The Annual FrankGrimes Torture Thread

butterscotchgreer · May 13, 2013

Good afternoon Chris!

How are you this loverly day?

*Lady T:You are always so bubbly that I can't imagine you needing anything to get going. You'd get on so well with The Bride and my lovely Maureen. I'd be overwhelmed if we were all together.*

No, you are right, I don't need caffeine. My friends all call me the energizer bunny sometimes. Heehee! I drink decaf drinks a lot, because if I don't, I get so wired.

I think I would love your bride and daughter! I don't think you would be overwhelmed so much, but I do giggle a lot... hhmmmm maybe I should tone it down a bit.

movieman1957 · May 13, 2013

I am doing okay today. Hearing from you helps. Don't tone anything down that is part of you and your charm.

MissGoddess · May 13, 2013

> {quote:title=movieman1957 wrote:}{quote}*what man doesn't put his foot in his mouth?*

>

> Hey! That might be a problem for Sir Francis but it is a rare thing for me.

>

you get no argument from me there!

MissGoddess · May 13, 2013

> Maybe! I wake up very energetic in the mornings. I love the morning.

i've always been a night person.

> I just love my chai tea. I can't live without it! Heehee! I crave that french tea you got me too. That was yummy stuff! I know you would really miss your tea too!

>

oh, yes. thank goodness for Trader Joe's "Irish Breakfast" tea. it's my fuel.

> Oooohhhh tea party time! Would you like a krumpet?

>

only if it's made of lettuce! i'm on a diet.

> Ill just try posting the links. They are such adorable pictures

> I think you will enjoy them!

>

i hope to see them.

FrankGrimes · May 13, 2013

*i've always been a night person.*

Ah, yes, a lady of the night.

butterscotchgreer · May 14, 2013

These are the pictures I was wanting to post from The First Traveling Saleslady.

Enjoy!

http://www.nypost.com/r/nypost/blogs/movies/201104/images/eastwood.jpg

http://a4.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/109/7ed8a5808ccf4d8da728801a39303e8f/l.jpg

http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3xkaanJmw1qjbq6yo1_500.jpg

http://www.olditaly.net/locandine28x36/thefirst.jpg

Edited by: butterscotchgreer on May 14, 2013 8:36 AM

FrankGrimes · May 14, 2013

How do, Denver -- *Are you sure you're not me?*

*Wagon Master* ! So you're less chatty when something is bothering you?

*You really hit the nail on the head. That is a PERFECT description. I wonder if it's because it's a rich state or if there's some other factors?*

I would say it's because it's a rich state. The "suburbs" of New York. I also think the Northeast features more of the British class system.

Pennsylvania is a screwy state. We've got Philly and Pittsburgh and a lot of "pick-up" everywhere else. The state is more "midwest," in that regard.

*My favorite people around here have been fishermen and old railroad men, masons and farmers. If you went to breakfast downtown when I first moved here, they would all be hanging out at the local Bee Bee Dairy, which was a diner in the center of town. You'd go in for your cup of coffee and the old men would be holding court at the counter. It was wonderful. There just aren't characters like that anymore. They've all died or moved to retirement homes or something.*

The fishermen would certainly interest me. That's a big part of the romanticism of New England.

I do believe we've lost a lot of characters, mainly because younger generations are now molded by television (entertainment). The older generations didn't have such influences in their youth. They were who they were.

*Now it's nouveau riche who are more snooty than the old rich families, most of whom you'd never know had money from the way they dress and act.*

That's a perfect description. It's a lot of "I can do whatever I want and you have to take it." Zero respect for anyone. The entire country continues to go this way, actually.

*I understand that if you earned your money by working hard you have something to be proud of, you've paid your dues in stress when you work a high powered job.*

I don't even care about that. I consider money to be the biggest issue with so much in this world. We have become such fools to value, admire, and worship such a thing.

*But the racism and the sexism and the hatred of middle class is very disturbing. It's a mine mine MINE attitude.*

That's all people care about anymore. It's all about "me" and not about "we."

*A few are different from this model, but CT. is mostly like an exclusive club that they don't want you to join. And most of these people in the club are neither particularly intelligent, nor special in any other way except that they made a barrel of money. It really counts here. Eck! It's disgusting. Don't value the hard work, value the money. Don't bring your kids up to value anything but the almighty dollar, what they can HAVE. The kids are the worst because the parents let them act like little princes and princesses even when the behavior doesn't warrant it.*

Now that's saying it all.

*But it's selfish to be a dreamer, just a bit don't you think?*

It can be, surely. But I still feel it's most harmful to one's self.

*Like in Man in the White Suit. That's where I begin to feel doubt about myself. I know I should be happy with what I've got, and I should contribute more than just dreams. That's really where I feel like I've let people down.*

You contribute more than dreams! You're a wife and mother! Don't let modernity lessen your worth. That would be foolish. And what could really make you happier?

*I really don't see myself as a delicate flower, not in the least! I tend toward the short and cute and seem anything but delicate. But on the inside, I'm sensitive, yes.*

I was speaking of the internal. You're such a hider!

*Definitely. I believe that Francis Ford also worked in the crime drama, but from a different perspective, more serialized, and with more delineated good and evil... but of course it's hard to tell, since there are only about 3 of his movies around still today. I think they both had something to do with defining the "good bad man".*

I can definitely believe that. His younger brother followed his lead.

It was quite interesting to see *Regeneration* as a "foundational" film for the gangster genre. I was very pleasantly surprised by that.

*I;m watching Baseball now.*

Wow! I wouldn't have guessed you doing such a thing.

*It is a bit of a slog at the beginning, the episodes are really long and the first couple of them are kind of pretentious. But at about the 3rd one, I really began to enjoy it, and some of the presenters speak so poetically about the game. I think Mario Cuomo was one of the most eloquent without being pretentious.*

I'd agree with you about the first two innings being a "slog." But I found them interesting just because of the "club" aspect of baseball's beginnings. Love seeing all of the photos from the 1800s.

*I like the historical figures - Christy Mathewson, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Andrew "Rube" Foster, The Babe, Lou Gehrig (snif), Satchel Paige, Josh Gibson, Jackie Robinson... They are all characters, and I love hearing about them. I like hearing about what the game thinks it is.. The reality vs. the myth, the legend.*

Baseball really did have its characters back in those days. This dovetails nicely with your "fishermen" comment. "Rube" really was a major character.

I believe I have only watched the first two innings and then half of the third. I haven't reached the 20s, which is going to be about "Murderer's Row," I'm sure.

You are very right about baseball being a battle between myth and reality. Just like anything from the past, it seems grander than anything today. But is it, really? I'm one who believes it's more mythical than reality. So many imagine a beautiful, heroic world. I don't see it as such. I see a more crude world.

*Yes, I guess so. It's rare to see a man who is a romantic these days. You must know that.*

But where you'll find such romantics is in the world of history. You see it a lot in this realm, the world of classic film. Most classic film fans are romantics, dreamers. The past is so much better than today is often the thinking.

*You can tell he was faithful to the story and loved them. He's painstaking without being didactic or dull. He's a true artist.*

He really is a true artist. And with that in mind, I always feel he's a director that is going to connect with you more than most.

*Of course I was speaking of real life! I can't see you being okay with your husband visiting Maison Tellier.*

*NO.*

That's the kind of answer I'd expect! But you're usually quite good at separating yourself from the story, seeing it from another point of view. Not too many can do that.

*I haven't been able to get into Fuller's world yet. I'll try again.*

His is a very masculine world but I think you'd appreciate the kind of gusto in which he tells his stories. He's very "Wellman," in that way. Fuller is often telling "street" stories with a great love for those who inhabit such a world. Again, of the "Ramblers," I'd say you'd like *Underworld U.S.A.* the most. I think it's an underrated film.

*Oh goodness, that sounds great! I'm sure the gals here at the Torture Thread would have liked that one much better. *

Oh, yeah, right!

