RAMBLES Part II

[rohanaka]

Hiya Miss G.. don't mean to blab in, but wanted to drop a quick comment about a fun film I enjoyed last night.. "I See A Dark Stranger" Oh me.. that Deborah Kerr.. what a youngun she was (absolutely gorgeous I might add)She is in almost every moment of the film.. only just a few minor bits without her. She's put me in mind (at least a little bit) of the fiesty side of Mary-Kate Danaher.. if she'd left her home and went on an adventure (w/a bit of WWII intrigue thrown in for good measure. ha.)

 

 

 

The whole film was a nice mix of suspense, adventure, comedy.. and even a little romance. Very happy to have caught it. Hope others got the chance to check it out too.

[JackFavell]

I finally got that one recorded last night, Ro!

 

I've seen half of it once, and I just loved Deborah in it! I think it's my favorite of her performances, for exactly the reason you described, she's so feisty!

 

The movie has a great mix of comedy and suspense.

[kingrat]

Like you guys, I think *I See a Dark Stranger* is a treat. Clever writing and directing, with a young, gorgeous, and strong-willed Deborah Kerr. Trevor Howard's a good foil for her, and Raymond Huntley makes a wonderfully sinister soft-spoken villain.

[JackFavell]

I think Raymond Huntley would go on my best villains list, for sure... he's such a calm villain, almost too normal and soft spoken. It's creepy!

[rohanaka]

You two are right on about the villian. Soft spoken.. yet sinister is a great way to describe him. Terribly polite.. and terrible all at the same time.

 

 

 

 

(mini-spoiler alert) I liked how she THOUGHT she was doing one thing.. and came to see the reality of what she REALLY was doing (and the implications it had for her OWN people as well as the ones she was against.) It was an eye-opener for her for sure.. and long overdue.

 

 

 

 

 

(Oh.. and PS: Jackie.. I am with you.. I think this is my most fave film for Kerr. Though I do like her in the one we discusses a while back.. The Sundowners (if I am recalling the title correctly) Maybe for the same reason.. her character was a bit feisty and determined, but only in a different way. Maybe a more "grown up" and less adventurous verion of "Bridie."

 

Edited by: rohanaka on Mar 14, 2012 6:40 PM

[JackFavell]

Oh that reminds me, I watched the Sundowners too recently.

 

It was an eye opener, she refused to believe that she was wrong, she was mule headed and I really kind of liked that about her, even if she was wrong.

 

Not to say I wasn't glad that she finally listened to Trevor.

[JamesJazGuitar]

 

The way Kerr played the role and how the director shot it was just the right amount of balance. Just when I felt Kerr's character was about to get too feisty, and thus be a turnoff, Kerr would soften her expression or say a line that reminded you she was good of heart. She was just young and wrapped up in her father's battle between England and Ireland. Even the ending made light of that.

 

This is the first time I had seen the movie and, being use to the "USA" Kerr (e.g. the Here to Eternity etc..), I was somewhat taken aback by her acting. e.g. the wide eyes, her expressions, the roller coaster emotions. But I keep watching because I couldn't take my eyes off her. All and all a very good movie and one I'm glad I got to see.

 

 

[MissGoddess]

Hi Ro! I like *I See a Dark Stranger*, too. It's very entertaining and this is just about the most beautiful I've ever seen Deborah. I also enjoyed her feistiness. *The Sundowners* is the other role that I agree is comparable in the depiction of her spiritedness. I like her scenes with Trevor, they made a good team.

[rohanaka]

 

I like her scenes with Trevor, they made a good team

 

 

 

 

 

They did. I think his proper British "calmness" was a nice contrast to her Irish temper. Still though.. ha... I wish he might have acted a LITTLE more broken up when it looked like he was actually going to turn her in.. no matter what side of the borderline they were on, ha.

 

 

 

 

 

PS Jackie.. glad you enjoyed The Sundowners. It truly is a fine film.. and a really good role for Kerr (Mitchum too)

 

 

[JackFavell]

I watched the whole movie of *I See a Dark Stranger* again today, and I have to say there were quite a few times when I was on the edge of my seat, and even more times when I snorted out loud at the funny parts, especially at the two English military men! Oh my gosh they gave me so many laughs! Also the whole thing with the horse cart parade down that narrow road really cracked me up! At first, I kept wondering how the Irish would have responded to this movie, but the writers made fun of everyone in this picture.

 

I definitely thought Raymond Huntley was brilliant, he was at the same time creepy, normal, soft spoken, evil, enigmatic, and even almost sympathetic when he was dying. He played the part very evenly and calmly - no theatrics at all, and I just loved him (as an actor) for that.

 

I don't think anyone has ever made the comparison before, and I certainly never thought about it in my entire life watching movies, but I think there's a case to be made that Maureen O'Hara and Deborah Kerr are very closely related, acting wise. Honestly, I think they could be sisters. Its as if they split one actress right down the middle, and one took the more fiery side, and the other took the repressed side. Thanks for putting that bug in my ear, Ro! I think you are spot on.

 

R.O. said that the same writers who wrote Hitch's The Lady Vanishes wrote and produced this picture. I could see the resemblance. I wonder if they did any other movies, I like their style.

