RAMBLES Part II

[SansFin]

> {quote:title=Bronxgirl48 wrote:}{quote}

> I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by GAMBIT! It seemed almost like an anti-heist film to me in many ways. I didn't originally "get" the narrative trick at the beginning but it finally dawned on me, lol. I loved Shirley's performance! She was a ditz, but a multi-layered one. "Can I help it if my mind goes off on tangents?" Good chemistry with Caine.

 

I am sorry to be coming back to this so late. Christmas got in the way.

 

I was told it is a comedy-caper. I expected much from it because I knew how antic Shirley MacLaine can be.

 

I was disappointed that it was a very straight-forward caper with it all being smooth and methodical and not the slightest thing going wrong. I was disappointed also that she was so cool and calm and elegant that she never even spoke.

 

I was never happier to be proven wrong. It took me a moment to realize why they were back in the club. It was from that point on that it was more than I had ever hoped to expect.

 

I have to wonder if the first part made the second part better much as even a tiny warm breeze is more welcome when you are chilled.

 

I did find they had great chemistry. They were very much equals even although they had individual strengths the other lacked.

 

I am chuckling even now as I think of Emile opening the cabinet at the end! Is that not a perfect way to end such a story?

[JackFavell]

You made my mouth water reading about this movie, Maven! And I couldn't agree more, I'd love to see a Lurene Tuttle day on TCM.

[CineMaven]

Thanx Jack! I'm sorry to have read you missed it. I hope you get a chance to see it sometime. I hope I haven't built it up too much. I was quite taken with it. And that surprised me.

[JackFavell]

There are a lot of movies I like that aren't 4 star movies. I like discovering these smaller, underappreciated pictures for myself. I'm not expecting perfection, just some nice performances and a decent story.

 

I'm just as happy watching *He Couldn't Say No* with Frank McHugh as I am watching *Touch of Evil.* Well, almost as happy....

[FrankGrimes]

*Frank, what do you mean that the message boards are like Heidelberg? You like coming here? or you wish it was like it was at the beginning and you keep trying to get back to something that has long passed?*

 

The former. I feel like the student prince here but I know the day will come where I'll turn into a king.

[CineMaven]

The King? Well...I know just the gal who'd like to "crown" you.

[wouldbestar]

 

{font:Times New Roman} {font}{font:}{color:black}Jack and Meg: Holy cow, I really started something didn't I? Thanks for letting me return the favors you've done me with your postings. My body and mind caved in from three weeks of packing and settling in and the glass door accident and I was pretty low yesterday. The movie and your reactions are really perking me up. I really do like it here. {font}

 

 

{font:Times New Roman} {font}{font:}{color:black}You are so right about Lurene Tuttle; she does deserve her day on TCM. She played so many varied roles in film and TV which is where I first became aware of her. (She also gave us daughter Barbara Ruick). Here she was always believable in a wide range of emotions from "turn him in; we need the money" to "what have I done" to "forgive me". I hope they did. {font}

 

 

{font:Times New Roman} {font}{font:}{color:black}I'm getting caught up on *The Tudors* episodes I've missed last month today. See you when I get back from Medieval England{font}

 

 

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[Bronxgirl48]

Merry Christmas, SansFin! I don't know why, but I thought of you the other day as I was watching MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING. That movie gets funnier every time I see it, especially Andrea Martin, lol. I also love Michael Constantine with his all-purpose Windex. Opa!

 

During the first part of GAMBIT, I was yelling at the screen to Shirley, "OPEN YOUR PIE HOLE ALREADY!!" I just couldn't understand why she was looking so enigmatic, so...perfect. I wonder if Harry knew beforehand what was in Emile's cabinet...

