movieman1957

"The Caine Mutiny" is a good one for a, for me, very different Bogart performance. Fred MacMurray is also good. I think it was the first film I saw him in where he was not all sweetness and light. A good one with Bogart as villain is "The Desperate Hours." I have shared before that when I was a teen a local station had a whole month of Boagart. Five nights a week I got a Bogie film. This was just when he was being rediscovered so they got on the band wagon.

I watched an interesting documentary by Michael Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Symphony on the background and preparation of the great Tchaikovsky 4th. So since there doesn't seem to be one by Tilson Thomas we'll go with Daniel Barenboim. (The first half.) (The second half) Edited by: movieman1957 on Mar 22, 2010 4:57 PM

The interesting thing about Doc and Clem's relationship i not knowing what went before. There must be something of the man Clem knew once but even Doc knows he really is not the complete same man. Why else would he run her off? Clem certainly wants to recapture that time though I think she is better off without him. Even Doc is not happy with what he has become. That is why, I think, he throws the glass through his diploma. (He does not throw like a girl. ) I am glad you took my joke about Chihuahua as a compliment. It is funny that she is so mad and wants to throw the pitcher at Doc but she's not even close. Great film.

I learned three things watching "My Darling Clementine." (I pretty much already knew them.) Doc Holliday is an arrogant SOB. Chihuahua throws like a girl. And Wyatt Earp is as slow and measured and deliberate as any western character. Holliday is a contradiction of sorts. He is two men who loves two different women. Chihuahua appeals to the wild earthy side of him while Clementine appeals to the cultured educated side. He can not find fulfillment in either. Clementine either doesn't know about Holliday or chooses to ignore his faults and past. She seems too good and upstanding to condone his life by being with him if s he knew all about him. Earp is a man of few words. He is a man of business. In the first meeting of Doc and Wyatt you see it. We talked about earlier but they now, especially Doc, are going to find out what they are made of. Doc particularly wants to show he is a better man by virtue of his toughness and his culture. Wyatt says "Howdy." Doc says "Good evening." Doc demands champagne and Wyatt wants a whiskey. Wyatt defuses by taking the whiskey but then playfully insults the drink. They will be fine. Earp is at times nonchalant of his own fame. He throws his name around as if he were like anyone but everyone knows him and it carries weight. It does not go to his head. It is different with Clanton. There he uses it for effect. He knows it got Clanton's attention. The story is a clash of personalities and wills, all save for Wyatt and Clementine. The women disagree. Wyatt and Doc disagree but they all come together when it counts. About the ending scene. My DVD has both versions. The first has Wyatt talking to Clementine. He tells her of his plans, shakes hands and gets on his horse and rides off. The second is the final version where the scene has a studio shot of Wyatt kissing Clementine on the cheek. I prefer the former. Wyatt, with his gentleness and shyness with Clementine doesn't strike me as the kind who would be bold enough with her to kiss her. The first way just seems more natural. It is probably Mature's best performance. Even with the twist of history the story and the supporting cast adds plenty of depth and makes for a first rate film. It's just my take on things.

The thing I like about the church and the dance is, apart from the community aspect Ford always does, is that we are not waiting. We have a floor and a bell. That is enough to make them feel whole. There is progress. They don't need the whole of everything to be done. The end is in sight. On they go.

Sir Francis: I agree with you about the news on Ma Jarrett's death. We are to be surprised as well. It makes Cody's reaction more of a surprise. The fact that we don't find out until later the matter of her death seems irrelevant to the news. It is enough that she has died.

Going from memory on the scene where Earp is so calm when Holiday is going a bit nuts is precisely the way it needed to be handled. Earp remains calm thus creating an air that causes Doc to calm down. Of course Earp is confident in his ability to handle it. Any reaction that is excitable will feed Doc's attitude. He can't rile Earp so he is reduced to calming down because he can't sustain it. How is that for confusing?

In trying to keep with your film music theme (for which I am badly equipped to do) I bring John Barry to the mix. Writer of lovely melodies is he. "Chaplin" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fK7Rv7AJukk

As you didn't make any reference to any time frame I wasn't quite sure you were limiting your statement to 1970 and later. But, I understand now.

It looks like they use the same hair dresser.

I guess the Joe E. Brown and Ginger Rogers' picture this morning wasn't great.

I thought I saw it somewhere in the last 5 or 6 years. If you want a rare Colbert picture to find look for "Zaza."

What an awful hat Norma Shearer is wearing. Looks like she is wearing a bell from a French Horn. Claudette Colbert and Boyer were wonderful in "Tovarich."

A heads up for those of us who love Minnie's boys that March the 29th will be an evening of Paramount and MGM selections. If they are not enough you can find Margaret Dumont, Thelma Todd, Alan Jones, Maureen O'Sullivan and even Eve Arden scattered through the night. Zeppo, alas, will be gone after a few films.

I found an old thread of it at the SSO. You might like that one. There are some real interesting thoughts. You are right about the betrayal. An interesting segment. He clearly is embarrassed that he was taken and apparently so easily. I think Jarrett is not one intended for the viewer to get close to. He is not a likable guy but he does have an interesting story. It is hard to get close to anyone.

Having finished it it comes across as half crime drama and half docudrama of police investigation. Not a lot of nuance and shadows. It is a straight forward account of a time of crime and some effort to stop it. I was thinking about your comment of it being a one note performance. Mostly, I would agree with you. He does have some sane moments when planning something when they are at the drive in and some other spots but everything is a split second away from trouble. I haven't seen "Public Enemy" in some time so I don't remember how they differ. It does seem like he has taken the gangster in a new direction.

I was thinking how well Dick Powell might have done in that role. Admittedly it is too small for him but the guy looked like him and Powell would have given it more depth. In fact Powell might have been good in O'Brien's role.

Pa Jarrett did die in an asylum. Even Cody mentioned it. MissG: I think you are right about his father. Probably was henpecked and weak. Must have been some kind of criminal. Can't imagine Ma would have married someone she couldn't either dominate or was much different than her. Let me know it either of you need anything on this as I am watching it now.

Well, allow me to adjust my comment on Mayo (Verna.) She is no better than the rest. She may not be pulling any triggers but she is perfectly happy hanging around with whoever is doing the robbing as long as she benefits. Never mind whether Jarrett happens to be in town. Even if he weren't crazy he would have been trouble. His mother is no Ma Bailey. She probably taught him most everything he knows. Then being willing to go along loses her the Mother Of The Year Award. More later. (Still an hour to go.)

Another 9th Symphony - Schubert's. The finale.

Cagney takes this kind of a character to a different place. I'm probably wrong somewhere but while other "gangsters" are evil Jarrett goes them one better. Psychopathic may only begin to describe him. I find Jarrett's relationship interesting only to the extent is just too weird. There is also something a little too much about his meltdown on news of his mother's death. Maybe it is just a little too long. Maybe the whole gang is psycho in some sense. Normally one might wonder why Virginia Mayo stays around but I guess it is one of those she can't get out of. Brilliant climax. Among the most memorable. Now I have to get to watch it again. Edited by: movieman1957 on Mar 17, 2010 1:40 PM

I wonder if Moira knows this discussion is going on?

When I first saw this picture the climax was one of the most unusual and frightening (from the character's perspective) that I could recall. I'd have to watch it again to comment on Forsythe but I remember Demarest did a really good job. Holden was always good at playing tough characters.

It looks like your movie is called just "Games." imdb has it in Ross's biography. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0061696/

While I don't any myself TCM has its own arrangements for those recordings. Check the shopping site. Also you can check with Warner Bros. and Universal who market them through their own sites.