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What Are You Watching Now?


FredCDobbs
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The Winds of War: The Storm Breaks (1983) - DVD

 

I recall that, when this miniseries originally aired, one of the criticisms was that Robert Mitchum, Ali MacGraw and Jan-Michael Vincent were all too old for their respective roles. And, in the case of the latter two actors, I do believe that was a detriment to the miniseries since both had an aura of being more experienced than the characters that they were portraying and I was not disappointed that both were replaced by Jane Seymour and Hart Bochner in the sequel.

 

Mr. Mitchum, however, may not have been the right age for Victor Henry, but he was spot-on in all other regards. And I think one of the prime factors in the success of this miniseries was having an actor with his gravitas at the center of it.

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I'm doing a dinner and movie theme night tonight (Gotta do something to keep it interesting when hubby's at work and I've spent the whole day cleaning, blah!).  

 

Tonight, I made lasagna and am pairing it with Sauvignon Blanc.  I wanted to watch something set in Italy to go with my Italian food.  I decided to go with Roman Holiday.  

 

GAC_RomanHoliday.jpg

 

One of the most joyful scenes in this film and in cinema in general! 

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Thursday's Game​, a long lost little gem.  The cast alone makes it worthwhile...Gene Wilder, Bob Newhart, Ellen Burstyn, Cloris Leachman, Nancy Walker, Rob Reiner.  I kept wondering if they used the same casting agent as MTM productions...Valerie Harper, Richard Schaal, and Martha Scott are more of the 'cross overs'.  The film revolves around Wilder, a tv producer who's show is on the skids.  He plays poker on Thursdays..until the game ends (very funny scene..the way actual middle aged men would fight..not at all 'hollywood') and he and Newhart decide to hang out on Thursdays, but keep telling their wives it's all about the card game.  This isn't a laugh out loud comedy, but a great showcase for the performers..I especially love Walker as the career counselor who cries over her jobless clients and advises them how to lie on resumes.  Wilder has an agent (Reiner) who doesn't know who he is, a son who goes to a camp where all activity is considered offensive to someone, and a wife (Burstyn) who thinks they're drifting apart.  The film was made in 1971, but not released until 74...I don't know if this was really a made for tv, or made independently (James Brooks writer/producer) and eventually sold to ABC.  I love 'finding' little films like this..definitely worth the time.

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The Lucy Show

I have been a huge fan of Lucille Ball's for a while now, and I like the fact that they decided to continue the "I Love Lucy" series with this sort of spinoff. Part of the reason I like this show, is Lucille and Vivian Vance both co-star in it, similarly to "Lucy." In my humble opinion, it is not quite as humorous as "ILL," but I still rather enjoy watching some of the episodes. 

 

Source: YouTube 

 

Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys 

The series from the '70s. I think the general premise of these 2 shows is all rather hokey, but I absolutely loved reading both series of books when I was younger, so I am able to appreciate the episodes in my own way. 

 

Source: YouTube 

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Hard Contract (1969) - FXM Retro On Demand

 

w/ James Coburn, Lee Remick, Lilli Palmer, Burgess Meredith, Patrick Magee, Sterling Hayden and Karen Black

 

A movie that could not have been made at any time other than the late 1960s. Not any sooner. And not any later.

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I found myself in a mood to watch musicals.  I started with one of my favorites-- Meet Me in St. Louis.  I know it's saccharine and the end is pretty corny, but I don't care.  This film is aesthetically gorgeous and it has great music! Plus, I'm a big fan of Judy Garland and I also like Mary Astor and Marjorie Main, so this film is a big win-win for me.  Also, the more I watch the film, the more I can see why Judy Garland's character was in love with Tom Drake's character.  I think John Truett is pretty cute in that "boy next door" kind of way.  His handsomeness wasn't out of this league like Flynn's or Grant's.  He is a more approachable kind of attractive (if that makes sense).  His shy, kind of dorky character is also endearing as well.  It's a shame that Tom Drake's career didn't allow for him to evolve into kind of a Van Johnson-esque career.  

 

Now I'm watching There's No Business Like Show Business.  I love Mitzi Gaynor.  I wish her TV Specials were more accessible. I kind of have to wait and hope that TCM or Get-TV airs them or that Mitzi herself maybe releases a boxed set or something.

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I was in the mood for a film out of one of my favorite genres: women in prison.  I am watching my recording of Ladies They Talk About.  I've seen this film before.  I found it enjoyable so I recorded it again.

 

I love early Barbara Stanwyck!

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It's an icky, dreary, rainy day here in Oregon and I'm in the middle of a three-day weekend! 

 

It's a good day to watch movies! 

 

Right now I'm watching Apartment For Peggy which I "rented" from Classic Flix.  I will say that the picture quality of this Fox release is disappointing. There are faint lines across the picture and the color is flat.  But I'm really enjoying Jeanne Crain in this film.  I think William Holden is in a rather thankless role, but this is about two years before he hit it big with Sunset Blvd.

 

LOL at William Holden and Edmund Gwenn trying to put together the baby furniture.  It reminds me of trying to put together IKEA furniture.  Lol.  It's nice to know that the build it yourself furniture was just as difficult to put together back then as it is now. 

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After finishing Apartment For Peggy, I wanted to watch something else along the same lines.  It's not quite time for an intense drama or noir type film.

 

I found a recording on my DVR of Suddenly It's Spring, with Paulette Goddard and Fred MacMurray.  Goddard is someone who I've discovered in the last year or so.  I found that I have quite a few of her films on my DVR: 'Spring,' Kitty, An Ideal Husband, On Our Merry Way, and Hold Back the Dawn.  I really liked her in Modern Times and The Cat and the Canary.  

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Scavenger Hunt ​(1979)--two hours of silliness..it's exactly what it says:  A wealthy game manufacturer requires family and household staff to complete a very difficult scavenger hunt to inherit his millions.  If you were alive in the 70s, you will recognize everyone in the cast, and it is a great cast.  A great movie? nope..but  you'll have some laughs.  Where else can you see Vincent Price, Cleavon Little, Ruth Gordon and Meat Loaf in one film?..and Roddy McDowall Tony Randall, James Coco, Richard Mulligan in a wedding dress, Henry Polic without his pants...well, it is fun.

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After finishing Apartment For Peggy, I wanted to watch something else along the same lines.  It's not quite time for an intense drama or noir type film.

 

I found a recording on my DVR of Suddenly It's Spring, with Paulette Goddard and Fred MacMurray.  Goddard is someone who I've discovered in the last year or so.  I found that I have quite a few of her films on my DVR: 'Spring,' Kitty, An Ideal Husband, On Our Merry Way, and Hold Back the Dawn.  I really liked her in Modern Times and The Cat and the Canary.  

The Cat and the Canary is one of my favorite old films. I really liked both Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard in it. Have you seen their other film, "The Ghost Breaker" (1940)? 

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The Cat and the Canary is one of my favorite old films. I really liked both Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard in it. Have you seen their other film, "The Ghost Breaker" (1940)? 

 

I haven't seen "The Ghost Breaker" ! I'll have to look out for it.  Thanks!

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