WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

[charliechaplinfan]

I have to agree with your review of Desperate and Tall Target, despite the subject matter being more to my liking in Desperate I preferred the flow of the story in Tall Target.

Salesman has stayed with me, it seems to have a personal message for all who are who are oppressed by the big companies they work for. The inhumanity seems more because they are working for a 'religious' organisation. This being 1968 and it seems in the intervening period nothing has changed, managers and comapnies like this have not altered and in every town there will be men like these desperately chasing sales to stay afloat.

[MikeBSG]

Yesterday I watched the Australian comedy "Muriel's Wedding" (1994). I remember Miramax promoted it as a romantic comedy and a follow up to "Four Weddings and a Funeral" back then. Talk about false advertising.

It was okay. Some of the humor was pretty sharp and might be taken as mean-spirited by some people. Toni Collette played the title character. She really vanishes into her roles, because it was hard to picture her as the same actress who was in "Sixth Sense" and "Little Miss Sunshine."

I think I prefered the actress who played her best friend, Rachel Griffiths. She really had a fiery screen presence.

[charliechaplinfan]

Rachel Griffiths was really good in Six Feet Under as I remember. I liked the music best in Muriel's Wedding, took me back to my childhood.

[MikeBSG]

Yes, "Muriel's Wedding" made wise us of Abba. (Talk about sentences I'd never thought I'd write.)

[charliechaplinfan]

You didn't have an Abba influx during the '70s?

Today I watched the lovely The Devil and Miss Jones produced by Jean Arthur's husband, directed by Norman Krasna and starring Jean Arthur, Charles Coburn and Robert Cummings. I love the teaming of Charles Coburn and Jean Arthur, it's good to see them starring together again. This film really belongs to Charles Coburn, an inveterate scene stealer if ever there was one, no one for me has a more expressive face, perhaps Jean Arthur herself. Charles Coburn is a tycoon who goes undercover to find out who is disrupting his organisation, he finds Arthur and Cummings but instead of disliking them he's charmed by them and they think he is a poor old man forced to get anothr job in the twilight of his years. It's not quite as good as The More the Merrier but it's not far off. Spring Byington, SZ Sakall and Edmund Gwenn co star.

[JackFavell]

I'm right with you on this one too, Alison... of the two movies I'd rather watch TMTM, but Coburn is a delight as he makes that mighty turnaround into a lovable curmudgeon. This one is just lacking a little sparkle that TMTM has in spades.

Tuna fish popover, anyone? Would you like some wine to go with it?

[Fossy]

Nancy Wake (1987) (released in U.S. As True Colors)

A biopic of Nancy Wake (Noni Hazelhurst) covering her exploits before and during world war 2. Her husband Henri Fiocca was played by John Waters.


It was the thrill of a lifetime for me when I met Nancy. It happened like this. My wife and I were holidaying at Port Macquarie, on the New South Wales Coast. My wife was in a dress shop and I was waiting outside. (Dress shops really did not interest me).
There was an old lady waiting at a nearby taxi stand. She looked familiar, but I could not place her. (She had been interviewed on TV only a couple of days earlier). She caught me looking at her and said to me “What are you looking at”. I apologised to her and told her she looked familiar. She said “I am Nancy Wake”. I asked her if I could shake her hand. We chatted for only a minute or so when her taxi arrived.

Her decorations included
Companion Of The Order Of Australia
George Medal
1939-1945 Star
France and Germany Star with bar
Defence Medal (UK) with bar
War Medal (UK) 1939-1945
Officier de la Legion d`Honneur (Fr)
Croix de Guerre with two palms and a star (Fr)
Presidential Medal of Freedom with Bronze Palm (US)
Medalle de la Resistance (Fr)
Royal New Zealand RSA Badge (Gold)

Nancy had retired to Port Macquarie with her second husband John Forward, with whom she had trained in England. On John`s death she returned to London to finish her days. Her wish is that her ashes be spread over France. She will be 99 this year.

[moira finnie]

Fossy, unfortunately the movie, Nancy Wake aka True Colors (1987) appears to be totally unknown in the States, but I have heard and read a bit about the SOE forces and the incredible bravery of the women and men involved. After a search I found out some more details about this remarkable person here.

Could this film on youtube be the same one that you are referring to?:
[youtube][/youtube]

It sounds as though this film would make a great triple feature with the moving Carve Her Name With Pride (1958) about Violette Szabo (played by Virginia McKenna) and Odette (1950) about Odette Samson (played by Anna Neagle).

You can see Carve Her Name With Pride on youtube, beginning below (though it does appear on the TCM schedule occasionally too):
[youtube][/youtube]

Thanks for bringing this bit of history and your encounter with the lady involved to our attention.

