#but for as much as i love jimmy stewart this is not a favorite role of his for me

[emmybrown]

i wanna ramble a little about my picks, so

the clock - i first watched this last december, ans i was completely in love. besides watching the wizard of oz as a kid (and i barely remember it), i wasn't familiar with judy garland's works, so i decided to watch the clock and i was completely in love, not only with her but also with robert walker and this film in general. it's such a great little gem, so earnest and so full of life, it immediately became one of my favorites. i just adore it

rebecca - one of the first classic movies i've watched (i think it was either the third or the fourth?) and it introduced me to laurence olivier, hitchcock, joan fontaine and gothic melodramas, all of which i adore. i feel so strongly about this movie, i can barely put it into words

this gun for hire - i had to include a veronica lake movie, and it had to be this gun for hire. i love noirs, and this one is such a perfect example, so well done, so distinct and so full of yearning, it just stuck to me

wuthering heights - the one movie that really got me obsessed with old hollywood movies!! i loved this so much i felt absolutely sick. merle oberon gave such a brilliant performance, im still mad that she didn't get an oscar nomination for this

the secret garden - i decided i wanted to watch more old hollywood movies starring teen/children actors this year, because i ended up really liking the ones i had already watched, and this one is easily my favorite. it's so beautiful, so well written, and it deals with grief and escapism in such a perfect little way. margaret o'brien was so amazing in this, and she was only 12!

hold back the dawn - one of my all time favorites. it stars three of my favorite people: paulette goddard, olivia de havilland and charles boyer. i am absolutely obsessed with him now, and this movie definitely contributed to it, but it was really olivia that made me fall in love with it. she breathed life into her role, and i rarely see anything quite like it. and the romance between her and charles boyer's character? outstanding. i rewatch their honeymoon scenes all the time. everytime i watch this movie i fall more in love with these three

hangover square - another favorite noir of mine! i watched this for linda darnell, but really, it's laird cregar's movie. linda is one my favourites, and she knew how to play a femme fatale like nobody else, but laird cregar gave one of the best male perfomances of the 40s in this (probably only behind jimmy stewart in it's a wonderful life for me). it blew my fucking mind. the last 30 minutes or so of this are out of this world. laird dying so soon after this was completed is a big tragedy to me, i would have loved to see more of his perfomances

ninotchka - i haven't rewatched this in a while so i cant tell for sure, but i remember ninotchka so fondly, it's almost becoming my favorite screwball comedy (and i absolutely love screwballs, probably my favorite genre). it's hilarious, but it goes above and beyond that. it's lubitsch, garbo and melvyn douglas at their very best. i just adore it

princess o'rourke - another screwball! this one is a little gem, one that i was very surprised to love this much. olivia and bob cummings are so charming in this, i dont really have that much to say about it. it's just very cute, very funny, very romantic and a joy. it has its flaws, but it's just so enjoyable that it's hard to care

history is made at night - my all time favorite. favorite actor, favorite actress and borzage, who is quickly becoming my favorite director, together. absolutely masterpiece. this movie has a crazy plot, but everything works so well together that it's hard to care. it's such a magical movie, that ties romance, comedy, murder and even a big tragedy in such a seamless way. charles boyer and jean arthur have amazing chemistry, it absolutely kills me that they never made more movies together. i could talk about this movie forever, but people really should just watch it, because it's impossible to explain it till you see it with your own eyes.

i was tagged by @norashelley (thank you!!) to share 10 movies that i love. not necessarily my top 10, but just some movies that have been on my mind lately

tagging: @dreaminginsteadofsleeping42 @wickeddarlings @femmehepbvrn @mariongayvies @gretagarbos @pepperonys @myrnaloysnose @carygrantsbeard @vampyrgender @downton-not-downtown-smh

[swaplong]

Alfred hitchcock vertigo

I don't care about San Francisco or what it means. I don't particularly care for the film's moments of laboured symbolism – Saul Bass's spirograph credits for instance, or the celebrated nightmare sequence. To my mind he's not so much playing against type as investigating the dark obverse of his trademark screen presence: boyishness grown into emotional immaturity, his simple idealism now pointing the wrong way. As for Jimmy Stewart, much has been made of his work here, as the increasingly morbid, sweaty, damaged policeman. Kim Novak has spoken of what she saw in the script, an analogue of the Hollywood star system in which she was a property. Scottie's moulding of Judy imitates Hitchcock's own sadistic treatment of actors, directly mirroring his trademark production of fetishised cool blondes. Many agree it is Hitchcock's most effective and personal commentary on his medium, the spell of cinema and his role in it. Everyone's catch will be different, and different each time. Ultimately the beauty of Vertigo cannot be so captured and pinned it is more akin to the butterfly garden, in which we all wave our own nets. For every theory though, there is a counter theory grounded in the same facts, the same landscape viewed in different moods. Desire and artificiality are the film's central concerns, but ideas on subjectivity, female objectification and the male gaze frequently ballast themselves by looking into its Rorschach eye. Yet readings of the film are ever more complex. The story's formula, a twist on Hollywood staple, was ironically summed up by Hitchcock as "boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy meets girl again, boy loses girl again". The two tentatively begin to date, yet unable to relinquish his deepening obsession and despite her protestations, he alters her hair, makeup and clothes and forcibly transforms Judy into Madeleine. A year later, a depressed and guilt-ridden Scottie happens upon Judy, a young woman who bears a striking resemblance to Madeleine. However, an attack of vertigo renders Scottie incapable of preventing her death, which mentally breaks him. Sceptical Scottie agrees to follow Madeleine and after intervening in her attempted suicide, inevitably falls in love. During his recovery, Scottie is approached by old pal Elster (Tom Helmore), who confides that his wife, Madeleine (Kim Novak), has been possessed by the spirit of Carlotta Valdes, a suicidal 18th-century aristocrat. The essays also ask larger questions about the specificities of place and the role such specificities play in our comprehensive efforts to understand this layered and seminal film.īecause of its interdisciplinary approach, The San Francisco of Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo will have a broad appeal to scholars of film, anthropology, geography, ethnic studies, the history of California and the West, tourism, and, of course, anyone with an abiding interest in the work of Alfred Hitchcock.The preposterous story is that of Scottie (James Stewart), a detective who develops a fear of heights after watching a colleague fall to his death. Contributors to this collection ponder a number of topics such as the ways in which Vertigo resurrects the narratives of San Francisco's violent past how sightseeing informs the act of watching the film the significance that landmarks in the film hold in our collective cultural memory and the variety of ways in which Vertigo enthusiasts commemorate the film. Cunningham has assembled provocative essays that examine the uniquely integrated relationship that the 1958 film enjoys with the histories and cultural imaginations of California and, more specifically, the San Francisco Bay Area. In The San Francisco of Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo: Place, Pilgrimage, and Commemoration, Douglas A. Often regarded as Hitchcock's most personal work, the film explores such themes as obsession, exploitation, and voyeurism. A favorite among critics, it also made the American Film Institute's 100 Years, 100 Movies where it ranked in the top 10. In Sight and Sound magazine's 2012 poll of the greatest films of all time, Vertigo placed at the top of the list, supplanting Citizen Kane.

#Alfred hitchcock vertigo

[thegirlwholied]

Bell, Book and Candle is on TV, and this is one classic movie I would actually love a remake of. I’m now fancasting this fictive modern remake with my mom.

#meet me on st. louis is on at 8 and that is one movie i would *never* want remade #kim novak is perfect in bb&c and pretty untouchable #but for as much as i love jimmy stewart this is not a favorite role of his for me #and a modern twist could be intriguing #i love pyewacket as a cat name from this movie #absolute classic movie cat #ramblings #my mom suggested chris pine for shep and i will now accept no other #the kim novak part is the hardest but my thinking is zoe saldana #i'd like to see her in something other than action (as good as she is) #and this role requires being cool and sexy and a certain otherworldliness that i think she could ace #when my mom said who would play the crazy brother i immediately said 'dan levy' #but daveed diggs would also be interesting #not sure about the other roles but a lot of options #love a pointless wish fulfillment fancast!

[mygreatadventurehasbegun]

My Personal Ranking of Claude Rains’s movies.

So, recently, I did two separate posts ranking Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn’s films (at least the ones that I’ve seen), and I realized there was at least one more actor who needed his own list.  

I have seen an even ten films from Claude Rains’ filmography (something I hope will change soon, as I do want to see more of his work), and I am going to rank them from my least favorite to God-Tier.  What’s interesting about this list is that pretty much every film on it is a straight-up classic...which makes this list more difficult, in many ways...mostly because I enjoy all of these films.  So even the one ones that are near the bottom of the list are movies that I thoroughly enjoy, in one way or another.  And of course, Claude was brilliant in everything he did, so every performance represented is fantastic.

And I’m ranking these mostly on my enjoyment of the entire film, not just on his performance...especially since Claude was normally a supporting player...though his performance might come in to play if I need a “tie breaker”.

And of course, this is all opinion!

10.  Four Daughters

This is such a sweet little movie!  Claude plays the father of the titular four daughters (three of whom are played by real-life sisters), and they all have musical gifts...The best way I can describe Claude in this movie is ADORABLE.  He plays the flute and has an amazing moustache.  This movie also features John Garfield in his first film role.  

9. The Wolf Man

I almost put this at the bottom of my list, mainly because Claude has so little to do.  But then I remembered that post I made about his character last October, about how tragic Sir John’s character arc is...and how so much of it would be lost if an actor like Claude wasn’t playing the role. 

8. Now, Voyager

This movie is one of Claude’s many collaborations with Bette Davis, though this role is a bit less substantial compared to the others.  But even though the character of Dr. Jacquith only appears occasionally, his impact is felt nonetheless.  I always want to stand up and cheer when he lays into Charlotte’s mother about the horrible way she’s treated her daughter.  His character is a wonderful blend of tough and firm, while still being kind and sympathetic.

7. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

One of Claude Rains’ best performance in an absolutely classic film.  I remember when I first saw it and watching Senator Payne attempt to kill himself while screaming to be expelled from the Senate left me completely shaken.  It was a twist to the story I wasn’t expecting...I remember wondering what was going to happen, knowing we were near the end of the runtime, but that definitely left an impact.  You can tell that he’s someone who would like to always do the right thing, but is so entrenched in the system and all the lies and deceit that come with it, that it has simply become second nature to him.  And I love watching Claude’s face as he realizes that.  Also, watching him and Jimmy Stewart spar in the Senate is so frickin’ spellbinding.

6. Mr. Skeffington

If I had to pick Claude Rain’s best performance, I would probably say it was Mr. Skeffington.  At the very least, this is the movie where if I could retroactively give him an award, this is the performance I’d pick (and even that was a really tough choice for me).  But his performance in Mr. Skeffington was unlike any of his other performances...Job is such a kind, gentle and loving man...there is no trace of deceit or anger or even mistrust in that man.  Your heart breaks for him multiple times throughout the film.

5. The Invisible Man

Now we arrive at what is probably Claude Rains most well-known movie.  I mean, even if you’ve only listened to the song “Science Fiction Double Feature” you’ll know that Claude Rains was the Invisible Man.  This performance is absolutely genius...and you only see his face for about 30 seconds.  The effects work is masterful, and Claude is one of those actors where I could just listen to him speaking for hours and be perfectly happy.  Though I do sometimes wish I could have seen the performance he was giving underneath all those bandages (or in front of the microphone).

4. Casablanca

I really don’t know if there is anything I can say about Casablanca that hasn’t already been said.  It’s a masterpiece.  And Claude’s performance as Captain Renault is amazing.  I love his smug little smiles and knowing glances...but there are some nice moments, too when you see his face drop slightly when the German officers say or do something against France.  A great movie, and if you haven’t seen it yet, go watch it!

3. Notorious

God, I love this movie so much.  Definitely my favorite Hitchcock film...the filmmaking is top-notch, with gorgeous cinematography, great use of shadows and light, with a fantastic and compelling story.  And Claude’s villainous turn as Ingrid Bergman’s Nazi husband is so fascinating to watch.  He’s a horrible person, and yet somehow, there are moments where you actually feel sorry for him.

2. The Adventures of Robin Hood

It feels weird putting this movie at number two, since it normally tops all of my lists, but the reasoning will be obvious when I get to number one.  Of course, I love this movie wholeheartedly and Claude Rains’ turn as the evil Prince John is one of my favorite villain performances of all time.  He just looks like he is having so much fun with this role.  I did read that he alluded to the fact that he took inspiration for his performance from Bette Davis, which honestly, makes me so happy.

