JamesJazGuitar

A better alternate ending would have had Bogie die as a result of taking-one-for-the-team. This would have been a very "noir" ending since the Bogie character escaped harm doing combat in the war (i.e. he didn't have a desk job), something that the gangster pointed out and mocked him for (live war hero, hey, like what Trump said about McCain). This being a Bogie \ Bacall film we all knew it Jack Warner wasn't going to allow such an ending especially after the box office failure of Treasures of the Sierra Madre, released the same year (1948). So we get that sappy ending with Bacall looking out into the sea, Bogie coming HOME to her, the light shinning into the window and that over loud music. (sappy yes, but it still gets me every time!).

I didn't say or even imply that Kirk didn't do a fine job of acting. Instead I admitted my own bias based on seeing so many Kirk films before this one. Thus the concept of "beg to differ" doesn't exist since I was just channeling my own experience.

Maybe I was just to used to the Kirk film persona to see him as being a good "fit" for Martha Ivers; E.g. we see the character as a teen; wimpy, geeky, clumsy, with glasses, etc. We then see the character, Kirk, as an adult; I just don't see the same teen as reflected by Kirk. But like I said I have seen so many Kirk-the-man roles that it is hard for me to see Martha rejecting Kirk for Van Heflin (or Kirk not being able to handle himself physically with a man like Heflin). Kirk as a meek man wasn't very common after this first film (he is somewhat like that in A Letters to Three Wives).

I have never been much of a fan of Harlow. I really wonder if she had not died at such a young age what her legacy would be today; e.g. would she have grown as an actress and did some really fine work or would she have mostly disappeared in the 40s like so many other actors did who lacked the chops. I do enjoy 4 - 6 films Harlow is in but my favorite are films like Libeled Lady, where Harlow is clearly the least competent actor of the 4 stars (Powell, Loy, Tracy being the others). I also place Harlow in the middle of the pack in the looks department; e.g. Loy was beautiful,,,, Harlow,,,, not so much, but she did have a cheap looking sexuality, which did pair well with Gable.

Funny but I tend to forget that so many people now get their content mostly from streaming. Yea, if streaming, I don't see "they" (content providers), can impose OCD type messaging.

It is caring about what certain viewers want since these content providers don't wish to lose ad revenues and ad revenues are tied to viewers; I.e. those that would do the boycotting. So like I said the challenge is to provide something to ensure one isn't boycotted, but not too-much, so one doesn't get a counter boycott. This has always been the case with private companies providing content.

I need to be told to wash, rinse and repeat! For me it all comes down to how intrusive the messaging is. E.g. if there is a 5 second OCD message at the start of a film or T.V. show I'm not going to get annoyed, since it gives me a few more seconds to make a sandwich.

How one views such a character is a reflection on the individual doing the judging. I agree with your take here.

The point is that there is no such concept as "we" in this context. The OCDs are meant for a certain group of people. I don't need them and it appears you don't but obviously certain content providers believe certain people do. These content providers are just tying to provide what they believe is a service with the OCDs and hope that those that don't view it as a service (like us), will not be turned off enough to seek content elsewhere.

So I did see and hear this! I was watching two movies at once, The Long Hot Summer (TCM) and Laura (MOVIES-TV), since I have seen both multiple times and channel flipping between the two; I turn back to TCM and I just caught the comment of "no merrier people ever lived than the colored folks of the pre-war south.". I didn't catch any of the context this was in only that line.

Good point, but one can also look at these programs as being too progressive for the actual times they were covering (some 100 years ago). E.g. most of the 50s westerns feature multiple episodes where there is a group of common-for-the-times non-progressive folks (e.g. racists, only-good-Indian-is-a-dead-one etc....) and in everyone of these episodes those group of people get put in their place, with most becoming enlighten in the last scene. I.e. the characters in these episodes that use a lot of "outdated-cultural-depictions" (but representiave of the times), clearly are made to look like the fools. So to me the bottom line of the ideals (love your fellow man, we are all born equal, we have common values related to family etc...), prevail.

