rayban Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 Yes, "The Enchanted Cottage" is a very special kind of film - it tells us - finally - that "beauty" does exist in the eye of the beholder - and that "beauty" can be very real to the beholder. But, first and foremost, it needs the kind of devotion and love that can inspire that kind of "beauty". The film is far from a fairy-tale. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
rayban Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 "Wuthering Heights" with Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon - the heartache in this film between Cathy and Heathcliff is so strong that the ending in which Heathcliff walks off with Cathy's ghost seems not only otherworldly, but "natural". It is such a dark and twisted tale, too, and the introduction of David Niven and Geraldine Fitzgerald can only add to the unavoidable tragedy. A film in which the lovers are doomed isn't a rarity on the screen. But one in which the misery is so persuasive and so overwhelming like this one is rare. Years later, there was a very good re-make, too, that starred Timothy Dalton. And it could be much more honest about the cause of Cathy's death - she had been carrying Heathcliff's baby. Anyway, as for the original, all of the four principals were memorable in establishing the miseries of love. YOUNG LOVE, FIRST LOVE, FILLED WITH SUCH EMOTION - 1 Link to post Share on other sites
rayban Posted November 19, 2016 Share Posted November 19, 2016 Airing again on November 18th. 1952 - such an out-and-out soap-opera, but Dorothy McQuire's unique performance elevates the material into a kind of high drama - and, let's face it, the ever-present MGM gloss, which I have always loved, does not hurt one bit. LOVE, RE-DEFINED & RE-IMAGINED - 1 Link to post Share on other sites
rayban Posted November 19, 2016 Share Posted November 19, 2016 1952 - such an out-and-out soap-opera, but Dorothy McQuire's unique performance elevates the material into a kind of high drama - and, let's face it, the ever-present MGM gloss, which I have always loved, does not hurt one bit. LOVE, RE-DEFINED & RE-IMAGINED - This one would've made a terrific Broadway play in the 50's. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
TopBilled Posted November 19, 2016 Author Share Posted November 19, 2016 1952 - such an out-and-out soap-opera, but Dorothy McQuire's unique performance elevates the material into a kind of high drama - and, let's face it, the ever-present MGM gloss, which I have always loved, does not hurt one bit. LOVE, RE-DEFINED & RE-IMAGINED - Great photo. And I totally agree-- McGuire gives the material more respect than it probably deserves. Everyone else is doing a standard MGM melodrama, but she's playing it like a Greek tragedy. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
rayban Posted December 2, 2016 Share Posted December 2, 2016 "To Each His Own" - what can I say? - such exquisite "torture" - as an out-and-out soap opera, this one has no equal - I surrended to it completely - in the end, I saw it through tears - yes, indeed, it is quite overpowering. John Lund has the role of a lifetime - as Olivia deHaviland's lover (killed in World War II) and then as her son. Has any other actor managed such a unique feat? 1 Link to post Share on other sites
TopBilled Posted December 2, 2016 Author Share Posted December 2, 2016 "To Each His Own" - what can I say? - such exquisite "torture" - as an out-and-out soap opera, this one has no equal - I surrended to it completely - in the end, I saw it through tears - yes, indeed, it is quite overpowering. John Lund has the role of a lifetime - as Olivia deHaviland's lover (killed in World War II) and then as her son. Has any other actor managed such a unique feat? In the 1936 melodrama COME AND GET IT, Frances Farmer plays Edward Arnold's wife. She is killed off after 30 minutes. Then in the next part, she plays his grown daughter, who of course resembles the dead mother. Both characters are named Lotta. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
jamesjazzguitar Posted December 2, 2016 Share Posted December 2, 2016 "To Each His Own" - what can I say? - such exquisite "torture" - as an out-and-out soap opera, this one has no equal - I surrended to it completely - in the end, I saw it through tears - yes, indeed, it is quite overpowering. John Lund has the role of a lifetime - as Olivia deHaviland's lover (killed in World War II) and then as her son. Has any other actor managed such a unique feat? The wife and I were watching To Each His Own and around halfway in she says 'this film has one tragedy after another, this is torture'. When the grown up son came into the story she said 'if they kill him off, I don't want to see it'. While not giving away the ending I assured her the story ended on the happy side. She used over half a box of tissues! 2 Link to post Share on other sites
rayban Posted December 2, 2016 Share Posted December 2, 2016 In the 1936 melodrama COME AND GET IT, Frances Farmer plays Edward Arnold's wife. She is killed off after 30 minutes. Then in the next part, she plays his grown daughter, who of course resembles the dead mother. Both characters are named Lotta. Jarrod - as I have said on more than one occasion - YOU ARE THE MAN! 1 Link to post Share on other sites
rayban Posted December 2, 2016 Share Posted December 2, 2016 The wife and I were watching To Each His Own and around halfway in she says 'this film has one tragedy after another, this is torture'. When the grown up son came into the story she said 'if they kill him off, I don't want to see it'. While not giving away the ending I assured her the story ended on the happy side. She used over half a box of tissues! At the very least, half a box of tissues!! Link to post Share on other sites
rayban Posted December 3, 2016 Share Posted December 3, 2016 I think that movies that are essentially soap-operas but have the ingredient of "madness" added to the mix are always more memorable than movies that simply insist on suffering - and I include in this first category - "To Each His Own", "Magnificent Obsession", "Written On The Wind" and "Madame X". If they manage to remain standing at the end, you, the audience, are truly surprised. Thrillers sometimes have this unique blend of soap suds and madness - thrillers like "Vertigo" and "Obsession". More conventional soap-operas like "All That Heaven Allows" are still enjoyable, anyway. Madness isn't essential, but it helps. Link to post Share on other sites
