So Why Not Kirk Douglas, TCM?

[TomJH]

One of my favourite scenes in the movies, beautifully written and performed, when Kirk Douglas's Colonel Dax finally lets loose and tells his calculating, cunning imperious commanding officer (Adolphe Menjou) what he thinks of him in Paths of Glory:

 

 

Watching Douglas gradually build upon his emotions in this scene and then finally explode is representative of the actor at his dramatic best, in my opinion. At times like this he really was a great actor.

[jakeem]

One of Douglas' most offbeat films is the 1979 Western comedy "The Villain," directed by the former stuntman Hal Needham ("Smokey and the Bandit"). Douglas is the black-clad title character, who tries to rob a traveling couple played by Ann-Margret and a pre-"Terminator" Arnold Schwarzenegger. The picture is basically a live-action "Road Runner" cartoon, with Douglas in the role of Wile E. Coyote.

 

[Sepiatone]

What you failed to mention is that your brother-in-law has regularly been doing crack for 30 years.

 

Were that but true......it WOULD give him a good excuse.  Sadly, he only took any drugs prescribed by his doctor.  The strongest one he does now is the whatever-it-is he sucks in for his COPD.

 

As for TIFFANY not knowing who Kirk Douglas was?

 

HUH?  She must have walked into THAT job interview on her KNEES!

 

Sepiaotne

[jamesjazzguitar]

Watched both Strange Loves of Martha Ivers and My Dear Secretary last night since many stations were featuring Kirk.    Kirk had very different roles in these early in his career 40s films.  

 

The print for My Dear Secretary was poor and looked like a public domain version that is often played on PPS.     Oh well I always like to see Helen Walker,  even in a secondary role. 

[MovieCollectorOH]

One of Douglas' most offbeat films is the 1979 Western comedy "The Villain," directed by the former stuntman Hal Needham ("Smokey and the Bandit"). Douglas is the black-clad title character, who tries to rob a traveling couple played by Ann-Margret and a pre-"Terminator" Arnold Schwarzenegger. The picture is basically a live-action "Road Runner" cartoon, with Douglas in the role of Wile E. Coyote.

 

 

Now this might be a Kirk Douglas movie for me.

[sewhite2000]

Sepiatone, I thought your comment about Tiffany Vazquez getting her job by entering the interview on her knees was offensive and uncalled for. First of all, DownGoesFrazier was clearly making a joke about her not knowing who Kirk Douglas was, which I'm not sure you got. Second, whatever you think of her abilities, to suggest in 2016 this is how a woman gets a  job really smacks of old man sexism. Would you ever suggest this is also a means by which a man could get a job? I'm surprised none of our female posters responded to it. You kinda slipped it in there, and no one apparently noticed. But I noticed and thought it should be responded to.

 

On a much lighter note, reading the description of The Villain by Jakeem made me realize this was a movie I had seen before on HBO when I was a kid. I probably had no idea who Arnold Schwarzenegger was at the time, and I actually can't remember his performance at all. Could he speak English yet? I do remember some of Douglas' Wile E. Coyote-type scenes. Either this or Saturn 3 (also on HBO around the same time) were the first Kirk Douglas movies I ever saw.

[MovieCollectorOH]

Sewhite2000, I overlook much more on this board than I ever respond to.  It can be a real eye-roller around here.

 

FWIW, probably not much...  ;>)

[DownGoesFrazier]

Sepiatone, I thought your comment about Tiffany Vazquez getting her job by entering the interview on her knees was offensive and uncalled for. First of all, DownGoesFrazier was clearly making a joke about her not knowing who Kirk Douglas was, which I'm not sure you got. Second, whatever you think of her abilities, to suggest in 2016 this is how a woman gets a  job really smacks of old man sexism. Would you ever suggest this is also a means by which a man could get a job? I'm surprised none of our female posters responded to it. You kinda slipped it in there, and no one apparently noticed. But I noticed and thought it should be responded to.

 

On a much lighter note, reading the description of The Villain by Jakeem made me realize this was a movie I had seen before on HBO when I was a kid. I probably had no idea who Arnold Schwarzenegger was at the time, and I actually can't remember his performance at all. Could he speak English yet? I do remember some of Douglas' Wile E. Coyote-type scenes. Either this or Saturn 3 (also on HBO around the same time) were the first Kirk Douglas movies I ever saw.

He's been not getting my jokes for four years. But he's not alone. My jokes are not exactly reminiscent of Alan KIng or Jack Carter.

[Dargo]

He's been not getting my jokes for four years. But he's not alone. My jokes are not exactly reminiscent of Alan KIng or Jack Carter.

 

Yep, I've always thought you've always had more of a Steven Wright vibe kind'a thing goin' on around here, DGF.

 

(...at least whenever I read most of your stuff, I hear his voice anyway)

[DownGoesFrazier]

Yep, I've always thought you've always had more of a Steven Wright vibe kind'a thing goin' on around here, DGF.

