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Category Archives: Blogathon
Alias Nick Beal (1949): Ray Milland's a Devil
Posted on October 21, 2020 by 4StarFilmFan
This is my entry in the CMBA Politics on Film Blogathon.
Alias Nick Beal handily flips the paradigm of cinematic angels in vogue with Hollywood, specifically during the 1940s. You could make a whole subgenre out of them. As its name suggests, the lynchpin character of the whole movie is Nick, though this is admittedly only a pseudonym. Across time and space, he's come in many forms, under many names, including the serpent, Lucifer, or the Devil.
Ray Milland portrays him in bodily form ,providing a deliciously evil turn in fine threads. He's not quite the "blonde Satan" out of Dashiell Hammett's Sam Spade literature, but he's almost there, about as close as you might possibly come in the flesh. With such a devious figure pulling the strings, Alias Nick Beal becomes noir mixed with myth and allusion in a rather unusual manner. It is the first of its kind: a Faustian noir.
The story itself opens in more conventional territory. There's an earnest, hard-working district attorney named Foster (Thomas Mitchell) who is looking to clean up local corruption, manifested as always by cigar-chomping Fred Clark with his host of slot machines and bookies just looking to rake in the dough.
Try as he might, he's never been able to deal the definitive blow to the town's graft. Regardless, he's an upstanding man of principle with a devoted wife (Geraldine Wall) of many years and a solid base of friends, including local minister Reverend Garfield (George Macready). Of course, even someone like him falls to temptations; they seem innocent at first even honorable. The trajectory of his entire political career starts to change for the better, although his personal relationships are poisoned beyond repair. More on that later.
For now, he has an inauspicious meeting at the local watering hole, the dubious China Coast Cafe. It's the kind of joint that can only exist in the foggy back lots of some Hollywood studio (in this case Paramount Pictures).
It's the cheap, low-lit atmospherics of such an obviously stylistic or phony facade that make Alias Nick Beal feel like low-grade entertainment. With noir, however, this often proves more of a blessing, and what's more remarkable is how impressive the cast manages to be. The cafe also happens to be a fitting place to meet the devil's incarnate.
No, Foster doesn't go and sign the pact right then and there. His new acquaintance is far too cunning, far too diabolical to be so direct. But it comes soon enough as his new undue influence makes an insidious impact on the politician's life. Isn't it true that small habits compound as days, weeks, months, and years go by before you realize how much you've actually changed? Whether good or bad.
Simultaneous with his public ambitions, Foster's reverend friend helps run a boys home not unlike similar storylines in Boy's Town or Angels With Dirty Faces. It's a conventional if generally uninteresting element. The one moment prodding the movie's core conflict with a stick comes with the daily Bible reading.
Nick doesn't want to be caught dead near the good book, but the minister opens it all the same as is his practice reading the following words to his charges:
"The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. For he hath founded it upon the seas and established it upon the floods. Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation."
If they're not obvious already, the passage is an implicit call for Foster — to make him take heed — a warning against his current trajectory. Nick knows if Foster heeds the words, all his tireless work in interference will be thwarted. However, he's still got some tricks up his sleeve.
One of them is named Donna Allen (Audrey Totter), a dame he found out on a street corner by the same upstanding establishment he just happened to meet Foster at. Audrey Totter does her gloriously acerbic rendition for this strange character and plays it nice and tender as well. It's a fluid performance for a peculiar role calling for a hooker to get promoted in status to that of a campaign manager and confidante.
Suddenly, the work of devils and angels don't look altogether dissimilar. After all, he raises this woman of ill-repute out of the gutter, gets her an apartment, drapes her in mink coats and stoles. However, it's the ulterior motives that are most revealing.
Because eventually Nick has worked his way up — greasing the wheels of Foster's ego as it were — so they can start talking about the murky grays of politics. His line of arguments are deceptive to the point he has his victim finds himself conceding on the same points of moral bedrock as Claude Rains in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.
They buy into the lie that this is the only way to get anything done. Maybe it is partially true. Who am I to say? Conveniently, in the other picture, Thomas Mitchell was the wisecracking journalist who could observe from a comfortable distance. In this one, he's embroiled right in the middle of the mess.
With Nick Beal constantly needling him and all the conflicting forces and voices in his life swelling, it really is a tug-of-war for his soul. Everyone wants a piece of it. His wife, the reverend, Nick, even Donna. It's the intent that colors their true character.
Thus, Alias Nick Beal is an impeccably noirish take on spiritual warfare — the necessity of "pinning the devil to the mat" — before he totally makes you into a self-serving, arrogant person. Given the context it's already working within, Nick Beal is a creative riff on Faust, but it never feels like full-fledged noir since the moralism is laid on a bit thick.
Neither of these elements is altogether detrimental, but it does feel like the movie is diluted in all its efforts. It's this curious amalgam of disparate points of interest and self-reflexive in its orchestration with Milland being allowed to be villain and impresario. Again, the pieces and the resulting performances are intriguing, but it feels too cut-and-dry in the scripting department.
There's never the great intrigue of watching a movie where we imbibe the sense of drama, romance, laughter, or whatever else. It feels like a story is being spun for the sake of Nick Beal so we can see him pulling the strings in front of the camera. Meanwhile, other themes are either cast aside or never fully explored. They could have been the building blocks for another movie entirely.
All told, I'd put it a couple rungs under the likes of The Bishop's Wife and Here Comes Mr. Jordan. And it's not quite on par with director John Farrow's The Big Clock or His Kind of Woman. Milland is enough to make it nearly worth it.
Posted in 1940s, Blogathon, Crime, Drama	| Tagged Audrey Totter, Fred Clark, George Macready, John Farrow, Ray Milland, Review, Thomas Mitchell	| 4 Replies
You Can't Take It With You (1938): Quality Capra
This is my post in The 120 "Screwball" Years of Jean Arthur Blogathon put on by the Wonderful World of Cinema!
Mr. Kirby (Edward Arnold), or A.P. as his deferential colleagues call him, is a business magnate with innumerable successful endeavors. He has the full pockets to go along with a career full of shrewd decisions. And the latest scheme he's worked up just might be the granddaddy of them all, that is, if it weren't for the obliging grandfather in his way.
It stands to reason if Kirby can secure the 12 blocks around the Ramsey company, his one sole remaining competitor, he can cripple them out of business with a large scale monopoly, therefore controlling the munitions industry outright.
