HITS & MISSES: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow on TCM

[LawrenceA]

Monday, March 14

 

midnight.  Rembrandt (1936).  A rare opportunity to see Gertrude Lawrence on film.  Roger Livesey is quite good too as the Beggar Saul.

 

That's the one I'm taping tomorrow.

[GregoryPeckfan]

I've seen Rembrandt.  It is full of excellent performances.

[LornaHansonForbes]

I've seen Rembrandt. It is full of excellent performances.

The one with Charles Laughton?

 

if so, I heartily agree. Both he and especially his wife Elsa Lancaster are absolutely terrific. It may actually be the best role she ever got.

 

(May be.)

[LornaHansonForbes]

....also:

 

As i recall it, i saw both REMBRANDT and THE PRIVATE LIFE OF HENRY VIII for the first time each back-to-back on TCM, and the on-screen relationship of Laughton and Lancaster is great in both films, which complement one another nicely as a double feature.

[mr6666]

late Mon., 3-14

 

1:30 AM   Andrei Rublev (1969)

The legendary 15th-century painter fights to continue working while his country is at war.

Dir: Andrey Tarkovskiy Cast:  Anatoli Solonitzine , Nikolay Sergeyev , N. Grinko .

C-206 mins,

-banned by the Soviet authorities for 5 years, Tarkovsky's Andrei Rublev has been voted one of the top films of all time by Sight and Sound magazine.

 

Article: http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/67330/Andrei-Rublev/articles.html

[HoldenIsHere]

As i recall it, i saw both REMBRANDT and THE PRIVATE LIFE OF HENRY VIII for the first time each back-to-back on TCM, and the on-screen relationship of Laughton and Lancaster is great in both films, which complement one another nicely as a double feature.

 

Laughton and Lancaster also play well off each other in WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION although his character says some pretty mean things to hers.  

[Boris Lermontov]

Laughton and Lancaster also play well off each other in WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION although his character says some pretty mean things to hers.

 

Sir Wilfrid: "If you were a woman, Miss Plimsoll, I would strike you."

[kingrat]

Sunday 3/13 had a schedule very much to my taste, with LOVE LETTERS, THE UNINVITED, THE QUIET AMERICAN (1958), TOOTSIE, and SAWDUST AND TINSEL. THE SMILING LIEUTENANT and VICTOR/VICTORIA aren't chopped liver, either. I should have taken the opportunity to see Errol Flynn in THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER.

 

Monday 3/14 - Anyone who hasn't seen THE ASPHALT JUNGLE has a chance to remedy that.

 

Tuesday 3/15 - HONEYMOON FOR THREE is a very funny screwball comedy. Ann Sheridan should have been cast in more comedies. And George Brent can actually play comedy, which surprised the heck out of me.

[GregoryPeckfan]

We don't get The Asphalt Jungle in Canada anymore.

 

I've seen George Brent in comedies before.  He seems like he was always in comedies when I  see his comedies.  Does that make sense?

 

For people who want to see an Art in Movies film done in colour that is not boring and is  full of solid performances, check out Lust For Life about Van Gogh.  Kirk Douglas looks like Van Gogh, it was filmed on location where the paintings were painted, and Anthony Quinn got some Oscar love.  Michael Douglas has said that the portrayal was so real that when he and his brother saw it on the big screen they thought that Kirk had actually cut off his ear like Van Gogh.

[Fedya]

Tuesday 3/15 - HONEYMOON FOR THREE is a very funny screwball comedy.

It's a remake of 1933's Goodbye Again, starring Warren William and Joan Blondell. I never cared for the character Warren William plays in this one, and haven't seen Honeymoon for Three as a result.

[LornaHansonForbes]

For anyone interested, The source novel for THE ASPHALT JUNGLE by WR Burnett is terrific, maybe even better than the movie as it is not constrained by The Code.

[kingrat]

It's a remake of 1933's Goodbye Again, starring Warren William and Joan Blondell. I never cared for the character Warren William plays in this one, and haven't seen Honeymoon for Three as a result.

I'll have to look for the original. in HONEYMOON FOR THREE George Brent plays a best-selling author pursued by his female fans. Ann Sheridan, his secretary, is of course the right woman for him.

[TomJH]

I'll have to look for the original. in HONEYMOON FOR THREE George Brent plays a best-selling author pursued by his female fans. Ann Sheridan, his secretary, is of course the right woman for him.

I like Ann Sheridan but Honeymoon for Three is pretty lame. George Brent's attempts to play comedy on screen are, to put it kindly, strained, but the material doesn't help. This is a good illustration of the kind of second rate material with which the talented Sheridan too often got saddled during her Warner Bros. heyday.

[TomJH]

 

Victor/Victoria.  This is a really fun film starring Julie Andrews and James Garner.  Andrews is fabulous as is Robert Preston who portrays Andrews' fellow cabaret partner.

 

 

I remember seeing Victor Victoria at the show when it came out. Had a great time. A sophisticated, witty delight, with some great music (Julie's "Jazz Hot Baby" number, in particular, is terrific) and comedy, and a wonderful cast of stars, all effective in their roles, including even Alex Karris. Robert Preston gives one of the great performances of his career, while Lesley Ann Warren steals every scene she's in.

