LornaHansonForbes

Yeah, PBR is awful. We're on the same team though when it comes to dem thighs. ps- a tiny mustache bothers you on Gene, but works on Errol? pss- mustache, smustache, when Gene is working dem thighs. who cares about a mustache? #demthighs

1. Yeah, "off" is a good way to describe GREEN MANSIONS...although, to be honest, the source novel deserves some of the credit for the disaster, the whole idea is a mess. Henry Silva is surprisingly hot as an evil native though. But Hepburn and Perkins have no chemistry and Audrey cast as "Rima the Bird Girl"- who the author of the book describes as under five feet tall, dark brown and coarse-feautured- is "John Wayne as Ghengis Khan"-level miscasting. I also don't recall any good scenery, the whole thing was filmed on very obvious soundstages from the best of my recollection. 2. sigh, WATCH ON THE RHINE. I caught this one for the first time this year during the 31 DAYS OF OSCAR and thought about starting a thread on it, but since the boards are always dead during 31 DAYS, I didn't bother. Paul Lukas winning the Best Actor Oscar over Bogart (for CASABLANCA) is one of the most interestingly multi-faceted mistakes in the history of the Academy Awards. I understand, of course, that a Warner's "B-Player" (as Bogie was still maybe kinda regarded at the time) was never gonna beat someone from The Theatuh, but I am still surprised that the actors voting did not stop for one minute to think about what a challenge the role of Rick was and how, in spite of all the odds, BOGIE MAKES IT WORK and in the process turned his whole image on its head and became a romantic leading man. Lukas' role in RHINE is a Christmas gift to an actor- all tied up in red ribbons, but honestly he doesn't even do a competent job in executing it. His resistance fighter needs fire, passion, anger- Lukas seems to be struggling to even get his lines out. It is a shaky performance and since the film is basically a filmed stage play (Honestly, I don't recall whether or not it ever leaves the living room of the home where it is set)- it's like watching an understudy get his big chance...and blow it. I understand that the sentiment "I FIGHT FASCISTS" is a lot easier to embrace than "I STICK MY NECK OUT FOR NOBODY" but when Bogie succeeds at layering his character so wonderfully (effortlessly, one might say) and then loses to Lukas, who honestly sounds at times like Bela Lugosi- only nowhere near as emotive- it pretty much undercuts the idea that the Oscar is the last word on what is great in film....and of course, there is also the fact that Lukas (maybe?) never did another lead role in a film, went right back to playing second leads and support and never did anything else that proved he deserved anything more than to be in films, period. And of course, there is also the ridiculous prejudice the prestige-conscious Academy had for THEATUH people- which resulted in quite a few undeserved nominations (and wins) for "slumming" stage actors (Helen Hayes, Lunt and Fontanne, Ethel Barrymoore in NONE BUT THE LONELY HEART...) at the expense of deserving film actors. I could go on for a long time about this one. 3. REFELECTIONS IN A GOLDEN EYE was on TCM recently, and they have restored it to its original URINE-SCOPE negative. It really did look like it was shot through a jar of pee. With John Huston, the films are either reeeeeally good or reeeeaally bad- he's not a filmmaker who did mid-range work. REFLECTIONS falls in the latter category.

Oh come on, guys: who amongst us that have seen that scene in THE PIRATE where Gene does his ballet number in tattered hot pants and pirate garb- spins that flaming baton amid the explosions and demi-entrechants like tomorrow won't come, and not had the urge to hardcore Bro-out with him- y'know, crack open a PBR, dig into some wings and catch whatever game is on at the local sports bar? ps- I forget, does that band on his right arm mean he's a top or a bottom? pss- nevermind, I think I can guess the answer.

I caught some of it yesterday afternoon. Not one of Dyan Cannon's more subtle performances.

I cannot post a link until I get to my computer, but if any of you are curious for a new take on the tale, there is a radio version of SHADOW OF A DOUBT in which Teresa Wright reprises her film role and- get this- William Powell plays Uncle Charlie, quite surprisingly well. the entire speech about swine living behind the walls of houses is kept intact and Powell knocks it out of the park. When I get the chance I'll post the link, but til then, the radio version can be found in full on YouTube and is highly recommended.

Thank you, for you kind words Frau Wunderbar...honestly, I feel a little guilty for ripping so viciously at Ms. Werts (well, as much guilt as I can feel in my shriveled little artichoke heart). It's done. Were she ever to see it, I'd say "my bad" t'wards maybe being a little too vicious and just remind her to "cool it" with the "whole" "putting everything in quotes" "thing" that she does. It's not "professional." Dammit. There I go again...I just can't be nice sometimes...most times...all the time.

