Opposites attract...or do they? Lillies of the Field is a pretty significant movie. While it was low-budget, it doesn't look it, and it helped its male lead, Sidney Poitier, win a Best Actor Oscar, the first such achievement for a black man. It's also a pretty personal movie for a lot of people. I've grown … Continue reading Schmidt, You Build Us A Shapel
Stage To Screen: Grand Hotel
"Grand Hotel. Always the same. People come. People go. Nothing ever happens." So intones the lonely and forgotten Doctor Otternschalg as he watches guests and former guests mill around in the lobby of Berlin's Grand Hotel. For him, a former First World War military doctor and burn victim, nothing ever does happen. No one writes … Continue reading Stage To Screen: Grand Hotel
Where’s Miss Froy?
Back to Britannia... In 1938 Alfred Hitchcock was really hitting his stride as a filmmaker, and The Lady Vanishes is a great example of his unique talent for presentation coming together. It was his next-to-last British film before moving to America and the next stage of his career. The movie starts in Bandrika, a fictional European country … Continue reading Where’s Miss Froy?
Stage To Screen: Babes In Arms
We all know that before there was Rodgers and Hammerstein there was Rodgers and Hart, and their 1937 hit, Babes In Arms became Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney's third movie and first musical together, not to mention the first of their famous barnyard musicals. It was also Arthur Freed's first official producer credit and Busby Berkeley's first … Continue reading Stage To Screen: Babes In Arms
Shamedown #8: The Amazing Adventure
August is over and September is upon us. Zoikes. It's hard to believe this is our eighth Shamedown of this year, isn't it? As usual, if anyone's fuzzy on what a Shamedown is they can find Cinema Shame's 2023 Call to Shame here. Past Shamedowns can be found here. In 1937 Cary Grant's star was on a … Continue reading Shamedown #8: The Amazing Adventure
Television Is Dangerous
As we've talked about on here before, it's pretty easy to forget that television was in its very early stages of development during the nineteen-thirties. And since it was such an unknown quantity, why not make a movie about it? Enter 1935's Murder By Television, starring one typecast former vampire, Hattie McDaniel, and a death ray. … Continue reading Television Is Dangerous
Shamedown #6: Ticket To Paradise
Our sixth Shamedown, everyone, with summer in full swing. If anyone would like to see what a Shamedown is, the details can be found here and past Shamedowns here. All righty, then, here we go... If anyone was around for last year's Shamedowns, a LOT of them turned out to be movies that were filmed … Continue reading Shamedown #6: Ticket To Paradise
Bogart’s First Movie
Here we go... Maybe it's hindsight talking, but some actors or actresses jump off the screen at us, even in their very early roles. While their parts might be small, we can see they're going to have a big future. One of these is Humphrey Bogart, whose first film was 1936's The Petrified Forest, which brought … Continue reading Bogart’s First Movie
Leslie and Ingrid’s Bargaining Chips
Intermezzo is famous for a couple of reasons. Leslie Howard agreed to play Ashley Wilkes if David O. Selznik would agree to greenlight Intermezzo, plus the film marks Ingrid Bergman's Hollywood debut. As it turned out, the 1939 film was advantageous for everyone, although the movie itself is a quiet one. It opens at the … Continue reading Leslie and Ingrid’s Bargaining Chips
Shamedown #4: Streamline Express
Our fourth Shamedown, all. I can't believe May first is TOMORROW. Anywhoo, if anyone would like to find out what a Shamedown is, Cinema Shame's 2023 announcement post can be found here. Past 2023 Shamedowns can be found here. All righty, here we go... Ever heard of Victor Jory? He's probably best known as the … Continue reading Shamedown #4: Streamline Express
The Allure of the Bad Boy
Nice to see Mr. Keaton again... Early sound films can be funny. The stereotype is, of course, that actors had to huddle around a microphone badly hidden or not while punching out their lines with all the sincerity of rain-soaked fence posts. Buster Keaton being Buster Keaton, though, all bets were off, and one of … Continue reading The Allure of the Bad Boy
During World War Two: George Stevens
For the next five months, we're going to do a series within a series, because one big aspect of Hollywood's response to the Second World War is all the major and not so major industry professionals who went into uniform. Four of Hollywood's top directors served in the Army and one in the Navy, and … Continue reading During World War Two: George Stevens
Shamedown #12: Saleslady
It's hard to believe this is our last Shamedown of 2022...this year went quick and slow at the same time, didn't it? If anyone would like to know what a Shamedown is the details can be found here and past Shamedowns can be found here. And now, on with the show... Mistaken identity is a … Continue reading Shamedown #12: Saleslady
Shamedown #11: Happy-Go-Lucky
We've almost made it to December, all! As always, if anyone is arriving late and wants to know what a Shamedown is, the details can be found here. Past Shamedowns can be found here. Now, on with the show... Ah, the mistaken identity trope. And the amnesia trope. And the lookalike trope. And the espionage … Continue reading Shamedown #11: Happy-Go-Lucky
How To Make A Sequel
We all know there's a way to make a sequel and a way not to make a sequel, and 1935's The Bride of Frankenstein is a sequel that mostly got it right, because it both revisits what came before and does it one better. I know I'm not the first one to say this but it … Continue reading How To Make A Sequel
Shamedown #9: Telephone Operator
We're back for more shame! I'm always tempted to make "Love Potion #9" jokes when we get to this point in the year, but I'm not going to do that. If anyone is coming in late on this Shamedown business they can find the details here and past Shamedowns here. Off we go... I'm not sure … Continue reading Shamedown #9: Telephone Operator
Shamedown #7: Sky Racket
July is upon us, although obviously not for much longer, and we have quite the Shamedown ahead. If anyone is coming in late and would like to know what the heck a Shamedown is, the lowdown can be found here. Onward... I seem to have struck gold on the Poverty Row movies this year, and … Continue reading Shamedown #7: Sky Racket
Taking Up Room 