traceyk65

Probably a bit predictable, but here's TOQ on Double Indemnity in honor of Fred MacMurray, one of the most under-appreciated leading men in Classic Hollywood. TOQ ressurects the old story of George Raft turning down important roles, but other than that, it's great:

James--You're welcome. I was interested too. And you know what Hepburn always said: "Do what interests you and at least one person will be pleased." No really, I probably would have looked it up anyway.

*True, but it's also the same century that produced Elvis, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton...* *David Cassidy might be on the same level as Fabian.* I didn;t say he actually WAS great, just that he was a big deal for a while there in the early 70's. No staying power, but when he was hot, he was hot.

Tiki, I remember reading somewhere that they passed over Goddard in part because of the uncertainty over her relationship with Chaplin. It's a bit annoying really--no one ever questioned Gable's fitness (as far as I know) to do the role of Rhett based on his relationship with Carole Lombard, though there were people who did have a problem with it-- Photoplay ran a story about them (and Chaplin and Goddard and Stanwyck and Robt Taylor and George Raft and Virginia Pine). Here's a link to it: http://dearmrgable.com/?page_id=3147 I don't know about Goddard in the role of Scarlett. I think she would have carried the humorous parts very well, but I'm not sure how she'd have done in the dramatic moments (I've never really seen her do drama, so maybe I am way off here). Also, she always struck me a very modern actor, kind of like Carole Lombard or Robert Montgomery. They all have a certain degree of modern-ness and I can't picture any of them doing well in a period piece (though I think Goddard did a few).

I will definitely be watching for the dvd.

Clore said: "She also refers to David Cassidy as "the rock star of the century." She must be doing some very high grade weed." Well maybe not of the century, but but for a couple of years in the early 70's, songs by Cassidy and Partridge Family were on the top of the Billboard charts and as far as the teen idol set were concerned, David Cassidy was the hottest thing around. Sad, but true. Danny Bonaduce talks about those years in his autobiography _Random Acts of Badness_ (which is quite funny in a "OMG I can't believe he did that" sort of way)

A bit more from Singin' in the Rain:

And, since it's Ingrid Bergman's birthday, I was torn between Spellbound and Notorious and since I like Notorious better, Notorious it is

Ive read that Liz did indeed demand Clift, but that he had a terrible time getting through it. It's not a very distictive role, to me, not like Hepburn's role or even Taylor's (I can't imagine anyone else in the Hepburn role, as many have said, her voice and delivery are perfect for the florid lines William's puts in the mother's mouth )--but any dramatic actor could have played the doctor. Here's an interesting take on the film and it's themes/message: http://www.cinemaqueer.com/review%20pages%202/suddenlylastsummer.html

You beat me to it! Oh well, here's a tribute to Ingrid Bergman, who also has a birthday today: and AFI's top 50:

No, that was definitely NOT a role Dietrich would have gone for. I think Faye Dunaway was to have played the daughter. I hadn't realized it was also a book--I'd gotten the impression that Wilder wrote it. Now I want to read the book AND see the movie!

I think Hayes does most of his reviews just to be funny and to have a chance to do his impressions of various Divas (like Hepburn), not to get into deep issues. (I don't know much about him in real life, but Im assuming he's gay, since he refers to himself as "Tired Old Queen") I'm not sure myself what Williams was getting at in writing this. It seems odd, given that he also was gay, that he would write something maligning a gay man. But maybe you're right--it was aimed more at rich people who think they are entitled to use people and then discard them. Or perhaps at dilettantes like Sebastian, who spend their entire lives being "poets" or "artists", but never actually produce anything of substance? Maybe Williams was the victim of someone like that somewhere along the line? (I admit I don;t know a lot about him either--just that he was Southern and gay)

In honor of Donald O'Connor's birthday

DougieB you are so welcome! I would have loved to see the live version too! He's probably the only person I've ever heard talk about Mrs Minver that makes me actually want to see it! LOL But for today, in honor of Donald O'Connor's birthday, here's TOQ on Singin in the Rain:

Donald O' Connor has a birthday today: But really the best way to appreciate him, is to watch him in action... With Debbie Reynold's in I Love Melvin: The "Applied Mathematics" number from Are You With It? And of course...Singin in the Rain "Make 'Em Laugh" (LOVE this number!): "Moses Supposes:" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL3D1EzUM5M

TOQ on China Seas:

A little Tuesday...on a Tuesday.

Your Red Skelton quote reminds me of Dr Seuss' _Fox in Socks_ : "When beetles fight these battles in a bottle with their paddles and the bottle's on a poodle and the poodle's eating noodles... ...they call this a muddle puddle tweetle poodle beetle noodle bottle paddle battle."

There actually is a one woman show about Hattie called "What I Need You to Know" starring Vickilyn Reynolds. Looks like it ran earlier this year. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/xaque-gruber/hattie-mcdaniel-play_b_2891935.html

Happy Birthday to Hollywood's Wild Child, Tuesday Weld: Tribute to 3 1960's nymphettes, Tuesday Weld, Yvette Mimieux and Carol Lynley:

Leigh-- All 26 pages! Wow! Glad you enjoyed it. LOL I like Robert Montgomery. He's a lot of fun. That elastic face of his reminds me of Elizabeth taylor muggin in "Bewitched." Like father, like daughter. If you get a chance, try and catch some of his 1930's work with Norma Shearer. He is excellent at that sort of drawing room comedy. And if you want to see him do drama, he's fantastic as a (maybe) killer in Night Must Fall with Rosalind Russell I even like his war movies, and I HATE war movies! Tracey

Fathers are funny. When my daughter got to dating age, my husband hung a machete over the kitchen door and made all kinds of references to the "8 simple rules" and so on. But now that she's engaged (with a date set in about 2017 LOL) he's handling it very well. I'm the one who's stressing now!

Isn't it obvious?

In Memory of Julie Harris... TOQ on The Haunting. Love this movie (and the short story)!

Phew. It was the first day back at school for me...