Have you seen Humoresque (1946)? Here is a photo where the design of the dress stresses those shoulders. This is a first rate movie about music and obsession.

Elsa Lanchester was indeed a treat and a unique talent. She does leave an impression well beyond the few minutes of screen time she gets. Some of my favorite roles (other than those mentioned), are: Ladies in Retirement, The Spiral Staircase, The Razor's Edge, The Bishop's Wife, Hell's Half Acre, and Bell, Books, and Candle.

Cult of the Cobra had a cast of many fine actors, some like David Janssen that would go on to big careers. The other guys were well known for films during the 50s like Marshall Thompson, Jack Kelly and soon to be T.V. star Richard Long. Oh, and The Chief, Edward Platt, played another type of chief. Faith Domergue lacked energy, as she often did, but was adequate in the role. Much better production then I expected to see on Svengoolie. PS: And what a group of ugly Americans! What they did to that temple was beyond just being jerks. Frankly I was rooting for them to all be killed. I wish the plot would have explored that angle more; e.g. why the Cobra women was seeking revenge as ordered by the chief. Did she really fall for Thompson and didn't wish to have him killed?

How could an actress be "too gorgeous" for the part of Mrs. Robinson? E.g. such a middle-aged housewife wouldn't be interested in a young man like Ben? I.e. what would have been the "problem" with casting someone like Charisse?

Hey, Frank believed it (well according to hearsay), isn't that enough evidence? (just pulling your leg of course).

Here is a photo from the set of East Side - West Side. Two beauties relaxing between takes:

I have always found Hayward to be somewhat hardened, and to a degree abrasive: I.e. I don't get the vibe that she is soft and huggable like I do many other actresses, but that is due to the characters she plays. She is a fine actress and when the role called for it would display the necessary amount of vulnerability. I really like how the characters she plays treat selfish men that believe she is a dame they can walk all over or take for granted. E.g. In House of Strangers, she makes it difficult for Richard Conte, but for most of the movie Conte deserves what she is giving him!

I agree with this. All I can add is that we are all allowed to not form any opinion.

John Huston would have said she committed suicide only if she was showing her breast when found dead. She really wanted Huston to show her breast in her final film, The Misfits, since she was really proud of them (according to the Huston book I'm reading). The point being her statement about the long white gown isn't enough for me to hang my hat on. I'm sure you also understand that someone's comments about committing suicide in a moment of relatively stable mental health, and what one might do when facing actual suicidal depression doesn't really say much.

I'm surprised you would form an opinion based on such limited information. Oh, well, that is what most people do. My goal is to be agnostic as possible about almost everything, but especially items I realize all I have is 3rd hand (at best), information on.

FYI: I don't view "noir" as a genre but a style; therefor the question is never 'is this film a noir" but instead what noir elements (e.g. visuals, themes, character behavior), does a film have that fit the noir style. Of course this leads to the discussion of: does this film have enough noir elements to be classified as "noir"? I tend to ignore such discussions and instead focus on the actual noir elements instead of the binary classification, but will sometimes address it in this manner: if I was writing a book on American Film Noir would I include this film? With regards to The Lost Weekend, I wouldn't include it in the main section of the book, but instead in the appendix, as a film with noir elements but not enough to be included in the main section.

To me this sentence if flawed. I.e. there is no such concept as "is noir". Such a binary POV is limiting and thus flawed by design.

There is nothing I disagree with here, but I do wonder how much opportunity Cyd was given to show if she had dramatic actress chops. The few films where she doesn't dance (Tension \ East Side - West Side), are early in her career. As you mention she did well in Tension, especially for a young actress. I think she is also good in East Side - West Side, especially given that she has to act along side Barbara Stanwyck. But after these early film she had few non-dancing roles. So my overall point here is if given more opportunity would Cyd have meet the challenge? I just don't know. Someone like Ginger Rogers showed that she was a triple threat and no Astaire was required.

Yea, the movie, but please, not the rock band!