Ford at Fox... and RKO, and MGM, and WB, and Columbia...

[MissGoddess]

Thank you, Kathy.

 

[MissGoddess]

I just finished watching what I believe is the last of the unseen films in my Ford at Fox set (almost a year now after I got it): *When Willie Comes Marching Home*. It's a cute service comedy starring Dan Daily as a hapless fellow who badly wants to see action in WWII and can't seem to get stationed outside of his own home town, and William Demarest as his father. A young Corrinne Calvet is on hand as a leader of a French underground gang in a very Hawksian sequence. It's amusing and cute but not all that remarkable except for a couple of moments that, photographically seemed wasted on a Dan Daily comedy but showed how Ford was unable to resist a chance to take a mighty pretty picture.

 

My final Ford at Fox viewing will be the documentary which I have put off until the very end. I may get to it tomorrow, I'm not sure. I may watch it back-to-back with the documentary on his westerns.

[lzcutter]

MissG,

 

Thanks so much for the excerpts from Hawks' book. I will have to put it on my Amazon list.

 

Reading your post made me wonder what little gems are scattered throughout the out-takes of Schickel's *Men Who Made the Movies* series.

 

He obviously asked many more questions and got answers than what appears in those 60 minute interviews.

 

Wouldn't you love to hear what Hawks, Walsh, Wellman and the others had to say that didn't make the cut?

 

I know I would.

 

I wonder if they exist?

 

Message was edited by: lzcutter

[JackFavell]

I would imagine Schickel could be sitting on a bunch of outtakes and interviews that didn't make the cut. Then again, many film stars and directors had limited time for interviews back in the day, and would only consent to an hour or so of interview time . Maybe he had to be really quick with his interviews? I don't know, but it is tantalizing to think about isn't it? I wonder if you wrote to Schickel what he would say?

[MissGoddess]

Wouldn't you love to hear what Hawks, Walsh, Wellman and the others had to say that didn't make the cut?

 

I know I would.

 

I wonder if they exist?

 

Hi Lynne! I'd give a great deal to see every inch of footage shot on those pros. The stories! I just love listening to a good yarn spinner and Schickle interviewed the best.

 

By the way, I'm glad you brought it up because it gives me an excuse to promote TCM's upcoming broadcast of "The Men Who Made the Movies: Howard Hawks", this Tuesday at

7:00 a.m. EST. Don't y'all miss it!

[MissGoddess]

I've been looking forward to today's finale of Summer Under the Stars with Spencer Tracy. And it seems rather fitting, for it was on this day in 1973 that Pappy, the man responsible for bringing Spence to Hollywood, "crossed the bar."

 

Don't miss A Man's Castle tonight at 11:30 p.m. (EST)...it's directed by another imaginative Irishman, *Frank Borzage*, and is a very remarkably told tale. (I also recommend The Seventh Cross at 2:30 a.m.)

[Film_Fatale]

> {quote:title=MissGoddess wrote:}{quote}

> Don't miss A Man's Castle tonight at 11:30 p.m. (EST)...it's directed by another imaginative Irishman, *Frank Borzage*, and is a very remarkably told tale. (I also recommend The Seventh Cross at 2:30 a.m.)

 

I'm dying to record this - it's always exciting when a movie like this premieres on TCM. B-)

[lzcutter]

Jackie,

 

Good point about the limited time for an interview. It may be my hazy memory but I remember the Schickel interviews as giving the feeling that they talked for a couple of hours but it could just be the vibe they gave off. Most of the men he interviewed were retired and most seemed genuinely pleased to have the opportunity to talk about their careers.

 

The Hawks interview is great by the way, MissG!

[MissGoddess]

Don't forget there is a companion book to those "Men Who Made the Movies" interviews which fleshes out the background behind the interviews Schickle conducted, giving you an idea how much time he got to spend (in Hawks' case quite a while).

[lzcutter]

MissG,

 

It is one of my favorite film books in my library. I found it at abebooks years ago. I lost my original copy in one of my moves and was heartbroken.

 

Luckily abebooks was there,

[MissGoddess]

*Crossing the Bar* - Alfred, Lord Tennyson

 

Sunset and evening star,

And one clear call for me!

And may there be no moaning of the bar,

When I put out to sea,

But such a tide as moving seems asleep,

Too full for sound and foam,

When that which drew from out the boundless deep

Turns again home.

 

Twilight and evening bell,

And after that the dark!

And may there be no sadness of farewell,

When I embark;

 

For tho' from out our bourne of Time and Place

The flood may bear me far,

I hope to see my Pilot face to face

When I have crossed the bar.

 

John Ford - February 1, 1894 - August 31, 1973

 

The Araner

[rohanaka]

I hope to see my Pilot face to face

When I have crossed the bar.

 

Lovely--stoic, yet filled with emotion.

[JackFavell]

That choked me up, MissG. especially the beautiful portrait of "The Araner".

 

*The Ship*

 

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails in the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength and I stand and watch until at last she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come down to mingle with each other.

 

Then someone at my side says, "There she goes!" Gone where? Gone from my sight... that is all. She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side and just as able to bear her load of living freight to the place of destination. Her diminished size is in me, not in her. And just at the moment when someone at my side says, "There she goes!" there are other eyes watching her coming and other voices ready to take up the glad shout, "There she comes!"

 

Henry Jackson Van Dyke (1852-1933)

[Bronxgirl48]

I haven't been acquainted with that Tennyson poem, but I already love it.

[Bronxgirl48]

That was great! I haven't heard of this poet before, I'm ashamed to say.

