Noir Alley

[Bronxgirl48]

Thompson -- "Midnight Never Ends", Season 2 of Night Gallery

[midwestan]

2 hours ago, misswonderly3 said:

I disagree with Midweston's assessment of Joan Leslie's character:

"Joan Leslie was the epitome of a bi-polar person.  One minute she's happy, enthusiastic, and optimistic about her future, and then with a flip of a switch, she becomes sour, angry, and paranoid and usually over the mention of the name:  Paula Costello! "   

Midweston,  I did not see that rapid mood transition at all. What she was trying to do was preserve her marriage, which meant at times being incredibly patient with her childish and resentful husband.  As for her rudeness to Paula Costello, of course that, while incomprehensible to others, was because she knew that Paula Costella was going to steal her husband and make him hate her  ( hate Sheila, that is.)  It's almost as though you missed that part of the film that clarifies that plot point.

Tom Conway was fun to watch as the elegant, sophisticated, yet sympathetic theatre producer.  Big mistake, though,  when he sent those roses to Sheila in Barney's name.  He was trying to make her feel better, but the end result was, he was just perpetuating a lie.

I do think the best way for Sheila to have dealt with the whole problem of avoiding shooting her rotten husband on New Year's Eve would have been to recognize that he was no good for her,  in fact, no good, period,  and get a divorce from him   ( although that would  have been no guarantee that he'd go quietly away...)

Kudos, by the way,  to the woman who played "Bess",  the friend who's always searching for sparkling Burgundy .  She added a comic element to the film, and also, seemed like she would have been kind of a fun  person to hang out with. Benay Venuta was her name. Never heard of her, but I liked her.

 

 

I still stand by my bi-polar assessment of Joan Leslie's character (or at least, the way she played the part here).  Her mood vacillated noticeably in several scenes quite rapidly (to me, anyway).  She'd be charming and ebullient one minute, then BOOM!  Instant Ice Queen!  She would suddenly become withdrawn and sullen.  Tom Conway's character would have been fun to work for...seemed like he'd put on a cast party at the drop of a hat!  As for Benay Venuta, she had an interesting entertainment career which centered mostly on Broadway.  According to IMDB, her first major breakthrough came in 1935 when she replaced Ethel Merman in "Anything Goes".  She was also married at one time to actor Fred Clark.

[Thompson]

11 minutes ago, Bronxgirl48 said:

Thompson -- "Midnight Never Ends", Season 2 of Night Gallery

Holy smokes, been watching the  TZ marathons in vain for years, but not really because I dig ‘em.  Thank you so much Bronxgirl for clearing that up! 

[Vautrin]

Even though knowing the ending makes Repeat Performance lose a little  of  its  steam, it's still an enjoyable take on life

and death in high society.  I  didn't see William Willaims as gay but as a sensitive romantic poet type who is in love with

Joan  Leslie. He seems much  more  smitten than just having a close friendship. Apparently  he had a hissy fit in the toy store

which led to his stay at the bughouse. Seems pretty absurd. Guess  he was mad at Mrs. Howell for  taking up with the

piano man and maybe leaving him in the lurch with no more vellum, gold leaf books of poetry to collect dust. Songs from

the Solar Plexis? I don't know about that title. If  Williams can hire a decent  defense  lawyer, he could likely plead self

defense and  have a good chance of  getting off, as Hayward  was  attacking Joan  at the time WW shot him. Of course

if Joan wanted  to avoid killing her hubby again she simply could have  stayed  the night at a hotel, but that would make

too much sense in movie world. I don't know about suavidity, but I've always thought  that Tom Conway  was better looking

than his  more famous  brother.  All  in all a pretty good ride.

[misswonderly3]

1 hour ago, midwestan said:

I still stand by my bi-polar assessment of Joan Leslie's character (or at least, the way she played the part here).  Her mood vacillated noticeably in several scenes quite rapidly (to me, anyway).  She'd be charming and ebullient one minute, then BOOM!  Instant Ice Queen!  She would suddenly become withdrawn and sullen.  Tom Conway's character would have been fun to work for...seemed like he'd put on a cast party at the drop of a hat!  As for Benay Venuta, she had an interesting entertainment career which centered mostly on Broadway.  According to IMDB, her first major breakthrough came in 1935 when she replaced Ethel Merman in "Anything Goes".  She was also married at one time to actor Fred Clark.

