I Just Watched...

[jamesjazzguitar]

[
Strawberry Blonde (1941) TCM On Demand 7/10


I just watched this at the festival the other day. Never had seen it before, not even sure I was aware of it before, to be honest, and thoroughly enjoyed it. To add to the fun, they showed it as part of their "Night at the Movies" gimmick, where we saw a trailer (for Sgt. York), WB cartoon (one in the B.Bunny vs. tortoise/turtle series) and a short (about Hollywood polo players), all from the same year as the film. At the end of the film was a sing-along.

This is one of the first films I found out about early in my quest of viewing more studio-era films back in the late 80s that had a major impact on me. I started out with the Warner Bros tough guys, Cagney, Bogart and Robinson. From there I found Bette Davis (via her films with Bogie), and DeHavilland via this film. I was in a long-term relationship with a Strawberry Blonde type but after seeing this film, decided I needed to find my Amy.

A few days after seeing the film I went to Larry Edmunds Bookshop in West Hollywood and purchased the Films of Olivia DeHavilland, still photos (e.g., an official WB promo photo of Olivia in the outfit in the poster, with the "can only be used by permission" verbiage) and some Davis items.

My close friends felt I've gone soft and couldn't understand why I would favor DeHavilland over Hayworth. These guys married their Rita and it ended badly, while I'm still in a loving marriage with my Olivia. Now I get to make the jokes!

[Allhallowsday]

In the last 36 hours I've actually sat thru beginning to end:

DOG DAY AFTERNOON (1975) on TCM ... it gets better each time I look at it, and discover more.

TWO DAYS IN THE VALLEY (1995) ... 2nd viewing, I love it, laugh and am glad JAMES SPADER... uhm with the fabulous DANNY AIELLO PAUL MAZURSKY MARSHA MASON...

BACK TO SCHOOL (1986) I always enjoy RODNEY DANGERFIELD, not nearly as trashy as some of his best, still funny and implausible, a blast from the past.

[HoldenIsHere]

In the last 36 hours I've actually sat thru beginning to end:

BACK TO SCHOOL (1986) I always enjoy RODNEY DANGERFIELD, not nearly as trashy as some of his best, still funny and implausible, a blast from the past.

My favorite Rodney Dangerfield movie is LADYBUGS. I was in the first grade when that movie came out. I had a big crush on Jonathan Brandis.

[Allhallowsday]

^ Poor JONATHAN BRANDIS died.

[HoldenIsHere]

^ Poor JONATHAN BRANDIS died.

Yes, Jonathan Brandis died at age 27.
It was very sad.

[CinemaInternational]

First of all, I must apologize for being barely online anymore. I have no home internet, and due to circumstances surrounding schedules and dealing with family matters, I don't get out much anymore. I miss you all, and wish to speak more often with all of you, good friends that you all are.

As for films, I have seen five recently, one from the 30s, one from the early 70s, one from the 80s, one from the 90s, and one from last year. I feel that all of them can be dealt with here.

Till (2022) is a rendering of the aftermath of the brutal murder of 14-year-old Emmett Till in 1955 (his body, shown in the film twice, was battered and disfigured beyond all recognition), and how his mother (pled here by Danielle Deadwyler) rose above her grief to help provide one of the sparks that set off the Civil Rights movement. Deadwyler gives a very touching performance as the mother, and the film is earnest and sincere, but it gets off to a bit of a wobbly start (the musical score makes these moaning sounds of dread even before the incident that set off his tragic end) and at times, it feels like it needs a more vivid, electrifying treatment than it gets at points here. Still, it is extremely thought-provoking and generally well handled.

Pieces of Dreams (1970) feels like a comic book treatment of weighty moral issues in a time of social change. The central issue, of a priest (Robert Forster) grappling with his vow of chastity after falling for a social worker (Lauren Hutton), must have been meant to be controversial, as were the allusions in the plot to birth control, abortion, and other hot button topics, but the whole film is scantly believable for a moment. Forster seems a bit too tough and worldly to even play a conflicted priest, and Lauren Hutton is likely the world's most unlikely social worker, replete with outfits by Halston, because of course all social workers in Albuquerque can afford high fashion. The film on the whole plays like a mediocre movie-of-the-week (to call it a soap would be an insult to soap operas, which are far more entertaining) , done in by a fatal overdose of cinamatic saccharin. Nevertheless, the title song, sung by Peggy Lee, was Oscar nominated.

Gods and Monsters (1998) is a fictional what-if rendering of the last few weeks in the life of openly gay movie director James Whale in 1957. As portrayed by Ian McKellan, he is depicted as a lonely soul who does not wish to continue on with life, with his only companionship coming from a heterosexual gardener he has a crush on (Brendan Fraser) and a devoted and devout housekeeper (Lynn Redgrave, completely unrecognizable). The film won an Oscar for its script which has its moving moments, although its fairly low-key and internalized among more recent winners of that award. What really makes the film work is the trio of central performances, all very well modulated. (That said, they did a goid job casting someone in the small role of Elsa Lancaster, who has a very similar sounding voice to the real woman)

You Said a Mouthful (1932) is a breezy little Joe E. Briwn vehicle, and one of his better ones, with him participating in an arduous 21-mile swimming competition even though he diesn't know how to even do a dog-paddle. Its all pretty funny, with an early glimpse of Ginger Rogers as a love interest, and it purrs along for its brief 70 minute runtime.

