[Who Are Your All-Time Favorite Actors And Actresses?]

Norma Shearer--and after considering it, I really don't know exactly why. There were other actresses more perfectly beautiful, and other actresses more proficient as actors. Though Norma was adorably attractive and a fine actress. She just has something, as an entire package, that appeals to me immensely. I can name aspects of her that I love, but none of them, on their own, are the reason why I love her so much.

 

After watching "The Man In Possession" over and over, I've fallen in love with Irene Purcell. There is a quality to her acting that I've never seen in another screen actress. She definitely seems more a stage actress than a movie actress (and I found that she did indeed perform more on Broadway than the screen). But she's wonderful on screen! I love her speech, for one thing-I love the way she pronounces certain consonants. I love the insouciant (on the surface) air she had in "The Man In Possession". I loved the way it became clear that underneath it, she had fears and anxieties-she acted this role so well, that the gradual revealing of her weaknesses and fears drew me in. I loved her beauty which had a well-bred quality while still not being unapproachable.

 

Which leads me to one of favorite actors-Robert Montgomery. I'd have to write an essay to say why, because again I'm not really sure! But I love this man as an actor and a person (what I know of him, I should say).

[Hello, Dolly!]

ROFLMAO too!

 

I liked Norma as Juliet (but then I'm biased, I like Norma in just about anything ) But if I was going to be nit-picky, it wouldn't be the age factor with Norma-she seemed young enough on a strictly physical basis (and I too am used to the idea that older actors generally play these parts on the stage)--it would be that Norma always seemed to have a sly sophistication and modernity that I have to overlook to accept her in this part.I know that she played ingenues in her silent roles, but to me, she didn't really come into her own until she began to play sophisticated and modern young women. On the other hand, I don't have a problem with her as Marie Antoinette (once the movie moves past the part before she marries, Norma as a girlish Antoinette didn't work for me), because the married Marie Antoinette got sophisticated in short order. I don't have a problem with her as Elizabeth Barrett, because she didn't play it as "girlish" (and wasn't the real one a fairly older woman?). I even accept her as Kathi in "Student Prince" because she seemed more aware of the world than the Prince (thanks to her job as a barmaid, I suppose) even though she was still maidenly.

 

I've seen quite a few of Barbra Streisand's movies, at least her Sixties and Seventies ones, so I'd say that I've given her a chance. I still just don't care for her, and I reached that conclusion some years ago before I knew anything about her politics. I don't consider my opinion to be "unfair" criticism in that case. We're just not going to like everyone. I don't think it's strange that we have opinions, favorable or unfavorable, about people who make a living courting public opinion in their work-it's the nature of their job, and to be expected. Unless they have enormous insecurities, even for an actor, surely they've accepted that as part of the hazard of the job.

[Hello, Dolly!]

I totally agree with you about the bombastic singing and the way singers more and more use every song as an excuse to practice their scales or showcase their volume instead of just singing the song! I wondered if it was just me-I can't stand that style of singing. I'd hate to hear what these kinds of singers would do to a warm and intimate little Cole Porter song!!! It never occurrred to me that Stresiand kind of started the trend, but you are right. Ever since-Christina, Celine, Whitney, et al-we've been assaulted with it!

[Hello, Dolly!]

I hate her in Funny Girl (with the exception of the first 20 minutes or so), but even though she is miscast in Hello, Dolly!, I find her less bothersome in it.

 

 

 

I agree with this in a strange way. If I was forced to choose, I would prefer "Funny Girl" over "Hello Dolly" (but I'm not crazy about either). But Streisand was indeed less annoying to me in the role of Dolly. Something about that role seemed to rein in some of her more annoying tendencies. I think that maybe Omar Shariff and the costumes make me give the preference to "Funny Girl" But that one sequence where she's singing while she catches the train and the boat to catch up to him on the ship, annoys me to no end! And I found it impossible to believe that all the Zeigfeld beauties would've been deferring to her so much. Zeigfeld cared primarily about his beautiful girls. (I know it was somewhat artistic license, and also Streisand was the star of the movie, so it kind of had to be that way)

[Hello, Dolly!]