Ok,  I guess I'm going to have to watch the film yet again.  I'll consciously watch for the mood swings you cite.  I really did not notice that at all, and again, as I said, any strange  behaviour on Sheila's part could be attributed to her anxiety about her husband's unfaithfulness, and also, chiefly, because she was in the bizarre position of knowing what was going to happen next.  Anyone might behave a little oddly if they were given the powers of Cassandra overnight.

Still, I'm always open to considering another's opinion.  We DVR'd the film, so perhaps we'll re-watch it soon.  Also my husband missed it- I'll watch it with him and see what his take on it is.

[cigarjoe]

On 1/1/2022 at 5:09 PM, Thompson said:

Twilight Zone marathon on Decades channel.  Nobody smokes a better cigarette than Rod Serling, nobody.

[cigarjoe]

15 hours ago, misswonderly3 said:

Thompson,  this is a coincidence  ( I think?)   My son, who's in his 20s,  has recently discovered the original Twilight Zone series.  He has not seen many episodes,  it's more that he's heard / read a lot about it recently,  I suppose on some of the websites he goes on.  

Anyway,  knowing his Dad and I are old-school about "filmed entertainment",  and that we still collect and watch DVDs,  he asked for the complete boxed set of the original Twilight Zone series, on DVD,  for Christmas.  So, that's what we got him.   We're planning to watch the entire series together. In fact,  we've already started:  We watched "Where is Everybody?",   "One for the Angels",   and "Mr. Denton on Doomsday".  We really enjoyed all 3 of them, and are looking forward to watching the rest of the episodes.

I've always loved the original "Twilight Zone" show,  it strikes a perfect combination of mystery,  sci-fi,  fantasy,  and drama. * edit:* and sometimes horror.

It's all and yet none of these genres...it can't be categorized.   One of the best, most unique  tv shows ever.

 The Noir episodes of The Twilight Zone

[Bronxgirl48]

18 hours ago, Thompson said:

Holy smokes, been watching the  TZ marathons in vain for years, but not really because I dig ‘em.  Thank you so much Bronxgirl for clearing that up! 

My pleasure!   

 

[Bronxgirl48]

This will probably sound facetious although I don't mean it to be, but, I have problems with  Joan Leslie when her character is presented as some world famous stage actress.

This also happens in THE HARD WAY

Not a knock on the otherwise talented Joan -- I just don't understand why she got cast in those kinds of parts.  For me it sort of undercuts any kind of believability in the storyline.

 

[Dargo]

1 hour ago, Bronxgirl48 said:

This will probably sound facetious although I don't mean it to be, but, I have problems with  Joan Lesie when her character is presented as some world famous stage actress.

This also happens in THE HARD WAY

Not a knock on the otherwise talented Joan -- I just don't understand why she got cast in those kinds of parts.  For me it sort of undercuts any kind of believability in the storyline.

 

Yep Bronxie, I know exactly what you mean here. 

While I know Joan Leslie had been frustrated always being cast as the "good girl" when she was under contact with W-B, I think Jack Warner's opinion of her on-screen "presence" was basically correct. I've also thought she was best cast in roles in which she played the dutiful girlfriend or wife in such films as Sergent York and Yankee Doodle Dandy and not in any of the roles I've seen her in and in which she played the more worldly sort of woman.

Her entire "fresh-faced" screen presence or vibe being  similar to the roles which her contempories such as actresses Teresa Wright and Jane Wyatt would generally get.

(...and with the latter one here also being memorably miscast in the one film noir role she was given as a femme fatale in 1950's The Man Who Cheated Himself)

[TomJH]

Certainly the casting of Joan Leslie in Repeat Performance may be a little difficult for some accustomed to her previous wholesome screen image

"Gosh, Miss Leslie, you're my favourite movie star. I've always dreamed of meeting you because, well, golly, I think I'm a little in love with you."

"Oh, gee, thanks, Slim. That means so much to me. You seem like a really nice guy. Now, if you'll excuse me I have to go home and see my drunken husband. I only hope I don't have to shoot him again."

[misswonderly3]

1 hour ago, Dargo said:

Yep Bronxie, I know exactly what you mean here. 

While I know Joan Leslie had been frustrated always being cast as the "good girl" when she was under contact with W-B, I think Jack Warner's opinion of her on-screen "presence" was basically correct. I've also thought she was best cast in roles in which she played the dutiful girlfriend or wife in such films as Sergent York and Yankee Doodle Dandy and not in any of the roles I've seen her in and in which she played the more worldly sort of woman.

Her entire "fresh-faced" screen presence or vibe being  similar to the roles which her contempories such as actresses Teresa Wright and Jane Wyatt would generally get.

