CineMaven Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 double post. :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CineMaven Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 triple post. :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissGoddess Posted May 11, 2009 Author Share Posted May 11, 2009 Maven---you simply HAVE to see this movie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronxgirl48 Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 You'll love the film. Yes, please keep trying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rohanaka Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 I'm up to part 6...... Oh my golly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronxgirl48 Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 Wait till you see 11. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CineMaven Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 Miss Goddess, I shall. I will. I'll ramble. Thanx! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rohanaka Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 Wait till you see 11. Wow. I finally finished this off last night. I was NOT prepared for THAT ending, by the way. (did I mention wow???) Thanks ladies for bringing this one up.... Miss Maven.... it is a must see. (Oh yeah... and PS.... Wow.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissGoddess Posted May 11, 2009 Author Share Posted May 11, 2009 So Kathy, Lady B---would you have been fooled by Evelyn? Watching *Sign of the Ram* last night made me think of this movie (which is the better of the two) and how movies like this are predicated on how clueless can you keep the unsuspecting "victims" without them coming off as fools. I think it works best if at least one character is "on to" the sneak and in Guest in the House, Jerome Cowan provided that link. I absolutely LOVED his words after first meeting "Evelyn"---it reminded me totally of Thelma Ritter in the dressing room with Bette: (I'm paraphrasing from memory) "I haven't seen a scene played that well since Laurette Taylor did it." Ha haaaaa!! And Ralph Bellamy poo-pooed him for saying it. Sign of the Ram wasn't as good because the people just seemed too idiotic to believe in the deceiver, in their case, over a course of years. However, I did enjoy the movie and it's seaside spookiness. Poor *Susan Peters*, I never knew her life story before, how ghastly!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissGoddess Posted May 11, 2009 Author Share Posted May 11, 2009 Just a reminder that *THE HUCKSTERS* is on tonight at 8 and you've got to see it if you never have---it's positiviely one of Gable's best post WWII roles and a movie that I think is still quite pithy and relevant on the subject of the advertising media. Adolph Menjou and Sidney Greenstreet provide colorful support. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CineMaven Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 "GUEST IN THE HOUSE" is definitely on my list of MUST-SEE. I'm still working through "SIGN OF THE RAM." Ms. Peters played a role that reminded me of something Jessica Tandy would play; handsome, uptight and totally destructive. So far from what I'm seeing...she's galling and infuriating. Still have more to finish. Re: "THE HUCKSTERS" there are many actors that stand-out in that film; Keenan Wynn, the perennial Adolphe Menjou and Edward Arnold. In fact, one of my favorite scenes is the one with Gable and Edward Arnold in the train dining car. Great film. Good recommendation MissGoddess. Oh Ava and Deborah, well...they go without saying, don't they. (They'll meet up again in "Night of the Iguana" and they both shared Gregory Peck, Robert Taylor, Robert Mitchum to start). Message was edited by CineMaven because how could I leave out the fact that they both shared the utterly dashing looking Stewart Granger. Oooh, I'm giving away my Programming Challenge. Nevermind.[/u] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rohanaka Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 would you have been fooled by Evelyn? My first and quickest answer would be no. But.... my completely HONEST answer would be... I hope not. Because................... In real life.... "shadowy or duplicitous people" don't come with their own foreshadowing mood music.... ha! :-) All kidding aside... I don't honestly know if I would have been completely "unfooled" by her at first...I'd like to think I would not. But I feel certain as things progressed... if I had been in that household... ONE THING that I would NOT have fallen prey to was her "suggestions". Buying in to all the half truth and innuendo about people I know and care about would not be something I would do and I say that because I am a very "let's go talk to them and get the whole story" sort of person. I like to look at what a person actually does or says instead of what someone told me they did or said. Once I saw that there was a "silent" smear campaign going on against people I know and trust (especially by someone I KNEW was not mentally well) I don't think I'd have been taken in. (at least... I hope not anyway) First of all... if my husband were an artist and he had a beautiful model working for him like that... it would NOT have been under THOSE sort of conditions.... because the best way to avoid vicious gossip and rumor is to not give the "appearance" of evil.(Especially if that person lived under my roof) Even if I had NO worry at all and I totally believed and trusted in my husband (as this wife did) he'd have had that studio of his set up in a corner of the living room.... out in the open... for all the world to see. Just because +I+ know and trust that someone is honest doesn't mean the whole world does.... and there are too many meanspirited and gossipy people in the world... and some of them don't even NEED a reason to be that way. So.. I have always believed that "nothing to hide equals nothing to fear" where gossippy subjects are concerned. Because lies are only able to fool someone if they are able to be believed. If there is a "hint" that it might be true... then the seeds of doubt are able to take root. And THAT was the real power Evelyn seemed to have over everyone. She used implication and false worry to take in unsuspecting people. By her false accusations she was able to start a smokeless wildfire of doubt and speculation. People who start those sorts of wildfires rely on TWO things.... A) that someone will buy into the half truth they are suggesting... and that after buying "into" it.... they will pass it along and help infect others as well. And did you notice she preyed on the most innocent (or at least the "easiest") victims first? SPOILER She FIRST took in poor Dan... who LOVED her. HE would never be suspicious because he was blinded by his care and concern for her both as a doctor and as her beloved betrothed. And not only that... she "covered" her tracks with him by making it LOOK like she was being open about how deceptive she could be (w/ the diary). (Now THAT was quite trick) Little did he know there was a WHOLE OTHER LAYER to her deceit that he knew nothing about. Her next victim.... a sweet little innocent child. Who