I know not this Sleeping City, but I am in love with the title. Have you seen it?

But they don't. The father clearly doesn't buy the act, even more after Uncle Charlie visits him at the bank and makes such an **** of himself. And neither do the children- Anne (the bespectacled girl child) immediately doesn't trust him, the little boy later almost flat-out refuses to sit by him at dinner, and only obliges after his mother gives him a nasty look. And even the mother has the vaguest frame of a suspicion- there's a wonderful tight shot of Paticia Collinge as she drives off to attend the party once little little Charlie has been rescued from the garage (and earlier avoids falling through the rigged stairs), she mouths the words to herself about how strange it all has been "first the steps, now this..." She knows. It's, again, a film where a lot happens beneath the surface- wonderfully directed and acted, and not in a showy way. I think if it does have any flaws, it's in the scene where the detectives use the extended rouse to get in to the house.

Yes! Really enjoyed the double feature last night of Collinge's films, first THE LITTLE FOXES, wherein she gives one of the finest supporting turns of the whole decade (just masterful work), and then SHADOW OF A DOUBT (which for the record, is a film I'd put in my Top Ten of all Time if ever I were forced.) She says SO MUCH without saying a word in both films...God, I wish she had made more movies, just a fantastic actress. ps- you just know her fragile mother in SHADOW OF A DOUBT probably won't live long after getting the news about Uncle Charlie.

Yes, they are and how did you manage to do one? Hats off to you, Good Sir.

Damn. I hate to hear about a nice, seedy gay porn theater going out of business. Especially one with such colorful decor. It's getting to where all the nice "Mom and Pop" gay porn theaters are getting shut down or going corporate. (at least they replaced the seats!)

No. And at this point, I think we would've seen it by now. It's a shame, she was in five major classics (THE KILLING, KISS OF DEATH, NIGHTMARE ALLEY, RED RIVER and KANSAS CITY CONFIDENTIAL)- so she certainly warrants it.

A-woo.

I'll also offer up that WEREWOLF OF LONDON is excellent, just a charming, eccentric and wonderfully acted and stylish little film, rather unlike most of the Universal horrors in that it has a fair amount of comedy going on (but the humor is not out of place.) Great art direction and quintessentially British- you'd think it was a James Whale film, but it's not. It's not entirely unlike DOWNTON ABBEY with werewolves.

Flabby underarms. (According to Osborne.) Ps- seriously.

a study of the filmography of Norma Shearer is also a fascinating study of the transition from silents and expressions to sound and dialogue in movies, and her acting is an interesting carryover from Silent into sound, with evolutions along the way (although she always does have a certain theatricality to her style, which can be campy at times. ) It's really impressive that the same Norma Shearer who was so vampy in silents and uninhibited in pre codes matured into high level fare like Private Lives and The Barretts of Whimple Street and then Marie Antoinette- as well as survive the transition from Silent to sound and managed to be so popular with the public...and it's owing to her own talent, the fact that she was married to Thalberg didn't hurt, but like Jennifer Jones, she might have married in to the big leagues, but she had the goods to deliver and stay there.

I wouldn't mind seeing a montage done to modern music like they did for Crawford when she was star of the month in January.

If it was at least semi effective, then I have a suspicion your gut is telling you wrong about King's involvement.

Take us the foxes, the little foxes, who spoil the vines. for our vines have tender grapes. "The world's open for people like you and me. There's thousands of us all over the world. We'll ownthe country some day. They won't try to stop us. We'll get along." The ones that are rich enough to give are smart enough to want. There's some folks out there who wants to eat the earth, and some who stand by and watch them do it. I hope you DIE! I hope you DIE soon! Bette Davis Teresa Wright Herbert Marshall Patricia Collinge and Dan Duryea as Leo in a film by William Wyler Based on the play by Lillian Hellman THE LITTLE FOXES

damn it.

Thanks for the heads up. BTW, SCARLET STREET is one of the best- if not the best- films in the public domain, which means you might be able to find a good, clean copy on the internets just in case you don't feel like waiting that long.

am or pm? (sorry i'm making you do all the work here, i forget how to search ahead in the schedule.)

Good. She deserves it.

Oh goody! What time? (Hope its not the graveyard hours.)