Also, the lack of HQ gifs of Claude in this movie is criminal.  There is a scene where he is removing seeds from a pomegranate with a knife...get on it gifmakers!

1. The Phantom of the Opera

I mean.  Come on.  The Adventures of Robin Hood may be my favorite movie, but there was no way I was going to put anything but Phantom at number one on a Claude Rains list.  His performance as Erique Claudin gives me so many feelings, it is difficult to put them into words.  Or more accurately, it’s difficult for me to put them into a short and simple statement.  If you really get me talking about this movie and this character and Claude’s performance, I will be here all night.  But I will say that it’s another one of those roles where if someone else played the part, we would have lost so much depth and nuance for the character.  Claude Rains was able to take a fairly simple role and script (though of course, the character’s backstory was there, but removed during editing) and to make Claudin feel like such a fully realized person.  It’s the kind of performance where I discover something new every time I watch it.  

And there you have it!

I do want to watch more of Claude’s films...there are a few that have been on my list for a while, I’ve just been waiting (im)patiently for them to show up on TCM.  

Though I have seen one of the episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents that he did in the 50′s.

Here’s a clip and he will break your heart:

#claude rains #The Phantom of the Opera #phantom of the opera 1943 #phantom 1943 #the adventures of robin hood #casablanca #the invisible man #notorious #the wolf man #mr smith goes to washington #now voyager #mr skeffington #alfred hitchcock

[tcm]

Revisiting Oscar-Nominated and Winning Pictures By Susan King

We all have our favorite Oscar winners that we love to watch over and over again. But there are numerous Oscar winners and nominees that have gained new life thanks to TCM, HBO Max and DVD that are definitely worth revisiting. Here are some of my favorites:

RANDOM HARVEST

I interviewed the legendary funny man Carl Reiner a few months before his death and the conversation drifted to RANDOM HARVEST (’42) and how much he loved the romance. Robert Redford is also a fan. In the 1990s, he was planning on doing a remake, and in 2014, it was announced that Julian Fellowes (Downton Abbey) was hired to pen a remake. The handsome MGM production based on James Hilton’s bestseller starring Ronald Colman and Greer Garson was a huge hit that year and was nominated for seven Oscars including Best Film, Actor for Colman, Actress in a Supporting Role for Susan Peters and Director Mervyn LeRoy. 

Both Colman and Garson had great success in other Hilton adaptations – Colman starred in LOST HORIZON (’37) and Garson made her U.S. film debut and earned her first Best Actress Oscar nomination in GOODBYE, MR. CHIPS (’39). RANDOM HARVEST is often overlooked by the other big MGM film released in 1942, William Wyler’s MRS. MINIVER. Not only was the stirring drama about a British family attempting to survive the years of World War II a blockbuster at the box office, but it also won a striking eight Oscars.

But I think RANDOM HARVEST is the more engaging film. It’s hard not to fall in love with this romantic tale with Colman at his most dreamy as a shell-shocked amnesiac veteran of World War I (Colman was wounded in the global conflict) named Smith who falls in love and marries a loving young entertainer (Garson). But Smithy, as Garson’s Paula calls him, is hit by a car on his way to a job interview and wakes up with no memory of the past three years but does remember who he really is – an aristocrat by the name of Charles Rainier.

Will true love reunite these two? The sigh level is very high with RANDOM HARVEST and this love story has a very strong place in my heart.

NONE BUT THE LONELY HEART

I’ve had more than a few people ask me why I like NONE BUT THE LONELY HEART (’44) so much. It’s depressing, they say. It’s downbeat, they say. But I think it’s a chance to see Cary Grant in a rare break out of his “Cary Grant” suave, sophisticated image. Adapted and directed by Clifford Odets from the novel by Richard Llewellyn (How Green Was My Valley), NONE BUT THE LONELY HEART casts Grant as Ernie Mott, a Cockney drifter who returns home to his Ma (Ethel Barrymore).  When he learns that she’s dying of cancer, Ernie stays to help run her second-hand shop. But Ernie can’t stay out of trouble, joining forces with a gangster stealing cars and pursuing the mobster’s wife (June Duprez). 

Meanwhile, his neighbor Aggie (Jane Wyatt) is madly in love with him and tries to save Ernie from a life of crime. The film was generally warmly received, earning four Oscar nominations and winning supporting actress for Barrymore. She shot her scenes during her two-week vacation from her Broadway triumph The Corn Is Green, and the Academy Award transformed the Broadway star into a much-in-demand film actress. She would go on to earn three more Oscar nominations.

Grant, who had earned his first Oscar nomination three years earlier for PENNY SERENADE (‘41), didn’t attend the Academy Awards where Bing Crosby won best actor for GOING MY WAY. Grant never earned another Oscar nomination, but received an Oscar honorary in 1970.

NIGHT MUST FALL

Handsome and charismatic Robert Montgomery was one of MGM’s top leading men in the 1930s, best known for his work in comedies including PRIVATE LIVES (’31) and FORSAKING ALL OTHERS (’34). Though he did an occasional dramatic part, nothing really stretched him as an actor until NIGHT MUST FALL (’37). Montgomery had long been bugging MGM head Louis B. Mayer for better roles. He supposedly allowed Montgomery to do NIGHT MUST FALL because the studio head thought the actor would be embarrassed when the movie failed. Montgomery later said, “they okayed me playing in it because they thought the fan reaction in such a role would humiliate me.” He went so far as to help subsidize the film’s production budget.

Based on the play by Emlyn Williams which ran on Broadway in 1936, NIGHT MUST FALL finds Montgomery playing Danny, a serial killer who just happens to have a trophy from his latest victim—her head—in a hatbox. Danny charms his way into the heart and home of a wealthy elderly woman (Dame May Whitty, reprising her London stage role). Rosalind Russell, who made five films with Montgomery, plays the elderly woman’s niece who has her suspicions about Danny but can’t convince her aunt that she’s in danger. Both Montgomery and Whitty earned Oscar nominations.

Though Montgomery returned to the comedy genre after NIGHT MUST FALL, he began directing films such as LADY IN THE LAKE (’46) and found great success in TV in the 1950s with the anthology series Robert Montgomery Presents, which often featured his daughter Elizabeth.

THE NAKED SPUR

Jimmy Stewart’s image took a 180 degree turn in the 1950s thanks to Alfred Hitchcock with REAR WINDOW (’54) and VERTIGO (’58), but most notably in the five Westerns he made with Anthony Mann. Far from the boy-next-door character he played pre-World War II, Stewart was transformed into conflicted, troubled men – anti-heroes who often could be as villainous as the bad guys who peppered these sagebrush sagas. (Mann also directed Stewart in three non-Westerns).

THE NAKED SPUR (’53), which earned a screenplay Oscar nomination for Sam Rolfe and Harold Jack Bloom, is my favorite of their collaborations. Stewart really digs deep into the character of Civil War veteran turned bounty hunter, Howard Kemp. He’s angry and bitter having lost his land during his conflict. Kemp hopes he can get his land back by working as a bounty hunter. And he’s doggedly determined to get outlaw Ben Vandergroat (a fabulously vile Robert Ryan). Along the way, he encounters two men (Millard Mitchell and Ralph Meeker) who join him on his journey. And when he finds Vandergroat, he also discovers he has a young woman (Janet Leigh) with him. Intelligent, often disturbing and brilliantly acted, THE NAKED SPUR is an exceptional exploration of the dark side of humanity.

#Oscars #Academy Awards #nominations #westerns #crime #drama #old Hollywood #classic #Jimmy Stewart #robert montgomery #Cary Grant #ronald colman #greer garson #TCM #Turner Classic Movies #Susan King

[papermoonloveslucy]

MEET THE PRESS

August 3, 1969

You are clued into the frank and tough talk to come by the way Lucille Ball swipes away with her handkerchief at the flies threatening the hors d’oeuvres The kerchief almost snaps like a wet towel. 

The scene is the pool patio of her home on Beverly Hills’ Roxbury Drive and a cocktail party is in progress for visiting television editors. 

Lucy has just emerged from the main house. She wears a powder blue double-breasted slack suit and saucer-sized sun glasses. In the blazing sun her orange hair has the color intensity of hot coals. 

She has counted heads. Husband-producer Gary Morton is there. So are Desi Arnaz IV her son, and Lucy her daughter. And her TV side-kick Gale Gordon with his wife. Plus a half-dozen of her staff and CBS emissaries. There have been introductions all round to the newspaper types. It is time, she announces, to talk and she waves everybody into the big and comfortable pool house. A table has been positioned so that she can sit there presiding as she used to do at the stockholders’ meetings of the old Desilu Studios. 

Almost immediately some wag fields her the question: “Lucy do you run the show?” She flashes him that big innocent TV look of hers. A staff member jumps up “Let’s all answer that one for her” There is a resounding “YES” from family-and-cast. Everybody laughs uproariously.

Very few questions are required to prime the pump. Lucy, it seems, has some matters of personal irritation on her mind and as far as she is concerned they come tumbling out without any prodding from her would-be interrogators. 

First of all, she asks rhetorically, what’s all this business about whether she would retire? “I never said I wanted to quit or retire. There was a time when I was willing to quit but nobody asked me. Now I’ve set a date when I’ll retire” 

A lot of ears perk up Somebody asks slyly — when? She’s waiting for that. Her answer is smilingly emphatic: “When I drop dead in my tracks.” 

She turns then without anybody’s questioning to the matter of her longevity in television. This is her 18th year on the tube and it used to be talked about that she traded her popularity to CBS in return for its buying other shows produced by her company. This evokes an almost visible jet of steam out of the top of her carrot locks. “I never at any time sold any of the 20 shows our company produced on the basis of my returning each season. I’ve said that literally hundreds of times and nobody believed it.” 

She went on to make it clear that she also dislikes the “big business” image which has adhered to her over the years. “I never like to talk about big money. I make my deal and that’s all. It’s been mostly a matter of legal procedures.” 

As the star wades into these fiscal subjects your eye roams over the assemblage. Young Desi in tennis togs impassively studies the smoke curling up from a cigarette. Young Lucy clutches her hands around her knees and stares intently at her mother. Husband Gary sitting on a ledge at the back of the room swings his legs and smiles. 

There has been no mention of Desi the elder the former husband Lucy’s co-performer and co-founder of Desilu Studios (now sold). Earlier this writer had chatted briefly with young Desi. He said he saw his father off and on and spends his summers as a rule at the father’s beach home at Delmar, south of Los Angeles. 

The youngster asked if I knew his grandfather Dr. Desiderio Arnaz who lives in Coral Gables.  (1)

But back to Lucy She’s telling us how many years it took to realize that as Lucille Ball she had attained V.I.P. status.

She reviews the years she spent trying to make it in show business, first on the stage, then as a model, and finally in the movies. Much of the time she says she stagnated. Until television came along. 

“I never had any sense of importance. I was very pliable always willing to do what I was told It wasn’t until one day I saw in print somewhere some actress described as a ‘Lucille Ball type’ that I knew suddenly I was somebody and a part of the business.” 

From there on the interview jumps from subject to subject. 

I ask her whatever happened to the project Dean Martin’s producer Greg Garrison had for starring Martin, her, and Jackie Gleason in a revival of the musical “Guys and Dolls.”  (2)

“I never said I would do it. Garrison kept publicizing it, but he never cleared it with me. I do still want to do ‘Diamond Jim’ with Jackie It’s just a matter of finding the time.” (3)

A lady editor wants to know how Lucy keeps her sinuous figure. 

“I don’t particularly like food. I’m not very fond of meat, for example, except in the morning.” 

Which brings a snort of disgust from her husband. “Can you imagine what it’s like to have to watch her eating corned beef or hamburger at 6 o’clock in the morning?” 

The questions now go to the children. What are Desi’s plans? Does he want to make acting his future? “I want to be an actor for awhile but I don’t think I ever want to be one certain thing.” 

Young Lucy, who, at 18, is two years older than her brother, is more sure of her future “I’ll go to college for awhile but I like acting. I’ll stay at it if I can.” 

Would she somebody asks join the campus protest and carry a sign? Only if it says ‘wet paint’ quips she. 

Lucy now introduces her cast veteran, Gale Gordon. He pays her extravagant compliments and talks a bit about his radio and early television days. 

