CaveGirl

Maybe in your area of the globe, Limey they look like Clint, but in my area they might sound like Eastwood but look more like Sterling Holloway: http://pthumb.lisimg.com/image/2717741/280full.jpg

Tomorrow is seemingly composer day at TCM with biopics on Gershwin, Liszt, Schumann, Brahms, Kern and Chopin but only the one about Georgie-Porgie has the tagline, the "fictionalized" biography mentioned in the synopsis. Now I've read that in many movie books with small descriptions of films, and I've always wondered why they would have to fictionalize his life. I've read books on his life and it seemed quite interesting to me, so any thoughts on why there is such a consensus that the film had to be fictionalized? Just now in researching it a bit, I saw some comments about George perhaps being gay, though I've never read anything before about that being the case [not that there's anything wrong with that if he was!]. But I'm still curious why there would not be enough interesting about his life, to make a non-fictional biopic. I can understand why when they made the film about Cole Porter, with Cary Grant that they wanted to obscure the real meaning of Cole's marriage to Linda, but such was not the case with Gershwin anyway. I just don't get Hollywood sometimes... Your thoughts would be appreciated! They did the same thing with "Song of Norway" to poor old Grieg.

You wound me to the core of my being, Dargo! Thinking I did not know about Minnie, but I guess I was derelict in not mentioning her as Sam's wife. Mea culpa! We owe both Sam and Minnie though, as can you imagine a world without Groucho, and Harpo? I could probably do without Chico, but still.

Ben also referred to "The Magnificent Obsession" as "The Seven-Up Obsession" once. What is wrong with him!?$@!

She's also quite good as I'm sure you know, TB in that early performance in the Edward G. Robinson film, "The Red House". Plus, her record albums can be quite pricey due to the atmospheric cover art showcasing Julie's very distinctive looks!

Lawrence Steve really did have a beautiful voice, as you say, Princess. Why I played my grandma's 45 rpm single of "Pretty Blue Eyes" just the other day and thoroughly enjoyed his vocalizing. Eydie on the other hand, well my grandpa, the musician used to say Steve sounded marvy, but Eydie sounded a bit flat. Kind of like a sour June Christy.

I'll go with Troy Donahue in "Palm Springs Weekend". You are right about Jackie Earle Haley who was also great in "Breaking Away". By the way, don't you think Jackie and Clint Howard were born to play brothers in a film?

Some stars have unique qualities that make them stand out from the crowd. Others maybe have something that shows up only on film and they might not make it on stage. Some might be myopic, which gives them a dreamy look in close-ups. Perhaps Marilyn Monroe would qualify. I do think that unless though an author is like 110 years old, they often are just mouthing what they've read about people's careers and don't know the whole story. Like for instance, I have old relatives who will hear a tale about some celebrity of the past, from a modern book and will contradict it entirely. For example, it has been written that Lunt and Fontanne left the movies because they found them low class after being on the stage, whereas my ancient relative who ran theatres said that their films were not making any money because audiences found them stiff and unconvincing on film. Probably more the truth than the press agent's story that was put in books. Great topic by the way!

I wanted to watch this film from 1981 from Fassbinder, due to the fact that one does not get the opportunity to see too many of his films on tv in the States so I applaud TCM for putting two in a row on the other night. I am not going to even go into the storyline, since it mirrors the one in "The Blue Angel" but what was so remarkable in the Fassbinder film was...the color! Now I don't mean ordinary color, as many films are extraordinary in that respect like "The Red Shoes" or many MGM musicals. But the color in this film, was different. It was not just the color of the clothing and sets but the colors that washed over the scenes, in a kaleidoscopic way with a rainbow effect. It was mind boggling and my eyes were transfixed from start to finish. Anyone else experience this fine film? The following one, was just the opposite in a sense since it was with stark black and white images which startled the mind also. It was called "Love is Colder Than Death". Having owned the dvd for "Querelle" which is a trip in itself, I had not realized how different every Fassbinder film is from his previous directorial efforts.

Have ya ever noticed that in the annals of male pulchritude, the two professions which seem to have the most unattractive men are film critics and disk jockeys? Now if anyone here is either, don't get all steamed and think I am talking about you, because you might be the minority in your field and a real Adonis.

I watched that film also, but had seen it before and I always get such a charge out of all the drama over just a set of drapes for some windows. The only thing similar to me, is the bit in "Twin Peaks" where the one woman invents the soundless drapes, using cotton balls and some kind of grease. I thought only David Lynch could come up with such a storyline. They should have retitled "The Cobweb" as maybe "The Suicidal Drapist".

I am mortified that we forgot to honor on the date of his death of May 10th, the man who is responsible for some of the best comedies of all time. That would be, well...Sam Marx, the father of Groucho, Harpo, Chico, Zeppo, Gummo and of course Manfred Marx. Without Sam, being the paterfamilias of such a brood, where would we all be and particularly where would our buddy, Dargo be, I ask you! Sam was born on October 23, 1859 in France and died in Los Angeles on May 10, 1933. I feel so sad to have forgotten to honor him on the date of his passing, earlier this month. Name other unsung heroes of cinema and entertainment, that you can recall who have not been given their just due.

