MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

[jamesjazzguitar]

Wow EP, thank you so much for that! I read the entire transcript and have to agree with you on Reid but it still doesn't explain why Hollywood cast him as a romantic lead, lol. Baffles me completely! (btw, I like what Elliot had to say about Orson Welles)

What is so baffling? E.G. Robinson was cast as a romantic lead.

But look where it got him with Joan Bennett.

Well, he didn't end up like Dan Duryea!

[Dargo]

Dargo, in addition to that wascally wabbit, I do adore Snoopy, although, unlike Bugs, cannot think of any Hollywood actor who looked like him.

Offhand, I can't think of a human actor who reminds me of Snoopy either, Bronxie. However and in this regard, did you happen to catch the following little news item which was making the rounds on the internet the other day?...

https://nypost.com/2023/04/13/snoopys-r ... ed-bayley/

(...is that one cute dog or what?!)

Leave it to you, Dargo! Have mercy, lol. Hey, I actually did see an actor who looked like Snoopy! Was watching IF IT'S TUESDAY, THIS MUST BE BELGIUM, and thought Sandy Baron (the Italian-American tourist looking for his cousin but goes into the wrong house) came close!

Yeah, sure, I remember comic Sandy Baron, Bronxie. He co-hosted the syndicated afternoon Della Reese Show among many other programs he guested on back in the late-'60s and early-'70s. Years later, I think I recall him being on a few 'Seinfeld' episodes as well...



(...and ya know and now that you've mentioned it here, I think I can see what you mean about there being something "Snoopy-esque" about the guy)

[Dargo]

...Was watching IF IT'S TUESDAY, THIS MUST BE BELGIUM...

Hey and btw regarding this movie...

First, I've always thought this film was very underrated and unappreciated. And secondly, I've always thought Suzanne Pleshette was probably at the peak of her beauty in this one...


(...not, mind you, that she still wasn't hot as hell a few years later when she played Bob Newhart's wife in his first and still my favorite sitcom of his)

[CinemaInternational]

Regarding Columbo, I have heard where Bing Crosby was the original pick for the part, but he declined the role.... One has to wonder what made them pick Peter Falk. Falk was a great actor, it became his signature part, and it was very fortuitous...but prior to doing the Columbo pilot in 1968, he had received two Oscar nods for playing gangsters, and had been more recently seen in a string of comedies (It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, The Great Race, and Penelope, where he plays a police lieutenant...talk about a premonition). It had to be an offbeat pick to cast him at the time (the first pilot was done in 1968)
----
I found The Exorcist to be an extremely disturbing film, but I found Rosemary's Baby to be a more perverse story at its core. Exorcist has more gruesome imagery on the whole though.
----
Regarding true crime shows, I have seen a few over the years including some recently. I prefer the ones that tend to focus more on the grieving relations/friends or the survivors rather than on the actual psychopaths.
----
Edward G. Robinson is a bit of an odd pick to be the lead in a romance, but every now and then Hollywood does a film where someone who is not textbook romance material gets to play such a role. Think of Ernest Borgnine in Marty and what a great film that was.
----
I'm pretty sure that the start of the Bette/Joan feud had to deal with them both vying for the hand of Franchot Tone back in the 30s, and maybe it was amplified by Joan's winning her Oscar for a film Bette had passed on. That said though, the two did respect one thing about eaach other: that they were consummate, hard working professionals. Feuds in general happen somewhat frequently in show business, but not many of them become well known in the public consciousness, unless they were long-lasting or somehow extended (such as a few involving TV co-stars)
-----
Regarding Scorsese films, while I found Taxi Driver to be an incredibly disturbing and engrossing film, most of my other favorites of his were some of his more offbeat ones: After Hours, The Color of Money, The Age of Innocence, Bringing Out the Dead, Hugo, Silence. Don't get me started on that ghastly remake of Cape Fear.
----
I was recently surprised to read that George Brent was a really wild guy offscreen who fascinated practically every woman he worked with.