The interview’s late arrival is venerable George Marshall, who is now the show’s director. Lucy introduces him as “our sexy senior citizen.” Marshall goes back to the dawn of movies and is filled with fascinating anecdotes about his years in the business. (4)

The conversation turns to TV’s talk shows. Somebody suggests to Lucy that she would be a highly likely guest for Merv Griffin’s new show starting on CBS Aug 18. (5)

Lucy's answer comes lancing back “That’s what you think. I don’t like him.” Which rocks everybody back. Why not? “Because he doesn’t know how to interview. He’s rude to his guests and he monopolizes the conversation.” 

She doesn’t wait for the next question. “I’m wild about Dick Cavett (on ABC) I think he’s great And I told Bill Paley (board chairman of CBS) he should have him on our network. But Bill said ABC got him first and we’re out of luck.” (6)

Everybody is suddenly distracted by three teen-age girl fans leaning over a fence way up front. They’re begging to be allowed on the grounds. Morton jogs forward to shoo them away. 

“This happens all the time,” says Lucy. “My God they used to picnic right in front of the house until our police department stopped them. Jimmy Stewart, who lives up the street, finally told me how to keep them away. Turn on the lawn sprinklers.” 

Morton returns and takes everybody for a tour of their luxurious but very lived-in home. Lucy tells us a funny story about how Jack and Mary Benny had once been their next door neighbors sold their home then asked her to try to mediate a re-sale of the place back to them. Then we take our leave.

#    #    # FOOTNOTES FROM THE FUTURE

(1) Dr. Desiderio Alberto Arnaz y Alberni II (1894-1973) was a Cuban politician and the father of Desi Arnaz. He graduated from the Southern College of Pharmacy in 1913 in Atlanta, Georgia. Desiderio Arnaz II was the youngest mayor of Santiago de Cuba (1923–32). When president Machado was overthrown in August 1933, Arnaz was arrested and jailed. Six months later, he was allowed to go into exile. He married Dolores "Lolita" de Acha y de Socias in 1916 and had one son, Desiderio "Desi" Arnaz III. He later had a daughter, Connie Arnaz (1932), with Anne M. Wilson, whom he married in 1941.

(2) Guys & Dolls was a 1950 stage musical by Frank Loesser, based on the stories by Damon Runyon starring Robert Alda, who appeared on several episodes of “The Lucy Show” and “Here’s Lucy”.  It was filmed by MGM in 1955. During that time, Lucy and Desi were also under contract to MGM, so they prevailed upon “I Love Lucy” to insert a clip from the film into “Lucy and the Dummy” (ILL S5;E3). After its initial airing on October 17, 1955, the clip was removed from the film print, and for legal reasons, has never been restored. It is unclear whether Garrison’s project with Martin, Ball, and Gleason would have been a film revival, or a stage production. Whatever it was to be, Lucy wanted to have no part of it, perhaps remembering the rigors of performing on stage in Wildcat (1960). During her film career, Ball was in two films based on Damon Runyon material, The Big Street (1942), a film she claimed as her favorite, and Sorrowful Jones (1949). She also did a radio version of Runyon’s “Tight Shoes” in 1942. Ball and Gleason would have been cast as Miss Adelaide and Nathan Detroit, while Dean Martin would have played Sky Masterson, the romantic lead. Those roles were played by Vivian Blaine, Frank Sinatra, and Marlon Brando in the film. Obviously, the project never came to be. 

(3) “Diamond Jim” was a project that Lucy dearly wanted to make with Gleason. He would play Diamond Jim Brady (1856-1917) to her Lillian Russell. Ball even went so far as to have a script written to further grab Gleason’s attention. Despite their best intentions, Gleason and Ball’s schedules never allowed for enough time to make the film. 

(4) George Marshall (1891-1975) had directed Lucille Ball in Valley of the Sun (1942) and Fancy Pants (1950).  He was considered an expert at location shooting, so when “Here’s Lucy” wanted to spend the first four episodes of Season 2 on location, Marshall was hired as director. He stayed on for seven more episodes of the sitcom before bowing out. 

(5) Despite Lucille Ball’s rather harsh public assessment of Merv Griffin (1925-2007) at this August 1969 press party, Ball appeared on “The Merv Griffin Show” four times between 1971 and 1980! During her first appearance, the aforementioned George Marshall was also a guest! 

(6) Lucille did seem to enjoy doing the talking to Dick Cavett, although she only got to do his chat show once, on March 7, 1974, in conjunction with her press tour for Mame. 

#Lucille Ball #1969 #Press Party #Dick Cavett #Merv Griffin #TV #Here's Lucy #Gary Morton #Lucie Arnaz #Desi Arnaz Jr. #Guys and Dolls #George Marshall #Jack E. Anderson

[norashelley]

Jimmy Stewart & Eleanor Parker!

Jimmy Stewart - How many movies I’ve seen them in - 32

How I feel about their acting - He had such a specific way of acting and talking and always gave a quality performance.

How I feel about them as a person - I know nothing about him other than he dated just about every actress it seems like.

My favorite role they played - I just have to go with his iconic performance in ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’

My least favorite role they played - I thought Call Northside 777 was really boring.

Eleanor Parker -

How many movies I’ve seen them in - 17

How I feel about their acting - I think she has very underrated style of acting that I overlooked at first but the more I watched the more I noticed the depth and personality she puts into each role. 

How I feel about them as a person - I don’t know a single thing.

My favorite role they played - Woman in White, she did a beautiful performance playing 2 different types of women, and I love the whole vibe of the movie.

My least favorite role they played - The Seventh Sin, I’m not a fan of this story in general.

Thanks so much for asking, Nessa!

#ask game #maureenoharra

[hawkland]

Dear Fandom5k Author

My AO3 account (sidewinder)

Hello and thank you for writing for me! I’m excited to give this exchange a try for the first time and cannot wait to read what you can come up with for one of my requests. Please note I’d love any of them equally, no matter if I have more prompt ideas for one or the other. Some I seriously would love just about anything about since they are so rare, others I have more specific requests to scratch itches I haven’t seen written before (or that much.)

General Likes:

Soumates with a twist. I love soulmate/soulbond AUs, as long as it’s just not a shortcut to happily-ever, no-conflict fluff. I want there to be some difficulties or angst involved. For instance, I’d love seeing any fusion/inspired-by fics based off the concept of the AMC Soumates series - where there’s a newly-developed scientific test a person can choose to take to find their soulmate (if the other person out there has also taken the test). That way it’s a choice to find out or not. Would an already established couple want to take the test to find out if they’re really “meant” to be together or not? What if they find out other people are their “soulmates”? What about the possibility of platonic soulmates vs romantic? Discussions for the future if/when one partner dies before the other? I’d love to see these questions played out with one of my fave ships in either a  happy or somewhat angsty/dark way.

Vacation/travel stories. Being unable to travel this past year+ thanks to covid-19 has me desperate to explore and live vicariously through my favorite characters! So I’d love a story involving travel to somewhere new (to them). It could be a romantic getaway/honeymoon trip to somewhere special - and I love it when an author “takes me” to a favorite city/place of their own. Or two friends just going on an escapade together, maybe one sensing the other needs some time away from a stressful situation or workplace.

Smutty likes: I love extended kissing scenes, frottage, light restraint play, sharing-one-bed-for-~reasons~-ooops-how-did-we-wake-up-cuddling, bathing/caretaking an injured partner-turns-erotic, desperate/reunion sex.

Canon-divergent AUs - I’m always good with fix-its, shifts in canon that only change one thing and see what happens next or instead.

Do Not Wants:

A/B/O dynamics, mating heats. (I do like Supernatural fics that explore Castiel and the angels having bird-like behaviors and instincts, however.)

animal abuse/death

anything related to pregnancy/childbirth/kidfic (except for Jack in SPN)

formalized BDSM relationships

scat/watersports

unrequested alternative-universe scenarios such as high school/mundane/genderswap/coffee shop/fantasy/etc. There are a few ships/groups where I would enjoy specific AUs, and those are outlined below.

Completely sad endings/permanent character death or injury that isn’t part of canon

Rape/non-con between requested characters. Dubious consent is fine in situations like magic spells/possession/fuck-or-die, however.

Supernatural

AU - Canon Divergence, Character Development, Established Relationship, Getting Together, Fix-it fic, Interpersonal Drama, Smut, Angst, Canon-Style Plot - Freeform, Hurt/Comfort, Mystery/Procedural, Slice of Life, Worldbuilding, Horror

In general for SPN, I love canon-divergence AUs at pretty much any point in time (especially as they kept having so many dumb reasons in canon to keep Dean & Cas apart just when one or the other seriously needed support or TLC!) I’m okay with post-series Heaven fics as well as canon fix-its/completely ignoring the finale, and I like exploring both human!Cas as endgame or Cas keeping/getting his full angelic grace back (which is a slight preference to me, as he repeatedly seemed to genuinely value/want to be an angel? But exploring all possibilities in fic is cool for me.)

I’m a sucker for Castiel Whump/hurt!Cas in general, so long as the author remembers Cas is a bad ass and not just a baby in a trenchcoat. If he’s going to suffer, I want him to suffer stoically until he just cannot keep up the facade any longer.  

SPN-specific DNWs: mentions/implications of Wincest, past or present; extreme bashing/characterization of John and Mary Winchester, or Jimmy Nowak, as homophobic. 

Group: Castiel/Dean Winchester Group: Castiel/Dean Winchester & Sam Winchester

Give me all the finale fix-it fics - no I’m still not over it, I’m still happy to read any new twist on how Cas got out of the Empty and got back together with Dean (and Sam). If Dean still dies early/ends up in Heaven, I’d like a story that explores what happens when one gets bored of peace-and-happiness-ever-after. (Yes, I’m a big fan of The Good Place and as such it makes me wonder if eternity with no conflict and everything you could ever want would just melt your brain and identity after a few millennia.) So what then?

I’m also stealing a Tumblr rant as a prompt I’d love to read, if you want to get into some good dirty smut:

ive had it up to here with fictional gays being like “i love you and if all i can ever have is that knowledge it’s enough for me” we need more “i have been struck down by horny insanity and i beg you to fuck me once. i’ve had three smirnoff ices and i’m gonna be crazy now. we can pretend it didn’t happen i don’t give a shit just gimme daddy’s blunt instrument” it’s more realistic [x]

Um so yeah. I’d love an au where, anywhere along the line when it’s been their/someone’s/the universe’s life on the life, Cas takes the initiative decides they’re gonna have crazy sex even if it’s just once before the end of the world/we die. But then, oops, we’ve survived, now we have to deal with it. ...Please?

For something different, maybe more romantic/fluffy, I’d really love a vacation/getaway story here, since they never really got anything like that of substance on the show. I want to see Cas take Dean somewhere beautiful and amazing in the world he’s never gotten to see before. Show him there’s more than just greasy diners and the landscape of America to enjoy and experience. If you want, they could stumble on a case/haunting/monster from another part of the world while they’re at it...but I just really want to see Dean having some mind-opening and expanding experiences beyond what’s he’s known and seen so far in life.

In specific with Cas/Dean + Sam, I love another tumblr idea I saw recently where Sam totally keeps bringing up the idea of “Sastiel” as a fun joke between him and Cas, and Cas plays along, and it drives Dean up the wall. Cas has to just keep re-assuring Dean that no, he doesn’t see Sam that way...but why does it bother Dean so much? A.k.a. Dean has to finally own up to the fact that it bothers him because he wants Cas to feel that way about him.

Castiel (Supernatural)

I just love Cas, period, end of story, he’s my One True Character of SPN. I love any stories that try to explore him more fully—be it his relationships in the past with other angels and being a BAMF commander/warrior of Heaven, or what specifically it is that keeps him so tied to the Winchesters. I love stories that feature his true-form in some fashion or try to dig into the alien/different nature of angels vs. humans.

Also, another Tumblr-musing-turned-prompt (I lost who posted it, sorry!) I'd love to see explored in a canon divergence fic focused on Cas. Specifically: 

"I would have loved an arc for Cas (after he got his grace back) where he wanted to help people, like he was helped. Spending time in soup kitchens or healing people, and through that developing a sense of self purpose, leading to his grace replenishing unexpectedly. Sort of fulfilling the traditional angel role (as we know it nowadays) by replacing his faith in heaven/dean with faith in himself, to redefine himself as a protector of humanity instead of heaven's soldier."

