Mary Astor, SOTM??

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Hibi
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Mary Astor, SOTM??

Post by Hibi »

I thought I read on here a month or so ago that Mary Astor was going to be Jan.'s SOTM. Now today I found out it's going to be Joan Crawford! What happened? I am very disappointed. Joan has been SOTM many times. Mary is still waiting.......
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JackFavell
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Re: Mary Astor, SOTM??

Post by JackFavell »

I think they've moved Mary up to March or something, don't know why but I'm disappointed. Maybe they couldn't lease certain movies?
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intothenitrate
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Re: Mary Astor, SOTM??

Post by intothenitrate »

I'm pretty sure most of Mary's work is within the province of TCM's holdings -- RKO (early talkies), Warner, and MGM. The licensing issue comes up with Paramount, Universal, and United Artist releases.

I recently saw Mary in two brief interview clips In Kevin Brownlow's Silent Hollywood documentary series, taped (I'm guessing) in the late 70s / early 80s. She was pretty well pulled together, well-coiffed and made up, but there was a very distinct, dark line around the iris of her eyes, a condition I've seen before in older men who (I presume) have made a career of hard drinking.
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RedRiver
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Re: Mary Astor, SOTM??

Post by RedRiver »

Whenever her turn comes around, we'll be treated to some versatile acting with considerable depth. Look at her characters in MALTESE FALCON, LITTLE WOMEN, ACT OF VIOLENCE and DODSWORTH. All the way to HUSH, HUSH SWEET CHARLOTTE! Totally different people. I'd say we don't see acting like that anymore. The truth is, there wasn't a lot of it then either. Ms. Astor was an exception.
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JackFavell
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Re: Mary Astor, SOTM??

Post by JackFavell »

She's one heck of an actress, especially since she didn't think she could act. I hope she can look down from wherever and see how great we think she is.
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Re: Mary Astor, SOTM??

Post by RedRiver »

Humility is a good thing. When I was in college, some young actors thought they were hot ****. Long story short, they weren't! One guy felt he was really bad, but had potential. If he worked hard and took classes...Guess who's in mainstream movies and TV now?
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Hibi
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Re: Mary Astor, SOTM??

Post by Hibi »

Well, that's good news at least. (postponed till March) I was hoping she would still be scheduled rather than outright cancelled........I get so tired of the same stars being repeated as SOTMs when they are shown so much throughout the year anyway (nothing against Joan)...So many stars are still waiting their turn (I realize it will be a long wait if they are Fox or Paramount stars, but TCM has access to many of Mary's films...)
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Lzcutter
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Re: Mary Astor, SOTM??

Post by Lzcutter »

Could be that one of her films is undergoing restoration and the work isn't completed in time to make the January broadcast so TCM postponed her stint till the film is ready. Just a thought.
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Re: Mary Astor, SOTM??

Post by CineMaven »

Better late than never. MARY!!!!
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MARY ASTOR - TCM'S STAR OF THE MONTH ( MARCH )

Post by CineMaven »

Image

HOW do you want her? Do you want her hard or soft? Warm or cold? Maternal or bitchy? Shall she melt in your arms or blow you away? She can protect you or betray you. She’s smart as all get out and can toss a line like nobody’s business ( and that includes even you Miss Arden. ) She can be any way you want her to be, and you’ve got a March full of Wednesdays to discover and revel in the Mary you want, when TCM makes MARY ASTOR its Star of the Month. Now maybe it’s a detriment to an actor not to be pidgeonholed and easily identifiable as a Type. That can be debated. But Mary was what they ALL wanted to be: A WORKING ACTOR. Check her out on IMBD to see her list of films from the 20's, 30's, 40's and 50's.

Is Mary Astor an Actor or Movie Star? Well, Jack Favell answers that question like this last July:
[u][color=#0040BF]JACK[/color][/u] [u][color=#0040BF]FAVELL[/color][/u] wrote:She started out as a bona fide movie star, opposite Barrymore, Douglas Fairbanks, Warner Baxter, and William Boyd, but she herself said she had no idea what she was doing. She worked and worked and worked to become a good actress, and by the time she gets to about 1932 or so, she's really starting to become a very complex, deeply motivated character actress. As her career peaked and then waned, Mary doesn't give up, or retire, or even rest on her laurels. She keeps getting better, and better and BETTER. This is why I say movie star first, but actor foremost. Do yourself a favor, and just type in Mary Astor in IMAGES on your computer. Then tell me she isn't one of the best actresses in classic film.

I think she is so pretty. Beautiful. And smart, had class and a great Voice. She could dial it up, or give you 50 shades of grey.

Even her name is a combination representative of the simple and plain, and the rich: Mary Astor. Mary Astor was humble. Mary Astor is fierce. And in March, Mary Astor is HERE!
"You build my gallows high, baby."

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RedRiver
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Re: Mary Astor, SOTM??