It's a representation of the ugliest strain of free market capitalism. This is not the type of carte blanche you want ruling business, especially in Frank Capra's world. Still, Kirby wants no interference and that means even Martin Vanderhoff must go. He throws one of his cronies, the perpetually twitching Clarence Wilson, at the problem to get it resolved by any means necessary.
But lest you think the man is merely an old crank who won't sell out, Lionel Barrymore (now crippled by worsening arthritis) walks into the picture on crutches and mesmerizes the entire audience with his instant charisma. This isn't quite UP, nor is he just a silly little man gumming up the works. Well, maybe he is, but he finds strength in family. That and his given temperament are all the better for doing battle with Mr. Kirby, indirectly though it maybe.
Lionel Barrymore is defined in modern generations solely by the curmudgeon Mr. Potter and little else. What You Can't Take It With You is a superlative reminder of is just how magnetic an actor he was in all sorts of parts. Here he serves as the affable glue holding the picture together at the seams and spinning wisdom throughout the neighborhood.
It begins by recruiting other "lilies of the field" including the timid Mr. Poppins (Donald Meek) who leaves behind the job he's been slaving away at to follow his passions. You see, he makes things.
There's something innately compelling about the life Mr. Vanderhoff leads. In fact, it's a bit of a practical utopia. He doesn't work. He follows his fancy, whether sliding down the banisters, playing his harmonica, or going to the graduations to listen to the speeches. Still, he gets by and feels deeply contented holding malice towards none. The prayers he sends up to the big man upstairs are irreligious, frank, but genuine in nature.
His family takes much the same approach ,and they've built for themselves a comfortable if altogether quirky family commune. Tony Kirby's not far off when he surmises it's "Like living in the world of Walt Disney.
Grandpa does all the aforementioned activities including collecting stamps because it's what he likes best. Mr. Sycamore makes fireworks because he never grew up and mother writes plays because a typewriter was delivered to the house by mistake. Mr. Poppins feels right at home in the basement workshop devoted to all sorts of fanciful tinkering with a raven hopping about. Meanwhile, the precocious Essie (Ann Miller) jaunts around in ballet slippers to her husband's xylophone playing.
Charles Lane's IRS income tax man paying a house call and grating up against the libertarian, pragmatism of Grandpa is a hint of conflict just waiting to come to a head. Of course, all of this would add up to nothing if it weren't for the central romance spawning the indelible chemistry between James Stewart and Jean Arthur.
Because they are a bit of the prototypical Romeo & Juliet passion. He's set up in his father's business with no aspirations whatsoever to take over the family firm, and she is his typist with no status to her name. But we never once forget who these people are, and they are adorable together.
They forego the stuffy ballet for two front row seats at a much more attractive park bench, complete with daydreamy small talk and a personal show by a pack of real toe-tapping tykes. Then, it comes to meeting the parents at a well-to-do restaurant and in the sheer awkwardness of the scene, one cannot help but reminisce about Hepburn and Grant's own high jinks from Bringing up Baby. This one involves a humorous tag, some phantom mice scurrying about, and so on and so forth (you get the idea).
However, the creme de la creme has to be his parents coming over for dinner to meet Alice's family under the most embarrassing circumstances, just as whimsical bedlam sets in. Xylophones, dancing, darts, exploding fireworks. You name it and they're doing it. In fact, it's enough for them to get raided by the police and serve time down at the courthouse waiting for bail — the Kirbys included. It's the proverbial nail in the coffin.
I'm not sure if he was genius or not, but Capra had a knack for capturing the organic mayhem of a bustling courtroom to a tee. You Can't Take It With You's finale uses the judicial arena to bring the story out of despair. There are words traded, a $100 fine enacted, and the passing of the charity hat, with the same outpouring of generosity from the common folk George Bailey would later be blessed with. Even the benevolent judge (Harry Davenport) throws into the pot.
And obviously, there is no Capracorn without the inspired quill of Robert Riskin. Watching more and more of Capra's collaborations with Robert Riskin, there is the sneaking suspicion that the screenwriter has as much to do with this American optimism we so often attribute to the director. Because the words, the scenarios, the characters are constructed in such a way to draw on these deep-running themes time and time again.
You Can't Take It With You is an unequivocal reminder that these prevailing themes of humanity never quite go away; they only reimagine themselves and return with a vengeance. The patriarch laments the fact nowadays most everyone says "Think the way I do or I'll bomb the daylights out of you." If this aphorism was true in a pre-war society, think how much more pertinent it remains in a hyper-polarized, antagonizing social media age.
You can scoff out their resolutions as needlessly naive or champion them as eternal optimists. Regardless, in the world dreamed up here, it's not just the lion laying down with the lamb. The banker can play harmonica with the country bumpkin and pick up the Russian in a fireman's carry. If that's not a bit of paradise, I'm not sure what is.
Posted in 1930s, Blogathon, Comedy, Romance	| Tagged Ann Miller, Edward Arnold, Frank Capra, James Stewart, Jean Arthur, Lionel Barrymore, Review, Robert Riskin	| 10 Replies
5 Favorite "Classics for Comfort"
Posted on May 22, 2020 by 4StarFilmFan
With the CMBA Spring Blogathon being themed around classic movie comfort, I busied myself considering the types of movies that act as comfort films.
Here before you, without too much deliberation, are five classics I would gladly share with anyone. They are movies that I own and return to for any number of reasons, perfect for lounging around on a Saturday afternoon.
Also, as it worked out, they all just happen to represent five separate decades of cinema.
Please enjoy!
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
Gawky, wide-eyed Jimmy Stewart reflects all that is good and decent about Classic Hollywood. Frank Capra's political drama is a time-honored story of the little guy going up against a political juggernaut. It's full of humor and geniality, romance and patriotism, and heart-wrenching drama. Stewart's staggering filibuster on the Senate floor, as Harry Carey looks on wryly and Jean Arthur coaches from the cheap seats, is an iconic showcase.
Far from simply giving us the kind of Hollywood catharsis, replete with happy ending and romance, it reaffirms the virtues of humanity in the face of corruption. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
It's a sprawling film and yet it never seems lengthy because I always fall into the storyline and the sense of community created within Boone City. William Wyler's direction with the immaculate photography of Gregg Toland is glorious, and once more, the cast is one of the most amicable.
I've long enjoyed Teresa Wright and Dana Andrews. Frederic March and Myrna Loy make a lovely couple. Harold Russell turns in, arguably the most sincere, undoctored performance as the double-amputee. We even get Hoagy Carmichael plonking away on the piano. It gets to the point where relationships are actually being formed with the characters. We care deeply about their happiness and well-being in the wake of WWII. Even as the world changes and we must come to terms with it, there is still hope in making something out of life, wherever it may lead us.