Group: Castiel/Dean Winchester & Jimmy Novak Group: Castiel & Jimmy Novak

We know Cas carried a lot of guilt for what happened to Jimmy and his whole family. So I'm interested in a post-finale, canon-compliant (I guess?) fic where Cas tries to reconcile things with Jimmy in Heaven. Maybe Jimmy & Amelia were one of his first "projects" or test cases in trying to build a new and better Heaven with Jack? (And it's what he was so busy with while Dean was still alive.) Or, is it weird in Heaven with Cas and Jimmy looking so similar? Does Cas still fight doubts as to whether Dean really loves him, or just desires this body/form that isn’t his own?

Otherwise, I've been thinking about Endverse!Cas, who had lost his grace/powers as the angels have all left and abandoned humankind. What happened to/where is Jimmy in all of that? (If we go by the canon that Jimmy was not killed, nor went to Heaven, until the end of Season 5, when Lucifer blew up that vessel and Cas was resurrected by Chuck.) Are they now two "mortal men"/souls trapped sharing one body? Is that why Cas is so messed up/always seeking an escape through drugs and sex? (Besides of course Dean having changed so much.) This is one prompt where I don’t mind a very dark/not-so-happily-ever-after ending.

The Police

Angst, Character Development, Established Relationship, Getting Together, Humor, Interpersonal Drama, Smut

Group: Sting/Stewart Copeland

Yeah I’ll always request these two together even though I know it’s a long shot to find anyone else as obsessed about them as I am. Really anything at all whatsoever would make me happy for this ship: Reunion Tour-era fic, early punk days before they grew successful, soulmate AUs...

I’d also love a spooky story where they’re on tour/on the road somewhere and end up in a haunted hotel. Or their tour bus/van breaks down in the middle of nowhere and they have to seek shelter in an abandoned house or farm or something...and supernatural weirdness ends up affecting them or bringing them together.

If you want to go the crack route: it wasn’t enough for Miles to take them all around the world to tour in “exotic” locations back in the day. He’s arranged for them now to go on the ultimate tour...of outer space and alien worlds.

Crossover Fandom

Action/Adventure, Character Development, Interpersonal Drama, Angst, Canon-Style Plot - Freeform, Hurt/Comfort, Mystery/Procedural

Group: Abe Morgan (Forever TV) & John Munch (L&O: SVU)

I’ve had a long running headcanon that these two could have been friends back in their respective 60s/early 70s hippie days. I’d love either a story set back then, “pre-canon”, or them running into each other in NYC later in life. Munch ending up in Abe’s antique shop, for instance, while on an investigation?  

Group: Dean Winchester (Supernatural) & Ezekiel Stone (Brimstone) Group: Castiel (Supernatural) & Ezekiel Stone (Brimstone)

I’m fascinated by the idea of crossing over these two canons. Even if there’s some conflict in their approach to Hell/Lucifer/demons, there’s still a lot in common. Dean & Ezekiel having both put in their time in Hell and being demon hunters, for instance, and their complicated relationships with (fallen) angels. I’d love to see them bonding over their experiences (Maybe they even meet in Hell? Time DOES work differently there…) Maybe somehow after Ezekiel completed his mission for the Devil, he did get his second chance at “life on Earth”…but the devil’s trick is that it’s not HIS Earth, it’s in a different dimension (Supernatural’s). I’m also curious how Ezekiel might respond to Castiel as an angel–perhaps he mistakes Cas for a demon at first, with his powers, but then they realize they are in fact hunting the same demon? Cas is stuck in an alternative dimension and recognizes Ezekiel as a similar soul to Dean’s, and seeks out his help?

Basically I’d love some kind of casefic/demon hunt here, with the characters bonding over their shared/similar past traumas, taking care of each other when/if injured on a hunt, and/or perhaps helping them sort out their complicated feelings for another (ie, background Cas/Dean and/or Zeke/the Devil are TOTALLY welcome here, as I ship both of those ships.)

Law & Order: SVU

Group: John Munch/Odafin "Fin" Tutuola

Character Development, Established Relationship, Humor, Getting Together, Interpersonal Drama, Canon-Style Plot - Freeform, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Mystery/Procedural, Slice of Life, AU-Genre shift

Munch/Fin is one of my eternal OTPs so I’m always happy to see something new featuring them! I’m always good for procedural/case-fics. And this is one request where I’d love to read some AU-Genre or setting shift, reimagining the two in some other situations besides police work. I’ve always loved the idea of John hosting a conspiracy/weird news radio show or podcast, and Fin as someone completely skeptical but who gets wrapped up in one of John’s mysteries. Or John as the owner of a bar somewhere that Fin is one of his regulars, and over time their friendship develops/deepens into something more.

Supernatural RPF

Misha Collins/Jensen Ackles Established Relationship, Getting Together, Smut, Fluff, Slice of Life, Humor

It’s odd for me to be into an actor RPF fandom (I usually only fall for music/band-related ones), but what can I say...these two just make it almost impossible not to see the possibilities!

I was thinking I’d love something set post-Supernatural...their first time seeing each other again after a long time apart? (What with the show ending, covid, Misha’s surgery, etc etc.) Could be at a convention or maybe they get to go off on a getaway together somewhere private/romantic and it’s...kind of tense and maybe nervous/angsty at first? Like with doubts about whether they can/should go back to the way things were before.

Or: putting tin-hatty speculation about the “secret/real identity” of Alma Perpetua aside, I love their poetry and I’d love any “Cockles” fic using one of their poems as inspiration.

#fandom5k #dear author #exchange letter

[letterboxd]

How I Letterboxd #9: Julie Collette.

Christmas movie lover Julie Collette tells Jack Moulton all about her seasonal movie habits, the best big screen Santa Claus of all time, disability visibility in festive films, and some of the weirder holiday picks.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year: when Letterboxd members turn to the Neverending Christmas List to help plan their Christmas movie viewing. Arrange it by highest rated, arrange it by newest release, or by popularity—any which way, there’s something for everyone, from corny TCM romances to obscure seasonal horrors.

Created six years ago by Canadian member Julie Collette, the list runs to more than 4,300 titles, and contains the word ‘Christmas’ 1,837 times at last count. Julie and her husband are die-hard Letterboxd fans, having allegedly used the platform every day for the past nine years. She’s logged every film she’s seen in theaters since 1996.

A message from John McClane in ‘Die Hard’ (1988).

What inspired your Neverending Christmas List? Can you please explain the minimum requirement for eligibility? My husband had told me about a list on Letterboxd of Every Horror Film Made from 1895–Present and that gave me the idea to start the neverending Christmas list. My eligibility rules are not strict at all. It can be a film that centers on or around Christmas time. Even New Year’s counts in my book—as long as there’s a moment in the film that has a Christmas song, a Christmas scene, or Christmas decorations. Die Hard is definitely a Christmas film. First of all, it takes place on Christmas Eve at an office Christmas party. There’s that great note that John McClane sends to Hans Gruber on a dead guy’s shirt: “Now I have a machine gun, ho-ho-ho.” Now that’s Christmas! There are a couple of titles that test my relaxed requirements. Examples would be Psycho—there are a few Christmas decorations at the beginning [and Bryan Fuller agrees]—and the documentary Beauty Day by Canadian director Jay Cheel, which has Christmas lights at the end.

And what percentage of the films have you seen? As of right now, I've watched 20 percent—that’s 882 of the 4,322 films on the list. I’ve got a lot of homework to do. Here’s a few hidden gems I recommend: Mon oncle Antoine, Holiday Affair, Remember the Night, Olivia, On the Twelfth Day…, Bing Crosby’s Merrie Olde Christmas and One Christmas, which is Katherine Hepburn’s last role.

David Bowie and Bing Crosby sing ‘The Little Drummer Boy’ in ‘Bing Crosby’s Merrie Old Christmas’ (1977).

When does your Christmas movie viewing season start? I usually start mid-November to try to keep up with the TV rom-coms because they start to air even before Hallowe’en. This year on Hallowe’en night we rewatched The Night of the Hunter and I had forgotten that there was a sequence that was set at Christmas time. It was a perfect segue between Hallowe’en and Christmas, so I started November 1st. As far as how I pick what to watch, I go through my list and randomly pick some. I try to watch as many first-time watches and mix up the genres. But the closer I get to Christmas, the more I want to watch my favorites—for the most part I go with the flow. Christmas Day is usually a day of family time, but I try to sneak in one favorite if I can.

What was the first Christmas film that got you into all of this? I’ve always loved Christmas and growing up I watched the yearly airings of vintage Christmas cartoons and A Muppet Family Christmas. When Home Alone came out it was an instant obsession, then Home Alone 2: Lost in New York was just as good. Even now it’s our yearly tradition for my husband and I to watch the Home Alones while we decorate the Christmas tree.

If not Home Alone, what is your all-time favorite Christmas film? It’s a Wonderful Life is up there for me. Partly because growing up I watched it every Christmas Eve and kind of forced my dad to watch it with me. I think he secretly didn’t mind. As a kid, I didn’t dwell on the sad parts of the story, I just wanted to go to that candy shop and run in Bedford Falls like George in that beautiful thick fake snow. Now as an adult, I appreciate the story about a small town coming together to support a man at his lowest of lows more. Jimmy Stewart is amazing as George Bailey and we can all see ourselves at some point in his journey in the film. The chemistry and comedic timing between Stewart and Donna Reed is one of the best. Every time they sing ‘Auld Lang Syne’, I always get a bit misty-eyed.

メリークリスマス Japanese style, in ‘Tokyo Godfathers’ (2003).

What have you noticed about the ways in which Christmas films have changed over the years? In classic Christmas storytelling, there are a lot more religion-centered ones like The Bishop’s Wife and It’s a Wonderful Life. The ’80s and ’90s were about the blockbusters that the whole family could enjoy; Batman Returns, Home Alone, and The Santa Clause. The last twenty years have brought us a lot of different movies, but I do find that the start of the 2000s had a better crop of Christmas movies; Love Actually, Elf, Tokyo Godfathers, Far from Heaven, Bridget Jones’s Diary, About a Boy and so many more. The last decade has been saturated by the rom-coms of Hallmark, Lifetime and their imitators, but from the last five years, a few stand out that could be destined to become Christmas classics: Carol, Little Women and The Night Before.

The best, most rewatched Christmas stories tend to be remade. Do you have a classic Christmas story that you always love, no matter who’s telling it? Hands down Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. From my favorite—Scrooge—to The Muppet Christmas Carol, to Scrooged. Growing up, I had the book of Mickey’s Christmas Carol and I loved the cartoon adaptation. I love to see the different actors’ excitement and elation at the end when Scrooge wakes up on Christmas Day. My ultimate favorite is Alistair Sim in 1951’s Scrooge. He’s so jubilant asking the maid what day it is and wishing himself Merry Christmas in the mirror. It’s a bit darker than others. When I was a kid, the intro with Jacob Marley and the build-up of the chains scared me, but I couldn’t stop watching. Patrick Stewart’s Ebenezer [in the 1999 TV movie] is also great for his relief that he survived the journey through time. What an actor! An honorable mention to The Shop Around the Corner, In the Good Old Summertime and You’ve Got Mail, which are all based on [the 1937 Hungarian play Parfumerie by Miklós László].

A Christmas Treat in ‘Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square’ (2020).

Treat Williams stars in not one but two of this season’s films (who knew he could sing?!). Which actors bring that special spark to festive films for you? Yes, and boy can he sing! Another actor who can sing and puts me straight in the Christmas mood is Bing Crosby. Those classic songs in White Christmas and Holiday Inn are favorites of mine. Jimmy Stewart is an obvious one. He has that charm that’s perfect for Christmas movies, especially in The Shop Around the Corner.

What’s your guiltiest pleasure on the list? Why do we love cheesy movies so much?! Every year I watch TCM’s Classic Christmas marathon [but I also watch] the Hallmark and Lifetime Christmas rom-coms. For me, I love them partly because there’s always a happy ending. I love to see all the decorations and all the cute small towns—some I wish existed so I could visit them because they’re so darn cute! Another reason I love them is the nostalgia, as some of the better ones star TV actors from the ’90s and ’00s like Candice Cameron Bure, Lacey Chabert, Jonathan Bennett, Adrian Grenier, Mario Lopez, Alicia Witt, Alison Sweeney and so many others.

One of the other great Christmas-themed lists on Letterboxd is the one about Christmas movie posters with white heterosexual couples wearing red and green—though many members pride themselves on having seen none of them. I like those movies because I can zone out and enjoy the predictable Christmas ride. However, like other Letterboxd members, I know that these aren’t Oscar-caliber films—though some are better than others! I’m glad that the powers that make these movies are starting to be more inclusive with more POC and LGTBQ+ characters. As a wheelchair user with a physical disability, I was happy to see that Lifetime has an upcoming one called Christmas Ever After, starring Ali Stroker.

