zoot Sims album.

 

[What Are You Listening To?]

45 minutes ago, SweetSue said:

3 Dog is definitely one of those bands that just lifts my spirits immediately. Did they ever make a song that was "bad"?

I would have to ask this  guy:

[Your Favorite Film Of These Classic Horror Stars]

3 minutes ago, Sepiatone said:

So, you wouldn't take literally a thread titled "You favorite films of these classic Western stars?"    Or "....classic silent comedy stars?"  

And knowing you, this reply is probably going to be taken out of context.   

Sepiatone

If the title only said  that,   I would assume that the favorite film would be one where the actor had a major role within the genre.  Thus,  I agree with you.  Oh, my,  what has the world come to.

It was that separate comment that made me select films outside of the genre.   It doesn't necessarily have to be a horror film.

(but if one of your points is that separate comment added more confusion instead of clarity,   I can dig that as well).

 

 

[Help finding movie title]

3 hours ago, DougieB said:

I'm officially giving up. A musical shown on TCM late night in July, possibly 1950's, possibly Tom Drake, about a movie producer and a wardrobe designer. Two others I briefly considered from the July listings were The Opposite Sex, in which a theatrical producer has an extramarital affair with a chorus girl and Everything I Have Is Yours, about a dancer who takes on a new partner in his show when his wife becomes pregnant. Both are showbizzy in theme and both have musical and dance numbers but neither fits your description. I'm out, but good luck.

Yea,  I looked at every Tom Drake movie and I don't think it was  one he was  in,  so I'm calling it a day as well.

Hopefully LavenderBlue comes to the recuse.     She is great at this and might be the only hope left (ha  ha).

 

[I Just Watched...]

 Watched Susan and God (1940)  last night.     First time I have seen this Joan Crawford and Fredric March film.   Also has a not-very-experienced Rita Hayworth (clearly the weakest actor in the cast),   and Ruth Hussey,   Rose Hobart,  Nigel Bruce (as Rita's old-man husband),  Bruce Cabot, and John Carrol.

I don't recall ever seeing Joan Crawford this animated.    She talks, and talks, and talks.     The film (based on a play by Rachel Crothers) was witty and funny,  with some very brief sad moments mostly due to the main couple having a teen child that had been ignored by her selfish parents.

My wife really loved the fashion in the film and I have to say all the gals looked  nice,  especially Crawford and Hussey.   Hayworth wasn't "Rita" yet and thus didn't stand-out as much as the others.    Wasn't planning on watching this (it started at 11:00 PM),  but once we started we couldn't turn it off so we stayed up until 1!

Below is the gown that my wife loved the most but there were many others;

 

[NEW LOW?]

It is clear these spots of the 5 host bantering are a type of "welcome to TCM,, here are our hosts" PR campaign.   I wonder if it is  "working"?

I.e.  are there enough new viewers that welcome these because they are new to TCM and are not familiar with the hosts and the overall TCM brand?

I hope so.   Otherwise why annoy your core audience.

 

[Your Favorite Film Of These Classic Horror Stars]

14 minutes ago, Det Jim McLeod said:

I agree about M, it was also in the running for my favorite Lorre, but I prefer Arsenic And Old Lace just by a hair. I never found his performance embarrassing schtick. it was a great character, a sort of steadying influence on his homicidal friend Raymond Massey. 

For me the all of the performances in Arsenic and Old Lace are "schtick" with the exception of Priscilla Lane,    but in a very funny and good way.   

This is one over-the-top film that works due to the fine acting and very witty screenplay.       

[NEW LOW?]

26 minutes ago, brianNH said:

James.... , I'm glad someone else saw "Seven Thieves"  on the MoviesTV channel.  It started out with some promise, but after a little while just lacked the hip cool of Ocean's Eleven, or the plot intrigue of some similar movies of that time.  The cast was terrific, I thought.  Maybe it was the plodding of the pace that did them in.

But it was a movie I'd never seen before -- nor even heard of,  really!  All in all, I wouldn't classify it as a  flop, just not that engaging.

By the way, I don't recall anyone drinking buttermilk on the Riviera -- or lait de beurre, for the Francophones (heh--heh!).   

We had a very similar experience.     I always check out what MOVIES-TV is  showing especially on Thursday and  Sunday (since those are their noir days) and once I saw this film was  one I had to check it out.    As for buttermilk on the Riviera;  Yea,  I've been there a few times and I recommend wine over milk!

 

[Alan Hale, Character Actor Support Par Excellence]

4 hours ago, TomJH said:

I watched The Time, The Place and the Girl (1946), one of those trifle Warner Bros. Technicolor musicals in which a likable cast (Dennis Morgan, Jack Carson, Janis Paige, Martha Vickers) is saddled with mediocre material. If you never see the film you won't have missed much.

Alan Hale and S. Z. Sakall, who didn't like working with one another, are both in the supporting cast. Sakall has a far larger role, while Hale, I'm sorry to say, is largely thrown away in a small part (one of the curses of his later years at the studio). Hale complained about Sakall mangling the English language so much that it threw him off his cues. I believe there is one scene in which Sakall is speaking while Hale stands in the background not saying anything. They probably both preferred it that way.

