I Just Watched...

[rayban]

"Twice-Told Tales" - Sidney Salkow - 1963 -

Three superb renditions of two short stories by Nathaniel Hawthorne - "Dr. Heidegger's Experiment" and "Rappacini's Daughter" and his novel, "The House of the Seven Gables" -

"Dr. Heidegger's Experiment" - a man is able to re-animate the body of his dead wife and then rejuvenates himself and his best friend - but his generosity leads to tragedy -

great work by Vincent Price, Sebastian Cabot and Mari Blanchard -

"Rappacini's Daughter" - a man experiments on his daughter and makes her touch "poison" in a misguided attempt to save her from her mother's wanton ways -

highly effective performances from Vincent Price, Brett Halsey and Susan Lloyd -

"The House of the Seven Gables" - a man returns to his long-ago home and attempts to find a long-lost fortune on the premises, but the house was cursed long ago when his father helped to condemn a man as a witch so he could get his property -

Vincent Price, Beverly Garland, Richard Denning and Jacqueline deWitt stir this one into a frightening mix -

   

 

[Sepiatone]

 

Now, THAT looks like one FUN ventriloquist dummy! 

Sepiatone

[rayban]

And, guess what, she has a secret, too!

[scsu1975]

On 7/27/2018 at 7:27 AM, TikiSoo said:

I watched two movies in succession....and boy were they a contrast!

First I watched 2016's HIDDEN FIGURES, the story of the group of black women who calculated all the mathematical figures for NASA's (I believe actually NACA) Mercury project, in Hampton VA. It was not explained why this particular division consisted of only women, but apparently, this is how it was. The story centers around three women -all brilliant- who carpool to work together facing sexism AND racism in the south of the early 60's. Don't worry if you don't understand their calculations...(no one does) it's just dramatic effect as they calculate in chalk on a blackboard in scenes.

 

You mean you never studied the Gram-Schmidt orthogonalization process when you took Linear Algebra?

I saw this film when it first came out (being a mathematician, I was naturally interested). I was surprised (and a bit disappointed) that the audience was predominantly white. I would have assumed that a film with such strong black women would have attracted a more diverse crowd ... but maybe the showing I attended was a fluke.

If you are interested in a similar theme, I'd recommend the documentary Top Secret Rosies, about women mathematicians working for the war effort during the 1940s.

[Tikisoo]

1 hour ago, scsu1975 said:

I saw this film when it first came out (being a mathematician, I was naturally interested). I was surprised (and a bit disappointed) that the audience was predominantly white. I would have assumed that a film with such strong black women would have attracted a more diverse crowd ... but maybe the showing I attended was a fluke.

I'm not surprised at all. I know much more about black history, well history in general than any of my black coworkers, friends & relatives. Despite "Black History Month", very little black history is taught in US schools. Forget Native American history-our schools act like having a Thanksgiving themed lunch featuring succotash will learn em nuff good.

Think about how many  are unaware of political contributions of famous stars Josephine Baker or Paul Robeson.

Thanks for the recommendation, I sure hope I can find "Top Secret Rosies" out there....

[scsu1975]

55 minutes ago, TikiSoo said:

 

Thanks for the recommendation, I sure hope I can find "Top Secret Rosies" out there....

I just checked youtube - looks like it is available there.

[speedracer5]

1 hour ago, TikiSoo said:

I'm not surprised at all. I know much more about black history, well history in general than any of my black coworkers, friends & relatives. Despite "Black History Month", very little black history is taught in US schools. Forget Native American history-our schools act like having a Thanksgiving themed lunch featuring succotash will learn em nuff good.

Think about how many  are unaware of political contributions of famous stars Josephine Baker or Paul Robeson.

Thanks for the recommendation, I sure hope I can find "Top Secret Rosies" out there....