Rio Bravo (1959)
Before there was any sort of sub-genre, Howard Hawks feels like the king of buddy movies. John Wayne, Walter Brennan, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson, and Angie Dickinson are a joy to hang out with. There's no question this is a western — with a sheriff sticking by his guns — and there's certainly conflict drummed up.
But for the sake of our discussion, this movie is all about the camaraderie. These very purposeful lulls in the action and even an intermission just so Dino can sing "My Rifle, My Pony, and Me." It brings all the necessary components together, including action and humor, while instigating a quality time at the movies.
It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963)
There are a couple reasons I have a lasting fondness for Mad, Mad World. This goes beyond the wall-to-wall goofballs squished into the caper comedy. (I'm talking to you Jonathan Winters.) One of the other touchtones involves the iconic palm tree becoming a symbol of Inn-N-Out burger, a favorite watering hole of mine.
Likewise, my dad often tells stories of riding off to summer camp only to see the crew filming the chase sequences up in the mountains. It's these small anecdotes that make it feel all the more familiar. And so many friends come to the party: Don Knotts, Peter Falk, even Buster Keaton. It's always a pleasure to see them.
American Graffiti (1973)
There's something instantly satisfying about the tableau American Graffiti offers up. It's one night in 1962. The scenarios are lightweight and life-changing all at once, between cruising cars, fleeting high school romances, and some of the most iconic tunes of yesteryear. For me, very few films evoke a milieu as well as George Lucas's picture, and it still remains one of the preeminent coming-of-age movies generations later.
For one evening, we get to step back in time and enjoy an evening on the town with a soundtrack supplied by Wolfman Jack. It's an immersive, totally delightful experience cruising around with the likes of Toad, Milner, and Curt. In the age before JFK's assassination and the escalation of Vietnam, it somehow spells simpler times for all.
Wishing everyone the best of cinematic comforts!
Posted in Blogathon, Misc.	| 15 Replies
National Classic Movie Day Blogathon: 6 Favorite Films of the 1960s
Thank you to the Classic Film and TV Cafe for having me!
Following-up last year's ode to the 1950s, I secretly relished the addition of another film to make already tough decisions even a little bit easier. But let's be honest…
All my intellectual posturing and punditry must go out the window. This is not about the best movies alone. It is about the favorites — the movies we could watch again and again for that certain je ne sais quoi — because they stay with us. They always and forever will be based on highly subjective gut reactions, informed by personal preferences and private affections. As it should be.
Drum roll please as I unfurl my picks. Each choice says as much about me as the decade they come out of. Here we go:
1. Charade (1963)
Charade has always been a highly accessible film and not simply because it's fallen into the public domain. Its elements are frothy and light calling on the talents of two of Hollywood's great romantic charmers: Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant. Their rapport is lovely, and the spy thrills are surprisingly cogent for a romantic comedy thanks to Peter Stone's script.
Last year I acknowledged the loss of Stanley Donen, but this picture reflected his range as a director, taking him beyond the scope of musicals. By this point, it's positively twee to acknowledge his movie verged on a Hitchcock thriller like To Catch a Thief. I am also always taken by the supporting cast. Walter Matthau, James Coburn, and George Kennedy all had more prominent performances throughout the 1960s, but they supply a lot of color to the story.
Likewise, as amiable as the chemistry is to go with the blissful French streetcorners and Henry Mancini's scoring, there is a sense Charade represented the dawn of a new age. It came out mere days after John F. Kennedy was assassinated. The happier times were snuffed out, and we could never go back. The decade would be forever changed in its wake.
2. A Hard Day's Night (1964)
The Beatles were the first band I could name at 4-years-old. A Hard Day's Night was probably the first album I could sing along to. So already I have such a significant connection with it, recalling bumpy roads in the British Isles on summer vacations. And that has little to nothing to do with this film. It only serves to evoke what the Germans might aptly call sehnsucht. Warm, wistful longings for the exuberance of youth. At least that's what I take it to mean. But we must get to "Komm gib mir deine Hand!"
Because, all levity aside, A Hard Day's Night is the best Beatles "documentary" any fan could ever ask for. Not only does it showcase some of their greatest music, but Richard Lester's style also keeps the story feeling fresh and free. Even as the schedule and hysteria of Beatlemania look to suffocate the boys in their own stardom, the film is the complete antithesis of this rigid mentality. It goes a long way to showcase their individual personalities, real or mythologized.
What's more, it's simply loads of fun, packed with Liverpoolian wit, shenanigans indebted to the Marx Brothers, and a certain lovable cheekiness helping to make the Beatles into international sensations. Again, it's a film on the cusp of something new. They would kick off the British takeover of American music and usher in a cultural revolution up until the end of the decade. When they disbanded in 1970, the world had changed, and they were arguably 4 of the most influential cultural catalysts.
3. The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967)
Jacques Demy began as a revelation for me and quickly evolved into one of my most treasured directors. What makes his film's magical is how they truly are incubated in their own self-contained reality influenced by near-Providential fate and unabashed romanticism. They too can be wistful and heartbreaking, but equally spry and joyful — maintaining a firm, even naive belief in humanity and love.
The Young Girls of Rochefort is no different. In fact, it might be the great summation of all his themes. Umbrellas of Cherbourg shows the tragedy, but Rochefort is merry and light in a way that's lovely and intoxicating. The palette is a carnival of color, and real-life sisters Catherine Deneuve and Francoise Dorleac are incomparable in their title roles.
As someone who appreciates contextualization, Demy populates his films with footnotes to film history among them Gene Kelly, who was a beloved figure in France, then Michel Piccoli and Danielle Darreux who might as well be considered national institutions for the substantial bodies of work they contributed both domestically and abroad. Even his wife, 21st-century celebrity Agnes Varda, helped choreograph the movie's action from behind the scenes. It's a positive delight.
4. Le Samourai (1967)
If I have a deep affection for Jacques Demy, my affinity for Jean-Pierre Melville runs deep for entirely different reasons. Like his fellow countryman, he had an appreciation for a subset of American culture — in his case, the pulp crime genre — so it's a fitting act of reciprocation for me to enjoy his filmography.
Le Samourai is without question his magnum opus, at least when his noir-inspired crime pictures are considered. Like Demy, his images are distinct and particular in their look and appeal. Cool grays and blues match the clothes, cars, and demeanors of most of his characters.
