movieman1957

Mr. Slide sounds English so it is a little surprising he didn't know that.

If you can say Grant was a jerk he didn't stay one. Would Dunne have stayed if he was still a jerk? Can't speak to today's movies but the logic makes sense that the girl would go with the guy who wasn't a jerk.

With winter and tax season and the TCM Festival well behind it is soon to be time to join in the 16th Programming Challenge. Loved by people far and wide it is a chance to pretend you are programming a week's schedule for TCM. "tcmprogrmmr" has, on occasion, looked in and even borrowed ideas from some of the ingenious ideas provided by the players. I find it quite interesting and almost amazing that these contests have carried on through 15 versions. I find it more amazing that I have won twice but that is beside the point. So, dust off your brain and dig up those old ideas and see if they are still as good because it will be here soon.

According to Slide it is indeed where the phrase "His name is Mud" came from. I saw it many years ago and I mostly remembered the prison but precious little about anything else. It is a good film but it seems so un-Ford like for a subject at first thought but it was a sort of beginning of "true" historical films. I liked it. As far as our next ramble I am fine with any of the three. I just watched "Devil's Doorway." I have copies of all three so any are fine with me. (I did think we had covered "DD" but maybe not as in depth as we might have liked.) No reason we can't do all of them but it is a matter of what order.

>According the Scott Eyman commentary I've listened to. There is another commentary by a historian on the Ford at Fox version which I haven't listened to yet. I expect that one goes into greater detail about the history. I I finally got to watch "Prisoner of Shark Island." Having gone back and read some of yours and Sir Francis' comments I agree that it is an interesting and, at times, exciting film. An unusual story but with some very good moments in it. Some of it in deep shadows that I think must reflect not only the setting of the film but the nature of it as well. I listened to about 40 minutes of the commentary with historian Anthony Slide. At times he is most informative about not only the actors but of the events itself. He does also try to draw parallels between the film and things about Gitmo and Iraq. He also goes into some detail about the Mudd family and their attempts to correct the injustice, as they see it, but had little success through 2000. Mr. Slide does make one mistake when he refers to Dr. Mudd's descendent tv reporter Roger Mudd as Richard. All in all an interesting film with great atmosphere and excitement. A good cast of Ford regulars with a very good performance by Baxter. Since I'm six weeks behind we'll find a western to talk about as soon as you all are done with Hitchcock and some others.

In keeping with the Wednesday theme I hope you won't mind one by the master - Allan Sherman. Nice little video but you won't find Allan.

I taped an evening of early Hitchcock sound films. I have seen "Blackmail" but I had better get cracking on the others if I'm not going to be left out. My favorite ending is "Psycho." Hitchcock seemed, on several occasions, to have open ended endings. "Psycho" and "The Birds" seem to me that way. Even "Vertigo" ends almost too abruptly. Enjoying reading all you smart people.

Shows how much I know. And written by a man to top it off.

Hi April: I don't think so. Save for some scattered through the series I am watching them in order. (Though that is not really required it does help me keep up with what I have seen.) I am watching them on Netflix. I think part of Walker's charm is his voice and his always being a gentleman. He is loyal and always fair. He is about doing the right thing. it is nice to know that hairy chests are still popular. (A female female? Don't think I've ever heard it that way. But those are the best kind.) Edited by: movieman1957 on Apr 27, 2010 1:19 PM

I've been making my way through the first season of "Cheyenne." It is fun. Nothing deep. It leads what would become typical westerns. It is surprising to look at how much of the show Clint Walker carried. Very few scenes get by without him involved. His character seems well established early on. Every now and then you get things added to his back story but he is the same guy. They tried to have a partner for him with L.Q. Jones but it made for an odd pair so they jettisoned him after three episodes. No explanation, just gone. Someone around joked about Walker making frequent appearances without his shirt. Well, I'm about 12 episodes in and you can see a trend.

