When Clark Gable came back from the his overseas service, MGM was, of course, chomping at the bit to put him in a movie and recapture some of the old magic. Adventure was the name of that first movie, and Greer Garson was Gable's costar, with "Gable's back and Garson's got him!" as the tagline. … Continue reading Not the Same Mr. Gable
Calling Barranca
As we all know, 1939 was certainly jammed with classic hit movies, and one of the quieter ones in my opinion is Only Angels Have Wings. I first became aware of this film via the Lux Radio Theater version, but the movie itself is well-worth a watch, has a great cast, and is full of some … Continue reading Calling Barranca
Unfinished Business
Hello, Miss Grace... Grace Kelly may have had a short-ish filmography, but she's got quality over quantity, and that's not too shabby. One of them, of course, was 1952's HIgh Noon, a classic of the Western genre that doesn't hit a single false note. Well, at least the movie doesn't. High Noon opens in the tiny town … Continue reading Unfinished Business
My Favorite Moments From “It’s A Wonderful Life”
Few movies, holiday or otherwise, are as iconic as 1946's It's A Wonderful Life, and I'm not going in for hyperbole here. We see this thing everywhere. It's parodied, excerpted, tributed, shown in the background in various languages (looking at you, Home Alone 2) and we know it like green bean casserole or Mom's sugar cookies. … Continue reading My Favorite Moments From “It’s A Wonderful Life”
We’re Off To Lordsburg
In that jam-packed year of 1939, there were so many winning movies, too many to list here. The Wizard of Oz. Gone With the Wind. Mr. Smith Goes To Washington. Dodge City. The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex. Dark Victory. Just to name a very few. The only film we're interested in today, though, is Stagecoach. This John … Continue reading We’re Off To Lordsburg
Walking the Tightrope
Mr. Rains is back... Claude Rains had a lot of classic roles, and one of his best in my opinion is that of Senator Joseph Paine in the 1939 film, Mr. Smith Goes To Washington. This movie is well-trod territory for film buffs and Frank Capra fans, and it's definitely James Stewart's show, but he's effectively matched … Continue reading Walking the Tightrope
Thicker Than Water
Monday was the seventy-fifth anniversary of the sinking of the U.S.S. Juneau, and among its dead were the five Sullivan brothers. The news horrified the American public, and caused the United States to officially ban immediate family members from serving in the same units in the Armed Forces, known as the Sole Survivor Act. The loss became … Continue reading Thicker Than Water
Taking Up Room 