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Movie Rambles


MissGoddess
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I'm a goner.

 

HA!! You ARE a goner for sure! (but what a way to go..)

 

Here is a youtube of the scene I mentioned w/ Marlene and the mob.... (fast forward to about 5 min 30sec) And PS... it looks like the whole movie is on Youtube if you want to watch the earlier parts you missed last night... or... if you want to watch the FOREST scene again.... Ha.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlJyuGajj3Y&feature=PlayList&p=4A1AAB0B98F12074&index=3

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>Here is a youtube of the scene I mentioned w/ Marlene and the mob.... (fast forward to about 5 min 30sec) And PS... it looks like the whole movie is on Youtube if you want to watch the earlier parts you missed last night... or... if you want to watch the FOREST scene again.... Ha.

 

Oh, you ANGEL! I may never leave my computer.......

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

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

> > Now my secret is out. I am in love with a man who died before I was born.

> >

> > Welcome to my world. In my case, it's "men"---plural.

>

> Today, Robert Donat. Tomorrow, Charles Boyer?

 

:)

 

For me, today and tomorrow are VICTOR FLEMING. :x :x :x

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Kathy, April, and Wendy, oh, my, my, my....seeing KNIGHT WITHOUT ARMOR (sometimes they spell it with a U, I get confused) last night, after all these long years, brought it ALL back to me how I felt the first time I saw it: that this is simply one of the most romantic couples I've EVER seen on film. I remember how almost magical the scenes in the forest were, when Marlene says, "When did you first know you were in love with me?"

And Robert replies, "The moment I saw you, I was lost".

 

What originally got me to fall in love with KWA, and inseparable to my mind with the two stars and the lovely sets, was that Rozsa score, particularly the lover's "theme", that exquisitively beautiful Russian-tinged melody that never fails to transport me to some snowy Eastern fairyland. It just fills me with a kind of bittersweet romantic longing.

 

I first fell in love with Robert Donat in THIS movie; you can see he was born to be an actor; the measured diction, the graceful, almost easeful way he seems to enjoy the "play-acting" of being a romantic hero; I adore him here.

 

And Marlene! This is unlike any role I've ever seen her in - she is enchanting, a word I wouldn't normally associate with this otherwise charismatic actress. There is an imperious but youthful vulnerability about her, and I wonder if it's a direct consequence of Feyder's direction, which has a lilting and charming, almost other-worldly quality about it.

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Hiya Barb...

 

I remember how almost magical the scenes in the forest were, when Marlene says, "When did you first know you were in love with me?"

 

And Robert replies, "The moment I saw you, I was lost".

 

Oh sigh... again. Ha. What a moment... What is it with the "Robert's" around here lately... last week it was sweet and deadly Robert Montgomery as dear old Danny Boy... and this week we have sweet and dashing Robert Donat to the rescue... Ha.

 

in THIS movie; you can see he was born to be an actor; the measured diction, the graceful, almost easeful way he seems to enjoy the "play-acting" of being a romantic hero; I adore him here.

 

I think the range of emotion he had to show here was all handled so well... and he came off exaclty as you say... a "romantic hero".

 

And you are right about Marlene too... she was so utterly graceful... you chose the perfect word... "Enchanting".... but even so.. she never came off as pampered or cloying. She was very strong and self confident... yet entirely vulnerable... that is an usual mix for a female lead in a film like that... but it really worked for her.

 

Message was edited by: rohanaka

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Sorry, I got distracted from the computer by several cans of Dr. Pepper falling off of the pantry shelf and exploding as they fell down my basement stairs at 3 or 4 o'clock. Ugh. It was like watching a spaghetti western, where guts are splattered up and over the walls in slow motion. As if I didn't have enough cleaning to do already!

 

Barb- may I call you , Barb? Or would you prefer Countess? (It occurs to me that I never actually realized you had a name other than Bronxie). :)

 

You are so right about the Rozsa score. I think because I watched it late at night, and the film is so magical in its atmosphere, I simply couldn't take it all in. But now when you say it, I do remember the sad Russian singers, quietly in the background during the street scenes.....One of the pleasures of the Korda movies is the music, and also the high production values. When you see a crowd, it's a big crowd, staged perfectly. When you are supposed to be in a palace, it is magnificent.