 

I recommend A MAN COULD GET KILLED. Even with Anthony Franciosa, it's rather delightful, sprinkled with veteran British actors and a lot of sly, cheeky, across-the-pond humor. Plot faintly reminiscent of NORTH BY NORTHWEST. James Garner as the straight-up American banker is understated almost to the point of catalepsy, lol. And then there's Melina Mercouri! What is there to say about this force of nature? She's wonderful here, I love her! Poor James doesn't stand a chance! And guess who else shows up? Sandra Dee, looking adorable and nearly grown-up in lovely young-miss dresses. (Jean Louis) Her platinum blonde hair is beautifully coiffed. She radiates sunshine but also an unexpected sense of preternatural maturity as a young student with a crush on Tony (go figure) who decides to play practical helpmate to his ostensibly outrageous schemes. The only downside for me is that this is the movie which introduces the song "Strangers In The Night". Other than that, it's a pleasant romp, with the added bonus of being filmed on location in Portugal.

[Bronxgirl48]

Saw a smidgeon of HE COULDN'T SAY NO. Poor Lambert, saddled with that W. C. Fields-like family, lol. (and why did early Jane Wyman sound like Ann Sheridan?) But darned if even in this low-budget trifle, your boy Frankie really shines -- the genuine emotion intermingling with the humor.

 

Mom loves Charlie Chaplin (especially CITY LIGHTS) but here is what she thinks of MODERN TIMES: "Why doesn't Paulette Goddard wear shoes? You'd think when they're at that department store, he would have picked her up a pair".

 

Edited by: Bronxgirl48 on Jan 8, 2012 4:22 PM

[bagladymimi]

I agree with you Jack - I love finding little jewels. I even like the murder mysteries they show early in the mornings. And I think that the fact that they are black & white, makes them even more mysterious. I truly love the "Saint" movies. George Sanders was a great character actor. I also love it when I can spot a future star in a minor supporting role. This past Saturday morning there was a movie "Counter-Espionage" with Warren William in one of his rogue detective roles. Lloyd Bridges played a waiter in it - he spoke a couple of lines. He didn't even get screen credit, but it was Lloyd Bridges.

[CineMaven]

YOU CAN’T GO HOME AGAIN.

 

*"Those exquisite moments of tenderness and sorrow and joy were weighted just a little more - but with the merest of feathers for a counterbalance.” - Jack Favell*

 

*"Irony of ironies that being trapped by a world that is living in the past he tries to escape by going back into the past." - Miss Goddess*

 

 

I hoped against hope.

 

 

*Parting is such sweet sorrow...*

 

 

Even when I knew it wasn't in the cards, I hoped. Even though I've seen enough royalty w/commoner love stories to know better...I hoped.

 

 

I hoped against hope they would have a happy ending.

 

 

*"THE STUDENT PRINCE OF OLD HEIDELBERG"* was a sad movie. But good. Solid. Strongly made. Very romantic. I sometimes hold my breath when I watch Silents; I'm afraid overblown gestures will take me out of the moment. I thought *NORMA SHEARER* was very natural as the barmaid, Kathi. Ha...what an outspoken girl. And *RAMON NOVARRO* did a good job as well as Prince Karl; the shy guy. Poor kid, I felt so bad for him. Duty-bound, commitment. He was under such weight of responsibility, Atlas seemed to have less of a burden carrying the world on his shoulders.

 

 

*A friendship*

 

 

Jean Hersholt is the good doctor who helps Karl be a 'regular guy' (even though Karl was a prince among men). I liked him very much. He was warmly understanding of this young man's needs. He was a liaison for Karl between two worlds.

 

 

Three times in the movies a commoner remarks how good it must be to be the Prince/the King. And each time, Lubitsch shows us how *NOT* good it was. The Prince is isolated from everyday life...always on the outside looking in.

 

 

It's love at first sight when he sees Kathi.

 

 

 

 

*First love...*

 

 

The bliss of first love. Fields full of flowers...full of life. Did you notice the flowers didn't blow...flow with the wind. Their shimmer was electric. What a beautifully romantic sight that was; lovers, enveloped.

