Hollywood was rife with actors, directors, writers, and others who had fled Europe when Hitler came to power and who still had relatives living under Hitler's thumb. Those who stayed behind, especially if they were Jewish, were subjected to the same treatment as anyone else, often dying by execution, in prison or in death camps … Continue reading During World War Two: It’s An Expat Thing
Shamedown #5: That Uncertain Feeling
We're back, all, and about time, too. School is out for my son and I, of course, and it feels fine. Anyway, if any of you are wondering what a Shamedown is, click here for the answers. No one is too big to fail, not even Ernst Lubitsch and his famous touch, as audiences saw … Continue reading Shamedown #5: That Uncertain Feeling
That Lubitsch Touch
Ernst Lubitsch was born in Berlin in 1892 and had a long career in Germany as a comic actor, writer, and director. Britannica says Lubitsch directed over forty films before coming to America in 1923. After seeing a Lubitsch film, people often ask, "What made Ernst Lubistch different?" Especially directors and writers, because they all … Continue reading That Lubitsch Touch
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
Taking Up Room 