[CinemaInternational]

If It's Tuesday, This Must be Belgium is a bit of a strange film because it is such a light, frothy, enjoyable comedy, and then at the end it suddenly has a downbeat ending, that was in keeping with the general mood of 1969 (its hard to even 10 films that year with a fully happy ending), but its a bit of an odd turn to say the least. Suzanne Pleshette is very good in it though, as is Ian McShane . Its puzzling why neither of them made it bigger in films, although McShane is in demand as a character actor these days. Suzanne was also quite good in that small part in The Birds, and of course she was a joy to watch with Bob Newhart.
----
Forgot to include Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore as being another Scorsese film I really like. I probably should give Mean Streets another shot; I recall that it was a solid film, and it does include a smashing use of one of the most memorable of pop songs: "Be My Baby".
-----
One other note about 1969, its probably the year where I had the most out-of-left-field personal pick for best film of the year: The Gypsy Moths. It barely made a penny at the box office in 1969, and if anyone knows anything about it today, it was the shocking brief flash of nudity from Deborah Kerr, but its a very powerful and somber film that truly captures some of the melancholy loneliness that can happen in small Midwest towns, and it also has astonishing and terrifying scenes of skydiving that are still breathtaking. Plus the performances from Burt Lancaster, Kerr, Scott Wilson, and Gene Hackman are all first-rate.
----
I see that Rollover (1981) is on TCM right now. Despite a pedigree cast and crew, its hard to think of another film that is so confusing and hard to follow. At times, it is a soap, a romance, a drama about oil and the stock market, and finally a horror film imagining the chaos if the bottom fell out of the economy (these closing scenes are actually quite good though). Its such a terrible tangle that one wonders why it wasn't thought out more before they filmed it. Jane Fonda has so little to play, Kris Kristofferson looks odd without his beard, but, despite being in a decidedly subpar film, Hume Cronyn is remarkably good here, a true seasoned pro.
-----
Speaking of Jane Fonda, I just saw that new film of hers, 80 for Brady, and quietly made a mental note that she is seen in the film smooching LA Law's Harry Hamlin; over 30 years ago, she was in Old Grïngõ, where she was involved onscreen with another LA Law cast member, Jimmy Smits. Is is just a casting coincidence, is she a really big fan of that show, is she planning to complete the trifecta by making something with Corbin Bernsen, or is she just trying to channel Susan Dey?

[TikiSoo]

If It's Tuesday, This Must be Belgium is a bit of a strange film because it is such a light, frothy, enjoyable comedy, and then at the end it suddenly has a downbeat ending

(snipped)

One other note about 1969, its probably the year where I had the most out-of-left-field personal pick for best film of the year: The Gypsy Moths. It barely made a penny at the box office in 1969, and if anyone knows anything about it today, it was the shocking brief flash of nudity from Deborah Kerr, but its a very powerful and somber film that truly captures some of the melancholy loneliness that can happen in small Midwest towns, and it also has astonishing and terrifying scenes of skydiving that are still breathtaking. Plus the performances from Burt Lancaster, Kerr, Scott Wilson, and Gene Hackman are all first-rate.

I just saw both these films for the first time over this past winter:

I LOL at the opening credits of IIT,TMBB: a montage of Doctors giving vaccine shots in arms.
This has recently become some kind of political statement, while vaccinations for traveling overseas has been routinely required for decades, obviously.
Mostly watched for Suzanne Pleshette too, she did not disappoint. For once she had a snappy wardrobe worthy of her.

And I was interested in The Gypsy Moths mostly for the great cast, but I'm a small plane flyer too and share the "crazy" enthusiasm for stunt work. (not jumping, though!) I loved the story line & the small town hookum atmosphere too...

..but was SHOCKED by Deborah Kerr's role! I think I said out loud, "did I just see Deborah Kerr's bottom?" Certainly wasn't expecting that! But that part of the storyline made the picture & liked it a lot. Burt's big bravado along with Gene Hackman's enthusiasm made a great team!

[dianedebuda]

If It's Tuesday, This Must be Belgium is a bit of a strange film because it is such a light, frothy, enjoyable comedy, and then at the end it suddenly has a downbeat ending, that was in keeping with the general mood of 1969

Funny, I don't even remember the ending now, but did enjoy the film. Went on a month-long bus tour of Europe in the mid-70s and that movie summed it up perfectly. Got too see a lot that would have been missed by a DIY visit, but oh the blur.

