CaveGirl

Let's start with "Anna and the King of Siam" which thought wonderful due to Irene Dunne being in it, is still fictionalized beyond belief. The life of Anna Leonowen as a Victorian lady begins with falsehoods about her name, her heritage, her travels, her education and on and on, ending with the supposed romantic issues with Mongkut. Though all these details have been panned over the years, the story still resonates and is enjoyable, even more so in the musical version. So as a fictional tale, they both are fine but as a true history, both are pretty much invalid. Name a biopic which is full of bologna and blather, but you still think makes a great movie.

Good detective work and obviously I will have to take the Fifth on that, James. I think it is obvious that I have to be Rip Murdock since there is no other alternative obviously. But I can't confirm anything due to the following: As Eve White would say, "Self incrimination does not play well while I am abiding in an alternate identity." To paraphrase my favorite movie actress Traci Lords "If you like thinking I'm Rip Murdock, that's fine and if you don't think I'm Rip Murdock, that's fine too."

Those are such good ones, Tom and isn't it fun just in a auto-entertaining way, to know such things? Love knowing such info particularly about Flynn and I just wish Lily Damita had written a tell-all book! Thanks.

In my many and varied false identities here, one thing remains...I don't accept Emoticons, James. I'm sorry you have now entered Personal Non Grata territory, and I wish you and Rip well. I have been accused of being Eve White, Eve Black and Eve Gray a few times, but never a guy who sounds drunk, which is a new one. It's been fun and have a nice life, James.

Really now? You are the second person here who has asked me that....hmmmph!#$%! I'm kind of insulted since isn't Rip [I thought his name was Dirk Murdock?] a bit daffy, as I recall from his postings from this past year? Plus he can't spell well and I pride myself on proper spelling of names and movie titles. Take it back or I shall never read any of your very interesting posts again, James or should I call you GregoryPeckFan?

There were quite a few I was not aware of so thanks for the posting, like Skip Homeier, the great Don Gordon and Emmanuelle Riva, who I loved in "Hiroshima, Mon Amour".

Hmmm, kinda looks like Michael Ansara!

Nip, I think we can blame Deborah Walley for the demise of poor John Ashley's career. Once she started eyeing older men like her heartthrob, Basil Rathbone, it probably affected the poor teen idol's ego tremendously. Ya still gotta love "High School Caesar" though as the high point of his acting prowess...

Even though I've seen some movies scads of times, and even own the darn thing on DVD, if one with a favorite scene is on, I might just have to watch a minute or two of the film, to enjoy a great bit. One film that for me has a musical number I simply cannot miss and can watch over and over is Donald O'Connor's "Make'Em Laugh" sequence in "Singin' in the Rain". That whole number from start to finish and then the incredible bit where he runs up the walls, is just so great, I never miss it and watched it again when the film played the other day on TCM. I also dig the bit in "Some Like It Hot" when Jack Lemmon arrives in drag, only to be picked up by world's oldest bachelor, Joe E. Brown. The bits about his "Ma-ma" crack me up. I also often try to catch the segment of Joan Crawford screaming "Nooooooooooo wire hangers" in "Mommy Dearest" whenever it's on tv. Any such sequences that you always try to catch if the film is scheduled?

Well, you know his replacement in Mayberry was Mayor Stoner I think and Parley Baer was also in a slew of films, Dargo.

I can totally relate. I have a friend who is obsessed with Vernon Dent and always looks for him in bit parts in films. I on the other hand, am always looking for Michael Ripper, if there are gravediggers, coachmen, bartenders or whatever in any horror film, particularly if it's a Hammer Film! I often will walk out of the room for two seconds and can already miss him since his appearances are often brief but worthwhile.

The underground classic, "Ben Her: Done That" starring Liberace, has now been rereleased and all I'm sure would enjoy it.

After her real hubby [from the film], George Chandler files his alienation of affection order against her?

