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HITS & MISSES: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow on TCM


Bogie56
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I think this is going to inspire me to do an in-home Tay Garnett film festival.

 

Make some Paradise Cocktails to accompany the films (as you probably know, that's the drink that is featured so prominently at the start of One Way Passage).

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kingrat, on 04 Mar 2016 - 7:18 PM, said:

Lawrence, I'll bet you're going to enjoy TRADE WINDS. This one's not too serious, even though there's a mystery and a murder involved. There's also romance and comedy. This is the movie where you get to see Joan Bennett go from blonde to brunette as part of the plot. She looked so much better as a brunette that she stayed that way. There's also Fredric March as the detective pursuing Joan (in more ways than one), Ann Sothern stealing some scenes, and Ralph Bellamy with a chance to get a girl this time. TRADE WINDS started with home movies of the South Seas that Tay Garnett had taken. The plot was then built around them.

 

 

 

I agree, kingrat, that Trades Winds is a fun comedy adventure, briskly moving in its world travelogue story line, with solid work by all four actors. Highlight of the film for me is when detective Sam Wye (Fredric March) is playing the piano, not knowing that a cobra is crawling towards him.

 

The main problem with this film for me, though, is that it has so much of some of the worst and most obvious rear screen projection shots that you'll ever seen in a film. Yes, I know, that we are used to this sort of thing in studio made films, and have a tendency (at least, I do) to ignore it. In the case of Trade Winds, however, I found it distracting to a degree, though.

 

I wouldn't mention this except for the fact that, otherwise, I like the film so much and wish it hadn't been flawed by making it look like a cheap production, at times.

 

04-tradewinds-turf-club-bazaar.gif

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Monday, March 7

 

7:45 a.m.  Hawaii (1966)  Featuring a great performance by Max von Sydow.  Julie Andrews and Oscar nominated, Jocelyn LeGarde aren’t bad either.

 

10:30 p.m.  Moulin Rouge (1952)  Good John Huston film with Jose Ferrer and the Queen of Outer Space,  Zsa Zsa Gabor!

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Young Frankenstein is hilarious.  My favorite part is Dr. Frankenstein (Frah-ken-steen) and his monster sing "Puttin' on the Ritz."  "puttin on da reeeeetz"

 

 

 

So many great moments in YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN.

 

There's the "Puttin' On The Riz" number you mention.

 

Some other favorites of mine:

"Put the candle back."

Frau Bleucher's: "Yes! Yes! Say iit! He vas my boyfriend!"

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Tuesday, March 8

 

8 p.m.  Frenchman’s Creek (1944).  This is on a few times but I’ve never seen it.  A Daphne DeMaurier film with a great cast - Joan Fontaine, Arturo de Cordova and Basil Rathbone.

 

3:15 a.m.  La Cage aux Folles (1979).  Michel Serrault is a scream in this.

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I'll be taping Honkee Tonk (1941) and Crossroads (1942).

 

Oh, and The Ritz (1976) late night.

 

I haven't seen these 3.

 

The Ritz (1976) is pretty good if you enjoy French farce.  Rita Moreno was nominated for a BAFTA for her broad performance.

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Tuesday, March 8

 

8 p.m.  Frenchman’s Creek (1944).  This is on a few times but I’ve never seen it.  A Daphne DeMaurier film with a great cast - Joan Fontaine, Arturo de Cordova and Basil Rathbone.

 

3:15 a.m.  La Cage aux Folles (1979).  Michel Serrault is a scream in this.

 

 

RE: Frenchman's Creek.  Be prepared for the quality of the print to be very very bright.  For fans of the author and actors it is worth the look, but I know when it aired earlier from the two threads about it that some people stopped watching midway because it hurt their eyes.  I watched it the whole way through and enjoyed it, but the quality of the print sometimes derailed my ability to follow the storyline.

 

Plus, as an aside for fans of Rathbone Holmes movies and to decrease any suspense unintended by the filmmakers, while both Rathbone and Bruce are in the film, they generally don't share screen time.

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Tuesday has quite a number of good films:

 

**** TONK - This was one of the big hits of 1941. Clark Gable and Lana Turner make a great couple, and if you only know Lana from her Peyton Place/Imitation of Life later phase, you have no idea how beautiful she was and how much energy she brings to the screen.

 

THE UNFINISHED DANCE - Not well known, but usually liked by those who have seen it. Margaret O'Brien tries to ruin the performance of a rival of her dance teacher, but accidentally injures her seriously. This is a well-acted drama that tries to avoid sentimentality and mawkishness.

 

FRENCHMAN'S CREEK - Thoroughly entertaining film, but an awful print.

