CaveGirl

I would read those books, which I always got as gifts for birthdays and holidays, and continually think "George probably looks like the female golfer, Babe Zaharias, and Bess probably looks like Merv Griffin in a blonde wig, being described continually as a bit chubby. I thought they made both girls seem rather unattractive so that Nancy would be seen as the dream girl, who was smart and attractive and just the best, even if Hannah Gruen thought she was wild and out of control. I would have picked Samuel Hinds as her dad, but will agree Bonita did actually look the part as described.

Well, I certainly hope TCM is listening in about hiring some of us for their on-screen chats before a film. I will say that so many here can speak extemporaneously about films, with such knowledgeable comments just from the top of their head, with no scripts, so I thank you, Jimmymac for them, for your kind words. So glad to see you are posting here, and thanks for making the valid comparison of what studio or company's product is always a sign to you that you will be seeing classic entertainment. I too am a fan of RKO films, and have that whole giant book on their output. They had a real style and signature look which was fabulous. I am not well versed on Filmstruck so will leave it to others to respond to your query and thanks for your response!

Why in the heck was he Ned in the books and Ted in the series. I thought from reading all the books that the Carolyn Keene version of Ned, was a much cooler cat than the rather lame-o Ted movie version. Speaking of Nancy Drew, did anyone while reading the series find the female, George's character, well a bit more than just a tomboy? Makes sense since Carolyn Keene didn't really exist and the books were written by a man as I recall.

Haha!! Sometimes I do get my Farnum brothers confused, and don't know if it was Dustin or William in something silent, but I'm glad Dustin Hoffman's mother didn't since then she would have named him William Hoffman instead, since Dustin was the inspiration I think. Sure wish TCM would show the 1914 version as the fight scene lasts like forever and is a killer!

It probably did seem logical that a person living now would think of the 1942 version of "The Spoilers" as the "old" one, TB. But being a big fan of silents, I had always read that the 1914 silent version had one of the best fight scenes, and it was with William Farnum as I recall. It is famed for its authentic realism, and I have to agree it is great, much better than the Dietrich one, but I am partial to the 1930 version for some odd reason. Have never seen the 1923 one, but would like to but most film books I've read call the 1914 film the best in terms of a fight scene. Sorry if I confused you.

I probably have watched way too many films that things like this bother me, but after seeing a classic many times then you start noticing background stuff more. For example, in the movie "The Maltese Falcon" it came to my attention a few years ago that when they finally get the falcon in Spade's apartment, all swathed in material and Greenstreet starts unwrapping it, that one hears a voice say something like "It's a fake, it's phony, it's lead!" Now this is when he starts trying to carve on the finish with a knife or something. What is odd though, is that the voice sounds not like Greenstreet, or Lorre or Bogart and definitely not Astor. So...whose voice is it? There is no lip movement either as this occurs from any of the characters. I think in olden days I just assumed it was Greenstreet but really started noticing after viewing the film many times, that it sounds nothing like him. I think maybe they added this bit after the film was finished just to make sure the audience is clued in, though the result that it is not the real falcon seems obvious. Check it out on Youtube at the below spot at around 1:32 maybe: And any other movie mysteries that are puzzling you, please submit here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Xuw-XKP1sI

I was talking about the 1930 version with Gary Cooper and William Boyd, TB. I also have enjoyed seeing the silent one; this story seems continually filmable.

Enjoyed reading all the sage comments! Slayton, I have only one thing to add concerning the word "cult". I remember way back watching the media blitz about the mass suicides of the group, Heaven's Gate. All the commentators were talking about their belief system, of shedding their mortal coils and going on to their heavenly rewards as being quite "nutty", and that they were a "cult". Finally as an authority on "cults" especially religious ones, one network brought on a noted professor of comparitive religions, I believe and immediately asked her to comment on Heaven's Gate's cult status, with "cult" being a pejorative term. She started off by saying something like, well, actually how is their idea of the wonderful idea of shedding a mortal coil, being anything different than most Christian religions, and meeting their maker as a good thing. Then she invoked her belief, that all religions are basically "cults" to begin with, and only are described as more acceptable as they acquire mass status with more and more converts. Not only was the interviewer aghast, this lady was cut off almost immediately never to be seen again probably on network tv! I found it very amusing. And it might portend that something can start off as a "cult" but then with acceptance not be a "cult". I would think in the pejorative state though the stigma would always be there, though some would count non-acceptance by the masses as a sign of quality. As H. L. Mencken once said "One can never underestimate the taste of the American public" didn't he, or something like that? Great topic by the way, Slayton and I probably am most attuned to your theory of cult status implied a small group of enthusiasts in general! Addendum and correction: Nobody ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public. H. L. MenckenRead more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/h_l_mencken_137243