As a student, you really have to supplement your education.  At least I did, not because I felt like I wasn't being taught enough or that I was being taught a sanitized version of events, but because I wanted more.  At least I wanted "more" of the events that were interesting to me.  I'll admit that I get bored during all the religious movements in Europe, because I have no interest in religion whatsoever.  I learned what I need to at the time to pass the tests.

However, I was more interested in other eras, especially when it came to 20th century events, and I would regularly seek out reading materials at the library.  I was the 12 year old amongst all the college kids at the library reading old newspaper articles on the microfiche machines.  I was upstairs in the 921 section of the library finding the next autobiography to read, or I'd be downstairs in the 791s trying to look for movie history books.  I also had two different copies of Microsoft Encarta (interactive encyclopedia) software and would just read things on there for fun and get lost in there just clicking on link after another.  I may have started reading about Abraham Lincoln and before I knew it was I was listening to traditional bagpipe music of Scotland.

Even now as an adult who has been out of school for quite some time, I am still at the library at least a few times a month checking out books or putting in transfer requests to locate reading materials.  I still research things online when my interest is piqued. To go beyond their current level of knowledge, a person has to have the natural curiosity to want to learn.  When I research things, it's not because I have some reason to need to know the information (e.g. a test), I just want to know.  When I have a question about something, no matter how irrelevant it is to my day-to-day life, I just have to know the answer so that my curiosity is satiated.  

It's a shame these days that many people just do not have any curiosity or desire to know anything outside of what they know now.  There seems to be this stigma (at least amongst kids) that education isn't cool or what not.  It's sad.  There's so much to learn about and I would find it dull to maintain the same level of knowledge and never increase it.  

[LawrenceA]

Lucky Me (1954) - CinemaScope musical from Warner Brothers and director Jack Donohue. A musical entertainment troupe, including Candy Williams (Doris Day), Hap Schneider (Phil Silvers), and Duke McGee (Eddie Foy Jr.), find themselves penniless and stuff in a Miami Beach hotel washing dishes to pay off their debts. Stage songwriter Dick Carson (Robert Cummings) is staying in the hotel, hoping to interest investors in his next show. Candy thinks Carson is wealthy and will hire them on to his show if she can persuade him to, but Carson is wooing wealthy heiress Lorraine Thayer (Martha Hyer) in hopes of her father footing the bill for the new show. Also featuring Nancy Walker, Bill Goodwin, Marcel Dalio, Hayden Rorke, James Burke, Dabbs Greer, and Angie Dickinson.

Inconsequential fluff with mediocre songs and a weak script, this is one of Day's lesser efforts that I've seen. I've also always found Phil Silvers to be like nails on a chalkboard. Day reportedly didn't want to make this, and suffered a nervous breakdown during production. While it was her first movie in the new CinemaScope widescreen format, it was a flop, and it would be her next-to-last film under contract to Warner Brothers.    (5/10)

Source: Amazon video.

[rosebette]

On 7/28/2018 at 6:44 AM, TomJH said:

Casanova's Big Night marked Basil Rathbone's return to the big screen for the first time since Dressed to Kill in 1946. Tired of being stereotyped as Sherlock Holmes he had walked away from Hollywood (much to the chagrin of his friend Nigel Bruce) to return to the stage. He would have mixed results there, the highlight being when he played Dr. Sloper on Broadway in The Heiress opposite Wendy Hiller for 410 performances. Rathbone would get a Tony nomination for his performance.

I've often pondered how ironic it would have been if he could have played the role in the film version, as well, reunited with Olivia de Havilland, the former Guy of Gisbourne now playing the former Maid Marian's father. I don't know, though, if Rathbone was even up for consideration for the film role.

Rathbone did a fair amount of early '50s television but he found there was no longer much film work for him when he returned to Hollywood. He would have one marvelous self spoofing turn in Danny Kaye's The Court Jester but soon afterward was appearing in The Black Sleep, a "B" horror schlock with a cast of horror veterans who all needed the work, and a forerunner to the kind of low budget horror/sci fi tripe in which he would primarily get employment during his final years in the '60s.