[Rita Hayworth]

Scarlet Pimpernel - 1934 Classic

[youtube][/youtube]

Here is the whole movie on You Tube! Could not believe that You Tube has it!

Immortal Lines in this classic 1934 movie starring Leslie Howard as Sir Percy Blakeney/Scarlet Pimpernel, Merle Oberon as Lady Blakeney, Raymond Massey as Chanvelier, and Nigel Bruce as the Prince of Wales.

We seek him here, we seek him there,
Those Frenchies seek him everywhere.
Is he in heaven?—Is he in hell?
That demmed, elusive Pimpernel

This is my favorite Leslie Howard movie of all time and I was surprised it was on TCM today and this has great acting from Howard, the beautiful Merle Oberon, Massey, and Bruce as the Prince of Wales in this wonderful story about the French Revolution. This movie has wonderful photography, well directed, and most importantly the acting of these four powerhouses is extraordinary beyond belief. Raymond Massey was fabulous as Chanvelier (did I spell his character name right?) as a nemesis to Sir Percy himself.

Fabulous Costumes, Great Sets, and its has a charm of its own!

I'm glad that I found this movie on You Tube ... now I can watch it anytime I want! I don't have the DVD of this movie - but I was that I found it ... so I wanted to share that information to all of you here in case anyone of you did not know that :!:

This movie is one for the ages!

[charliechaplinfan]

I'm right with you on this one too, Alison... of the two movies I'd rather watch TMTM, but Coburn is a delight as he makes that mighty turnaround into a lovable curmudgeon. This one is just lacking a little sparkle that TMTM has in spades.

Tuna fish popover, anyone? Would you like some wine to go with it?

I've no idea what they are but they looked good. I loved the scene with the wine too.

[Fossy]

Moirafinnie I think I may have bought the last new copy. I think it was only released on VHS. Amazon has a few used copies.
The idea of watching all movies consecutively is a good idea.

[Fossy]

How stupid is this? The DVD is sold in America where it cannot be played, but the sale to Australia is banned




Important Message (From Amazon.com)

Carve Her Name with Pride [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.4 Import - Australia ] cannot be shipped to the selected address.

[Rita Hayworth]

7 Days in May - 1964 Military/Political Drama

Starring Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, Ava Gardner, Martin Balsam, and others Hollywood Stars.

This movie has tension, gripping tales of secret bases and meetings, intrigue, and treason. This movie is so cleverly scripted, well acted, with so much melodrama that I decided to stay up and watch this brilliant movie that defies all logic.

This movie also teaches you about friendship and goodwill; and its sometimes can cost you your life as shown in this movie (I rather not disclose who) in case anyone set their DVR(s) to see it later on today. But, its wonderfully directed by John Frankenheimer; who is one of my favorite directors in Hollywood that knows how to make a movie like this. He did a fantastic job directing it.

I also like the performance of Edmond O'Brian who played Senator Ray Clark in this gripping movie (he is a great character actor) that did his duty to protect the interest of the President (played by Fredric March) that sums up about my argument in the preceding paragraph regarding friendship and goodwill.

It's one incredible movie ... I just love these types of movies ... I haven't seen this movie in years and I glad I stayed up and watched this movie on Turner Classic Movies.


Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas ...

[moira finnie]

How stupid is this? The DVD is sold in America where it cannot be played, but the sale to Australia is banned

Important Message (From Amazon.com)

Carve Her Name with Pride [ NON-USA FORMAT, PAL, Reg.4 Import - Australia ] cannot be shipped to the selected address.

That is dumb, Foss. I wonder if there are any outlets in Australia where this might be available. I hope that the youtube version of Carve Her Name With Pride is one that you can see in Australia (I know that sometimes things on youtube are blocked based on copyright laws). It's an exceptionally good film.

7 Days in May - 1964 Military/Political Drama
Starring Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, Ava Gardner, Martin Balsam, and others Hollywood Stars.
It's one incredible movie ... I just love these types of movies ... I haven't seen this movie in years and I glad I stayed up and watched this movie on Turner Classic Movies.

Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas ...

I haven't seen this in a long time either--I wonder if I'd understand it more now. My Mother took me to see this on my birthday when I was seven! I was impressed then, if pretty confused. (I think Mom needed a matinee out more than I did)

[Gary J.]

It's a rather straightforward political thriller. Lancaster is a powerful, respected U.S. General who feels that the sitting President is weak on defense so he secretly plots a military coup. His trusted aide (Douglas) is kept in the dark about these events but slowly uncovers disturbing evidence and is torn between loyalty and duty. It's terrifically done, and of the handful of movies that these two longtime pals made together this provides them with their best acting showcase.