EugeniaH

"The Two Mrs. Carrolls" on now. It's really not a bad film, and I especially liked the "reveal" later in the movie (I don't want to give it away) and the ending. However, the little girl is kind of annoying, sounding unnatural, like an 8-year old Oxford graduate. I wonder what this movie could have been in Hitchcock's hands?

Just speculating - I wonder if Robert Mitchum would have been even better?

This has been discussed before, but what do you think of Lancaster in this film? I adore Lancaster, but he wasn't right for his role (imo). He went on to future greatness... Whereas with Kirk Douglas, he was great in Martha Ivers and also went on to future greatness in other kinds of roles.

Of course, since I work at a college, when I hear of these school shootings I think about the lack of security at my own place of work, where anyone can walk in and out. I was saying to my officemate today, will it come to the point where every public place will be fitted with metal detectors and patrolled by military guards? (No, I don't seriously think this, but there's no doubt that Americans are probably more scared than ever to go anywhere...)

I agree with Hibi, hope you like it when you see it. I love this movie. Liked it the first time I saw it! I've read elsewhere that people thought Barbara's histrionics were grating, but I think it's believable in light of the fact that the woman was an invalid (as well has having some psychological issues going on), so she would feel so helpless and scared that she would react that strongly. Interesting connection with Rear Window, LadyE. With Stanwyck in a physical role, I liked the scene in 1947's Cry Wolf where she's going up and down the dumbwaiter and scampering over the rooftop, etc. Pretty good excitement there. P.S. On another note, we haven't heard much from SueSueApplegate, the OP. SueSue, which are your favorites? Thanks for starting this thread! Edited by: EugeniaH on Dec 19, 2012 2:13 PM

Just checked - oh wow, you're right... On the subject of precodes, we have Ladies They Talk About (one of my favorites), The Purchase Price (Hibi, get ready), Forbidden (also a favorite for me), and Ten Cents a Dance, directed by Lionel Barrymore. I'm not sure if Baby Face is on the schedule this month or if I missed it.

I'm not sure if any of my picks would interest you, but as of today I'm reading the biography, "Charlie Chaplin and his Times." Seems like a well-written book (not sure how factual it is). http://www.amazon.com/Charlie-Chaplin-Times-Kenneth-Lynn/dp/068480851X/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1355950104&sr=1-5&keywords=charliechaplinhis+life If you're a Chaplin fan at all, I would definitely recommend his book "My Autobiography". Good read on an interesting man. Actually, above these two books I definitely recommend one of my all-time favorites: "People Will Talk" by John Kobal. Not a biography, but it contains interviews with a lot of Golden-Age stars: http://www.amazon.com/People-Will-Talk-John-Kobal/dp/0394536606/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1355950380&sr=1-1&keywords=peoplewilltalkjohnkobal

Joan Crawford in *Trog*.

Never cross a woman with an agenda... (Stanwyck in *Martha Ivers*) Edited by: EugeniaH on Dec 19, 2012 8:53 AM

*200* "Okay, I'll sit here and pat his head for a while, then as soon as he falls asleep I'm going straight to the barn to meet Tony, and then I'm gonna get some real action!"

*There's nothing worse than a contrived comedy that it's not funny...but luckily that's not the case of Billy Wilder's best comedies.* Again, for me Stanwyck's firecracker Sugarpuss is the only thing that brings *Ball of Fire* down to earth. No matter which actress did that role, the movie needed that kind of character, that great dialogue as a counterpoint to the professors. But I think BS did it pretty well. On another note, great lineup tonight on TCM: *Double Indemnity*, *The Strange Love of Martha Ivers*, *Sorry, Wrong Number*, *Clash by Night*, *Jeopardy* (though for me, this one's a "meh"), and *Witness to Murder*.

SansFin, thank you for taking the time to post this information. There's so much to think about and digest it's hard to respond quickly...