Rathbone's final two film titles reflect the grim financial times he was going through, Hillbilllys in a Haunted House and a Mexican comedy in which Rathbone's voice was Spanish dubbed, Autopsia de un Fantasma. I don't know if there is an English dubbed version of the latter film. The only one I've seen is the Mexican version with English sub titles. I've yet to sit through the film. Even when appearing in terrible films, though, that had to be demeaning to him, Rathbone, just like Bela Lugosi, gave it his all. Always the professional.

Shortly before his death I sent Rathbone a fan letter. I knew nothing about the type of miserable films in which he was appearing at the time but, based upon my late night television viewings of his '30s and '40s films, extolled the virtues of his performances in Robin Hood and Captain Blood and Zorro, and how much pleasure they brought me. While I didn't receive a response from the actor I like to think that he had the opportunity to read my letter and it briefly warmed his heart to know that there were still fans out there discovering his earlier work and appreciating his tremendous film accomplishments from better days.

Thanks for the mini-tribute to Basil Rathbone, my favorite swordsman (yes, he was a better fencer than Flynn or Power, but like Fred Astaire, he could always help his partner look good, not that Flynn needed much help looking good at anything!), villain, and Sherlock Holmes.  I'm sorry that he had passed before I discovered him as an adolescent watching his Sherlock Holmes movies and reading the stories for the first time.  I've never seen Cassanova's Big Night, so I'd enjoy seeing him do comedy.

I also wondered about Rathbone pairing with DeHavilland in the film of The Heiress.  I've heard a number of speculations about why this didn't happen, one being that he was "blackballed" by a couple of producers and directors for some difficult behavior on Garden of Allah.  I find that hard to believe, as he had a reputation of being quite the opposite of his film roles, a charming, intelligent, and thoroughly professional gentleman.  (There were also rumors that his domineering wife liked to manage all his contracts.)  My own feeling is about whether he would have been accepted as deHavilland's father since he had been cast as a romantic rival for her in two films, even though he was 22 years her senior.  There may have also been some less than fatherly chemistry between the two, if you view any of the outtakes and candids from the DVD set of The Adventures of Robin Hood, as well as a few photos on BasilRathbone.net.  Not that they were romantically involved, but it does look like they had a lot of fun together on and off the set.  

[TomJH]

1 hour ago, rosebette said:

I also wondered about Rathbone pairing with DeHavilland in the film of The Heiress.  I've heard a number of speculations about why this didn't happen, one being that he was "blackballed" by a couple of producers and directors for some difficult behavior on Garden of Allah.  I find that hard to believe, as he had a reputation of being quite the opposite of his film roles, a charming, intelligent, and thoroughly professional gentleman.  (There were also rumors that his domineering wife liked to manage all his contracts.)  My own feeling is about whether he would have been accepted as deHavilland's father since he had been cast as a romantic rival for her in two films, even though he was 22 years her senior.  There may have also been some less than fatherly chemistry between the two, if you view any of the outtakes and candids from the DVD set of The Adventures of Robin Hood, as well as a few photos on BasilRathbone.net.  Not that they were romantically involved, but it does look like they had a lot of fun together on and off the set.  

Rathbone was eager to participate in Selznick's Garden of Allah because he wanted to play a non-villainous role. However, when the actor received dialogue that made his character appear unsympathetic his objections on the set were such that Selznick was brought down to it. The producer and actor exchanged angry words, with Selznick threatening to lay charges against Rathbone with the Screen Actors Guild.

To avoid being informally blacklisted, Basil played the scene "under protest." The scene in question may, in fact, never have appeared in the final film but Selznick never utilized Rathbone's services again.

But all this took place 13 years before The Heiress and since, to the best of my knowledge, that production had nothing to do with Selznick, I doubt that there was a connection between the two.