(...and with the latter one here also being memorably miscast in the one film noir role she was given as a femme fatale in 1950's The Man Who Cheated Himself)

Ah.  Right you are, Dargs, about Joan Leslie and her screen persona and the consequent roles she was given, due to that sweet and innocent screen persona.

However !  I can think of one exception:  High Sierra.  Joan plays Velma  ( no relation to the femme fatale "cute as lace pants" Velma of Murder My Sweet  / Farewell My Lovely )  the young girl with the "club foot" whom Bogart's character, Roy,  meets quite randomly.  Although at first Velma  (Joan Leslie) is indeed sweet, and also sympathetic due to her limp, that all changes after her operation  - an operation which Roy pays for.

Once cured of her disability and "normal", able to partake in the usual young person activities of the day - dancing, partying, etc. -  Velma quickly sheds her demure young lady image , ditches Roy, even as a family friend,  forgets to be grateful to the person who enabled her cure, and even starts being snappy and rude to her nice grandparents.  While she doesn't descend into criminality or femme fatale-dom,  she definitely morphs from the sweet innocent friendly young girl Roy first encounters to a self-centred , shallow, and hedonistic brat.     Just saying.

[misswonderly3]

...in fact,  it's a damn shame Roy was so obsessed with the unworthy Velma, when all the time he had the beautiful, strong, loyal Marie  (Ida Lupino) right under his nose.

As most of you know, Ida and Joan were paired in another film two years later,  The Hard Way.

[Bronxgirl48]

So glad you brought up the exception of Joan in HIGH SIERRA, Miss W.  I was actually going to post similiar thoughts but glad you beat me to it!   You describe her role perfectly. 

I think Roy's attraction to Velma was one more way (along with doggie "Pard") the script attempts to make Earle -- who, quite frankly, is really a hardened criminal -- sympathetic by having him react in such a worshipfully schoolboyish and idealistic way to a seemingly "normal" and "decent" young girl, the kind of female he probably rarely encountered or ever had a chance with in his wayward life.   

 

[TomJH]

4 hours ago, misswonderly3 said:

...in fact,  it's a damn shame Roy was so obsessed with the unworthy Velma, when all the time he had the beautiful, strong, loyal Marie  (Ida Lupino) right under his nose

 

But one of the strengths of High Sierra is seeing Roy Earle finally look past the superficiality of Velma's youth and beauty (in addition to an awareness, of course, of her self centredness that later becomes apparent) to gradually come to realize the loyalty and inner beauty of Marie. Marie is the real deal, not Velma (who was far too young for him anyway).

In that respect this appears to have been something of a theme of two films directed by Raoul Walsh that same year, the other one being The Strawberry Blonde. In that one James Cagney marries loyal, reliable Olivia de Havilland though he remains enamoured with beautiful Rita Hayworth, the girl who got away, but whose shallowness becomes apparent to him later, making Cagney (like Bogie in High Sierra) realize he, too, had the real deal all along and didn't realize it.

Of course, in Cagney's case it all ends happily, as opposed to the tragedy awaiting Bogie.

As a side note, in real life, it wasn't Ida Lupino but Pard with whom Bogart became enamoured. He adopted the dog (whose real name was Zero) after making this film. Either that or he was already Bogart's dog. I can't recall which was the case. Poor Zero, though. Like Bogart, what was awaiting him back home?  Mayo Methot.

[Bronxgirl48]

I think Zero was Bogart's own pooch.

Must have felt like a reprieve for both of them when Lauren Bacall showed up.

[Thompson]

I’ve always thought the name Velma is really cool.  Thelma is a cool name too, but Velma is cooler.

[misswonderly3]

43 minutes ago, Thompson said:

I’ve always thought the name Velma is really cool.  Thelma is a cool name too, but Velma is cooler.

Cute as lace pants.

[TomJH]

50 minutes ago, Thompson said:

I’ve always thought the name Velma is really cool.  Thelma is a cool name too, but Velma is cooler.

I had an aunt whose name was Vilma, not Velma, Vilma.

Apparently as a young girl she got upset whenever people told her she looked like Errol Flynn in Captain Blood.

[misswonderly3]

18 hours ago, Bronxgirl48 said:

So glad you brought up the exception of Joan in HIGH SIERRA, Miss W.  I was actually going to post similiar thoughts but glad you beat me to it!   You describe her role perfectly. 

