John Payne Alert

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ken123
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Re: John Payne Alert

Post by ken123 »

Redhaired ladies and in low cut outfits - HUBBA - HUBBA ! 8)
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MissGoddess
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Re: John Payne Alert

Post by MissGoddess »

Moira, I confess I do enjoy Sun Valley Serenade, because it has one of the best music soundtracks in the world. (I can do without Henie.)

I really enjoyed 99 River Street and found myself completely revising my opinion of Kansas City Confidential (I was indifferent to it
when I first saw it first a long time ago). It actually made me cry a little at the end. Preston Foster was terrific. I even liked the
girl (Colleen Grey) this time...I like how she was at first sexy and flirtatious and then quickly switched to serious and smart. But, oh,
the ghastly fifties hair cuts on the leading ladies in both these films!!!! I won't even mention how I thought Evelyn Keyes looked in hers.

The Crooked Way was good too, though Ellen Drew didn't seem to have much chemistry with Payne.

Right now I'm watching my recording of The Shores of Tripoli. As gorgeous as Payne is, I'm torn between him and Randolph Scott this time.
I will say it's fun having battalions of Marines in my living room all to myself.
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JackFavell
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Re: John Payne Alert

Post by JackFavell »

Colleen Grey's hair was a relief after Evelyn Keyes'.
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Sue Sue Applegate
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Re: John Payne Alert

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Paula, those were great photos from Slightly Scarlet. Arlene Dahl and Rhonda Fleming look pretty fab. But John Payne up against the wall....ooh..
I have never seen Slightly Scarlet...
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pvitari
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Re: John Payne Alert

Post by pvitari »

I'd like to get John Payne up against a wall too. ;)

I forgot to mention that 99 River Street was supposed to be one of those first 50 MGM titles that were to be released "on demand" through Fox Home Entertainment. (How that deal came about I'd like to know!)

As far as I know, none of these actually HAVE been been released yet... 99 River Street isn't even listed at Amazon, though the announcement about it last November said those first 50 titles would be released immediately. So much for the best laid plans...
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ChiO
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Re: John Payne Alert

Post by ChiO »

Two of the mint framed inserts by my computer are Allan Dwan/John Alton/John Payne movies: SLIGHTLY SCARLET and SILVER LODE (separated for security purposes by a one-sheet of SHOCK CORRIDOR).
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Re: John Payne Alert

Post by movieman1957 »

MissG:

1950s hairstyles to me are always preferable to 1960s styles.
Chris

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moira finnie
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Re: John Payne Alert

Post by moira finnie »

Ooh, the hair on the women in 99 River Street and Kansas City Confidential!
ImageImage

Did that European pixie cut look good on anyone other than Audrey Hepburn and Leslie Caron? And even those ladies looked better with longer hair too. Lucky Ellen Drew got to keep an alright 'do, though she wore some of those postwar skirts that made her look like a walking lampshade, so none of the ladies got off easy.

Btw, this is not the first time I've seen 99 River Street, but I still rub my eyes in disbelief when John Payne warms up to Evelyn Keyes (or any woman) after that stunt she pulled at the theater. Doesn't that bond between Payne and Keyes seem awfully unlikely to anyone else? Oh, and I was so impressed with Brad Dexter's oiliness this time out. The man just gets better and better in that creepy part, doesn't he?

Just finished watching The Crooked Way, which I liked, though maybe John Alton could have broken down and used a tad more wattage in a few scenes--though Robert Florey was big on Stygian gloom in most of his movies (especially the horror movies), so maybe the two of them conspired to make the viewer feel as though she was going blind. The enjoyable part of this movie for me was the appearance of Percy Helton, who showed up clinging to his kitty and coughing as though he had a furball, and Rhys Williams as the detective, who drifted through the movie apparently clucking his dentures. I thought that Sonny Tufts, who wore every long boozy night of excess on his face, like Dorian Gray in reverse, was pretty good as the hood nursing a grudge against Payne, though his character wasn't developed enough for me. I kept wanting to know who decorated that banker's mausoleum he lived in? Why did John Doucette waste his time on being this guy's gopher?

