movieman1957
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Posts posted by movieman1957
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In the Chaplin documentary that ran yesterday composer David Raksin said Chaplin couldn't notate music. Raksin's job was to take what Chaplin did and score it and tweek it to make it fit mroe exactly the film and the rules, so to speak, of music. The music was Chaplin's.
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Thank you, Minya.
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I think ice cream is good anytime after you get up in the morning. One should not let a meal get in the way of having ice cream. It is even acceptable to have it after having had a snack. Always, always have dessert first as you never know what will happen.
If you can't have ice cream I would suggest M&Ms.
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I watched Bette Davis being interviewed by DIck Cavett and she said she thought Flynn was the most beautiful man ever.
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1. Change is never a good thing.
2. I have met quite a few wonderful people here.
3. Some people take this way too seriously.
4. Commercials are just around the corner.
5. When people get mad and delete their posts it takes a day or two to recover.
6. If I couldn't get on here while I was at work it would be a really dull day.
7. I found out just how little I know.
8. Some won't have enough time to watch every movie they own.
9. Some will just as easily talk about their lives as movies.
10. People who join just to cause trouble need to get a life.
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The story I hear about the "Newhart" ending was that Bob's real wife thought it up. He called Suzanne and she was all for it. Absolutely brilliant ending.
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Interesting post. A good read. My question (to see if I'm missing anything) is there that much difference visually from one to the other?
It seems to me that Ford and Boetticher with (cue chorus) Scott made ample use of the landscape. Boetticher seemed to love the Alabama Hills as much as Ford did Monument Valley. Take the location out of the question and I don't see a lot of difference in their visual styles. It seemed tell the story and don't be dull.
Mann was dark. He made stories with bad guys who were much more subtle. They were, in a sense, likeable. Think Arthur Kennedy. Even Stewart was not all goodness and light. That's not the case with "The Tin Star" as the tension is built between Fonda's jaded experience and Perkins' ill advised confidence. No bad guys except except Neville Brand who is really there to play on the differences.
Boetticher, I thought, was the definition of economy. Hardly any of his westerns with Scott run more than 85 minutes if that long. Good succinct story telling. Get into the plot and don't mess around with other stuff.
I don't know if that advances anything but....
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Many on your list would be on my top 20. I really like your inclusion of "Hombre." A very good and nasty Richard Boone. Strong silent Paul Newman. Good all the way 'round.
I've never cared much for the "Spaghetti Westerns." For me they are often too long with long stretches of not much going on. I do enjoy and have quite a few of those you enjoy. One that came to mind to suggest to you is "Escape From Ft. Bravo" with William Holden. It has a very tense ending which adds to an already decent western. Holden is cynical (and good) as usual.
"Forty Guns" is going on my list. If it keeps rising for you then I'll check it out. I like most any western. Other's not on your list you might enjoy are "Jubal" and "The Fastest Gun Alive" with Glenn Ford. "The Last Wagon" and "Warlock" with Richard Widmark. I could go on but I'll leave it. Maybe we'll pick a title, get MissG and some other friends and have a nice chat on them.
Not to worry, I won't be using that greeting again if it conjures up the thought of me in long black gloves. I'll leave that for the two of you to work out.
Chris
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>The trick is, you have to listen.
So what does your current top ten favorite westerns list look like?
Hiya "Frankie"
Listening all the time. My list this week includes -
1. "The Big Country." 2. "Westward The Women" 3. "The Searchers" 4. "Winchester '73" 5. "Silverado" 6. "The Tin Star" 7. "Red River." 8. "7 Men From Now." 9. "The Man From Laramie." 10. "She Wore A Yellow Ribbon."
Subject to change by whatever I watch this week. (What does that say that I have more Mann the Ford fims?)
And yours?
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A former accountant and employee of Chicago's Unemployment office must have seen the light to be able to come from those occupations into one of the most successful TV stars. His humor was enhamced by the subtlety he brought to his characters.
I enjoyed hearing him tell the story of working in the unemployment office where he made $55 per week. The problem, he pointed out, was those coming to collect unemployment were getting $50 per week. Not much incentive to work there.
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April:
*SPOILER TOO*
Jean's accent doesn't bother me as the west was full of immigrants and I just take it that she still had the family trait. Although when she mentions the King of Spain gave the land to her grandfather (or great grandfather) that is a different stroke. She and Peck do make a nice couple.
They are more natural with each other, to me, than he was with Baker.
One thing I think is good is that Heston's attitude towards Peck changes after their "meeting." Though Heston tries to Bickford out of the what he wants to do he still can't stop himself from accompanying Bickford.
You're probably right about Baker as everything she wants out of Peck seems to already be part of Heston.
Also a shout out to "Ramon." (Alfonso Bedoya.)