 

Far and away my favourite film with Julie Andrews, and it's a delight to watch her chemistry with the great James Garner, reminding me, in turn, how great they had been together in Americanization of Emily.

[Bogie56]

Tuesday, March 15

 

6 a.m.  The Rich Are Always With Us (1932).  A Bette Davis film that I have not yet seen.

 

[Swithin]

Tuesday, March 15

 

6 a.m.  The Rich Are Always With Us (1932).  A Bette Davis film that I have not yet seen.

 

Don't know that one -- thanks -- and with the great Ruth Chatterton!

[JamesJazGuitar]

Don't know that one -- thanks -- and with the great Ruth Chatterton!

 

I'm glad Bogie56 let us know about The Rich Are Always With Us since I haven't seen it either.    This Chatterton film sounds interesting with Davis as a supporting player.     Have to DVD it since I won't be up at 3:00 am!

[Bogie56]

Wednesday, March 16

 

The day is full of films that I have not seen.  Some of them starring favourite heavy, Barton MacLane.

 

But I am definitely skipping the Hugh Herbert comedy at 

1:45 p.m.  That Man’s Here Again (1937).

 

It seems Jerry Lewis was born on two days as his celebration continues this evening.  Maybe it was a difficult birth?

 

9:30 p.m.  The King of Comedy (1983).  Jerry and De Niro are both great in this but Sandra Bernhard practically steals the show.  Hers was the Best Supporting Actress performance of the year in my book.   Though now it appears the film was released in 1982 in Iceland.

I saw Sandra Bernhard not long after this film was made in a comedy club on Sunset Blvd. and sadly she spent her entire act swearing at the audience.  Who knows what she was on?

[rosebette]

Relaxing on semester break and watched The Purchase Price and My Reputation, both with Barbara Stanwyck and George Brent.  The Purchase Price was a great piece of pre-code work by William Wellman, at some points not very credible, but great fun.   I was surprised at how young Babs looked in that one, hardly a hardened gangster's moll.  She aged more gracefully than her co-star George Brent, as in My Reputation, she still looks quite young, while George looks distinctly middle-aged, too old to be the serviceman he's playing.  I liked My Reputation more than I expected to.  The movie had some good points on how restricted women were by society; just because the main character is a widow, apparently, she's supposed to wear black for the rest of her life and never look at another man.

[GregoryPeckfan]

Relaxing on semester break and watched The Purchase Price and My Reputation, both with Barbara Stanwyck and George Brent.  The Purchase Price was a great piece of pre-code work by William Wellman, at some points not very credible, but great fun.   I was surprised at how young Babs looked in that one, hardly a hardened gangster's moll.  She aged more gracefully than her co-star George Brent, as in My Reputation, she still looks quite young, while George looks distinctly middle-aged, too old to be the serviceman he's playing.  I liked My Reputation more than I expected to.  The movie had some good points on how restricted women were by society; just because the main character is a widow, apparently, she's supposed to wear black for the rest of her life and never look at another man.

I've recorded some of the films today which I have not seen.  TCM has another birthday being celebrated today on their site as it was George Brent's birthday as well as Jerry Lewis.

 

I've seen both these movies before and they were a great screen team.

[speedracer5]

Relaxing on semester break and watched The Purchase Price and My Reputation, both with Barbara Stanwyck and George Brent.  The Purchase Price was a great piece of pre-code work by William Wellman, at some points not very credible, but great fun.   I was surprised at how young Babs looked in that one, hardly a hardened gangster's moll.  She aged more gracefully than her co-star George Brent, as in My Reputation, she still looks quite young, while George looks distinctly middle-aged, too old to be the serviceman he's playing.  I liked My Reputation more than I expected to.  The movie had some good points on how restricted women were by society; just because the main character is a widow, apparently, she's supposed to wear black for the rest of her life and never look at another man.

 

I really liked My Reputation.  I don't know what it is, because usually I'm not a "chick flick" person, but I love the "weepies" or the "women's pictures" of the Golden Age.  If the chick flick isn't contrived or heavily formulaic, then I usually find them more interesting.  In fact, I actually have two chick flicks sitting on my TV stand that I borrowed from the library that I'm waiting to watch--Steel Magnolias and Under the Tuscan Sun.  I've seen the latter film before and really enjoyed it.  I've seen the beginning of 'Magnolias,' but didn't see the whole film.  I know that it ends sad, so I'll watch anticipating something depressing happening.

 

But I digress! I wanted to comment about My Reputation.  I love Stanwyck and I thought she was excellent in this film.  I even liked George Brent and of the other Brent films I've seen, I've typically found him a bit dull.  I agree that he was a little too old, but I thought he made a good couple with Stanwyck.  I loved the perpetually in mourning mother and I thought it was an interesting story about a woman wanting to move on in her life and society wanting her to eternally mourn her husband.  I thought the children were a bit annoying.  That's the problem I've found with how children are written and how they act in some of these films.  Granted, I know that children on a whole were probably more polite than children are nowadays... but I find the overly obedient and melodramatic children in some of these films to be over the top and annoying.  That's why I do like Shirley Temple and Margaret O'Brien because they seem a little more natural.  I thought the two boys in this film were a little over the top, but it was sweet that they were so devoted to their mother. Scotty Beckett had such a baby face, it was surprising to me that he was supposed to be 14 in this film, and even more surprising that he was actually 17!

