In the nineteen-thirties and early nineteen-forties Errol Flynn was a lithe, magnetic romantic lead, but as the forties went on his reputation was tarnished by a statutory rape trial, drug abuse, rampant alcoholism, running after women, and other sordid activities. By the nineteen-fifties hard living was catching up to him, plus his finances and his … Continue reading Dealing For Life
Hitch Films Another Play
Good evening... Hitchcock was no stranger to filming plays. His first one was the limp Juno And the Paycock, a depressing affair that was only made bearable by Sara Allgood. Almost a quarter of a century later, Hitch was feeling a little stagnant, so he decided to film another play, Dial M For Murder. Although it bears a … Continue reading Hitch Films Another Play
Shamedown #12: Trapeze
Our last Shamedown of 2023! Yipe--hard to believe 2024 is right around the corner. Did 2023 feel long to anyone else? It did to me, but anyway... As always, if anyone is coming in late on this Shamedown business and wants to know what it's all about, CinemaShame's 2023 statement can be found here. Past … Continue reading Shamedown #12: Trapeze
Judy and Sid vs. Warner Bros.
What's up, Doc? As the cliche says, "Money makes the mare go." That metaphorical mare is often a picky eater, especially when art and money meet, and not even one of the greatest purveyors of the art we call film, Warner Bros., is immune. Judy Garland's 1954 movie, A Star Is Born is at once one … Continue reading Judy and Sid vs. Warner Bros.
Ma and Pa In Paris, Mais Oui
Wheels up, y'all... One of the fixtures of nineteen fifties cinema was the Ma and Pa Kettle series. My parents grew up on it, they introduced me to it, I grew up on it, and I've introduced it to my son. These movies have their own brand of charm. Marjorie Main plays herself except that … Continue reading Ma and Pa In Paris, Mais Oui
Stage To Screen: 12 Angry Men
12 Angry Men is one of those stories that has to be seen at least once, whether it's the play or film, but no matter how many times it's seen, there's always something new to notice and something new to think about. It's fitting that the story can inspire such perennial freshness. As The Guardian once … Continue reading Stage To Screen: 12 Angry Men
Women Really Are From Venus, Dahling
Hello there... As promised, we're off to Venus to meet the Queen of Outer Space. Oh boy, people, this 1958 movie's quite the stunner in more ways than one. This is the movie Lorelai and Rory watched at the Black, White, and Red Theater in the "Emily In Wonderland" episode of Gilmore Girls, only they got to … Continue reading Women Really Are From Venus, Dahling
Shamedown #2: The Hidden Fortress
Our second dose of Shame! As usual, if anyone would like to know what a Shamedown is, the deets can be found on CinemaShame's website. All righty, then, here we go... The 1958 film, The Hidden Fortress is rather notorious because of its pedigree as a Kurosawa film and being one of George Lucas's inspirations for … Continue reading Shamedown #2: The Hidden Fortress
Shamedown #10: Monster From the Ocean Floor
Happy Halloween! Can't believe we're on our tenth Shamedown of 2022. As always, if anyone is coming in late and wants to know what this Shamedown business is all about, the details can be found here. Onward... Roger Corman has quite the reputation and quite the filmography. The man has been producing since the early … Continue reading Shamedown #10: Monster From the Ocean Floor
It’s All About the Drapes
We all know that so many Hollywood stars got their start on the stage, Broadway or otherwise, and one of the most famous is Vincente Minnelli. Among the things Minnelli did so well in his films was communicate emotion without beating an audience over the head, and one of his lesser-known films is 1955's The … Continue reading It’s All About the Drapes
If I Were A Broadway Musical
Here we go... Guys and Dolls is quite the show. I first heard the music in college when my voice teacher showed us clips from the 1992 revival starring Peter Gallagher, Faith Prince, Nathan Lane, and Josie de Guzman and liked it so much I bought the soundtrack album. However, I've never seen the 1955 movie … Continue reading If I Were A Broadway Musical
Stage To Screen: What A Girl Wants
When I heard that 2003's What A Girl Wants was based on a play, my first thought was, "Really?" For those who haven't seen it, the movie follows Daphne Reynolds (Amanda Bynes), who leads a rather bohemian existence with her mom, Libby (Kelly Preston) in a fifth-floor walkup in New York's Chinatown. Libby is a wedding … Continue reading Stage To Screen: What A Girl Wants
Shamedown #6: I Want You
Is it June already? Yep. For another day, anyway. If anyone is coming in late and wants to know what a Shamedown is, please click here. The Korean War is often called "the forgotten war," and to a large extent it is, although it is significant for everyone in that it was one of the … Continue reading Shamedown #6: I Want You
Beauty On A Budget
Let the strangeness begin... Roger Corman liked the out-of-the-ordinary to say the least, and 1959's The Wasp Woman is no exception. It's a quick movie and very straightforward, so we're going to dive right in. The movie starts with a guy collecting wasps from a hive in the woods, because of course it does. His name is … Continue reading Beauty On A Budget
MGM In Space
Who here has seen 1956's Forbidden Planet? While it's definitely not the first sci-fi flick, this movie's one of the game-changers and a pretty unusual film for MGM. Even people who don't usually care for older films should watch this one because it's chock-full of tried-and-true tropes. The real buffs will no doubt notice more … Continue reading MGM In Space
Stage To Screen: Pal Joey
OK, so I know I said I was going to do a Stage To Screen about The Sign of The Cross, but once I started researching everything I decided to scrap it and write about Rodgers and Hart's Pal Joey instead. This decision was made for two reasons. First of all, there's not enough verified information … Continue reading Stage To Screen: Pal Joey
Five Reasons To See “Vertigo”
Hello, Miss Kim... Vertigo is, of course, one of Alfred Hitchcock's iconic films. It's got James Stewart. It's got a blonde. Two, actually, because it also features the wonderful Barbara Bel Geddes as the loyal but passed-over Midge. It's got twists. It's got turns. It's got a gorgeous score by Bernard Herrmann. It's based on a … Continue reading Five Reasons To See “Vertigo”
Taking Up Room 