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Any Gary Cooper Fans?

Fandango

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coopsgirl Advanced Member

coopsgirl

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I finally found a copy of the Photoplay magazine from April 1929 with Clara Bow on the cover and it's got a long article too about Gary but I haven't had a chance to read it yet. Here's a little snippet about him though I found that I thought was funny.

 

"Thirteen hundred Montana citizens visited Los Angeles in a body not long ago, and the crowd was immediately searched for more Gary Coopers."

 

Here's another thing about him and Lupe Velez from an article titled "Gossip of the Studios".

 

Believe it or not, Lupe always gives us the exciting moment of the month. She was being interviewed by a conservative, Boston newspaper woman. The setting was Lupe's boudoir. The night was warm, so her attire was scanty...to be exact, only two pieces, both of soft satin. Presently, Gary Cooper appeared on the scene. This was too much for the newspaper woman, who excitedly remarked: "Before the interview can proceed, I will have to ask you to put on a dressing gown, Lupe."

 

Speaking of Lupe, it is the consensus of opinion that she and Gary Cooper will be married at an early date. The impression is that the parental anxiety on the part of the elder Coopers had no retarding influence on the love affair between Lupe and Gary. It has all the ear-marks of the genuine article.

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coopsgirl Advanced Member

coopsgirl

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I haven't seen 'Green Valley' but it doesn't sound like something I would like. It's funny that they filmed the whole movie in 2 months and they spent several hours (if not a whole day) just filming one scene for Sgt. York where he and his mother are looking the bottom land on the plate.

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coopsgirl Advanced Member

coopsgirl

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'Green Valley' doesn't sound like a movie I'd like anyway and you made a lot good points about the flaws in the film. It's funny that it took them only 2 months to film it and they spent the good part of a whole day just filming one scene of Sgt. York when he and his mother study the bottomland on the plate.

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FrankGrimes Advanced Member

FrankGrimes

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Hi, Canyon Cooper -- Believe it or not, Lupe always gives us the exciting moment of the month. She was being interviewed by a conservative, Boston newspaper woman. The setting was Lupe's boudoir. The night was warm, so her attire was scanty...to be exact, only two pieces, both of soft satin. Presently, Gary Cooper appeared on the scene. This was too much for the newspaper woman, who excitedly remarked: "Before the interview can proceed, I will have to ask you to put on a dressing gown, Lupe."

 

That was quite a spicy read. I would have loved to have seen the look on Coop's face when he "appeared on the scene." I think I'm making the same face in my mind.

 

So have you worn that "blouse" again? Joel or Mike?

 

Dan -- Welcome back.

 

I think you may have actually rescued me from a "wet noodle", so I thank you. What am I talking about? Let's just say that a 100-point list of why you dislike *How Green Was My Valley* is going to make this thread even more interesting than usual. I'm already sensing the Manhattan heat.

 

I haven't seen *How Green Was My Valley* since I've found classic films. I watched most of it when I was in my ignorant stage and I can tell you that I was nowhere near ready for such a serious film. All I can remember from the film was the gorgeous look of the film and the great emotional power of the film, especially from a family point of view. I may have to purchase the box set this film is in. You've piqued my interest.

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CoopfanDan Advanced Member

CoopfanDan

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Frank, It is not to say I hate that movie and the scenic beauty was pretty good with the mine being up on the top of the hill and the town down below. On a weaker year for films I might not be so hard on it. But I guess if you do not connect with the main person in the movie which is the kid played by Roddy McDowall then the movie is a lost cause since everything revolves around him. I thought he was much to quiet of a kid who I just couldn't connect with. So if you can't connect to the main character then little is left to enjoy. I thought the film was a very average film in a very above average year for movies. In fact 1941 may be the biggest year for very big movies. 1939 is thought of in that way too and I would say that 1939, 1941 and 1942 were the biggest years in movie history for sure at least for me. I also believe it was an utter travesty that Cagney won for best actor in 1942 as he wouldn't have been in my top 15 list for that year. It is for sure the worst perfomance and the biggest mistake in all of movie history. Cooper, Ronald Colman or even Walter Pidgeon should have won the best actor award for 1942. Anyone but Cagney for Yankee Doodle Dandy. I am not sure why Bogart for Casablanca 1942 was not in contention for best actor that year. It states on imdb that he was nominated in 1944 for his part in in Casablanca. I guess it wasn't released or something until 1944 eventhough it was filmed in 1942. I am certainly not an expert on when films were released to the public. Casablanca was better than any other movie filmed in 1942 in all catagories, best picture, best actor, best actress ect.