Post by RedRiver »

Ms. Astor (Miss O'Shaughnessy, or whatever her name is) was all those things. She didn't play Mary Astor. She played characters. Supportive mother. Unassuming lover. Dangerously manipulative criminal! It may be that this remarkable versatility, seldom matched to this day, makes her less memorable these many years later. But as you've cine-mentioned, it didn't seem to affect her work schedule. If the lady's goal was to some credible acting, she quite succeeded.
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MARY ASTOR - TCM'S STAR OF THE MONTH ( MARCH )

Post by CineMaven »

TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT!

TCM starts off their STAR OF THE MONTH stint with Mary Astor with this lineup, so get ready with your vcrs, dvrs, and whatever technology you have available:


8:00 PM DODSWORTH (1936) - A husband whose wife left him looks for new love in Europe. Dir: William Wyler Cast: Walter Huston , Ruth Chatterton , Paul Lukas . BW-101 mins.

10:00 PM THE GREAT LIE (1941) - Believing her husband to be dead, a flyer's wife bargains with his former love to adopt the woman's baby. Dir: Edmund Goulding Cast: Bette Davis , George Brent , Mary Astor . BW-108 mins. ( Astor wins the Best Supporting Actress Academy Award for her performance here. )

MARCH 6th:

12:00 AM DON JUAN (1926)
- In this silent film, the legendary lover fights to survive intrigue in the court of the Borgias. Dir: Alan Crosland Cast: John Barrymore , Mary Astor , Willard Louis . BW-112 mins.

2:30 AM THE WORLD CHANGES (1933) - When a farmer strikes it rich in business, success goes to his head. Dir: Mervyn Le Roy Cast: Paul Muni , Aline MacMahon , Mary Astor . BW-90 mins.

4:15 AM OTHER MEN'S WOMEN (1931) - A railroad engineer falls for a co-worker's wife . Dir: William A. Wellman Cast: Grant Withers , Mary Astor , Regis Toomey . BW-70 mins.

6:00 AM PAGE MISS GLORY (1935) - A con artist creates a composite photo to win a beauty contest, then has to find the real thing. Dir: Mervyn LeRoy Cast: Marion Davies , Pat O'Brien , Dick Powell , Mary Astor. BW-93 mins.

7:45 AM DINKY (1935) - A military school cadet's mother is framed and sent to prison. Dir: D. Ross Lederman Cast: Jackie Cooper , Mary Astor , Roger Pryor . BW-65 mins.

9:00 AM LISTEN, DARLING (1938) - Two children try to find a new husband for their widowed mother. Dir: Edwin L. Marin Cast: Judy Garland , Freddie Bartholomew , Mary Astor . BW-75 mins.

10:30 AM WOMAN AGAINST WOMAN (1938) - A divorcee decides she wants her husband back after he's re-married. Dir: Robert B. Sinclair Cast: Herbert Marshall , Virginia Bruce , Mary Astor . BW-61 mins.

11:45 AM TURNABOUT (1940) - Battling spouses accidentally switch bodies. Dir: Hal Roach Cast: Adolphe Menjou , Carole Landis , John Hubbard . BW-83 mins.

1:45 PM CYNTHIA (1947) - A sheltered girl uses music as a means of winning her independence.
Dir: Robert Z. Leonard Cast: Elizabeth Taylor , George Murphy , Mary Astor , S. Z. Sakall . BW-98 mins.

3:45 PM CASS TIMBERLANE (1947) - An aging judge creates a scandal when he marries a younger woman from the wrong side of the tracks. Dir: George Sidney Cast: Spencer Tracy , Lana Turner , Zachary Scott , Margaret Lindsay, Mary Astor . BW-119 mins. * ( ...And check out Jessie Grayson as Tracy's housekeeper! )

6:00 PM PRISONER OF ZENDA, THE (1937) - An Englishman who resembles the king of a small European nation gets mixed up in palace intrigue when his look-alike is kidnapped. Dir: John Cromwell Cast: Ronald Colman , Madeleine Carroll , C. Aubrey Smith , Mary Astor . BW-101 mins.
Last edited by CineMaven on March 5th, 2014, 1:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"You build my gallows high, baby."

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RedRiver
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Re: Mary Astor, SOTM??

Post by RedRiver »

DINKY? Don't know that one. But I like the title and your description! Cine-my goodness!
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CineMaven
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MARY ASTOR - TCM'S STAR OF THE MONTH ( MARCH )

Post by CineMaven »

Hiya doin' Red. I have to tell you, these descriptions are not mine. They are included in TCM's listings of Mary Astor films. I can't take any cine-credit for that.
"You build my gallows high, baby."

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Rita Hayworth
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Re: Mary Astor, SOTM??

Post by Rita Hayworth »

Mary Astor Dodsworth

[youtube][/youtube]

This scene - I wished the YouTube Clip was another minute longer - but this is the scene that I wanted to see tonight and its warms my heart and romance was enduring. This is a great movie and I loved sincerity and love that went into it. A great vehicle for Mary Astor, Ruth Chatterton, Paul Lukas, and Walter Huston as Sam Dodsworth. One of the greatest (of the first decade of sounded movies) movies ever made - and that's why I wanted to watch tonight.

Mary Astor - to me this is one of her better and convincing roles to date. I loved her as Mrs. Edith Cortwright.
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