Good evening... It's always fascinating to revisit the nascent stages of icons' careers, and Alfred Hitchcock is one of the most intriguing. Before we knew him as the director of Vertigo, The Birds, Psycho, and other perennial classics of cinema history, Hitchcock was plugging away at making films in his native Britain, starting with silents and changing with … Continue reading Between Silence and Sound
July is #CleanMovieMonth!
Just thought I'd let you all know about Tiffany and Rebekah's new blogathon. I can't participate fully, but in August I will be recapping all the Code movies I reviewed in July. So, if anyone's interested, here's the info!
All the World’s A Stage
Happy birthday to Ms. de Havilland! I'll admit, while I'm very familiar with Olivia de Havilland in Gone With the Wind, I've never really had the opportunity to look at much of her other work. It's one of the reasons I love participating in blogathons--it's fun to explore new films and information. The 1937 film, It's Love … Continue reading All the World’s A Stage
Judy’s Voice
Right off the bat, I want to let it be known that I'm not an expert on the voice. I have played piano for many years, although I'm a little rusty now, and I did study voice for about fourteen years. So, while I'm not going to go all Sarah Brightman on anyone, I do … Continue reading Judy’s Voice
Marrying In Haste
World War Two was a heady time, and on-the-fly decisions weren't uncommon. Like getting married, for instance. 1942 has one of the highest marriage numbers on record in the United States. Some of these couples had been together for a while, but whirlwind courtships weren't unheard of. Sometimes called "gangplank marriage" or "shoving-off marriages," they … Continue reading Marrying In Haste
No Business Like Show Business
Miss Showbiz has made yet another comeback, people. We in the twenty-first century have no firsthand knowledge of vaudeville in its heyday. The family show of a century ago, vaudeville featured song-and-dance people, skits, comedy, magic acts, animal acts, and basically anything respectable that could be done before an audience. Perfomers would travel circuits according … Continue reading No Business Like Show Business
Broadway Bound Blogathon: Curtain Call
First things first, we have a few more arriving at the party… Michaela at Love Letters To Old Hollywood gives us her third and final post with the history of Gigi. Catherine at Thoughts All Sorts has some thoughts on Seven Brides For Seven Brothers. Tiffany from Pure Entertainment Preservation Society brings us her review of the 1941 classic, Babes On Broadway. And in […]
Broadway Bound Blogathon: Day Three
We have come to Day Three of our Broadway Bound Blogathon, and more great entries are ahead (See Day Two here). As usual, I will post new arrivals throughout the day. So let's get right to them... Amanda from Old Hollywood Films leads with a look at the history of The King and I. Who knew this classic got … Continue reading Broadway Bound Blogathon: Day Three
End of an Era
Long before MGM put his story on the screen, Florenz Ziegfeld was dipping his toe into Hollywood. The first film he produced was 1917's The Land of Promise. Starring Billie Burke, the film is a straightforward story of farmers and romance. It's also, unfortunately, lost. Other films were takeoffs of his stage shows, such as Rio Rita or Whoopee. Only … Continue reading End of an Era
Broadway Bound Blogathon: Day Two
Day Two, guys and gals! We've been having a great time so far on Broadway (Read Day One's entries here), and I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm excited to see what our participants have in store for us today. And unlike yesterday, you now have my undivided attention. 😉 So, without … Continue reading Broadway Bound Blogathon: Day Two
Three Ziegfeld Girls
While The Great Ziegfeld is a terrific movie, only a small percentage of it focused on the actual making of the Follies. We barely even got to see those famed stairs. Like Broadway, the Follies are a big subject, and in 1941, MGM revisited them in Ziegfeld Girl. Starring James Stewart, Judy Garland, Lana Turner, and Hedy Lamarr, … Continue reading Three Ziegfeld Girls
Broadway Bound Blogathon: Day One
The house lights have gone down, and the curtain has gone up... Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it is the first day of the Broadway Bound Blogathon! I will endeavor to update this post throughout the day with all the lovely entries our participants have in store for us. Thanks so much for all your well-wishes … Continue reading Broadway Bound Blogathon: Day One
The Man Behind the Curtain
While Broadway is considered the pinnacle of a performer's career, in the early twentieth century the Ziegfeld Follies were the pinnacle of Broadway. These lavish shows featured comedy acts, music, and dancing. Most famously of all, there were women in strategically skimpy and unusual costumes walking down stairs as if descending from heaven. To be … Continue reading The Man Behind the Curtain
Musical Hammer
Well, what do we have here? I've said it before: I'm not a huge fan of horror films. I always thought most of the stuff put out by the Amicus and Hammer companies seemed like pulpy slasher stuff, with the exception of Dr. Who, of course. Again, not really my thing, but to each his own. What I … Continue reading Musical Hammer
Becoming Human
Hello, Snake... One of the great things about blogathons is that they can really get a person out of the familiar, and for me, most of Kurt Russell's films are definitely not familiar. Sure, I've heard of him. He's been with Goldie Hawn forever. I saw Stargate. I also saw him play Han Solo in the audition … Continue reading Becoming Human
Two Weeks To Go
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2SDf42guB4 Okay, it's a little out of left field, but hey, it's the Bee Gees singing about Broadway. At least, they mention it. 🙂 Anyway, the Broadway Bound Blogathon draws nigh. There's still time to sign up, so leave a comment or message me if anyone's interested. Find the rules and current roster here. For … Continue reading Two Weeks To Go
Needing Release
It's that time of year again... 🙂 About fifteen years ago, my family went through a very tough time. We're OK now, but I'm not going to give any specifics because they aren't mine to give, and anyway, they're complicated. It was all stupidly, abusurdly, needlessly difficult, and I felt like life had sat on … Continue reading Needing Release
Taking Up Room 