MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

[Bronxgirl48]

Actually now that I think about it, I shouldn't have been so surprised. They choose Betty Compson as their birthday girl for March 19th.

[Bronxgirl48]

Just once I'd love to see THE BIRDS and MARNIE without an intro or outro mentioning Hitchcock's misogynistic treatment of women, Tippi Hedren in particular (and now I've learned he also sexually harrassed Diane Baker). Last night I heard that a major theme in his movies is "the dominant male". What?? The traditional interpretation from many experts is the dominant mother figure as a source of evil but I guess that doesn't fit the current narrative these days.

[txfilmfan]

lol, I thought it was weird that the actor playing the NYC mayor was an Ed Koch look-a-like. He wouldn't become mayor until 1978. It should have been Abraham Beame in 1974. I realize they couldn't make fun of an actual real-life politician but as a born and bred New Yawker that definitely was Ed!

I noticed that too. And it certainly wasn't a very flattering portrait of the mayor.
At least he didn't go around asking everyone How am I doin'? If it had been a
Beame look-alike they would have had to dig out some of Alan Ladd's old step
stools. And there's Tony Roberts, probably taking a lunch break from a Woody
Allen movie.

Ha!!!

They overdid the New York "spunk" with that one transit guy (not Matthau) initially dealing with Robert Shaw's demands of $1,000,000 or passengers would be killed: "Dream on, maniac!" With lives on the line like this you'd think a bit more diplomacy would have been used.

Every time I hear that word I think of this 50+ year-old show...

[Andree]

Ha!!!

They overdid the New York "spunk" with that one transit guy (not Matthau) initially dealing with Robert Shaw's demands of $1,000,000 or passengers would be killed: "Dream on, maniac!" With lives on the line like this you'd think a bit more diplomacy would have been used.

Yes, there's a time to mouth off and a time to keep your cool. Matthau did a good
job of staying in the middle, though it doesn't take him long to realize that Shaw
is several cents short of a subway token.

[Hibi]

Just once I'd love to see THE BIRDS and MARNIE without an intro or outro mentioning Hitchcock's misogynistic treatment of women, Tippi Hedren in particular (and now I've learned he also sexually harrassed Diane Baker). Last night I heard that a major theme in his movies is "the dominant male". What?? The traditional interpretation from many experts is the dominant mother figure as a source of evil but I guess that doesn't fit the current narrative these days.

I don't remember hearing about Diane Baker. That must be something new that's come out. Now there is someone whose memoirs I'd like to read. Guess she doesn't want to write them or no publisher is interested. Never a big star, but she worked with a lot of great people. Marnie is not a fav. and I rarely watch it. Love the score though.

[kingrat]

Just once I'd love to see THE BIRDS and MARNIE without an intro or outro mentioning Hitchcock's misogynistic treatment of women, Tippi Hedren in particular (and now I've learned he also sexually harrassed Diane Baker). Last night I heard that a major theme in his movies is "the dominant male". What?? The traditional interpretation from many experts is the dominant mother figure as a source of evil but I guess that doesn't fit the current narrative these days.

I don't remember hearing about Diane Baker. That must be something new that's come out. Now there is someone whose memoirs I'd like to read. Guess she doesn't want to write them or no publisher is interested. Never a big star, but she worked with a lot of great people. Marnie is not a fav. and I rarely watch it. Love the score though.

Agree, agree, agree! I'm not sure why Diane Baker was never a guest at the TCM Film Festival. She was a close friend of Robert Osbourne and attended the festival with him. Every year I would suggest "Diane Baker introducing MIRAGE" as a good idea for the next festival.

MARNIE is not one of my favorites, either. The awkwardness of Tippi Hedren, the spousal rape, the kindergarten Freudianism: not to my taste.

[Hibi]

Just once I'd love to see THE BIRDS and MARNIE without an intro or outro mentioning Hitchcock's misogynistic treatment of women, Tippi Hedren in particular (and now I've learned he also sexually harrassed Diane Baker). Last night I heard that a major theme in his movies is "the dominant male". What?? The traditional interpretation from many experts is the dominant mother figure as a source of evil but I guess that doesn't fit the current narrative these days.

I don't remember hearing about Diane Baker. That must be something new that's come out. Now there is someone whose memoirs I'd like to read. Guess she doesn't want to write them or no publisher is interested. Never a big star, but she worked with a lot of great people. Marnie is not a fav. and I rarely watch it. Love the score though.

Agree, agree, agree! I'm not sure why Diane Baker was never a guest at the TCM Film Festival. She was a close friend of Robert Osbourne and attended the festival with him. Every year I would suggest "Diane Baker introducing MIRAGE" as a good idea for the next festival.

MARNIE is not one of my favorites, either. The awkwardness of Tippi Hedren, the spousal rape, the kindergarten Freudianism: not to my taste.

Good question. Missed opportunity.