Basil and Olivia on the Robin Hood set. They seem to enjoy each other's company.

[speedracer5]

Autumn Leaves (1956).  I recorded this Joan Crawford film a few months back.  I've found that I'm not particularly a fan of Crawford's during the early part of her career, but I really like her 1940s-1950s output.  Many of her Warner Brothers films and the ones she made while she was a freelancer are among some of my favorite films.  I loved Mildred Pierce (I never tire of watching her and Ann Blyth), Flamingo Road, and Humoresque.  Sudden Fear is fantastic.  I recommend that everyone record it on Joan's SUTS day next month.  I also really liked her in The Best of Everything, though she's only in part of the film.  She's even great in Queen Bee.  I'm looking forward to recording Harriet Craig next month. 

Anyway, I really enjoyed Autumn Leaves.  It was an interesting and compelling film.  On my Dish, the synopsis stated: A lonely middle-aged typist finds love with a younger man, only to discover that he's a psychopath who's already married.  Despite that, she still tries to get him help, and in doing so, she discovers a secret that could explain his behavior.  This synopsis kind of makes the film sound like it's going to be a psychological thriller or something, something in line with Sudden Fear.  I found that the synopsis, while not inaccurate, somewhat overstated the situation.  

Autumn Leaves did tell the story of a middle-aged typist who felt lonely at times.  She had experienced love as a young woman, but ends up being dumped by her partner who is upset that Joan has prioritized her sick father over him (Personally, I think Joan dodged a bullet there).  Decades pass and Joan still hasn't married.  She's content in life, but admits that she is lonely at times.  I believe she's resigned herself to being single.  She works from home and enjoys having control of her career.  Her one friend and confidant is her landlady and neighbor, Ruth Chatterton.  

One night, Joan goes out to dinner at a busy local diner and meets a lonely young Army veteran, Cliff Robertson.  Robertson, who's also dining alone, asks if he can share the empty seat at Joan's table, as it's the only empty seat in the restaurant.  Joan is reluctant at first, but eventually caves and lets him sit down. Despite their age difference, Joan and Cliff hit it off and bond over their mutual loneliness.  Later, Cliff manages to charm Joan into going swimming with him at the beach the next afternoon.  Joan goes and they have a lovely, romantic date--capped off with a From Here to Eternity-esque kiss in the waves.  Joan, feeling self-conscious about the age difference between her and Cliff, brushes him off and tells him to find a girl his own age. 

Joan and Cliff go their separate ways for about a month until Cliff reappears and shares the news with Joan that he's found a job at a department store.  He asks her to the movies to celebrate his new job.  By the end of the evening Cliff has proposed marriage to Joan and she initially turns him down but then accepts.  The couple marry in Mexico.

It is after the marriage when Joan starts to learn that Cliff may not be what he seemed.  It starts with little things, like him saying he was born in Chicago, when earlier in the film, he said he was from Racine, WI.  Later, the white lies turn into Cliff's ex-wife (Vera Miles) showing up with property settlement paperwork for him to sign and Cliff's father (Lorne Greene) showing up in Los Angeles when previously Cliff had stated that his father was dead.  Cliff had also told Joan that he was not married, whereas Vera tells Joan that she had just gotten the final decree a few days ago.  Cliff did not know of the divorce decree.  Cliff starts slowly cracking up throughout the film and becomes more and more violent.  Joan starts investigating and finds out the truth behind Cliff's background and cause of his behavior.

This film featured a twist that I definitely wasn't expecting and I found the portrayal of mental illness to be very interesting.  I don't know if the treatment aspect was accurate, as I've never gone through a situation like this.  However, it seemed reasonable and realistic and I enjoyed it.  From the description of the film, I thought I was going to end up hating Cliff Robertson, but I actually felt really sorry for him and was happy that Joan tried to do what she could to help him.  Their May-December romance came off as genuine, not weird.  I found Cliff to be very attractive and charming.  Of the films of his that I've seen (Picnic, Gidget, Autumn Leaves) he could not be more different in any of them.  Based on his performance in Autumn Leaves, I'd be interested in seeing his Oscar-winning turn in Charly. 