 

 

But honestly, I never got the impression of Prince Karl's strength of character. When push came to shove, I can't help but think he sold out; sold out his love, sold out his dream of happiness. I know...I know. Who can buck two-three-four hundred years of tradition. This sense of duty was drilled into him from a little boy. But now as a man, he has choices. And as a powerful man (who-would-be-king) he has more command of his choices. But does he? His dying uncle even picks out a princess for him and he doesn't challenge that. I'm trying to give Karl a break...I want to give him the benefit of the doubt, but I didn't see him fight for love.

 

 

I think Kathi knew before Karl that he would never return once he was called back to the castle. Her brave goodbyes were heartbreaking. She was saying goodbye to Love with just the slightest of hopes that it would come back to her...at the very least, in the form of a letter.

 

 

I loved Lubitsch's direction of this film. There's a couple of things I can point to but listing them would sound too pedantic in the face of such delicate tapestry. One scene I will mention is when Karl envisions going back to Heidelberg. He sees Kathi come out with a hand full of beer steins. She sees him...and the camera quickly dollies away from her outstretched arms...and dissolves into a dolly towards Karl sitting in his office imagining this. I had to play that back a few times; one - to reconstruct that shot in my head for future use. And two - to reflect what it is when we move away from the past back to our present.

 

 

When Karl returns to his past, what a sad nightmare that was. I'm not sure how much time was supposed to have passed between his leaving and his return because he looked younger than those around him. The beerhall has a few grumpy customers and is in a state of disrepair; the Saxonian crew has turned into stiff automatons. How soul-killing was it to watch Karl walk down that line of men. He looks for friendly recognition in each face, only to face a bunch of military robots. By the end of the line, Karl was a beaten man. But surely seeing Kathi again would bring it all back again...the love, the romance.

 

 

It did not.

 

 

He couldn't recapture the feeling. And you know what...it didn't look like it took a lot for him to walk away from it all...from her, this time. As his carriage pulls away, he shields his face. Is he shielding it from seeing the present reality? Is he shielding it from Kathi seeing his shame. When she falls to the barren ground in a heap of tears, that was tough to take. I think Kathi was still there, there with love in her heart... there, waiting for her prince. There waiting for love.

 

 

I wonder if Karl just wants the dream.

 

 

 

 

As he rides among the throng of subjects on his wedding day, he can sit with his little reverie of the time he spent in Old Heidelberg. And I believe he'll have some slightly smug self-satisfaction in living in those moments amidst the pomp and circumstance of his Royal life.

 

Would you be happy...content dwelling in just the moment?

[CineMaven]

When I saw the length of Jackie's post on Heidelberg I thought, "Uh-oh, I'd better see this movie." So I ordered it on Amazon, and they have a sales feature whereby they'll deliver the movie to a location close to you. Lo and behold, there was a location in the Village two blocks from my Friday nite hangout spot. I ran to the bar, dropped off my gear to save a seat at the bar and ran to D'Agostino's to pick up the VHS tape. When I showed my buddies what I picked up, their little faces were so politely blank. "Silent?" "*VHS*?!!" "BLACK & WHITE? Girl, you *do* need a drink!!"

 

No matter. My life is schizophrenic between my rea;l world and my reel world. (Don't let me tell you what it felt like to walk into that loud noisy bar *after* my afternoon at the Hilton! Ha!)

 

I held off reading what you wrote. I settled down in the dark and peace & quiet of my living room. I knew I'd be reading title cards and that I couldn't look away from the "silent" screen to have the movie playing in the background while I puttered around. I sat and watched a movie made the year my father was born.

 

 

I gathered my thoughts and wrote up my notes. And then I read your posts.

 

 

Jackaa*A*aay, Miss G. You both have left me speechless ( I know, "Hallelujah!!" ) with your thoughts on *"The Student Prince of Old Heidelberg."*

 

 

Ladies...ladies...ladies. Your posts were beautiful, really! Unbelievably poignant, detailed and elegantly lyrical. Your writings matched the delicate tone of the movie. You both made me *feel* your thoughts. Yeah yeah...I'll read the Bogdanovich link about this movie. ACK!!! He has thoughts about EVERYthing. But I doubt he'll touch my heart as reading your words did.