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butterscotchgreer Advanced Member

butterscotchgreer

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hey dan, i dont know what the reason was for bogie not being nominated in 1942 for casablanca, but people thought it was such a great movie that they decided to nominate him finally the next year round even though it was released much earlier. i defintely agree on the fact that jimmy cagney didnt deserve the oscar for Yankee Doodle Dandy. i thought it was a cutsie movie and all, but i wasnt impressed with the acting enough to like it as oscar material, esp for the lead actor oscar. but other than his performance 1942 was a bad year for me, b/c i loooved walter pidgeon in Mrs. Miniver, and gary in Pride of the Yankees, and ronnie colman in Random Harvest all the same. i just can never make up my mind and i hope noone ever asks me which one i think deserved the oscar, b/c i will plead the fifth. heehee!

 

i do love roddy mdowell in all his films and always thought he was extremely talented, but i think i must gree with on that the film was too centered around him. i would have loved if they centered a little more on walter pidgeon and maureen o' hara...just a little more at least. but i thought roddy was too cute to turn down otherwise.

 

and please dont anyone mention to me that roddy was gay!!!!!!! i never want to hear that again..PLEASE!!!! my roddy will never be that way to me. :)

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MissGoddess Advanced Member

MissGoddess

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Hi Dan, long time---did you ever get a new puppy?

 

While I would have been happy to see *Sgt. York* win in any category, for my money it won in the most important one---for Gary's performance. In its defense, *How Green Was My Valley* is one of the finest films I've ever seen about family and the effects of "progress" on people, so I cannot see it's win as in any way a "travesty". *Citizen Kane* , no offense to Welles whom I admire, or to its fans---is one of the most overrated films I've ever seen so I'm glad it did not win over any of the other choices, Lol! It's a very cold and lifeless movie, to me---and one that borrows so heavily from John Ford's films stylistically, ha!

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MissGoddess Advanced Member

MissGoddess

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>>>I'm already sensing the Manhattan heat.<<<

 

No heat certainly from my little section of Midtown, Frank. "To each his own", or so said some wise guy. I am usually on the receiving end of Blank Stares for my dispassion toward *Citizen Kane* , so I don't begrudge any one's right to begrudge Valley's Oscar. ;)

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coopsgirl Advanced Member

coopsgirl

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Frank, you crack me up!!! Not sure if you know or not but Gary was 'shacked up' with Lupe for quite a while which was considered somewhat scandalous. He moved from his parents house to live with her but then near the end of their relationship he finally struck out on his own.

 

No, I haven't not worn that blouse again and thankfully that creepy guy at works seems to have latched onto the new girl and for some strange reason I think she likes him!

 

Joel or Mike; good question. I first started watching MST3K when Joel was still on so I have a special attachment to him but I think Mike was a little funnier. But I loved that show the whole way through and really don't have a preference (CC or Sci-fi era).

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CoopfanDan Advanced Member

CoopfanDan

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"Hi Dan, long time---did you ever get a new puppy?

 

While I would have been happy to see Sgt. York win in any category, for my money it won in the most important one---for Gary's performance. In its defense, How Green Was My Valley is one of the finest films I've ever seen about family and the effects of "progress" on people, so I cannot see it's win as in any way a "travesty". Citizen Kane , no offense to Welles whom I admire, or to its fans---is one of the most overrated films I've ever seen so I'm glad it did not win over any of the other choices, Lol! It's a very cold and lifeless movie, to me---and one that borrows so heavily from John Ford's films stylistically, ha!"

