MCannady1

A great list as usual! I really love Film Noir in the last few years and find Nightmare Alley Me too! I read not long ago that it was her honeymoon trip. SHe and her husband and pets all died. I liked her here and also in an early episode of Perry Mason. IT said in the magazine article that Elvis was pretty devastated about the accident and was good friends with Judy and her future hubby.

Thanks so much! Will certainly look these up. I really like Constance and Tito a lot. It's fun when you can find great films and music on You Tube. An extra icing on our cake (the main cake being TCM!)

Just remembered a rare Margaret Lockwood technicolor 50's film called Laughing Anne which is actually based on a real character, "Anne" (Margaret's character) is in trouble when she stows away on a ship (in the early part of the 20th century) bound for Singapore. THe married captain (Wendell Corey) and Margaret, a saloon singer fall in love. THe timing seems good, as his wife has just deserted him when he eants to continue their lives on shipboard. THe Christmas season occurs during their journey. She and The First Mate toast (Ronald Shiner) the New Year on board the ship and she grows closer to the captain. THough there are comedic elements to the story, it is actually a sad one as well. Forrest Tucker and BRitish stars Ronald Shiner and Helen Shingler add to the cast.

I think if it includes a CHristmas scene, we can add it to the list! I had forgotten that Donovan's Reef had such a scene, but recall several we wouldn't normally think were on a Christmas list; Little Women and even the very beginning of the Val Lewton film; The Seventh Victim with Kim Hunter. So every year it is fun to add to the list which I started when I was a kid; the first film was A Christmas Carol with Alistair Sim. In time I added THe Bishop's Wife and The Lemon Drop Kid, etc.

When I was very young (maybe 6 or 7) in the late 50's I recall seeing a great Bing Crosby film on TV. From the description of it it sounds like it was Pennies from Heaven. When I received a copy of it a year or so ago it was missing some key parts that I clearly recall. I began to think lately that I could be wrong about the title. I watched with my older sister at the time and she seems to recall it too. THe scenario goes like this: Bing is a singing troubadour on street corners who befriends an orphan girl who may be 9 or 10. She constantly begs him to adopt her, but he can't as he is broke and is not married. A social worker is always urging the girl to go into a foster home, but can never catch her. I seem to remember she clashes with Bing when she suspects him of hiding her. When he receives an offer to go overseas on a singing stint, the girl begs Bing to take her along. Of course he refuses. Somehow she manages to hide inside of an orchestra drum! When the ship lands, the orchestra takes out the instruments. Bing finds his drum is very heavy. He discovers the girl was sleeping inside the drum and actually spanks her through the drum, as he might have been arrested for kidnapping if anyone had reported the stowaway. I never forgot that scene! IT's like Celeste Holme said in All About Eve: Funny about the things you remember and the things you don't. Anyone recall this film? Bing does befriend an orphan girl in Pennies from Heaven, but there is no sequence on shipboard. Have any ideas? I am at my wit's end now, some 50 years later. I looked through American Film Institute description of the film, but it does not seem to match, as I discovered as well. One thing is, she must have been mighty hungry by the time they touched land! THat never occurred to me as a kid. Funny thing is, I remember the film actually aired twice around that time (maybe in '59 or '60). and we happened to see it both times. THanks for any ideas! I think it might be another film with Bing. I remember him singing beautifully there too.

Hi, I just watched Mexicana on You Tube. It was very good. I loved the story and the lovely music. Had not seen Constance Moore in many things or Tito Guizar. It was a real treat to see Leo Carrillo and Stephen Geray in this witty and colorful story.

My daughter told me the sad news about David Bowie. She likes him too! (She's only 24).

My firs My first Film Noir, I Wake Up Screaming - I recall watching around the age of 8 or 9. My big sis and I would watch many great films on The Early Show in late 50's and early 60's with our mom and dad. This one really stayed with me with wonderful cast and the undercurrent of sadness about Carole Landis's life and eventual demise. For Mom talked about her committing suicide, as Rex Harrisson did not want a divorce so he could marry her. (As a kid I assumed that Carole had never been married and had a big crush on Rex. No, this was wrong. She had been married and divorced 3 or 4 times, and Rex was married to the lovely Lili Palmer). My dad liked Elisdha Cooke and woud always point him out in films. So around this time I got into Film Noirs, though they were not called that at the time. THe next one I could never forget was Somewhere in the Night with John Hodiak, Lloyd Nolan, Richard Conte, etc. What a great Film Noir with all star cast! Wonderful reviews done here!