Hi butterscotchgreer, I kinda thought that all the side stories tied into the main one of Dolly trying to marry Mr Vandergelder, it's just that to me, the movie didn't make the side stories seem important enough, or something like that, to even be there. It's like if they were gone, it wouldn't have affected the rest of the story very much at all. And (strictly my opinion), the characters in the side stories just weren't charming enough to be there only for atmosphere or something like that. I'm not expressing this very clearly at all!!!

[Hello, Dolly!]

Hi John, yes, I'm American I guess that I'm bass-ackward then, LOL, because I prefer the pre-war musicals. I kinda like My Fair Lady, The Sound Of Music , etc, but I much prefer the Fred-and-Ginger, 42nd St, etc, style. And the Jeanette McDonald/Nelson Eddy movies. The Sixties musicals generally seem so--I don't know--self-conscious, perhaps? But I adore Fiddler On The Roof, so there ya go. I know that Barbra Streisand is a very talented singer, to understate the case, but I'm afraid that her stylings? is that the right word?-make me tired in a very short time.

[Hello, Dolly!]

Not liking the film is a matter of personal taste. Your not being able to follow the plot to Thorton Wilder's The Matchmaker, strikes me as a bit odd. I agree with you about Streisand. I find her astonishingly annoying.

 

 

 

I was able to follow this much-Dolly's trying marry Vandergelden. But all the peripheral stuff with the niece, the two guys who work for him, the miliner-it didn't seem very integrated into the story, it just seemed really disjointed, and made me wonder why it was even there. Everything didn't seem to tie in together.

 

 

 

It would appear that you do not like musicals where the songs further the plot. Book musicals as they are called. Hello, Dolly! is one.

 

 

 

I think you may be right, I never realised it before (and I didn't know what that style of musical was called, thanks, learned something new here ). I like the other kind better. But I liked "West Side Story", would you say that it's a book musical?

[PLEASE! Andy Hardy on DVD]

I'd love to see a bosed set of the Andy Hardy series. I agree that the last one in particular, didn 't really fit with the rest of the series. Also I always have to put it out of my mind that there was an older sister (not that it's very difficult ). But the first few AH movies are the best! I love the one where Judy Garland is a debutante, and AH wants to meet the deb of the year. The girl who played the debutante of the year was cute.

[Hello, Dolly!]

OK, I've watched this movie for the first time, and all I can say is, it makes absolutely no sense to me, in any way shape or form. It's not like any kind of musical I've ever seen, and not in a good way. I like pre-Code musicals, early talkie musicals, Busby Berkeley, the technicolor spectaculars, all of 'em, and I just don't like this one. (I don't care for Streisand anyhow either as a person, actress, or singer, but that's another issue). Her singing style really annoys me, and in Funny Girl I got really annoyed watching her find ways to get her fingernails, of all things, in the picture. I mean, who's that proud of their darn fingernails, of all things??? But even putting her aside, I just don't get this musical on any level. Not the plot, not the singing or the singers, not the choreography, not anything. It all just seems like a lot of unrelated bravura songs and dancing strung together. This particular style of Sixties singing annoys me. I apologise to those who love it, but I just don't get it, and I'm a fan of musicals from all eras of classic Hollywood. I'd say this movie left me cold, except that it left me a bit puzzled and annoyed. Well, I can cross this movie off my list of movies I've not yet seen.

[The Saddest Movie You Ever Watched]

Ooohhh, Dr Zhivago-me too. It has that same "star-crossed lovers" story as "Immortal Beloved". I know that a lot of movies have that story, but it doesn't make me cry unless it's especially well-done and I can really care that the characters lost each other. Most times that plot in a movie just makes me think "Oh suck it up, if you'd wanted to be together so badly you wouldn't have been such a martyr/have allowed such petty things to drive you away from your true love/been so outrageously stupid" (like in soap operas-I can't watch them because the characters are soooo unbelievably stupid-they don't even ask simple questions of the other person which would save lots of misunderstandings and grief. How stupid can people be???). I only feel for the characters when things truly beyond their control separated them. GWTW doesn't really make me cry anymore, but it does make me melancholy and wistful. Or I should say more specifically, the only time I still cry during GWTW is tears of anger when Scarlett beats the poor old horse. That makes me hate her for that moment.

[What Movie or Movies are You Still Waiting for a DVD Release?]