[txfilmfan]

Just once I'd love to see THE BIRDS and MARNIE without an intro or outro mentioning Hitchcock's misogynistic treatment of women, Tippi Hedren in particular (and now I've learned he also sexually harrassed Diane Baker). Last night I heard that a major theme in his movies is "the dominant male". What?? The traditional interpretation from many experts is the dominant mother figure as a source of evil but I guess that doesn't fit the current narrative these days.

I don't remember hearing about Diane Baker. That must be something new that's come out. Now there is someone whose memoirs I'd like to read. Guess she doesn't want to write them or no publisher is interested. Never a big star, but she worked with a lot of great people. Marnie is not a fav. and I rarely watch it. Love the score though.

Agree, agree, agree! I'm not sure why Diane Baker was never a guest at the TCM Film Festival. She was a close friend of Robert Osbourne and attended the festival with him. Every year I would suggest "Diane Baker introducing MIRAGE" as a good idea for the next festival.

MARNIE is not one of my favorites, either. The awkwardness of Tippi Hedren, the spousal rape, the kindergarten Freudianism: not to my taste.

She was at this year's festival, I believe. I did not see her (I've seen her in years past, though), but the schedule listed her as a guest for the screening of The Model and the Marriage Broker..

Her latest project is the creation of a post-graduate film program called the Robert Osborne Center for Film Studies.

[Bronxgirl48]

I have a heads-up for today (Friday) on TCM at 6 p.m. EST -- CARNIVAL STORY. Do not miss this delightfully seedy tale, filmed on location in Munich, of three men vying for the love of a sexy drifter played by Anne Baxter with her unique brand of hamminess. She falls hard for Steve Cochran who is his wonderfully sleazy self. The entire production, although in color, gives off a faint whiff, at least to me, of 1920's, early '30's German Expressionist film vibes, not so much stylistically which I know would normally define the use of that term, but in sensibility, if this makes any sense. It also reeks of Fritz Lang pulp. There is a mute strongman in the circus named Groppo who is used, to interesting effect, as a sort of symbolic, silent Greek chorus representing, well, you'll figure it out. I won't "spoil" it although I am sure some will think "Eh, what's the big deal?" But check this out anyway!

[CinemaInternational]

I have a heads-up for today (Friday) on TCM at 6 p.m. EST -- CARNIVAL STORY. Do not miss this delightfully seedy tale, filmed on location in Munich, of three men vying for the love of a sexy drifter played by Anne Baxter with her unique brand of hamminess. She falls hard for Steve Cochran who is his wonderfully sleazy self. The entire production, although in color, gives off a faint whiff, at least to me, of 1920's, early '30's German Expressionist film vibes, not so much stylistically which I know would normally define the use of that term, but in sensibility, if this makes any sense. It also reeks of Fritz Lang pulp. There is a mute strongman in the circus named Groppo who is used, to interesting effect, as a sort of symbolic, silent Greek chorus representing, well, you'll figure it out. I won't "spoil" it although I am sure some will think "Eh, what's the big deal?" But check this out anyway!

I recall seeing it last year. Not an entirely successful film, but a very interesting one, from the waning days of RKO.

[Bronxgirl48]

Baxter to Cochran: "I have done many things in my life that shame me but YOU! You love to wallow in the MUD!"

[CinemaInternational]

Baxter to Cochran: "I have done many things in my life that shame me but YOU! You love to wallow in the MUD!"

Strange but you're not the only mention I've seen about Baxter in the last 24 hours. I put up a poll on another website, and people were having the greatest time recalling her campy performance and lines in The Ten Commandments.

[ziggy6708a]

post deleted.......wrong thread

[Bronxgirl48]

On that self-congratulatory 30th TCM anniversary: "We like to get things right"

Well of course human beings make mistakes but it seems the channel is churning out more and more of them. Because of some mysterious glitch last night with DEAD MEN DON'T WEAR PLAID, we were treated to an extra helping of CARNIVAL STORY.

Today, in keeping with poor Dave Karger's unfortunate track record with accuracy, he gave out an incorrect year for A LETTER TO THREE WIVES. Either the man needs glasses reading his teleprompter or the research department is giving out wrong information. Yet it only seems to happen on Karger's watch, possibly because Dave is still a relative newbie when it comes to factual knowledge of classic film and so doesn't realize the mistakes.

[BagelOnAPlate]

Just once I'd love to see THE BIRDS and MARNIE without an intro or outro mentioning Hitchcock's misogynistic treatment of women, Tippi Hedren in particular (and now I've learned he also sexually harrassed Diane Baker). Last night I heard that a major theme in his movies is "the dominant male". What?? The traditional interpretation from many experts is the dominant mother figure as a source of evil but I guess that doesn't fit the current narrative these days.

I'm a big fan of Alfred Hitchcock's movies, but I realize that he was more than a bit of a creep in his treatment of women.

The dominant mother figure was definitely a theme that Hitchcock consciously wove into his movies, but men's domination of women (whether or not Hitchcock consciously considered it as a theme) found its way into his work.
I would argue that Scottie (James Stewart) is the true villain of Vertigo, although I doubt that Hitchcock saw it this way.