Dargo2

I HOPE you got the impression that I was bein' my usual cheeky self with my little Paula putdown there, James. (...'cause I have NO idea if "The Food Network" was plannin' on doin' that or NOT!!!)

>Dargo, I did watch Nocturne last night and did tape it, so I may view it again and maybe I'll change my mind. I have to agree with you. Raft has never been one of my all time favorites, I much preferred him in his younger days. I thought Nocturne was a bit of a bore. The photography WAS Great in the film., but I just didn't care for Raft in this one, and I didn't care for the story. I thought the scenes with his mother were silly, even if she gave him the aha to solve the crime. What was with that shot in the end of the film,that seemed to go on forever from the table in the restaurant that Raft and Virginia Huston and Lynn Bari were sitting at, to Fingers at the piano .The table and piano were barely 2 feet away from each other, and yet the shot went on and on from the table, to the piano. Somebody want to explain the significance of that? the only thing I can think of ( don't want a to do a spoiler) but, was that it was suppose to represent how long it took to finally get to the solution of the mystery? Just a stab, trying to get why that shot that seemed to take forever was necessary. Now with all that said, the film definitely had that great noir look to it, the music was great, and I thought the opening did grab the viewer. Just didn't think the film carried thru the expectation I had because of that attention grabbing opening. Yep, as you'd probably expect, I agree with your overall assessment of the film, Lavender. Yep, the cinematography was by far the best thing about it, except I did enjoy Mabel Paige's turn as Raft's mother in it, as I thought HER acting was better than anyone else's in it.(and even though it brings up the idea that a 40-something "tough guy" bachelor still living with Mommy kinda sorta undercuts the idea that Raft WAS a "tough guy"! ) LOL And yes, I do agree that the very opening shot of that Richard Neutra-esque style Mid-Century house and with the camera slowly moving toward and into it in that Hitchcockian manner starts off the proceedings in such an interesting way that unfortunately the rest of the movie's plot doesn't fulfill its hopeful promise. The acting of Edward Ashley as the pianist/murder victim being the very first clue to me that the rest of the film might not be as good as that opening shot. (...oh, and yeah, I also agree that the scene just before Pevney confesses his crime to Raft does seem to go on much too long...but I have a feeling the whole idea behind THAT was so he could play the complete version of the song "Nocturne" before doing his confession)

Yep VP, I agree. And let us not forget the genre of the Swashbuckler made during those years, also. The greatest and most spectacular among them, and most likely the best ever made being: "Captain Blood" (1935) "The Prisoner of Zenda" (1937) "The Adventures of Robin Hood"(1938) (...and I could probably think of a few more, given time)

> (e.g. The Food Network could lose Dean fans upset with their choice to fire Dean). Yeah, well James, word is The Food Network had been planning on going in a whole different direction in regards to their demographic even BEFORE Paula placed her size-7 within her oral cavity. Uh huh, ya see because it seems such a high percentage of people that followed her and prepared her recipes die off so quickly from heart disease and diabetes, they were going to replace her ANYWAY, and put somebody on who might show the folks out there in Television Land how to prepare more healthier fare. (...and thus, just as this whole "brouhaha" about Joan Crawford saying the word "****" in that lousy movie is pretty much a moot point, the issue with Paula's utterance of an equally politically incorrect epithet is now pretty much a moot point ALSO!!!) LOL

Thanks, Tiki...about your appreciation of my use of Clint's extreme close-up to make my point down there, that is. I'm glad you responded back with an example about Ford's manner of direction and how it could possibly seem to some as counter-intuitive, as just in your case and before it was brought to your attention by the two documentary filmmakers, I hadn't noticed such things, myself. As you now do, I'll begin to attempt to notice this in his films and will see if I think it might adds or detract from them. And Re the Gene Kelly scene in "SINGIN'", I'm sorry but from your use of the "PeeWee Herman" analogy to describe your reaction to it, I can't tell if you think it's a perfect use of the final close-up shot or if you think it might be a bit over done? (...'cause I've always thought it a perfect use of such)

I had to web-search who this Caputo woman was you've just mentioned, as I had no idea, Sepia. And after finding this video of her which attempts to prove her as a fraud... ...I must say... My, what a lovely accent she has. LOL

Okay. After sleeping on this overnight, I awoke this morning to have a change of heart, and must admit my earlier "happy medium" visual pun off of Iz's previous post was rather misplaced and not germane in any manner at all to the general discussions about classic films we all should endeavor to stick to at this website. And so for that I apologize. Yep, I SHOULD have posted THIS picture INSTEAD...

