I remember watching the very first episode broadcast, seeing the Connor household, a family with three kids and two working parents, with its worn-looking furniture, and kids clothes and other stuff strewn all about, and I thought "At last, a realistic family sitcom!" Exactly...among othe...

Amazon.com and Deep Discount have both been having several sales lately, with some great can't-miss prices on sitcoms (my favorite type of program), so I finally broke down and - somewhat against my better judgment - bought the first seven seasons of Roseanne . During its broadcast run, I almost nev...

I was also disappointed that Marriage, Italian Style wasn't scheduled. There's a nice print available on DVD, but I believe the distributor of that particular version is Russian and it's a R2 (or other region) release. I have to wonder what the rights issues are with that title. It's been virtually ...

I cannot wait to see this one. I was shocked out of my mind when TCM listed it on their schedule for this month - though, granted, it was a guest programmer pick, and I'll be very interested to hear Bill Maher's remarks as to why he chose this film. I only recently acquired the Liv Ullmann 1973 Lost...

Happy birthday, and thank you. Bryce Very well said! He left an indelible mark on pop culture that can't be underestimated, yet few today know him by name. I'm reminded of that animation cel released shortly after his death: a host of cartoon characters facing an empty microphone, heads bowed, unde...

Why would <b>The Beverly Hillbillies</b> be a "guilty pleasure"? It is an excellently written show, with a cast that delivers fully realized characters. One of the best television series, ever. I characterize it as a guilty pleasure because unless you're a dedicated, hardcore fan, the one...

. Grab the popcorn and maybe some kleenex (for Brief encounter) and make an evening of it. Hobson's Choice has long been one of my favorite movies, and I freely admit that I cry at the sensational climax - not to mention the scene near the middle when Will hears Maggie ardently declaring her true f...

I've been watching the Kino on Video restored edition of Dr. Mabuse, the Gambler in the past few days. I still have about a half-hour to go before I finish it, but I've enjoyed every minute of it. Rudolf Klein-Rogge is very good as the devilish title character, a psychiatrist and master of disguise ...

Today: 1. The Bank Dick - #1, without question. I roar every time I watch this film, but my friends just don't seem to get it. 2. Bringing Up Baby - oh, so conventional a choice, but I think Grant, Hepburn, May Robson and Charlie Ruggles are a scream. 3. My Man Godfrey ('36) - which boasts possibly ...

My favorite would be The Cat and the Canary , worth checking out if you can find it online. But I'm a sucker for almost any "old dark house" movie. That's one type of film that just isn't made (well) anymore today. Some others that I like include The Ghost Breakers , Nothing but the Truth ...

I realize I'm late to this thread, but...I have to name three: 1. The Bank Dick , when bank examiner J. Pinkerton Snoopington (Franklin Pangborn) comes to Lompoc and W. C. Fields "assists" him in his duties. 2. The opening to The Man on the Flying Trapeze , in which W. C. Fields nearly dri...

stuart.uk wrote:who do you prefer as your female slueth Jessica Fletcher or Miss. Jane Marple.

I prefer Margaret Rutherford as Miss Marple, but of all female sleuths, I enjoy Edna May Oliver's Hildegarde Withers the most. I wish she'd have made more of those films opposite James Gleason.

-Stephen

For me, the top comedienne of the era you're describing would be Thelma Ritter. Sure, she was a supporting player in most of her films, but she always made a distinct impression. Of the three you named, however, Judy Holliday gets my top vote. She made some good films and could be very funny, especi...

Yay! 13 of my 15 choices earned a spot in the top 30!

While I'm not exactly bowled over that Mildred Pierce didn't make the cut, I am shocked to see that The Third Man wasn't included. Third Man isn't only a great noir, it's among the greatest of films.

-Stephen

Others' opinions are always welcome, but I usually slam the door on condescension, and those lists often smack of it. Concerning the AFI lists, what I find condescending are the remarks by the industry professionals, which are usually so uninspired that you wonder if the commentors have even viewed...