EugeniaH
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Posts posted by EugeniaH
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For lovers of vocal harmonizing like moi: The Jayhawks, *Pray For Me*:
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Frederic March was in NOTHING SACRED with Carole Lombard
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Nice quote, LadyE, thanks for posting it. I had actually forgotten the significance of January 20th.
I did remember January 16th, however, as the anniversary of the tragic death of Carole Lombard, my second favorite actress... -
James Gleason
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Fred Astaire was in SWING TIME with Ginger Rogers
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*219*
"Oh, how I often wish I had your curls!"
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TROG
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Zachary Scott was in BORN TO BE BAD with Joan Fontaine
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Robert Walker
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Lionel Barrymore was in GRAND HOTEL with Joan Crawford
(Looks like it's just us on this thread right now, Gipper!
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Jean Harlow was in DINNER AT EIGHT with John Barrymore
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ON THE WATERFRONT
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Spencer Tracy
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Myrna Loy was in TEST PILOT with Clark Gable
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*so I'm out of my league on other threads*
Don't sell yourself short. I'm out of my own league reading some of the posts you have written early on in this thread!
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LadyE, I say again, I'm just loving your enthusiasm and your posts. I'm burnt out on ideas but it's great to read your intelligent perspective on films in general, and also as someone who has an in-depth knowledge of Stanwyck's films, etc.
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Great assessment and enjoyable reading, LadyE!
Browsing one of my favorite websites this morning, the Classic Movie Blog Association (clamba.blogspot.com), ironically enough I came across a review for *Sorry, Wrong Number*, where the author expresses the same thoughts as Andy, that the characters in the film weren't likeable, etc. Here's the link:
http://twentyfourframes.wordpress.com/2013/01/18/sorry-wrong-number-1948-anatole-litvak/#more-14425
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I agree with you... A Stanwyck-Tracy pairing in a movie seems like 'oil and water' to me. But yes, he's one of the greats, I love Spencer Tracy and I especially love him and Hepburn together. With Grant and Stanwyck, they would have been a better match but more sad in terms of missed opportunities, in my opinion, was Grant and Carole Lombard in a screwball comedy.
I'm not a big Henry Fonda fan but he was a great fit in *The Lady Eve*. It was a hard role to fill, a 'virginal' man who still had his own personality, a character that wasn't completely overshadowed by Stanwyck's Jean. It's a tricky balance. Stewart may have been a better actor overall but, sorry to say, I'm not a huge Stewart fan, either. He and Stanwyck definitely would have worked, though...
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*They shot Stanwyck's bedroom scenes in sequence and in tandem. I think that really helped shade her performance........*
I had read somewhere that Stanwyck wanted to film all her scenes together because she could more easily keep up her level of hysteria in her role, instead of taking a break and then winding herself up again, which was too draining.
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*I guess I can't see how the Stanwyck character in SWN is anything but creepy, given that she was the consummate control freak from the first reel to the last, always thinking of her own wishes and basically nothing else.*
I agree on that, and her controlling nature and need to have all attention focused on her is why she had the psychosomatic illness, which she fully bought as real because she couldn't save herself even when her life was in danger. That part is kind of pathetic - she isn't an intentionally vicious or evil woman; just wrapped up in her neuroses.
*And it's hard to see what someone like Lancaster would ever have seen in her beyond her money, given the way she tried to dominate and control him right from the start.*
Yeah, and he got fed up with that after a while, lol.
*My only reaction to Stanwyck during that entire film was "Someone lock that woman up and throw away the key"*
She was kind of "locked up" by her psychological problems, but I agree, not good wife material.
*and my reaction to Lancaster's problems with Stanwyck was "What the hell do you expect when you let a woman buy you?"*
Yes, I don't think he's completely a "victim"
*and the word that IMO best describes both of them is "creepy".*
I see your point.
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*I hope you stay for my most anticipated post*
For sure! I'm posting less lately but I still visit here on a daily basis. I look forward to your analytic assessment.
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*I think the main reason I couldn't warm to Sorry, Wrong Number is that it's one of the few Stanwyck films I've seen where neither of the two main characters---in fact almost none of the characters, big or small, seemed to have a single redeeming feature. Usually in her "darker" movies there's at least something about either Stanwyck or her male co-lead that's vaguely sympathetic, but in the case of SWN it's hard to think of anything about either her or Lancaster that isn't just plain creepy. You might be able to say that about Double Indemnity, too, but that one had both Edward G. Robinson and a much better plot. I've seen SWN twice now, and I'm not sure it'll necessarily improve the third time around, which is something I'd never say for just about any other Stanwyck film I can think of.*
Interesting POV, Andy. I think one reason why I feel that Lancaster doesn't work is that his character just isn't very 'dynamic'. I don't feel that his character is very interesting to watch. I think part of that is the actor's mis-fit in the role but maybe it's the writing moreso. I find Stanwyck's character sympathetic because even though she has her flaws, she is still suffering. How do you think the characters are "creepy"? Interesting. I find no sympathy at all for Phyllis in DI, but yes, it had better drawn characters and a better plot. Speaking of DI, I love the scene where Phyllis and hubby are walking toward the car on their way to the train station, and Phyllis talks "casually" to him and calls him "honey", all with her devious plans in mind, lol.
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Excuse me, have we "met" here?
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*I was hoping to get some feedback from her...*
Thanks, L.E.
I need to take a break from the boards for a bit but couldn't resist responding to your post. Here's my take on these films:*Sorry, Wrong Number* - I thought the film was 'ok' when I saw it, but watching it again a second time I was much more impressed. Some have thought that Stanwyck's acting was over the top and grating, but I think her behavior is plausible in context to her condition and the circumstances and her character. It is pretty suspenseful even though it's just Stanwyck in a room making phone calls and reacting. I had mentioned somewhere that Robert Mitchum may have been better in the Lancaster role; even though Lancaster's character was supposed to be weak, I think he underplayed it too much. I love the way they filmed the ending - very well done, very creepy.
*The Maverick Queen* - It was okay, but I need to see it again because I don't remember it that strongly to point out specific details. I like her and Scott Brady's repartee with one another and she's more of a match for him than Barry Sullivan... Though maybe her character wanted a more "stable" fellow.
Yes, I remember that she did have a lot of makeup on! *These Wilder Years* - She and Cagney were good together, yep, should have been paired more often, and earlier, most preferably in the early 30s, but oh well. As a 1950s drama I much more prefer *No Man of Her Own* (1950), which had a lot more layers to it, but it was okay. I would definitely see it again. The young actress playing the pregnant teenager was pretty good.
I did remember January 16th, however, as the anniversary of the tragic death of Carole Lombard, my second favorite actress...
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Alexis Smith was in THE TWO MRS CARROLLS with Humphrey Bogart