was also fascinated with her beauty and who only wanted to enjoy her pretty company and her pretty music. Her third victim..... the handy man and the housekeeper.... (ESPECIALLY the housekeeper) who LOVED the sweet little innocent child and only wanted to protect her. And so it went, on and on. Until she finally got her REAL target... the one who stood in her way the most: The Wife. But what she underestimated was... this family's TRUE bonds of love and trust in one another. Her bonds of falsehood and deceit held only as much sway on them as they ALLOWED her to have. And once she was finally exposed in the broad light of day.... her schemes had no more lasting effect. At least on everyone except... that first victim of hers. He had one thing going against him that the others didn't have: Genuine love for her. He was never really able to see her fully "exposed" like they did because she'd hidden her motives "in plain site' with him. And that was the reason he was able to be fooled so completely where the others were not. (and I also imagine if her parents had not "rescued her" that Lee would have suffered the same.... because she was so young.... but thankfully she was spared) And I find it really interesting that the one who ended up "saving the day" was... the Aunt. I think she alone possessed the "power" to truly stand up to the "beast"(ha) because she had fought it once before... in the form of her own brother. She KNEW the kind of hold someone like Evelyn could have on other people and their sympathies. And she never really bought into all the half truths and outright lies that were starting to swirl around that house. She kept Evelyn in the right perspective more or less throughout.... Yes.. she saw her as a pitiful person who was truly ill. And she DID have sympathy for her (at least for most of the film) and hoped for the best for a recovery for her.... but she did NOT underestimate her once the truth was out about all the things she'd done. She knew what sort of misery a "future" of having this woman in her family would bring... and she acted on the natural impulse to spare her loved ones from the continuing pain and suffering of having to endure this sort of evil insanity for the rest of their lives. She got rid of it... and in a very shocking way, I might add. I say again.. I was NOT prepared for that ending... I had it all worked out a COMPLETELY different way... Did I mention.... Wow?????? Message was edited by: rohanaka Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissGoddess Posted May 11, 2009 Author Share Posted May 11, 2009 Fine ramble Mistress Kathy. You've really brought up something very interesting--the sequence of Evelyn's "victims". You're right, she basically worked her way up the "food chain". The trick with the diary really surprised me. When she first whipped it out I thought, "Oh no, how obvious...someone will find it there under her pillow and that is how she's going to be found out." WRONG! lol! I like that this movie surprised me more than once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronxgirl48 Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 Kathy, as usual your perceptions and analyses are so enriching and insightful. Your description of Aunt Martha and the reason why she alone is "chosen" to be the family savior, is so well stated, and very important. Message was edited by: Bronxgirl48 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rohanaka Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 Aunt Martha Ha.... Miss B.... I think you are being too kind to me... But I have to say.... that Aunt Martha was just such a surprise. She seemed so innocuous. Maybe that is why Evelyn underestimated her too. I still want to chat about the whole "dopey naivety" of the husband at some point... ha But will save that for later. PS... April, re: the diary... I thought for SURE that would come up sooner... like you did.... (the housekeeper maybe finding it for example) but it was not to be. There certainly were some interesting twists and turns in this one. Thanks ladies... I will look forward to hearing more from both of you on your thoughts on this one. (And PS.. Miss Maven... you too) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissGoddess Posted May 11, 2009 Author Share Posted May 11, 2009 Can't wait for the Maven to chime in on this one. Kathy--tell me more about Ralphie boy. I feel the wife was the too naive one until too late. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CineMaven Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 Geeeez, I gotta get to this movie. I have to skip over all of your posts so I don't read anything revealing. Well, I've got "The Hucksters" at 8:00pm. And if you can, DVR or VCR or TiVO 2:00 AM "A Face in the Crowd" (1958) 4:15 AM "Network" (1976) Two classics about media. I'm just sorry I'll miss (in NY) CUNY-TV's airing of: 2:30 AM "Impact" (1947) Donlevy, Ella Raines, Helen Walker and Anna May Wong. Dammmmmmit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissGoddess Posted May 11, 2009 Author Share Posted May 11, 2009 > {quote:title=CineMaven wrote:}{quote} > > 2:30 AM "Impact" (1947) Donlevy, Ella Raines, Helen Walker and Anna May Wong. > > Dammmmmmit! Thank you for the reminder!! I'll record it! I really like this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrankGrimes Posted May 11, 2009 Share Posted May 11, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissGoddess Posted May 12, 2009 Author Share Posted May 12, 2009 Is it my imagination or does Evelyn's shadow kind of LOOKS LIKE A BIRD? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrankGrimes Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 Is it my imagination or does Evelyn's shadow kind of LOOKS LIKE A BIRD? It's your imagination, as always. You are clueless. Her shadow does look a bit like a bird in that shot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissGoddess Posted May 12, 2009 Author Share Posted May 12, 2009 I know this ALSO sounds crazy, but I actually think this movie is the prettiest I've ever seen Ann Baxter. I guess crazed and pasty white suits her, Ha!!! Mmmmmm...I'm loving my Clark in The Hucksters right now. What hunny bunch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CineMaven Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 Here is Gable again with the dichotomy of having The Lady and The Good-time Girl. He looks good with both. He really is one of the most natural actors out of Hollywood. And sure cuts a figure and fills out a suit. And that laugh. What a man! Menjou's wife in the film...I believe that's Dracula's Daughter. I'm waiting for Keenan Wynn and Edward Arnold. B-e-a-u-t-Double E. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissGoddess Posted May 12, 2009 Author Share Posted May 12, 2009 I'm waiting for Keenan Wynn and Edward Arnold. And I'm waiting at the Blue Penguin Inn. Darn that snarky bell boy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CineMaven Posted May 12, 2009 Share Posted May 12, 2009 Love the guy telling Gable he can pick the flowers in the garden. Ha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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