The Silver Screen Oasis

Well, now I know where Easy to Wed came from. The more I watch classic films, the more I realize I'm pretty foolish for complaining about re-makes. Many of my favorite movies are remakes and in many cases I like the remake as much as the original.

For instance, I prefer Keenan Wynns' cad of a newsman over Spencer Tracys. Believe me, if anyone said I would ever prefer Wynn over Tracy in anything at all, I would say they were nuts, but in this case, it's the truth. As irritating as Keenan was, he was still a lovable cad, but Spencer was simply a cad, and I didn't like his character at all. On the other hand, I felt so sorry for Jean at the end, before the fight, she was more vulnerable than Lucy was.

It's weird, I'll be watching a movie, and about 20 minutes into it, suddenly I'll say something like "This is Easy to Wed", or whatever. The difference is that previously, they changed the name, so that movie goers had to pay to find out they had seen the same movie 15 or 20 years earlier - I would have been very angry, very often and insisted on my money back.

Anne

I finally saw Easy to Wed only a few weeks ago. It's included in the Esther Williams set that was released last month.

Since it was a vehicle for Miss Williams I expected plenty of water, and surprised there was barely a drop. She makes that entrance coming down the immense slide... I wonder where that location is? I love that when she goes down the slide, it's an exterior; but when she gets out of the pool it's an interior set with a motel next to it (there was no motel when we looked down from the top of the slide)! But other than that, she doesn't even tred in her bathtub.

Lucy was certainly dazzling in this one. MGM seemed to have really been giving her the build-up around this time, as this followed fairly soon after DuBarry Was a Lady and Ziegfeld Follies both showed off her red tresses. I love the Kitsch Queen of the Organ, Helen Smith, so was thrilled to have her appear in this flick. She's a riot!

I still haven't seen Libeled Lady. The trailer for it is included on the DVD though, and I was surprised to note that there are instances where the exact dialogue is used in both. I wonder if the latter cast studied the first one for ideas? I'll take note that you preferred the latter one Anne.

Hold on Rubini:

I prefer certain elements from each film. I felt the comedy in the second one was looser, and Jean Harlow was more memorable than Lucy. I loved Lucy in movies, but she was a little more schrewish in this, where Jean was really taken advantage of. I never found William Powell very charming, so Van Johnson (whom I loved) was more appealing to me. The exact same goes in reverse for Myrna and Esther, I adore Esther and am not that fond of Myrna, but in this part, I liked Myrna better.

Also, yes, the dialog was word for word in many places - I've seen Easy to Wed many times, so that was evident quickly. They were actually made 10 years apart, the one in '36 and later in '46, and the color and scope of the latter adds quite a bit to the overall pleasure.

Checking over on imdB, I find they have remade 3:10 to Yuma, with Russell Crowe (why do they think he can play anything?) and Christian Bale, I've heard his name, but am not sure who he is. Crowe is another one I don't care for. After falling asleep during Gladiator, I made myself stay awake the second time, and still don't understand why he won the Best Actor that year. I don't know what genre he would be best in, but as an avid Western fan, I do not think Western is right for him - I wonder which part he's playing - Glenn Ford or the meek Heflin part.

Anne

mrsl wrote: I don't know what genre he would be best in, but as an avid Western fan, I do not think Western is right for him - I wonder which part he's playing - Glenn Ford or the meek Heflin part.

Anne

I've seen the commercial for "3:10 To Yuma." It appears Crowe is playing Ford's role. He seems to be a much flashier type villain based on his clothes. From the commercial is seems to be much more action oriented. Out goes the psychological drama. I wonder if they'll try to figure out a way to blow up a wagon. (One wagon does do a pretty nasty spill.)

Remember back in the old days even remakes were made by people who knew how to make them. The industry was still progressing in technology and the art of making a film. Now it's all about technology and the art has mostly gone away.

Anne wrote:Christian Bale, I've heard his name, but am not sure who he is. ...

