Soon to be playing- Our own MoiraFinnie

[Jezebel38]

One question: RO pronounced your first name like the mines of Moria in LORD OF THE RINGS. Is that how you pronounce it?

Kingrat - I'm sure our own Moira will respond, but I just had to pop in here because every time TCM plays my favorite film THE RED SHOES I absolutely cringe when RO mangles the pronunciation of Moira Shearer's name. So I think he just can't pronounce that name at all!

[charliechaplinfan]

Fernando, how did you get to see it in Chile? I'd love to watch Moira's segment.

[moira finnie]

I think that there are as many ways to pronounce my name as there are spellings. I usually respond if people call me anything, (hey you, chief, numbskull included) but among my family and friends it was usually said as "More-uh". I wasn't sure how or why they decided to say my name in full (not just the "moira finnie" part), but I had no problem going with the flow following TCM's lead.

From what I saw during my brief exposure to the working atmosphere at TCM, it seemed clear that Mr. Osborne has scads of notes to scan, master and memorize while filming a series of intros and outros alone and with others. It seemed obvious to me that his skill at giving an appropriate spin to these was much more of a matter of intense concentration than we are ever aware of watching this at home. The guy is a pro, as are all the people working on the crew. He did everything he could to do his job and still guide me through this unknown territory (and from what I have gathered, the other Morlocks too), making us look like we really were polished public figures. The pronunciation of my of name really didn't bother me one way or another.

Thank goodness people understood why I loved Touchez Pas Au Grisbi enough to choose it as the film. I didn't think it was too esoteric I like to hope that many people were introduced to Jean Gabin and Jacques Becker that night too. I agree about the "spousal relationship" between Riton and Max. Maybe they would wind up together sharing a hot plate in a room with Max still getting Riton out of scrapes.

[JackFavell]

I totally see them with that hot plate between them More-uh. Back to where they were at the start.

[knitwit45]

Ms. Finnie, I remember asking you ages ago (maybe a p.m.?) about the proper pronunciation of your name. As a result, when Mr. O slaughtered it, I was telling him very firmly, "no, no, no, you're making it harder than it is! it's MORE-UH!!!!" OK, he didn't slaughter it, but YIKES!!!!! I'm sure he has more to remember than one name, but he's so polished and smooth, you expect him to be perfect...

[feaito]

Fernando, how did you get to see it in Chile? I'd love to watch Moira's segment.

Hi Ali, so long no see!

Well my brother's cable service -he lives in Miami- carries TCM USA and he has a device or sth. (I'm not computer savvy at all) by which he and his wife can connect to his TV in Miami while in Chile and watch any channel they wish. They were in Chile at the time (my sister-in-law is a flight attendant) and thus, I was able to see Moira.

Lucky Me!

[MissGoddess]

Fernando, how did you get to see it in Chile? I'd love to watch Moira's segment.

Hi Ali, so long no see!

Well my brother's cable service -he lives in Miami- carries TCM USA and he has a device or sth. (I'm not computer savvy at all) by which he and his wife can connect to his TV in Miami while in Chile and watch any channel they wish. They were in Chile at the time (my sister-in-law is a flight attendant) and thus, I was able to see Moira.

Lucky Me!

that is one of the coolest things i ever heard of! sometimes technology does have it's upside.

[CineMaven]

I will trade Delon, Belmondo, Trintignant, Aumont, Jourdan, Montand...and maybe even Boyer for one night with



Moira’s choice of “TOUCHEZ PAS AU GRISBI” was inspired. I’ve never heard of this film. And I came away from it saying “Viva La France!!” “Viva GABIN!!”

The Foley artists must have had a ball doing this movie; I felt like I had superhuman hearing. Every footstep on cobblestone...every bottle uncorked was pronounced. The movie took its time. I laughed out loud when I saw Max making a snack and then readying for bed. “Oh my god, they’re showing the whole thing.” I guess I’m used to seeing a fade, a cut or a dissolve.