I saw that myself and was dying laughing also, about what wine is appropriate for a homicide you've just committed? I know from reading books about murderers that there are some who after a murder, will often stay in the victim's abode, to take a shower, and raid the icebox for some vittles. I guess they'd have to bring their own wine though that they've already purchased through the ID channel. Maybe there's another job opening for Muller, the quasi wine wannabe noirish guy, and not the Russian investigation head, Mueller?

If so, tell them to call me as I have a million ideas for films. My fee is very reasonable too.

What a wonderfully magnanimous performer, skilled at both comedy and drama. Besides all the obvious important and famed roles he essayed, I particularly loved him in "Stella Dallas" and "The Sisters". He elevated any movie in which he has a role, and was an amazing counterpoint to Flynn in so many. Gotta say I also love his son, Alan Hale, Junior who seemed to inherit that engaging mien of temperament and was also a joy to watch in anything. Great topic!

Anyone using the word "trope" deserves their film to be seen. Count me in!

Now sometimes a movie has internal jokes that only a few people might get, as in naming a character for one that has been in a previous movie, or is a name of someone in the production team. When David Lynch first did the "Twin Peaks" tv show, and later the movie "Fire Walk With Me" he had a character that was called the One-Armed Man, who was named Philip Gerard, which was coincidentally the name of the character as played by Barry Morse, in the original "The Fugitive" tv show, but of course he was usually called Lt. Gerard, or Lt. Philip Gerard. So by making that name the killer of Richard Kimble's wife it made for some fun for movie trivia buffs. Seeing a revival of the film "Annie Hall" I had to laugh during a scene when Woody Allen heard outside noises, while in bed and blurted out something like "It could be Dick and Perry" referring to Richard Hickok and Perry Smith of course of "In Cold Blood" infamy, in the killing of the Clutter family. I remember sort of chortling at the mention of the killers names and then realized my companions were looking at me strangely, obviously not getting the in-reference. Any in-joke lines in films that stick out for you, or are so obscure that most would never even get the meaning, that you'd like to share?

Love it! Any film with both Hobart Bosworth and Mischa Auer is a winner. I'll have to look for "The Lost Skeleton Of Cadavra" film too!

Anyone married to Jolson is probably going to be offered parts. In her defense, for the type of parts she played as a stage neophyte, she was probably quite adequate.

Well, since Miss Holy, Loretta Young might have been a bit more racy than her public image, I'd change that title to the "Bishop's Wife and Her Christmas Affair" since I'm sure she woulda gone for Cary over Niven. I mean, she went for Gable right?

YES! All that talk about blood between the grout in the bathroom can really bring one down. I was never happier than when I saw poor old Donald Sutherland telling Mary as "Beth" that he didn't think he loved her anymore. Maybe it was because she was such a pain in the you know what. Great choice, Fedya!

Two seriously incredible films by Fellini at his highest power. Love the part where the Gelsomina is eating standing up like a "horse" in "La Strada. And the color in "Juliet of the Spirits" is magnificent as is the music by Nino Rota.

Sometimes holiday films can get just a little too syrupy, and when that happens another Syrup, that of Ipecac is desired to rid one's body of all the sweetness and cloying sentimentality. When that happens, a good film to watch might be something like the Python's "Life of Brian" or something by Albert Brooks to turn down the positivity dial, if it has already gone way past 11! For those who may need this remedy, after watching too much Elf on the Shelf type films, or remakes of classics that have been turned into icky sugary melanges, please submit your most snide, arch, sarcastic, and snippy films to keep people from hitting diabetic coma time before December ends...

With a master film maker, genres can be mixed to high acclaim as in Polanski's film, "The Fearless Vampire Killers" in which he combined horror and comedy, in a unique way which seemingly heightened the effect of both. Another film which earlier had artfully meshed the two genres was "Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein" from the late 1940's. Not all directors or film producers have the art, style and talent to mix such things, but when done properly and there is not magic tutorial on how to do it, the combination can be wonderful. Mixing any genres can be difficult like sci-fi with a comedic vein, or a western with a horror theme, like having Billy the Kid meet Dracula but even when tacky, still can be fun. What genre mixing have you enjoyed, which have you hated, and which do you think would work in the right hands?