The Gypsy Moths ... it also has astonishing and terrifying scenes of skydiving that are still breathtaking. Plus the performances from Burt Lancaster, Kerr, Scott Wilson, and Gene Hackman are all first-rate.

Skydivers seem to be a strange breed. Used to have a plane & learned to fly on a dirt strip also used by a sky diving club. Such obstacles when landing: cows on the runway that at least would move out of the way and divers who would sit on the edge and not move even when you were coming in on final, ready to land .

[Hibi]

Offhand, I can't think of a human actor who reminds me of Snoopy either, Bronxie. However and in this regard, did you happen to catch the following little news item which was making the rounds on the internet the other day?...

https://nypost.com/2023/04/13/snoopys-r ... ed-bayley/

(...is that one cute dog or what?!)

Leave it to you, Dargo! Have mercy, lol. Hey, I actually did see an actor who looked like Snoopy! Was watching IF IT'S TUESDAY, THIS MUST BE BELGIUM, and thought Sandy Baron (the Italian-American tourist looking for his cousin but goes into the wrong house) came close!

Yeah, sure, I remember comic Sandy Baron, Bronxie. He co-hosted the syndicated afternoon Della Reese Show among many other programs he guested on back in the late-'60s and early-'70s. Years later, I think I recall him being on a few 'Seinfeld' episodes as well...



(...and ya know and now that you've mentioned it here, I think I can see what you mean about there being something "Snoopy-esque" about the guy)

Jack Klompas!!!

[Hibi]

Regarding Columbo, I have heard where Bing Crosby was the original pick for the part, but he declined the role.... One has to wonder what made them pick Peter Falk. Falk was a great actor, it became his signature part, and it was very fortuitous...but prior to doing the Columbo pilot in 1968, he had received two Oscar nods for playing gangsters, and had been more recently seen in a string of comedies (It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World, The Great Race, and Penelope, where he plays a police lieutenant...talk about a premonition). It had to be an offbeat pick to cast him at the time (the first pilot was done in 1968)
----
I found The Exorcist to be an extremely disturbing film, but I found Rosemary's Baby to be a more perverse story at its core. Exorcist has more gruesome imagery on the whole though.
----
Regarding true crime shows, I have seen a few over the years including some recently. I prefer the ones that tend to focus more on the grieving relations/friends or the survivors rather than on the actual psychopaths.
----
Edward G. Robinson is a bit of an odd pick to be the lead in a romance, but every now and then Hollywood does a film where someone who is not textbook romance material gets to play such a role. Think of Ernest Borgnine in Marty and what a great film that was.
----
I'm pretty sure that the start of the Bette/Joan feud had to deal with them both vying for the hand of Franchot Tone back in the 30s, and maybe it was amplified by Joan's winning her Oscar for a film Bette had passed on. That said though, the two did respect one thing about eaach other: that they were consummate, hard working professionals. Feuds in general happen somewhat frequently in show business, but not many of them become well known in the public consciousness, unless they were long-lasting or somehow extended (such as a few involving TV co-stars)
-----
Regarding Scorsese films, while I found Taxi Driver to be an incredibly disturbing and engrossing film, most of my other favorites of his were some of his more offbeat ones: After Hours, The Color of Money, The Age of Innocence, Bringing Out the Dead, Hugo, Silence. Don't get me started on that ghastly remake of Cape Fear.
----
I was recently surprised to read that George Brent was a really wild guy offscreen who fascinated practically every woman he worked with.

Thanks!

[Sepiatone]

I haven't seen all of Edward G. Robinson's films, so there likely are a few where he plays the romantic lead,
but that's certainly not his usual role. A guy with a bag over his head would be a better romantic lead.

You mean like....



Sepiatone

[Andree]

You mean like....



Sepiatone

Yeah. Just think of all the money the studio would save by not having to pay Eddie G. and his leading ladies wouldn't
cower in fear before a kissing scene.

I usually don't watch TCM in the daytime, but I decided to catch The Song Remains the Same this afternoon. I
hadn't seen it in years. Something I had forgotten was that most of those dreadful fantasy sequences are shown during
long jams on songs, most of which aren't my favorite Zeppelin tunes, so I can skip both without missing very much.
I bit overindulgent at times, but surely no one would want to miss the 10 minute version of Moby Dick. And on
the bright side, it's a relief to know that fat b****** Peter Grant is no longer vertical.

