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
Shamedown #4: Too Hot To Handle
Presenting another Shamedown. And another Clark Gable movie. He's getting a lot of exposure this year on Taking Up Room. And in case you missed it before, the whole story of how this got started can be found at Cinema Shame. I don't know about other countries, but in America we hear a lot about women breaking the … Continue reading Shamedown #4: Too Hot To Handle
Tap, Tap, Tap
Fred Astaire seemed like he had the corner on the whole top-hat-and-tails thing, but he had an equally strong counterpart in Eleanor Powell, who also rocked that particular form of evening attire. Only hers were often trimmed with sequins. Powell's dancing was gutsy, athletic, and precise. One of the roles she tapped her way through … Continue reading Tap, Tap, Tap
Mary’s Dilemma
And now for that surprise blogathon I told you about... San Francisco is a town of extremes. Even in its earlier days, it had both upstanding citizens and degenerates, plus everyone in between, and it wasn't always in relation to one's station in life. It is the city Emperor Norton called home, after all. The … Continue reading Mary’s Dilemma
Stage To Screen: You Can’t Take It With You
Happy New Year! Hope everyone had a great December, too. My vacation was fun. 🙂 Lots of movies. Lots of Sims. Lots of reading. Lots of trying to resurrect my long-dormant piano skills. And yes, if you saw my social media, we went to see The Last Jedi. Bliss. Okay, let's get down to business. You Can't … Continue reading Stage To Screen: You Can’t Take It With You
Ninotchka’s Guide To Paris
Garbo was definitely not known for being a comedienne. Oh, no. This screen queen was in deadly earnest. Dramatic. Serious. Always, dahling. As time went on, though, M-G-M tried revamping Garbo's image, which is why it took thirteen years for her to make her first comedy, and that was the 1939 film, Ninotchka. Three Russians, Iranoff, … Continue reading Ninotchka’s Guide To Paris
Ballet Garbo
Garbo is in the house! One of the wacky things about the studio system was that an actor or actress could be conscripted into certain roles in films, whether they liked it or not. Depending on the studio or on their status as a star, refusing a role could mean hurting one's career or risking … Continue reading Ballet Garbo
He Ain’t Heavy, Father, He’s My Brother
Time to talk about Spence and Kate! December of this year will be the one-hundredth anniversary of Father Flanagan's Boys' Home, better known as Boys Town. Father Edward J. Flanagan, an Irish priest working in Omaha, Nebraska borrowed $90 and sought to provide a home for homeless, neglected, or delinquent boys, where they could receive … Continue reading He Ain’t Heavy, Father, He’s My Brother
Stage To Screen: The Women
September 1, 1939 was the day the Second World War started. It was also the day the M-G-M film, The Women, premiered to great fanfare. Three years previously, The Women was a successful Broadway play by Clare Boothe Luce, with a respectable six-hundred sixty-six performances to its credit (or six-hundred fifty-seven, if you believe Wikipedia). Directed by George … Continue reading Stage To Screen: The Women
It’s Good To Be King
Entertainment's Great Family has arrived. Turbulence seems to run in the Barrymore clan. Drew Barrymore's grandfather, John, was an incredibly respected actor (even his profile was highly renowned). He also suffered from alcoholism, to the point that he began to forget lines and gain weight. His relationship with his wife, Delores Costello disintegrated--she finally called … Continue reading It’s Good To Be King
That Other Hamilton Woman
And now to discuss one of the great ladies of the screen... Gone With the Wind is a notorious tale. Margaret Mitchell's 1936 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about the Civil War South was a massive success, and the 1939 movie is still the top box office earner of all time. Even those who haven't seen it … Continue reading That Other Hamilton Woman
Bye, Mildred
Fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy blogathon (OK, I couldn't resist 🙂 ). It's a fact of life that not all attraction is mutual. It's also a fact that sometimes relationships happen because one person wants to throw the other a bone. It is yet another fact that abuse can come from … Continue reading Bye, Mildred
Forgotten Man, Where Art Thou?
Here we are again. How were everyone's holidays? Did anyone else feel like they just zipped by? Yeah, me too. And yep, the eagle, er, angel has landed. The Great Depression looms large in twentieth-century history. Roughly twenty-five percent of the American public were unemployed in 1933, and farmers in particular found themselves displaced. Bankers … Continue reading Forgotten Man, Where Art Thou?
Flaemmchen Vs. Mildred
Remember this? Yup, it's that time. I'll be honest: I have a love-hate relationship with all things Joan Crawford. It's got nothing to do with the Mommy Dearest stuff Crystal barred us from going into for this blogathon, either. Joan's face always seemed so hard to me, especially in her later work, as if a … Continue reading Flaemmchen Vs. Mildred
Taking Up Room 