I Just Watched...

[DownGoesFrazier]

I did not know that!

Thanks!

(been a long time since I have crossed ye ponde.)

Coincidence that you should word it that way. I've just started to read Ed MacMahon's autobiography.

[darkblue]

 

There were twenty (20) shillings per pound. 

The shilling was subdivided into twelve (12) pennies. 

The penny was further sub-divided into two halfpennies or four farthings (quarter pennies). 

 

 

2 farthings = 1 halfpenny

 

2 halfpence = 1 penny (1d)

 

3 pence = 1 thruppence (3d)

 

6 pence = 1 sixpence (a 'tanner') (6d)

 

12 pence = 1 shilling (a bob) (1s)

 

2 shillings = 1 florin ( a 'two bob bit') (2s)

 

2 shillings and 6 pence = 1 half crown (2s 6d)

 

5 shillings = 1 Crown (5s)

 

 

 

Ahh, The Third Age of Middle Earth. So adorable.

[FredCDobbs]

In old movies of the 1930s and 40s, a Pound is worth about $5 US dollars.

[Mr. Gorman]

Pounds Sterling symbol:  £

 

     If I turn on the 'Num Lock' and then press the 'Alt' key and then '156' on the Numeric Keypad I get this:  £

 

 

    Cheers.

[speedracer5]

Last night I watched A Foreign Affair.  It had been recommended to me on the board a few months ago.  When I saw that it was directed by one of my favorites, Billy Wilder, and it starred another of my new favorite actors (thanks to TCM where I discovered her), Jean Arthur, I was really looking forward to this film.  It was also going to be my first exposure to Marlene Dietrich in a more substantial role (I'd only seen her in Touch of Evil prior).  I hate to say it, but I didn't get this film.  I didn't understand why it was considered a comedy.  The leading man, John Lund, was dull.  He reminded me of George Brent.  They should have cast George Brent, even he would have been more interesting (and I haven't had much of an opinion about him in the films I've seen him in). 

 

Jean Arthur was okay in the film, though she seemed to be lacking some of her usual charm.  I still enjoyed her, though I wasn't crazy about the Swiss Miss hairstyle that she had going on.  I was hoping when she put on the evening gown that she would let her hair down, but alas no.  Though I must say that John Lund is the world's best seamstress (seamstor?) when he was able to tailor Arthur's dress so well with just a safety pin.  He also did a great job attaching it.  If I tried wearing a dress held together with a safety pin, it would have eventually fallen out.  Especially after I was thrown up in the air multiple times.  I did like the scene where she was drunk at the cabaret club and was thrown up into the air by the other drunks and literally left hanging.  That was probably the funniest part of the film.

 

Marlene Dietrich I really liked.  She has a very unique look and I thought she was very glamorous.  I loved the clothes she wore in this film and I loved her cabaret songs that she performed (well, the "Black Market" song was a little dull).  I loved the temptress angle to her character and I liked hearing her speak German.  I also thought what she did for Jean Arthur's character was sweet.  

 

I also really liked the music.  Billy Wilder must have been a fan of "Isn't it Romantic?" because he uses it in quite a few of his films.  I know it's in at least two of his films and perhaps more.

 

However, maybe I'm missing something, but I found the film a little boring.  I don't think it is as good as some of Wilder's other efforts like Sunset Boulevard, Sabrina, and The Apartment.

 

I did really like Dietrich though and look forward to the other Dietrich films I have recorded: Blue Angel, Witness For Prosecution, Stage Fright, The Garden of Allah, and Kismet.

[DownGoesFrazier]

Last night I watched A Foreign Affair.  It had been recommended to me on the board a few months ago.  When I saw that it was directed by one of my favorites, Billy Wilder, and it starred another of my new favorite actors (thanks to TCM where I discovered her), Jean Arthur, I was really looking forward to this film.  It was also going to be my first exposure to Marlene Dietrich in a more substantial role (I'd only seen her in Touch of Evil prior).  I hate to say it, but I didn't get this film.  I didn't understand why it was considered a comedy.  The leading man, John Lund, was dull.  He reminded me of George Brent.  They should have cast George Brent, even he would have been more interesting (and I haven't had much of an opinion about him in the films I've seen him in). 

 

Jean Arthur was okay in the film, though she seemed to be lacking some of her usual charm.  I still enjoyed her, though I wasn't crazy about the Swiss Miss hairstyle that she had going on.  I was hoping when she put on the evening gown that she would let her hair down, but alas no.  Though I must say that John Lund is the world's best seamstress (seamstor?) when he was able to tailor Arthur's dress so well with just a safety pin.  He also did a great job attaching it.  If I tried wearing a dress held together with a safety pin, it would have eventually fallen out.  Especially after I was thrown up in the air multiple times.  I did like the scene where she was drunk at the cabaret club and was thrown up into the air by the other drunks and literally left hanging.  That was probably the funniest part of the film.