 

MY COUSIN RACHEL - The young and handsome Richard Burton has to decide if the enticing older woman (Olivia De Havilland) genuinely loves him or is trying to poison him for his money.

 

THE RITZ - I saw this years ago and still remember the name "Seymour Pippin." Rita Moreno is a lot of fun.

 

LA CAGE AUX FOLLES - The Mike Nichols remake, THE BIRDCAGE, has a great cast but plays the material as a sentimental drama with moments of comedy. The original is an all-out farce. You won't see many better adaptations of stage play to movie than the second half of LA CAGE, which mostly takes place in one set. Edouard Molinaro thoroughly deserved his nomination as Best Director.

 

 

 

 

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Wednesday, March 9

 

1:30 a.m.  Nikki, Wild Dog of the North (1961).  I’ve never seen this one.  Chances are it was shot in picturesque Quebec as it stars Emile Genest who was also in Disney’s, The Incredible Journey and Big Red.  Quebecers will know Genest from the Plouffe Family.

 
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All times E.S.T.:

 

6:15 p.m. "Torch Song" (1953)--Unforgettable staging of song "Two-Faced Woman" and its' aftermath.  Film is funnier than Carol Burnetts' parody "Torchy Song"; CB's version can be seen on YT for those who want an advance peek at the scheduled film.  Recommended for fans of the silly.

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Tomorrow, March 9, I'll be taping:

 

Susan and God (1940)

 

Humoresque (1946)

 

 

And, on a side note, why is 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) in the Horror genre on the TCM schedule? That's dumb.

Humoresque is wonderful

 

 

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is a Jules Verne book, is it  not?

 

I'm guessing that is why.  I t should as such be put into Science Fiction/Fantasy, in my opinion, because of the author.

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20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is a Jules Verne book, is it  not?

 

I'm guessing that is why.  I t should as such be put into Science Fiction/Fantasy, in my opinion, because of the author.

 Science fiction is an acceptable genre for it, but I would personally put it in the Adventure category.

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All times E.S.T.:

 

6:15 p.m. "Torch Song" (1953)--Unforgettable staging of song "Two-Faced Woman" and its' aftermath.  Film is funnier than Carol Burnetts' parody "Torchy Song"; CB's version can be seen on YT for those who want an advance peek at the scheduled film.  Recommended for fans of the silly.

Come on, guys, you KNOW you want to see Joan Crawford in blackface!

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Come on, guys, you KNOW you want to see Joan Crawford in blackface!

I still have this movie (and I think all the other Crawford films) recorded from the last Crawford tribute.  While I always cringe at blackface routines, I recorded The Torch Song just to see the Crawford black face routine!

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3/9

 

HITS

 

The Women.  While some may lament the time that The Women is scheduled in accordance with the Wine Club recommendation, I say that watching this movie while drinking wine is the best way to see it.  Granted 4:45am may be a little early to drink wine (or who knows?! Maybe you're still up partying from the night before and 4:45am is totally the right time for wine), but one could always record the film and then watch it at a more wine-appropriate time.  Though as Jimmy Buffet says, it's always 5 o'clock somewhere.  Anyway, wine pairing aside, this is a great film full of catty women and one of my favorite scenes: The fight between Rosalind Russell and Paulette Goddard.

 

Mildred Pierce.  One of the best noir melodramas.  I was never a big fan of Crawford, but I do really enjoy her 1940s-1950s output.  She was excellent as Mildred Pierce.  Jack Carson was a revelation as Mildred's boyfriend, Wally Fay.  Up until I saw this film, I had only seen Carson in comical roles.  Mildred Pierce demonstrated to me how adept Carson was at drama.  My favorite character in this film was Ann Blyth's character, Veda.  She was so delightfully awful, I enjoyed her character immensely.  

 

RECORDING:

 

I'm recording the Mickey cartoons: The Whalers and Sea Scouts.  I'm also recording the Disney documentaries, Operation Undersea and Secrets of Life.  

 

I still have Susan and God, Humoresque, Possessed and Torch Song recorded from last time Crawford had a TCM tribute.  I still want to see each film.  

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Re: blackface routines.

 

I cringe all the time and I generally leave the room when they happen.

 

Except for The Jazz Singer that I watched for it being  the "first talkie" I generally avoid everything Al Jolson did because blackface was the reason he was famous.

 

I think of the fact that he and Ruby  Keeler were married every time I see her on screen.

 

Torch Song was a one time viewing for me.

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Wednesday, March 9 Nikki, Wild Dog of the North (1961).  I’ve never seen this one.  Chances are it was shot in picturesque Quebec


 


Well that got good reviews, so I'm recording it along with March 12th's BEHAVE YOURSELF! a Shelly Winters comedy centering around a dog. 

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