*My ranking of your recent films:*

*The Man in the White Suit*

*The Strawberry Blonde*

*Beat the Devil*

*Le Million*

*Regeneration*

*Easy Living*

*A Matter of Life and Death*

*Lady in the Lake*

*The Wild One*

*Ring of Bright Water*

*Trouble Along the Way*

*Chicago Calling*

*Three Came Home*

*Blackboard Jungle*

Nicely done! It's an interesting mix of films, that's for sure.

*I actually like all of these movies quite a bit, so even if a movie comes in low, it doesn't mean I didn't like the film. Blackboard Jungle for instance I used to hate, because this is the type of performance by Glenn Ford that I didn't like, he gets all puffed up and righteous, which I have always hated in him, much like my first feelings about the Duke. But It's grown on me over the years, and now I even like Ford in the movie. This one and The Wild One have a kind of good/evil righteousness going on that just twinges me a little. I can't put my finger on exactly what it is... just a feeling of preachiness that I dislike, but overall, I really enjoy the less moralistic shadings the actors bring to the story.*

There's definitely some "preachy" to be found in *Blackboard Jungle*. My issue with the film is that it shows an over-the-top version of an inner-city classroom to make a point. But I still liked the film. I like Sidney Poitier quite a bit in this one, and Sidney doesn't always do it for me. I'm such a big Glenn Ford fan that I love when he gets all "puffed up." I love his explosions. He's so good at seething.

Is the school an all-boys school? I didn't see a single gal in the unruly class. And, I must say, I kept thinking of *Welcome Back, Kotter* during the film.

And is there a better song to open and close a film with? Such a great song. One that captures the rebellion of the time.

*The Wild One* was on the silly side, to me. Having said that, it really was an influential film. It really captures the clash of generations that was about to come to the surface in the country.

*Chicago Calling was fascinating in that I really didn't like the movie itself much, but I loved the idea of it, and the execution by the actors, led by the incredible Dan Duryea. He's just so great.*

I agree with all of that. In a way, the film reminded me of *A Tree Grows in Brooklyn*. Almost like a "what if this happened" with *A Tree Grows in Brooklyn*. One of the greatest components of *Chicago Calling* is how a man and a boy can come to need each other, even if they are not father and son, ala *The Shop Around the Corner*.

*Lady in the Lake has moved up quite a bit in the last showing I watched. I really like it a lot now, after years of thinking it just didn't work. It is alienating, the trick of the film, distancing, but man, the last time I watched about a month ago, it just floored me how good it was. I love the relationship between Montgomery and Totter.*

We're on the same page with this one, too. I was having a difficult time adjusting to the film and its presentation. But as it wore on, I started to like it more and it was because of Audrey Totter. It's definitely her film. I liked how she was all about making a name for herself with her career and seeking money through a rich man until she started to fall for Marlowe (Robert Montgomery).

*I think the trick of A Matter of Life and Death is almost the same as that of Lady in the Lake. It puts you at arms length. I remember sobbing through this movie as a teen, but I found it a bit remote and almost too thoughtful this time. That doesn't mean I didn't shed a tear at the end. I love the idea of it. Just wish sometimes it was a simple space and time dimensional love story, like The Ghost and Mrs. Muir.*

Wow, that's a great comparison! I can definitely see the similarities. And I think you hit on what probably kept me away, that the film does keep you at a bit of a distance. Films about death are usually ones that I don't really like that much, either.

*There are three versions of One Sunday Afternoon. The first in 1931, which I can't really get through easily, even WITH Gary Cooper and Roscoe Karns in it, who I love. Then there's The Strawberry Blonde. Walsh directed it AGAIN, as a musical, a few years after this one, titled One Sunday Afternoon which I've never seen.*

I'm gonna have to watch *One Sunday Afternoon*. I cannot see it matching *The Strawberry Blonde*, though. I think Rita Hayworth captures Miss G, perfectly! I wish I could post caps from the film! I also liked Olivia. You were right about my liking her in this one.

FrankGrimes · May 14, 2013

Bonjour, Strawberry Blonde! -- *Which is good because there is likely something for everyone to chat about.*

That's always one of my goals with what I watch.

*goodness! i'm thrilled for jackie that you liked her man in the white suit (i have to watch it again --- it's been too long).*

It's really good. I've now seen three Alexander Mackendrick films, and I have really liked all of them. I love the entire message of *The Man in the White Suit*. Talk about a film that was way ahead of its time. I also loved the music in the film. For me to like the music is saying a lot. I believe the film inspired the Coen Brothers' *The Hudsucker Proxy*.

*and i am astonished trouble along the way came in so high! is it because it's a sports theme? i thought it was just okay. i didn't like the milieu much. i did like seeing wayne with the little girl.*

The film being about football did help me like it more, yes. But I just thought it was a lovely father/daughter film. And Charles Coburn is always so doggone enjoyable.

*it's such a sweet, sad story. poor little midge. :(i begged my parents for months to have an otter after seeing it.*

Now that's a sweet story! I was amazed by the filming of the otter. That was impressive. But the film felt too long to me. And I didn't like what happened to your Midge. It was so abrupt. But I guess that's how it goes.

*it certainly was. i also recommend the outrage.*

Ooooh, that's Martin Ritt. I'll watch it in the next group.

*was it too piquant for you?*

I was mostly bored by *Beat the Devil*. It's all about characters. I wanted some sort of story. It's basically a spoof of *The Maltese Falcon*, but I prefer Bob Hope's *My Favorite Brunette* for that.

*she does play a broad---broadly. :Dbut it didn't bother me as much as when she plays hoity-toity types.*

I was begging for the baddies to off Ginger! The twist with Brian Keith was good, but I wasn't buying Ginger... again. She was too much. Way too much.

*No, he's a real pill in this. Almost too much so. But then, real private detectives are probably not charm boys like Cary Grant. *

I do agree with you about that. It's just some actors play cranky better, such as Bogie. Your Bobby felt a little off being a crank. I still liked him enough, though.

*ha! Poor Hondo! I can't believe you liked Walker that much. The movie took me by surprise, I wasn't expecting anything from it and ended up enjoying it.*

Clint Walker is wonderful in the film. I loved how "quiet" he was. The juxtaposition of he and your Brian Keith was quite a sight!

*How is it like Spellbound to you?*

A woman enlists the help of her doctor friend to free her love from his problem.

*I don't even remember Brian in it!*

He's the star of the film! He's the patriarch who is excited for jury duty. He proceeds to help Natalie (Rita Hayworth) beat the rap and gives her a place to stay after she is freed. I'm pretty sure Jackie would just love Brian Aherne's performance and character.

*i watched it over the week-end. it was rather flat. i was expecting more from a Fox film. it looked nice but there was never any real suspense and i was a bit lost at times about who was doing what. james ellison and the subject matter made me think it was an RKO-Lewton production. Too bad it wasn't!*

You sought it out! I'm impressed. What you say about the film is how I felt, as well.

*since you now like clint, i suggest a much better "wolf man" movie that he did in the 70s: scream of the wolf. it's on youtube. he is SCARY in it. that is one wolf you don't want to mess with!*

How in the world did you run across that one?!

*Hey! That might be a problem for Sir Francis but it is a rare thing for me. *

*you get no argument from me there! *

That's because you save all your arguments for me!

butterscotchgreer · May 14, 2013

Hi shaggy-kins!

*I'm gonna have to watch One Sunday Afternoon. I cannot see it matching The Strawberry Blonde, though. I think Rita Hayworth captures Miss G, perfectly! :DI wish I could post caps from the film! I also liked Olivia. You were right about my liking her in this one.*

All three versions of One Sunday afternoon are very interesting. I think the one I like the most is Strawberry Blonde if you can even believe that. But Miss G and Jackie and completely right; there is something missing from the original version. Even though Gary's gorgeousness is in it, it is very hard to sit all the way through. And I Iove Fay Wray, but it doesn't go as deep as I wanted them to take it, compared to Strawberry Blonde. Their chemistry was a little off in this as well, which is awkward, because they did 4 films together! And the casting for Strawberry was incredible! I absolutely love Olivia in it!

