[~*~Classic Film 21 Questions~*~]

Could it be The Red House(1947)?

[The Academy Awards' Forgetfullness]

Moviejoe, if "The Passion of the Christ" turns out to be a somewhat unexpected hit--and anticipated attendance for the first showings does seem to be rather high--perhaps we can probably expect "The Passion of the Christ, Part Deux" any time within the next year & Mel Gibson will probably be able be quite welcome to call the shots using studio money.

 

Who knows, the explicit, violent detail depicting the crucifixion in this movie may be one of the few ways to get the attention of audiences in our desensitized time. I wonder if it will really have any positive effect on individuals or moviemakers? I'm not really trying to be cynical or irreverent--it's just how moviemaking seems to work. Like ya said, joe--at the Academy Awards as elsewhere, it's all about the $$$.

[HAPPY BIRTHDAY!]

It is odd that Robert Young is seldom remembered for little more than "Father Knows Best" and "Marcus Welby", ML. His complex portrayals of conflicted men in such films as "They Won't Believe Me","The Enchanted Cottage" and "H.M. Pulham, Esq." are among his most interesting mature work. He managed to bring some interesting color and recognizable humanity to even the most gossamer thin stories such as "Claudia", "Claudia and David" and "A Journey for Margaret". An excellent actor. Thanks to both you and Mongo for reminding me.

[The Academy Awards' Forgetfullness]

I was chagrined to read this week that the Oscars producers only deem 15-20 of the over 400 recently deceased Academy members to be important enough to remembered during their upcoming broadcast.

 

Army Archerd mentions in his Variety column that the family of Penny Singleton(After the Thin Man, Boy Meets Girl,numerous Blondie movies, and more)was saddened to learn that she would be left out of their planned tribute, along with numerous others. After all, she only worked in the motion picture arts for 60 years.

 

I realize that there are enormous commercial pressures associated with an international broadcast of these proportions, and that an exceptional number of megastars passed away this last year, but couldn't they read the less prominent names during the non-broadcast part of the Academy presentations just as a public acknowledgement of their contributions and loss? Perhaps this jettisoning of the very mention of many veterans' names is part of an overall trend since even in 2002, Dorothy McGuire's name was omitted from the memorial tribute--while the relatively insignificant contribution of pop star Aaliyah was remembered.

 

Since the Academy for practical, (and commercial) reasons, chooses to forget some veteran craftsmen, how about if TCM considers a longer version of their annual In Memoriam spot? TCM always produces a graceful and touching appreciation of those who have died at year's end. Any chance that they might do a longer one at the end of this year or possibly as part of next year's 31 Days of Oscar?