I would love to PM you about this, but the PM function isn't working now-there are no links to PM ANYone, it's not just you--this on top of not being able to access my Watch list. This board just keeps getting better and better /s

[PM Function Not Workimg]

OK TCM, now my PM function isn't working-there are no buttons or links to click to PM anyone! And I still can't access my Watches-thank you SO much for "fixing" this board, just one thing after another is "fixed"!!!!!! Is ANYone even paying attention to this mess???!!!! because I have asked for almost a week about access to my Watches, and instead of that being fixed, now I can't PM anyone!

[MEAN ROBERT!!!]

He's probably ticked about all the substandard, second-rate modern movies TCM is showing, as well as all the silly co-hosts with whom he's forced to share the stage lately... I know I am...

 

 

 

Me too. I haven't noticed Mr Osborne being cranky, but then I haven't watched TCM anywhere near as much as I used for over a year now. I can't imagine that gracious gentleman being cranky, but considering some of the movies being shown and some of the uncouth guest programmers and co-hosts (ie The Essentials) whom he's had to tolerate lately, I wouldn't blame him a bit. TCM used to be so quiet and mellow-the music, etc-and now it's brazen. I hate that thunky guitar intro, I liked the fanfare better. I loved the Harry Connick Jr "Sunny Side" morning intro, and the mellow late night music. I liked the way TCM wasn't so self-conscious before.

 

 

 

I still love Mr Osborne though, he's about the only thing holding down what's left of any gentility and peace on TCM.

[What Movie or Movies are You Still Waiting for a DVD Release?]

Well I'm jealous and wish that I could see your prints, especially of TTOMD!

[WHO IS YOUR MOVIE HERO & OR IDOL?]

I'm not sure if I'd call him one of my heroes, but I do love Godzilla My favorite is when he fights MechaGodzilla, and that Pekingese dog-looking monster helps him. Catchy little tune that the Princess sings to awaken the Pekingese dog monster, LOL.

[WHO IS YOUR MOVIE HERO & OR IDOL?]

Thanks pktrekgirl, I didn't think it was. There've been some real off-the-wall types here, but you've never been one of them I so agree with you about people just picking and picking-it doesn't seem to take very much to aggravate some people! And really, what does it matter?

 

 

myidolspencer , you made some good points about James Stewart and Clark Gable-I wish I'd thought of those two sooner-I just had Norma Shearer on the brain at the time I posted But they were heroes both on and off the screen, and truly worthy of respect. It's especially admirable for people to sacrifice when they have so many good things in life to lose by doing so. And they were both so modest and unassuming about what they did, and didn't try to get cushy positions and then glamorise them and capitalise from them-they put themselves out there in their service, really took risks, even of their lives. And Leslie Howard also, he lost his life. I seem to have read that Robert Montgomery joined the war effort in England even before America was involved, I certainly admire that. He seemed to have a real sense of duty and doing what's right that is so at odds with his screen image of the insouciant playboy.

 

Message was edited by: Melanie- The darn tags aren't working correctly

["My Watches"]

Hello TCM, is anybody there? I still can't access my Watches. I imagine that I'm not the only person having problems, as the board is running really slow tonight. But as far as I can tell(no one else has said so), I'm the only one who can't access their Watches. As I stated, it's not my connection, as I've tried through different connections (ISPs) and I still can't access them. Any answers? If so, thanks.

[What Movie or Movies are You Still Waiting for a DVD Release?]

IIRC, someone here at the TCM forum once told me that TCM played "TTOMD" once or twice in their early years. I wish I'd known at the time!

 

I know what you mean about "Cat Ballou" (not that I've seen it, I'm not a Jane Fonda fan at all). TCM does seem to get in groove with some movies for a period of time. At one point, they were showing "North By Northwest", it seemed like, every other day and night! It wasn't too awful, because I love the Hitchcock movies up to "Psycho"-I can't stand any graphic violence and I hate "twisted" and creepy stuff, like with the mother, so I can't watch that one.

 

The they were showing a Katherine Hepburn movie-I think it was "The Philadelphia Story", but I'm not certain- pretty much the same way. I like that one too, so I tolerated it. But I do wonder why they do that with some movies?