Alain Delon (along with Jean-Paul Belmondo) was one of the great conduits of his methodical style, clothed in his iconic hat and trenchcoat. Anything he does immediately feels noteworthy. While it's never what you would call flashy, there's a self-assured preoccupation about Le Samourai.
You can't help but invest in both the world and the story of the characters — in this case a bushido-inspired assassin: Jef Costello. With hitmen, gunmen, and gangsters given a new lease on life in the 1960s, Delon's characterization still might be one of the most memorable.
5. The Odd Couple (1968)
Here is one that's stayed with me since the days of VHS. I've watched it countless times and always return to it gladly like time away with old friends. It just happens to be that one friend is fastidious neat freak Felix Ungar (F.U. for short) and the other a slobbish couch potato Oscar Madison.
Despite being one of the great onscreen friendships across a plethora of films, The Odd Couple is Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau's most enduring film together from purely a comedic standpoint. They bring out the worst in each other, which subsequently supplies the conflict in Neil Simon's smartly constructed tale, as well as the laughs.
I must admit I also have a private fascination with cinematic poker games. The Odd Couple has some of the best, bringing a group of buddies around a table, with all their foibles and eccentricities thrown into a room together to coalesce. John Fiedler and Herb Edelman are great favorites of mine and The Odd Couple has a lot to do with it. That Neal Hefti score is also just such an infectious earworm. I can't get it out of my head, and I hardly mind. What better way to spend an evening than with Felix, Oscar, and oh yes, the Pigeon sisters…
6. Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid
You can tell a lot about a person depending on what western they pick from 1969. There's True Grit for the traditionalists. Then The Wild Bunch for the revolutionaries. And Butch Cassidy and Sundance for those who want something a bit different.
Because out of all the westerns ever made, it doesn't quite gel with any of them. William Goldman writes it in such a way that it feels like an anti-western in a sense. His heroes are outlaws, yes, but they are also two of the most likable anti-heroes Hollywood had ever instated. Whether he knew it or not, Goldman probably helped birth the buddy comedy genre while the partnership of Paul Newman and Robert Redford fast became one for the ages.
My analysis of the film has waxed and waned over the years and not everything has aged immaculately. However, at the end of the day, it's one of the most quotable, rib-tickling good times you can manage with a western. I'll stand by it, and when we talk about endings, Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid is as good a place to end as any: immortalized on tintypes for all posterity. What a way to go.
Thank you for reading and happy national classic movie day!
Posted in 1960s, Blogathon, Misc.	| Tagged Alain Delon, Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant, Catherine Deneuve, Danielle Darreux, Jack Lemmon, Jacques Demy, Jean-Pierre Melville, Michel Piccoli, Paul Newman, Richard Lester, Robert Redford, Stanley Donen, The Beatles, Walter Matthau, William Goldman	| 22 Replies
Posted on March 10, 2020 by 4StarFilmFan
Thank you Wonderful World of Cinema and In The Good Old Days of Classic Hollywood for having me in The Claire Trevor Blogathon!
Just this past year I've entered a transition period in my life. Often transitions are hard because they signal changes for each and every one of us. For me, that change came with moving back to my home country and finding a new job.
One of the perks of finally settling in and looking around was realizing how classic film lore can follow us wherever we end up. Because it's true the institution I work at now has quite personal ties with our venerated star Claire Trevor. In fact, due to her patronage and involvement later in life, she has a whole building, nay, a whole department named after her!
That's some impact. Where to begin?
Thankfully, the Claire Trevor School of The Arts' website has already done a great deal of the heavy lifting for me when it comes to summarizing her illustrious career. She had quite the remarkable run as a multifaceted entertainer. Many of the names mentioned I'm sure will bring warm feelings of acknowledgment from my fellow classic movie aficionados.
Here is an excerpt from their home page:
Claire Trevor's acting career spanned more than seven decades and included successes in stage, radio, television and film. She appeared in more than 60 motion pictures with Hollywood's top leading men, including John Wayne, Humphrey Bogart, Spencer Tracy, Clark Gable, Edward G. Robinson, William Powell and William Holden. Known as the queen of film noir, she often played the hardboiled "blonde" and every conceivable type of "bad girl" role.
A three-time Academy Award nominee, Claire Trevor won the Best Supporting Actress award for her 1948 performance in Key Largo, co-starring with Humphrey Bogart, Edward G. Robinson and Lauren Bacall. In 1956, she won an Emmy Award for Best Live Television Performance by an Actress for Dodsworth, which also starred Fredric March as part of NBC's Producer's Showcase. Both awards are prominently displayed at the Claire Trevor Theatre in the School's Arts Plaza.
In 1948 Ms. Trevor married Hollywood producer Milton Bren and soon after moved to Newport Beach. She retired from acting in 1987. In her last years she spent her time traveling, painting and pursuing philanthropic endeavors. To the School of the Arts, she was a star on-screen and in-person.
In fact, I made a pilgrimage to the Arts school to see if I could find anything else with her footprint. As students milled about going off to their next classes, I broke off and headed toward the theater bearing her name.
It's true the two artifacts are very prominently and proudly displayed behind glass for the viewing public. And yet you could walk past them without even knowing they are there (or caring). But this fan was certainly intrigued. I was a foot away from living history.
I tried to snap a picture but sadly the photo evidence just did not do the award justice. The same goes for the other piece of hardware — Ms. Trevor's Emmy for the production she did of Dodsworth in 1956.
To me, it's extraordinary these monuments of film history are sitting there right out in the open under our very noses. I'm led to wonder how many people from this current generation have any idea who Claire Trevor is/was? She might just be a donor on a building even as she means so much more to many of us.
Whether it's because of Key Largo or her other so-called "bad girl" roles in Murder My Sweet or Raw Deal. Maybe you have a fond memory of her playing opposite another fellow Newport Beach local, John Wayne, in Stagecoach, who coincidentally, has an airport named after him.
I must admit I wasn't able to dig into her involvement with the school much more or figure out if there is any other memorabilia on campus. That might have to be an investigation for another post.
However, if nothing else, I do feel inspired to ask students I may meet — especially art students — if they have any idea who Claire Trevor is. If the answer is no, my response wouldn't be one of derision but education. Maybe I can help them learn a little bit about this woman who, even in classic film circles is often slightly unheralded.