Well, you are so right that Kenneth Anger likes to deal in salacious details and one must take them with either a grain of salt or maybe the whole shaker! But he does point out where there's smoke there could be fire, which motivates one to read further about some famous and some infamous stars, does he not! Thanks, Lorna and thinking about Dekker also makes he think of the demise of Ramon Navarro although it was much less perverse. Dekker and David Carradine had much more in common in that sense.

Did I mention, Down that I am up on embezzlement charges? Are you pro bono? Or anti-U2?

Did you ever date Joan Baez, Sepia? Didn't you hate the way she messed up the lyrics to "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down"? By the way, speaking of Dylan I think his once girlfriend, Suzie Rotolo, who achieved her own brand of fame for being the girl walking with him on the cover of the "Freewheeling" album, died earlier this year.

Ya know, it's funny, Down that women with amazing physical characteristics get ribbed about them all the time by guys like Hope, but you never see a woman emcee introduce a male who is over-endowed, with such ribbing comments. I guess I should just let Forrest Tucker rest in peace though. Sorry!

Love that show! It's success was due to Young's ability to make this surreal idea come to life and Ed's [aka Bamboo Harvester, which I used to use as a trivia question to see how much people knew!] amazing abilities as a thinking horse. So many favorite episodes, like the one I saw recently where Wilbur would not buy Ed a tv set so Ed starts selling real estate over the phone to make big commissions and buy his own color television. RIP, Alan Young!

But Sepia, how can you believe that Frankie could have outdone Elvis as the doctor in "Change of Habit" who was treating the children who were autistic while **** the attraction that some of the nuns had for him? Now that takes real acting talent and you know that Old Blue Eyes is not a good enough actor to reject even a nun's come-on since he was not in the habit enough to do so!

Bobby Zimmerman of Hibbing, Minnesota did well for himself for sure. Wonder if the name change helped, Sepia...what do you think? I'm humming "Leopard Skin Pillbox Hat" in honor of his natal celebration.

Okay, this will be a short review. Feel free to say you love this film, even though I'm panning it, since I believe in total freedom of speech. I'd seen it before, but a long time ago. Even then I had an aversion to it, since the nuns in my all girls high school made us do a production of the play, with an all female cast. Yes, the Inquisitors and all the assorted male religious figures were played by women. Joan was chosen by the nuns, based on a fellow classmate's very short hair. Good criteria, right? Admittedly, since my classmates had first suggested doing the play, "Gypsy" which even in a suggestion the nuns found appalling, we were forced to do their bidding, and audiences were slim mostly only the parents and family of acting participants. So, I can say that the Preminger version was superior to our production, but not by much. In spite of an impressive cast, I just would start laughing every time Richard Widmark was on the screen. I love him and he is one of my favorite actors usually, but in this film he acts like Tommy Udo under the influence of crack and makes the whole proceedings hilarious. Every time that John Gielgud would bring things back down to normalcy and dignity, Richard would act the fool again and get me laughing. Watching this film, only made me more impressed than ever with the Dreyer version which brings the right amount of seriousness to the subject matter. The Preminger version even appeared to be trying to show a bit of romantic attraction between Seberg and Richard Todd, which seemed ridiculous. My guess is that Shaw was turning over in his grave at how his play had been rearranged. Love it or hate it, it is always good to see Gielgud in anything!

Poor Jayney. Only known for two things, Dargo. Her pink palace and that heart shaped swimming pool!

I do know how he died, Lorna but only because morbid facts intrigue me AND I have both books of the "Hollywood Babylon" series. After reading about him there, every time I see him in a film, I get a little creeped out. Thanks though for trying to keep me in the loop, and please continue to do so in case I've missed the facts on other outre case histories!

Down, I certainly agree with your assessment of Frankie's song as being one of the worst. But how could you forget that Elvis did the immortal song, "Look Out, Broadway" with the following lyrics about NY? I mean, it is just such a classic.: LOOK OUT, BROADWAY We never got discouraged, we never had a doubt 'Cause sooner or later talent must win out Look out Broadway, we're comin' fast Now we're gonna see our names in lights at last No more hot dogs at Sloppy Joe's We're gonna dine on steak and wine at Delmonico's Rich or poor it's great to have dough That's one thing we know Lots of fun, lots of laughs Signing cheques and contracts and autographs We're up for N E W Y O R K Look out, look out Broadway I wanna see all the hustle and bustle Maybe I can get a date with Lilian Russell I want to go out with Diamond Jim Yeah, if he gives you a diamond what will you give to him Blow the trumpets and beat on the drum Big time here we come No more cheap hotels and one night stands We'll knock Tin Pan Alley flat on its pans They'll see that we've got class with a capital K Look out, look out Broadway Look out

since Saturday, Double Indemnity, Cover-Up, Timetable, Lola, Love is Colder than Death, The Cobweb and a few others on TCM. Boy, am I tired! Such hard work sitting on the sofa and all and having to turn the tv off and on occasionally. Oh, I also saw "The Pretender" from 1947 with Albert Dekker, and it was a really great noirish type film. Hopefully TCM will show it sometime soon.

"The Pitfall"?