*1. Underworld U.S.A.*

*2. The Man in the White Suit*

*3. Fort Dobbs*

*4. Trouble Along the Way*

*5. Lady in the Lake*

*6. The Strawberry Blonde*

*7. Le Million*

*8. A Matter of Life and Death*

*9. Easy Living*

*10. Blackboard Jungle*

*11. Regeneration*

*12. Chicago Calling*

*13. The Wild One*

*14. The Undying Monster*

*15. Kiss and Make-Up*

*16. The Great Dan Patch*

*17. Macabre*

*18. The Bigamist*

*19. Tight Spot*

*20. Beat the Devil*

*21. Ring of Bright Water*

*22. Three Came Home*

*23. The Lady in Question*

*24. One Minute to Zero*

*25. The Renegade Ranger*

I haven't seen *The Main in the white Suit* yet! I have really wanted to, I just haven't had the chance. I plan on seeing it soon, because it looks soooo funny! Obviously you liked it a lot! What did you like about it?

I totally expected Underworld U.S.A. to be at the top, but not number 1!

These are my top 15 favorites of the ones you posted:

1. Kiss and Make-Up ( I really LOVE this one!)

2. Easy Living (I'm surprised you even sat all the way through that! You are referring to the Jean Arthur one, right?)

3. Strawberry Blonde

4. Trouble Along the Way

5. Tight Spot

6. The Bigamist

7. One Minute to Zero

8. A Matter of Life and Death

9. Beat the Devil ( I loved the unlikely pairing of Jennifer Jones and Bogey here)

10. Fort Dobbs

11. Blackboard Jungle (Glenn Ford is such a cutie in it!! but it isn't my favorite of his films, by far)

12. The Lady in Question

13. Lady in the Lake

14. Underwodl U.S.A.

15. Le Million

*Macabre* is a really freaky movie!! Talk about a nightmare of being buried alive!! I don't think I can sit through that comfortably again! Of course you would love that...

Edited by: butterscotchgreer on May 14, 2013 11:48 AM

FrankGrimes · May 15, 2013

Hi, Meanie Mint! -- *All three versions of One Sunday afternoon are very interesting. I think the one I like the most is Strawberry Blonde if you can even believe that.*

Shocking!

*But Miss G and Jackie and completely right; there is something missing from the original version. Even though Gary's gorgeousness is in it, it is very hard to sit all the way through. And I Iove Fay Wray, but it doesn't go as deep as I wanted them to take it, compared to Strawberry Blonde. Their chemistry was a little off in this as well, which is awkward, because they did 4 films together! And the casting for Strawberry was incredible! I absolutely love Olivia in it!*

It must be Gary Cooper! He has to be the issue. So who plays Miss G in *One Sunday Afternoon* ?

*I haven't seen The Main in the white Suit yet! I have really wanted to, I just haven't had the chance. I plan on seeing it soon, because it looks soooo funny! Obviously you liked it a lot! What did you like about it?*

I can't see it being your kind of film. The romance is limited! What I liked was the message, about how money ends up being more important than progress. It's a great "manufacturing" film, one that speaks greater volumes today. The businessmen don't want to lose their gravy train and the union doesn't want to lose their jobs. So even if something may be beneficial to the world, it cannot be allowed to happen for it means the "death" of some individuals' livelihoods. The film makes a great companion piece with Alexander Mackendrick's other film, *The Maggie*. It's just it's not as sweet and charming.

*I totally expected Underworld U.S.A. to be at the top, but not number 1!*

It's pretty darn good! Very "Sam Fuller." It's *Pickup on South Street* 's younger brother.

*These are my top 15 favorites of the ones you posted:*

*1. Kiss and Make-Up ( I really LOVE this one!)*

*2. Easy Living (I'm surprised you even sat all the way through that! You are referring to the Jean Arthur one, right?)*

*3. Strawberry Blonde*

*4. Trouble Along the Way*

*5. Tight Spot*

*6. The Bigamist*

*7. One Minute to Zero*

*8. A Matter of Life and Death*

*9. Beat the Devil ( I loved the unlikely pairing of Jennifer Jones and Bogey here)*

*10. Fort Dobbs*

*11. Blackboard Jungle (Glenn Ford is such a cutie in it!! but it isn't my favorite of his films, by far)*

*12. The Lady in Question*

*13. Lady in the Lake*

*14. Underwodl U.S.A.*

*15. Le Million*

Look at you ranking your favorites! Way to go!

How in the world does *Kiss and Make-Up* end up at the top?! What do you like about it? Or is it simply because it has "kiss" in the title?

*Easy Living* is pretty good! I love Jean Arthur and I'm a big fan of Edward Arnold, who is excellent in the film. Only Ray Milland proves to be a false note. I thought of Jackie during the film because of Luis Alberni. It's the kind of character and performance she usually loves. Preston Sturges is also a favorite of mine.

*Macabre is a really freaky movie!! Talk about a nightmare of being buried alive!! I don't think I can sit through that comfortably again! Of course you would love that...*

Yes! What guy doesn't want to sit next to a scared girl? How cute.

movieman1957 · May 15, 2013

Good day Sir Francis:

If I may get in for the moment.

*Only Ray Milland proves to be a false note.*

I am very glad you enjoyed the movie. I thought Ray was actually pretty good here. I have seen many of his other films and never really thought of him in this kind of part. I think he has charm and seems comfortable. He didn't do many other roles like this, did he?

I do love the scene where they are laying on the sofa in the opposite direction and are just having a nice chat while Jean blows the netting of her outfit.

I like Arnold a great deal too. I don't think it is any accident that with this role and his Anthony Kirby from "You Can't Take It With You" (basically the same man) that he defines a big shot in the financial world.

Oh and as an aside here is one more chance to see the lovely "Lady T."

http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/626458/TCM-Film-Festival-2013-TCM-Original-.html

MissGoddess · May 15, 2013

> It's really good. I've now seen three Alexander Mackendrick films, and I have really liked all of them. I love the entire message of *The Man in the White Suit*. Talk about a film that was way ahead of its time. I also loved the music in the film. For me to like the music is saying a lot. I believe the film inspired the Coen Brothers' *The Hudsucker Proxy*.

>

I really will catch it one day soon. Maureen is in it, too, right?

> The film being about football did help me like it more, yes. But I just thought it was a lovely father/daughter film. And Charles Coburn is always so doggone enjoyable.

>

Yes, he saved it for me.

>

> Now that's a sweet story! I was amazed by the filming of the otter. That was impressive. But the film felt too long to me. And I didn't like what happened to your Midge. It was so abrupt. But I guess that's how it goes.

>

That's how it really happened. Suddenly, and that's what made it so unbearable. That really is how it happens quite often, especially out in farm country. Poor little baby. I can't even stand thinking about it. I thought Travers' did a good job showing how much Midge had come to mean to him.

> Ooooh, that's Martin Ritt. I'll watch it in the next group.

>

Oops! No, the Ida movie! *Outrage*. The Ritt film is good, too, and about the same subject, ironically, and with a very different approach.

> I was mostly bored by *Beat the Devil*. It's all about characters. I wanted some sort of story. It's basically a spoof of *The Maltese Falcon*, but I prefer Bob Hope's *My Favorite Brunette* for that.

>

Oh, that's too bad. I can understand, though, it's not to everyone's cuppa.

> I was begging for the baddies to off Ginger! The twist with Brian Keith was good, but I wasn't buying Ginger... again. She was too much. Way too much.

>

ha ha! I know the feeling.

> Clint Walker is wonderful in the film. I loved how "quiet" he was. The juxtaposition of he and your Brian Keith was quite a sight!

>

they do make for opposite types, that's for sure. kind of like poor men's Gary Cooper and Richard Widmark.