I'll finish with this fitting blurb again from the Claire Trevor School of the Arts because they speak to her personal investment in the arts as well as education. Here it is:
She was a passionate advocate of the Arts and Arts education. During the later years of her life – she retired from professional acting in 1987 – Ms. Trevor became involved with the School of the Arts and its students, who came to cherish her attendance at their performances and value the wisdom and professional advice she shared so generously with them.
Ms. Trevor was a frequent visitor to the School, sitting in on rehearsals and interacting with student actors and faculty. She liked getting to know the drama students and seeing their work, according to those who knew her at that time. She often spoke of the important role the Arts had played in her life, and she believed that using one's imagination to its fullest is necessary in order to live a happy life. She was thrilled to be able to help the School's students achieve their goals and assist them, in some small way, according to her friends.
According to her stepson Donald Bren, "She was also very impressed with the quality of the students and faculty here, so [her] gift is an appropriate reflection of both her own artistic legacy and her commitment to the artists and performers of the future."
So if you were ever curious whether or not there was a monument to Claire Trevor, now you know. It's literally the foundation for generations of new artists and creatives who have been blessed through her own dedication and passion for culture. And that's regardless of whether they realize it or not. Her legacy is quite an extraordinary one going well beyond her iconic screen career. What's even more amazing is how it's still alive and well to this day!
Posted in Blogathon, Misc.	| Tagged Claire Trevor	| 3 Replies
Grace Kelly & Audrey Hepburn Part II
Posted on November 11, 2019 by 4StarFilmFan
Two years ago I contributed a post to The Wonderful Grace Kelly Blogathon to commemorate the actress and cultural icon alongside my other favorite performer Audrey Hepburn. For my initial point of reference, I started with a pair of photos I'd seen backstage at the 28th Academy Awards in 1956. They, of course, had previously won for Roman Holiday (1953) and The Country Girl (1954) respectively.
As a follow-up, I have to alternative photos no doubt featured in the same issue of Life Magazine and they lend yet another candid quality to the proceedings, the first showing Grace Kelly peering directly toward the camera (Audrey's figure all but blurred). Then in the second, we see Audrey looking on along with someone else at Grace Kelly's noticeable excitement. Another engaging detail is all the figures visible in the reflection.
Back then, I pondered upon their interactions — what they might have been like, however brief — and also I wondered if they ever met again? Thanks to a helpful comment and some minor investigating I came to an interesting if not altogether conclusive solution. More on that later.
First, we must take a moment to acknowledge Grace Kelly (and Audrey) as 2019 would have represented their 90th birthdays respectively. They left us far too quickly but their impact both on the silver screen and in society as ambassadors was duly noted.
But I'm sure you already have a great deal of admiration for them. I'll let others fill in with the effusive praise for their various accolades and attributes. Let's get on with a bit of amateur sleuthing.
The Resolution
It's not too great a spoiler to say Grace and Audrey did cross paths again, this time accompanied by their spouses Prince Ranier of Monaco and Mel Ferrer.
Although we can't carbon date, I could instantly place the photos to the mid-60s because of Audrey Hepburn's look. It felt very How to Steal a Million on the way to Two For The Road. In comparison, since Grace Kelly had been out of the acting game for some time (since 1956) and had been all but forbid from making a triumphant return in Hitchcock's Marnie, we can't do the same with her hairstyle.
This is my best piece of legitimate confirmation from a French Getty Images caption:
La princesse Grace et le prince Rainier III de Monaco avec Audrey Hepburn et son mari Mel Ferrer à la Nuit du Cinéma au théâtre Marigny le 28 octobre 1965 à Paris, France . (Photo by REPORTERS ASSOCIES/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
From my middling knowledge of French, I gather the four aforementioned parties were gathered at the Theater Marigny in Paris on October 28th, 1965 for a "Night of Cinema." I'm not quite sure what it entailed — if it was a retrospective of any kind — but they seem to be having a fine time, despite the host of journalists. What's more, these images, like the backstage snaps from the Oscars, feel spectacularly candid.
If you have any more information on the circumstances of this visit, I'd love to hear it! Otherwise, this is my ending to the question I posed two years ago. Princess Grace and Princess Ann (Audrey) did cross paths, and it looked to be a sumptuous occasion.
The only things I have left is to share some double features worth checking out:
The Country Girl (1954) & Sabrina (1954)
This is an obvious pairing because, for one thing, William Holden had the chance to star with Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn in the same year! (Not to mention Bogart and Bing Crosby). He would repeat the feat thanks to The Bridges at Toko-Ri (also '54) and Paris When It Sizzles (1964).
Dial M for Murder (1954) & Wait Until Dark (1967)
This is a more thrilling pairing of two home invasion features. I'm surprised I'd never actually thought of them in a similar light, but when you have Kelly fighting for her life against a murderous husband and a blind Audrey Hepburn fighting off an intruder, it's easy to understand why we root for them. Both these ladies all but top cinema's likeability list.
Wonderful World of Cinema, Flapper Dame, and Musings of a Classic Film Addict, thanks so much for having me for The 5th Grace Kelly Blogathon!
Posted in Blogathon, Misc.	| Tagged Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, William Holden	| 11 Replies
The Third Man At 70
Oh, how I love The Third Man (or The 3rd Man). Regardless of how you write it, Carol Reed's post-war noir is one of those special films that was a case of love at first sight. I knew some of the reasons already, but watching the film with a friend (on his first viewing) teased them out even more so. It was a nice reminder of why this film continues to enchant me and engage me on fundamental levels time after time.
Dutch Angles in Post-War Vienna
My buddy was right. The Third Man is inherently disorienting. Visually the film presents all of its subjects from a stilted perspective. They're always slanted, featured in crammed together close-ups, and never quite sitting square in our line of vision from the camera's uncomfortably low angles. Whether we realize them or not, there's no doubt the dutch angels (from "Deutch" or German) manipulate how we experience the action.
Starting with these formalistic elements, the mood is perfectly ingrained in the fundamental building blocks of the story with the crumbling city sectioned off into its uneasy alliances between the WWII victors. We have a crosshatching of districts and a melting pot of language and objectives.
Thus, when the blundering American author Holly Martins walks into the story, he, like his audience, has very little understanding of what is going on. His level of comprehension is lost in translation even as he goes around trying to get to the bottom of the scenario. Joseph Cotten does a fabulous job in the part effectively becoming our eyes and ears in the environment.