The movie shows us Max’s life and how he walks through it. Nothing phases him. He moves with assurance. He walks through the underworld. ( ...And wears the hell out of double breasted suits. Mmmm. ) The thrust of the story is he’s pulled a job netting a couple of millions in gold bullions; but his friend and partner is kidnapped by a rival gang and Max must pay a ransom for him.



Here is the cast of characters. At first blush I thought “what do these old guys 'think' they're going to do with these young girls.” Silly me...it’s Jean Gabin ( Max ).



Max catches Josy ( Jeanne Moreau ) in the amorous clinches of rival gang leader Angelo ( Lino Ventura ). This is soooooo bad on so many levels.

I could not take my eyes off of Jeanne Moreau. It's funny, I saw her name in the credits, but I was absolutely sure she was in a bit role. So as I watched Josy, I said to myself, "She just draws the camera to her! I wonder who she is? I'm going to have to look her up after the movie." Duh.

As JF said, you can't take your eyes off Jeanne Moreau as Josy. No wonder the poor foolish Riton wanted to impress her by bragging about the gold.

Moreau is dynamite. Forget that kittenish blonde cotton candy that’d soon be coming up the ranks. Moreau! Moreau! More Moreau!



They both look so tough. I love it that Max is so relaxed...unphased. All the men are impeccably dressed. Why am I noticing that? I don't even care about clothes in movies.



Friendship. Friendship. It’s the perfect, blendship...

He's left having to carry Riton, who is almost not even a friend anymore, a stupid man. He takes care of him more out of habit than of genuine feeling.

I love how the relationship between Max and Riton, though not at all sexual, is almost spousal. A lot of pretty young women have come and gone, but these two have soldiered on together, despite Riton's weaknesses.

I enjoyed watching their friendship. I believed it. I believed Max genuinely cared for Riton ( Rene Dary ) . They probably were together as young men out robbing and stealing. The only one who Riton trusts implicitly IS Max. Remember when Max called him and told him NOT to go with the guys in his room. Riton didn’t question it, he just did as Max said. Max is the only one that could tell him that Josy was NOT for him. Ev’ryone has that one friend that tells you the tough stuff; the stuff you don’t want to hear. ...And you take it. What got me was Max making the snack, getting the sheets and blanket, brushing his teeth. We would have never seen that in an American film of the 40’s; taking the time to show the whole procedure. Nothing going on? Ha! It says EVERYTHING about them. And how very French of them to have wine, toast and cheese. The sound department made me hungry. ( Am I crazy? ) I liked their friendship...Max discussing that they are old men. Time to retire.



And who’s this pretty young thing? I loved how frank the dialogue was. And this was 1954!! Alors, they are French. I loved his kiss. ( Jean! Jean! Jean! )



Max’s high-class mistress. Is Gabin the original James Bond? He loves ‘em and leaves ‘em and they beg him for more. The dress is too much for me. And she wears her jewelry to...bed (( )) - to each his own. ( Note: the rear screen projection and faux Folies Bergere dancing girls were cute and quaint. Made me chuckle, but didn't spoil the movie for me at all. )



When Max needs to get some answers, he gets some answers. This smacking scene was great. I don’t cotton to hittin’ a woman. But I made an exception here. Everybody got it right in the kisser from Max. Stupid twits. And the guy too...right in the chops. They all put him in this predicament. Now he’s got to get out of it. << pow! >> He'd have made mincemeat out of Brigid Shaughnessy!

I'm just glad he was able to keep Pierrot alive to get back to Madame Bouche...

Me too! I loved the Secretary saying it was too late for her to start her life over. Quiet brief language that says it all. Pierrot surprised me. Shocked me in fact...in a good way. ( Paul Frankeur as Pierrot. ) I loved the way he sprang into action for his ol’ pal Max. I loved the friendships and loyalties in this movie. They kidnap one of the gang members. Pierrot manhandles the guy down into the dungeon, pushes him around, ties him up like an S & M dominatrix and is about to work him over. ( How ironic...little does this punk know that by being kicked out of the car, his life was spared! ) These guys may look sedentary, but they move like Baryshnikov when they have to get going. Remember the two gang guys going to Max’s room? Max escaped out a window down a chimney over a rooftop down a staircase down a fire escape through a...well, he didn’t actually do all that. But he sure did hightail it outta there, didn’t he?



