The Silver Screen Oasis

Well, I saw it. Now I must say I've never read the book guys; and the preconceived notions I might have had having seen Robert Redford's version back in '74 are all but disappeared deep inside the cortex of my brain. (Very little plot memory. Just remember the clothes and the colors). Alan Ladd does a wonderful job as Jay. Poor sod. Stuck with the dream of a girl that I don't think he ever REALLY knew. Our "Laddie" boy definitely had the demeanor of some nouveau riche guy thinking that these 'things' and people he bought would get him into the upper echelons of society. Or maybe he knew it wouldn't get him in, but he did it all to be in the circle...the sphere that Daisy traveled in. I believe him. I believe him all the way. (I didn't believe it was the 20's.) His longing and seeking approval by her I totally believed...especially when he showed her his wardrobe. Like a kid showing off his new shiny red firetruck.

I've made my dislike of Blandy Sullivan known before but I have to say I enjoyed him in this movie. Shelley was a shrieking mad woman comin' down those stairs after DaSilva. At first I thought she was Judy Holliday barreling down those stairs. I saw some shockingly graphic things for 1949 that made me audibly go "Whoa!!!" But I won't spoil what they are. Ruth Hussey. I don't know...she didn't bother me one way or the other as Jordan, but I totally see what you mean Miss G., when you say she breaks character to do this narration. I didn't quite believe the romance between her and MacDonald Carey. I don't know WHOSE fault that was but since he's not one of my favorites, why don't I just blame him.

Poor Jay (Ladd). To trust Daisy...to pin his hopes and dreams of a happily ever after with her. Betty Field's voice was just too tremulous for me. I felt unnerved by it. Casting suggestions of Maureen O'Sullivan and Yvette Mimieux are excellent!!! Yvette, darn I keep forgetting about her. She had her place in 1960's movies, didn't she. I would trust you guys with casting decisions before any mogul with a suit, a couch and a big fat ceegar. Again, as for Betty...she sure can play "breakdown" better'n anyone. When she was saying she couldn't face prison, that was the first comfortable moment I had with her.
I have two college movie buddies who I'll send over to YouTube to see this "lost" classic. I'm glad I did. My appreciation for Alan Ladd has increased tremendously. His height and his choice of roles (thanks Sue Carol) stumped him from being a bigger star than he was. By the time of "THE CARPETBAGGERS"...I dunno. (Say, could George Peppard have played Gatsby? He was beautiful enough. He certainly was cynical enough. Could he have been dreaming of Daisy for a decade?)

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P.S. Moira...I wrote this early this morning over at the "other" place. It's now 9:36PM (NY time) when I'm reading this discussion here at the Oasis and I'm just seeing your comments on George Peppard. Guess he won't be cast in the fantasy version of "...Gatsby."

Love your take on Gatsby, CineMaven. It had such potential!

Two channels that I subscribe to on youtube are having a Laddapalooza this weekend, uploading some greats, some okays and some sad ones including the very rarely seen Two Years Before the Mast (1946) with Howard DeSilva and Brian Donlevy, China (1943) with Loretta Young, and one of my favorites--it has the added attractions of a good-bad guy played with zeal by Robert Preston and a weird Frank Faylen--the colorful Whispering Smith (1948), Ladd's first Western. The two channels where these can be found are linked below. Enjoy!

JustOneNightOnly (many are online longer than one night)

Ohpoopnotagain

Moira, thanks a heap for those movie links. There are some swell films to choose from.

Does anyone remember which Ladd film featured the song "I Remember You"? I did a search at youtube, came up with some lovely and not so lovely versions of the song, but no clips with A.L.

THE GLASS KEY (Stuart Heisler 1942)

thanks!

Nancy, I think you can see the song sung when The Glass Key (1942) airs on TCM today, November 14 @ 03:00 PM (ET). It will be repeated on Saturday, January 21 @ 09:00 AM (ET). It is also on DVD, but can be seen online, beginning below:

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Ha! I just watched it on YouTube, didn't realize it would be on today. I heard the song in the background, never did hear it sung. Maybe the YT version is edited down? I'll dvr it for sure...

thanks, Moira and ChiO. Nice way to spend a lazy morning.

Last night I watched a very good Alan Ladd film from 1949, Chicago Deadline. It reminded me a little bit of Laura, though not quite in that league as a film, but rather in the storyline. A young Arthur Kennedy (long before he ever thought of menacing Hope Lang) and Donna Reed co-star. In fact, Donna's character suggests to me that Gail Russell might have been the first choice to be cast, given her mysteriousness and poignancy. Lewis Allen (The Uninvited) directed. The film is based on a novel by Tiffany Thayer, who also wrote the original story for 13 Women. You can see it here, on YouTube:

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Whispering Smith (1949-Leslie Fenton), Alan Ladd's first Western, is being shown on Encore Western channel at 12:40AM (ET) early Sat. morning, Oct. 13th. It is also being shown on Thursday, October 25th at 12:30pm and Tuesday, November 27th at 12:30pm, again on Encore Westerns.




This is a very well-paced and colorful story about a railroad detective in the developing frontier with Robert Preston as Ladd's "frenemy." The taciturn Ladd is splendid in his stillness and pauses, Robert Preston is a great bad guy, slipping an edge of casual aggression between his genuine warmth toward his old pal Smith and his belief that he is "owed" more from life. While the leads are quite entertaining, you have to see Frank Faylen as Whitey Du Sang to believe it. Brenda Marshall plays Preston's beautiful, conflicted wife, who just happens to be Ladd's old gal. More ruminations about this movie here:
http://moirasthread.blogspot.com/2008/0 ... -hits.html


Frank Faylen as the evil Whitey du Sang demonstrating his cold-eyed stare.

After I saw Faylen as "Whitey" I have never been able to get it out of my mind. I remember thinking "I know this guy...who is he?" and was I that dumbfounded when I realized it was "Ernie Bishop" (It's a Wonderful Life)!

April:

I knew Faylen from "Dobie Gillis." (It was in reruns when I was a kid.) So when I found out he was Ernie Bishop and Cotton in "Gunfight At The OK Corral" is was quite a surprise. Though "Whitey" is one of the more memorable roles he did.

A friend of mine likes Frank as the Drunk Tank attendant in LOST WEEKEND! My friend says, "One look at that would sober me up forever!" WHISPERING SMITH is one of the high points of a western set I bought recently. It's not real good. But it has atmosphere, a good cast. I can watch Alan Ladd in just about anything.

Yeah, I would never name Whispering Smith as a great Western either, but for me it's entertaining. Ladd is so interesting to watch in this role and Preston is always enjoyable as a bombastic baddie. Unfortunately, too many of Ladd's movies were not as good as he was. Captain Carey, USA is one I saw in the last year that I hoped was better. It had Ladd, good character actors like Francis Lederer, and Mitchell Leisen behind the camera. Too bad it stunk on ice--though Ladd makes a few scenes crackle despite the limp production.

i really want to see the movie Ladd made with Gail Russell, I think it had some Far East setting. i'm curious how those two are together.