Bogie56

A restored version of The Finishing School (1934) with Ginger Rogers and Billie Burke played the London Film Festival this fall. It is described as "Condemned by the Legion of Decency and therefore a must for any pre-Code fans. Wanda Tuchock's film is a hugely enjoyable romantic drama." This is an RKO film. Any chance we will get the restored version on TCM?

I have seen Once Upon a Time In Hollywood and Dolemite Is My Name. I didn't dislike either of them but they didn't set me on fire. I liked Eddie Murphy's performance in Dolemite and DiCaprio's in Once Upon a Time more than the movies. I wasn't too sure what the point was of Tarantino's film and I am not a fan of alternate comic book history. It may be entertaining to some but I find it a tad irresponsible. It made me wonder how the families of the victims would feel about it. I know that is a deep subject. You could poke holes in just about every Warner Bros. "historical" biopic from the 30's and 40's. But for the same reason I wan't a fan of Inglorious Basterds.

Monday, December 23 6 a.m. The Letter (1929). With Jeanne Eagles who was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar. Replaced in Canada with A Letter For Evie (1945).

I've been watching a growing number of very mediocre films from 2019 but these have made my cut so far ... 1. The Irishman 2. 1917 3. Rolling Thunder: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese 4. The Cave 5. Parasite 6. Joker

Sunday, December 22/23 4:15 p.m. The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965). Versatile Max von Sydow makes one of the better Jesus Christs. Where is Max's lifetime achievement Oscar? What a disgrace.

Wow. I think that was possibly the best TCM Remembers piece that they have done.

Saturday, December 21 10 a.m. Popeye: Me Feelins Is Hurt (1940). 2 a.m. An Angel at My Table (1982). Brilliant film from New Zealand by Jane Campion with great performances by Kerry Fox and Alexia Keogh

Friday, December 20 12:30 p.m. Bus Riley’s Back In Town (1965). With Ann Marg-rock and Michael Parks.

1975 Fear Over the City (1975) Henri Verneuil, France Jean-Paul Belmondo is a Paris cop on the trail of both a bank robber who killed his partner and a serial killer. It features a stunning 20 minute chase with some rooftop stunts like you’ve never seen. No green screen in these days.

Thursday, December 19/20 12:15 a.m. Bullets or Ballots (1936). Not a great film but what a cast! Blondell, Robinson, Bogart, and Barton MacLane.

I had never asked anyone for an autograph and as I said I don't think he had ever been asked. I guess I had never met anyone in show biz. Just to make it even more pathetic it was a darkish brown paper bag so it was hard to see the writing!

Quite pathetic, isn't it.

Wednesday, December 18 The next highlight of the month for me. The too long buried … 6 a.m. Monterey Pop (1969), by D.A. Pennebaker with Jimi Hendrix, the Mamas and the Papas, Simon & Garfunkle, Jefferson Airplane, the Animals, Janis Joplin and the Who. Oh, and Ravi Shankar too. 4:15 a.m. Flipper (1963). I was in Florida when this came out and went to one of those waterworld shows that had dolphins. The “trainer of Flipper” was introduced to the crowd. After the show I went up to him and asked him for an autograph. Judging by his reaction I was the very first person to ever do so. We didn’t have anything so he signed the bottom of a brown paper bag for me. Being a packrat I probably have it somewhere.

2010 - 2019 1. The Social Network (2010) 2. Wild Tales (2014) 3. Searching For Sugarman (2012) 4. The Irishman (2019) 5. Life of Pi (2012) 6. Gravity (2013) 7. The Other Side of the Wind (2018) 8. Silence (2016) 9. The Salesman (2016) 10. Nocturnal Animals (2016) 1.1. Free Solo (2018) 12. Trumbo (2015)

I find this a bid odd as The Favourite is told from the point of view of Emma Stone and I considered her the lead. I agree that Olivia Colman was supporting but Rachel Weisz had an equally supporting part. You have interesting choices notwithstanding.

She was a great beauty AND a good actress. My favourites among her performances are ... A Woman Is a Woman (1961) The Stranger (1967) Bread and Chocolate (1974)

Tuesday, December 17/18 3:45 a.m. Eureka (1983). Gene Hackman, Theresa Russell and Rutger Hauer. An eclectic cast.

Monday, December 16/17 4:45 a.m. Anna Karenina (1935). Garbo

I have no problem with Brown being SOTM but TCM has featured a whole day of Brown on many occasions in the past few years. These films have had plenty of play and Hollywood had hundreds and hundreds of stars to pick from.

For me the highlights of the month come on Tuesday, March 3. The AAFC Presents these rarely seen films ... Freedom on My Mind (1994) Crisis (1963) Say Amen, Somebody (1982) You Got To Move (1985)

Plus TCM has had days and days devoted to Brown already.

Has anyone mentioned the passing of Rip Taylor? 1931-2019. I thought he would have made a good Donald Trump.

1971 9. The Fifth Cord (1971) Luigi Bazzoni, Italy The sensational photography of Vittorio Storaro and music by Ennio Morricone raise this above the usual gallo. Franco Nero is pretty good too. You can ignore the rest.

Sunday, December 15 midnight. Beauty’s Worth (1922). With Marion Davies

Saturday, December 14 10 a.m. Popeye: Stealin’ Ain’t Honest (1940).