IRONY.

And isn't it funny, those gold ingots, so weighty in their heavy cases, going up in a puff of smoke like they were nothing at all. Only blood sweat and tears, not to mention human life.

I like how you wrote about the ending, Wendy:

I loved the ending. It came up too quick for my liking but it was perfect. The blankness of losing the money in one fell swoop, then Riton didn't even make it. Tell me something, Moira... what do you think of the title? It sounds simplistic, but I felt like it was a warning, not just to Angelo, but it came around to Max himself. His whole life pretty much went up in flames because of a simple twist of fate... or a friendship which he knew was almost completely one sided. It's so fatalistic.

Money blowing away in the airport...the gold dust being blown by the wind, watching a pretty girl dancing to juke box music. How ironic an ending, for all the energy spent throughout the movies to GET the money...only to be blown just...like...that. Jean Gabin's MAX seemed like a microcosm of “The Asphalt Jungle” “The Killing” “The Good Die Young” and the heist piece of “The Killers” all rolled up into one man. Riton dies, Max has to put on airs that all is well with him and his standing in the “community.” It would not be fitting for Gabin to do a jig like the crazy smart coot Walter Huston played in “...Sierra Madre.” After all, he is French. All he can do is sit there, with his mistress...and be amused by Fate.

Thank you Moira for picking “Touchez Pas Au Grisbi” as your selection. It resonates and simmers in me.

[CineMaven]

Well my brother's cable service -he lives in Miami- carries TCM USA and he has a device or sth. (I'm not computer savvy at all) by which he and his wife can connect to his TV in Miami while in Chile and watch any channel they wish. They were in Chile at the time (my sister-in-law is a flight attendant) and thus, I was able to see Moira.

Lucky Me!

You ARE lucky on so many fronts. Say...your sister is a flight attendant? Well what are we waitin' for? Get me the hook up to Chile so you & I can do a MovieCHAT together.

[Rita Hayworth]

Maven, the last two posts ... thanks for sharing it. I love those pictures that you've selected here.

[JackFavell]

Wow, T, that was great!

I noticed the flashy clothes on the men too. I think it really struck me because of having seen Quai des Orfevres so recently, where everyone was scraping by, pretending to be well dressed when no one had anything. It was striking to me at first that in a mere 7 years, such prosperity was shown. But then it dawned on me that these men were making oodles of money on the wrong side of the law, they were prosperous 'businessmen'. Sadly they would blow the nice little nest egg, the comfortable life they had - one for a woman, and the other for friendship and a shot at a comfy 'retirement'. Not too different from any of us actually.

I do think that Riton and Max still care about one another, but Riton was starting to be a drag on Max. I felt that his little voice over, talking about how Riton was starting to get on his nerves was very much in that 'marriage' mold...where you feel like you are 'carrying' the other person in the relationship, weary, but the underlying love is still there. It's just buried under your history with that person. Still, in the end, he did everything to keep Riton alive, sacrificed it all. it's what you do for your partner, after all.

[CineMaven]

Thanx Wendy. This and "Quai... were soooo inspiring as a film buff, and film maker. I wish I could execute my ideas as wonderfully as these two directors did, or say things as profoundly ironic and subtle as I've seen. I'm afraid I'm rather a blunt person, but want to use a lighter touch with my creativity.

You're so right about the men making oodles of francs on the wrong side of the law. Those poor folks who came in for some cakes were ushered outta there. (( )) And I do see what you mean about Riton being a drag on Max. I wonder if Max could have lived with himself if he had NOT gone to get his dear friend. If it were me, I'd have gone to get my friend.

...And then shot him myself.

[CineMaven]

Oh....and if you're reading this Miss Goddess, your latest avatar is OUTSTANDING! We'll never be able to concentrate on what you have to say now that Yul's biceps are staring us in the face!!!

[MissGoddess]

Oh....and if you're reading this Miss Goddess, your latest avatar is OUTSTANDING! We'll never be able to concentrate on what you have to say now that Yul's biceps are staring us in the face!!!

Just bringing a little sunshine into your day.