Submissions should be flooding in today and I can’t wait to share them with you all on Monday ~ July 24th. With my ‘Till Death Us Do Part Blogathon, bloggers will explore films where spouses attempt to murder each other. Some succeed, some fail, some get off Scott~free, some are caught. Since I’m hosting this shebang, I guess I’ll go first with a film that precedes Julia Roberts’ “Sleeping With The Enemy” by 54 years.
[ 12 / 22 / 22 ~ 9 / 9 / 99 ]
There’s nothing like diving into a series of films in one fell swoop to watch the breadth of a talented performer or director. I did this with RUTH ROMAN. I call her The Mighty Roman. I find her a very commanding presence. Her darkness could be part of it. She’s sable; with a dark touch of Dana Wynter / Suzanne Pleshette / Gail Russell / Gail Patrick / Jean Simmons / Barbara Rush~thing going on…all rolled up into one fierce package. Someone in my FaceBook group mentioned another actress who did not have the chops to stare a man down. Well Ruth certainly can. My God it’s withering. There’s a touch of danger in her. Her performances are believable and with conviction. I’m not quite sure why she really wasn’t a bigger star. Why couldn’t she truly break out though she’s done 60+ films. Could it be she was more character actress than leading lady?
“CROSSFIRE” (1947) Robert Young, Robert Ryan and Robert Mitchum, directed by Edward Dmytryk.
[ November 28th, 1923 ~ October 5th, 1981 ]
The testosterone level is high in this rough and tumble drama. You see those leads? But there’s another piece of this movie; the girls they leave behind.
One of my favorite films is “A FACE IN THE CROWD.” Andy Griffith, Patricia Neal and Walter Matthau were wonderful. In fact, I enjoyed every one’s characterizations and Elia Kazan’s message of cynicism was spot on. Power brokers…false prophets… charlatans…snake oil salesmen and demagogues. Oh my. This film is more relevant today than ever before, especially as we head two days from electing a new President.
I gave this movie a chance and I enjoyed it. Yes….there will be tears.
I have to admit “A FAREWELL TO ARMS” is equal parts Gary Cooper’s performance along with Helen Hayes’ because without Fredric there’s no Catherine and vice~versa. No doubt he is a tall quenching glass of water, but in general I feel Hayes acts rings around Cooper’s halting/hesitant/stilted delivery. I lean towards her, but I believe working with Hayes upped Coop’s acting game.
For some reason Anne Baxter stays under my radar. Oh I know, the fault lies within me. I like my stars sparkly and bedazzled and volcanic most times. Well hopefully with TCM featuring Miss Baxter’s films for their Summer Under the Stars series, I can broaden my horizons with her work. My write-up today is part of a blogathon being hosted by Kristen Lopez of Journeys Into Classic Film. Here is where you’ll find other great entries for stars featured this August on TCM. Let me tell you about “GUEST IN THE HOUSE.” No, it’s not one of her films featured today, but perhaps I can pique your interest to seek it out.
Hitchcock introduces us to Mrs. Paradine.
His camera slowly revolves around her. He gives her a breathtaking close-up which brings us closer to her than personal decorum or propriety would allow. Alida Valli plays Mrs. Paradine, this cool, beautifully austere, unapproachable looking woman. And she is being charged with murder.
They say there’s no frigate like a book. But what happens when you turn a frigate into a movie? What’ve you got then?
Now Voyaging and Speakeasy have partnered up again to host this weekend’s “BOOK TO COVER: Books to Film Blogathon.” It’s pretty self-explanatory: “This blogathon is your opportunity to focus on great cinema that started as words on a page.” In her blog, Christina Wehner asks an interesting question: “Should You Read The Book First Or Watch The Movie?” Luckily there’s no requirement in this blogathon to have read the book one’s movie choice is based on. (Besides, I need books with big print and lotsa pictures. That ain’t Ayn Rand.) Yes, my choice is a film from the book of controversial author whose name is a lightning rod of polarization: Ayn Rand.
My sister and I faithfully watched the Oscars together since the 60’s. The first time I experienced the Academy snubbing a performer I thought should have won an Oscar was, Jack Nicholson losing for “Five Easy Pieces” back in 1971 and we screamed and jumped up and down and fussed in front of the tv for the injustice of it all. (His Oscar win for “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” was much better. But “As Good As It Gets” ???? ( C’mon, Academy! You’re killin’ me! ) Continue reading
Yeah yeah, I know the Oscar controversy ( #0SCARSOWHAT? ) but I’m grateful for seeing the good performances that were nominated. Here are two of them:
CineMaven's ESSAYS from the COUCH 