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Movie Rambles


MissGoddess
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Something else just occurred to me about Danny-O. He must have truly

been wacko because with his intelligence, his quickness and his winning ways

he actually could have made something of himself. He knew how to make people

like him and that opens doors, well, with women anyway. Men, especially well

born English men may have looked askance at him. Still, I can't beleive he couldn't

have gone to America and really made a future for himself, somewhat legitimately.

 

Look at me, trying to reform a creepy wacko! But I just find it odd that someone

with such skill and smoothness with people would also be so messed up. Another

twist on the typical murder mystery! Aren't murderers of that sort typically depicted

as loners, unable to get along or as being very shy or withdrawn? He's the life of the

party.

 

Message was edited by: MissGoddess

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You are too cute... It's never any fun when the monster is so good looking and endearing... It WOULD have helped if he had been ugly or was "mean" or nasty... He was as charming as the day is long.. and that was the key to his success.

 

Aren't murderers of that sort typically depicted as loners, unable to get along or as being very shy or withdrawn? He's the life of the party!

 

I don't know... I don't think antisocial behavior is always a common thread for psychos... It can be... but if I recall from all my crime show junkie tv programs... Ted Bundy was a VERY charismatic and likeable guy... and that unfortunatley was also a key to his sucess for a long time too. A lot of monsters hide behind charm and a winning smile to deceive and to carry out some of the most wicked and awful crimes... It wouldn't be the first time... (Now what did I do with that Baseball bat??) ..

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"A lot of monsters hide behind charm and a winning smile to deceive and to carry out some of the most wicked and awful crimes... It wouldn't be the first time..."

 

Well you said a mouthful there, if you know what I mean. ;-) Awwright, awright! I'll {...} my own darned self!

 

Easy, easy...I'm just quoting the Big Bopper.

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OOOOHHHHH what a great movie. And you were right about the Ted Bundy comment. Most of the monsters in our society don't look like monsters. That's the scariest part of it all. I know it's a tad off topic but look at the two old ladies in Arsenic and Old Lace "doing their duty" I think they put it. Maybe TCM should have a Born to Kill night, then we can all be creeped out!

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> I just read an old posting that reminded me of Joseph Cotten's performance in Shadow of a Doubt. That's another great example of a psychopath not looking like a psychopath.

 

I would agree with that, completely! In fact it's hard to think of a more rational looking fella than Joseph Cotten. I suppose in some ways you could say he was cast against type in "Shadow of a Doubt". Maybe that's why Hitch picked him.

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I'm enjoying all your NIGHT MUST FALL rambles tremendously. I wish I had been able to see it this time around in order to catch some details so that I could have chimed in.

 

I'm going by memory now, but from what I remember, I always thought that Danny's accent was Welsh, not Irish. It had that sing-song quality about it. Of course Emlyn Williams, who wrote the play, was Welsh although he could have made Danny Irish or English or Scots, but whenever I hear Robert Montgomery's voice in my head from this movie, it doesn't sound Irish to me.

 

I recall I was very impressed with Russell's performance; she's restive and yearning and doesn't know what it is she's looking for, but she has a psychological need to explore the dark side and HER dark side, before finally coming back into the light.

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That's a great call on Danny's accent, Bronxie! I forgot about Emlyn Williams except for one brief moment during the movie....I wonder if he was on the set at all? Danny's entrance and exit reminded me very much of Emlyn himself.

 

All I know is, Bobby nailed that accent perfectly! Really there are times when it is a joy to see an actor pull something like this off, rather than getting someone Welsh to play the role.... It just adds to the fun, watching him put it over. I am certainly glad that it was made into a movie at all, since it could have been deemed too rough for movie audiences......

 

>I recall I was very impressed with Russell's performance; she's restive and yearning and doesn't know what it is she's looking for, but she has a psychological need to explore the dark side and HER dark side, before finally coming back into the light.

 

That is beautifully said, Bronxie O'Gill.

