Between 1941 and 1942 America's military went from approximately 1.8 million to almost four million, and by the end of the war around twelve million Americans were in the Armed Forces. The popular myth about the United States in the period immediately following Pearl Harbor is that recruitment offices were jammed with volunteers, but according … Continue reading During World War Two: You’re In the Armed Forces Now
Sold: The 1970 MGM Auction
*Insert lion's roar here* There's no such thing as being too big to fail. MGM was always one of the biggest and most successful studios in Hollywood, but when they fell, they fell hard. Not that it was a surprise to anyone in the post-Production Code, post block-book era, seeing as MGM's fortunes had been … Continue reading Sold: The 1970 MGM Auction
Two Years Later
COVID is still fresh in a lot of minds, and we've all been affected differently by it over the past two years. We've also reacted differently to continued measures and actions by those we elect to represent us, and reality hits everyone sooner or later. Me, I got red-pilled at several points, like when I … Continue reading Two Years Later
During World War Two: Serious Days
Well, folks, we're happy to be back with you again, and on behalf of the Johnson Wax people and our cast, may we say that we're not unconscious of the fact that these are serious days. --Jim Jordan of the Fibber McGee and Molly radio show, September 5, 1939. On September first, Britain declared war … Continue reading During World War Two: Serious Days
You Will Not Forget This Date
It's hard to believe 9-11 happened twenty years ago today. How much has America changed since then? How much has the world changed since then? Look at us now. https://twitter.com/ian_mckelvey/status/1427608214024212485?s=20 Of course, on that bright Tuesday morning we had no way of predicting what was about to unfold. People went to work and school, got … Continue reading You Will Not Forget This Date
Bingeing In the Time of Coronavirus
Hi, all, hope everyone had a good Easter! I originally was supposed to go back to work tomorrow, but heh heh, no, I'm not, because I got temporarily laid off until the schools go back to normal. Whenever that is. Of all the states in the United States, California's among those which have gotten hit … Continue reading Bingeing In the Time of Coronavirus
A Dangerous Story
Mr. Goldman, I presume... To those of us who are older than thirty-five, the name, "Watergate" is rather charged, as it's one of the most notorious incidents of the last fifty years. I remember my high school history teachers talking more about Watergate than about World War Two or the Civil War. For those who … Continue reading A Dangerous Story
Shamedown #7: Thunderbolt
It's time for another Shamedown, and another invitation to pay the Cinema Shame folks a visit if anyone's curious about this whole Shame thing. And now, onward... Last year's Shamedown #7 was my review of the William Wyler documentary, The Memphis Belle, in which he flew several missions with a bomber crew, documenting their reactions and the … Continue reading Shamedown #7: Thunderbolt
Have Ye the Body?
Today's subject matter is a bit on the macabre side, and may not be for everyone. On the other hand, it's compelling, so if anyone is into unusual history, well, you've come to the right place... On this day in 1865, at 7:22 AM, President Abraham Lincoln died of a gunshot wound in a house … Continue reading Have Ye the Body?
Reading Rarities: Read My Lips
During the break, I took a look at my bookshelves and was struck by how many novelty books I have. You know, the kind of volumes you find in college bookstores or souvenir shops. They're the books you didn't know you wanted, and they serve no discernable purpose besides pulling readers out of the everyday. … Continue reading Reading Rarities: Read My Lips
For Your Consideration
Hello there... In 2006, my husband and I went to the movies. We'd been hearing for a long time about a film where Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman go head to head as rival magicians, with Michael Caine as stage manager, and we were both intrigued and interested. Only problem was, neither one of us … Continue reading For Your Consideration
Le Scandale
Hello, Mr. Burton... Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor's love story is the stuff of legend. It's such a sacred tale that it merits hushed, reverent tones in Hollywood, but for the most part it doesn't seem to be a touchable subject by filmmakers. Lifetime tried, though, in their 2012 TV biopic, Liz & Dick,"tried" very much … Continue reading Le Scandale
Why I Never Say Someone Is “Drinking the Kool-Aid.”
Today's post is not going to be exactly cheery, and if anyone wants to stop reading due to sensitivities or thinks this topic is too macabre, I completely understand. History's not always a pretty sight. However, I wanted to at least touch on Jonestown because it shook a lot of people in America, and Northern … Continue reading Why I Never Say Someone Is “Drinking the Kool-Aid.”
Beneath the Beauty
And here's Miss Hedy... When it comes to Hedy Lamarr, it's easy to zero in on her beauty and go no further. However, this woman had plenty more going for her than just a gorgeous face, and we in the twenty-first century wouldn't be where we are today without her. 2017's Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story ably … Continue reading Beneath the Beauty
Stage To Screen: Pygmalion
The idea of a master proving his prowess via a supposedly hopeless case is an old, old tale, and one of its most famous modern iterations is George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion. First exhibited in Vienna, Austria in 1913, it follows Professor Higgins and his subject, Cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle, as that august gentleman teaches … Continue reading Stage To Screen: Pygmalion
Semper Fidelis
As I've said before, with many of their bigger stars and directors overseas, Hollywood studios had to get creative as to what kinds of films they made. Actors and actresses who normally played character or supporting roles were commonly moved into lead parts, and one example of this is the 1943 film, Salute To the Marines. Featuring … Continue reading Semper Fidelis
Rita Hayworth and World War Two
Well, hello, Miss Rita... As we've talked about on this blog before, Hollywood threw itself into doing its part during the Second World War. All efforts were vastly appreciated, but some stood out more than others, and one of those was Rita Hayworth. In the early nineteen forties, Rita's star was on a rapid ascent, … Continue reading Rita Hayworth and World War Two
Taking Up Room 