 

Anyway, I've also periodically requested "TTOMD" in the movie request section, so far to no avail. I don't know why it's never been shown again, since they apparently showed it a time or two in the beginning. You're certainly right about the money someone could make if they'd just release it on DVD, so it's been so seldom seen in any format! That goes for a lot of early takies and pre-Codes that people would love to see, even the ones which aren't really famous, just the assembly-line "sausages" that were produced in that era. I like those too. I like to see what people back then saw when they went to the movies, the movies that women at that time would've watched, even if they weren't memorable and "classic" worthy.

 

Is Norma's version of "The Last Of Mrs Cheney" on DVD? I have it taped, but I'd love to have the DVD with extras. Seeing her pre-Code version, and then Crawford's post-Code version, is really telling (besides which Crawford's "Mrs Cheney" had all the delicacy and frothy delightfulness of a slug of bathtub gin).

 

I'd also love to see some Ann Harding films on DVD.

 

There should be a companion DVD set to "Complicated Women" on the market-if there is (one that includes all the films shown during that promotion), I need to know about it!!

[A Senior Elvis Song]

Good to see you both too I'm here as long as it doesn't get all overwhelmingly crazy again.

[WHO IS YOUR MOVIE HERO & OR IDOL?]

I haven't disrespected anyone's views, I couldn't have, because I've not discussed politics here. But I think perhaps this post wasn't meant to be addressed to me? My one and only comment on the troops will be this-my brother just left for a tour of duty in Kosovo, for which he volunteered. This is after being home for about a year and a half, after serving a year in Iraq, for which he also volunteered. His oldest daughter just married a Marine, who is returning to Iraq for a second tour, after serving there for a year already. My brother's daughter will utilise the time that he's away to finish college-she's a sophomore this year. I imagine that my views on the troops are colored by the brave, and voluntary, service of these two family members, and that of other family members, including my husband, who volunteered (not drafted) to serve two tours in Vietnam. His younger brother also volunteered for Vietnam (he lied about his age to go) and was killed there. So military service is a bit of a tradition in my family and that of my husband.

 

But this is a classic movie forum-if I wanted (which I don't) to discuss my views on this issue and other political issues, I'd go to a forum dedicated to political matters to do so. I'm actually very fatigued with politics in the strictest sense, and enjoy TCM for the escape from such things

[What Movie or Movies are You Still Waiting for a DVD Release?]

Does anyone know if "The Trial Of Mary Dugan" starring Norma Shearer has ever been released on VHS or DVD? If not, I wonder what they're waiting for? It's my understanding that this early talkie was the first major step in Norma's transformation from the ingenue roles of her silent days, to the liberated woman roles of the first part most famous part of her career-The Divorcee, A Free Soul, Private Lives. Before she made yet another transformation to more regal or dramatic roles. I'd like to ever even see the darn thing at all, on TCM. Didn't they show it once or twice in their start-up years? I wish they'd show it again!

["My Watches"]

Thank you The problem is that I can't access the page with the list of threads that I'm watching! The connection times out, and it's not my ISP connection, because I tried to access them through a different ISP connection, and it still timed out. tcmprogrammer, could you please give me some help, a reply, something, regarding this issue? I'd really like to be able to access the page listing my Watches!

[A Senior Elvis Song]

Hey there lolite blue!! I remember you! *waving at you* Good to see you It seems quite a few of us are returning after an absence (now if I could only access my Watches, it'd all be copacetic )

[The Wilde Twins in Andy Hardy movie]

LOL! IIRC, Mickey was still fairly young, so i suppose Norma could've shown him a trick or two-which would lead to me wondering, where did she learn them??? Well, she did have an affair with director Monte Bell when he directed her in silent movies. It's just that I can never see Mickey Rooney as an object of lust, even knowing that so many Hollywood actresses ran after him for "one night of love"-I suppose they knew something that we don't It's just that Norma seemed so much more---fastidious---than that in the rest of her life

[WHO IS YOUR MOVIE HERO & OR IDOL?]

Nobody should be made to feel bad b/c they didn't pick their local police officer or firefighter but instead picked a particular movie star.

 

 

 

Exactly, after all, the question was, who is your favorite movie hero, not who is your hero in life, period.

 

 

 

There are forums all over the Internet for discussing politics and world matters and current events, TCM is for discussing classic movies. No one here knows what deeper interests anyone else may have, because this forum is for classic movies.