 

Oh yeah!I just LOVED Trevor in this one. I could fall for him so easily here.

Edited by: JackFavell on Mar 16, 2012 7:02 PM

 

Edited by: JackFavell on Mar 16, 2012 7:04 PM

[rohanaka]

 

Jackie... you are so right.. it is BOTH suspensful and very funny (in places.. and sometimes all at the same time) ha.

 

 

the two English military men! Oh my gosh they gave me so many laughs

 

 

They were a crack up. ha. There were several fun characters that only had a moment or two.. but am glad their roles were a bit more (because I think they were just about the funniest) Though I DID like the old guy who kept insisting she had NOT taken him out for a wheelchair ride that night... and nobody would believe him. (though he did finally start to make his case too well, so she had to high tail it out of there, eventually.. but still very funny)

 

 

Raymond Huntley was brilliant, he was at the same time creepy, normal, soft spoken, evil, enigmatic, and even almost sympathetic when he was dying. He played the part very evenly and calmly - no theatrics at all, and I just loved him (as an actor) for that

 

 

You do sort of (almost) feel sorry for him (if it is possible to feel sorry for a Nazi) He was all that you say.. normal, calm, enigmatic.. and yet. OH so creepy and evil.

 

 

I don't think anyone has ever made the comparison before, and I certainly never thought about it in my entire life watching movies, but I think there's a case to be made that Maureen O'Hara and Deborah Kerr are very closely related, acting wise

 

 

I don't think I would have ever thought of it had she not been so "MaryKate-like" in the way she could rant and rave.. and yet be a bit playful and sweet, even.. all at the same time.

 

 

R.O. said that the same writers who wrote Hitch's The Lady Vanishes wrote and produced this picture. I could see the resemblance. I wonder if they did any other movies, I like their style

 

 

I must have missed the intro/or closing comments from our beloved Mr. O.. but I do see the similarity. Ha.. it was also a bit "Ford like.. again w/ the TQM comparisons.. ha. Sort of a Hitch meets Fordie combination. (now THAT is quite a contrast, ha)

 

 

I could fall for him so easily here

 

 

I liked the way he stuck with her, even when he wasn't even sure WHY he should (and when she CLEARLY wished he wouldn't) And the way she walks out on him at the end.. STILL holding onto her pride.. no WAY was she going to stay THERE. ha. Even on her wedding night. Too funny.

 

 

[JackFavell]

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

> They were a crack up. ha. There were several fun characters that only had a moment or two.. but am glad their roles were a bit more (because I think they were just about the funniest) Though I DID like the old guy who kept insisting she had NOT taken him out for a wheelchair ride that night... and nobody would believe him. (though he did finally start to make his case too well, so she had to high tail it out of there, eventually.. but still very funny)

 

Oh that poor guy in the wheelchair! And no one believed him because he was old! Too funny and too true to life, isn't it? I thought for a minute there, he was even going to believe her story, even if it was false! I like how the cantankerous old coot mentioned something they did the week before with a tricky twist that couldn't have possibly happened - he was so proud of himself that he tricked her!

 

 

> You do sort of (almost) feel sorry for him (if it is possible to feel sorry for a Nazi) He was all that you say.. normal, calm, enigmatic.. and yet. OH so creepy and evil.

 

Inscrutable! I couldn't think of the word earlier. In fact, I wasn't even sure at the beginning that he was a bad guy, they started him out seeming bad, but then he seemed to really be so nice and unassuming, and there were so many twists, I thought he might turn out to be actually good the first time I saw it.

 

> I don't think I would have ever thought of it had she not been so "MaryKate-like" in the way she could rant and rave.. and yet be a bit playful and sweet, even.. all at the same time.

 

That's so perfect a description. I think there was even maybe a resemblance at this young age, and the hair was very similar.

 

 

> I must have missed the intro/or closing comments from our beloved Mr. O.. but I do see the similarity. Ha.. it was also a bit "Ford like.. again w/ the TQM comparisons.. ha. Sort of a Hitch meets Fordie combination. (now THAT is quite a contrast, ha)

 

Yes! I was thinking that exact same thing too as I was watching! I almost wrote it here, but I didn't want to be too gung ho Ford again! I thought it also had a touch of the Ealing comedies...so an Ealing-Fordie-Hitchcock film.

 

> I liked the way he stuck with her, even when he wasn't even sure WHY he should (and when she CLEARLY wished he wouldn't) And the way she walks out on him at the end.. STILL holding onto her pride.. no WAY was she going to stay THERE. ha. Even on her wedding night. Too funny.

 

I've seen it before, and I was still convinced this time that he knew more about the case than he let on. But I guess he really was just a particularly smart bystander who happened to be in the service.

 

I loved the ending! because it confused me so much! I could NOT figure out why she was mad at him again, which was the point - her being a woman and subject to fits of irrationality...

 

I think Frank definitely needs to see this one. I am almost 100% sure he will like it (eye roll at how I am just asking for trouble here).

