The Silver Screen Oasis

Okay...had to rush right into this shiny new forum and get it started with a thread about...who else? Gary Cooper.

It was inevitable. You know it was.

Anyway...to start this out in the most fangirlish way possible, I think we need something to inspire us.

And since I know this includes a version of both mine and Miss G's favorite photo, I offer it now:



And might I just say....very 'inspiring' indeed!

Have I mentioned lately how utterly beautiful this man is???

Gary Cooper ? I get him confused with Cary Grant ! Or I did when I was a very young child, you see how backward I was ! I loved him, and Teresa Wright, in The Pride of the Yankess.

You got him confused with CARY GRANT???

Well, I can assure you that if you continue to hang out here in this thread, you will never have that confusion again.

Tell me Ken, what Gary Cooper films have you watched besides PRIDE OF THE YANKEES?

Which by the way is a great film! So sad...I cry at the end each time I see it.

Were there any other Coop films ? Just joking ! Friendly Persuasion, Along Came Jones, The Unconquered ( A decent DeMille film ! ),The Westener,The Cowboy and the Lady ( more for Merle ),Meet John Doe. I know that this will get me into trouble, but I don't care for Ball of Fire.High Noon, Beau Geste and The General Died at Dawn I do like very much

pktrekgirl, tell me--are you or are you not a fan of Gary Cooper? I really don't think I'm reading your posts clearly enough!

Since you're a fan of him and both Jean Arthur, can tell me if The Plainsman is any good? I loved them together in Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (much better than Stewart/Arthur, IMO) and I'm just beginning to really enjoy westerns (slowly, but surely). The rating on IMDB is so-so (a 6.6). I really don't care about historical accuracy, I just enjoy good entertainment.

As for the man himself, I loved what Patrical Neal said about him in her PS interview. She was so honest! I haven't seen a lot of his movies, but my two favorites are Ball of Fire and Mr. Deeds Goes to Town. I prefer him in romantic comedies--he's adorable in those!

ken123 wrote:Were there any other Coop films ? Just joking ! Friendly Persuation, Along Came Jones, The Unconquered ( A decent DeMille film ! ),The Westener,The Cowboy and the Lady ( more for Merle ),Meet John Doe. I know that this will get me into trouble, but I don't care for Ball of Fire.High Noon, Beau Geste and The General Died at Dawn I do like very much

Well, Beau Geste is not my fave Cooper film. But I do love High Noon...and Ball of Fire might just be my favorite Gary Cooper film PERIOD. It's between that and Mr. Deeds Goes to Town. I quite enjoy The Westerner though - glad you've seen that one. And The Cowboy and the Lady is a cute film - I like that one too.

If you've not seen Sergeant York, you really ought to see that one. Coop won Best Actor twice - once for High Noon...and the other time for Sergeant York. It's a great film...even if you're not a big war film fan.

I have seen it many times, but it is nothing special IMHO.Walter Brennan and Coop play off each other so very well in other film, and I am a big Howard Hawks fan. Maybe it's just me.

Let's see if I can keep up with this Coop thread, the Coop fans are always so quick for me! First of all, Ball of Fire is one of my favorite Cooper movies, clearly for just the "Would you yum-me once more?" phrase... But also love For Whom The Bell Tolls, Sergeant York, The Westerner, Meet John Doe... But I would love to see more of Coops' pre-codes *faints*

Well, Barbara is quite fetching in" Ball of Fire', but the chemistry between Barbara and Coop that was evident in Meet John Doe just isn't there for me in the Howard Hawks comedy. What's this I have dissed Hawks in two successive posts.

sugarpuss wrote:pktrekgirl, tell me--are you or are you not a fan of Gary Cooper? I really don't think I'm reading your posts clearly enough!

Well, I know I've been rather coy about the whole thing...but yeah. I must confess a certain affection for Gary Cooper.

I know it's hard to spot though. I keep it well hidden, don't you think?

Since you're a fan of him and both Jean Arthur, can tell me if The Plainsman is any good? I loved them together in Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (much better than Stewart/Arthur, IMO) and I'm just beginning to really enjoy westerns (slowly, but surely). The rating on IMDB is so-so (a 6.6). I really don't care about historical accuracy, I just enjoy good entertainment.