However, I never entirely believed in the character of the amnesiac played by John Payne. Payne may have been beaten up more in this movie than in 99 River Street and Kansas City Confidential combined. Personally, after being thrown down the fire escape stairs face first, I think I would have hopped the next greyhound out of LA and considered myself lucky to be starting off with a clean slate in a new place. Since this appeared to be Payne's first foray into film noir, maybe his lack of connection to his character and the people around him was just a reflection of the actor's lack of experience at that point.

Now, if TCM could just get the broadcast rights to Sentimental Journey (1946), I'll be there for one of Payne's best and bleakest portrayals...though it kills me to admit it, he's even better than Maureen O'Hara in that movie, though nobody can touch Connie Marshall for deep dish angst!
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Above: John Payne suffering behind his shades in Sentimental Journey while William Bendix tries to cheer him up.
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pvitari
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Re: John Payne Alert

Post by pvitari »

Fox Movie Channel used to play Sentimental Journey a lot -- I recorded it off that channel. I haven't looked recently to see if they're still running it. It's definitely a title that needs a DVD release, and considering that Maureen O'Hara is in that one too, I'm surprised it didn't receive one before Fox pulled the plug on releasing classic films. I really like it that the story is really his story rather than Maureen's. (Sorry Maureen!)

That scene where Payne listens to the recording is a huge huge tearjerker (in the very best sense of the word).
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MissGoddess
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Re: John Payne Alert

Post by MissGoddess »

I agree so with you ladies about SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY...Payne is EXCELLENT in it, he really has the most interesting role and I wish it was on DVD, too.

Moira---I have to confess to a slight crush on Brad Dexter, so I really enjoyed his smiling bad boy. And boy was he bad. Somehow, a smiling villain is so much scarier to me. I kept worrying about Evelyn when she was seducing him in that diner...I felt any second he was going to smack her or shoot her...the more he smiled, the more I got scared. And excited! It doesn't help that my boss looks like Brad...same eyes and smile. Yikes! (He's married, though, darn it. sigh. They always are.).
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Sue Sue Applegate
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Re: John Payne Alert

Post by Sue Sue Applegate »

I haven't seen Sentimental Journey since the late 70's. I would love to revisit it.

Maureen O'Hara refers to it a bit in Tis' Herself and trots out her Irish pride over its success. With the short European cuts, which I think
Ava helped popularize with those huge gold bangles, we might want to start a "Small Hair" thread!

Or at least "Clipped Coifs..." :lol:
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knitwit45
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Re: John Payne Alert

Post by knitwit45 »

Moira---I have to confess to a slight crush on Brad Dexter, so I really enjoyed his smiling bad boy.
Paula, check the Candids thread, today is Warren Hull's birthday, and I think there is a remarkable resemblance to Brad Dexter. Joe even found and posted a photo of BD, you can really see (at least I can) the resemblance. :shock: :lol:
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pvitari
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Re: John Payne Alert

Post by pvitari »

I think that's Miss Goddess who has the Brad Dexter crush. ;)

Two of my favorite guys. ;)
Image

That's from Payne's TV show, The Restless Gun. They were also in a movie together, Rebel in Town. I have a very nice copy (although pan and scan) of that... maybe it's time for some screencaps from that. ;)
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knitwit45
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Re: John Payne Alert

Post by knitwit45 »

Whoops! sorry, Paula.. :oops: :oops: :oops:
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movieman1957
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Re: John Payne Alert

Post by movieman1957 »

With "Kansas City Confidential" and "99 River Street" added to my list of movies seen I have a much deeper appreciation for Mr. Payne. Anyone who thinks "Fred Gailey" is all there is to him is missing something.
Chris

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