And this strong association is part of the reason I so vehemently decried Netflix's tampering with the original film's ambiguity. If you're like me and Holly Martins, you're no polyglot, aside from a few token phrases here and there. When the old man or woman in the house rattles off something, you're lost in the unfamiliarity. You're waiting for someone to explain it, even trusting on the good graces of others. In some regards, you are helpless.
It's part of the way the film toys with us. You realize the whole time maybe you've been played and a whole level of the film's context has flown over your head. Subtitles alleviate our ignorance but also cause us to lose out on some of the perplexity felt as a result of such a global battleground. The Third Man capitalizes on the richness of these cultural ambiguities.
The Zither & Herb Alpert
The music is next on my list. My friend was right again. The title song's awfully familiar and after Anton Karas got plucked off the streets of Vienna to provide the lively but strangely hollow and foreboding soundtrack, it would go onto some acclaim on the music charts (including a guitar rendition by Guy Lombardo).
The tune is one of a select few early movie themes to hit the mainstream remaining fairly recognizable even today. This is even more surprising given its inauspicious roots. My friend connected the dots later only to realize he'd heard the particularly Latin-flavored version by Herb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass on their album !!Going Places!! He taught me something learned new, but you learn a lot being friends with an avid record collector.
Quick Pacing
It might be a mere generalization, but I feel like there are often complains leveled at films of yore that they languish, there's too much talking, and they don't boast enough action. But I think my buddy was spot on once more. The Third Man has surprisingly timely pacing (aside from the deliberate final shot).
One of the practical reasons for this might have been director Carol Reed literally being hooked on the stimulant Benzedrine to get through his hectic shooting schedule around the clock. This might be one explanation for the zip, even in the opening monologue. However, there's also an undeniable drive to The Third Man because it's stuffed with questions, mystery, and underlying tension.
As information begins to reveal itself, we have screeching taxi rides, reveals, harrowing meetings on Ferris wheels, and climactic chases sequences clattering through the rubble-strewn streets and labyrinthian waterworks. But the reason it grips us has to do with falling in with intuitively compelling characters. That's as good a place as any to bring him up…
Harry Lime: Super-Villain?
The final observation I found to be particularly interesting was my buddy's acknowledgment that Harry Lime felt surprisingly modern, a precursor even to the current villain. I want to tease out this idea even more because I've been drawn to movies that layer their menace. I can think of the likes of Black Panther or Mission Impossible: Fallout as two recent examples.
However, what I mean by this is how you don't quite know where the trouble is going to come from, who you can trust, and who will betray you. It makes for a glorious puzzle to navigate. Is Calloway someone we can give our allegiance to? He's an awful stickler for the law without clemency.
Mr. Crabbin is an unnerving chap before we ever learn who he is and the shifty-eyed likes of the Baron, Dr. Winkel, and Popescu have far more to tell than they willingly divulge. The woman Anna (Valli), who loves Harry, is almost delusional with her unwavering love for a scoundrel. Even Cotten, our initial hero, lumbers around like a drunken idiot, thinking he has everything figured out.
And of course, there's Mr. Harry Lime himself. The most iconic charismatic, machiavellian anti-hero. Orson Welles makes him a dashing shadowy specter, larger-than-life and theatrical. But there's no discounting the mercilessness pulsing through him. None of these characters are straight-laced by any stretch of the imagination. They have some flaw, evil, or vice dragging them down. Lime just remains the mastermind and the poster boy of it all.
The one character who seems like a generally agreeable chap is, of course, the one who SPOLIERS gets it. Somehow it fits the times and the world. It couldn't be any other way.
So 70 years on The Third Man still remains one of the preeminent examples of a quality thriller, pulsing with atmosphere, style, romance, and intrigue. To say they don't quite make movies like this anymore is immaterial.
What's truly staggering is how brilliantly Carol Reed's film still holds up. I look forward to many more viewings to come, preferably with a friend or two. After all, they're the ones who help me appreciate classics like these with new eyes.
Happy 70th Year to The Third Man! You're still looking great!
I'm also proud to be a part of the Classic Movie Blog Association celebrating 10 years of existence. Here's to many more.
Posted in 1940s, Blogathon, British, Crime, Thriller	| Tagged Anniversary, Carol Reed, Film Noir, Orson Welles	| 8 Replies
Léon Morin, Priest (1961)
Posted on August 25, 2019 by 4StarFilmFan
This is my entry in The Vive la France Blogathon. Thanks to Lady Eve and Silver Screen Modes for having me!
I recently read some excerpts out of Soren Kierkegaard's "Attack on Christendom" and the Danish philosopher makes the case "Even when you don't live by a Christian reality you live in a Christianized world. You know when you offend the collective consciousness."
Although this context is changing in the present day, it very much fits the world of this film from Jean-Pierre Melville. There is this sense of propriety and a propensity toward specific ways and lifestyles as dictated by the prevailing cultural forces. In this case, the church. Though some choose to kick against the goads and challenge the status quo. That's where our story commences.
The substantial backdrop of World War II also ties Leon Morin to Silence de la Mer (1949) and then Army of Shadows (1969), which came well after. Because, of course, before his days as the idol of the New Wave and a craftsman of pulp gangster classics, Melville actually worked as a member of a French Resistance himself. You cannot take part in something like that without it totally impacting how you perceive the world.
But there is still an important distinction to be made. This is hardly a war movie. Instead, the war serves as a background for the human experience — a human relationship between a man and a woman. Their relationship starts early in the occupation and stretches beyond the boundaries of V-E Day.
However, the terms seem very suggestive and in an unrefined exploration of the material this would be the case. Still, by some marvel, Melville manages to conduct an astute yet still spellbinding examination of spirituality. The woman: a militant communist. The man: a humble priest of a French parish.
It is two years after Hiroshima Mon Amour. Alain Resnais's film is one of the most poetic meditations you will ever see on the likes of love, war, and memory. Leon Morin, Priest is certainly different. It is a different kind of cadence and rhythm developing its own sense of a world and the related themes to go with it. But it is supernally evocative in its own right.
Emmanuelle Riva is Emmanuelle Riva, immaculately beautiful with eyes so bright they speak a language unto themselves. The moroseness is evident and yet they flit even momentarily between the cheery and the slightly provocative.
If Riva had her ascension on Hiroshima Mon Amour, Jean-Paul Belmondo was her equal as a nascent shooting star coming off of Godard's Breathless. In this context, what a curious crossroads to descend upon Leon Morin, Priest. Such a quiet, tranquil picture seemingly more inclined toward the past than any manner of forward thinking. Neither is there a flashy, jazzy lifeblood to it.