 

(...at least whenever I read most of your stuff, I hear his voice anyway)

That's not a bad observation..... I went to the ballet last night. I don't understand why they had all these girls dancing on their tiptoes. Why don't they just use taller girls?

[Hibi]

That's not a bad observation..... I went to the ballet last night. I don't understand why they had all these girls dancing on their tiptoes. Why don't they just use taller girls?

 

You went to the ballet???

[Dargo]

You went to the ballet???

 

Well, I dunno about DGF here Hibi, but the last time I was at the ballet, just before it started I remember giving a little speech to the audience from the balcony. I remember closing my speech with the line, "And now, let joy be unconfined. Let there be dancing in the streets, drinking in the saloons and necking in the parlor".

 

(...oh wait...that was at the opera, not the ballet...sorry...never mind)

[TomJH]

Inside Kirk Douglas' 100th Birthday Bash

 

Kirk Douglas celebrated a milestone birthday in style.

 

The actor turned 100 years old Friday and feted the occasion with members of his famous family and friends at the Beverly Hills Hotel in California.

 

https://gma.yahoo.com/inside-kirk-douglas-100th-birthday-bash-154517106--abc-news-celebrities.html

[DownGoesFrazier]

You went to the ballet???

That three-liner is one of Steven Wright's best.

[Sepiatone]

That three-liner is one of Steven Wright's best.

 

One of MY favorites by Wright is when he talks about getting kicked out of a movie theater for bringing in his own food.----

 

"My arguement was that concession stand prices were outrageous.  And besides, it;s been YEARS since I had a good barbeque." 

 

Sepiatone

[MovieCollectorOH]

That three-liner is one of Steven Wright's best.

 

I used to print his jokes off at work, just so I could memorize and recite them.  My supervisor asked me if these jokes grow on trees.  I paused for a moment, looked at the paper, and said "No, but I can see why it might appear that way".

 

I saw a man with a wooden leg, and a real foot. 

 

I was sad because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet. So I said, "Got any shoes you're not using?"

 

I'm moving to Mars next week, so if you have any boxes...

[DownGoesFrazier]

I used to print his jokes off at work, just so I could memorize and recite them.  My supervisor asked me if these jokes grow on trees.  I paused for a moment, looked at the paper, and said "No, but I can see why it might appear that way".

 

I saw a man with a wooden leg, and a real foot. 

 

I was sad because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet. So I said, "Got any shoes you're not using?"

 

I'm moving to Mars next week, so if you have any boxes...

If a guy with one leg goes into a shoe store, will they sell him one shoe?

[MovieCollectorOH]

If a guy with one leg goes into a shoe store, will they sell him one shoe?

 

Yeah, I used to work third shift at a prosthetic supply house.  I also used to moonlight during the day as a shoe salesman.  (pauses for a moment)  I used to get that a lot.

[DownGoesFrazier]

Yeah, I used to work third shift at a prosthetic supply house.  I also used to moonlight during the day as a shoe salesman.  (pauses for a moment)  I used to get that a lot.

The shoe store could sell the guy the one shoe, and donate the matching shoe to charity. Maybe a very poor one legged guy could then benefit from it.

[DownGoesFrazier]

Yeah, I used to work third shift at a prosthetic supply house.  I also used to moonlight during the day as a shoe salesman.  (pauses for a moment)  I used to get that a lot.

I couldn't repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder.

[TopBilled]

On Saturday March 18, 2017-- TCM will air three of Kirk's films with Burt:

 

[spence]

So did TCM entirely ignored/skip his 100th birthday???

 

I don't think they covered *"The Woodman" Woody Allen's 81st on Dec. 1st

[spence]

So did TCM entirely ignored/skip his 100th birthday???

 

I don't think they covered *"The Woodman" Woody Allen's 81st on Dec. 1st

 

1964's powerhouse "Seven Days in May" (***1/2) is arguably more of a *Lancaster showcase.

[Dargo]

1964's powerhouse "Seven Days in May" (***1/2) is arguably more of a *Lancaster showcase.

 

Okay spence, I'll "argue" against that here.

 

While Burt has by far the more "showier" role(demagogic ideologue type roles usually are pretty darn "showy" ya know), the story actually revolves around Kirk and he is the main protagonist.

 

(...and besides, I always found it quite refreshing to watch Kirk in a role where he constrains himself more than he usually does) 

[TomJH]

1964's powerhouse "Seven Days in May" (***1/2) is arguably more of a *Lancaster showcase.

 

Kirk, who also acted as producer on Seven Days, wanted Lancaster in the film so much that he let him have the showier role of the General. I think that Lancaster and Fredric March are the standouts of this fine cast.

 

However, as Dargo says, it's refreshing to see a low key Douglas at work here (and he's very good in the role), and he is the crucial character in the film with whom the audience will identify more than anyone else.

 

Others will be free to disagree, of course, but, in retrospect, I regard Seven Days in May as the last outstanding film of Kirk Douglas's career. I think that his best work as actor was between Champion in 1949 and this film, a 1964 release. I would be pleased to hear suggestions from other posters about post-'64 work of Kirk that I may have overlooked (or not seen).