TopBilled Posted December 3, 2016 Author Share Posted December 3, 2016 More conventional soap-operas like "All That Heaven Allows" are still enjoyable, anyway. All (and I do mean all) of my feminist professors in film school gave lectures on ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS. It is considered the quintessential 50s melodrama-- showing the confinement of the female subject by an unyielding and unforgiving patriarchal society. It's my favorite in this period/genre. Jane Wyman really captures the struggle that woman is facing as she deals with an empty nest. She falls in love with someone outside her class and must still keep up appearances and avoid scandal at all costs. It's a brilliant examination of the bourgeoisie. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
rayban Posted December 3, 2016 Share Posted December 3, 2016 All (and I do mean all) of my feminist professors in film school gave lectures on ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS. It is considered the quintessential 50s melodrama-- showing the confinement of the female subject by an unyielding and unforgiving patriarchal society. It's my favorite in this period/genre. Jane Wyman really captures the struggle that woman is facing as she deals with an empty nest. She falls in love with someone outside her class and must still keep up appearances and avoid scandal at all costs. It's a brilliant examination of the bourgeoisie. I could not agree more - and we must thank Douglas Sirk. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
TopBilled Posted July 10, 2018 Author Share Posted July 10, 2018 There's a good article about INVITATION (1952) on the TCM database: http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/534/Invitation/articles.html#00 Link to post Share on other sites
rayban Posted July 10, 2018 Share Posted July 10, 2018 Although "Shenandoah" is a family saga at the time of the outbreak of The Civil War, the closeness of James Stewart's character, Charlie Anderson, with his son, Phillip Alford, Boy Anderson, who is eventually abducted by Union soldiers, IS a situation that is fraught with such terrible heartache. At the end, when Phillip Alford returns to the loving embrace of James Stewart - filthy, crippled, on a crutch - you can't help but dissolve into tears. This 1965 film is directed by Andrew V. McLaglen with such a strong grip on your emotions that, although you may feel manipulated, you can only "give in". 1 Link to post Share on other sites
jaragon Posted July 11, 2018 Share Posted July 11, 2018 On 10/13/2016 at 11:17 AM, rayban said: "Wuthering Heights" with Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon - the heartache in this film between Cathy and Heathcliff is so strong that the ending in which Heathcliff walks off with Cathy's ghost seems not only otherworldly, but "natural". It is such a dark and twisted tale, too, and the introduction of David Niven and Geraldine Fitzgerald can only add to the unavoidable tragedy. A film in which the lovers are doomed isn't a rarity on the screen. But one in which the misery is so persuasive and so overwhelming like this one is rare. Years later, there was a very good re-make, too, that starred Timothy Dalton. And it could be much more honest about the cause of Cathy's death - she had been carrying Heathcliff's baby. Anyway, as for the original, all of the four principals were memorable in establishing the miseries of love. YOUNG LOVE, FIRST LOVE, FILLED WITH SUCH EMOTION - This is very dark story 1 Link to post Share on other sites
rayban Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 "Random Harvest" - 1942 - Mervyn LeRoy - this film is done in such a masterful way that it almost avoids the term, "tearjerker". 2 Link to post Share on other sites
TopBilled Posted September 12, 2018 Author Share Posted September 12, 2018 3 hours ago, rayban said: "Random Harvest" - 1942 - Mervyn LeRoy - this film is done in such a masterful way that it almost avoids the term, "tearjerker". Yes, I doubt it could have been made as well at any other studio. MGM's glossy production values give this story (a routine woman's picture) a lot of class. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
jamesjazzguitar Posted September 12, 2018 Share Posted September 12, 2018 9 minutes ago, TopBilled said: Yes, I doubt it could have been made as well at any other studio. MGM's glossy production values give this story (a routine woman's picture) a lot of class. Well said; This type of picture (as you said, a routine woman's picture) can sometimes cross over into camp territory or becomes so syrupy that the touchings sentiments are drowned in goo. With the on-spot acting of the two main stars and those glossy MGM production values this film 'works'. 3 Link to post Share on other sites
DougieB Posted September 13, 2018 Share Posted September 13, 2018 On 9/12/2018 at 2:42 PM, jamesjazzguitar said: Well said; This type of picture (as you said, a routine woman's picture) can sometimes cross over into camp territory or becomes so syrupy that the touchings sentiments are drowned in goo. With the on-spot acting of the two main stars and those glossy MGM production values this film 'works'. Greer Garson could definitely be guilty of "goo" on occasion, sometimes undermining the credibility of her character. But I agree that her performance here was very measured (and spot on, as you said). She was the picture of patience and loving support as she worked to become the helpmate of the man who no longer remembered her. It's a wonderful romantic film which stands up to repeated viewings. 3 Link to post Share on other sites
DougieB Posted September 14, 2018 Share Posted September 14, 2018 On 9/12/2018 at 2:02 PM, TopBilled said: Yes, I doubt it could have been made as well at any other studio. MGM's glossy production values give this story (a routine woman's picture) a lot of class. Agreed. Just as an afterthought, the outfit shown in the above picture is one of my all-time favorites of any actress in any film. Class indeed. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
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