 

 

Wonderful write-up Jack Favell. Wonderfully written Miss Goddess.

[JackFavell]

> {quote:title=Bronxgirl48 wrote:}{quote}Saw a smidgeon of HE COULDN'T SAY NO. Poor Lambert, saddled with that W. C. Fields-like family, lol. (and why did early Jane Wyman sound like Ann Sheridan?) But darned if even in this low-budget trifle, your boy Frankie really shines -- the genuine emotion intermingling with the humor.

>

> Mom loves Charlie Chaplin (especially CITY LIGHTS) but here is what she thinks of MODERN TIMES: "Why doesn't Paulette Goddard wear shoes? You'd think when they're at that department store, he would have picked her up a pair".

 

I love your mom! She's so practical. I'm surprised I never ever thought of that!

 

Frankie was great wasn't he? He had so many good moments in this movie, though the movie itself was sorely lacking. Without his charm and thoughtful portrayal, the movie would have folded completely. I really felt for him when he had to tell the senator that he wanted the 150 grand, disappointing his girl. I could have killed those wicked crooks barehanded for forcing sweet Frankie into such a situation!

 

Edited by: JackFavell on Jan 9, 2012 9:30 AM

[JackFavell]

Don't you love making those discoveries, Mimi?

 

I have realized recently that black and white for me is one of the draws of classic film. It can be so beautifully textured and rich, or so gritty and stark. A film photographed well in black and white will usually trump a film photographed well in color (except for Jack Cardiff - he trumps everything).

 

George Sanders is one of my all time favorites, as you may have guessed from my name. I can't get my head around the fact that Lloyd Bridges and Warren William were in the same movie - I can't honestly even picture them inhabiting the same world.

 

Edited by: JackFavell on Jan 9, 2012 9:39 AM

[JackFavell]

Oh I'm so glad you liked it! find it so interesting that you felt more for Kathi. I felt for her, but I also knew that she had a strength of character and inner resources to carry on her life, friends and family to lean on. I am sure she lived unhappily ever after, but she seemed more able to take sorrow. I felt so sorry for Karl Heinrich, he had no one to help him, and no inner resources. He had always been doubtful, needed someone to bolster him, since he was torn from the world so early. I did get the feeling that his deep sorrow made him a man, though, instead of a boy at the very end.

 

I saw the Prince as so innocent, so pure, that he simply couldn't make any other decision than the one he did. What was he to do? Take her as a lover? No... it was unthinkable, to take his pure love and turn it into something hidden and ugly. I don't know that he even thought of it. Abdicate? I think they both knew that that could not happen.

 

I felt he did not fight, because all along they knew the battle was already over, and had been years before they met. King Karl set it all in motion that day when young Karl Heinrich stepped off the train and hid in his nanny's skirts. He was not the type to rebel, not strong enough to stand on his own against such a long and ironclad tradition. I felt that emotionally, he was still that young boy, without a friend in the world or a mother to instill in him the strength to battle them all.

 

I do like to think that Karl Heinrich became a kinder, more knowledgeable and benevolent king, well loved by his people because of his experience in the real world. More than any in his family before, one who truly knew what it was to suffer, but one who knew what it was to live. Smart man, Dr. Juttner. He knew that a king must know his people - even if all he was trying to do was help this poor boy live a small lifetime in the few precious moments outside the palace.

[CineMaven]

You must either get your work published JackaaAaay...or become an attorney. You make a great case for young Karl Heinrich. Don't get me wrong, I feel sorry for Karl. And I agree with you wholeheartedly that he was probably more the wiser for having had this experience. I love what you say: "Smart man, Dr. Juttner. He knew that a king must know his people..." and I love how you say: "even if all he was trying to do was help this poor boy live a small lifetime in the few precious moments outside the palace."