Ali Stroker finds love in ‘Christmas Ever After’ (2020).

Indeed, our Make the Yuletide Gay list is an attempt to highlight queer festive films, but the pickings have been slim. Yes, very slim. There’s been queer characters in Christmas films but it’s your stereotypical gay friend or something like that. This year I feel there’s a shift in the air to be more inclusive. My favorites this year so far have been the star-filled lesbi-rom-com Happiest Season, The Christmas House—featuring a landmark first gay couple in a Hallmark festive film, Dolly Parton’s Christmas on the Square and Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey—with Ricky Martin! I’m looking forward to checking out A New York Christmas Wedding, The Christmas Setup and Dashing in December.

What is the scariest Christmas film that your horror-loving husband has made you watch? The best one is Black Christmas. I love that it’s female-centered and ahead of its time in their portrayals. The killer’s POV really gets me into it and still to this day puts me on edge, so much so that an ornament fell off our tree while watching it this year and it freaked me out!

Also, should we be watching The Nightmare Before Christmas on Hallowe’en or on Christmas? I watch The Nightmare Before Christmas on both holidays so you get the best of both worlds—the ghoulishness of Hallowe’en and the merriment of Christmas!

What other films on your list show Christmas in an unusual light? The first weird one that popped to mind is The Star Wars Holiday Special. That was weird! Also, from what I’ve watched I would say Eyes Wide Shut, The Ref and 3 Godfathers are not your usual Christmas films. I do have quite a few on the list I have to watch that seem weird and unusual like Elves, Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny and Santa Claus Conquers the Martians.

[Editor’s note: Previous How I Letterboxd interviewee Dave Vis urges you not to watch Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny under any circumstances.]

Which actor is the quintessential Santa Claus? For me, it’s the Santa in Miracle on 34th Street, played by Edmund Gwenn. He truly embodied the part in the way he plays Kris Kringle. The gentleness and innocence he shows throughout the film is magical. It’s no wonder he won a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for his performance.

Gunn Wållgren in ‘Fanny and Alexander’ (1982).

Of course, so many films in the Christmas canon are American films. What are some of the best Christmas films from around the world? This question makes me realize I haven’t watched enough Christmas movies from around the world. With that being said here’s a few; A Christmas Tale from France, A Child’s Christmas in Wales from the UK, Tokyo Godfathers from Japan and Ingmar Bergman’s Fanny and Alexander from Sweden. Mon oncle Antoine is a great Canadian film set in a small mining village during Christmas. It reminded me of the stories my mom and grandma talked about their Christmas traditions in their small village.

Are there any overrated classics you want to protest? I didn’t watch A Christmas Story growing up, so when I finally did watch it as an adult, I didn’t connect with it. The iconic scenes are funny and all, but it’s just okay. Now I’ll be on my hubby’s naughty list!

Does the film marathon continue through that purgatory week between Christmas and New Year? Do you have any film-related traditions to ring in the New Year? It does continue during that week to a certain extent. Some years after Christmas I’m done and what I haven’t watched goes to the following year but other years I can watch a few more and not feel overwhelmed. On New Year’s we have no traditions per se, but this year we might do a Tarantino marathon.

Christmas season is also synonymous with awards season. You keep track of a lot of Academy Awards history. How are you feeling about the awards season this year? First off, like many others, I haven’t even set foot in a theater this year and that is sad. I hope that the theater-going experience is not irreparably damaged. One good thing that came from the pandemic is film festivals streamed online and we were fortunate to watch some great titles from TIFF from the comfort of our home in September. I saw Nomadland, and it’s going to be a frontrunner for many of the main categories. I hope Regina King’s One Night in Miami gets some love. Miranda July’s Kajillionaire script is so unique—Evan Rachel Wood and Richard Jenkins should be contenders. I haven’t watched a lot of docs yet but Boys State stands out. I’m also eager to see First Cow, Minari, Ammonite, The Truffle Hunters, Soul, Mank, The Father and Promising Young Woman.

This Christmas is going to be weird for a lot of people. What’s one film you’d recommend for a guaranteed happiness injection? Weird indeed. If I have to pick just one it would be John Favreau’s Elf. Will Ferrell as Buddy the Elf instantly brings a smile to my face. You can feel his joy for Christmas from start to finish. From the classic claymation, to New York City at Christmas, to eating all that sugar, to that hilarious scene with Peter Dinklage—it’s Christmas gold!

And finally, are there some other Letterboxd members you recommend we follow? Emily, Flurryheaven, Guyzo997, Peter Spencer, Michael Dean, Brent Vanhomwegen, Ara Hiddleston and also some more Christmas lists.

#letterboxd #how i letterboxd #letterboxd community #letterboxd culture #letterboxd members #christmas #christmas films #christmas movies #holiday movies #holiday films #jack moulton

[itsclydebitches]

So the story goes like this: I’m in London for the month, popping into every used bookstore I find, and while in one I spot Captains' Logs Supplemental: The Unauthorized Guide to the New Trek Voyages. Though baggage weight limits won’t let me buy it (I have already bought so many books) I did snap pics of the “Past Prologue,” “Cardassians,” and “The Wire” entires. And then transcribed them. Because I thought the other Garak stans might enjoy this info!

Worth the read imo 💜

Episode #3 “Past Prologue” Original Airdate: 1/11/93 Written by Katharyn Powers Directed by Winrich Kolbe Guest Starring: Jeffrey Nordling (Tahna), Andrew Robinson (Garak), Barbara March (Lursa), Vaughn Armstrong (Gul Dunar), Richard Ryder (Bajoran Deputy), Susan Bay (Admiral), Gwynyth Walsh (B’Etor)

“We didn’t want your typical Cardassian in there,” says director Winrich Kolbe of the creation of one of DS9’s break-out characters, the Cardassian spy Garak. “Obviously it would have been hard to put a real Cardassian soldier in a clothing store. Perhaps it would have been terrific, who knows, but what we felt we had to deal with was somebody abnormal—at least as far as the Cardassians were concerned. It was one of those things where I wasn’t quite sure whether Andy Robinson would be the right guy. I had a different idea as to what type of actor I wanted, but Andy Robinson was available and turned out to be terrific. What I wanted, which shows how far off I was, was Sydney Greenstreet. I have to admire an actor who has to come in at three in the morning and stay in that kind of makeup for the rest of the day and still be able to give a performance.”

Comments Michael Piller, “One of the things about ‘Past Prologue’ that bothered me was that Bashir’s performance was in a very broad range—and this was newness. I believe we have strange aliens, strange makeup, spaceships, explosions and wormholes and costumes that are crazy, so that the people within them have to be entirely credible. If those people get too big in their performances, then you go into opera, and it becomes space opera, foolish and unbelievable. Patrick Stewart really led the way with us in Next Generation, which is to underplay. When you think you’re going to go big, you come down, and it has much more power and credibility. You believe there’s a space station or a spaceship like Enterprise. The biggest problem with the early shows is that some of the performances were too big or too restrained. We had to find the even tone for the ensemble to work together. Our voices weren’t quite right, and the performances were uneven. The first episode hurt the character of Bashir because he was so broad in those scenes with Andy Robinson that he looked like the greenest recruit in the history of the Starfleet, and that hurt him for two or three episodes. If we were shooting it today, his performance would be much more credible, and he wouldn���t have the same reaction from the audience that he has now.”

Klingon renegades Lursa and B’Etor, of course, were introduced in the Next Generation two-parter “Redemption,” and were used as part of an attempt to tie Deep Space Nine into existing Trek continuity. The characters eventually perished in battle against the Enterprise in the feature film Star Trek: Generations.

“The creative synergy allows you incredible opportunities,” remarks Piller. “It’s interesting how we used them. Essentially, we had a story and, in the case of Lursa and B’Etor, we said, ‘Hey, we’ve got a real kind of Casablanca spy story and we need someone to really be doing double dealings and bringing money and doing gun exchanges; why don’t we use the Klingons—and use those characters that we love so much? It works out just fine to use those guys because then there’s a connection and an identification. There’s a backstory, there’s a history, and all of these things make for such a richer series.”

Says Ira Behr, “There’s no doubt that people like [TNG characters like] Lwaxana [Troi] and Q and Vash and a bunch of others. They have a certain life to them as characters and an energy that certainly helped The Next Generation and helps us too. The characters that don’t have to be Starfleet and don’t have those strings we have attached so often. A lot of times you have people performing those characters who take a lot of relish in doing them, so they’re fun to have come back.”

Piller doesn’t feel that in exploiting The Next Generation’s voluminous history Deep Space Nine has an unfair advantage, appealing to those already familiar with Trek lore. “You have to look at the shows themselves,” he insists. “There’s no question in my mind that conceptually, each of these shows would work because they’re about the new characters. In ‘Past Prologue,’ there’s a moral dilemma for Major Kira where she has to confront her loyalty to her past life and what her new life is going to be. It’s really about her. It’s illuminating our new characters. As I’ve always said, the guest stars are catalysts. There have been times when I have not been satisfied, more prior to my arrival, that the shows have been about the guest stars, but ultimately the shows that succeed are when the guest stars are serving as catalysts to illuminate our characters.”

Episode #25 “Cardassians” Original Airdate: 10/25/93 Teleplay by James Crocker Story by Gene Wolander and John Wright Directed by Cliff Bole Guest Starring: Rosalind Chao (Keiko O’Brien), Andrew Robinson (Garak), Robert Mandan (Kotan Pa’Dar), Terrence Evans (Proka), Vidal Peterson (Rugal), Dion Anderson (Zolan), Marc Alaimo (Gul Dukat)

“I didn’t have a lot of faith in this show at first,” admits Ira Behr. “It was such an issue-oriented show that I thought we would oversimplify a complicated issue, but what got me into the show was when I realized this was not only a chance to bring back Garak but to do this whole weird little number with what’s going on between him and Dukat. To me, that nailed the character and I knew after that happened we were going to see a lot of Andy Robinson, who’s become quite popular on staff. What did not work for me was the kid and O’Brien. I thought that was very obvious stuff compared to the rest of the episode. Sometimes we have a tendency to overload the stories. Ultimately, who cared about this kid? It was weak compared to the rest of the episode.”

“As an actor, when I got the script, I didn’t realize Dukat was being set up to take the blame,” says Marc Alaimo, who portrays Gul Dukat. “But I played him as a man who was being set up. A man who was taking the dive because he had wanted to remove the children but his orders were to leave them. I never really understood that story. It seemed complicated to me, and I never quite understood how he got blamed for it.”

Episode #42 “The Wire” Original Airdate: 5/9/94 Written by Robert Hewitt Wolfe Directed by Kim Friedman Guest Starring: Andrew Robinson (Garak), Jimmie F. Skaggs (Glinn Boheeka), Ann Gillespie (Nurse Jabara), Paul Dooley (Enabran Tain)

“It just so happens some of the best shows are the least expensive, because we’re forced to be concise,” Ira Behr comments. “Our conceptual thinking of two guys in a room who are struggling for survival, or against each other, frequently makes for very good drama. This episode was an opportunity to show Bashir with a real strength that he hasn’t had before.

“[Story editor] Robert Wolfe talked passionately about doing this show, and we had always talked about the fact that Garak might have been George Smiley back in Cardassia and maybe we should explore that. Then I went to the movies and came back and said, ‘He’s Schindler.’ Why don’t we do Schindler and Smiley, and then Michale [Piller] said do all four stories, every one different. Robert came up with the idea that he tells this story about his best friend and it turns out to be him. Then you meet his mentor and best friend, who says, ‘I hope he dies, but tell him I miss him.’ That’s perfect; it’s all great stuff.”

Admittedly, “The Wire” could be perceived as an attempt to repeat the success of first season’s “Duet,” and the staff was aware of the similarities. “‘Duet’ was Kira’s crisis as much as the guy’s crisis, and this was much more Garak’s show,” offers Behr. “I thought that was a little dangerous, and we knew we were doing it, but let’s face it, the Cardassian monologue is great and Cardassians like to talk. They’re also great fun to write.”

Says David Livingston, “It’s a bottle show. It’s basically Andy Robinson in a room, but it’s very compelling because it’s one man intervening. Kurt Cobain needed Siddig. If he had had Sid he might have pulled through, because Sid knocks some sense into Andy’s head and says, ‘You’ve got to get off this stuff.’”