However, in another sense, it could not be more fitting. Melville, as alluded to before, was the Godfather of many of the Nouvelle Vague talents — certainly Godard — and even if it's only in particular instances, he still has a flair unto his own.
We might note a stripped-down peer like Robert Bresson as reference, but there are abrupt dashes of pizzazz here that feel like the youth of the New Wave, whether in an implied slap to the face or a jarring jump in continuity. The persistent use of fade-outs allows the passage of time to be conceived at a leisurely pace.
The city is such an extraordinary space brimming with character imbued by the sheer amount of years being lived in its midst. At first, the shroud of war is almost a comical distraction. In its early days, solemnity has not set in. Then, the feathered garb of the Italians gives way to the no-nonsense domed blitzkrieg of the Germans.
Families have their children baptized to conveniently hide their Jewish lineage from any prying eyes within the incumbent authorities. Because soon enough, they start deporting undesirables en force. Paranoia and anti-semitism set in, even within our heroine Barny's own workplace. Fugitives seeking asylum call on her charity in need of ration stamps and a place to gather themselves on their road to freedom.
Then, one afternoon she resolves to give a local priest a piece of her mind during confessions. She settles on the name Leon Morin as he seems like he might be the most receptive party given the peasantry pedigree of his moniker. If we were to label this decision we might label it as nothing short of Providence.
On first impression, Jean-Paul Belmondo feels like an unconventional casting for a member of the cloth. I often allude to his coming out of the tradition of Bogart but could Bogey have played a priest? Hardly. Still, Belmondo pulls it off with a candor, still blunt and true in its implementation. Because he cares deeply for others nevertheless, aided by his plain features and pragmatic perspective which both suit him well.
His dour space with only a desk, a window, and a shelf of books prove a very inviting place. Because he is such a person. At first an unassuming but ultimately charismatic spiritual leader. His lending library is open to Bardy and she begins to visit him and read his books. Somehow battling her urges to doubt due to curiosity and her own desire to gravitate toward him.
She is adamant about scientific proof for God and we begin an interim period that feels like it might be a precursor to Rohmer's dialogues from My Night at Maud's. In subsequent days, all the girls start coming to call on the young priest. Whether it's merely physical attraction or some other ethereal quality about him is never stated outright. This cynical viewer is reminded of the glib aphorism, "flirt to convert." And yet with each visitor, he comes ready to share the hope that is within him.
Bardy's assured coworker Marion is one caller and then another very attractive girl who plans to seduce him; it seems she's in the business of it with a laundry list of conquests going before her. And yet the perplexing aspect of the priest is how impregnable he is even as he welcomes each woman in, cultivates their spiritual well-being, and deals with them in such a frank manner.
Likewise, from the pulpit, he does not spare his words for the congregation sitting before him any given holy day. Recalling much of what Kierkegaard criticized, he warns them not to be merely "Sunday Christians." "Not living out a Christian life drives away the undecided" and this is nothing new.
Hypocrisy or closer still being little different from everyone else is often one of the greatest faults of people who are deemed "Christian." He further extolls them, "They should each be an apostle in their own setting." It is a fallacy that only a priest can do the work of God. So while he speaks with consternation, he wraps it up with a note of hope. Because according to him, there is "A God whose grace is given to the heretics and believers alike, loved equally in his sight."
We see even momentarily his guiding force. Why he pursued Barny and did his best to shepherd her. He's no elitist. His time and services are extended to all people. He lives it out in the day-to-day of life together with others.
When Barny and Morin must finally say goodbye there is so much in the air, gratefulness, sadness, wistfulness — even as she has fallen in love for his righteous guidance and he remains resolved in his mission to tend after the souls of those in his stead.
To merely say this is a conversion story is too simplistic. To claim it's suggesting the sensuality of forbidden love is off the mark. We already confirmed it is not a war picture. The brilliance of Melville is painting around these conventional lines with the utmost nuance. Of course, the performances are superb. The two cinematic saints in Riva and Belmondo make it possible. The fact we are fallen humans, ripe with warring desires and doubts, make it necessary. Dealing with spirituality in such a perceptive manner is nothing short of a modern miracle.
4.5/5 Stars
Note: Bogart actually did portray a priest in The Left Hand of God toward the end of his career. Thanks for those who pointed it out to me. Much appreciated!
Posted in 1960s, Blogathon, Drama, French	| Tagged Emmanuelle Riva, Great Film, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jean-Pierre Melville, Review, spirituality, WWII	| 9 Replies
Peggy Carter From Captain America: The First Avenger
Posted on June 8, 2019 by 4StarFilmFan
This is my entry in the 2019 Reel Infatuation Blogathon hosted by Silver Screenings and Font and Frock. Minor spoilers for Captain America follow…
Let's just get this out of the way. It's the last thing I want to do to rehash The Avengers because my most appreciative remark about Endgame was the fact that it brought closure.
But this is an entirely different matter. I want to acknowledge my affections for Peggy Carter. While my interest in the series has admittedly waxed and waned over the course of almost a decade, my fondness for Peggy has never faltered.
It began with The First Avenger because that was her coming-out party — the first chance she was brought before a cinematic audience in a meaningful way — and Hayley Atwell killed the portrayal. By the end of it, I was sold on one of the central stories of Marvel because it rang with a real shard of truth: wartime lovers separated.
Yes, the extenuating circumstances were plucked out of a future-inspired sci-fi comic book but this was hardly material. The separation of Peggy and Cap was what mattered most.
As the years continued onward and the Marvel machine grew larger and more unwieldy, the one Marvel tie-in show I was actually excited about was Agent Carter. In fact, I followed its syndicated progress quite dutifully because I was devoted to learning more about Peggy. I was intrigued by her world and how she would play a part in it.
At the time, the only comfort I could think of was humming the consoling wartime refrains of Dame Vera Lynn's "We'll Meet Again." Because even with the companionship of Jarvis, Howard Stark, and her fellow police officers, there was this ongoing sense that someone was missing in her life. Still, she pushes dutifully on with her work.
Later in The Winter Soldier when we saw Peggy Carter on her deathbed it took the wind out of my sails. This was not what I wanted. It felt unnatural and strange but the emotions were still there; they did not waver for an instant.
Thanks to time, I finally forgot about her funeral until word of Endgame circulated again and my unrealized romance still hung suspended in limbo. There was lingering hope of some form of supernatural closure outside of the confines of the story already told.