 

I saw the Prince as so innocent, so pure, that he simply couldn't make any other decision than the one he did. What was he to do? Take her as a lover? No... it was unthinkable, to take his pure love and turn it into something hidden and ugly. I don't know that he even thought of it. Abdicate? I think they both knew that that could not happen.

 

Yes, Kings have mistresses all the time. And there was King Edward VIII who abdicated the throne. But I don't think that these two were Karl's only options. He could have married her and made her his Princess; and whoever in his court didn't like it, they could lump it. (I often muse that if Prince Charles were allowed to marry the woman he loved, Diana might be alive today. Or what if Elizabeth's sister Margaret were allowed to marry Peter what's-his-name). Of course I know the romantic thing is to understand why Audrey must return to duty after her Roman holiday or even look at the choice Princess Grace made in real life. I do feel sorry for Karl, who probably didn't have a leg to stand on. He was still a young man with no one in court to advocate for him; only some old fogeys upholding Tradition and Duty.

 

But...

 

I am sure she lived unhappily ever after, but she seemed more able to take sorrow.

 

If Karl had come back to find Kathi, married...maybe with children. Then I could feel more for this young prince really blowing an opportunity for love and happiness. The girl I saw lying on an empty hill, in a heap of tears and heartache did not look more able to me.

 

I empathize just slightly more...with the girl he left behind.

[JackFavell]

I guess I shouldn't really choose between them, I do sympathize with both of them. I should probably watch again just for Kathi's story.

[CineMaven]

Hi. :-) There's nothing to choose. We weren't choosing. We just felt. There's so much to take in with this film.

 

Now I just left the theatre seeing "My Week With Marilyn." I'm walking down Greene Street in SoHo talking to you. I left the movie in tears. And a profound sense of sadness overwhelms me. It's cold and sunny and I'm weepy; heading to the west side of Manhattan to see "War Horse." I suspect I should be a basket case in a few hours. But hopefully will pull it together to share my thoughts.

 

That is if I don't trip in the street not watching where i'm walking.

 

Maven with an iPOD Touch...coming through!! Step aside folks!!

 

Edited by: CineMaven on Jan 9, 2012 - Oops...cobblestones.

[JackFavell]

Maven, watch out for that pothole!

 

Maybe I misjudged that Marilyn film.

[SansFin]

> {quote:title=Bronxgirl48 wrote:}{quote}

> I thought of you the other day as I was watching MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING. That movie gets funnier every time I see it, especially Andrea Martin, lol.

 

I have never been to a Greek wedding and I have not seen that movie.

 

It is said that people stay married in the Ukraine because they know they would not survive another wedding. There is eating and drinking at the bride's home. Then there is eating and drinking at the groom's home. Then there is drinking at the bride's home again when the groom goes there. Then there is drinking before the supper. Then there is drinking after the supper. It is then that you dance. No wedding is complete without кoлoмийкa. A mild one may be seen at:

http://youtu.be/Y3o1Dnxhjyo

 

> During the first part of GAMBIT, I was yelling at the screen to Shirley, "OPEN YOUR PIE HOLE ALREADY!!" I just couldn't understand why she was looking so enigmatic, so...perfect.

 

I had nearly the same feeling. I knew her well from *The Trouble With Harry* (1955) so I expected an endless cascade of logical-only-to-her interjections. To see her so serene and elegant and silent was quite jarring.

 

> I recommend A MAN COULD GET KILLED.

 

I thank you for that recommendation. I will put it highly on my list of movies to acquire. It sounds as if it is an odd mix of actors. I fully agree that Melina Mercouri! is a force of nature!

[Bronxgirl48]

I love those Ukranian dancers! Have you ever seen THE DEER HUNTER? There is an extended wedding sequence you will find interesting.