I think Roy's attraction to Velma was one more way (along with doggie "Pard") the script attempts to make Earle -- who, quite frankly, is really a hardened criminal -- sympathetic by having him react in such a worshipfully schoolboyish and idealistic way to a seemingly "normal" and "decent" young girl, the kind of female he probably rarely encountered or ever had a chance with in his wayward life.   

 

 

18 hours ago, TomJH said:

But one of the strengths of High Sierra is seeing Roy Earle finally look past the superficiality of Velma's youth and beauty (in addition to an awareness, of course, of her self centredness that later becomes apparent) to gradually come to realize the loyalty and inner beauty of Marie. Marie is the real deal, not Velma (who was far too young for him anyway).

In that respect this appears to have been something of a theme of two films directed by Raoul Walsh that same year, the other one being The Strawberry Blonde. In that one James Cagney marries loyal, reliable Olivia de Havilland though he remains enamoured with beautiful Rita Hayworth, the girl who got away, but whose shallowness becomes apparent to him later, making Cagney (like Bogie in High Sierra) realize he, too, had the real deal all along and didn't realize it.

Of course, in Cagney's case it all ends happily, as opposed to the tragedy awaiting Bogie.

As a side note, in real life, it wasn't Ida Lupino but Pard with whom Bogart became enamoured. He adopted the dog (whose real name was Zero) after making this film. Either that or he was already Bogart's dog. I can't recall which was the case. Poor Zero, though. Like Bogart, what was awaiting him back home?  Mayo Methot.

 

You both make excellent points about Velma. And Marie.  And Pard.   

Of course, it does need to be recognized that it was entirely inappropriate of Roy to take a romantic interest in Velma,  verging on what now would be called "creepy".  Yes as you noted, Tom,  Roy was initially enamoured  with Velma's youth and seeming sweetness.  Still, it is a bit cringe-y to think of him wanting to marry her.  Despite my criticism of Velma becoming selfish and inconsiderate and shallow,  I don't blame her for not wanting to marry Roy, that would have been horrible to a girl of that age.  And to feel that she ought to marry him out of gratitude for sponsoring the operation that cured her would have made it even worse.  So from that angle,  Velma did the right thing in rejecting Roy.

But she could have remained polite and kind to him, making it clear marriage was out of the question, but still acknowledging him as an important family friend and benefactor.

And yes,  maybe in the end Roy did realize that Marie was the right girl for him.  But of course by that time it was too late.

[misswonderly3]

3 minutes ago, TomJH said:

I had an aunt whose name was Vilma, not Velma, Vilma.

Apparently as a young girl she got upset whenever people told her she looked like Errol Flynn in Captain Blood.

I actually didn't get the reference, but I gave you a "haha" emoticon anyway,  since I knew whatever you were saying, you were joking.

[TomJH]

3 minutes ago, misswonderly3 said:

I actually didn't get the reference, but I gave you a "haha" emoticon anyway,  since I knew whatever you were saying, you were joking.

I guess it can be seen as amusing but the anecdote is also true.

[misswonderly3]

Just now, TomJH said:

I guess it can be seen as amusing but the anecdote is also true.

I thought it was some kind of pun or otherwise amusing allusion to Captain Blood.  I thought there was maybe a character in the Errol Flynn film with the name "Vilma".  But I looked up the movie and saw no such character listed in the cast.

So,  I guess it's just that your aunt bore a certain resemblance to Errol Flynn.   ?  But that wouldn't be so bad,  Errol Flynn was exceptionally  handsome.  Better for a woman to look like a handsome man than an ugly woman  ??  

[TomJH]

30 minutes ago, misswonderly3 said:

I thought it was some kind of pun or otherwise amusing allusion to Captain Blood.  I thought there was maybe a character in the Errol Flynn film with the name "Vilma".  But I looked up the movie and saw no such character listed in the cast.

So,  I guess it's just that your aunt bore a certain resemblance to Errol Flynn.   ?  But that wouldn't be so bad,  Errol Flynn was exceptionally  handsome.  Better for a woman to look like a handsome man than an ugly woman  ??  

It was largely a case of my Mom, who didn't get along that well with Aunt Vilma, her older sister, so delighted in reminding her of the physical resemblance to Flynn at times of sibling tension between them, of which, apparently, there were plenty when they were growing up together. Others made reference to the resemblance as well, I understand. My Aunt Vilma, by the way, was not thrilled at being told she looked like a handsome man. I, on the other hand, would have been. Them's the breaks.

[omm]

Though Repeat Performance was shown 2 times on NA, still no mention of Jimmy Smith in the bar scene, playing the piano.

(Surprising given Eddie's usual lengthy intro and outros.)