 

Message was edited by: Bronxgirl48

[MissGoddess]

What a lovely poem, Jackie, thank you so much. I had not heard of the poet, either.

I love verse about the *sea*. Did any of you catch *Captains Courageous* earlier? I never

miss it. I think it's my favorite "children's" or "family" movie, or one of them anyway. I ALWAYS

get choked up all over the place once Harvey gets attached to Manuel. It's like I get attached to

Manuel at exactly the same time and I can't let him go either, the way Harvey is unable to.

 

That Victor Fleming, another great director. I can't wait till the new biography on him comes out

in December.

 

[MissGoddess]

OK, so I finally watched the Nick Redman documentary from the FORD AT FOX set followed by

the one Dan Ford produced called "The Western Films of John Ford".

 

Doc #1: OK but too long. Too LONG? Yes, too long because it was too many "talking heads"

and not enough, oh I don't know, not enough emotion. None, actually. Peter Bogdanovich's is

so much the superior. The only two "heads" I liked listening to were a screenwriter I never

heard of and a Frenchman I never heard of. The screenwriter was smart enough to say that all

this talk, talk, talk about Ford and his films was a bunch of "nonsense" and he was right. But

you can't blame anyone for wanting to do it.

 

Still, it's very informative and included lots of wonderful still photos and a little too much of

home movies showing Darryll Zanuck without a shirt on. I could have done without that. Also,

be warned if you have kids, there's some cursing I felt should not have been included.

 

Doc #2: First I have to get my "Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww" out of the way because

I was all upset seeing how frail he looks but after all, what a joy to see him and his two "sons",

Wayne and Fonda and dear Jimmy. I was quite fascinated by watching Jimmy. He was

so composed. I'm used to seeing him "on" if you know what I mean but in the scenes where

he's basically reading from the prompter he's so normal and almost subdued that I became

quite fascinated. I like him so much that way.

 

So was that stunt John Wayne and Chuck Roberson (?) did in the beginning just staged

for this program? Because I don't recall any movie it could be for, certainly not one of

Ford's because those were past him. THANK YOU, Kathy, for being the one to alert

me of the existence of this documentary. Bronxie/Jackie, if you find this 20 movie John Wayne

set (it's only about $5) I would encourage you to pick it up so you can see this doc.

 

The Searchers - How to kiss a girl.

[lzcutter]

MissG,

 

You are a better man than I, Gunga Din. I have yet to get past the first 20 minutes of the Redman doc. I found it (even at just the first 20 minutes) overbearing and pretentious as if made by someone who had no idea who John Ford really was or his impact or his contribution to film.

 

The overly arty camera angles and lighting made me want to scream as all I could hear was "look at me, see how smart and cool I am as a film maker".

 

I hope to sit down and watch the doc in its entirety one of these days soon. Perhaps I was just in a bad mood and have the wrong idea.

 

Or maybe not. In the meantime, where can I find Dan Ford's documentary? Sounds like I will like that one much more!

[Film_Fatale]

Ditto on the Dan Ford doc.

[movieman1957]

Hi April:

 

You are right about "When Willie Comes Marching Home." A pleasant enough comedy but not great. I didn't see much of Ford about it. It is nice to see if for no other reason than to see more rare Ford.

[MissGoddess]

Or maybe not. In the meantime, where can I find Dan Ford's documentary? Sounds like I will like that one much more!

 

Kathy was the one who let me know about this little gem buried deep within a multi-movie pack:

 

http://www.amazon.com/John-Wayne-20-Movie-Pack/dp/B000A2XC6W/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1220283427&sr=8-1

 

It's so cute how these men (Wayne, Fonda, Stewart), all older now, act like young boys around

their favorite headmaster.

 

Oh, and as Kathy pointed out to me, the print quality isn't restored so everything in it and

about it shows its age. Which is too bad because this is wonderful material and it's amazing

how many movies they were able to get the rights to show clips to.

[MissGoddess]

> {quote:title=movieman1957 wrote:}{quote}

> Hi April:

>

> You are right about "When Willie Comes Marching Home." A pleasant enough comedy but not great. I didn't see much of Ford about it. It is nice to see if for no other reason than to see more rare Ford.

 

Yes, don't tell Pappy but I agree with *Hawks* that he made better comedies. But don't tell!

[Film_Fatale]

> {quote:title=MissGoddess wrote:}{quote}

> Or maybe not. In the meantime, where can I find Dan Ford's documentary? Sounds like I will like that one much more!

>

> Kathy was the one who let me know about this little gem buried deep within a multi-movie pack:

 

How was the picture quality on the movies in that set?

[rohanaka]

April--I am so glad you enjoyed it!! I knew when you told me you hadn't seen it yet (HUGE surpise!) that it would be something you would like. Sounds like my bargain shopping at Wally World paid off in more ways than one. Hope others will find it too.

 

I don't know if that "stunt' at the beginning was a put on or not, but there seemed to be a bit of kidding around going on throughout all of that (even Andy Devine caught a bit of it) so who knows??

The "personal' aspect or the whole thing (the inside jokes, etc) is one of the parts I liked the most.

 

I agree about Stewart--he was very down to earth, but I had more of a surprise out of the Fonda portions. They were very good too, and I think the surprise comes from the the fact that I have the same emotions you have about Stewart only applied to Henry Fonda (does that make sense??) Ha--coming from me, I doubt it.:-)

 

Oh--speaking of Walmart bargains--guess what I found this weekend??? RIO BRAVO!! (finally!!) HA--(I should be posting this part in the western section huh?) There's a little documentary or commentary or something listed on that one too, so will have to check it out.

[MissGoddess]

The picture quality of the entire documentary is only middling.