JamesJazGuitar

Well I assume most people just have the TV turned on while having family or guest over for the holidays and thus most people are not really watching what is on the screen. So the joke is more on the sponsors. But yea, if someone really turned on NBC to watch It's A Wonderful Life as a solid movie experience, well, what they got was anything but. It must really be a bummer for those that have never seen the movie (but again I assume that most people that turned to NBC that night have seen the movie).

I hope Michael is out enjoying the holiday. Yea, while that 'wet' comment was over the top it wasn't a personal attack on another member, unlike 90% or more of your post. Why do you wish to be at a place where you're not welcome? Yes, you have that right, but still I don't see how it can be an enjoyable experience.

I don't think Raquel will reply since it appears both WFB and Raquel are now subject to their post being reviewed by the admin here prior to posting. Those two were given a lot of freedom by the admin but as happens in real life when one abuses freedoms they often lose them all together. Yea, like anyone reading your post couldn't see that your 'lay off' comment was tongue in cheek. But even if one cannot see that, I always recommend one ASK before assuming. As for Andy Hardy; Corny for sure but than sometimes I'm in a mood for corny!

I'm agnostic but I still really enjoy The Bishop's Wife. The reason is that the so called gift from the Angel is something human beings can give to each other; clarity and being less selfish. Thus there really isn't any miracle that occurs in the movie; i.e. the message didn't need to be delivered by an Angel. All that really occurs is that a few individuals are made aware that helping others is the key. The fact that a Bishop had to learn this lesson is refreshing. I do agree that "It's a Wonderful Life" is an organized-religion-based" which is why I enjoy The Bishop's Wife more, but I do agree that the Bishop's wife being a love interest for an Angel is wierd, but this works because to most women Grant is an angel (as Hitchcock realized Cary can do no wrong in the eyes of the gals).

The Scarlet Claw is my favorite from that series.

Hey Dargo, I guess my internet service provider is faster than yours! Did you see how the admin had to close the post-1980 movies on TCM thread! Now I was surprised that was locked before the thread where we were discussing gun control. (well not really surprised given the parties involved!).

Ray Bolger, also known as the scarecrow.

Can't agree with you about Powell's performance in Mr Roberts, but yea Mr Peabody and the Mermaid was a stinker, with the only good thing about it being Ann Blyth as a Mermaid.

Well Andy, I was about to go Cagney on ya, but then you mention Footlight Parade, and that Shangail Lil" section and, well anyone that loves that scene like I do has to have good taste. Note that I really enjoy The Strawberry Blonde but not because I view the movie as a period film (but yea it is), but as Tom noted, the character development in Briff. Also, I feel the 4 leads are perfectly cast. Olivia DeHavilland just wins me over and her scenes with Cagney are both touching and funny. But yea, I also like the tough guy Cagney in those WB production films of the 30s. My favorite Cagney movie is Torrid Zone with Ann Sheridan. That movie borders on camp. Here we have tough guy Cagney on steroids but in a movie were all of the action is secondary to the laughs. Edited by: jamesjazzguitar on Dec 22, 2012 1:54 PM

Have you seen Appointment with Danger, an Alan Ladd film. Both Webb and Morgan are in it (as crooks) and Webb isn't very nice to his buddy Morgan. Very gritty scene with a set of bronze baby shoes!

Hey Kid, you better give me credit for being the first to name Bankhead. I'm now 1 for 10 so I need that one!

Yes, people like to use the sky is falling mantra especially political activist, but we must also remember the inverse of this mantra; that since the sky isn't falling nothing needs to change. For example, the debate on climate change and what percentage of the change is due to mankind or nature. How often do we hear that since nature releases CO2 gases there is no need for mankind to reduce or regulate how much CO2 gases we release.

My guess is Tallulah Bankhead.

I agree with what you posted here and it relates to why I reacted strongly when someone says something to the effect of "solution X will prevent events like this (e.g. mass killings) from happening". For most social issues solutions can only minimize the issue; i.e. reduce the negative impact. Thus even calling changes to public policy a "solution" is folly since the term solution implies some type of permanent, complete and total fix.

Wow some great posters here; I really love the Bogie one with Babs and the Kate Taylor one. Tayor really looks hip and cool in that one.

The only reason I even reply to your initial post was that I admit I have very strong feelings when people use terms like 'prevent'. i.e. will NOT happen. On many topics people will push a 'this change would prevent X' agenda since that carries more political appeal than 'this change would reduce the damage of X'. But rarely do laws prevent things. Again, that doesn't mean these laws shouldn't be passed but I see no reason to oversell their impact on society. If fact on issues like gun control it is the NRA that will use the 'it will NOT happen' line to their political advantage. I.e. the NRA will try to show that even with stronger laws it CAN still happen and thus there is no need for stronger laws. Thus overselling impact often backfires on those pushing for change.

You know I have never really given much thought to what you asked but after reading your post I agree with you. I'm not much of a Monroe fan but a major Mitchum fan and while River is one of my favorite Monroe movies because of Mitchum, it is also one of my favorite Monroe performances. As you noted she plays a stronger women in this and that is a lot more appealing to me than the Monroe in so many of her other movies.

Yes, the world could end on Thursday, Friday, 10 years from now, 1,000 years from now, etc.. yes, no one knows when, if ever, the world will end. But to believe the world will end on a certain date because of what some group said thousands of years ago? Again, I don't wish to say how I really feel about that since my insult someone.

I agree that Brando's performance in those two films are some of the best of all time, but Brando made too many really bad movies for me to rank him as the greatest actor of all time. Yes, he was versatile as far as the type of movies he made but I don't think he was very good playing a lot of those characters. i.e. he was only OK at comedy and period films in my opinion.

I agree that Two Faced Women isn't a stinker. It has some good moments and Connie Bennett shines in the short time she is on the screen.

Well of course a lot of things will happen this Friday, but not the end of the world. This is a friendly site so I will not mock anyone. (that was a joke BTW).

Your last sentence is confusing to me. If Brando's performances in Streetcar and Waterfront are only 'amongst the best' you have ever seen, how would those two performances alone qualify Brando as the greatest ever? i.e. wouldn't the greatest actor ever be the actor that was the best you have ever seen instead of just amongst the best you have ever seen?

I don't expect anyone to answer 'yes' to that question. To do so would cause that person to be mocked, with me leading the cheer! In the words of SansFin, that person would be in the same category as one that couldn't load their gun in the dark. Edited by: jamesjazzguitar on Dec 19, 2012 6:30 PM

Yes, there would be no Victoria Secrets stores today if it wasn't for the movie Anatomy of a Murder!

Funny that you bring up white elephant since the wife and I just went to a Christmas party and they had a gift exchanged they called the "white elephant". Since my wife is from Italy she doesn't know American slang so she asked me. I also had no idea why this gift exchange was called 'white elephant'. But the definition here; an object no longer of value to its owner but of value to others, sums up the game. i.e. each person brings a gift. Then numbers are passed around to determine who picks first, second etc.. Then each person (after the first one), can either pick an unopened gift or take a prior gift, etc... NOW, I have played this gift game many times before BUT I didn't remember it being called white elephant and I still had no idea why it was called that until I read your post!