 

This, to me, was the perfect two o'clock in the morning discovery - I used to love to "find" movies like this when I was in my early teens. Magical, romantic, and exhilarating at the same time, you almost can't believe you really saw it when you wake up in the morning. You might have dreamed it.

 

Marlene is so different here. She lets herself be protected by Donat. You can see right from their first meeting that she trusts him, and she relinquishes power to him. The way she wordlessly follows him, and looks to him at all times was lovely. She is no shrinking violet, but she knows when to trust someone. She is brave, but she is soft in this movie. It is unusual, and very attractive. But it brings out the masculine in Donat. The uncertainty of their situation adds to the thrilling love story. As he realizes that there are no trains to take them to the Petrograd (the conductor is mad as a hatter), we see him trying to think of a way to get her out of there without letting her know the very serious dangers that lie ahead. But Marlene is too smart and picks up on it, and this is where they begin to make a great team. Because we see that they are equals in mind and spirit. The poems help us see that.

 

The way that every little movement or expression on his face registers in her eyes just blew me away. These two were _so_ in synch as actors. I love that they threw themselves into the story very seriously. I almost felt at the beginning as if Marlene was talking about Hitler. She says something about how she hates the people taking over her country, that they are like vermin. Maybe it was too soon for that, but still....

 

I went back and watched some of the movie, and that forest scene is ........ perfect. They so obviously have fun together, and are so relaxed with one another. Again, the rapport the two have is wonderful. I love the way they are always throwing clothes at each other across water - first when she gives his coat back at the beginning; and then later on, in the woods, when she is bathing. They are playing. There is a sort of Midsummer Night's Dream feeling to the whole thing. He looks so happy, and he has a devilish quality I've never seen before. And she becomes just a woman, not a Countess. Then, when reality starts to set in, you can feel the sinking feeling in Donat's heart. How he puts it across I don't know. Marlene just follows his lead, and puts her head down, kissing his hand. It's so natural. How much of this was instinct, and how much was Feyder's direction? I don't know.

 

Anyway, I really rambled pretty far here. But I just wanted to talk a little more about the perfect man

 

h1. Robert Donat :x

 

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I can't believe you read that whole post. You must like to torture yourself, reading the ravings of a lunatic. I hope you aren't disappointed when you actually see the movie!

 

I am deranged. I can't wait to go to bed tonight and dream of Robert Donat reciting poetry to me.

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

> I can't believe you read that whole post. You must like to torture yourself, reading the ravings of a lunatic.

 

No, I'm used to FrankGrimes posts. :P

 

>I hope you aren't disappointed when you actually see the movie!

>

 

I doubt I will be disappointed, I'm a huge la Dietrich fan and have always

wanted to see this movie. Dishonored is the only other one I'm not

sure whether I've seen or not.

 

> I am deranged. I can't wait to go to bed tonight and dream of Robert Donat reciting poetry to me.

 

What was in that Dr Pepper, lol? I thought your words magical and I can sense

the movie is very romantic in a way I'm sure to respond to.

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reading the ravings of a lunatic

 

Oh my, Wendy... if your post be lunacy..rave on, my friend... Lovely ramblings about a lovely film..

 

The way that every little movement or expression on his face registers in her eyes just blew me away. These two were so in synch as actors. I love that they threw themselves into the story

 

"In synch" is the perfect way to say it. They hit every emotion perfectly. This story is the best romantic film I have seen in a long time and yet... it is a nice combination of romance, suspense, and even history...

 

And the images are just lovely (and I'm not even talking about the two stars anymore... April... mouthwater is right. :-) ha)... But just all the artistry that went into the filming of the story as well... the scenes on the bridge where the bomb gets tossed and Marlene is walking around with her lovely flowing gown catching on all the carnage... And the faces... quite "Fordian", if I may say so. And the now infamous forest scene is made even more wonderful by the scenery and the filming...

 

And to think... I had NO intention of even watching this movie until about 30 minutes or so before it aired... Barb... I mean Countess Bronxling... Thanks again...

 

PS... Folks... set those VCR or DVD players... I say again.. this one is a keeper

 

PSS... Wendy..I got sprayed this afternoon opening a bottle of Dr. Pepper myself... Do you think it is some sort of soda pop conspiracy?? ha. :-)

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