The simple answer is: cult kəlt/ noun a system of religious veneration and devotion directed toward a particular figure or object. "the cult of St. Olaf" a relatively small group of people having religious beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange or sinister. "a network of Satan-worshiping cults" synonyms: sect, denomination, group, movement, church, persuasion, body, faction "a religious cult" a misplaced or excessive admiration for a particular person or thing. "a cult of personality surrounding the leaders" synonyms: obsession with, fixation on, mania for, passion for, idolization of, devotion to, worship of, veneration of "the cult of eternal youth in Hollywood"

The following is a cautionary tale. My love of films was instigated by the mother, whose family had a connection to running movie houses, hence she was well versed on movie lore having seen many films in her early life due to having free passes. She was also an inveterate viewer on tv of good movies, that had stood the test of time. This was my early education, being that I was allowed to stay up late watching the classics with her, like "Rebecca", "Casablanca" and all the Basil Rathbone films as Sherlock, which she loved. By the age of about twelve, I remember accidentally turning on the tv, and seeing a film start with the interesting characteristic of the two-headed god, Janus. And this was a revelation, since whatever the film was, I knew it was one of quality and above the norm in style and innovation. A bit different from what I'd been seeing as mostly American classics which were straightforward and to the point. From that moment on, whenever a film came on that began with the heads of Janus, saying it was from Janus Films, I was hooked. I don't believe there was one film that did not enchant, educate or enthrall me. This process totally shaped my viewing and choices of films from then on, since I had been treated to some of the best films ever made at an early age. Among the list of foreign classics I first saw as a teen, I would include memorable items like "Wild Strawberries", "The Browning Version", "Kwaidan", "La Bete Humaine", "Exterminating Angel", "Zero du Conduite", "Miss Julie", "Vampyr", "Ugetsu", "Tin Drum", "Bicycle Thieves", "Children of Paradise", "Day of Wrath", "The Horse's Mouth", "L'Atalante", "Orpheus", "Onibaba", "The Passion of Joan of Arc", "Woman in the Dunes", "Persona", "The Virgin Spring", "Weekend", "Boudu Saved From Drowning" and so many others. This was a heady experience for a young teen but also a fabulous education into the great foreign films, and training in what constituted being a film of worth. For that reason I want to thank Janus Films and wonder if anyone else here is also a fan. My training made me never turn off any film beginning with the Janus icon opening and to this day I still adhere to this standard. I believe they started in the mid-1950's as a releasing company for foreign art films of renown to US audiences, but don't know the whole story. Their connection later to Criterion is an interesting story and I also am a big fan of anything on the Criterion list of movies, which are always of unique value I feel. If you enjoyed seeing a Janus film that opened your eyes to foreign masterpieces, please mention it now and tell your story of how you came upon the Janus film pantheon. Thanks!

Thanks, TB! I've been wanting to see that Colman film again! The one with Jean Gabin seems interesting also. If I need to watch a nice fight scene of course I might watch "The Spoilers" again but the older version was better.

Hey, I remember seeing that too but totally forgot about it. Not badly done but Hef must have paid them to have the handsome Mitchell Ryan portray him, since that would be like Cornel Wilde playing Anthony **** in a movie.

Totally enjoyed reading his books and particularly "Portnoy's Complaint". Did not enjoy seeing Richard Benjamin in the movie, but can't blame Roth for that. RIP!

Perfecto!

Arnold Stang is a cutie! Poor Wally, I guess one can't please everyone. I did find him amusing as the gentle Mr. Peepers, and he shoulda never gotten married in that show, which killed it. Please don't ever compare him to Crispin Glover though, who truly seemed like a psychopath, but I must say I still enjoy thinking about the time he was on Letterman and almost kicked David in the teeth at his desk. It was fun to watch Letterman trying to act cool, all the while he looked scared to death that Glover was going to deck him. And yes, I do have a sick sense of humor. Glover also looked like he had a wig on backwards during the appearance. I just go to Youtube to rewatch this oddity. Thanks for your thoughts!