According to director Kim Friedman, “‘The Wire’ was kind of a challenge because most of the episode was two people in a room, Sid and Andy Robinson. It’s very hard to create pacing and energy for a show that is basically set in a room. But ultimately I was very pleased with the whole episode. I think my favorite moment was the implant withdrawal scene, which results in a fight between Bashir and Garak. It was just a very powerful moment.”

Paul Dooley, who played the menacing Enabran Tain, returned in DS9’s third season two-parter “Improbable Cause” and “The Die is Cast.” He is known for his role as Martin Tupper’s gay father in the HBO sitcom Dream On.

#DS9 #star trek #garak #julian bashir #garashir #deep space nine #I have things to say about Piller's reading of Bashir #but that's for another post lol

[a-fandolarian]

R2D2, Snoke, Obi-Wan, and Ben Solo!

R2D2: Favorite trilogy?

Original solely because Empire is the best Star Wars film. But i love all three very much

Snoke: Are you more of a follower or a leader?

Usually more of a leader but it really depends on how much of a hard on for the leader spot other people have. Like I'd rather let someone fail than force my way into leadership role.

Obi-Wan Kenobi: What does your dream lightsaber look like?

Very little exposed metal wherever the hilt is handled. Textured leather wrapped around the casing. Probably a flourish at the bottom of the pommel very much like Obi-Wan's. Wider pieces at the top and bottom of the hilt. Blue or purple blade.

Ben Solo: Favorite actor/actress?

This is a toughie.

Actor Jimmy Stewart

Actress: Anne Hathaway

#ask games #star wars asks #rey-skywalker-solo #thank you for the ask!!

[twobitmulder]

1940s Superman Fan Cast

So, continuing from the 1940’s Batman fan cast here’s the cast for a hypothetical cast list for a Superman movie made in 1941. Why? Well it’s fun and really why should our fan casting choices be constrained by the bounds of time and space? This one is going to be a little shorter than Batman because, as much as I love Superman more than Batman, his supporting cast is a little less striking and it was harder for me to link that with old actors that I knew. If anyone has any to add feel free. I will say I had my favorite actor of the period Claude Raines down for a few different characters, but I ultimately wanted to save him for a bigger role in another one of these.

Heroes

Clark Kent/Superman: Jimmy Stewart

Much like Henry Fonda as Batman, Jimmy Stewart as Superman was part of the inspiration for this whole thing. Like, go watch Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and tell me that’s not Clark Kent. Maybe its because I subscribe to the theory that Superman is the act and Clark is closer to the real person, so I see the perfect Superman because I see Clark Kent, an earnest man doing his best to do the right thing in a world where he’s not supposed to be able to. Plus, Stewart and Fonda were friends, so that’d be a boost to the hypothetic Batman and Superman team up movie (see how I’m just inserting logic haphazardly into this thing that cannot happen. We have fun here).

Lois Lane: Jean Arthur

Yeah, yeah so maybe I’m cheating a little bit by just reusing the leads from Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, so sue me (unless you’re DC Comics, then come on, this is all in good fun). Jean Arthur in that movie is half of what makes Jimmy Stewart feel so much like Clark Kent. She’s sharp, witty, unquestionably good but willing to do what she has to in order to get the truth (at least by the end). And let’s face it, a good Superman is nothing without a good Lois and these two have a proven screen chemistry.

Kara Zor-El/Supergirl: Judy Garland

Did you know the Supergirl movie was pitched as a sort of Wizard of Oz tale about a girl who finds her way home. That’s a weird starting point for a Superhero movie about a survivor of total planetary destruction. Doesn’t mean there’s not a grain of a good idea in there, and that grain is Judy Garland as Supergirl. She could play a total sweetheart but I think there was a toughness to her that would serve the role well Plus she seems like she could be related to Jimmy Stewart.

Villains

Lex Luthor: Orson Welles

Orson Welles was only in his mid-twenties when Citizen Kane came out in 1941, which makes him younger than you might want for Lex Luthor. However, among the man’s many talents even this early in his career was a gift for playing charming rich men who are secretly villainous slimeballs. Hell, go watch The Stranger, one of his lesser known films where he plays a Nazi in hiding after WWII and tell me that’s not a decent audition for Lex Luthor, an evil egotist doing whatever he has to hide his true intentions.

Dru Zod: Conrad Veidt

Veidt was initially part of my Batman cast list as Basil Karlo, with the notion that a old silent film horror actor in the era of talkies would be the best person to play an old monster actor who turns serial killer. I did not end up doing that, because I forgot, but honestly, I think Veidt would be very suited for Zod. The man was a scary looking dude who made part of his career out of playing chilling fascists as his own personal F-You to the Nazis.

Faora Ul: Gloria Holden

If I’m being honest the Bela Lugosi Dracula is not the best of the old monster movies, but the sequel Dracula’s Daughter is a real delight and Gloria Holden as the title character embodies this sense of power and darkness that would be perfect for Zod’s second in command.

Civilians

Jimmy Olson: Mickey Rooney

Just look at him. Plus, he and Judy Garland worked together and were friends so there’s a good base for chemistry between the two characters. But also, just look at him.

Martha Kent: Mary Pickford

Mary Pickford was definitely not making movies anymore in 1941 and she was only barely old enough to be Jimmy Stewart’s mother (though I think we could buy adoptive mother). She never really broke into the talkies but come on, America’s (Canadian) Sweetheart as Superman’s mother. I couldn’t resist.

Kryptonians

Jor El: Charlie Chaplin

Chaplin only made one talkie, but it was a talkie where he gave an impassioned speech against hatred and fascism and honestly, that’s the kind of gravitas the father of Superman needs. Also, I just like Charlie Chaplin and I think it would be neat to have him in this role.

#superman #clark kent #lois lane #general zod #faora #jor el #supergirl #kara zol el #lex luthor #martha kent #jimmy olsen #Fan Cast #1940s #DC comics #dc movies

[idasessions]

Famous Muses & Girlfriends in Filmmaking Pt. 26

MUSE: Jean Arthur (born Gladys Georgianna Greene)

Jean was born on October 17th, 1900 in Plattsburgh, NY to photographer Herbert Greene and his wife Johanna Nelson. Jean was of Norwegian ancestry and had Lutheran maternal grandparents, though her parents were practicing Protestants. She and her three brothers grew up in various locations like New York, Maine and Florida because of Herbert’s photography career before settling in Manhattan when Jean was 15. When WWI broke through, Jean dropped out of school and got a job as a stenographer as her brothers registered to serve (older brother Albert would sadly die from a gas attack). About five years later Jean started modeling in NYC and even befriended future MGM queen Norma Shearer, who was also a model at the time. In 1923, Jean and Norma headed out to California with offers for movie careers. But Jean would begin wasted in short silent films and B-movie westerns because she wasn’t comfortable with the fashionable flapper persona of the 1920s. Her shyness and slightly nasal voice would hold her back from stardom for a decade, while she was passed along to various studios around Hollywood. Eventually when ‘talkies’ debuted, Jean started gaining traction at Paramount Pictures with flicks like The Canary Murder Case (1929), The Saturday Night Kid (1929) and the later hit A Foreign Affair (1948). To help calm her social anxiety, Jean was recommended to get stage training on Broadway, which only lasted a year in 1931. She also went from a natural brunette to a peroxide blonde. In 1934, Jean was offered a contract at Columbia Pictures, where she would make the majority of her best received films such as Easy Living (1937), Only Angels Have Wings (1939) and The Talk of the Town (1942). She had her only Academy Award nomination—for Best Actress—in The More the Merrier (1943).

Unlike most actresses in old Hollywood and even modern filmmaking, Jean hit her prime as an actress in her late 30s and early 40s. Even more impressive is that she was consistently cast as leading ladies and love interests which is almost unheard of at that age. Part of this success was for a few reasons. One, she’s very talented. Two, she never revealed her age in resumes throughout her career, though it was always rumored she was born sometime between 1900-05. Three, she either found the fountain of youth or an amazing diet+skin routine because she legit looked exactly the same for two full decades. (Never spending time in the sun probably helped in the skin department too.) Jean was a bit like the American Greta Garbo with her aloofness and privacy off camera. Before Diane Keaton, Winona Ryder and Zooey Deschanel existed, Jean was the neurotic queen of classic cinema. She never socialized in public and rarely participated in interviews or magazine photospreads. Like Marlene Dietrich and Claudette Colbert, Jean insisted all of her profile shots be from the left side of her face. Allegedly on her final day as an actress for Columbia in 1944, Jean exclaimed “I’m free!” while walking out of the studio. She had become so burnt out on fame and films, that she only made two more movies: A Foreign Affair and the classic western Shane (1953). She tried Broadway again in 1950, with a successful run of ‘Peter Pan;’ and then experimented with starring in her own sitcom “The Jean Arthur Show” (1966) for three weeks before the show was cancelled. She officially retired from performing when she discovered she had a psychosomatic illness, and then spent the 1970s teaching drama at Vassar College and North Carolina’s School of Arts. Filmmaking legend Frank Capra openly referred to Jean as his ‘all-time favorite actress’ to work with. While they were both contracted at Columbia, Capra had her as the female leads in his dramedy masterpieces Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936), You Can’t Take It with You (1938) and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939). The latter two co-starred Capra’s favorite male star, Jimmy Stewart.

Okay, so this entry is going to be a little different than the usual theme of this series. Basically I just want to tell you a story on how one of my fave screen couples, Jean and Jimmy, apparently weren’t into each other at all IRL. Jimmy and Jean played adorable love interests to each other in Mr. Smith and You Can’t Take It with You, but were polar opposites out of character. Unlike Jean—who was either at the studio or her therapist’s office when she wasn’t locked in her house—Jimmy was a huge extrovert whether it be up in the air flying one of planes, clubbing in Hollywood with many a starlet or just chilling with his dudes. When Mr. Smith went into production it was originally planned as a sequel to Mr. Deeds, reuniting Capra, Gary Cooper and Jean. This made Jean extra excited because she liked Gary a lot as a friend and co-star (she even credited him for helping her get over being camera shy). But then Gary ended up having to choose Beau Geste (1939) over Washington, and Capra used the available role as a way to work with Jimmy again. Capra was a big supporter of Jimmy becoming a lead actor, and thought he was the perfect choice for Jefferson Smith. “I knew he would make a hell of a Jeff Smith. He was a country kid, an idealist. That’s very close to him.” Jean, err…thought otherwise. She apparently told Capra that he made a mistake casting a ~pretty boy as a man who goes up against the entire government; and that someone with a stronger, masculine, more intimidating presence (Gary) would make more sense. She was so disappointed in the casting, that apparently she complained about it on set (kinda overkill, but okay…). Jean even turned down working with Capra and Jimmy a third time seven years later in It’s a Wonderful Life (1946), where she was offered the part of Mary Hatch (Donna Reed). Good thing she turned it down though, because who the hell would believe Jean as an 18-year-old during the dance sequence? Meanwhile, Jimmy had nothing but nice things to say about Jean during all of this. He went as far as to call her one of finest women he ever worked with.

So there you go. My favorite male actor of all time and one of my favorite actresses had amazing chemistry on film, but didn’t get along as people. I’m so sad. But my one question, is like…why?? I still can’t even figure what Jean’s deal with him was besides the ‘miscasting’ and Jimmy being a big playboy at the time, while she was a wallflower. I mean, I know he was a lifelong Republican and she was a registered Democrat, so it could’ve been political….But if that was the case, then why did she love Gary so much, when he was just as conservative?? IDGI. Apparently Jean did eventually come around to agreeing that Jimmy gave a good performance in Mr. Smith while participating in a retrospective on Capra’s career in the 1970s. She also listed Mr. Smith Goes to Washington as her favorite movie she made.

Oh, and to make this post somewhat relevant to the M&G series, I’ll mention that Jean was married twice in her personal life. The first time was when she was 27 to some guy named Julian Anker for only 20 hours. And the second time was to writer-producer Frank Ross from 1932 to 1949, during which they also collaborated on The Devil & Miss Jones (1941) and The More the Merrier. Oh, and she had an affair with studio head David O. Selznick back when they were both working at Paramount and he was married to L.B. Mayer’s daughter Irene (SMH). Living up to her reclusive reputation to the fullest, Jean died single, without children and requested not to have a funeral when she died at age 90 of heart failure in 1991. Her ashes were scattered across the California coast. For the past nine decades, Jean has been remembered and considered one of the most versatile actresses of her generation. Her former director George Stevens once called her “one of the best comediennes of screen history.”

