Not so famous, but interesting: The Forbidden Street aka Britannia Mews (1949) directed by Jean Negulesco, with Maureen O'Hara as a Victorian maiden who falls in love with her drawing master (Dana Andrews), marries him and lives to regret it. After he abandons her, she finds herself living in a slu...

Great replies, everyone. Thanks for all the info. Klondike, I'm not really familiar with Patty Duke, although I've heard the name. I wonder whether her show was ever shown in the U.K.? Great clip, though. Having an actor playing double roles in a weekly sitcom must have made the logistics of it much...

I wasn't really sure where to post this, but I've been thinking today about films where an actor plays a double (or even multiple) role. I've put it here, because the examples that come most readily to mind are dramas. I was inspired by watching Kind Hearts and Coronets (a comedy, I know) last week ...

Does nobody like Bernard Herrmann? His soundtrack to The Ghost and Mrs Muir is absolutely beautiful. I also like his music to Vertigo, Fahrenheit 451, The Day the Earth Stood Still, and the other Hitchcocks. (Although I do feel a bit self-conscious when the compilation I have comes to the music from...

it was MELODRAMA for god's sake.... why wouldn't you expect it to be preachy? It was part of the style of melodrama.... stop nitpicking and appreciate the good things in Griffith's films..... I take your point about melodrama being a specfic genre, drednm, and that it brings with it certain stylist...

I just watched Down Argentine Way this weekend. One of Twentieth Century Fox's gleaming Technicolor musicals with Don Ameche, Betty Grable and (in her American debut) Carmen Miranda. I find Betty Grable a bit on the bland side (I don't dislike her; I just prefer Alice Faye's singing voice as well as...

Thanks for your replies, Ann Harding & charliechaplinfan. Both very interesting. I agree with Kevin Brownlow: it is 'maddening'! The change in backgrounds in close ups was another thing I noticed, but had forgotten about until I read it in your quote, Ann Harding. I have seen Broken Blossoms, Al...

A couple of days ago, I watched Way Down East. Despite the really appalling comic relief, I enjoyed it very much, largely because of the beauty and sincerity of Lillian Gish's and Richard Barthelmess's performances, and for the chance to see again the iconic scene on the ice floe. However, I do have...

Great pictures, Miss Retro. Thanks for posting these. I particularly like the George Hurrell one (your third post, middle row, left), with the light creating enormous shadows from her eyelashes and her hand tragically clasped to her face. The epitome of suffering in mink. I believe she worked with H...

I rented this film and watched it last night. Directed by Carl Dreyer, it came out in 1932 but was more or less shot as a silent with the actors mouthing what little dialogue there was in French, German or English (for three separate versions) and then Dreyer creating the soundtrack in post-producti...

I saw this film a year or two ago and really liked it. I remember being surprised when I did a bit of research on it, and found it wasn't particularly well thought of. I don't recall all the details of the plot, but doesn't it involve emigree Valentina Cortesa posing as a dead woman in order to get ...

A few weeks ago, I watched the 1946 version of Humoresque, in which Oscar Levant co-stars with Joan Crawford and John Garfield. He plays the piano-playing friend and mentor of struggling and then triumphant violinist Garfield. I love Oscar Levant. I can't believe he wasn't adlibbing some of his dial...

Hello Stuart - I don't remember Susan Kohner as such, because I'd never heard of her before I saw her in Imitation of Life a year or so ago - but I have to say she stood out for me in this film. She was head and shoulders above all the other soapy performances on offer. (I really could not believe i...

Sorry to hear this news - I realize I haven't seen him in that much, but I thought Mystery Street was an excellent film - great cast too.

Thanks for all the feedback. Interesting that Frank Overton's name should come up. I nearly mentioned him in my first post: I was very impressed by his acting. His character - Clift's rival for Lee Remick's affections - seemed initially threatening, but then another side emerged - of someone who cou...