Christian Bale made a splash debut as the little boy, lost from his parents and interred in a prisoner of war camp after Japan invaded Shanghai in Steven Spielberg's underrated Empire of the Sun. All grown-up now, he's become a leading man. He was Batman in the excellent Batman Begins, was harrowing as the American Psycho, and charming in the Tuscan remake of Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream.

Moraldo:

I guess I'll check out 3:10 to Yuma, just to see what Bale looks like as an adult, since I never saw, nor probably ever will see the three you mentioned, but I do know what he looked like as a young boy.

The thought of watching a full movie of Crowe does not turn me on though. I saw him when he was pushing something after Gladiator, on both Leno and Letterman, and he struck me as a mouthy, arrogant, egotistical type - not my favorite type.

Movieman:

I think you're probably correct about the lost psychological impact. And yes, even the remakes from the 40's were often like new plots/stories. But again, that's why we're classic movie fans, to appreciate when movies were movies.


Anne

Anne wrote:I guess I'll check out 3:10 to Yuma, just to see what Bale looks like as an adult, since I never saw, nor probably ever will see the three you mentioned, but I do know what he looked like as a young boy.

This will save you $10.00... Though I think you might like Empire of the Sun...

He was wonderful in Empire of the Sun...

I doubt if I'll see the movie either, I do however like Christian Bale. He was in a couple of good films, and is also a good actor. He plays various roles, from "American Psycho" to "Batman Begins" and the really strange role as a lathe-operator who suffers from insomnia and hasn't slept in a year, in "The Machinist" in which he lost 60 odd pounds to play the role.


vallo

Hey Rubini:

What are you smoking today? I said I saw Bale as a young boy - Empire of the Sun, but never saw any of the 3 other movies you mentioned. I did like Empire. I caught it from the middle the first time, but later saw it in completion. As it is however, Batman Begins is on at 9:00 tonight so I'm going to sit down and watch it, just to see what Christian Bale looks like.

Actually, I just finished watching Come See the Paradise for maybe the 5th time. As much as I detest the theme of the movie, I can't help being mesmerized by it. I love the mix of American swing music and Japanese music, and the weird times they play both. Quaid is so good as the frustrated husband and father, and the girl who plays his wife is so lovely. I've seen her in several other films, but this is her showplace. Her name is Tamlyn Tomita. I believe she was also in The Joy Luck Club, and probably first pick anytime someone wants a beautiful Asian lady.

It figures. I finally found myself a nice sci-fi niche on Friday night, so naturally last week and this week they're messing with it. And of course, Vincent Price has been having his own mini-TCM Underground all day, so this has been one loss of a day for me - classic movie wise.

Anne

mrsl wrote:What are you smoking today? I said I saw Bale as a young boy - Empire of the Sun, but never saw any of the 3 other movies you mentioned. I did like Empire. I caught it from the middle the first time, but later saw it in completion. As it is however, Batman Begins is on at 9:00 tonight so I'm going to sit down and watch it, just to see what Christian Bale looks like.

Silly Anne, I don't smoke. You mentioned you hadn't seen three of the mentioned movies, but it wasn't clear to me which one you had seen. In an effort to save you time and money (as if there were a difference), I linked a contemporary picture of Mr. Bale that you can see by clicking on the word "this" in my reply... Did you notice?

Dear Mr. Rubini:

No, I did not notice the 'This'. I just clicked on it now. From the photo you offer, I see the boy from 'Empire', however, watching Batman Begins, I never would have known it was the same person. I fell asleep on it BTW. I've never been a Batman fan, I like the guy who can do it all - Superman.

I thank you kind Sir.

Anne

I was watching Rosalind Russell & Walter Pidgeon in Design for Scandal the other day and realized that it too is based, somewhat loosely, on the same story as Libeled Lady.

Liked "Libeled Lady" but loved "Easy to Wed." M-G-M, splashy and then there's Esther Williams. Hot cha!!

"A man can do anything a baboon can do."