Love it! Never forgot the name "Larry Cravat". I saw this film a long time ago and was very impressed. A wonderful cast; including Nancy Guild who plays Christy. Very sad that poor John Hodiak died so young. He was in a few other good films as well.

Oops! My mistake! .... I meant to say that I am saying good-bye to the old year as well. One would think I was having too much egg nog with the New Year proceedings (spiked with brandy) and continued the trend! Well, I am ushering in the New Year with more great films and look forward to corresponding with other great classic film fans here on the Message Boards. Thanks to everyone!

Your list is great! I am glad to see Beyond Tomorrow on it. It is a highly underrated Christmas film that is both heartwarming and poignant. The all star cast is appealing as well as superb acting. It is always a pleasure to see the wonderful Maria Ouspenskaya as well as C. Aubrey Smith, Richard Carlson and Jean Parker. I have many of their films. I watch it every year. OF course a lot of these others are noteworthy as well. I mentioned in an earlier post that it is always entertaining for me to see a film that has settings revolving around the Christmas holidays. Many I enjoy are from the 30's through the 50's. I am trying to span out the holidays, but we finally took our Christmas tree down the other night. This is always a sad thing, saying good-bye to the New Year as well. But while it lasted it was a nice time with family, friends, and of course TCM and many great Xmas films from my collection.

I just posted in another spot (about Christmas films) about this great film. I did watch it last night and it is in great shape on DVD. My hubby transferred all of my collection from VHS to DVD a few years ago and this was one of them. Looks great on DVD. I would be happy to make you a copy if you would like it. The film was well worth seeing again. I am very fond of all of the actors and actresses who graced the screen here; particularly Celia Johnson and Margaret Leighton, and Hugh Williams.. I collect British films primarily of the 40's and 50's and just love them. I think there was a special style that many contain which makes them always appealing and never too old to be enjoyed.

Last night I watched a great British Christmas film, The Holly and the Ivy. It has a lovely Christmas setting and wonderful actors and actresses enact a poignant story revolving around a minister and his family. Sir Ralph Richardson, Margaret Leighton, Celia Johnson and Hugh Williams are among the great cast. I had viewed my copy about ten or twelve years ago and was glad to find that it is still top notch.

Thanks very much!

I love A Tree Grows in Brooklyn too! Also, A Letter to Three Wives. I love to watch films with Christmas settings. I too watch them throughout the year. I have not seen the other titles you mentioned and will watch for them too. The Christmas Season is over too soon each year. Of course on Christmas Eve I visit dear Alistair Sim in A Christmas Carol '51 and the wonderful '38 version, A Christmas Carol with Reginald Owen. The latter has the wonderful Gene Lockhart (one of my dad's favorites), his wife as Mrs. Cratchit and their daughters as the Cratchit children. The lovely June is great in the film, though a small part. I love the special effects with Ann Rutherford as the Ghost of Christmas Past! (My favorite is the Alistair Sim version, but it is fun to see some others out there).

No, I didn't know the song was rather new! I got a beautiful copy of the film from a friend. Neat story! Funny thing is, I was going to pass it up when I was a kid and it came on TV. I did not like race track settings. Because of this film I changed my mind and just loved it. Jane Darwell and William Frawley are wonderful in this film too!

I like The Story of Alexander GRaham Bell with Don AMeche and stars all of the beautiful Young sisters . I have not seen the Monty Wooley one but will watch for it. I love him in The Bishop's Wife I saw a couple of weeks ago (and every year around Christmas) and the hillarious Man Who Came to Dinner. He was an excellent actor and was great in the wonderful Since You Went Away as Robert WAlker's crusty grandfather. Some films happen to have a holiday setting which is secondary to the story. The Val Lewton film The Curse of the Cat People '44 has a beautiful Christmas snowy setting while there is menace in the atmosphere. Another is The Brighton Strangler in which everyone enjoys CHristmas carolers in the snow, sitting by the fireside. Unaware of the imminent danger of an invited Christmas guest, they are all having a good time. There again, danger lurks outside and will soon be a concrete menace. The superb photography and acting in these two films makes for enjoyable viewing. I love to see them every year. A wonderful Christmas comedy starring Bob Hope and Marilyn Maxwell is The Lemon Drop Kid. '51 What lovely photography and beautiful Christmas settings with snow. (You can tell I live in Southern Cal. No snow!) So I am impressed every time! Bob is menaced by gangsters Fred CLark and Lloyd Nolan when he comes up with a bad tip on a racehorse! They lose Ten Grand! To save his life he has to come up with the money by Christmas Eve! So he rings his bell as Santa as shopper pass, but gets arrested, as he doesn't have a license! Amid the scary incidents, we know things will work out, but it is fun watching and the beautiful rendition of Silver Bells sung by Bob and Marilyn Maxwell.

