When we last left off, America had temporarily pulled out of the Philippines as the last holdouts, Bataan and Corregidor fell to the Japanese, putting thousands of American and Filipino troops and civilians in the hands of enemy forces. Those who weren't murdered were herded into camps, where they faced extremely harsh conditions, and even … Continue reading During World War Two: The Pacific Theater (Part Two)
Chomp, Chomp, Chomp
Nice to see Mr. Johnson again... I'm starting to see a pattern in my reviews lately, kind of, and that is American actors starring in foreign-to-them films. We all know how this goes. They speak English while everyone around them utters their lines in their native languages, which only get dubbed into English in post-production. … Continue reading Chomp, Chomp, Chomp
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
Too Many Mikes
Van's back, y'all... Who else thinks air travel is fascinating? I do. I like learning about the history of commercial travel because it's interesting to see how things have changed or not changed over the years. Add in a fun romantic story, though, and it's even better. 1951's Three Guys Named Mike is that kind of movie. … Continue reading Too Many Mikes
Page To Screen: Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo
When looking at America's entry into the Second World War seventy-plus years on, it might be hard to believe how high the stakes really were in early 1942. The United States' armed forces were very small, we were still using cavalry horses and bayonets, and the Japanese dealt Americans heavy blows at Pearl Harbor and … Continue reading Page To Screen: Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo
Holy Guest Star, Batman
Mr. Johnson's back... When Batman was on TV in the 60s, it seemed like every star in Hollywood lined up to take their turn at being a villain, and one of these was Van Johnson. Early in Season Two, he played the Minstrel, a devious lute player who sets his sights on the Gotham City Stock Exchange … Continue reading Holy Guest Star, Batman
Back To MGM
Mr. Keaton is back... Buster Keaton did have a career of sorts in sound films. Well, he tried, anyway. From 1933 onwards Keaton's life was turbulent. He was fired from MGM in 1933, his marriage collapsed, and Keaton struggled with alcohol abuse. IMDb claims there was a period of time when the public hated him … Continue reading Back To MGM
Politics As Usual
And here's our guy Van... Ah, politics. It's no secret that they're a nasty business. It's also no secret that they can get particularly ugly on social media. What's easy to forget, though, is how much hasn't changed (Side note: Jefferson and Adams were known for some sick burns in their time.). Manipulation, back door … Continue reading Politics As Usual
A Song To Sing
Another talented composer of the twentieth century is Jerome Kern. His songs are graceful, elegant, and thoughtful, ranging from playful to poignant, and he frequently collaborated with such lyrical greats as Oscar Hammerstein, Dorothy Fields, E.Y. Harburg, Ira Gershwin, and Johnny Mercer. Kern's biopic, Till the Clouds Roll By was released at the end of 1946, … Continue reading A Song To Sing
Somebody’s Watching Me
Here's June... So many of the early stars got their start on the stage, such as on Broadway or in vaudeville, and June Allyson was no different. She went from working in Vitaphone shorts and in the choruses of various Broadway shows to her first lead in the successful 1941 musical, Best Foot Forward. M-G-M soon bought … Continue reading Somebody’s Watching Me
Taking Up Room 