Everyone is celebrating the fortieth anniversary of Back To the Future and I'm right there with them, but I stumbled on Rankin-Bass's The Last Unicorn the other day while puttering around Tubi and a light went on. I haven't seen this movie in almost forty years. It would have been on TV or VHS, either … Continue reading Unicorns, Red Bull, and Well-Endowed Trees
Kirk Douglas’s Comedy Debut
After the Second World War, Kirk Douglas really began to get noticed, and his first comedy was 1948's My Dear Secretary. Also starring Laraine Day and Keenan Wynn, the film is a pale imitation of Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn's cinematic powerhouses, but we all have to start somewhere. Owen Waterbury (Kirk Douglas) is a … Continue reading Kirk Douglas’s Comedy Debut
In the Navy
Esther Williams always said that MGM had to keep coming up with excuses to get her out of her clothes and into the water. Some excuses were definitely better than others, though, and 1952's Skirts Ahoy! isn't one of them. It did, however, result in a far-reaching benefit for the WAVES, who ended up owing Esther … Continue reading In the Navy
Lucy and Desi Hit the Road
Who hasn't heard the buzz about tiny homes, glamping, van life, and so on? It seems like those videos are everywhere on YouTube, and some are better than others, to be honest. That's why it's always interesting to see that trailer life isn't a new phenomenon, and one of the best movies about that in … Continue reading Lucy and Desi Hit the Road
Why I’ve Seen “Since You Went Away” Umpteen Times
Since You Went Away is very well-trod territory for me. I've parsed it, studied it, scoured the Web for information about it. I've even counted the number of times the movie mentions war bonds and stamps (five times and twice, respectively, in case anyone is wondering). For those who might not be familiar with the plot, it follows … Continue reading Why I’ve Seen “Since You Went Away” Umpteen Times
Esther’s New Suit
Hello, Miss Esther... One of the fun things about Esther Williams' movies is seeing all the ways MGM devised to get her into the water, and so far I think my favorite is the 1949 film, Neptune's Daughter. It's not only a fun movie, but it's the point in Esther's career in which she started … Continue reading Esther’s New Suit
Two On the Aisle
Since we had a real royal wedding this year, I thought it would be fun to wind up my posts for Crystal and Michaela's blogathon with a look at the 1951 film, Royal Wedding. The film is a nod to Astaire's days of dancing with his sister, Adele, only set a few decades later. No buildup happening … Continue reading Two On the Aisle
Paris, Here We Come
Ladies, kindly remove your hats... The end of the nineteenth century and the dawn of the twentieth were busy times as far as inventions and innovations went. Air, land, sea or sky--nothing was too big to be conquered, and naturally there were daredevils impatient to push the envelope. In 1908, after cars had caught the … Continue reading Paris, Here We Come
No Business Like Show Business
Miss Showbiz has made yet another comeback, people. We in the twenty-first century have no firsthand knowledge of vaudeville in its heyday. The family show of a century ago, vaudeville featured song-and-dance people, skits, comedy, magic acts, animal acts, and basically anything respectable that could be done before an audience. Perfomers would travel circuits according … Continue reading No Business Like Show Business
Taking Up Room 