casablancalover2

Loved these links. Too cold today in Fort Myers, so perfect to be warming by the laptop.

Hazy Shade of Winter:

What a great idea for today. Leave it to good old John Waters.

Yeah, Universal-International ! Thanks for pointing out that tidbit. I did a blog post about Dorothy Malone's eyebrows, which to her defense, was the style at the time, but being several shades darker than her bright gold blonde hair just stood out waaay too much. Also, she got the chance to play a female sociopath, which in front of the camera must have been fun. Because of her character alone, any remake now of *Written on the Wind* would be rated NC-17. Robert Stack gets to do some major league emoting himself, very much out of the detached "just the facts" host we knew from _Unsolved Mysteries_.

Vivaldi: Spring, from the Four Seasons:

Jane Wyman was nominated in 1954 for her lead in *Magnificent Obsession*. "May I get excited tomorrow?" -she lost to Grace Kelly - *The Country Girl* Dorothy Malone (caterpillar eyebrows and all) was nominated Best Supporting Actress in 1956 for *Written on the Wind* - _and won_. Robert Stack was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in *WOTW*, but lost to Anthony Quinn *Lust for Life* Susan Kohner and Juanita Moore were both nominated for *Imitation of Life* - and lost to Shelly Winters in *Diary of Anne Frank*

Someone's into cat fights. That would be a derailment.

>mw wrote: She's not going to have a waist like that for long ( 21" or 27", it's still slim...) if she keeps lounging around in cars and eating chocolates. It's a moot point now. Or, are you referring to the faux Audrey? I think she's lost that battle already.

I think it is *Magnificent Obsession* when Helen asks, May I get excited tomorrow? LOL, unintentionally. Sort of begs the severe under-performance doesn't it? Hum Like pairing George Clooney with Linda Hunt.. wonder if there will be a remake? h5. I was going for ludicrous pairing; this is no way to imply that Ms Linda Hunt cannot act! By a mile, yes she can..

This is why I am in merchandising. Details. Behold, the Audrey wannabe. That is not a 21" waist; closer to a 27" Edited by: casablancalover2 on Mar 1, 2013 11:53 AM

You know, in imdb, *Never Say Goodbye* lists Douglas Sirk, but as uncredited. Check out the Sirk site: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0802862/

In the ad, as the "Audrey" character rounds in front of the bus, I see she clearly does not have that ballerina shape and nipped waist of Ms Hepburn at a comparable age. Nothing compares to the original there.

Oh, you gotta take Sirk in reasonable doses, and don't overdo. Like too much hairspray (Imitation of Life) - or too much booze (Written on the Wind) - or too much gossip (All that Heaven Allows) - or too much money and entitlement (Magnificent Obsession) - it can have a negative effect, raise the cynicism. Just enjoys the pretty costumes and the lovely locations and beautiful colors.

Oh, my goodness, he did another most interesting ones, *Lured* (1947), with Lucille Ball, George Sanders, and Charles Coburn. Fascinating.

h4. A Time to Love and a Time to Die h4. Sign of the Pagan h4. Taza, Son of Cochise Those sound like they have their moments, most assuredly. I hope they are all glorious Technicolor. This is what i love about Sirk -there isn't a genre that he can't capture with his own visual style of storytelling and making it epic. A failing state locked in the desperation of losing the war, and John Gavin is easy on the eye. "One last gal before the end of the Reich" The opening sounds classic; but you can't believe the number of times I have watched Sirk with others and the symbolism is entirely over their heads. Maybe they failed Jr High English. Sirk has a gift for inserting larger themes, sometimes effectively. For IOL there is the question of Denial of one's heritage/Race relations in the fifties. Sirk weaves in the glamour, just resetting the story to the progressive theater colony of New York. I think Koehner's part resonates too, and I am relieved to see her breakdown in the end, although too late. In *All That Heaven Allows*, the issue of the older woman/younger man _or_ prim, staid woman/free spirit male (how could we know how free spirit Rock really was?) is handled wonderfully by the total b**** reaction of Cary's (Wyman) friends and family. Sirk does a great job of stacking the deck against status quo. Ha! We need Sirk in SWFL. h5. Anyhow, Fedya, once the Joad's left Encino, they were down to one grape, and boy were they wrathful and moving on.

