WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

[klondike]

I saw Dulcy about 7 years ago, when TCM was having an 'S. Sylvan Simon Day' . . and I got a real kick out of it, even though I'm typically a hard-sell on screwball comedies.
I think what surprised me the most, and I seem to remember the best, was what a randy fellow Roland Young portrayed, not at all like in Topper, but rather more like the naughty uncle in The Philadelphia Story, yet here, markedly con brio about it . . and handsy! Seems like Roland was grabbing hold of everyone's anatomy but Big Boy's!

[feaito]

Klon, Roland Young does not play a randy character, indeed he impersonates a quite serious and stiff millionaire, who is surpassed by Dulcy's shenaningans and all the events going around him...his wife (Burke) is being lured by zany Gardiner, his daughter is Dailey's fiancée (Dulcy's brother) and he fears that a streak of insanity runs through the Ward family (Dulcy's last name), he's constantly harrassed by a Great Dane who eats his steaks and barks madly at him...I think that the scene that you recall is one in which Dulcy hides in her bosom a letter her brother gave him which she must deliver after he and his fiancée elope and Young tries to grab it, with the resulting misunderstanding when his wife arrives and witnesses the scene...quite hilarious!

[MikeBSG]

I saw an interesting misfire yesterday, "The Millionairess" (1960) which starred Sophia Loren and Peter Sellers, with Anthony Asquith directing.

Based on a Shaw play that I don't know, it had Loren as the title character who is smitten with Sellers, an Indian doctor in London who is unimpressed by her wealth. The film was clearly made with a limited budget, and while Loren gave a good performance, I think I got bored with Sellers, who was the voice of goodness throughout the film. I think I like Sellers better when he has a streak of trickiness or unlikeability in his characters. (This would be if "Dr. Strangelove" were all about Captain Mandrake.)

That's probably why I get tired of "Being There" as well.

[Papermoon]

I just watched House of Dark Shadows(1970) Three Cheers for a camptastic vampire flick based upon an awesome camptastic soap opera. And yes, I did watch the soap as a child, when the scifi channel used to run the re-runs. I never watched any of the movies before now...

[feaito]

I have just watched yet another S. Sylvan Simon film "Washington Melodrama" (1941). Many of these MGM B films were truly more entertaining, spontaneous and fresh than some of its "A" pictures. This crime drama stars Frank Morgan as a very powerful businessman trying to get an important bill passed by the Congress, but one of his more staunch political opponents is his son-in-law-to-be, the editor of a newspaper and journalist (Kent Taylor) who is against that bill. Morgan's wife and daughter (Fay Holden and Ann Rutherford) are constantly travelling an leaving the old man alone....so when a friend (a Senator) invites him for a "Boys' Night Out" he goodwillingly -and out of loneliness- befriends a beautiful and young chorus girl (Anne Gwynne) who is encouraged to lure him by no-good host and dancer of the nightclub (Dan Dailey), expert in blackmail, who in turn is romantically involved with his beautiful dancing partner (Virginia Grey)...trouble ahead!! Also in the rather familiar cast are Lee Bowman and Sara Haden. A highly entertaining, unpretentious film with top production values. I've had a pleasant week watching all these Simon "B" films.

[moira finnie]

I have just watched yet another S. Sylvan Simon film "Washington Melodrama" (1941). Many of these MGM B films were truly more entertaining, spontaneous and fresh than some of its "A" pictures. This crime drama stars Frank Morgan as a very powerful businessman trying to get an important bill passed by the Congress, but one of his more staunch political opponents is his son-in-law-to-be, the editor of a newspaper and journalist (Kent Taylor) who is against that bill. Morgan's wife and daughter (Fay Holden and Ann Rutherford) are constantly travelling an leaving the old man alone....so when a friend (a Senator) invites him for a "Boys' Night Out" he goodwillingly -and out of loneliness- befriends a beautiful and young chorus girl (Anne Gwynne) who is encouraged to lure him by no-good host and dancer of the nightclub (Dan Dailey), expert in blackmail, who in turn is romantically involved with his beautiful dancing partner (Virginia Grey)...trouble ahead!! Also in the rather familiar cast are Lee Bowman and Sara Haden. A highly entertaining, unpretentious film with top production values. I've had a pleasant week watching all these Simon "B" films.

How nice that you saw this movie on Frank Morgan's birthday!

Have you seen Tish (1942), directed by Simon? If you have, you will understand when I ask you to overlook the ghastly plot in order to enjoy the character actors who make this movie worthwhile. The star is Marjorie Main, but Guy Kibbee, Zasu Pitts, Lee Bowman, Susan Peters and Aline MacMahon are there as well. Actually, I think that Aline steals the movie--which isn't really surprising since MacMahon was one of the greats and S. Sylvan Simon was her cousin!

[feaito]

What an uncanny coincidence Moira and I saw it just randomly! It's also uncanny that you should mention "Tish" because it's the film taped on the VHS after Washington Melodrama which I planned to watch tomorrow!!! Are these coincidences the sign of sth??

[moira finnie]

Cue the spooky music, Fernando! I can't wait to see what you thought of Tish. It is fun if you don't expect too much. Btw, the main thing that struck me about Washington Melodrama was how good Dan Dailey was at being a baddie. I think that Virginia Grey was so lovely, but they kept sticking her in these B movies at MGM (she made six of them with Frank Morgan). I wonder why?

[JackFavell]

I love Virginia Grey and wish she had had a better career. She was gorgeous. I think she wipes Joan off the screen in their little duet in The Women. I am always on the lookout for her.

Also a BIG fan of Aline, who made too few movies.

Dan Dailey has risen higher in my estimation because of his performance in The Wings of Eagles. I dare you not to like him after watching that movie!

[feaito]

Dailey was good as the baddie and was very fine too as Sothern's sensible brother in "Dulcy". Virginia Grey is one of the most beautiful women that ever worked at the MGM lot along with Leila Hyams and Rita Johnson (lesser magnitude performers). I always wondered why she did not make it...she was great in "The Women" and also in Sirk's "All That Heaven Allows". An unsung talent and beauty. I also read somewhere that she was romantically involved with Gable. She was too beautiful to resist!!

[charliechaplinfan]

I watched Cinema Paradiso last night, this time I watched the cinema release, last time I watched the Director's cut. How I love this movie, how can a movie miss with a little boy who looks like that? The whole relationship between Alfredo and Toto is very touching. The montage scene at the end it the cherry on the cake, how very touching when Toto goes home and sees his home town for the first time in thirty years. I only just realised that the actor Jacques Perrin is Maxence in Young Girld of Rochefort.

[movieman1957]

This is a favorite with "The Bride." She and Mo (the daughter) watch it often. Also in Baltimore every year they have a film festival in "Little Italy" and this is always shown. All the other films are also shown on the side of a building from someone's bedroom window. It is quite popular.

[MikeBSG]

Yesterday I watched "Wild Bill" (1995) directed by Walter Hill, starring jeff Bridges as Wild Bill Hickcock.

This is the great western that Hill always promised to deliver. A terrific performance by Bridges, who makes Hickock both sinister and sympathetic. Fine work by Ellen Barkin as Calamity Jane, and Diane Lane was the best I've ever seen her as a woman who links Wild Bill to Jack McCall.

I remember when "Wild Bill" came out it was roundly panned. I can't believe it. This is really a terrific movie, a terrific Western.

[JackFavell]

I was ready to smack Fred when he didn't recognize Smoky at the end. Whew! It had me on the edge of my seat.