Dargo

Hmmm...then I wonder if she perhaps purchased the property after the structure had already been built and a few years later than when that picture of them was taken? I don't know. However, I still believe the similarities of the structures, the arched windows and the angled facade in particular, and the fact that all three are sporting beachwear, give at least a little credence to my supposition that that was where the photo was taken. (...hopefully our own "Thelma Todd", a TCM boards regular, will see this and know the specifics of this, and then be able set the record straight...not that this is any big deal, of course)

My, my, MY Delilah Why, why, WHY Delilah (...didn't know I did a pretty mean Tom Jones impression, DID ya?!!!)

Wouldn't that make you sound like Jim Backus doin' his Thurston Howell III ? I think I'd just stick with the Philly accent if I were you, finance. (...and besides, nobody really likes those snooty types anyway, ya know)

Joe, it appears that this photo was taken either in the parking lot of, or directly across Pacific Coast Highway from Thelma's Cafe which was/is situated along that famous thoroughfare just north of Santa Monica. Here are a few pictures taken of the place which still stands to this day...the first when the ill-fated Miss Todd owned it, and the second taken in recent times. Taking the time to compare these photos to the background behind her, Charlie and Mr. LeRoy, I believe you'll agree with my assessment here...

TB, I wasn't attempting to make the point that my opinion of this film, or anybody's opinion for that matter, was or should be overly influenced just because a director of some renown thinks highly of it(witness my less than glowing appraisal of the recently aired "Blow-Up", and a film which I know Ingmar Berman once called a "masterpiece"), but more the case of discovering a film's attributes for myself and which just happen to coincide with a noted director's opinion.

LOL Yeah...maybe. Btw, by "satirical elements" in regard to this film, I guess I mean that there were a few times it reminded me of "The Graduate" and the satirizing of modern American mores, and not just because of the common May-September "romance(s)" within both films. And while "Pretty Maids" will most likely never be held in as high esteem by many as the Mike Nichols film, I DID kind of sense the reason Quentin Tarantino thinks it deserves to be better regarded...and as the Mankster made mention of in his intro last night.

LOL Yeah, well, I had watched "Seconds"(btw, I liked your take on it) a number of times before, and so seein' as how I had never watched "Pretty Maids", I "concentrated" on that one instead. I remember it having a pretty racy reputation for years, but also remember Rock getting some pretty good reviews in it too. I wasn't disappointed at all, as even though in many respects it IS "dated", in some way I also found some of the satirical elements fairly timeless.

Yeah, and THEN Rock places her on that couch, lays on top of her and starts kissing her and getting her all excited, but then he suddenly just stops, gets up and tells her that that was what he wanted her to do with the kid, and as though he really had no interest in her at all. In other words..."Method Acting". (...sorry, couldn't resist)

Looks like someone once went to the movies expecting to see a story about some guy drivin' his Chevy to the levee, but ended up havin' an eye-opening experience instead, eh obrien?!

Okay, you're shallow...but I ALSO think you're pretty darn funny too, CG! (...loved the "mother can't spell" line)

Liked your Vole movie here, Tom...but LOVED your "credits" and the "reviews" even more.

I agree with ya, joe! I still think Sturges did a pretty good job with this Cold War adventure movie too, and believe it deserves at least a 3 star rating instead of the 2 1/2 star rating they always show on cable/satellite guide pages. (...in FACT, in honor of this movie being shown last night AGAIN, and to get into the spirit of it, as that "Entrance" music began, I dropped those toenail clippers I was about to use and placed a cold one in my hands instead...H.H. would've been SO pleased with me!)

OOPS! Ya know as I entered that, it suddenly occurred to me that you might be talkin' about the film and not the discussion goin' on here, primosX2. (...and sooooo, before you wish your bad boy crushes up there OR down there to have a nice day for me, please disregard my previous post....and THEN tell Warren and Lawrence what I asked you to tell 'em!) ***edit to follow*** Forget tellin' Lawrence that thing I asked you to tell him...as it seems you as least have SOME sense when it comes to the guys you think are hot!!! LOL

Now, now, primosX2. Did Warren or your NEW crush Lawrence channel you and tell you to say this??? MAN, you and your thing for bad boys!!! LOL Look, overall, I didn't read any "pretentious twaddle" in this thread, and trust me, I KNOW "pretentious twaddle" when I see it, as I hope you know by now that I'm USUALLY the very FIRST person around to make FUN of "pretentious twaddle". Nope, all I pretty much read in this thread were people who said they thought this movie was interesting and maybe good-to-great and then gave their reasons for such, and then others who thought it much too a jumbled mess and then gave THEIR reasons for such...though overall I got the impression that the latter group offered up a little less specific reasons for their opinion...though I could be wrong. (...and so in closing, wish Warren and Lawrence up there, or maybe DOWN there, a nice day for me, okay?!)

Yes, it was much more a satire than anything else, Calamity, and yeah, I think your "Heathers" analogy is a good one.

I can see your point about the first half vs the second half in THAT regard. The dubbing was somewhat noticeable, but nowhere nearly as badly dubbed as "A Perfect Pair" which TCM showed before this film. Yeah, I agree about the ending. Rock showed some brilliant acting when his character started getting found out near the end of the film, and how he projected the thought so subtly but convincingly that he was becoming desperate but still had to show a cool exterior to those around him. And yeah, Susan Tolsky, as McDowell's assistant Miss Harriet, was way over the top in this, but she pretty much always was in almost anything I've ever seen her in, and while playing that easily flummoxed plain-looking woman type.

Well, as I earlier said to Hibi, I'm pretty sure I've watched the Mitchum version on TCM within the past year or so, and maybe during one of TCM's SUTS or SOTM tributes to him, though perhaps I might have watched it on some other channel. (...btw...I like both the Powell and Mitchum versions, but I always thought Bob might have been JUST a little long in the tooth by the time he got around to playing the part he was born to play)

I agree with just about everything you said about 'Pretty Maids" here Lorna, except for your following comment... ...because I thought the second half was just as funny as the first half, it just became much more darkly comedic in tone, that's all. I found the "double funeral" and then that "Oh well, the game must go on" reaction to these murders by the faculty and student body near the end of the film was a wry and rather funny commentary about the superficiality to sometimes be found in our culture.

Yeah Hibi, I'm pretty sure I've seen the Mitchum version shown on TCM and within last couple of years.

Well, why doncha try ENLARGING that list and try seein' what's REALLY at Number-1, TB??? (...though yeah, the picture quality COULD get mighty grainy, huh!)

Yeah, actually, I thought it was a VERY clever way to make the point.......that he attempts to make in about 33.3% of all the points he attempts to make around here, alright! (...and I think I'm bein' rather conservative with that figure!) LOL

Ya know clore, come to think of it, I believe you're pretty much correct here. There really IS a lot in common with those "court" programs and game shows, isn't there. (...well, other than on MOST game shows, we really don't have to sit through hearing two fairly clueless contestants tell the MC that the other contestant is a lyin' through their teeth)

Yeah clore, but think what a ratings bonanza it MIGHT have been if you could have gotten a show where Judge Wapner was sitting down with a couple and havin' 'em tell people how their date went for a whole HOUR in that 4-5pn time slot??? (...yep, if ya CAN, kill two birds with one stone, I always say!)

RATS! And here for the last few minutes all I was thinkin' about was those little hotties all layin' on each other. (...man, you're SUCH a buzz-kill ya know, Arturo!)

Well, then MAYBE the very first thing we ought'a do is teach all the newbies that come here where to find that there "Ignore Function" then, eh Fred? (...oh, that's right...you can't read this...you "thick-skinned" guy, you!) LOL