Wow! Creates a new expression for passion: h3. Hang on to the curtains! That poster brings up an issue I always have about such scenes. No woman can resist a man in uniform, or so men believe. Yet, those medals will *PINCH* !

And let's not forget, Hibi, no matter what- Lana's hair is perfect, her makeup perfect, and she is the drama queen! Currently, I am watching *The Grape of Wrath*, and I couldn't be more 180 degrees from *Imitation of Life*. Once I am done with this trip down Dust Bowl and redemption I want to talk all things Sirk..

Okay, *A Time to Love and A Time to Die* I will search for. I did see the '34 version of *Imitation of Life*, and while I liked Colbert and Louise Beavers, I really don't care for Warren William. The Sirk touch is missing completely. I do love the scenes in '59 *IOL*, when Lana Turner, convinced she's an actress, handles the theater rehearsal for her big break like a office chair speaking in monotone. Oh, yeah, there's talent. She saves her best acting for Sandra Dee. I must admit, Jane Wyman has grown on me over the last ten years. It is just this Rock Hudson/Jane Wyman pairing that makes me smile. Super hunk male paired with seriously unstated, diminutive woman. It would be like George Clooney paired with Ellen De Generes-- Couldn't you see the Swiss Festival scene with them? h6. Note: Trying to think of better pairing. *All That Heaven Allows !* h5. Hey, wait a minute! My sons bought me a TV set for Christmas, 2009!

One more Chopin al`a Cliburn: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=971xRO0OZK0 with all this talk about Jimmie Rodgers, I thought of another Jimmie. I don't know, I always think of Jimmie Dodd of the Mouseketeers when I hear about Jimmie (Kisses sweeter than wine) Rodgers. Jimmie's songs were more juvenile.

Just heard about Van Cliburn passing. There was a young guy who could play fantastically, and what impression he made on me. A long example here; but I remember it from raking leaves on a cold Saturday in October, when I was kid and this was playing on the radio, at a time there used to be commercial classical radio stations. RIP Van Cliburn

Those were very good, Scottman. The first one is the heartland, isn't it? Wry and rueful. Basic economics. Here another. Talkin' Dust Bowl Blues:

I read the Jezebel take as well. I liked the headline. Seth was the Boob.

Great conversations always have tangents. Great story, Addison. I bypassed The Hours when it came out, by friends who taste I respected who said to me, skip it. I once sat through a series pilot at the Paramount Lot. They wanted discussion in a conference room after. Never saw the show hit the air. Just as well.

>. . . I sure did love ya, gal, but I sure don't want your place... Loved it! I am glad to see Gene rebound from that one and take his rightful place in movies, real estate and baseball team ownership. He sounds a little like Woody Guthrie singing it. May have been the quality of the recording. I do love those western recordings. Have you any more? I thought cowboys would sing about their horses more than their aches and pains..... wait, if they rode all day, the would be singing about aches and pains.

Okay, finished watching the Oscars. All in all a good night, especially in re-watching some segments, Seth was not bad; I guess this is a vote for "Seth didn't suck". I learned the "I Saw Your Boobs" number was pre-produced, right down to random reactions by the stars --that were taken in earlier awards shows! So it wasn't an egg-laying but by design, which is the way Seth lays a joke. Once you see that, it is easier to take. Seth's banter otherwise stayed pretty much close to others before him, Yeah, he learned 150 years is still too soon to joke about actor's and a beloved President. Each show is unique, and I enjoyed this one overall. It did seem interesting that Argo would capture the Best Picture (I liked it too) and now Ben Affleck better direct something good next year-- Hollywood is ready to kiss and make up. That's how the Academy rolls.