 

Here's the entire MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING: (John Corbett, sigh!)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuQWzwRont4

 

I just saw THE LIQUIDATOR. Oh my, lol. Shirley Bassey sings, "The liquidaaaaaay-torrrr is coming around, you might just want to get out of towwwwwwn......". No I wouldn't, not if Rod Taylor is the big L. 'L' for Love, baby, yeah! Although his character is something less than Bond-like, the ironies abound, but this is essentially a yawn. (even with Akim Tamiroff!) Great British cast, but there's only so much understated tongue-in-cheek humor that even I can stand.

I swear I think I've seen Jill St. John wear that same "swinging" stretch pant outfit (with the turtleneck top) in EVERY '60's movie. She tells the hapless Rod: "Let's go somewhere warm, breezy, and sunny". Rod: "You mean out of England?" So they head to Nice, and you know me, anytime I can get a glimpse of the Cote D'Azur....but even there I'm practically falling asleep. Best part of this movie is its finale, as an airplane-phobic Taylor finds himself in the cockpit, trying to navigate a safe landing with the help of an impossibly dry-even-by-British-standards Richard Wattis.

 

Edited by: Bronxgirl48 on Jan 11, 2012 4:28 PM

[Bronxgirl48]

I wish I could join in with the eloquent discourse of Lubitsch's THE STUDENT PRINCE IN OLD HEIDELBERG, which I haven't seen. All I can unfortunately offer right now is THE LIQUIDATOR, on YouTube, if anyone missed this today. It's not too thrilling, lol, with the exception of Rod Taylor in varying stages of undress, which is never a bad thing:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5fP-CNO_oE

[Bronxgirl48]

>love your mom! She's so practical. I'm surprised I never ever thought of that!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think she's too practical for her own good, lol. I'm ashamed to admit I also thought Paulette should have been shod.

 

Wasn't Diana Lewis from HE COULDN'T SAY NO Bill Powell's wife, his last marriage? I remember reading that he used to call her "Mousie".

[SansFin]

> {quote:title=Bronxgirl48 wrote:}{quote}

> I love those Urakian dancers! Have you ever seen THE DEER HUNTER? There is an extended wedding sequence you will find interesting.

 

I know I have seen it. It is sad to say I remember nothing of it.

 

There is a scene in *Seven Brides for Seven Brothers* which contains a кoлoмийкa. It is what they show in the interstitial about how letter-boxing shows the movie as it was meant to be seen.

 

> Here's the entire MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING: (John Corbett, sigh!)

 

I thank you for the link. I will watch it as soon as I am able.

 

> I just saw THE LIQUIDATOR. Oh my, lol.

 

I was about to post to ask if any person had watched it.

 

I saw a few minutes of it when I turned on the television. I saw bits and snatches of it as I did my "I just woke up and I am not really of this world as yet" routine. I watched the end from the time he jumped into the airplane.

 

Through the magic of the DVR I was able to go back and record all of it for the day when I have time to watch all of it.

 

I hope I like it more than you did. I am happy with cascades of tongue-in-cheek humor and I love droll! They remind me of the teachers we had in school to teach us English. They were all very-very British.

 

> She tells the hapless Rod: "Let's go somewhere warm, breezy, and sunny". Rod: "You mean out of England?"

 

Robert Montgomery in *The Last of Mrs. Cheney* (1937) says approximately: I have known many more women that I would rather die for than live with and that is how I feel towards England.

[JackFavell]

> {quote:title=Bronxgirl48 wrote:}{quote}

> > love your mom! She's so practical. I'm surprised I never ever thought of that!

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> I think she's too practical for her own good, lol. I'm ashamed to admit I also thought Paulette should have been shod.

>

> Wasn't Diana Lewis from HE COULDN'T SAY NO Bill Powell's wife, his last marriage? I remember reading that he used to call her "Mousie".

 

 

Yes, I think that's her. I'll have to go back and watch again to be sure.

 

I missed Rod.