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April:
Since you brought it up what is your opinion of "The Big Country"? I saw it on our local PBS station Saturday even though I have the DVD. I like it. It's big, it's sprawling and I think it's a pretty good story. Grant you, there are enough sotry lines for three movies but they are pretty well together. Peck's character is a strong man in that he won't alter his way of thinking to serve other people's interest. He may wind up doing what they want (ride the wild horse, fight Heston) but he is going to do it on his terms.
Really good cast. Ives, Bickford, Baker, Simmons, Connors (surprisingly nasty) in addition to Heston and Peck make it worth the time. The only drawback for me is that Baker disappears too suddenly. She and Peck break up and she's gone. The film is helped by good locations and still memorable music score.
It's a BIG movie.
Chris
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>"Laid-back"? So that's what we are. So can "laid-back" guys run at the mouth? Actually, I am on the laid-back side... and the talkative side.
Laid back guys can run at the mouth but we have to be good in what we say lest others think us boring.
Talk away.
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Claudette was starring with Rex Harrison in the "The Fisher King." I can hardly remember anything about it but it might have been one of those late life romances. I was too busy being mesmerized to notice much about the play. I'm thinking how cool it was that I was seeing them in person.
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It technically doesn't count but Claudette came out of retirement (for a film project) to do "The Two Mrs. Grenvilles" for TV. (1987)
I've mentioned it before but I saw her on stage in the early 80s. What a treat.
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> I once watched the Quiet Man (which I do like) in a hotel room with a bunch of filmmakers on location (who had never seen it before) and they ripped it to shreds! I recall the comment, "Everything's a medium shot!"
No wonder. Look at the mess most of the current directors turn out. It's not always about the most fun camera angles. Sometimes script and acting and a good story help. They would do well to learn that lesson.
"How Green Was My Valley" is a terrific film. A fine drama with great performances.
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>Have I mentioned that I'm boring? I'm also quite individualistic. I never really cared what the "crowd" was doing or what was seen as accepted by society. I still don't. I don't mind being the only one, even if it means I'm the lonely one.
Well, here I thought I was the only one like that. Boring? I think I'm part of the club too. Although to put a positive spin on it I'd say we were "laid back."
Your dull and sober friend,
Chris
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I think Wayne became a better actor handling much more complex characters, at least in his westerns. Maybe that is the process of getting older and more experienced.
For me in "Stagecoach" you get a good hearted guy with a past. A good character but he doesn't seem overly complex. You can almost dismiss, I think, his role in "The Long Voyage Home" as, I remember, it was mostly a minor part. "They Were Expendable" gives him some weight but he is not really placed as the star, at least not more important than Montgomery.
Through the trilogy Wayne gets more complicated. He has more issues in his character's life. More complex relationships. Wayne/Fonda. Wayne/O'Hara. Wayne vs. himself in "Yellow Ribbon." Of course, by the time we hit "The Searchers" Ethan is probably a psychiatrist's dream or nightmare depending on your outlook. ("The Horse Soldiers" doesn't really advance anything character-wise.) "Liberty Valance", well you've covered that.
The non-westerns were certainly more relaxed, maybe fun. For the underlying theme of "The Quiet Man" it is, or seems, a fun film. "Donovan's Reef" is straight fun. I haven't seen "The Wings of Eagles" in some time but I know Ford poked a little fun at himself before the film got into the meat of the story.
Theirs was a complicated relationship I think. Ford was a mentor. I gather he was also a bit of a father figure. He could be really cruel but off the set they enjoyed each other and I think on the set they came to trust each other. Trust lets you do a lot of things.
I hope that is close enough to what you were looking for Lynn.
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http://forums.tcm.com/jive/tcm/thread.jspa?threadID=130793&tstart=50
Here is a thread where there has been some talk. The schedule link is at the first post.
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An educational series provided by Kyle on the heels of the one provided by Lynn, this is too good.
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If I could quit dreaming I might get a decent night's sleep. They are just plain stupid.
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Gee, for not having anything to add you sure added plenty. No more nonsense about what you think you don't know. I knew you'd seen too many movies not to have something grand to say.
Thanks for writing it.
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We don't have to. I almost forgot about Costner since it was made close to the same time as "Tombstone."
You can substitute "Hour Of The Gun" or any of the other many films. Too bad Cooper didn't do Earp.
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>I named my car Muskrat Suzie
The group America also had a hit with it too. The question is now where is Muskrat Sam?
TCM/Charley Chase talkback thread
in Shorts
Posted
Just a reminder, since you brought up the Roach shorts, that there are about 15 Laurel and Hardy shorts scheduled for their SUTS day on August 23.
Hopefully, they will get the rest of the Roach shorts back into some kind of rotation.