I like The Plainsman. Don't expect it to be historically accurate or anything...but I think it's a good film. And I thought they both did a great job. I don't like it as much as Mr Deeds Goes to Town - but that is really personal preference. I tend to enjoy his romantic comedies quite a bit...especially the ones where he plays this adorable innocent sort of character like in Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, Ball of Fire, and Meet John Doe. The Cowboy and the Lady is alot like that also. If you liked Mr Deeds Goes to Town and you've not seen Meet John Doe, or The Cowboy and the Lady (you said you've already seen Ball of Fire), I'd recommend them all to you. They are all really cute films.

If it's pure romance you want - the sort where you end with a tear in your eye, go for Peter Ibbetson. Soooooo saaaad!!!

As for the man himself, I loved what Patrical Neal said about him in her PS interview. She was so honest! I haven't seen a lot of his movies, but my two favorites are Ball of Fire and Mr. Deeds Goes to Town. I prefer him in romantic comedies--he's adorable in those!

Well, I was really glad that I watched that Patricia Neal interview. I think it was interesting getting her perspective... and I also didn't dislike her as much after seeing it, which was good, because I think I had been a bit unfair in her regard in the past.

I also read her autobiography....or at least the parts related to Gary Cooper. And she is astonishingly frank about the whole thing. Which leads me to believe she is telling pretty much the whole truth about everything.

I can certainly understand why he fell for her - she calls 'em as she sees 'em!

ken123 wrote:I have seen it many times, but it is nothing special IMHO.Walter Brennan and Coop play off each other so very well in other film, and I am a big Howard Hawks fan. Maybe it's just me.

Oh...I get such a kick out of Coop in Sergeant York. I mean, that was the first film during which I actually LAUGHED during a battle scene. "Hummm...just like shootin' turkeys!" Or whatever poultry he refers to there. What a great line!

But you know...to each his own. The great thing about Gary Cooper is that he made so many different KINDS of films. There are lots of different types to pick from...something for everyone.

pktrekgirl,

You are right, Coop sure made many different types of films. Mr. Deeds is good too.

bobhopefan1940 wrote:Let's see if I can keep up with this Coop thread, the Coop fans are always so quick for me! First of all, Ball of Fire is one of my favorite Cooper movies, clearly for just the "Would you yum-me once more?" phrase... But also love For Whom The Bell Tolls, Sergeant York, The Westerner, Meet John Doe... But I would love to see more of Coops' pre-codes *faints*

Heh. Don't feel bad...even *I* got frustrated over at the TCM thread. Those girls type FAST...and I began to think that whatever I posted? Well, they were long past it and on to something else by the time I got it out. I got really frustrated, actually.

I type about 80 words a minute and there was no way I could keep up with them! Not and keep my JOB, anyway! It was just....too much.

It seemed to me a much more leisurely pace back before Christmas - I much preferred it then, myself. And you were posting in there then as well - I liked it alot then. More...relaxed with everyone contributing pretty much equally.

Hopefully this thread will stay like this...because I'd like to see more people...who can't keep up with 25 new posts an hour...be able to participate.

As for the pre-codes...well, alot of people love MOROCCO....a film I adore too..until the last 30 seconds. In future I plan to skip the last 30 seconds of the movie...but other than that it's really a perfect film. Coop is great...and Marlene is so elegant and cool.

I liked ONE SUNDAY AFTERNOON, which came on during December, by the way. That's a cute film, and not very long either.

CITY STREETS to me is a bit odd, because he plays a gangster....if you can believe that! It takes some adjustment to get used to him as a gangster...but it's interesting to watch.

I'm not a big fan of DESIGN FOR LIVING. I'd watch anything with Gary Cooper in it again and again and again...but if I got my pick, it wouldn't be this one.

I like A FAREWELL TO ARMS ALOT - good film. And NOW AND FOREVER IS A GOOD FILM - especially if you like Carole Lombard and/or Shirley Temple as well. TODAY WE LIVE is one of the films he made with Franchot Tone (the other being LIVES OF A BENGAL LANCER)...and so for me, those two are 'two 'fers' - two for the price of one, cus I really like Franchot Tone too.

And in truth, he about steals the show in LIVES OF A BENGAL LANCER. But in a good way, I think.

There are some other pre-codes that are not silents...but those are the ones that are easiest to come by.

Oh...and I love FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS also. Gary Cooper's beautiful blue eyes...in COLOR.

Not much downside there!

Oh...I'm so pleased. Miss G will have a busy morning getting in her responses to all of these posts.

Fun!

pktrekgirl wrote: And since I know this includes a version of both mine and Miss G's favorite photo, I offer it now:

GASP!... WOW...

I don't think anyone mentioned (here) "The Private Lives of A Bengal Lancer." Really good action picture.

Tall, good looking and talent. No wonder you ladies like him.