> A woman enlists the help of her doctor friend to free her love from his problem.

>

I forgot what movie we were talking about!

> He's the star of the film! He's the patriarch who is excited for jury duty. He proceeds to help Natalie (Rita Hayworth) beat the rap and gives her a place to stay after she is freed. I'm pretty sure Jackie would just love Brian Aherne's performance and character.

>

I remember the setup, I just forgot who played the father.

> You sought it out! I'm impressed. What you say about the film is how I felt, as well.

>

I had it on DVD so this was a good excuse to watch.

>

> How in the world did you run across that one?!

>

*Scream of the Wolf* used to show on cable...Fox Movie Channel, I think. I watched it for Peter Graves at first, then found it genuinely scary. Walker isn't just a "monster", he's a psychologically clever one. Almost like Max Cady with fangs. He messes with your mind as much as physically threatens. That's what was so creepy.

FrankGrimes · May 16, 2013

1. *Underworld U.S.A.* -- An underrated Sam Fuller film. It has similar elements to *Pickup on South Street*, namely a street thug, a prostitute, and a "mother" figure. The story revolves around Tolly Devlin (Cliff Robertson), who is looking for vengeance against those who killed his father. This makes the film play a little like a western. But it's more of a gangster film in that the three men Tolly is after are "legitimate" businessmen. What makes the film good is the emotion that starts to slowly surface.

2. *The Man in the White Suit* -- What an enjoyable little film this is. Its humor is mostly black and the commentary on manufacturing and money is strong but done with a light touch. Sidney Stratton (Alec Guinness) is an inventor who is looking to make a stain-proof fabric. The idea is brilliant, but not to those who need to churn out clothing that will eventually wear and ruin. His possible invention makes him public enemy number one to both business and labor. In a strange way, the film is almost like a comedic version of *Night and the City*.

3. *Fort Dobbs* -- The bland title doesn't do the this film justice. Miss G's tease of the film being somewhat similar to *Hondo* was right on target. A man (Clint Walker) fleeing from a crime wanders upon a ranch that is occupied by a woman (Virginia Mayo) and her son (Richard Eyer). Just as in *Hondo*, she is awaiting the return of her husband and the ranch is under threat due to Comanches (I believe). Throw in an interloper, played by Brian Keith, and you've got an interesting film with lots of emotion burning beneath the surface. The film plays like *Hondo* directed by Budd Boetticher. Loved the quiet of Clint Walker in this one. He's excellent.

4. *Trouble Along the Way* -- This is a very sweet "John Wayne" flick. As much as I like Duke, I'd have to say Sherry Jackson and Charles Coburn are really the stars. Sherry plays John Wayne's daughter in the film and Coburn plays "Father Burke," the man who hires Wayne to save his Catholic university through a football program. The film ends up being a sweet father/daughter story. I also liked the truth that is found in the film in regards to college football.

5. *Lady in the Lake* -- A unique film noir due to its forced, first-person perspective. "Playing the role of Phillip Marlowe" took a little while for me to get used to, but I eventually came to enjoy the gimmick. The story itself is all right, but it's Audrey Totter who ends up bringing this one home. She's annoying to start, but rather inviting by end. A very solid film.

6. *The Strawberry Blonde* -- How can I not like a film that has Rita Hayworth playing Miss G?! And she does a fantastic job! I wasn't sure what to expect with this film, especially after Jackie spoke so highly of it. Well, she was right. Again! The film is nothing but charming. I think any guy can relate to the set-up: the desiring of the prettiest girl but knowing the less-pretty girl is the right one. I thought the cast was magnificent. This may be my favorite James Cagney performance. He was excellent. He captures the male feelings so well in this one. Loved Rita. Loved Olivia. Jack Carson is great. Alan Hale and George Tobias are terrific, too. I loved Olivia pretending to be the liberated woman with different ideals and then Cagney's telling her to knock it off.

7. *Le Million* -- Of the films in this group, this is the most creative of the bunch. Once again, Jackie recommends a winner. The film combines the feel of a silent film with sound. It's rather genius. The film is about a floating artist who is on the verge of being evicted because he's way behind in his rent. In an ironic twist of fate, he ends up winning the lottery. There's only one problem: the ticket is in his coat, a coat his girlfriend has given away. The film then becomes a comedic chase for the ticket. The film is very whimsical, very "Rene Clair."

8. *A Matter of Life and Death* -- The Archers are filmmakers that continue to impress me. I just love their worlds. They are often "otherwordly," and this easily falls into that category. The film is very much "Powell & Pressburger." Similar to *Here Comes Mr. Jordan* and *Heaven Can Wait* (1978), Heaven has made a grave error. It's just the error has been flipped. Instead of taking someone before their time, here they have failed to take someone whose time had come. How to rectify this situation? A Heavenly hearing is to be arranged to settle the case, ala *The Devil and Daniel Webster*. David Niven plays the man whose life is in dispute. I've come to really like David. He's always so pleasant to watch. But, for me, it was Roger Livesey who was most absorbing. The film as a whole fell a little short when compared to the other films I have seen by the Archers, but I still liked it. I think Quiet Gal would like it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUlUrh5zKH8

9. *Easy Living* -- Preston Sturges wrote the screenplay for this comedy and it really does feel like a "Sturges" pic. It all starts with a disagreement between wealthy banker J.B. Ball (Edward Arnold) and his spoiled wife (Mary Nash). This leads to Ball tossing his wife's prized fur coat out the window and into the unexpecting arms of Jean Arthur. One misunerstanding after another ensues in this madcap comedy. Jean is her darling self in this one, but I found Arnold to be the most enjoyable. Luis Alberni plays a conspiring hotel owner looking to capitalize on some dirt. He provides a lot of the laughs. A good comedy from the heyday of comedies.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYHNO38ZzsY

10. *Blackboard Jungle* -- One, two, three o'clock, four o'clock rock! Welcome Back, Dadier? I mostly liked this film. Richard Brooks does lay it on thick, going to the extremes to make his points. Still, there is enough here to like. For me, it's all about Glenn Ford, Sidney Poitier, and Vic Morrow. All three of them are fantastic in the film. Glenn is very "Glenn." He's seething and ready to boil. Morrow is downright frightening. He plays sadistic well. And Sidney had me hating him early on, which is saying a lot. He was quite good.

11. *Regeneration* -- Jackie found a real gem with this 1915 silent. It does not feel like a 1915 silent with the exception of the pushing of religion. The seeds of the gangster genre are firmly planted with this one. The story is about a kid whose mother dies when he is ten and he is adopted by his neighbors, who end up being uncaring to him. This ends up definining him as a man until he meets and falls in love with Marie (Anna Q. Nilsson), a good-hearted teacher. Can a man of crime be with a law-abiding teacher who is looking to plant the seed of good in children? There's your film. This is definitely a "Quiet Gal" picture.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v39Xazz2s6Q

12. *Chicago Calling* -- I'd call this film a "spin-off" of *A Tree Grows in Brooklyn*. It's not as good a film, but the emotion is pretty strong. The film also plays like a Depression-Era film. Dan Duryea plays "Bill Cannon," a drunken father whose wife has reached her wit's end with his alcoholism. She and his daughter, who he dearly loves, end up leaving him, as they look to head east. From here, the film becomes all about a phone call from Chicago, a call he needs to answer. There's a catch: the phone company is yanking his service. He needs to find a way to pay the bill. Where can he get the money? Can the help of a young boy (Gordon Gebert) save Bill? Miss G mentioned this film being a bit like *The Bicycle Thief*. She's right about that. For a small little film, it's pretty doggone good. This is yet another picture I feel Quiet Gal would like.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSpiuaspc6U

13. *The Wild One* -- What makes this film is, without a doubt, Marlon Brando. He's so head and shoulders above everyone else in this picture. I can just imagine how the youth of the time could identify with him and James Dean. There's no doubt, they exude "cool." What I loved about Brando's "Johnny Strabler" is his torment and doubt. He looks so darn comfortable in his skin (or leather jacket), yet he's not. He's really a mess. That's Brando. The film did fall short for me because of the gang goofiness. It was hard for me to see Alvy Moore as a gang member. Talk about jarring. And Lee Marvin was also hamming it up quite a bit, too. But what I did like was the entire idea of a community trying to keep with its tradition and boundaries and the youth clashing with this notion. It's such an influential film.