 

>+Look at me, trying to reform a creepy wacko! But I just find it odd that someone

>with such skill and smoothness with people would also be so messed up. Another

>twist on the typical murder mystery! Aren't murderers of that sort typically depicted

>as loners, unable to get along or as being very shy or withdrawn? He's the life of the

>party.+

 

Indeed he is.... until he isn't! He does have skills that could have made him, but there is something blank - I'm trying to remember what part it is, but he just stares blankly into the distance.... maybe when Roz is confronting him.... he has blotted out his own personality- or pushed it so deep inside of him he can't find it anymore. Or maybe it was never there in the first place.

 

I wonder what his childhood was like - Bronxie is always so good at figuring out the psychology of people.... I imagine maybe he had a really bad childhood, perhaps his mother was like we imagined Geoff's in Only Angles Have Wings.... smothering, but maybe then with a nasty twist, Danny never knew whether he would be hugged or burned with a cigarette.... somehow I think Emlyn Williams would laugh at my backstory. He is what he is.... no reason for it.

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I'm going by memory now,

 

"Sure and a fine memory it tis now too." Ha! That's about as good an accent as I can do on or off the computer! :-) But I liked your explanation about his accent... Welsh or Irish... I'm not sure (mainly because I have NO idea what the differences would be entirely). The only examples I can borrow from are How Green Was My Valley and The Quiet Man for my comparisons... not sure that would be the best way to do it... Ha! :-)

 

Whatever accent he was speaking with.. I agree w/ Jackie.. He had it down pat... And it was DEFINITELY a huge part of his charm... so folksy and fun. Very "lilting"... especially when he was working on Old Mrs. B.. He always knew just what to say to have her eating right out of his hand...

 

I recall I was very impressed with Russell's performance; she's restive and yearning and doesn't know what it is she's looking for, but she has a psychological need to explore the dark side and HER dark side, before finally coming back into the light

 

Well said. Mighty fine "mini' ramble there, young'un (that is a much easier accent for ME to have down pat! HA!) :-)

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I wonder what his childhood was like

 

Hiya Jack... I took him at his word on this one... at one point when he is being "open" with Roz he says he had no memory of his mom and he never knew his dad... and I think he said he grew up by the docks... I picture him as a scrapper and a "get by on the seat of your pants" sort of kid... He learned he was the ONLY one he could count on because he WAS the only one he HAD to count on... And it's possible that is where he learned to be such a good "watcher"... he had to watch for EVERY opportunity he could just to survive...

 

I don't know... I could be off. But that is just my take...

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Ahhhh. very good memory you have there, Kathy. I must have missed the part about his childhood..... I was probably running to turn on the light so I wouldn't get scared..... :)

 

I believe that Emlyn Williams was quite the observer as well. He wrote two autobiographies, and a non-fiction book about the Moors Murders in 1967, plus several plays including the big hits Night Must Fall and The Corn is Green.

 

What the Moors Murders are, I canna tell you. (oooh, that's more like Scottish. Yikes...)

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Kathy and Wendy, of course Danny could have just been born a bad seed. Then again, I'm thinking of "Bob Rusk" in FRENZY, where we are supposed to imagine he was his mother's servant/lover, peeling her grapes. I'm shuddering just thinking about that, because Danny says to Olivia that Mrs. Bramson treats him like a son and a servant, and possibly even.....

 

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Wow, if THAT video isn't proof that you can find ANYTHING on YouTube I don't know what

is. Thank you so much for posting it because I had no idea who the heck this "Emlyn Williams"

was you guys were speaking of (I even thought it was a woman!). :) Now, of course, I know

the face well.

 

I think I may dust off my recording of Night Must Fall, after all our discussion. I doubt

I'll have anything to add about it afterward, but I you all have inspired me to spend a little

more time with Danny-boy. :)

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I'm going to try and get Andrew to watch it with me tonight.... I think he might actually like it. Lately he has been watching TCM all by himself (I think it's twice now) !!!

 

First was The Fortune Cookie. Not my favorite, but that's OK. Then last night, after I got done doing the dishes, and finishing my chores, I walked into the living room to find that he was watching The Long Night. I thought it was the worst Henry Fonda movie I had ever seen, but I missed a good chunk of the beginning..... Anyway, I want him to see some GOOD movies on TCM, and I want to show him that some of the movies were ahead of their time.

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