[mr6666]

Wed., 3-16

 

7:45 AM (ET)

Road Gang (1936)

A reporter exposes corruption on a southern chain gang.

Dir: Louis King Cast:  Donald Woods , Kay Linaker , Carlyle Moore Jr. .

 LEONARD MALTIN REVIEW:

D: Louis King. Donald Woods, Kay Linaker, Carlyle Moore, Jr., Joseph Crehan, Henry O'Neill, Addison Richards, Marc Lawrence.

Woods is a Chicago reporter who causes trouble for racketeers and crooked politicos and winds up in a brutal Southern chain gang for his efforts. Derivative but effective and absorbing programmer, scripted by Dalton Trumbo.

 

11:15 AM

B/W
58 min
TV-G

drama

Draegerman Courage (1937)

After a mine cave in, the rescue crew risks their lives to search for two trapped miners.

Dir: Louis King Cast:  Jean Muir , Barton MacLane , Henry O'Neill .

LEONARD MALTIN REVIEW:

D: Louis King. Barton MacLane, Jean Muir, Henry O'Neill, Robert Barrat, Addison Richards, Gordon Oliver, Joseph Crehan.

Tense, vividly filmed yarn about a mine cave-in, which is complicated by the antagonism among those trapped inside--including a doctor, the mine owner, and the foreman--and ace rescuer MacLane, who's in love with the doc's daughter and was fired for warning about a previous cave-in. First-rate programmer, reportedly based on a real-life Nova Scotia mine disaster in 1936.

[rosebette]

I really liked My Reputation.  I don't know what it is, because usually I'm not a "chick flick" person, but I love the "weepies" or the "women's pictures" of the Golden Age.  If the chick flick isn't contrived or heavily formulaic, then I usually find them more interesting.  In fact, I actually have two chick flicks sitting on my TV stand that I borrowed from the library that I'm waiting to watch--Steel Magnolias and Under the Tuscan Sun.  I've seen the latter film before and really enjoyed it.  I've seen the beginning of 'Magnolias,' but didn't see the whole film.  I know that it ends sad, so I'll watch anticipating something depressing happening.

 

But I digress! I wanted to comment about My Reputation.  I love Stanwyck and I thought she was excellent in this film.  I even liked George Brent and of the other Brent films I've seen, I've typically found him a bit dull.  I agree that he was a little too old, but I thought he made a good couple with Stanwyck.  I loved the perpetually in mourning mother and I thought it was an interesting story about a woman wanting to move on in her life and society wanting her to eternally mourn her husband.  I thought the children were a bit annoying.  That's the problem I've found with how children are written and how they act in some of these films.  Granted, I know that children on a whole were probably more polite than children are nowadays... but I find the overly obedient and melodramatic children in some of these films to be over the top and annoying.  That's why I do like Shirley Temple and Margaret O'Brien because they seem a little more natural.  I thought the two boys in this film were a little over the top, but it was sweet that they were so devoted to their mother. Scotty Beckett had such a baby face, it was surprising to me that he was supposed to be 14 in this film, and even more surprising that he was actually 17!

I actually liked the two boys in the movie and found them very natural.  I also found it very authentic that they were ready to go to a ball game or a party right after their father died (I have 3 grown children, and I remember how selfish adolescents and preadolescents can be), but then expected their mother to give up her life for them.  

 

By the way, I would have loved to have George Brent day all day, rather than watch Jerry Lewis at night.  While I'm not a Brent fan, he made some good films, especially with Warners, with some of the best leading ladies.  I actually chose to correct papers on my laptop rather than watch Jerry Lewis last night.  Tonight, I'll be spending the evening with War and Peace and my Kindle.

[LornaHansonForbes]

Laughton and Lancaster also play well off each other in WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION although his character says some pretty mean things to hers.  

 

Yes, a great triple feature would be a night of the Laughton/Lanchester(sp?) troika.

Was it just three movies they made together?

[speedracer5]

I actually liked the two boys in the movie and found them very natural.  I also found it very authentic that they were ready to go to a ball game or a party right after their father died (I have 3 grown children, and I remember how selfish adolescents and preadolescents can be), but then expected their mother to give up her life for them.  

 

By the way, I would have loved to have George Brent day all day, rather than watch Jerry Lewis at night.  While I'm not a Brent fan, he made some good films, especially with Warners, with some of the best leading ladies.  I actually chose to correct papers on my laptop rather than watch Jerry Lewis last night.  Tonight, I'll be spending the evening with War and Peace and my Kindle.

In lieu of Jerry Lewis (I find him absolutely obnoxious) I watched reruns of Golden Girls and Brady Bunch. Much more preferable in my opinion. Tonight maybe I'll try to clear off some films from the DVR.