 

Marlene Dietrich I really liked.  She has a very unique look and I thought she was very glamorous.  I loved the clothes she wore in this film and I loved her cabaret songs that she performed (well, the "Black Market" song was a little dull).  I loved the temptress angle to her character and I liked hearing her speak German.  I also thought what she did for Jean Arthur's character was sweet.  

 

I also really liked the music.  Billy Wilder must have been a fan of "Isn't it Romantic?" because he uses it in quite a few of his films.  I know it's in at least two of his films and perhaps more.

 

However, maybe I'm missing something, but I found the film a little boring.  I don't think it is as good as some of Wilder's other efforts like Sunset Boulevard, Sabrina, and The Apartment.

 

I did really like Dietrich though and look forward to the other Dietrich films I have recorded: Blue Angel, Witness For Prosecution, Stage Fright, The Garden of Allah, and Kismet.

John Lund is KNOWN for being dull  When you look up the word "dull" in the dictionary, there is a picture of John Lund. He even has a dull name.

[film lover 293]

"Under Capricorn"--(1949)--Was delighted to find a fairly good Hitchcock film--its' strength is in Ingrid Bergman's & Joseph Cotten's performances--Margaret Leighton also did a fine job--Michael Wilding was adequate--a strange thing, for Hitchcock--musical score was bad, throwing me out of the film at times.  Film grows in power as it goes along--script meanders, but overall a very watchable film.

[LornaHansonForbes]

Last night I watched A Foreign Affair.  .  I hate to say it, but I didn't get this film.  I didn't understand why it was considered a comedy. 

 

Jean Arthur was okay in the film, though she seemed to be lacking some of her usual charm.  I still enjoyed her, though I wasn't crazy about the Swiss Miss hairstyle that she had going on.  I was hoping when she put on the evening gown that she would let her hair down, but alas no. 

However, maybe I'm missing something, but I found the film a little boring.  I don't think it is as good as some of Wilder's other efforts like Sunset Boulevard, Sabrina, and The Apartment.

 

 

I'm not entirely sure A FOREIGN AFFAIR is strictly classified as comedy, or if it is, it's one of those films where the comedy mirrors the ludicrousness of life (especially in wartime): a speciality of Wilder's...it's not really one of my favorites either, and I love Wilder too...Jean Arthur, however: notsomuch, and this is one of her frostiest, most unlikeable roles- a pretty blatant retread of her grating character in THE MORE THE MERRIER (and I CAN'T STAND her in that film.)

 

That's funny, I think I've referred to Arthur's hair in AFFAIR as being "Swiss Miss"-style too.

 

The really great post-war reconstruction comedy of Wilder's is ONE, TWO THREE (1961) with James Cagney in an incredible perfomance: I love that film and it is laugh out loud funny (although, like A FOREIGN AFFAIR, there are plenty here who don't like it.) the other truly great unsung war film he did is FIVE GRAVES TO CAIRO, which is EXCELLENT and which TCM only recently began to show.

 

weird trivia: A FOREIGN AFFAIR was one of the top twenty biggest money-makers of 1948, so whatever the fimmakers were selling- it sold.

[Hibi]

John Lund is KNOWN for being dull  When you look up the word "dull" in the dictionary, there is a picture of John Lund. He even has a dull name.

 

 

LOL.

[Hibi]

Last night I watched A Foreign Affair.  It had been recommended to me on the board a few months ago.  When I saw that it was directed by one of my favorites, Billy Wilder, and it starred another of my new favorite actors (thanks to TCM where I discovered her), Jean Arthur, I was really looking forward to this film.  It was also going to be my first exposure to Marlene Dietrich in a more substantial role (I'd only seen her in Touch of Evil prior).  I hate to say it, but I didn't get this film.  I didn't understand why it was considered a comedy.  The leading man, John Lund, was dull.  He reminded me of George Brent.  They should have cast George Brent, even he would have been more interesting (and I haven't had much of an opinion about him in the films I've seen him in). 

 

Jean Arthur was okay in the film, though she seemed to be lacking some of her usual charm.  I still enjoyed her, though I wasn't crazy about the Swiss Miss hairstyle that she had going on.  I was hoping when she put on the evening gown that she would let her hair down, but alas no.  Though I must say that John Lund is the world's best seamstress (seamstor?) when he was able to tailor Arthur's dress so well with just a safety pin.  He also did a great job attaching it.  If I tried wearing a dress held together with a safety pin, it would have eventually fallen out.  Especially after I was thrown up in the air multiple times.  I did like the scene where she was drunk at the cabaret club and was thrown up into the air by the other drunks and literally left hanging.  That was probably the funniest part of the film.