Autumn Leaves also featured a lovely title song by Nat King Cole. I just love his voice.  This was a great film that I wouldn't mind seeing again.  I found out that it is part of a TCM Vault release: "Joan Crawford in the 1950s."  This collection also features some other films that I liked/want to see, so I am considering if I'd like to purchase it.  I'm afraid of these Vault releases going out of print, since it doesn't seem like TCM is putting out any new titles under their TCM Vault title.  

[rosebette]

10 minutes ago, TomJH said:

Rathbone was eager to participate in Selznick's Garden of Allah because he wanted to play a non-villainous role. However, when the actor received dialogue that made his character appear unsympathetic his objections on the set were such that Selznick was brought down to it. The producer and actor exchanged angry words, with Selznick threatening to lay charges against Rathbone with the Screen Actors Guild.

To avoid being informally blacklisted, Basil played the scene "under protest." The scene in question may, in fact, never have appeared in the final film but Selznick never utilized Rathbone's services again.

But all this took place 13 years before The Heiress and since, to the best of my knowledge, that production had nothing to do with Selznick, I doubt that there was a connection between the two.

Basil and Olivia on the Robin Hood set. They seem to enjoy each other's company.

One of my favorite candids of all time.   Here's another one.  Maybe Errol (and Ouida) did have something to worry about.

[LawrenceA]

Phffft (1954) - Romantic comedy from Columbia Pictures and director Mark Robson. Married couple Nina (Judy Holliday) and Robert Tracey (Jack Lemmon) have grown bored with each other decide to get a divorce. Each tries to get out into the world and find excitement and romance, but naturally they learn that what they really want is each other. Also featuring Jack Carson, Kim Novak, Luella Gear, Donald Randolph, Merry Anders, Joyce Jameson, and Donald Curtis.

Holliday and Lemmon were quickly re-teamed after It Should Happen to You, their hit early the same year. They have chemistry and their comedic rhythms mesh well. I love the way Holliday looks at her co-stars in a way that's both warm and intense. Lemmon gets to grow a pencil mustache, as well as date a 21-year-old Kim Novak in full sex-bomb mode. I found this an amusing if unsurprising romantic diversion.   (7/10)

Source: Mill Creek DVD.

[cigarjoe]

18 minutes ago, speedracer5 said:

Autumn Leaves (1956).

Saw it quite awhile ago, it was Cliff Robertson's warm up for Charley (1968), definitely check out Charley.

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, LawrenceA said:

Phffft (1954) - Romantic comedy from Columbia Pictures and director Mark Robson. Married couple Nina (Judy Holliday) and Robert Tracey (Jack Lemmon) have grown bored with each other decide to get a divorce. Each tries to get out into the world and find excitement and romance, but naturally they learn that what they really want is each other. Also featuring Jack Carson, Kim Novak, Luella Gear, Donald Randolph, Merry Anders, Joyce Jameson, and Donald Curtis.

Holliday and Lemmon were quickly re-teamed after It Should Happen to You, their hit early the same year. They have chemistry and their comedic rhythms mesh well. I love the way Holliday looks at her co-stars in a way that's both warm and intense. Lemmon gets to grow a pencil mustache, as well as date a 21-year-old Kim Novak in full sex-bomb mode. I found this an amusing if unsurprising romantic diversion.   (7/10)

Source: Mill Creek DVD.

Jack ... My eyes are up here.

[LornaHansonForbes]

1 hour ago, cigarjoe said:

Saw it quite awhile ago, it was Cliff Robertson's warm up for Charley (1968), definitely check out Charley.

(Folds arms, stamps foot)

i hate CHARLY. 

