MrMagoo

Oh man, DeNiro gets blasted on live TV in JOKER (2019) Next: Kathy Bates

Ava G. also bought the farm in THE SNOWS OF KILMANJARO (1952) I just watched ELMER GANTRY (1960) where Simmons dies in the climatic revival tent scene. Burt Lancaster was fantastic in the leading role and deservedly won an Oscar. Shirley Jones played a very un-Shirley Jones-like character and also won a best supporting actress. A great movie. Do we need the second Simmons death film? If not. Next: Elsa Lanchester

Tom Waits. He's great. I particularly liked him in THE BALLAD OF BUSTER SCRUGGS (2018) Next: SAMSON AND DELILAH (1949) FATHER OF THE BRIDE (1950) THE WINNING TEAM (1952) PEYTON PLACE (1957) WEST SIDE STORY (1961)

ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST (1968) It is my favorite, all time western...definitely in my Top 10 of all my favorite films. It has one of the greatest endings in any movie. Also great, great death scenes (Jack Elam and Woody Strode get it). There are several (Robards goes down. The guys on the train. The opening family scene). Fonda was one of the all time great villains too. In addition, great, soaring musical score. Plus the haunting harmonica sounds. So many great things about that movie. Next: Ava Gardner

THE UNTOUCHABLES (1987) Next: Sally Field We need to get going on some actresses dying on screen.

Next: Jimmy Stewart

Yes...and he also died in THEHEART IS A LONELY HUNTER (1968) I just watched CASTLE ONTHE HUDSON (1940). Garfield goes to the chair as the film ends. Does that count as a death scene? Or is it going to his death scene.

When ready...anyone is welcome to come up with an Alan Arkin death scene.

STORM WARNING (1951). I went back and looked at the Doris Day lineup for this month's TCM retrospective. I've not watched much Doris Day in years. While a beautiful and talented actress her films/roles never touched me all that much. I've never seen STORM WARNING. It sounds very un-Doris Day-ish. What was your impression? Next: Alan Arkin

Yes he did.....but I never saw the ending as my wife and I walked out of that movie early on. I think it might be the only time I've ever walked out of a movie. I thought it was simply dreadful. I was actually thinking of FAT MAN AND LITTLE BOY (1989) He dies in that one too. Nevertheless, you got it and you're up.

Cathy O'Donnell Next: ANGELS OVER BROADWAY (1940) THEY DIED WITH THEIR BOOTS ON (1941) FOR ME AND MY GAL (1942) CHRISTMAS IN CONNECTICUT (1945) DESTRY (1954)

I believe Heston dies at the end of THE OMEGA MAN (1971) Next: John Cusack

Donald Pleasence THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (1956) THE HARD MAN (1957) PAINT YOUR WAGON (1969) BLAZING SADDLES (1974) MISERY (1990)

THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE (1946) Next: Steve McQueen And yes...to go back a few questions: Thomas Mitchell played the role of Kid Dabb in ONLY ANGELS HAVE WINGS (1939). He dies in a plane crash at the very end.

Last night I watched REMBRANDT (1936) one of several Charles Laughton/Elsa Lancaster (they were married) films. This was the first time for this one. To me, Laughton is one of the great actors of the 20th century and I'm never disappointed by his performances. As always, Laughton was terrific. He was in almost every scene. I found the story fairly dry and wasn't connected to what was not much of a plot. Nevertheless, Laughton owned the screen and I found myself wanting to see the next scene. What will he do? Say? Sadly, not much happened. It was basically one scene after the other of Rembrandt talking, thinking out loud, espousing on something or other. It had a pretty good orchestral soundtrack. It had some interesting set designs and lighting effects which for 1936 I thought were worth seeing. I would give the film a solid "B". He was only 37 in this movie. It was produced just after he played Bligh and a couple years before Hunchback....both which were much more entertaining, dramatic roles. I've not seen the 1935 version of Les Misreables (how do you do the little dash above the "e"?) where he plays Javert. I'd like to see that. I bet he was good. Laughton died in 1962 at only 63 years of age. Clearly, he was a great talent who died way too young. He never won an Oscar. Hmmmm.... On other boards about baseball we often debate about great players who should be in the Hall of Fame. It might be nice to start a thread on great actors who never won an Oscar. Laughton would be on my list.

I can see that. There certainly is some cultural appropriation there. I mentioned to my wife that I thought Picasso was reincarnated as an illustrator for THE SIMPSONS. She didn't agree.

I appoint LornaHansonForbe my official editor. As for THE KILLING FIELDS, it's a tough drama. Yes, it does wear one out. However, the direction, editing, cinematography and acting are true art. I went to Picasso's museum in Spain a couple years ago. I don't like Picasso....but there's no denying he had a gift.

Wanda Skutnik. Great speakeasy, rum running, noir name! I've only met one person in my life named Wanda. In elementary school almost 60 years ago. Anybody name their daughter Wanda anymore?

I recall this movie being a cheap attempt to draw in the ROSEMARY'S BABY (1968) crowd. You are right. It was inscrutable.

I was bored this afternoon and just watched FOOL'S PARADE (1971), a Jimmy Stewart piece of falderal. Stewart is released, after serving 40 years, from a West Virginia prison and is issued a $25,000+ check for what he earned working in the prison. It's suppose to be 1935. The entire premise of the movie is lost on me in the first 15 minutes. That's a stupid amount of money for prison work at the turn of the last century. William Windom plays a traveling salesman and he's not too bad. Stewart holds the movie together, but I'm flummoxed why he wasted his time in this thing. There is one interesting twist, however. George Kennedy plays a corrupt prison guard and Strother Martin plays one of Stewart's prison buddies....basically reversing their roles from COOL HAND LUKE (1967). I'm sort of ashamed to mention CHL and this movie in the same sentence.