14. *The Undying Monster* -- This is kind of a werewolf take on "The Hound of the Baskervilles." I was expecting more from this Fox horror. It starts off well, presenting a nice little mystery, but the film just never builds off of that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywXhmTyi-Rs

15. *Kiss and Make-Up* -- Cary Grant plays "Dr. Maurice Lamar," a plastic surgeon who also pitches beauty products to women. Uh-huh. Maurice soon finds himself caught in his own trap, because a woman who is fussing over her looks is gonna place her man lower in the pecking order. Is life all about money and beauty? Cary is charming and funny, as usual. I definitely like the message of the film. Genevieve Tobin and Helen Mack compete for Cary's affections. It's a solid but unspectacular 30s comedy.

16. *The Great Dan Patch* -- A sweet little film but with a predictable storyline. It's a little similar to Will Rogers' *In Old Kentucky*. Gail Russell actually plays a stable rat. She makes an awfully cute rat! Dennis O'Keefe is married to Miss G , who is played by her favorite, Ruth Warrick.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJW8LAhx8iE

17. *Macabre* -- This was the strangest of the films I watched. All the characters in town seem to be very off-center and have a crush on someone. The story revolves around an anonymous call to a doctor (William Prince), informing him his young daughter has been kidnapped and is buried alive. He only has a limited amount of time to save her. Yeah, it's that strange. Jim Backus plays the police chief in town. He's on the creepy side.

18. *The Bigamist* -- Who makes a film that sees an elderly man at an adoption agency playing the role of detective with prospective parents? This film! Edwund Gwenn is our "detective." And he's investigating Edmund O'Brien and Joan Fontaine. Is there a secret to be found? It's the film noir version of *Penny Serenade*. The film didn't do much for me. I like Gwenn and Ida Lupino the most.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TALwkumBsb8

19. *Tight Spot* -- Oh, Ginger. Ginger Rogers plays a brassy convict who is asked by the authorities to be a witness against a crime boss. Will she do it? She is to be guarded around the clock until her possible appearance in court. Brian Keith plays one of the cops in charge of watching over her. Edward G. Robinson plays a U.S. district attorney in charge of the prosecution. The film has some decent tension and a good twist. The problem is you have to put up with Ginger! I will say she gets less annoying as the film goes on.

20. *Beat the Devil* -- I guess I was expecting more of a story with this one and that kept me from going for it. The characters in the film are all pretty good. I loved Jennifer Jones and her world of lies. She's a trip. I was all right with Bogie, although he seemed to be along for the ride. Robert Morley was excellent. I may come to appreciate the film more in future viewings.

21. *Ring of Bright Water* -- If you love animals, this is a film for you. The film is all about a pet otter named "Mij." I found it remarkable just following Mij around. Bill Travers plays "Graham Merrill," the man who bought Mij in a pet store. He eventually moves to the coast of Scotland to help spark his writing ambitions while also allowing Mij more "freedom" than a flat in London could ever provide. I didn't dislike the film, but the film seemed to drag in parts, making it a bit too long.

22. *Three Came Home* -- Claudette Colbert is the star of this film that was based on a true story about women and children in a Japanese P.O.W. camp during World War II. The story is an amazing one but I wasn't moved by the film. And I liked Claudette and her counterpart, Sessue Hayakawa. But my worries and concerns for the women and children just never reached a high level.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KsPAPM0k9s

23. *The Lady in Question* -- Now this is an "odd bird" kind of film. The film centers around Andre Morestan (Brian Aherne), a shopkeeper who is excited to be selected for jury duty. He eventually finds himself on a jury for a "passion killing" trial. Rita Hayworth plays the accused. The way the film is told is very light and full of whimsy. And the star of the show is Aherne. His performance is quite enjoyable. He's the epitome of ignorant bliss. The film features the *Gilda* teaming of Glenn Ford, Rita Hayworth, and Charles Vidor.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duzp15pZHO8

24. *One Minute to Zero* -- I was really hoping for more with this film. More romance, more conflict, more tension. It doesn't deliver enough. Robert Mitchum, a colonel who is sent to the hot spots in Korea during the Korean War, falls for a United Nations worker, played by Ann Blyth. The two have conflicting opinions on the war. Will their differences keep them apart? Ann is quite lovely in the film.

25. *The Renegade Ranger* -- This film reminded me of John Wayne's westerns from the 30s. It's entertaining but there isn't much to it. Captain Jack Steele (George O'Brien) is ordered to arrest a rancher (Rita Hayworth) and bring her back to town to face justice. But is she guilty? Will a former friend (Tim Holt) stand in the way?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tcrKUcolYY

JackFavell · May 16, 2013

WOW! I love love love some of the things you wrote.... Man in the White Suit as a comic version of Night and the City??? You blew my mind!!! That's really good.

I'm off for my morning walk, but I'll be back to chat about your marvelous reviews.

rohanaka · May 16, 2013

Another great review, Mr. Grey.. I enjoy reading your thoughts for how and why you placed your films in order. I have only seen a few on your list here but am glad at least one of those few were to your liking. (though I find it a surprise it ranked so high.. Trouble Along the Way.. y ou are right, it is "sweet" in a lot of way.. and just for fun in others. But am glad it brought a smile for you.

Sorry you did not find the Colbert film as interesting as I did.. that is one I really was glad to have seen. I really was drawn in to the story (it does focus mostly on Colbert's character.. so that may be why the others did not seem to stand out so much for you. It really was her story (and Hayakawa's too.. if only because of HIS influence over her situation)

I will have to look into some of the ones on your list that you mentioned. A few of them sound like I might enjoy them at least a bit. (namely 3, 6, 9, 11, and 16.. OH and maybe even 14 despite your negative review, if only because of the way cool pic you posted.. it looks "creepy" even if it may not play out that way. ha)

Edited by: rohanaka on May 16, 2013 1:09 PM

rohanaka · May 16, 2013

OOpsie.. I also meant to add #8 and 12 to that list.. Duh.. I was looking for numbers and typing at the same time.

Golly.. I am going to be busy.. but thank goodness Summer break will be coming soon! I hope to have some extra time to sit and watch a few. (good gravy.. its a good thing too. I was starting to think I would have to start carrying my laptop around with me and watch stuff "on the go" just to catch up! Somehow.. I think my employer would FROWN on that though.. so COME on Summer Break. ha.

FrankGrimes · May 17, 2013

Hey there, Movieman -- *I am very glad you enjoyed the movie. I thought Ray was actually pretty good here. I have seen many of his other films and never really thought of him in this kind of part. I think he has charm and seems comfortable. He didn't do many other roles like this, did he?*

You are right, Milland plays his role quite well. I was wrong to say that he didn't. I guess the "false note" I speak of is that I'm just not used to seeing Ray play such a character. He didn't seem to fit, to me. He's playing a role that is rather thankless, too.

*I do love the scene where they are laying on the sofa in the opposite direction and are just having a nice chat while Jean blows the netting of her outfit.*

*I like Arnold a great deal too. I don't think it is any accident that with this role and his Anthony Kirby from "You Can't Take It With You" (basically the same man) that he defines a big shot in the financial world.*

Boy, are you ever right about that. Arnold is excellent shorthand for money and power.

*Oh and as an aside here is one more chance to see the lovely "Lady T."*

That was great!

FrankGrimes · May 17, 2013

Bonjour, Miss G -- *I really will catch it one day soon. Maureen is in it, too, right?*

Maureen O'Hara? In *The Man in the White Suit* ? *The Hudsucker Proxy* ? The woman in the former is Joan Greenwood. I don't think the film will be to your liking. The only thing you'd cling to is the message, but that won't carry you through.