 

Yes I did get a puppy and it takes up just about every minute of my time as of late.

 

It is strange that Howard Hawks only got nominated one time for best director but seeing as he didn't win and Ford himself thought Howard Hawks outdid him, I don't see how anyone could think that John Ford deserved the oscar for best director. I am not sure if Hawks did anything else that I liked very much but he truely deserved to win for best director for Sergeant York. Since he didn't win for it, I guess it is understandable that he didn't win or wasn't even nominated again for anything else as Sgt York was hands down his best work that I have seen. Ball of Fire was a comedy and thus excluded from oscar contention and the couple of Bogart movies he did were certainly not Bogart's best movies by a long shot. Looking down through the imdb list it looks like he did a great many great comedies which I stated before do not win awards. And I don't even think John Wayne fans consider his three westerns that he did with the Duke of much account. I won't watch Rio Bravo though as this was John Wayne and Howard Hawks movie statement against High Noon. From what I have read on Hawks he wasn't all that nice of a guy and so I guess I don't feel too sorry for him not winning any best director awards but to his credit he was a fine comedy director and he did direct the best movie of all time in my opinion in Sgt York. I am not sure if Gary Cooper got along with him or not as they only did Three movies in Ball of Fire, Sgt York and Today we live and the latter had Joan Crawford in it (not a personal favorite of mine). It would seem that throughout the 40's and 50's that Cooper and Hawks stayed away from working togethr again and not sure if this was Cooper or Hawks decision. Certainly working with Wayne towards the end would make you think he was siding with the enemy though as it relates to Cooper and High Noon.

 

I am not a Citizen Kane fan by a long shot but there were some other movies to consider even without considering the highest grossing movie for that year in Sergeant York (the people's favorite for that year). There was also the greatest film noir movie of all time in "The Maltese Falcon". I suppose both yourself and FrankGrimes would know a little about film Noir movies and the The Maltese Falcon's ranking at the top for that type of movie. In additon Errol Flynn best movie "They Died with their Boots on" came out that year. Two other Gary Cooper movies in "Meet John Doe" and "Ball of Fire" (two very popular Gary Cooper movies today). You can also add to that the William Wyler movie with Bette Davis who some (not myself) consider Bette Davis' best movie in "The Little Foxes". Also a very good Hitchcock movie with Cary Grant "Suspicion"

 

Some great comedies to consider though they are not considered oscar worthy:

 

Buck Privates (Abbott and Costello's best movie)

Bride Came C.O.D. Great comedy with Bette Davis

 

There were a bunch more movies that I haven't seen released in that year as well but I don't know how often you get this many all time classic movies released in one year. Perhaps only in 1939 and 1942 might this also be true.

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MissGoddess Advanced Member

MissGoddess

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Hi Dan---it seems you are busy with lots of puppy loving these days, hee! They must be a handful.

 

Have you seen *Red River* , Dan? Most western fans have it on their top ten or top five best list. It's not one of my favorites, though I admire it. I think Rio Bravo perhaps less ambitious but way more fun and El Dorado, too, is a trip with big bad Bob Mitchum.

 

Mea culpa, if it makes me a pariah, but I have a very sentimental attachment and admiration for Valley. These things are, in the end, very subjective. By the way, 1946 has been said to be another one of those "banner years". I'm terrible at remembering what year a movie was released, unless it was 1939 so maybe you know better why '46 would be included among the best movie years. I think it may have been the year the most people attended the movies in history, before or since.

 

P.S. Wasn't Hitch's *Suspicion* also out in '41, because Joan Fontaine won for Best Actress (I don't agree with that choice).

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coopsgirl Advanced Member

coopsgirl

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I just watched *Suspicion* and while it was a good movie and Joan Fontaine did a fine job, it was in no way on Oscar worthy performance. I know Barbara Stanwyck was nominated that year as well for *Ball of Fire* but I think her performance in *Meet John Doe* was more worthy of a nomination and was a better performance than Joan's.

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