Ps- isn't it spelled CHARLY? Whatever, I respect the fact that you like it but I really wish the guy who directed it had been a little less in love with his talents.a..and the Zitar (sp?) music.

ETA GOOGLED IT, its "sitar" my bad. 

[cigarjoe]

1 hour ago, LornaHansonForbes said:

(Folds arms, stamps foot)

i hate CHARLY. 

Ps- isn't it spelled CHARLY? Whatever, I respect the fact that you like it but I really wish the guy who directed it had been a little less in love with his talents.a..and the Zitar (sp?) music.

ETA GOOGLED IT, its "sitar" my bad. 

You're right it's CHARLY with the "R" reversed. Hey Ravi Shankar was Big in 1968.

[LawrenceA]

Prince Valiant (1954) - CinemaScope Arthurian adventure based on the long-running comic strip, from 20th Century Fox and director Henry Hathaway. Viking prince Valiant (Robert Wagner) is in hiding with his family from the evil viking usurper King Sligon (Primo Carnera), who has sentenced them to death for being Christians. When Valiant comes of age, he is sent to the court of King Arthur (Brian Aherne) to train in the knighthood under Sir Gawain (Sterling Hayden). Valiant learns of a plot by the mysterious Black Knight to overthrow Arthur with the help of King Sligon, but Valiant has trouble proving it. He is promised assistance from another knight of the round table, Sir Brack (James Mason). Valiant and Gawain also find time for romance with the princesses Aleta (Janet Leigh) and Ilene (Debra Paget). Also featuring Victor McLaglen, Donald Crisp, Barry Jones, Mary Philips, Howard Wendell, Tom Conway, John Dierkes, Jarma Lewis, Don Megowan, Gene Roth, Richard Webb, and Neville Brand.

I avoided seeing this for years due to my dislike of Robert Wagner, with the added bonus of Valiant's silly haircut. I ended up enjoying the movie despite these negatives, although Wagner and his wig are the weakest elements. Sterling Hayden is equally out of place in an Arthurian setting, but his macho swagger is amusing. I envied Wagner a bit when he awakens to find Janet Leigh and Debra Paget standing beside his bed. The action scenes are outstanding, particularly a lengthy castle siege sequence involving a lot of fire. The costumes and sets are also exemplary.    (7/10)

Source: Amazon video.

 

[LawrenceA]

Riot in Cell Block 11 (1954) - Tough and gritty low-budget prison drama from Allied Artists and director Don Siegel. At California's Folsom prison, inmate James Dunn (Neville Brand) leads a takeover of his cell block. He and the other prisoners take the guards hostage and threaten to kill them if the state doesn't address their grievances, including poor living conditions, no job training, and excessive cruelty from the guards. Thus commences a tense stand-off, with Dunn struggling to maintain order among the prisoners, and Warden Reynolds (Emile Meyer) dealing with political fall-out. Also featuring Leo Gordon, Frank Faylen, Dabbs Greer, Whit Bissell, James Anderson, Robert Osterloh, Paul Frees, Don Keefer, Alvy Moore, Carleton Young, and William Schallert.

Shot on location and featuring actual guards and inmates as extras, the film captures the milieu of its prison setting with much verisimilitude. The performances are all believable, with big Leo Gordon especially menacing. Director Siegel does an excellent job of making both sides sympathetic without pulling any punches or whitewashing some of their seedier or more nefarious elements. The film's resolution is notably different from many others of the genre.    (7/10)

Source: TCM.

[LawrenceA]

Sabaka (1954) - Incredibly bad yet fascinating Technicolor adventure from United Artists and writer-producer-director Frank Ferrin. Indian teenager Gunga Ram (Nino Marcel) works as an elephant handler for the kindly Maharajah of Bakore (Lou Krugman). When Gunga's sister is killed by member of a nefarious cult that worships the fire demon Sabaka, the young man sets out to find the cult's High Priestess (June Foray) and bring her to justice. Also featuring Boris Karloff, Jay Novello, Reginald Denny, Lisa Howard, Peter Coe, Vito Scotti, Paul Marian, Louis Merrill, Jeanne Bates, and Victor Jory.