I did see that re. Perkins and Anne Frank. I've seen that film but admit her name didn't stick with me. Apparently, she was in some acting classes with Nicholson early on and they were professional friends. I thought in this film, THE SHOOTING, she came off quite well. Tough women in westerns are not easy to pull off. They're usually "damsels in distress" like roles and in this one she plays a gritty, don't give me any crap kind of female character. Worth the time, if not just to see a different turn. As for Oates, reading more on him I saw how Peckinpaugh liked him a lot and gave him the lead in Alfredo Garcia as a reward for his good work. Oates was a ubiquitous cowboy...kind of in the Ben Johnson mold..or Jack Elam. He was in a bunch of good movies. He was only 53 years old when he died.

I went and binged on 3 films last night. I must confess that I fast forward in a few places when they're riding horses in the desert or cars are seen driving someplace. I try to watch every word of dialog however. First up: I rewatched THE YEAR OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY (1982) because I wanted to see Linda Hunt's Oscar winning supporting role again. I also wanted to compare it to THE KILLING FIELDS (1982) which I had also recently rescreened. Their story lines had many similarities. Linda Hunt was simply fabulous. It's pretty amazing when you see an Oscar winning role. It's obvious. Peter Weir's direction was also first rate. I always wondered why he doesn't have a longer filmography. DEAD POETS SOCIETY (1989) and MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD (2003) are 2 of my favorite movies, not just Weir films. I was also impressed with Sigourney Weaver's performance. I like to watch actors when they aren't speaking. How do they convey a feeling without words? Scene after scene, Weaver shows every kind of emotion; concern, amusement, fear, doubt, confusion...one after the other. Weir's lighting and camera angles are beguiling. The editing was extraordinary. There must have been a lot of film left on the cutting room floor. Perhaps it was the role, but Mel Gibson was much like Sam Waterston in THE KILLING FIELDS in that they both seemed to stumble through the film with a "This can't really be happening?" look on their faces. For me, watch it for Weir's artistry and Hunt's and Weaver's performances. #2: TORTILLA FLAT (1942) another Steinbeck depression era California based book adaptation. Spencer Tracy does a decent William Bendix imitation in this one. Not exactly a Tracy like role, but satisfying nonetheless. Hedy Lamarr is gorgeous. I've not watched a lot of her, but I must say I couldn't take my eyes off her when she was on screen. John Garfield played the typical roustabout that he often does, even as a few times he slipped into a Chico Marx kind of Italian accent. Most of all, I enjoyed the performance of Frank Morgan. With a full beard and bushy hair he was unrecognizable. He had a a couple charming scenes with dogs that I thought were worth the price of admission. And #3: THE SHOOTING (1966) with Jack Nicholson. I'd never seen it and always like early Nicholson performances. Millie Perkins was the female lead and I can't say I know much about her. She doesn't ring a bell. She was quite good even as the script was fairly opaque and left a lot of character details to the imagination. This was a pre-Clint Eastwood/Sergio Leone era western. Warren Oates plays the male lead and I'm not sure I've ever seen him in a lead role elsewhere. He plays a good, shlubby cowboy and his back and forth...tough guy then bewildered cowpoke...performance is excellent. Reading about the movie I see it was given high marks by many critics even as it never caught on theatrically in the U.S. I thank TCM for showing it. Nicholson doesn't show up until almost 1/2 way in and he immediately elevates the drama. Again, he doesn't have to say a lot of words to convey his menace. The ending is somewhat ambiguous and the only quarrel I have with the film is it doesn't develop the relationship between the Warren Oates' character and his missing brother. The ending is suppose to tie it all up, I guess, but it was more confusing than satisfying. Nevertheless, it's worth a look.

To be sure.... I think the cinematographer on O'Toole films probably made a point of emphasizing his eyes. I give a slight....barely....edge to Pete. Question: Did O'Toole and Newman ever appear together? I don't think so. A true clash of blue eyes. The audience would have been overwhelmed!

In addition, I rewatched LORD JIM (1965). Another satisfying adaptation of a Joseph Conrad novel. Great story...interesting how it didn't receive a single Oscar nomination for anything. I thought it had multiple worthy possibilities. Editing, cinematography, acting (O'Toole)..... Man, did O'Toole have blue eyes or what? Can anyone name an actor with bluer eyes than Peter O'Toole?

I've watched a couple recently. Last night, CARNIVAL OF SOULS (1962). I guess this is some sort of cult classic. I'd never seen it. The acting was decidedly 2nd rate, but the organ soundtrack was moody and gave it some cache'. In addition the cinematography and editing were not horrible. The ending was a bit spooky so for the era it came across OK. The final scene was filmed at the Saltair Resort on the shores of the Great Salt Lake. This place was abandoned even before the film was shot in 1962. I was in SLC 3 years ago and visited the place. It's still there. Visiting the Great Salt Lake is nothing to write home about. In addition, I watched WITNESS TO MURDER (1954) with Barbara Stanwyck, George Sanders and Gary Merrill. Again, Stanwyck delivers even as the script is ridiculous. The police detective, played by Merrill, would have given Fearless Fosdick a run for his money as most inept police detective of all time. Sanders plays the sophisticated, ruthless killer perfectly. If I closed my eyes I think I heard some Jeremy Irons-i-ness to him. The ending where Stanwyck is trying to escape Sanders and runs outside and up the outdoor scaffolding of a tall building under repair is one of the most implausible plot twists I've ever seen. That's the last place you'd go. Like that commercial where the teenagers hide in the garage full of chainsaws while trying to avoid the serial killer.