[rohanaka]

I thought for a minute there, he was even going to believe her story, even if it was false

 

 

 

ha.. it did start to look as if he wasn't as sure as he THOUGHT he was there for a moment. (But.. hate to admit it.. ha.. I can relate these days.. old fogey gal that I am.. I went in the store today, and came out an hour later.. with NO clue (I mean NO clue whatever) where my car was. Took me at least 2 minutes roaming around aimlessly a bit before I finally spotted it several aisles over. Stuff like that is happening more and more to me lately.. alas.)

 

 

 

I think Frank definitely needs to see this one. I am almost 100% sure he will like it (eye roll at how I am just asking for trouble here

 

 

 

Ha yes.. the eyes will ROLL! Still I bet you are right in that he WOULD like this one.. (but don't tell him I said that. I have a HORRID track record for pegging him, ha.But really, I think he just says he doesn't like stuff.. because I said he would.. contrary guy that he is sometimes.. ha)

[FrankGrimes]

*I think Frank definitely needs to see this one. I am almost 100% sure he will like it (eye roll at how I am just asking for trouble here).*

 

You're right, you're in trouble. More like, I'm in trouble! I watched it at the end of last year. I thought it was all right. I thought it was on the light and breezy side and I was hoping it would be something more. It's on the level of *Dark Journey* for me, but I prefer Conrad to Trevor. I do like Deborah but I prefer Vivien in these kind of films. I like Deborah when she's heavier.

 

I'm definitely in the minority on this board with *I See a Dark Stranger*. It seems like most everyone really likes the film.

[rohanaka]

And...... (drum roll please) my perfect track record is STILL in tact! (break out the Elder-Cherries")

[FrankGrimes]

*And...... (drum roll please) my perfect track record is STILL in tact! (break out the Elder-*

*Cherries") *

 

I like that! I always think I'm an easy one to peg.

 

*I See a Dark Stranger* is an enjoyable film. It was all right with me. But everyone else seems to really like the film in comparison to me.

[rohanaka]

 

I'm an easy one to peg

 

 

Not yet.. but just wait until I get that new high powered nail gun I am thinking of buying to add to my arsenal.

 

 

It was all right with me. But everyone else seems to really like the film in comparison to me

 

 

It does surprise me you did not like it more.. especially considering her "feistiness". But I do confess.. she was wrong-headed too. (even more than Mary Kate.. ) And her wrong headedness was REALLY wrong because it put her on the wrong side of the war. But I imagine you had more of an issue with the mixed 'storyline" Is it a comedy.. is it a war drama.. is it a suspense film?" It does mix it up a lot.. but I liked it that way (sort of the same deal with that Grant/Rogers movie I liked a few months ago) Not your USUAL way to treat a Nazi spy story.. but somehow it all worked for me.

 

 

[FrankGrimes]

*Not yet.. but just wait until I get that new high powered nail gun I am thinking of buying to add to my arsenal. *

 

More weapons?! I thought you already had every possible weapon!

 

*It does surprise me you did not like it more.. especially considering her "feistiness". But I do confess.. she was wrong-headed too. (even more than Mary Kate.. ) And her wrong headedness was REALLY wrong because it put her on the wrong side of the war. But I imagine you had more of an issue with the mixed 'storyline" Is it a comedy.. is it a war drama.. is it a suspense film?" It does mix it up a lot.. but I liked it that way (sort of the same deal with that Grant/Rogers movie I liked a few months ago) Not your USUAL way to treat a Nazi spy story.. but somehow it all worked for me.*

 

I think you may be right about the mixing of genres. But I do love Hitch's mixing of the different genres, but maybe it's because I prefer Hitch's style. I also had fairly high expectations for the film and I believe that hurt it with me. I wanted it to be something it wasn't. I do think the film is on the level of some of Hitch's 30s flicks, though.

[JackFavell]

[CineMaven]

*Hi there Ramblers One and All...*

 

 

*...In other words, HAVE A GREAT ST. PATRICK'S DAY from me...a Black Irish lass.*

[JackFavell]

 

What's that ye say, Guv'nor? Happy St. Patrick's Day?

 

You're buyin'?

 

h5. well, it's about time.

 

I mean, it sure is fine.

 

Edited by: JackFavell on Mar 17, 2012 1:32 PM

[CineMaven]

*HA!!!*

 

Jackaaa*A*aaay, heading out now to get my drink on. Today, EVERYONE is Irish. (I'll just start earlier than usual).

 

Miss G., if you're reading this, be careful in mid-town. Taxis and revelers. I don't know which'll be worse. Look both ways when you cross the street. Oh, and don't trip over anyone on the sidewalk.

 

Yecccch!

[JackFavell]

Hey, I forgot the picture that was supposed to go with that line. I'll go back and edit it.

[MissGoddess]

*You* be careful Tall T, I mean that...as for me, I'm staying safely indoors with Mr. Ford's Irish crew.

 

Frank MacGowran's on right now, Jackie!

[rohanaka]

Miss G.. I think you were the one who found this originally, several years ago (but I just keep hanging onto it. ha. I STILL want to go to a party like THIS one.. someday) :

 

Tis been a full long year since last I posted this, me dear lassies.. And so without further eloquence..