*That's how it really happened. Suddenly, and that's what made it so unbearable. That really is how it happens quite often, especially out in farm country. Poor little baby. I can't even stand thinking about it.*

It was a true story?

*I thought Travers' did a good job showing how much Midge had come to mean to him.*

Yes, he really did. He was very comfortable with Mij, as an actor. The same with Virginia McKenna.

*Oops! No, the Ida movie! Outrage. The Ritt film is good, too, and about the same subject, ironically, and with a very different approach.*

You tricked me! Something tells me I'd like the Ritt film more.

*they do make for opposite types, that's for sure. kind of like poor men's Gary Cooper and Richard Widmark. *

That's a great comparison. The pairing also reminded me of Randolph Scott with guys like Pernell Roberts and Lee Marvin.

*A woman enlists the help of her doctor friend to free her love from his problem.*

*I forgot what movie we were talking about!*

A Matter of Life and Death ! I was speaking of how it had a bit of "*Spellbound*" with it.

*Scream of the Wolf used to show on cable...Fox Movie Channel, I think. I watched it for Peter Graves at first, then found it genuinely scary. Walker isn't just a "monster", he's a psychologically clever one. Almost like Max Cady with fangs. He messes with your mind as much as physically threatens. That's what was so creepy.*

Max Cady with fangs! That's funny! Clint is an imposing figure.

FrankGrimes · May 17, 2013

*WOW! I love love love some of the things you wrote.... Man in the White Suit as a comic version of Night and the City??? You blew my mind!!! That's really good.*

*I'm off for my morning walk, but I'll be back to chat about your marvelous reviews.*

Awwwww, you are much too kind. Thank you.

I look forward to your reply!

FrankGrimes · May 17, 2013

Howdy, Queen of the Furies -- *Another great review, Mr. Grey.. I enjoy reading your thoughts for how and why you placed your films in order.*

Thank you. That's sweet of you to say. What happened?!

*I have only seen a few on your list here but am glad at least one of those few were to your liking. (though I find it a surprise it ranked so high.. Trouble Along the Way.. y ou are right, it is "sweet" in a lot of way.. and just for fun in others. But am glad it brought a smile for you.*

I loved seeing how close Steve (John Wayne) and Carol (Sherry Jackson) were. They were a lovely family.

*Sorry you did not find the Colbert film as interesting as I did.. that is one I really was glad to have seen. I really was drawn in to the story (it does focus mostly on Colbert's character.. so that may be why the others did not seem to stand out so much for you. It really was her story (and Hayakawa's too.. if only because of HIS influence over her situation)*

I was wondering if it's because you are a wife and mother that the film resonated more with you due to that.

*I will have to look into some of the ones on your list that you mentioned. A few of them sound like I might enjoy them at least a bit. (namely 3, 6, 9, 11, and 16.. OH and maybe even 14 despite your negative review, if only because of the way cool pic you posted.. it looks "creepy" even if it may not play out that way. ha)*

I wish *The Undying Monster* featured more outdoor scenes, but it suffers from the indoor.

*Golly.. I am going to be busy.. but thank goodness Summer break will be coming soon! I hope to have some extra time to sit and watch a few. (good gravy.. its a good thing too. I was starting to think I would have to start carrying my laptop around with me and watch stuff "on the go" just to catch up! Somehow.. I think my employer would FROWN on that though.. so COME on Summer Break. :Dha.*

You're close, you're close! You've got three weeks, right?

MissGoddess · May 17, 2013

> Maureen O'Hara? In *The Man in the White Suit* ? *The Hudsucker Proxy* ? The woman in the former is Joan Greenwood. I don't think the film will be to your liking. The only thing you'd cling to is the message, but that won't carry you through.

>

i meant *our man in havana*. i confuse the two because alec wears a white suit in OMIH, lol.

>

> It was a true story?

>

yes.

> That's a great comparison. The pairing also reminded me of Randolph Scott with guys like Pernell Roberts and Lee Marvin.

>

yes, though there is an intellectual edge to the Boetticher movies.

> A Matter of Life and Death ! I was speaking of how it had a bit of "*Spellbound*" with it.

>

Oh, okay. It's not one of my favorite P&P movies, but I figured you should see it.

> Max Cady with fangs! That's funny! Clint is an imposing figure.

>

imposing is right. what would you say if he offered to bet on who would come out alive if he were to make you the prey, and him the hunter?

rohanaka · May 17, 2013

Helllooo Mr. Grey...

That's sweet of you to say. What happened

Ha.. I know!! I must be slipping or something. Me?? Sweet?? I guess I am just out of practice. (where oh WHERE is a good ole fashioned OXBOW necktie party or McLINTOCK mudfight when you need one??

I loved seeing how close Steve (John Wayne) and Carol (Sherry Jackson) were. They were a lovely family

Well its been a while since I saw this one, so I don't know if I remember how "lovely" they were (ha) because I remember them fighting and carrying on a bit.. maybe I have that wrong. But they did love each other.. and what's more they needed each other too. (as much as they needed Donna REED, though they didn't know it yet) Its been a while since I saw I do recall that I enjoyed the play between the Duke and the kid. It does come off very sweetly.

I was wondering if it's because you are a wife and mother that the film resonated more with you due to that

OH I am sure that had something to do with it.. I do tend to take my movies personally that way sometimes.

You're close, you're close! You've got three weeks, right

One and a half weeks more.. unless I get to work summerschool (I am still waiting to hear) Half of me is HOPING for the extra work (for monetary reasons) but the OTHER half is saying.. OH gee. would I EVER like to just stay home and goof off a bit. ha. Either way I do still think I'll have some more "down time" because even with summerschool the next few months will be less demanding and not so hectic a schedule.. (I hope)

Meanwhile.. I am making a list and checking it twice.. ha. I have about a gazillion and a half movies to catch up on around here (oh me.. pretty soon you guys will be planning a necktie party for ME if I don't watch out! ha (perish the thought!)

JackFavell · May 18, 2013

> {quote:title=FrankGrimes wrote:}{quote}1. *Underworld U.S.A.* -- An underrated Sam Fuller film. It has similar elements to *Pickup on South Street*, namely a street thug, a prostitute, and a "mother" figure. The story revolves around Tolly Devlin (Cliff Robertson), who is looking for vengeance against those who killed his father. This makes the film play a little like a western. But it's more of a gangster film in that the three men Tolly is after are "legitimate" businessmen. What makes the film good is the emotion that starts to slowly surface.

I didn't know this was a Sam Fuller movie. So far I've seen *Baron of Arizona, I Shot Jesse James, Pickup on South Street, The Crimson Kimono* and *House of Bamboo*. I tried to watch *The Big Red One* but stopped after the first 5 minutes... I just couldn't take it, though I am usually not squeamish. I wasn't ready for it at all when I rented it, maybe now I could handle it better. I actually liked *The Crimson Kimono*, but I disliked *House of Bamboo*. *Pickup* is the best film I've seen so far, miles above the others that I've watched. It's great. Where would you rank *Underworld USA* amongst the other Fuller films?

> 2. *The Man in the White Suit* -- What an enjoyable little film this is. Its humor is mostly black and the commentary on manufacturing and money is strong but done with a light touch. Sidney Stratton (Alec Guinness) is an inventor who is looking to make a stain-proof fabric. The idea is brilliant, but not to those who need to churn out clothing that will eventually wear and ruin. His possible invention makes him public enemy number one to both business and labor. In a strange way, the film is almost like a comedic version of *Night and the City*.

Like I said, you blew my mind with that last statement! Oh my gosh, it's really true! Everyone's against Harry, and everyone's against poor Sidney. Both sides come together to close in on our hero, a dragnet that's getting smaller and smaller.

