The Silver Screen Oasis

PETER SELLERS is a master of multiple roles and his work on DR. STRANGELOVE is a masterpiece of pure comedy that only HE can provides ... and that alone is a testament of his three characters on this film back in 1964.

GROUP CAPTAIN Lionel Mandrake
PRESIDENT Merkin Muffley
DR. STRANGELOVE

Each of these roles is a CLASSIC and that alone makes this movie unique in every way shape or form. Mandrake is a serious, by the book, and most importantly shows compassion while Sterling Hayden played a mad man in form of Brigadier General Jack Ripper - that these are EXTREMES that you can get. It's funny that they gave HAYDEN a name like Jack Ripper as in Jack The Ripper - the infamous killer that roams London Streets and Mandrake is a British Officer - How ironic is that.

His role as US President is sincere, caring, and most importantly naive over the warmongering General "Buck" Turgidson and the exchange that they did shared was unbelievably funny! ... These two characters are EXTREMES that you can get.

And, last and not least his role as DR. STRANGELOVE is beyond EXTREMES - he blend his humor both funny and serious at the same time convincing his other character President Merkin Muffley - in an exchange of words that I was impressed by Director Stanley Kubrick work in directing SELLERS in most unbelievable exchange of words that only PETER SELLERS can deliver.

To me, I consider this movie is one of PETER SELLERS masterpieces and I was laughing so hard of some of wackiest exchanges in dialogue form that I was shaking my head in disbelief of the pure comedy that he shared to all of us that watched it. To me, there will never, ever be another PETER SELLERS in our lifetime nor any other lifetime because he is so unique as an ACTOR that his work in PINK PANTHER, SHOT IN THE DARK, and OTHERS will always remains funny and riotous.

And, that's alone makes him UNIQUE!

First, on The Essentials tonight with Robert Osborne and Drew Barrymore, it's 1939's The Women with Norma Shearer, Paulette Goddard, Rosalind Russel, and Joan Fontaine.

The second cat fight of the night! Tah-dah....tah-dah! One of my guiilty pleasures, 1956's THE OPPOSITE SEX! Watch June Allyson be horribly miscast, but sweet! See Leslie Nielsen struggle not to say "And don't call me Shirley!" Watch Dolores Gray turn down a full-course meal in lieu of watercress! Luxuriate as gorgeous gals parade around in stylish Helen Rose gowns! Carolyn Jones buying "oats for a dead horse!" Gladys Pearce revealing more secrets than just the popularity of 'Jungle Red,' Ann Miller at her cutest, Agnes Morehead at her most fashionable, Joan Collins cutting her 'Alexis Colby' teeth on Joan Crawford's role in The Women, and sexy former baseball player Jeff Richards singing Western swing...Yes, Ma'am!

LA STRADA - Sunday night, November 17th 2AM

Battleground 1949

Monday, November 25th ... Check TCM for times in your area ...

Dir: William Wellman Cast: Van Johnson , John Hodiak , Ricardo Montalban .
BW-119 mins, TV-PG, CC





One my favorites ... War Movies!

HIGH BARBAREE does sound dramatic. When a movie depicts the main characters as children, then transitions to the main story, it's almost always fascinating. See the exceptional KINGS ROW for evidence!

I haven't ever seen Mister 880 on tonight, and I'm looking forward to it.

Tonight is the first time that Mister 880 has been screened on TCM, a film with Burt Lancaster, Dorothy McGuire, and Edmund Gwenn, based on the true story of an elderly counterfeiter, and is part of the Burt Lancaster Star of the Month Celebration.

Wow! I'm not at all familiar with this movie.

I really enjoyed it! I had never seen it, Red. The love story with Burt and Dorothy McGuire was lovely, and McGuire was at her most adorable.

Edmund Gwenn's character was much like his Kris Kringle in Miracle on 34th Street, and he was so endearing. Burt was stoking the charm!

It was a "heart-warmer."

Edmund Gwen was a wonderful actor. One we see far too little of. He's the scientist battling giant ants in THEM! A bad guy in FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT. And his Kris Kringle is one of the great screen performances. There's not an "Edmund Gwen type" of role. He wasn't a personality. He was an actor.

That was lovely red. You brought tears to my eyes.

And let us not forget that in 1936 Gwenn (as a most sympathetic, not quite "mad" scientist) brought Boris Karloff back from the grave in THE WALKING DEAD.

My Man Godfrey (1936) verses Bringing Up Baby (1938)


Baby was clearly a better comedy than Godfrey - Having watched both movies tonight and I enjoyed both of them for different reasons - but in reality Baby was the clear winner in this outcome. I just loved these two movies and I wished Hollywood can go back and making these movies once again ... we all need good humor in our lives and I'm happy to see these wonderful movies tonight on TCM.

Chris - I am sorry, I should have given you a reminder that Joy of Living was on at some ungodly hour last night...I hope you were able to record it? If not, it's going to be on again on Dec. 20th at 3:45 PM - thank goodness! a reasonable time of day.

Western Guy wrote:And let us not forget that in 1936 Gwenn (as a most sympathetic, not quite "mad" scientist) brought Boris Karloff back from the grave in THE WALKING DEAD.

Another unexpected side of Edmund Gwenn pops up (or does he drop in??) in Foreign Correspondent (1940). I bet the cherubic-looking actor got a boot out of playing occasional baddies.