Amateurishly acted and filmed with all of the finesse of someone who has never seen a movie before let alone made one, this turkey is filled with unintentional humor and terrible dialogue. It would be easy to write this off as bottom of the barrel, yet there is quite a bit of nice location filming, with an authentic parade featuring ornate decorations, and elaborate temples. There is also the once-in-a-lifetime cast of Karloff as an Indian general, Denny as a doddering old colonial governor, future TV reporter and lover of Fidel Castro Linda Howard as Gunga Ram's ill-fated sister, and June Foray, voice of Rocky the Flying Squirrel among others, in one of her few live-action movie acting roles. Be forewarned: there are some disturbing animal scenes, including what appears to be an Indian local killing a real leopard, and a tiger let loose on a live and bound water buffalo.    (3/10)

Source: Amazon video.

 

[NickAndNora34]

THE NIGHT OF THE IGUANA (1964) Score: 2.5/5 

Starring: Richard Burton, Ava Gardner, Deborah Kerr, Sue Lyon. 

Movie adaptation of Tennessee Williams' stage play. I have been meaning to see this for a while now, and I'm glad I made time for it. I enjoy Williams' work; I think it could be considered ahead of its time in many ways. I always love watching "racy" material from the 50s/60s. Of course, I enjoy all the movie musicals and comedies, but the dramas are an especially nice change of pace. 

Burton stars as Larry Shannon, a disgraced man of the cloth who leaves the states for Puerto Vallarta, and becomes a tour guide. On this particular tour, his guests are a bunch of female college professors and their teenage charge, Charlotte Goodall. Charlotte is what you may call "fast" and quickly sets to work on Shannon. Shannon is already a sex addict to begin with, so you can imagine Charlotte doesn't actually have to work that hard. The leader of the trip, Miss Fellowes, valiantly tries to keep Charlotte away from Shannon as she doesn't trust him, but is ultimately unsuccessful, resulting in several phone calls, the chance Shannon may lose his job, and further conflict between Miss Fellowes and Shannon. 

Gardner plays the owner of the motel the group ends up staying at, and they are all quickly joined by Kerr, an artist, and her grandfather, the oldest practicing poet (at age 97). The remainder of the story surrounds the professors and their journey in getting out of Puerto Vallarta, and the love triangle between Burton, Gardner, and Kerr. Overall, I'd say this was enjoyable enough. I was not all that impressed with Burton, though. From all the praise I've seen thrown his way, I was expecting a lot more. The only other thing I've seen of his is "The Sandpiper," co-starring his two-time wife, Elizabeth Taylor, and that was a trainwreck. Gardner is not what one would call a "great actress" but she is certainly good in everything I've seen her in. And if not good, then certainly enjoyable. Kerr was excellently cast as the "moral compass." 

[laffite]

3 hours ago, NickAndNora34 said:

THE NIGHT OF THE IGUANA (1964) Score: 2.5/5 

I think we agree on Richard. Burton was in his element in the opening speech in the church, the declamatory, stagy sort of thing that he can do so well, but later when he becomes the down-to=earth and wild sort of individual that he is, his performance suffers. The material is not quite rich enough for him to move in. It seems a meaty enough role and he seems to have a lot to do but there is something stereotypical about that sort of individual and he might not have quite enough to work with. In that big scene when Hannah shares a bit of her own story, she has all the lines and his retorts seem almost banal, not in the delivery but as written. I don't think he was quite right for it in any case. As for Ava, it's true that she probably does not enjoy consistent ravings for her acting ability and she is reported to have said that she felt at times little confidence in herself, she does well here by throwing herself so forcefully into the role that she scores big very nearly on sheer energy alone. Her commitment is indomitable and she makes herself quite believable, helped of course by being one of the most fantastic looking women ever. Deborah Kerr is perfectly cast of course. this chaste-like, reserved and aloof demeanor is what she does in so many roles. The wonderful thing with her is that she reveals, consciously or not, an underlying pent-up sensuality (deliciously palpable at times) that longs to break free (perhaps) and a scene here whereby her chastity is challenged resulting in the sweet surrender of a woman like this would have been interesting to say the least. But we don't get it. If there is a love triangle here, it seems on a decided lower than the usual tempestuous energy of the norm. Although there is an undercurrent, it is dampened by spiritual themes, which are central, at least to Hannah and Shannon. With Gardner, well ...