Alexander Mackendrick is one of my very favorite directors of all time and this may be my favorite of his movies, with *The Ladykillers*. He made few movies and they are all pretty near great. I just love his precision. *Night and the City* and *MITWS* have the same shaped world, concentric circles of society. The movies are similar in style too which is just plain weird - how can they be so alike? Both are rather stark, very black and white movies, in more ways than one. Both make you wonder at any given moment who is the good guy, and who is the bad? It's messed up.

Mackendrick's timing - he knows just what you will think at any point in his films - and he uses your reactions in the comedy. He draws it out to the nth degree, prolonging it, making the payoff even funnier. His clockwork stories with characters who think they can control every little thing, people especially, always start to spin out of control slowly then gather speed. The mistake is in thinking you can control anything at all. They are Rube Goldberg machines, all the invention of MacKendrick's mind, one marble setting off a hundred marbles which then end up knocking down anything in their path. He's really interested in the Cosmic Joke, the human factor which triggers the finger of fate - stepping in to ruin everything. Life. It's no accident that Sidney's chemical experiment gets bigger and more elaborate as the movie goes on (like Harry Fabian's schemes), just as the forces against him multiply. But then it all focuses on that one little test tube, cheerfully chugging away. That test tube is Sidney. Which is why I love the ending... "I see." And it all is going to start over again - his brain is chugging away. It's a parable of man in his greatness - the scientist, the artist, the high minded, but also his anarchic ruinous presence in society. Man at his worst. It's delicious.

> 4. *Trouble Along the Way* -- This is a very sweet "John Wayne" flick. As much as I like Duke, I'd have to say Sherry Jackson and Charles Coburn are really the stars. Sherry plays John Wayne's daughter in the film and Coburn plays "Father Burke," the man who hires Wayne to save his Catholic university through a football program. The film ends up being a sweet father/daughter story. I also liked the truth that is found in the film in regards to college football.

I was so shocked at this movie, in a good way, for a number of reasons. One was that Wayne and the little girl were so good together, and the movie wasn't really goopy and sentimental, though it had it;s moments. I was also surprised at the verbal slap down that Donna Reed's character got in that cap you posted and the injection of reality into the film for Wayne's character too. I am curious.... I haven't seen *A Hole in the Head* for a really long time, but I felt like the two could be companion pieces? If I'm way off please don't be afraid to tell me.

> 5. *Lady in the Lake* -- A unique film noir due to its forced, first-person perspective. "Playing the role of Phillip Marlowe" took a little while for me to get used to, but I eventually came to enjoy the gimmick. The story itself is all right, but it's Audrey Totter who ends up bringing this one home. She's annoying to start, but rather inviting by end. A very solid film.

Gosh, I think Audrey Totter goes from A to Z in this film, and I just love her character and the way she relates to Montgomery. That's what really drew me in this time. I want to watch it again now, I think it's a movie that gets better if you look at it more than once and as a love story.

> 6. *The Strawberry Blonde* -- How can I not like a film that has Rita Hayworth playing Miss G?! And she does a fantastic job! I wasn't sure what to expect with this film, especially after Jackie spoke so highly of it. Well, she was right. Again! The film is nothing but charming. I think any guy can relate to the set-up: the desiring of the prettiest girl but knowing the less-pretty girl is the right one. I thought the cast was magnificent. This may be my favorite James Cagney performance. He was excellent. He captures the male feelings so well in this one. Loved Rita. Loved Olivia. Jack Carson is great. Alan Hale and George Tobias are terrific, too. I loved Olivia pretending to be the liberated woman with different ideals and then Cagney's telling her to knock it off.

I'm really happy you liked it, and that you liked Olivia in this one. I thought she might win you over with this performance. But Cagney is just magnificent, playing those kind of deluded emotions, hanging on to the ideal of womanhood that was probably never real in the first place. He's so confused, and his scene where he takes the fall for Hugo, telling Amy to wait while he goes down to the police station to 'help out' the cops, well it tears me up. So does the scene where he comes back from prison and finds Mary at the park bench. It's lovely. Wow, it has pitch perfect performances from those four leads, and Alan Hale, and for me, it's the start of Rita really being a great actress. I think she's just fantastic here, especially at the end when you see her and Jack Carson as the Bickersons. Needless to say Jack Carson is also magnificent. I feel like I've known every one of these people in my own life. We've all got a Hugo Barnstead in our past. And a Strawberry Blonde.

> 7. *Le Million* -- Of the films in this group, this is the most creative of the bunch. Once again, Jackie recommends a winner. The film combines the feel of a silent film with sound. It's rather genius. The film is about a floating artist who is on the verge of being evicted because he's way behind in his rent. In an ironic twist of fate, he ends up winning the lottery. There's only one problem: the ticket is in his coat, a coat his girlfriend has given away. The film then becomes a comedic chase for the ticket. The film is very whimsical, very "Rene Clair."

It's so charming. I guess Clair really hated sound, he thought that it was a mistake, so he set out to do a picture that used sound in a different way. The scene you posted a picture of is my favorite, behind the bench at the opera, very fake, but very lovely, with the false lovers in front with an audience, and the real lovers hiding behind the scenery but with true feelings coming out. It's lovely, with petals falling all around them. Very sweet. That and the football game with the jacket. Annabella was so good, I really noticed her this time. So pretty and your eye just goes to her. I really liked the cab driver too. He reminded me of Jackie Gleason. I like how the artist realizes through the lottery ticket problems just how good a woman Annabella is.

> 8. *A Matter of Life and Death* -- The Archers are filmmakers that continue to impress me. I just love their worlds. They are often "otherwordly," and this easily falls into that category. The film is very much "Powell & Pressburger." Similar to *Here Comes Mr. Jordan* and *Heaven Can Wait* (1978), Heaven has made a grave error. It's just the error has been flipped. Instead of taking someone before their time, here they have failed to take someone whose time had come. How to rectify this situation? A Heavenly hearing is to be arranged to settle the case, ala *The Devil and Daniel Webster*. David Niven plays the man whose life is in dispute. I've come to really like David. He's always so pleasant to watch. But, for me, it was Roger Livesey who was most absorbing. The film as a whole fell a little short when compared to the other films I have seen by the Archers, but I still liked it. I think Quiet Gal would like it.

David Niven is a very natural, likable guy in almost any movie. He pretty much never fails. Roger Livesey is the more interesting character, you are right, you want to know more about him. I love those otherworldly movies from this time period. I thought the court part was interesting, but I liked the romance and the main characters best. It's very thoughtful, but not as moving as I remembered it. I liked the idea of the book showing up afterwards.

> 9. *Easy Living* -- Preston Sturges wrote the screenplay for this comedy and it really does feel like a "Sturges" pic. It all starts with a disagreement between wealthy banker J.B. Ball (Edward Arnold) and his spoiled wife (Mary Nash). This leads to Ball tossing his wife's prized fur coat out the window and into the unexpecting arms of Jean Arthur. One misunerstanding after another ensues in this madcap comedy. Jean is her darling self in this one, but I found Arnold to be the most enjoyable. Luis Alberni plays a conspiring hotel owner looking to capitalize on some dirt. He provides a lot of the laughs. A good comedy from the heyday of comedies.

You know me too well! I do love Luis Alberni! He's my favorite, though the whole thing with Arnold and his wife is pretty hilarious, and probably still holds true for some couples, if I'm remembering correctly. I think there's a bathtub scene that I especially liked. I always like Milland best in these light pictures, he seems suited to this and the *Three Smart Girls* type movies. Not that he doesn't do well in *The Lost Weekend* and Hitchcock, and with Wayne, just that I think of him this way, probably because that's how I first saw him. Jean Arthur is always great. She's always the draw for me.

> 10. *Blackboard Jungle* -- One, two, three o'clock, four o'clock rock! Welcome Back, Dadier? I mostly liked this film. Richard Brooks does lay it on thick, going to the extremes to make his points. Still, there is enough here to like. For me, it's all about Glenn Ford, Sidney Poitier, and Vic Morrow. All three of them are fantastic in the film. Glenn is very "Glenn." He's seething and ready to boil. Morrow is downright frightening. He plays sadistic well. And Sidney had me hating him early on, which is saying a lot. He was quite good.