#jean arthur #Jimmy Stewart #frank capra #mr. smith goes to washington #Gary Cooper #man....this is bumming me out #not just the jimmy/jean stuff #but like...i sometimes wonder if jean was truly happy :/ #musesandgroupiesseries

[mygreatadventurehasbegun]

My Personal Hitchcock Countdown, Part Four!

TOP FIVE!

The final part of my countdown of  my personal favorite (and least favorite) Hitchcock films!

5. Vertigo

Only seen the movie once, and it managed to break the top five!  I saw it for the first time maybe a week ago, after putting it off for longer than I care to admit, because I thought the plot seemed too convoluted.  But as it turns out, it’s not as complicated as I thought!  And even though I knew what happens at the end, I was still thoroughly invested.  I loved the scene of Jimmy Stewart dragging Kim Novak up the stairs of the bell tower, that was so intense!  And Jimmy Stewart gives one of his best performances in this film, a very dark turn for him and an occasionally very unlikable character.  And this movie looks incredible.  It’s probably Hitchcock’s best-looking color film.

4. Shadow of a Doubt

Hitchcock’s personal favorite film!  This is a movie I enjoy more and more with each re-watch.  I really love the characters....Charlie, the main lead, is likable, clever and interesting to watch.  The side characters are all a lot of fun...I particularly get a chuckle from Hume Cronyn’s character, Herbert, who discusses murder with Charlie’s father for fun.  But really, this movie belongs to Joseph Cotton as Uncle Charlie.  This is the best villain Hitchcock ever put on screen.  Better than Lars Thorwald, better than Norman Bates, Uncle Charlie is one of the creepiest villain’s I’ve ever seen.  You don’t really need to look any farther than that gif of him looking straight into the camera.  He is cold and calculating, yet can still be charming and likable to the people around him.  He has everybody fooled...except his niece.

3. Psycho

Hitchcock’s masterpiece.  I mean, I think we can all agree on that.  And if I was making an objective list, this would probably be at the top.  It’s iconic for a reason.  It’s so good, it’s almost difficult to talk about, since I don’t think I could bring much more to the discussion.  But I will say, that even though I knew about the shower scene, I was still creeped out.  And I did not know about the twist ending, so that legit freaked me out, to see Norman come out dressed in that wig with a knife.  And Anthony Perkins gives an amazing performance as Norman...his pleasant, boyish exterior that is masking this much darker side is so fascinating to watch,  There’s really not more to be said, if you haven’t seen it yet, you have something to watch this Halloween season!

2.  The Birds

This was the second Hitchcock film I saw...Rear Window opened the door, but this is the movie that made he a fan!  I remember watching it in the lecture hall of my middle school...so we got to watch it on a bigger screen, which was nice for a first-time viewing.  While I agree it is not his best movie, this is the one I consider to be the scariest, because you will never look at a group of birds the same way again.  You can convince yourself that you’re safe in the shower or that your neighbors are actually very nice people, but you see a flock of birds in a tree, it can be quite unsettling!  And this is another case of just damn impressive filmmaking....and something that would not be done today.  A movie about killer birds, and they use real birds.  No CGI.  I think the only bits that were fake was when the would mix in cutouts of crows in with the real ones.  Like this film or not, you have to admit that that is a very gutsy movie.  And it paid off, as this movie is fantastic!

1.  Notorious

This is probably no surprise to anyone who follows me, but Notorious is my favorite Hitchcock movie!  While not particularly “scary”, there are still some fantastic moments of tension.  But Notorious is, first and foremost, a love story.  And damn, do I love it.  Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman have electric chemistry as Devlin and Alicia (something I was very happy to see that still had in Indiscreet) and if any other actors were in these roles, I don’t think the movie would have worked as well.  Claude Rains (whom I adore) is also wonderful as Alicia’s husband, Alex...whom she only married so she could spy on him for the American government, since he is a Nazi, living in Brazil.  I think the wine cellar sequence is a terrific example of Hitch’s idea about suspense...the idea of the “bomb under the table”...and it’s all done with no dialogue, and you are glued to your seat.  If I were to recommend any Hitchcock movie to someone who hasn’t seen any of his films, I would start here!!

And there you have it!  My personal ranking of the 18 Hitchcock movies I’ve seen (so far).

#alfred hitchcock #vertigo #shadow of a doubt #psycho #the birds #notorious #Halloween #Horror Movies

[tcm]

James Stewart in the 1950s By Susan King

Jimmy Stewart was one of the biggest stars at MGM in 1940s and 1950s. In fact, he had just earned the lead actor Oscar for his indelible comedic performance in THE PHILADELPHIA STORY (‘40) when he became the first major performer to enlist in the U.S. Army in March of 1941, a full eight months before the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Stewart, then 32, had made his film debut in THE MURDER MAN (‘35) and quickly became a leading man at the studio, earning his first Oscar nomination for his memorable portrayal of an earnest young senator in Frank Capra’s MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON (‘39). Audiences and critics loved the lanky, tall young man who excelled at playing an Everyman, the boy-next-door who was earnest, kind and often brave. Stewart, who was an experienced amateur flyer, spent a year training pilots at Kirtland Army Airfield and then in the fall of 1943 was sent to England. He ended the war with 20 combat missions, won awards for his service and remained in the USAF Reserve, where he was promoted to brigadier general in 1959. He retired in 1968.

When he returned to films in Capra’s holiday favorite IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE (‘46), he was 38 years old. He looked older; his hair was graying. He had only been out of the service for a year. There was a gravitas to his performance, a gravitas of someone who had seen the horrors of war. His George Bailey was still the Everyman, but one in despair, someone who is about to commit suicide. He earned his third Oscar nomination for his beloved performance. And, he followed that up with strong turns in the newspaper drama CALL NORTHSIDE 777 and Alfred Hitchcock’s ROPE (both ‘48).

But I think Stewart did his best work in the 1950s. He was certainly adventurous playing flawed, conflicted characters and eccentric individuals. There was a dangerous, nervous cat-like quality to his roles. And there was often a sexiness to his performances. He also worked with some of the best directors, including Hitchcock, Anthony Mann, Billy Wilder and Otto Preminger.

Stewart began his fruitful collaboration with Mann—they made eight films together—with the gritty Western WINCHESTER ’73 (‘50). Mann had made a name for himself in the late 1940s with such low-budget atmospheric films noir as RAW DEAL (‘48). Mann brought a noir sensibility to WINCHESTER ’73, in which Stewart plays the Everyman on the edge doggedly trying to find the Winchester ’73 rifle that was stolen from him, while laser-focused on tracking down the man (Stephen McNally) who stole it and also murdered his father. Stewart is just terrific playing a conflicted man who is filled with rage.

My favorite Stewart-Mann production is THE NAKED SPUR (‘53). In this exceptional Western, Stewart is even more wired. He plays a Civil War vet who lost his land during the war and becomes a bounty hunter. But he more than meets his match with his latest capture, a wily outlaw (Robert Ryan) and the two companions he picks up (Millard Mitchell, Ralph Meeker) to help him. THE NAKED SPUR isn’t just a Western adventure, it’s a psychological one. The scene at the end when Stewart loses it in front of the outlaw’s companion (Janet Leigh) – crying, yelling and shaking with hatred and grief – is an astonishing piece of acting.

Stewart and Mann didn’t just do Westerns. They scored a huge hit with the biopic THE GLENN MILLER STORY (‘54) and STRATEGIC AIR COMMAND (‘55). The latter was close to Stewart’s heart because it revolved around the Air Force and flying. He plays a baseball player who is reactivated in the Air Force to test flight new planes. The film gets bogged down on land when it concentrates on his private life with June Allyson, but he and the film soar when it takes to the air.

The same year he made WINCHESTER ’73, Stewart also began another fruitful collaboration with director Henry Koster. In fact, he received his fourth Oscar nomination for the delightful HARVEY (‘50) based on Mary Chase’s popular Broadway play about an eccentric Elwood P. Dowd, who has an invisible six-foot tall white rabbit named Harvey as his best friend. Stewart had filled in for the part on Broadway in 1947 when star Frank Fay went on vacation. Though Dowd is an alcoholic, the Production Code prevented Koster from showing him taking a drink. Almost 20 years later, Stewart and Helen Hayes appeared on Broadway in a revival of the play, and then in 1972 reprised their roles for a Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation.

The following year, Koster and Stewart teamed up again for the taut British thriller NO HIGHWAY IN THE SKY (’51). Stewart is entirely believable as a brilliant but absent-minded engineer who has a hard time convincing anybody that an expensive new airplane model is not safe. The film also paired him with his DESTRY RIDES AGAIN (’39) leading lady, Marlene Dietrich.

Stewart is probably best remembered in the 1950s for his work with the Master of Suspense in REAR WINDOW (‘54); THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH (‘56) and VERTIGO (‘58). So much has been written and discussed about those films, all I want to say is that REAR WINDOW and VERTIGO are my two most favorite Hitchcock thrillers, and Hitch had to have really delved into Stewart’s psyche to get that brave, daring turn from the actor in VERTIGO. I know that it’s a polarizing film, but I think it’s brilliant, demanding and a psychological thrill ride. I am still very much on the fence with the only film Stewart made with Wilder, THE SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS (‘57). 

Based on Charles Lindbergh’s award-winning best-seller chronicling his landmark 1927 flight across the Atlantic to Paris, the film is beautifully shot and consistently engrossing. But the big problem is that Lindberg was 25 when he made the flight and Stewart was 48 when he made the film. Just as with STRATEGIC, Lindbergh’s story was very inspiring to Stewart so, he lost weight, got in shape and lightened his hair to play Lucky Lindy. He’s very charming in the part, but there’s no getting over the fact he’s nearly 50 years old.

Stewart ended the decade with a real crackerjack of a legal drama, Otto Preminger’s ANATOMY OF A MURDER (‘59). Nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Film, Best Actor for Stewart and Supporting Actor for Arthur O’Connell, ANATOMY OF A MURDER raised more than a few eyebrows for its sexual frankness at the time, with Stewart talking about rape, panties and even semen. He’s perfectly cast as the witty, brilliant small-town attorney who seems to enjoy fishing more than taking cases. He gets the case of his career, though, when he’s hired to defend a hot-tempered Army lieutenant (Ben Gazzara) accused of murdering the man who allegedly raped his wife (Lee Remick).

Stewart has a wonderful rapport with Eve Arden as his longtime secretary who secretly loves him and Arthur O’Connell as his alcoholic buddy, an attorney who gets his mojo back when he helps Stewart on the case. And the scenes his scenes with the flirtatious Remick and George C. Scott as the slick big city prosecuting attorney just couldn’t be better. Nevertheless, Stewart lost the Oscar to Charlton Heston for BEN-HUR (’59). Stewart was presented with an Honorary Award from the Academy in 1985.

#James Stewart #Jimmy Stewart #Vertigo #Harvey #Alfred Hitchcock #Anthony Mann #TCM #Turner Classic Movies #Susan King #Anatomy of a Murder #Henry Koster

[papermoonloveslucy]

LIZ HAS THE FLIMJABS

December 30, 1950

“Liz Has the Flimjabs” (aka “A Severe Case of Flimjabs”) is episode #112 of the radio series MY FAVORITE HUSBAND broadcast on December 30, 1950.

This was the 14th episode of the third season of MY FAVORITE HUSBAND. There were 31 new episodes, with the season ending on March 31, 1951.  

Synopsis ~  Liz wants a mink coat from George, so she pretends to be sick in order to get his sympathy - and the coat!  George is on to her tactics, and decides to give her the scare of her life - literally! 

Note: This program served as the basis for the “I Love Lucy” episode “Lucy Fakes Illness” (ILL S1;E16) filmed on December 18, 1951 and first aired on January 28, 1952.  The role of the Doctor was taken by Hal March, who was actually playing an actor friend of Ricky’s named Hal March pretending to be a doctor.  On television, Lucy also adopts a psychological illness in addition to her physical ailments. There was no mention of Christmas or New Years on the television show. 