Me too! I forgot that one! I love British films and discovered this one a few years ago. I thought Celia Johnson, Ralph Richardson and Margaret Leighton were very good in it as well as Hugh Williams. I too love Margaret Leighton. I think I found it in the 90's through a friend who also likes British films. I may still have a copy. It is a very poignant film. Though it is not a really old film it seems to evoke the past with beautiful photography and some special effects. I can check my copy and see how it is if you would love to see it again. Another film graced by Celia and Margaret is called The Astonished Heart which co-stars Noel Coward. I collect British films and enjoy re-watching from time to time.

I like the Puppini Sisters too singing Lollipop, Lollipop and Mr. Sandman. I love their clothes and hairstyles evoking the earlier time. They are lovely and talented.

Oops! It just removed the word like it was something denigrating. I am talking about lovely music, but to do it correctly, I guess they are being careful.

They sound good! Checking it out tomorrow! Just discovered a great 50's and 60's singing group that is from Australia called THE ROOMATES. I just bought 3 of their CDs. IF I say Doo **** sound it wont' let me type it in usually! This time it did. Anyway, they are just great and even their lovely guitar sound is very distinctive (one of my sons says it probably was an acoustic guitar. Never noticed it before, but it is just wonderful too! They sound like the original music!

One thing I find really annoying is when our favorite rock music is re-done! I would find a song on Amazon or on You Tube and feel it did not sound quite right. What was interesting was that many were re-recorded to make them more comtemporary! This was true of the 60's masterpieces. Baby the Rain Must Fall and Rhythm of the Rain did not sound quite right on a CD I bought with oldies of the 60's. IT wasn't! THey had been re-done and were lacking some of the great background music - Joe Stampley and The Uniques singing Not Too Long Ago did not have the same sound either. THough the lead singer, Joe Stampley, still sounded good, the instruments did not sound right. I found on Amazon the right one under "The Uniques". When I was quite young I loved a song from Joey Dee and The Starlighters called What Kind of Love is This? It was re-done on the CDs as well. I could tell right away that it was not quite right. I finally found it done right on Amazon and purchased the song. That is the one I like to hear. The same holds true of My Guy and some others. Mary Wells shone on the original of the song. The ultimate annoyance was a re-do of Herman's Hermits doing Can't you Hear MY Heart Beat IT races through at breath-taking speed while we enjoy the regular speed of the original. SO I am a dyed in the wool rock fan who does not like the songs to be modified in any way!

I love Dylan too~ On my MP3 Player on a Playlist made from the mid-60's is the longer version of the hypnotic and enchanting Like a Rolling Stone. It is fun to find original versions on You Tube!

Never thought LP's could ever return! I was really sad when they vanished from the stores but saved my wonderful Beatles, Rolling Stones and other LPs as well as my 45;s. Now to get a record player again! Sadly, they actually began to call record players turn tables like the radio stations would. In the mid-80's I went into Toys 'R Us one weekend to find a record player for my young sons who had a lot of Show and Tell records. Our old record player had just "given up the ghost".. . One man at the desk (who may have been 20 or 21) did not know what a record player was, but was anxious to help a customer. THe stock-room clerk who may have been even younger called out, "This lady is looking for turn tables, Do we have any?" Another clerk said no, he was sorry they were discontinued. I at 32 or 33 did not feel very young anymore while they went to look! So that was a reality check! No more record players. Cassettes were great too, though, and ultimately the CD's that followed. So my mucic collection soon grew to encompass all 3. Not long ago I saw a record player advertised in a catalog for $145, Ironically, when I was a kid my parents had one that was actually $39.95 when I was 6 or 7. When it conked out a year or so later, the new one was $50 and it really did not look much different from these new ones in the stores now.

Can't wait to check this one out! Some have great background music too.