I'm ready to be corrected on this but I think this might have been the only scene shared by these two character actors who couldn't stand one another.

Speaking of Janis Paige - tomorrow  (September 16th) is her birthday.

There is a thread for this.   Here birth names was Donna Mae Tjaden; 

[Dolores Jynson]

Funny but under the Alan Hale Sr. thread Janis Paige was being discussed because they were in the film The Time, The Place and  the Girl (1946).   

In this film Paige isn't "the Girl",  but instead Martha Vickers was,  since after her splash as Carmen in The Big Sleep Vickers was given a 3 picture deal by Warner Bros.

Paige was clearly the lead talent in this romantic musical,  but Vickers was stunning.

 

[NEW LOW?]

3 hours ago, Mr. Gorman said:

No, but JOAN COLLINS was. 

I saw Seven Thieves (1960) on MOVIES-TV Sunday night "noir".     It stars E.G. Robinson,  Robert  Steiger, Eli Wallach and Joan Collins.    

It was OK,  but nothing very special.   Still it was nice to see Robinson in such a role as a professor and thief who bonds with Steiger for one last big heist of a casino in Monaco.     

I don't recall any buttermilk,  but I missed the first part of the film.

Collins was in The Big Sleep "remake" with Mitchum,  but I don't see Bob being a buttermilk drinker!

 

[Alan Hale, Character Actor Support Par Excellence]

32 minutes ago, TomJH said:

I think you meant Alan Hale Sr.

However, Cagney and Alan Hale Jr. did work together on one occasion, in West Point Story. Since it was filmed the same year in which Hale's father died I suspect the two actors may have had a sentimental conversation or two about him.

 

They discussed Hale Sr,  and one thing Cagney said was that Hale didn't mug-to-the-camera and try to steal the scene like this guy:

[Your Favorite Film Of These Classic Horror Stars]

1 hour ago, Sepiatone said:

But, taking the thread title literally, I thought the question was which of the "horror" flicks these classic "horror"  stars made was. 

This  is  from the top post:  Name your favorite film of each one. It doesn't necessarily have to be a horror film since they didn't all do strictly horror movies.

Also nowhere in the title does it imply the films should be horror films;  the title just says "favorite-film-of-these-classic-horror-stars",   and not favorite-horror-films,,,,,.

This is  why many (like myself) have listed films like Casablanca,  Laura,  High Noon etc...

 But thinking about this I should have posted both  my favorite horror film and favorite film,  period:    E.g. With Vincent Price it would have been House of Wax and Laura.

[Noir Alley]

43 minutes ago, 37kitties said:

She was probably drunk the entire time.

It really was the opposite.    Most nights,  Rooney was out with his buddies drinking while Ava was waiting at home.    

[I Just Watched...]

1 hour ago, rosebette said:

It's also clear that Whale has a love for theater.  I've also noticed similarities in the humorous theater scenes, which mock the crudity of the actors and performances, to some of his focus on the "hams" in The Great Garrick.    

Good to see The Great Garrick (1937),  mentioned.    This Warner Bros.  film with Brian Aherne and Olivia DeHavilland is what I call an unknown gem.    Often the film only gets mentioned because it was  one of the first films Lana Turner was  in.     Olivia's natural beauty really shines in this film.   I love the early scene where she is reflected in a pond.  I can see the Whales magic in the film.  

 

  

 

[The Hustler Again?]

3 hours ago, Hibi said:

Did the male act differently after she died?

Very wise question and yes,  he did.   A lot different.   Now he sings and sings more so then he had ever did before.   He used to do this as a call to his mate,  and now that she was gone,  I assumed he was trying to call to her.    He also became a lot more affectionate to me.     He still is this way.     I was thinking about getting him another mate but the bird shop said at his age,  a young female cockatiel might not be accepted by him.      I guess older male birds are not like Cary Cooper was to Audrey Hepburn in Love in the Afternoon!

 

[Alan Hale, Character Actor Support Par Excellence]

The first film I saw that feature Alan Hale was Of Human Bondage (1934) since this was a Leslie Howard\Bette Davis film.    I then discovered that this was somewhat of a unique role for him,  in that he plays-it-straight.    Since Davis and Bogart were the actors that got me into studio-era films,  I started to watch a lot of Warner Bros films  and Hale keep showing up in film after film.    For me he was one of those actors that had a fairly routine screen persona,  but was also versatile. 

So many fine performances in first rate films,  and then once Errol Flynn showed what he could do in Captain Blood,  12 films with Errol (and of course WB Cagney and Bogart in between those films).

Edit:  I had only 8 films with Errol but Tom knows his stuff and it is 12. 

[Son of the Gods (1930) Intro/Outro by Robert Osborne]

I really wonder how Osborne would view what TCM is doing now.     Would he feel that due to changing demographics and the overall US culture that what is going on now is "necessary"?      Would he think that due to the current US political situation (yes, the results of the 2016 election),   that TCM had to do something?  

While I doubt it,  I still wonder.