That's interesting. I can understand hating Vic, but Sidney? I don't remember him at the beginning. I thought he pretty much stayed out of the bullying. He's really good in this, it's a career maker for him, I think. I just hate the part where they wreck the guy's record collection. Although something in me also wants that guy to man up and not be such an easy mark. I think Vic Morrow is sensational, and I like the little punk too, I can't remember the actor's name. He's the one who at the end refuses to help the bad kids in the knife fight.

I do like seeing Glenn win the kids over by teaching in a different way. Those scenes are quite good.

> 11. *Regeneration* -- Jackie found a real gem with this 1915 silent. It does not feel like a 1915 silent with the exception of the pushing of religion. The seeds of the gangster genre are firmly planted with this one. The story is about a kid whose mother dies when he is ten and he is adopted by his neighbors, who end up being uncaring to him. This ends up defining him as a man until he meets and falls in love with Marie (Anna Q. Nilsson), a good-hearted teacher. Can a man of crime be with a law-abiding teacher who is looking to plant the seed of good in children? There's your film. This is definitely a "Quiet Gal" picture.

> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v39Xazz2s6Q

I waited a long time to see this one, I'd been wanting to watch it ever since I heard of it. When I did, I was worried that it would not live up to my expectations, but it was so outside the normal 1915 type movies i'd seen, it really got to me. I thought it was very ahead of it's time, very Walsh, and even kind of modern looking. Some of the shots are really astounding, like the one with the bad guy coming toward the camera and having half his face in closeup, the other half off the screen. Rockcliffe Fellowes was fantastic, and I loved his little friend, the guy he protected, who is not credited. They both really moved me. I actually cried at the end. Did Fellowes remind you of Brando? He did me, maybe because I had just seen The Wild One. Extremely vulnerable.

> 12. *Chicago Calling* -- I'd call this film a "spin-off" of *A Tree Grows in Brooklyn*. It's not as good a film, but the emotion is pretty strong. The film also plays like a Depression-Era film. Dan Duryea plays "Bill Cannon," a drunken father whose wife has reached her wit's end with his alcoholism. She and his daughter, who he dearly loves, end up leaving him, as they look to head east. From here, the film becomes all about a phone call from Chicago, a call he needs to answer. There's a catch: the phone company is yanking his service. He needs to find a way to pay the bill. Where can he get the money? Can the help of a young boy (Gordon Gebert) save Bill? Miss G mentioned this film being a bit like *The Bicycle Thief*. She's right about that. For a small little film, it's pretty doggone good. This is yet another picture I feel Quiet Gal would like.

I think Dan Duryea could do anything. He's excellent, both at the beginning when he's kind of lackadaisical, and then as he becomes more and more desperate. You always see how he feels all the way through, there's never a false note. His weakness as an alcoholic is not such that you don't understand him or feel like he's really a bum. I thought he gave a tremendous performance.

> 13. *The Wild One* -- What makes this film is, without a doubt, Marlon Brando. He's so head and shoulders above everyone else in this picture. I can just imagine how the youth of the time could identify with him and James Dean. There's no doubt, they exude "cool." What I loved about Brando's "Johnny Strabler" is his torment and doubt. He looks so darn comfortable in his skin (or leather jacket), yet he's not. He's really a mess. That's Brando. The film did fall short for me because of the gang goofiness. It was hard for me to see Alvy Moore as a gang member. Talk about jarring. And Lee Marvin was also hamming it up quite a bit, too. But what I did like was the entire idea of a community trying to keep with its tradition and boundaries and the youth clashing with this notion. It's such an influential film.

I agree about Brando being most powerful and above everyone else, except for maybe Robert Keith. What I liked was the way the girl was a good girl, but she also saw what the gang members saw... the weakness of the adults, like her father, the hypocrisy. She felt trapped and yet she did her best to understand everyone. Robert Keith was really good, he and Jim Backus should have won awards... they were both great at showing the indecision and moral lethargy of the modern father... wanting to do the right thing, but not really knowing what it is. Caving in to the least little social pressure in an attempt to be liked. Not that different from Ryan in Ryan's Daughter. Yikes. Parents today should be looking at these movies, and seeing what NOT to do.

> 20. *Beat the Devil* -- I guess I was expecting more of a story with this one and that kept me from going for it. The characters in the film are all pretty good. I loved Jennifer Jones and her world of lies. She's a trip. I was all right with Bogie, although he seemed to be along for the ride. Robert Morley was excellent. I may come to appreciate the film more in future viewings.

I can see what you didn't like about it. I didn't think much of the movie when I first saw it, but now I really like the way it all plays out, and the characters really are characters. The ending is great.

>

Midge is so cute!

> 22. *Three Came Home* -- Claudette Colbert is the star of this film that was based on a true story about women and children in a Japanese P.O.W. camp during World War II. The story is an amazing one but I wasn't moved by the film. And I liked Claudette and her counterpart, Sessue Hayakawa. But my worries and concerns for the women and children just never reached a high level.

I thought you'd like this one better because of the head games and delusion of Hayakawa.

> 23. *The Lady in Question* -- Now this is an "odd bird" kind of film. The film centers around Andre Morestan (Brian Aherne), a shopkeeper who is excited to be selected for jury duty. He eventually finds himself on a jury for a "passion killing" trial. Rita Hayworth plays the accused. The way the film is told is very light and full of whimsy. And the star of the show is Aherne. His performance is quite enjoyable. He's the epitome of ignorant bliss. The film features the *Gilda* teaming of Glenn Ford, Rita Hayworth, and Charles Vidor.

I'll try to watch this one soon. I'm not the biggest Aherne fan in the world, but when he's good he's very good.

> 25. *The Renegade Ranger* -- This film reminded me of John Wayne's westerns from the 30s. It's entertaining but there isn't much to it. Captain Jack Steele (George O'Brien) is ordered to arrest a rancher (Rita Hayworth) and bring her back to town to face justice. But is she guilty? Will a former friend (Tim Holt) stand in the way?

I'd like to see this one. I like all the players.

Sorry I talked your ear off! I really like some of these movies a LOT, as if you couldn't tell! I've hit a couple of times with your lists lately. Don't feel like you have to write a book back to me, either, if you don't feel like it. As much as I want to chat about them, I just enjoyed hearing that you liked some of the films I like.

FrankGrimes · May 18, 2013

*Sorry I talked your ear off! I really like some of these movies a LOT, as if you couldn't tell! I've hit a couple of times with your lists lately. Don't feel like you have to write a book back to me, either, if you don't feel like it. As much as I want to chat about them, I just enjoyed hearing that you liked some of the films I like.*

Are you kidding?! Of course I'm going to reply to you! The reason why I'm on this board is to discuss films with intelligent, enthusiastic classic film fans. And you are one of the very best of all.

Also, the reason why I ask for suggestions is so that I can watch the films others like or just want to discuss. This also helps to broaden my world. There's no way I would have watched many of these films on my own. Others have been enriching my viewing. I love it!

FrankGrimes · May 18, 2013

*i meant our man in havana. i confuse the two because alec wears a white suit in OMIH, lol.*

Oh! Yeah, Maureen is in that one. I recorded it because of her, too.

*yes, though there is an intellectual edge to the Boetticher movies.*

You make a good point about the intelligence of Boetticher's flicks.

*Oh, okay. It's not one of my favorite P&P movies, but I figured you should see it.*

It's definitely a good one to see. It really is very "Archers." I have liked others more, too.

*imposing is right. what would you say if he offered to bet on who would come out alive if he were to make you the prey, and him the hunter?*

And you'd love for me to take on that bet! I'm pretty dumb, but probably not that dumb.

The Annual FrankGrimes Torture Thread

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