>But, maybe there could be a happy medium... Is THAT all you're askin' for here, Bunkie...err..I mean Iz? Well, okay...HERE ya go then.... (...lemme guess...this "wasn't actually" what ya meant, huh)

I didn't think you were being "mean spirited" at all, JH...and I'm sure neither did mongo. (...I just couldn't resist kidding the kidder there, that's all)

>Growing up in the 60's, I never thought of Fred MacMurray as an acomplice to murder Yep Janet, a very common take on the guy amongst us Boomers. However, once you also catch Fred as the weaslly Naval officer in "The Caine Mutiny" and his turn as the philandering executive in "The Apartment", you'll soon think of Fred in a whole new light.

There's certainly no need or reason to apologize here, Sans my lady. (...you're in some FINE company when it comes to those who don't get my humor!) LOL

Oh c'mon now, Tom! Even I COULD fake a few decent moves if I had MY arms around the sultry Miss London there! And I'd EVEN be able to move my FACIAL muscles TOO! (...of course in MY case those "facial muscles" would have been in the form of a big ol' smile on my face while thinkin' what a lucky guy I was!)

>Last night I recorded "Vice Raid" on my DVR. After the movie, Ben was talking about Mamie, Marilyn Monroe, and Brad Dexter. My machine stopped right in the middle of his comments. Does anyone remember what Ben said about those three actors? Then boy did YOU miss it then, Terrence! Mank said BRAD said "that it was only one night, and that HE thought MAMIE got a little more into it than MARILYN did, but that it was a night he'd never forget!" ! (...naah, not really of course)

Yeah, I knew that, Sans. But my little ongoing inside joke with you wouldn't have worked(though evidently it didn't) unless I feigned ignorance in this regard.

Oh, don't get me wrong here Nora, I also think Raft was GREAT in "Some Like It Hot", because as you mentioned, he's playing off his image, but I think that "graceful movements" thing you ALSO mentioned is, well, off-the-mark, as while I know his first grab at stardom was as a dancer, not ONLY does he seldom move any of those facial muscles of his while he's acting in these films, BUT the dude's body movements in these films are usually as stiff-as-a-rail TOO!

> mean, wow! Here I am counting the hours and minutes until my big bad boy George Raft hits the screen tonight!!! Man, I dig that dude!! Well Mark, I sure wish I could share your enthusiasm for the dude, BUT just having finished watching the guy in "Nocturne" out here in the West, I gotta say, while some around here might think Robert Young is "bland" and most likely because he usually always played the "nice and sincere" type, I was once again reminded that I THINK the "Great Stone Face"(no not Buster Keaton) with that signature monotone line delivery fof his, yes one Mr. George Raft, IS probably THE most "bland" actor I have ever seen...and this DESPITE the fact that he usually got to play the more interesting "tough guy" roles. (...Yep, I'm sorry, but dude, THAT dude JUST could NOT act worth a darn!)

Okay Fred! I just copied and pasted that into that handy-dandy online "Cyrillic to English Translation" website(I think their server is in Minsk), and I gotta say I absolutely RESENT what you infer there! (...I ONLY ever did that once...on a dare...and after I had had a few too many shots of Vodka...so I'm excused...well, a little anyway)

>I have seen Michael come to the defense of some posters like Finance. It was when a new poster was insulted by him, but Michael replied that he was generally a good long term member and that one just had to get use to his style. (but I have yet to see the admin do the same for Dargo). And THAT'S 'cause I send a check to Michael the Admin, the first of every month TOO!!! (...I just write it off my taxes under "Insurance")

>Dargo and finance are certainly the court jesters around here, but I think that they're genuinely nice people and a lot of fun. They are also interested in classic film, and can contribute intelligently to the discussion. (Okay, you two owe me one...) Don't worry, Eugenia...I know at least MY check is in the mail to ya now! (...finance, as always, is on his own)

>then all I need do is freely rip them a new one in a finely textured language which is written in Cyrillic. "CYRILLIC"?! Well folks, looks like we can add yet ANOTHER to that long list of languages the lady here is fluent in!

OH, I see. Nope, I was tryin' to type in letters the sound of this song...

Okay finance, because this thread is now longer than one page in length, I'll excuse you THIS time... http://forums.tcm.com/thread.jspa?threadID=169758&start=30&tstart=0 (...the second from the bottom on this page)

"Do I want my soother?" ??? Twink my dear, you're bein' awfully cryptic here, lately. What did ya mean here?

>"Pushing the envelope" and discussing films are not mutually exclusive. Gotta agree with finance here. Back when I worked in the mail room, we'd talk about movies ALL the time! (...well, that is whenever that stick-in-the-mud Supervisor wasn't around away)

Nope, but I'm pretty sure salamanders like beetles. (...sorry)