“My Favorite Husband” was based on the novels Mr. and Mrs. Cugat, the Record of a Happy Marriage (1940) and Outside Eden (1945) by Isabel Scott Rorick, which had previously been adapted into the film Are Husbands Necessary? (1942). “My Favorite Husband” was first broadcast as a one-time special on July 5, 1948. Lucille Ball and Lee Bowman played the characters of Liz and George Cugat, and a positive response to this broadcast convinced CBS to launch “My Favorite Husband” as a series. Bowman was not available Richard Denning was cast as George. On January 7, 1949, confusion with bandleader Xavier Cugat prompted a name change to Cooper. On this same episode Jell-O became its sponsor. A total of 124 episodes of the program aired from July 23, 1948 through March 31, 1951. After about ten episodes had been written, writers Fox and Davenport departed and three new writers took over – Bob Carroll, Jr., Madelyn Pugh, and head writer/producer Jess Oppenheimer. In March 1949 Gale Gordon took over the existing role of George’s boss, Rudolph Atterbury, and Bea Benaderet was added as his wife, Iris. CBS brought “My Favorite Husband” to television in 1953, starring Joan Caulfield and Barry Nelson as Liz and George Cooper. The television version ran two-and-a-half seasons, from September 1953 through December 1955, running concurrently with “I Love Lucy.” It was produced live at CBS Television City for most of its run, until switching to film for a truncated third season filmed (ironically) at Desilu and recasting Liz Cooper with Vanessa Brown.

MAIN CAST

Lucille Ball (Liz Cooper) was born on August 6, 1911 in Jamestown, New York. She began her screen career in 1933 and was known in Hollywood as ‘Queen of the B’s’ due to her many appearances in ‘B’ movies. With Richard Denning, she starred in a radio program titled “My Favorite Husband” which eventually led to the creation of “I Love Lucy,” a television situation comedy in which she co-starred with her real-life husband, Latin bandleader Desi Arnaz. The program was phenomenally successful, allowing the couple to purchase what was once RKO Studios, re-naming it Desilu. When the show ended in 1960 (in an hour-long format known as “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour”) so did Lucy and Desi’s marriage. In 1962, hoping to keep Desilu financially solvent, Lucy returned to the sitcom format with “The Lucy Show,” which lasted six seasons. She followed that with a similar sitcom “Here’s Lucy” co-starring with her real-life children, Lucie and Desi Jr., as well as Gale Gordon, who had joined the cast of “The Lucy Show” during season two. Before her death in 1989, Lucy made one more attempt at a sitcom with “Life With Lucy,” also with Gordon.

Richard Denning (George Cooper) was born Louis Albert Heindrich Denninger Jr., in Poughkeepsie, New York. When he was 18 months old, his family moved to Los Angeles. Plans called for him to take over his father’s garment manufacturing business, but he developed an interest in acting. Denning enlisted in the US Navy during World War II. He is best known for his  roles in various science fiction and horror films of the 1950s. Although he teamed with Lucille Ball on radio in “My Favorite Husband,” the two never acted together on screen. While “I Love Lucy” was on the air, he was seen on another CBS TV series, “Mr. & Mrs. North.” From 1968 to 1980 he played the Governor on “Hawaii 5-0″, his final role. He died in 1998 at age 84.

Bea Benadaret (Iris Atterbury) was considered the front-runner to be cast as Ethel Mertz but when “I Love Lucy” was ready to start production she was already playing a similar role on TV’s “The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show” so Vivian Vance was cast instead. On “I Love Lucy” she was cast as Lucy Ricardo’s spinster neighbor, Miss Lewis, in “Lucy Plays Cupid” (ILL S1;E15) in early 1952. Later, she was a success in her own show, “Petticoat Junction” as Shady Rest Hotel proprietress Kate Bradley. She starred in the series until her death in 1968.

Ruth Perrott (Katie, the Maid) was also later seen on “I Love Lucy.” She first played Mrs. Pomerantz, a member of the surprise investigating committee for the Society Matrons League in “Pioneer Women” (ILL S1;E25), as one of the member of the Wednesday Afternoon Fine Arts League in “Lucy and Ethel Buy the Same Dress” (ILL S3;E3), and also played a nurse when “Lucy Goes to the Hospital” (ILL S2;E16). She died in 1996 at the age of 96.

Bob LeMond (Announcer) also served as the announcer for the pilot episode of “I Love Lucy”. When the long-lost pilot was finally discovered in 1990, a few moments of the opening narration were damaged and lost, so LeMond – fifty years later – recreated the narration for the CBS special and subsequent DVD release.

Gale Gordon (Rudolph Atterbury) does not appear in this episode.

GUEST CAST

Frank Nelson (Dr. Stevenson) was born on May 6, 1911 (three months before Lucille Ball) in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He started working as a radio announcer at the age of 15. He later appeared on such popular radio shows as “The Great Gildersleeve,” “Burns and Allen,” and “Fibber McGee & Molly”.  Aside from Lucille Ball, Nelson is perhaps most associated with Jack Benny and was a fifteen-year regular on his radio and television programs. His trademark was playing clerks and other working stiffs, suddenly turning to Benny with a drawn out “Yeeeeeeeeees?” Nelson appeared in 11 episodes of “I Love Lucy”, including three as quiz master Freddy Fillmore, and two as Ralph Ramsey, plus appearance on “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour” - making him the only actor to play two different recurring roles on “I Love Lucy.” Nelson returned to the role of the frazzled Train Conductor for an episode of “The Lucy Show” in 1963. This marks his final appearance on a Lucille Ball sitcom.

The doctor’s surname may be a reference to noted costume designer Edward Stevenson, who designed gowns for Lucille Ball in more than a dozen RKO films and would eventually become costume designer of “I Love Lucy” after the departure of Elois Jenssen in 1955.

EPISODE

ANNOUNCER: “And now, let’s look in on the Coopers. It’s evening, and Liz and George are sitting in the living room admiring their Christmas tree."

George wonders if it is time to take the Christmas tree down but Liz doesn’t want to. They agree to put away their presents instead and start to talk about the gifts they didn’t give or get.  

Liz nearly bought George a set of matching golf clubs. George says he nearly bought her a mink jacket. He says he saw it in the window at Millers, but realized he couldn’t afford it. Liz sadly reminds him that she has never had a fur coat and wonders if they could afford it if they all their Christmas gifts to the store. George says it still wouldn’t be enough, but Liz wants to wear something special to the Atterbury’s New Year’s Eve party. 

Next morning, in the kitchen, Katie the Maid asks Liz why she is so sad. Liz tells her about her mink jacket dreams. Liz solicits Katie’s opinion on how she can’t best get George to get her a mink jacket in time for the party.  Liz decides to play sick since George always gets her what she wants when she’s ill. 

After dinner, Liz and George contemplate what to do. Liz suggests going to the movies to see Harvey starring Jimmy Stewart, which is playing at the Strand. 

Harvey is a comedy about a man whose best friend is a six-foot tall imaginary rabbit. It premiered just ten days earlier before this broadcast and starred James Stewart. The film won an Oscar for Josephine Hull. The screenplay was based on the 1944 Broadway play of the same name by Mary Chase which won the 1945 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. 

Before Liz can tell George the second feature, she starts to writhe in pain!  Amid moans and groans, Liz details the pain for George. She says she used to have these attacks as a child. When she says the only thing that sometimes helps is little gifts to make her happy, George gets suspicious.  He quickly leaves the room to make a phone call, which Liz thinks is to buy her a mink jacket, but he has actually called the doctor! 

End of Part One

Bob LeMond presents a live Jell-O commercial, giving a basic recipe for preparation of all delicious six flavors!

ANNOUNCER: “As we look in on the Coopers once again, Liz is pretending to be sick and George, who is worried about her, has called the doctor.”

The doorbell rings and George admits Dr. Stevenson (Frank Nelson). Before seeing Liz, George tips him off that Liz may have a rare disease and that the only cure is a mink coat! George asks him to give her a good scare and the Doctor agrees to play along.  

Entering the bedroom, Liz immediately tells the Doctor she feels much better.  But after a quick exam, the Doctor diagnoses Liz with a rare tropical disease from the West Indies called the ‘Flimjabs’. The only cure is to operate and remove her ‘torkle’ but warns her that she will never be able to ‘yammle’ again. The Doctor explains that ‘yammling’ is an involuntary peristalsis of the transverse clavis. 

GEORGE: “Doctor, do you have to remove the whole torkle?” DOCTOR: “Maybe we’ll be lucky and can save half of it. After all, half a torkle is better than none.” LIZ: “Well, I should say so!  I’d hate to think of never yammeling again!”

The Doctor says that they must now wait 24 hours and see if she turns green. 

DOCTOR: “If you turn green, three hours later (snaps his fingers) gone.” LIZ:  (snaps) “Gone?”  DOCTOR: (snaps) “Gone.”

For the television script, the ‘Flimjabs’ was renamed the 'Gobloots’ - a rare tropical disease that carried into America on the hind legs of the 'boo-shoo bird.’ It can necessitate a person having to undergo a 'zorchectomy’ – total or partial removal of the 'zorch’. Even if doctors are able to save half a person’s 'zorch,’ the patient will never be able to 'trummle’ again. 'Trummling’ is a mysterious involuntary internal process. Finally, if you turn green while suffering from the 'gobloots’ you will be dead in 30 minutes!  

Iris Atterbury drops by to see Liz on her way to the Bridge Club meeting. Liz tells her that she has been diagnosed with the Flimjabs. 

IRIS: “Oh, how exciting! This will make Betty Ricky’s gallstones look sick! She’ll be absolutely green.” LIZ: “She's not the only one. That’s one of the danger signs. I may turn green.”  IRIS: “With a green face and red hair, you’ll be out of this world.” LIZ: “Yes, that’s what I’m afraid of.”

Iris is overcome with emotion at the thought of losing Liz. She doesn’t want to leave, but the ice cream for the Bridge Club meeting is in the car and it’s melting! 

That night, Doctor Stevenson returns to check on Liz. Answering the door, George confesses that he’s put a green light bulb in Liz’s bedroom light. As soon as George turns on the lights, Liz shrieks seeing her green hands! Her face and hair have turned green, too!  Liz thinks the men have Flimjabs too, because they are also green, but then the truth sets in. 

LIZ: “Oh, no!  This is the end!  I’m looking at the world through green colored eyeballs!” 

Liz dramatically declares that she’s dying. George accuses her of being over-dramatic. 

LIZ: “I’m sorry, George. But I don’t die every day and it’s new to me.”

Before her imminent demise, Liz confesses to all the car accidents she’s had and hidden by having the car fixed without telling him.  

LIZ: “In fact, the only thing left of the original car you bought is the ashtray in the back seat!”

Then Liz bravely confesses to pretending to be sick to get him to buy her a mink coat. George also needs to make a confession: it was all a trick. There is no such thing as ‘Flimjabs’ and the light is from a green light bulb!  

The phone rings and it is Iris, tearfully calling from the Bridge Club meeting. The girls have just had a memorial ceremony for Liz by turning her chair to the wall and smashing her teacup in the fireplace. Before Liz can tell Iris that it was a joke, she learns that they all chipped in and bought her a goodbye present: a mink coat!  Liz hangs up in tears. George is confused.

GEORGE: “Isn’t that what you wanted?” LIZ: “Yeah, but I have to die to get it!”

END OF EPISODE

In the live Jell-O commercial, Lucille Ball and Bob LeMond play a couple of nomads lost in the desert. Lucy uses her ‘Isabella Clump’ voice as ‘Smith’. Bob is looking for his camp, near a big dune. 

LUCY / ‘SMITH’: “A dune? What’s a dune?” BOB: “What’s a dune????” LUCY / ‘SMITH’: “I dunno. What’s a-dune with you?” 

Smith sees a mirage - a big bowl of Jell-O! After describing the six delicious flavors, Bob suggests they go home. 

BOB: “Go home? We’re lost in the desert!”  LUCY / ‘SMITH’: “Why don’t we each take one of those cars.” BOB: “What cars?” LUCY / ‘SMITH’: “The ones over there. That’s a two-car mirage!” 

The same date this episode was broadcast, columnist Sid Shalit in the New York Daily News reported that a television situation comedy was being prepared starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in the mold of “My Favorite Husband”.  Clearly, the radio series was winding down. This was the final episode of 1950 with only 16 episodes left. 

Meanwhile, in addition to radio and television, Ball was on the nation’s movie screens in two 1950 films: The Fuller Brush Girl and Fancy Pants. 

#My Favorite Husband #Liz has the Flimjabs #I Love Lucy #Lucy Fakes Illness #Lucille Ball #Richard Denning #Bea Benadaret #Ruth Perrott #Bob Lemond #Radio #CBS #Jello #1950 #Harvey #Jimmy Stewart #Frank Nelson #Fuller Brush Girl #Fancy Pants