Favorite Manilow song is "Early Morning Strangers." No Youtube of him but one of Dionne Warwick. Favorite album - "Paradise Cafe."

*Metry Road* Thank you for the clips. Those works are like nothing I have heard. The Tchaikovsky is beautiful and sounds like, to me, nothing of his other works. The Gorecki is haunting and mournful. The video is quite good as well. Thanks for sharing.

*misswonderly* Mahler, as you say, can be an acquired taste. This may be partly due to the length of his works. You really have to set aside time. I have always liked his 5th and 8th Symphonies. I am not all that fond of his 9th. I think I was expecting something different. Indeed folk songs were huge in the works of famous composers. Manny like Tchaikovsky, mentioned by Metry Road, Brahms and Dvorak often used them to build works on. *Metry Road* I have not heard that work by Tchaikovsky. He is among my favorite composers (His 6th Symphony is my favorite of all.) I have many recordings of his works but I will have to find that to listen to. Thanks for bringing it up. Edited by: movieman1957 on Apr 25, 2010 3:55 PM

Most of the evening I have been watching a British police drama called "Wire In The Blood." Very interesting. Think "Criminal Minds" with a bit of a twist. (As I write the Orioles are blowing another late inning lead to give the Red Sox a chance to win. No surprise there.) Edited by: movieman1957 on Apr 24, 2010 9:45 PM. You think I'd get the title right.

>About Copeland - didn't he write that beautiful melody that was later made into a hymn, I think it's from "Appalachian Spring"? It is more the other way around. It is used in "Appalachian Spring." THe tune is indeed a Quaker hymn called "Simple Gifts." It dates from around 1848. Copland's ballet from around 1945. Thanks for joining in. Share some more as we go.

Copland's Third Symphony. It is less about melodies than motifs. All interesting and then the surprise of his "Fanfare For The Common Man" inserted into the last movement. Orchestrated to include strings the fanfare doesn't sound as big but it finally comes as a counterpoint with another motif to lead energetically to the end. (Bernstein and the NY Philharmonic.)

Thank you.

>Oh, Chris, not liking Seven Sinners makes for interesting conversation-- It sure does. I'm glad we get to chat when we disagree because it still points out things to see differently for me. While rare, our conversations containing different points of view certainly have a different flavor than those you have with "Mr. Grimes" don't they?

Let us know about both of them. April and I liked "Shepherd Of The Hills" but we disagreed about "Seven Sinners." I think I was frustrated the night I watched "Seven Sinners."

When I saw this last I thought how hard this must have been for the women to pick up, leave everything they knew (good or bad) to travel across the country under what must have seemed unbelievable conditions (turning out worse than they could have imagined) to marry men they had no idea what they were like. It is a bold and ultimately brave decision.

A terrific movie. My bride likes this one as well. I think the no nonsense approach and the realistic locations really make this a winner. No lightweight stuff for these women. Anything to studio like or too many obvious stunt people would be more of a problem. Wellman was a great choice for it. It is a good story with some wonderful performances. I particularly like the ending where Taylor warns the men about how they treat the women and how much he respects them for what they have done. Whether or not Taylor was the original choice almost doesn't matter because I think he does a fine job and I'm not sure who would have played it. Ten years later it may have been Burt Lancaster but it is wonderful as it is.

>Was your bride enjoying a cuppa there and you met her there for a short little date? That's so romantic! Almost. She works there. Once in a while I go by for a chocolate drink and a kiss.

I'll keep it on my list for you.

101. "It's a pith helmet. P-I-T-H. Pith!"

MissG and SweetT: I go into my local Starbucks this morning to visit my bride before I go to work and there on the counter is an album by Peggy Lee. And as sure as sunrise I have forgotten the title. I guess I was distracted because right next to it was a Willie Nelson album. (Not among my favorites.) So in case you both needed another one to help you through the day you can check it out there. (I don't see it on Amazon so it may be exclusive to them. That also means you may have most of them already.)