Let's Spam About Gary Cooper - The TCMR Edition

[mrsl]

For a while you guys have had me going nuts with your talk about Gary Cooper and the Virginian. There have been many times I wanted to write in and correct you that it was Joel McCrea who was the Virginian not GC. Today, I looked the movie up and found there were actually 4 versions of it. Two versions were silent and two were talkies. I never heard of the GC one, I thought the Joel McCrea was the original. The original 1914 was directed by himself - Cecil B. and the 1923 was directed by some guy named Tom Forman, Victor Fleming directed the '29 with GC, and Stuart Gilman directed Joel in 1946. I guess I'll have to watch for GC's version because I really like the Joel one and he fit the part so well. I'll have to see what Gary does to it.

Is it going to be on on his STOTM day?

Anne

[Sue Sue Applegate]

OOPS! Our friend was in the Joel McCrea version in 1946. I must have taken a B.C. powder. (Before children!) Do forgive...

[pktrekgirl]

Anne, I don't think they are planning to play THE VIRGINIAN on Gary Cooper day, unfortunately. Pretty much all they are playing on Gary Cooper day is the same stuff they play all the time - a fact that is starting to annoy me.

I hope that Miss G is correct and that THE VIRGINIAN will be released on DVD. However, in the meantime, if you are interested in obtaining the Gary Cooper version of this film, you can get a copy at Vintage Film Buff.

[pktrekgirl]

Last night I downloaded A Song is Born from the usenet. I'm not a huge Danny Kaye fan, but I thought what the heck - it's free and it might be interesting.

Anyway, after I encoded it to DVD, I stuck it into my DVD player...and within seconds realized something I'd never even been aware of before that moment - this film is a take-off on Ball of Fire. I hesitate to use the word 'remake', because from what little I watched while testing the disk, it seemed to be more of a spoof than a remake.

But there is no mistaking Ball of Fire - that's for sure.

Of course, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out which version I prefer....

Anyway, now I feel like a complete dope because I never knew that A Song is Born was in any way related to Ball of Fire. It's true that I have very little familiarity with Danny Kaye...but you'd think in all the reading I've done on Coop, it would have been mentioned.

Learn somethin' new every day.

[mrsl]

Now before anyone thinks this is a knock at GC, it's not, it's a knock at the Maria Cooper Janus tribute to him than TCM plays now and then and some of the irregularities in it.

For one thing, she mentions how his favorite thing, besides being home
with his family is . . . and that sounds so trite and banal when we all know what a ladies man he was - he romanced every one of his leading ladies if they let him.

In another instance she says "when he said something, it had merit and it meant something to him" then they follow that statement up with a clip of his final speech as Lou Gehrig - which had nothing at all to do with Gary the man.

Show a long distance shot of GC, Randolph Scott, and Chuck Connors, and you couldn't tell one from another, they all ride the same way, it's their height and long legs that gives them that solid seat.

Like I said, I'm not making fun of GC, but every time that tribute comes on, I notice these things, and wonder if they occurred to anyone else.

Anne

[pktrekgirl]

^ Well, I think what she was really thinking of with that 'spending time with the family' comment was HER.

I'm not sure I agree that he romanced EVERY leading lady. However, that aside, regardless of anything else, it is pretty well documented that Maria was his heaven and earth. She worshiped the ground he walked on, and visa versa. She was *definitely* a daddy's girl, and that never changed for a moment, regardless of any problems in his marriage.

So when I watch that tribute (which I do every time it comes on, because I LOVE it), I really think of it as HER view of the way things were - not necessarily the 100% objective truth...but HER view of her father.

And I have to say, that with so many celebrity kids trashing their folks and/or having all sorts of emotional health/addiction issues, it is kind of refreshing for a celebrity kid to come out and say "You know what? I ADORED my father, and miss him every moment of my life."

Anyway, that is my take. And I think it DOES say alot about Gary Cooper that his kiddo came out so well, and worships him to this day.

As for the westerns shots....I recognized him in all of them in that tribute. But then I've seen so much of him that I noticed the other day that I was able to recognize him in a still with his back to the camera and his head down.

[Moraldo Rubini]

Anyway, after I encoded it to DVD, I stuck it into my DVD player...and within seconds realized something I'd never even been aware of before that moment - this film is a take-off on Ball of Fire. I hesitate to use the word 'remake', because from what little I watched while testing the disk, it seemed to be more of a spoof than a remake.

The makers considered it a remake. I always considered A Song is Born to be the musical version of Ball of Fire. They're both based on the same Billy Wilder/Thomas Monroe story. I thought they even had the same character names, but now realize that's not right. Stanwyk was "Sugarpuss", and I believe Mayo was "Honey"...

[MissGoddess]

Esquire Magazine lists Gary at the top of their list of the Best Dressed Men in History:

http://www.esquire.com/style/bestdressedhistory0907

[pktrekgirl]

^ Wow! That is really great!

Odd list though. I mean, there are only 5 men on it, one of whom was a Pope who no doubt had limited fashion options available to him.

Still, I do agree that Gary was a fabulous dresser. Although how much of that is due to Rocky and sundry other women in his life, I don't know. I think I read somewhere that he received 'instruction' early on from some very fashion-conscience women....

[MissGoddess]

I thought including that pope was rather odd, too. Maybe most of the list-makers were Italian catholics.

That new Valentino avatar looks like it would make a great new stamp!!! Has there ever been one for him? He was a silent screen legend, and wasn't there a series on silent stars?

[pktrekgirl]

^ I think there was a stamp once...although I've not actually seen it.

The avatar is made from a movie poster, actually - THE SHEIK or THE SON OF THE SHEIK. Can't remember which.

I have it up for the anniversary of Valentino's death - Valentino fangirl that I am and all.

In a few days I'll go back to you-know-who, however.

[MissGoddess]

Well, today was the day I finally wrenched my PC from that beautiful desktop you made of Gary, feeling I should try something new, for a picture of Errol. However, I still have it saved for the future when I need to see him again. lol! It actually feels strange without him!

[pktrekgirl]

^ I have an Errol Flynn desktop at the moment also. I made one back in June that turned out pretty well, IMO - from THE CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE.

But I'll go back to Gary soon. Actually, I need to make another desktop for him - I've only made three...and I think I've made 5 for Valentino!

[movieman1957]

Did you ever get around to making that other desktop?

[pktrekgirl]

^ No, I've not had any time lately to mess around in Photoshop.

Even the avatar I have right now was made for another board over a year ago. Although I do need to change it.....

I need get get back to doing some desktops. I'd like to do another one for Gary Cooper...and I'd really LOVE to do one for Ronald Colman, if I could find some decent pictures that are of sufficient quality and size to use in a desktop.

I'd also like to do one for Myrna Loy - I have some great photos of her, if I only had the time to play around with them.

Same with Clark Gable - I've never made a desktop for him either and I have some very nice photos I could use.