Thanks, James! To this day, I still marvel over the many times discussed relationship between Wally and Marlon Brando, which on the surface boggles the mind but in reality, it would be hard to not have affection for someone like Wally Cox I think. Don't mention to TopBilled that I was disseminating this gossip at the TCM boards.

It is fun hearing about things that people here collect about actors. I too have a pretty large book collection and though I have some on the history of one star's career only, I like the giant books with the entire output of a studio, like the series with Universal, and MGM and RKO. They are fun to look at and have a really good synopsis of each film. Glad to hear you enjoyed your new John Wayne book, but remember, Spence...though they may call it or Bradford Exchange items as collectibles, the only true collectibles are things that were never called collectible. Please don't come after me with your new John Wayne replica pistol for saying that, Pilgrim! If you do I will be forced to give my "Stand where you are or you're dead where you stand" John Wayne impression before I use my derringer on you.

That's actually ringing a bell, Slayton. Hey, is that sequence where they are always showing calendar pages being blown open by supposedly a big wind, a stock sequence?

You kill me, TB! You are just so kind, but in this case I will have to partially go along with you and say Ruby may not have been the best dancer, or singer but I don't think being with Al Jolson or anyone got her in films, just her well scrubbed and rather innocently cute personality probably.

Yeah, TCM...be more careful next time! I hate seeing heads cut off, unless they are on wine commercials.

"Star 80" is really a quite well done and somewhat chilling movie. The casting is good and Eric Roberts is very interesting in his portrayal of that Paul guy [have forgotten his name...sorry!]. If you've ever seen footage of the real boyfriend of Stratten and his rather sleazy demeanor and need to be noticed as being important to her career, you will truly appreciate the take of Roberts in the part. Trying to remember if the film actually showed the actual death room with all the bizarre erotic furnishings. Dorothy Stratten was actually not at all a bad actress and might have continued on if only she had gotten rid of the insane manager/boyfriend.

Thanks so much, Gershwin Fan [Geo. or Ira?]! Just spent some time reading up on Ének a búzamezökröl (1947) and its participants like Mora Ferenc and it was very interesting. Definitely fits into the RP category and also the RRP category that Matyos Ragosi intimated.

Brilliant choices and I think Marion as Prince Oscar looks a lot like Eric Linden. Thanks, drednm!

Though we might tend to think of the process of propaganda as being purely for political reasons, the truth is that the term actually comes from a Papist body developed in the early 1600's which was called the "Congregatio de Propaganda Fide" which was concerned with spreading the faith in other areas. Their first usage of the term, in the sense of "propagating" was not seen as pejorative to them, though it might have been seen that way by inhabitants of other locations who were quite happy in their current religious views or lack thereof. So as long as time has existed, there have probably been groups wanting to cultivate initiates by influencing their thoughts with messages that will bring them into the fold. One many's religion is another man's cult group, and so it is that even the world of films has had many religiously based dramatic works which might be seen as propaganda, if the details fit the meaning of the word which some might describe in the following manner: "Propaganda is neutrally defined as a systematic form of purposeful persuasion that attempts to influence the emotions, attitudes, opinions, and actions of specified target audiences for ideological, political or commercial purposes through the controlled transmission of one-sided messages (which may or may not be factual) via mass and direct media channels." Following this meaning, name films which in a religious sense of recruitment, fit the bill. I will start with "The Song of Bernadette" from 1943 which I think is rather propagandishish, but in a subtle way. On the other hand, a film like "Ordet" by Carl Theodor Dreyer from 1955 seems not to be the typical religous propaganda even with the scene at the end where the brother who thinks he is Jesus Christ manages to raise the woman Inger, from her death bed.

Now I mean this in the sense of an actor portraying a role that is from their opposing gender, not a cross gender person acting. This can be in films which are of a varying degree of importance, like the cult film of the 1980's, "Liquid Sky" in which Ann Carlisle acceptably played the dual roles of a man and woman to an exceptional degree, yet the film is still quite the novelty. On the other hand, we have the stunning performance of Tilda Swinton in the class A film "Orlando" [1992] taken from the brilliant work by author, Virginia Woolf. Following the life of Orlando, through his days in Queen Elizabeth's court and onward is an amazing journey, aided by Swinton being quite believable as a male and female. Name a Cross Gender Acting Role you admire or even abhorred and despised.