The first time I remember seeing Sandy Baron was in the mid 1960s sitcom Hey, Landlord co-starring Will Hutchins.
It only ran for one season. Hey buddy, get your own Caddy.

[Sepiatone]

You mean like....



Sepiatone

Yeah. Just think of all the money the studio would save by not having to pay Eddie G. and his leading ladies wouldn't
cower in fear before a kissing scene.

I usually don't watch TCM in the daytime, but I decided to catch The Song Remains the Same this afternoon. I
hadn't seen it in years. Something I had forgotten was that most of those dreadful fantasy sequences are shown during
long jams on songs, most of which aren't my favorite Zeppelin tunes, so I can skip both without missing very much.
I bit overindulgent at times, but surely no one would want to miss the 10 minute version of Moby Dick. And on
the bright side, it's a relief to know that fat b****** Peter Grant is no longer vertical.

The first time I remember seeing Sandy Baron was in the mid 1960s sitcom Hey, Landlord co-starring Will Hutchins.
It only ran for one season. Hey buddy, get your own Caddy.

I'm with ya on "The Song Remains The Same". I quickly grew tired of the silly fantasy films during some of the songs. To me, not seemingly song related and pointless. Along with too much of Page's aimless and self indulgent wanking. And the later TCM showing of WOODSTOCK(The director's cut) bothered me a bit. I must have seen the original theatrical release a good six or seven times when it came out. But I'm still not sure what was included in the extra 45 minutes of extra footage Ben kept mentioning except for the excess of extra JEFFERSON AIRPLANE footage. In 45 minutes footage from several more bands that weren't included in the theatrical release could have been squeezed in. Apparently, Waldleigh was an Airplane fan, fooled(like many others) into believing they were the quintessential '60's rock band. And his replacing the song "Woodstock" as the closing song, while the closing credits still mentioned, "The song WOODSTOCK was performed by Crosby, Stills and Nash and written by Joni Mitchell"

In that extra 45 minutes, I might have enjoyed seeing this squeezed in.



But it was included on the soundtrack LP.

Sepiatone

[Thompson]

Johnny Winter was a legitimate white boy blues man, no doubt about it. The blues, like reggae, depend on rhythm. Rhythm within rhythm. ‘Tain’t easy friends to play the blues.

[jamesjazzguitar]

Johnny Winter was a legitimate white boy blues man, no doubt about it. The blues, like reggae, depend on rhythm. Rhythm within rhythm. ‘Tain’t easy friends to play the blues.

Yea, the blues can be difficult to play.

[Andree]

I'm with ya on "The Song Remains The Same". I quickly grew tired of the silly fantasy films during some of the songs. To me, not seemingly song related and pointless. Along with too much of Page's aimless and self indulgent wanking. And the later TCM showing of WOODSTOCK(The director's cut) bothered me a bit. I must have seen the original theatrical release a good six or seven times when it came out. But I'm still not sure what was included in the extra 45 minutes of extra footage Ben kept mentioning except for the excess of extra JEFFERSON AIRPLANE footage. In 45 minutes footage from several more bands that weren't included in the theatrical release could have been squeezed in. Apparently, Waldleigh was an Airplane fan, fooled(like many others) into believing they were the quintessential '60's rock band. And his replacing the song "Woodstock" as the closing song, while the closing credits still mentioned, "The song WOODSTOCK was performed by Crosby, Stills and Nash and written by Joni Mitchell"

In that extra 45 minutes, I might have enjoyed seeing this squeezed in.



But it was included on the soundtrack LP.

Sepiatone

I mostly watched it because I hadn't seen it in a long time. Jimmy did go on a long time past what was interesting.
The jam in Dazed and Confused went on for so long I forgot what song they started out with. I didn't watch
Woodstock, having seen it a number of times. The Airplane did get a lot of publicity, maybe more as the
quintessential SF band. With all the extra footage they probably could have made another long film, but maybe the
desire or payday wasn't there. I had the original Woodstock album, but lost it somewhere along the way and by that
time wasn't that interested in buying another. It did have a lot of good stuff on it.