*(JJG said): Since you mention countries like the UK and this reminded me about how Morgan keep bringing up other countries like Australia; Yea gun control laws did have an impact but these nations didn't have the massive stockpile of guns the US already has in the hands of private citizens. I see that as a major differences and thus the analogies don't really 'fit' in my view. Again, like I posted before, I'm not against stronger gun control laws but I do admit I'm a cynic as it relates to how effective they would be given all the existing guns already out there.* A little while ago I read an article in the timesleader.com, pointing out that when other countries had such mass killings, stronger gun laws were put into place. In this article was a quote from a member of the Dunblane (Scotland) community council, where he said, "It is not for us to tell the U.S. about gun control. That is for the people there... What happened here (the 1996 killing of 16 children) was similar in many respects, but the wider culture is different." That's one point of view. I also think Swithin (who I'm also replying to) brings up a good point about the violent films and video games influencing kids. I personally would like to see more gun control, but I think there are larger cultural issues also, as Swithin is alluding to.

*200* "Sheesh, I'm so tired of hearing about your pet parakeet that died in his prime!"

One of the most stirring Christmas tunes ever. Band Aid:

Yes, you make good points... and again, I understand that the script is a riff on "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs".

I liked the first half better. I also liked when Taylor would look at her and snap his fingers, and she would look back at him and do the same. Cute.

*She mentioned that the best screenplays she ever read were Ball of Fire and Double Indemnity.* The first couple of times I watched *Ball of Fire*, the idea of the 'virginal' professors living together in the house was overly contrived and 'weird' to me (I know, they are supposed to be like the 7 Dwarfs, but we're talking about mostly 60+ year old men). Stanwyck's humor kind of grounded it and made the movie more 'real'. I think Stanwyck should have been Oscar-nominated for "The Lady Eve" instead of this movie, but **** is still one of my favorites (for her humorous dialogue).

*199*

How about Joe E. Brown? Hubba-hubba... not.

*When I was growing up, EVERYBODY seemed to mail each other cards.* When I was a kid, my mother used to tack our christmas cards around the edges of the doorways. I used to love looking at all the pretty pictures. I still get Christmas cards, which I so much appreciate, but yes, for me, getting the pre-printed one-sheet cards with a picture of kids you don't even know personally doesn't feel the same.

*I did not like Clash by Night on my first viewing, everyone seemed so jaded, but Clifford Odets’ dialogue is so dense it’s hard to get all the layers and nuances in a first viewing.* I feel similarly about *Double Indemnity* - didn't like it at all the first time or two I saw it years back (I wasn't much of a noir fan then and used to think the movie was "superficial"), but now I can see its "layers" and so appreciate it for the great movie it is. At first I thought Stanwyck didn't try too hard, that the viewer didn't see multiple sides of her character's personality like in other roles she's played, but it's interesting what nuances you can pick up when you see a film again. I love the scene she does with Fred MacMurray on the couch, where she tells him how much she adores him (paraphrasing), and then when she gets up and turns away from him, the sudden change in her expression and the look of pure manipulation and evil is wonderful. This was the one Stanwyck movie I saw on a big screen in a theater, and it really opened my eyes to it. I loved the direction, the cinematography, the nuances in the acting of the leads.... terrific film!

It's been said that Cary Grant and Doris Day were a mismatch in "That Touch of Mink". I didn't think they were that bad, although definitely were not as good as the Day/Hudson team.

I don't think Marjorie was sexy to either gender.

*because it's clear that she is really into him* I got that impression also in "His Brother's Wife", and that's what made it a cute movie for me, but other movies/co-stars I liked more. Has anyone seen the rare "Flesh and Fantasy" (1943)? I don't know if it's aired on TCM. Barbara Stanwyck and Charles Boyer! It's a 3-story film with different sets of actors for each story, dealing with the occult (Robert Benchley "narrates"). It wasn't a hit but maybe the subject was over the heads of 1943 audiences. I really loved the story ideas and the way it was filmed (the camerawork). Robert Cummings is in this movie, so in a way, he and Stanwyck were in two films together though not in the same story in F&F.