 

Marlene Dietrich I really liked.  She has a very unique look and I thought she was very glamorous.  I loved the clothes she wore in this film and I loved her cabaret songs that she performed (well, the "Black Market" song was a little dull).  I loved the temptress angle to her character and I liked hearing her speak German.  I also thought what she did for Jean Arthur's character was sweet.  

 

I also really liked the music.  Billy Wilder must have been a fan of "Isn't it Romantic?" because he uses it in quite a few of his films.  I know it's in at least two of his films and perhaps more.

 

However, maybe I'm missing something, but I found the film a little boring.  I don't think it is as good as some of Wilder's other efforts like Sunset Boulevard, Sabrina, and The Apartment.

 

I did really like Dietrich though and look forward to the other Dietrich films I have recorded: Blue Angel, Witness For Prosecution, Stage Fright, The Garden of Allah, and Kismet.

 

 

Dietrich is fabulous in the film and steals it (and pushing 50!!!)

[LornaHansonForbes]

...but it's a likeable dullness.

Not like Raymond Massey's dullness or Gregory Peck's dullness or Wendell Corey's dullness...where you just want to grab them and shake them a'la Bette Davis to Miriam Hopkins in OLD ACQUAINTANCE....

 

[Hibi]

...but it's a likeable dullness.

Not like Raymond Massey's dullness or Gregory Peck's dullness or Wendell Corey's dullness...where you just want to grab them and shake them a'la Bette Davis to Miriam Hopkins in OLD ACQUAINTANCE....

 

 

 

LMREO!!! STOP!!!!!!!!!!! I'm getting a headache.....

[LornaHansonForbes]

That GIF also serves as a pretty accurate reenactment of what happened the one time Mother took the last of the Half and Half and did not replace it.

 

(She's fine now.)

[Hibi]

That GIF also serves as a pretty accurate reenactment of what happened the one time Mother took the last of the Half and Half and did not replace it.

 

(She's fine now.)

 

 

LOL.

[johnm001]

Watched a great-looking HD, albeit bootlegged, copy of Disney's THE NOON-SPINNERS.  Fun to see it, again.  Unfortunately, the official Disney release is a horrible pan and scan copy.  The location photography is great (often beautiful), and the title tune is wonderful.  Kind of astonishing how juvenile Disney life-action films have become, when compared to their earlier works.

[DownGoesFrazier]

Dietrich is fabulous in the film and steals it (and pushing 50!!!)

I thought you can only "steal" a film if you're not one of the stars.

[Hibi]

I thought you can only "steal" a film if you're not one of the stars.

 

 

LOL. There's a rule? Let's just say she comes off better in the film than Jean Arthur does (though its not Jean's fault really)...

[DownGoesFrazier]

LOL. There's a rule? Let's just say she comes off better in the film than Jean Arthur does (though its not Jean's fault really)...

If you're one of the stars, and you are the most memorable character, you haven't "stolen" the film from anyone.

[Hibi]

If you're one of the stars, and you are the most memorable character, you haven't "stolen" the film from anyone.

 

I see, So there are rules then. Kinda like Burke's Law............

[DownGoesFrazier]

I see, So there are rules then. Kinda like Burke's Law............

I'm trying to think of a good example of stealing a film.

[DownGoesFrazier]

I'm trying to think of a good example of stealing a film.

You might say that both Montgomery Clift and Judy Garland "steal" JUDGMENT AT NUREMBERG.

[Bogie56]

De Niro steals Mean Streets

[laffite]

...but it's a likeable dullness.

Not like Raymond Massey's dullness or Gregory Peck's dullness or Wendell Corey's dullness...where you just want to grab them and shake them a'la Bette Davis to Miriam Hopkins in OLD ACQUAINTANCE....

 

 

"How many times do I have to say it. Stop stealing my scenes!"

[LornaHansonForbes]

I love how Bette is shaking her so hard you can just barely make out that it's Miriam Hopkins, yet Bette remains still enough that we can see her face perfectly throughout the whole thing.

 

Bette Davis: stealing scenes via violence if necessary, Old School Hollywood.

[Dargo]

I love how Bette is shaking her so hard you can just barely make out that it's Miriam Hopkins, yet Bette remains still enough that we can see her face perfectly throughout the whole thing.

 

Bette Davis: stealing scenes via violence if necessary, Old School Hollywood.

 

As a matter of fact Lorna, before reading your text on that post and at first my eye catching the action in your gif, I thought it looked a lot like Bette might be throttling Nina Foch.