Can the name of a film actually bring about trouble? It's a question that must be asked about 1982's Jinxed!, a famously troubled production which had a cast and crew that could not stand one another, bad press, nasty reviews, non-existent box office, and a studio (United Artists) on death's door. It killed off the career of its director (veteran Don Siegel) and was enough to keeo its lead offscreen for four years after its release (Bette Midler) As seen today though, its entertaining, actually, in spite of it all. It's a dark comedy that is one part a gambling film, one part a treasure hunt film, and one part a spoof of such noirs as The Postman Always Rings Twice and Double Indemnity. Midler plays a casino singer who is married to an odious gambler (Rip Torn) with a drinking habit, a hairtrigger temper, and a habit of physically hurting both her and her black cat. Before too long, Midler has been swept off her feet by a hapless blackjack dealer (Ken Wahl) who has been fired several times because Torn has wiped the bank clean whenever Wahl is at the table. Soon, the pair in love is aping the plotting of 40s noir characters, but before they can act, Torn has taken his own life after abnormally losing a big bet, and that is where the film takes several unexpected turns. The film is held in place by a good turn by Midler and overall solid maneuvering by Siegel, and also simply for being so idiosyncratic which is nice to see in this age of too many recent films being so obvious and heavy-handed.

[Allhallowsday]

FULL METAL JACKET (1987) I haven't seen it in many years. Still powerful.

[TikiSoo]

Wow CI, that post was excellent. I wondered where you've been, your absence left a big hole here. Please come back more regularly when you can!

I finally saw ESCANABA IN DA MOONLIGHT 2001, a movie someone reviewed on the old TCM forum. I was intrigued, but couldn't find it anywhere for years (assuming no DVD release) until STREAMING! (both Tube & Freevee currently offer it)

It's a 91 minute revelry of testosterone activities & bonding; a Father and his two sons go to their camp in the woods to hunt deer on opening day. It takes place in Michigan's upper peninsula near Canada and the characters thick, rural accents are spoken by all making comprehension difficult at times.
The crux of the story is one son (Jeff Daniels) at 43 years old has never killed a deer. He is ridiculed by most of his family along with most in town who all know his "disgrace". Killing a deer is not only a sign of manhood but for this closely knit traditional community, it's a sign of providing for your family.


Both MrTiki & I loved this movie, although we often laughed at different jokes. Like many northeast US family hunting camps (I've had a few in the Adirondacks) it's about friends/family, drinking, playing table games and communing with nature. I was thrilled to see them play Euchre the card game of my childhood, which I realized after living out-of-state is a quickly disappearing, regional card game. And it's these little touches of common experience that make the movie.

I am so glad I finally got to see it, wasn't disappointed. The depiction of a small town, hunting camps & guys bonding was authentic & silly at times. The production was great, beautiful photography, fast paced editing & clever script. A favorite was the Brother's childhood flannel shirt which he still wears for "good luck" even though it's barely 2 pieces of fabric held together with duct tape.

The BIG surprise was seeing Herve Presnell in the ending credits as the father! MrTiki said, "yeah, I've seen him in a MILLION things" all of which I've never heard of. I quickly que-ed up The Unsinkable Molly Brown to show him how I knew Presnell and he was shocked.
Amazing that we both know of his work- me from Presnell's earliest work & him knowing the later work.

[Fedya]

(That said, they did a goid job casting someone in the small role of Elsa Lancaster, who has a very similar sounding voice to the real woman)

That's Burt's wife, right?

[dianedebuda]

Among new TV series, we have been enjoying True Lies.

I've been enjoying it too. Surprised there's actually a couple more newbies that I've found interesting: The Company You Keep and Will Trent. Sitcoms have no appeal to me.

[Cinemaspeak59]

FULL METAL JACKET (1987) I haven't seen it in many years. Still powerful.

Definitely. It packs a wallop.

[Allhallowsday]

FULL METAL JACKET (1987) I haven't seen it in many years. Still powerful.

Definitely. It packs a wallop.

I wasn't watching it, but turned it on at just the right moment; then, the to Vietnam Segway... "Me love you long time!" and I was hooked. I hadn't remembered the very end, gorgeous, eerie, "Micky Mouse! Mickey Mouse!..." Wow.

[laffite]

I can't find the What Coming Up on TCM thread, but try and see Girlfriends this evening at 6:45 pm Eastern. I think I reviewed this not long ago. If I'm not confusing this with another film, it a curiously low-budget film made by amateurs but is well acted and rather a satisfying film.

[Detective Jim McLeod]

Say Goodbye Maggie Cole (1972) Youtube 6/10

A research physician (Susan Hayward) is suddenly widowed and she decides to leave LA and work in an inner city doctor's office in Chicago.

This was a pretty good TV movie, first time viewing for me. It is worth seeing for the cast. This was Susan Hayward's final role, a shame since she is excellent, she probably could have done many more fine performances had she not passed away 3 years later. Darren McGavin plays the gruff Chicago doctor she works with, he was doing some of the best TV movies of this time like Tribes and The Night Stalker. Michael Constantine (at the time was the principal on Room 222) plays a neurosurgeon here. Jeannette Nolan has a touching scene as the grandmother of a leukemia patient. Maidie Normand is a friendly nurse. There is a tear jerking moment at the end. And Dusty Springfield sings a good song "Learn To Say Goodbye" over the credits at the beginning, it is reprised again near the end.