[Tikisoo]

For you younger kids out there: Leigh's unnatural double barrel cone was the look in the late 50's early 60's. I remember my babysitter (later my sister-in-law) & her sister both sewing darts in the cups of their bras to achieve this! Of course the pendulum swung the other way in the next decade of "burn your bra" au naturale look.

And while I too think Cliff Robertson is an astounding actor, I hated CHARLEY too. We had to read it in school and even as a teen I found the story trite. Same theme but without exploitation was later AWAKENINGS '90.... a true story!

[Sepiatone]

Seems like just a couple or so weeks ago, in one of those "What would you like to see on TCM?" threads, I mentioned last night's PHONE CALL FROM A STRANGER('52).  I did toy with the notion that the station sometime read my post and had a quick inspiration!    But I quickly doubted it, and just decided to tune in and enjoy it....

I might have mentioned in here before that back when I was about 14-15 or so, I'd stay up to watch the late show on week-ends through most the year, and sometimes on week nights during the summer.  go in the basement and watch "old" movies on the old portable B&W set down there(you know, the set EVERYONE seemed to have?  That required PLIERS in order to change the stations?).

It was during those years( up until about '67-'68 or so) that I caught many of the "classics" we take for granted now.  Like Brando's "The Fugitive Kind", "On The Waterfront", "The Wild One". etc.   And also some others like SOLDIER IN THE RAIN, LET NO MAN WRITE MY EPITHET and of course, last night's offering.  Plus a few others that remain high on my "favorites" list.

PHONE CALL FROM A STRANGER though, was the first time I became aware of a few things and people.  Like SHELLY WINTERS, whom I saw for only the 2nd time when later I saw "Epithet".  And of course I was already familiar with BETTE DAVIS from old flicks on TV for years, and MICHAEL RENNIE from THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL, and KEENAN WYNN I think, from a couple of Disney flicks.  And too, the first time I learned WARD CLEAVER(Hugh Beaumont) was in MOVIES before his "Leave It To Beaver" stint. 

Since the movie is less than a year younger than me, it really wasn't all that old when I first saw it.('round '64 I'm guessing).  Plus too, it was my introduction to GARY MERRILL, and had a story line I thought was pretty cool too.  Oh, and I forgot to mention too, that I thought it was also cool to see PETER GUNN(Craig Stevens) in a movie!  I wouldn't call it "cinematic art", but the story was well thought out, well written and competently acted, and not really too melodramatic, which I feel would be hard for some to avoid when making this kind of flick,   And too, I've always got a "kick" out of watching movies made around the time I was born, possibly out of some sense of ****, or interest in what the world looked like back then.  

I don't know how Y'ALL feel about it, but probably too, for sentimental reasons, it remains a "favorite". 

Sepiatone

[cigarjoe]

9 hours ago, NickAndNora34 said:

THE NIGHT OF THE IGUANA (1964) Score: 2.5/5 

Starring: Richard Burton, Ava Gardner, Deborah Kerr, Sue Lyon. 

This one was a sleazy guilty pleasure, I'd rate it about a 7/10.

No mention of Grayson Hall (Miss Fellows)? she was nominated by the Academy for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Hall was later to star in her most Iconic role of Dr. Julia Hoffman in the TV soap opera Dark Shadows.