But none of this touches directly on why I was smitten with her character. For that, we must go back to Captain America The First Avenger in 2011. First, let's consider the world…
Peggy Carter and Classic Hollywood
I've realized since having a bit of a classic movie renaissance in my own life over the last 6 years or so, it's been the stars of the 1940s who became some of my personal favorites.
I'm talking about the likes of Teresa Wright, Ann Sheridan, Deanna Durbin, Eleanor Parker, Ella Raines, and even Rosalind Russell. They dressed up films of the 1940s with a certain girls-next-door-appeal, working girl pluckiness, and the traditional conventions of the so-called "Greatest Generation."
In the case of Russell, especially in her iconic portrayal as a newswoman in His Girl Friday, she all but proved she could be one of the boys and beat them all to the scoop.
I know Hayley Atwell is a contemporary British-American actress but for me, she is closely tied to the nostalgia of the past decades in part to her lengthy characterization as Peggy. Because Peggy feels like a product of the 1940s, of the mores driving people at that time, but she's also quietly countercultural.
Did anyone else think of Heddy Lamar's joint patent on frequency hopping during the height of World War II? Her work got all but dismissed but history has stood by her, proving how integral her work was for future technological advancement. For these types of reasons, Agent Carter has obvious shades of reality while quietly subverting the common narrative.
The Many Facets of Her Character
There is a certain amount of 1940s propriety about her. She has manners but she does not acquiesce when other's try to discriminate against her. There's nothing flashy about her yet she gets the job done with efficiency and grit when it's called for. She's not a squeamish individual.
Fittingly, I read in an interview that Hayley Atwell took Ginger Rogers' words to heart, doing everything her colleagues do except in heels. One can even imagine — in spite of her obvious opulence onscreen — Peggy might have taken Ginger as a bit of a role model in real life. In a purportedly "man's world" she was able to excel to the highest degree.
But she is resilient and grounded standing up for what is fundamentally right. This goes for her relationships outside of mere military protocol. Because while Steve Rogers, in his original form, is a bit of a pipsqueak by the world's standards, again, she sees the inherent worth in him — the tenacity and heart, not unlike her own.
In fact, Peggy is anchored by a heart. There is hardly a superficial bone in her body and it makes her all the more appealing. She has the capacity to carry herself with class without ever truly feeling arrogant or dismissive — at least in the way the world might. She disregards the pickup lines and mere masculine shows of machismo for more subtle qualities.
When others bully Steve and knock him down, she's there to encourage him to continue the fight with warmth and kindness. These were the seeds of affection for me. Someone who is capable to see the interior goodness in someone else going beyond physical appearance is worth having in your life.
She even has the gumption to call Steve out when he gets shallow or feels sorry for himself. It's tough love but it's love that nevertheless sticks by his side with a deep-seated loyalty. It goes beyond superficial attraction.
Certainly, there's an underlining discreetness and reserve to her demeanor, which is one sense old-fashioned but in still another sense feels deeply appealing. Case and point is their final interaction while he is facing mortality and she has him on the radio (a la Stairway to Heaven).
We know he's hurtling toward his death. She knows it too but doesn't want to admit it outright. They talk about a date to an upcoming dance they've been planning together. Obviously, it's the subtext of a screenwriter writing a scene playing out but it also speaks to the culture of the characters. Keeping the stiff upper lip, keeping calm and carrying on, and all that. You more often than not keep your emotions in check to be strong for your significant other.
It's simultaneously one of the most heart-wrenching scenes precisely because of this understatement with the vulnerability still coming through. I wouldn't always say it's the best way in life to keep emotions couched in this manner but it certainly rings with core truth. Because this is what people did and what people still do now. The key is knowing their love speaks out in different ways.
It's Been a Long Long Time
Putting the absurd plotline aside, the core romance and relationship of Captain America: The First Avenger sold me because it brought us back to a bygone time and place. Yes, I am a sucker for this kind of nostalgic setup but still, somehow it resonated with me on a deeper level than I can remember from similar period pieces. The chemistry was there.
Flashforward to the improbable reunion at the closing of Endgame and my heart was a flutter. Finally satisfied and satiated. All was right with the world. The sun was shining. The birds were singing. Kitty Kallen's knowing "It's Been A Long Long Time" was ringing out on the Victrola. Most important of all, Cap and dear Peggy were brought together again. If this wasn't my highlight from the movie I'm not sure what was.
Absence makes the heart grow fonder and reunions have rarely felt so sweet. As we say in this generation: All the feels. In that generation, a record and an embrace were enough. It was a long time coming (over 70 years) but Peggy Carter got the happy resolution she deserved. I can finally say Peggy and Cap really did meet again one sunny day and it was good.
5 Favorite Films of the 1950s: The B Sides
Just a day ago a whole slew of individuals shared their 5 Favorite Films of the 1950s for National Classic Movie Day. Thank you again to The Film & TV Cafe for spearheading that quality endeavor!
In retrospect, I realized all my choices were really "A Pictures," which were difficult and yet at the same time fairly easy to choose. They were all no-brainer picks because I love them a great deal. Many others also chose the likes of Singin' in The Rain, Roman Holiday, and Rear Window (for good reason, I might add).
However, the decisions that left me the most intrigued were, of course, the dark horses and the underappreciated gems. Certainly, you have to start somewhere when it comes to embarking on the classic movie journey, but half of the fun is unearthing treasures along the way. For instance, I was left charmed by the following picks, all wonderful films in their own right, that I would have never thought to choose:
People Will Talk, The Narrow Margin, The Earrings of Madame De…, It's Always Fair Weather, The Burmese Harp, and Night of the Demon, just to name a handful.
All of this to say, I was inspired by these folks to take on "Round 2" for my own edification. I'm going to leave my highly subjective list of "A Sides" behind for what I'll term the "B Sides." The only rule I'm going to place on myself is that this fresh set of picks must be what I deem to be "underrated movies." Again, it's a very subjective term, I know.
Regardless, here they are with only minor deliberation!
Stars in My Crown (1950)
Jacques Tourneur is an unsung auteur and if all he had on his resume were Cat People (1942) and Out of The Past (1947), his would be quite the legacy. However, throughout the '50s, he helmed a bevy of fabulous westerns and adventure pictures. I almost chose Wichita (1955), also starring Joel McCrea. In the end, this moving portrait of a frontier minister won out because it cultivates such a fine picture of how one is supposed to live in the midst of a bustling community of disparate individuals. This involves conflict, tension, tragedy, and ultimately, a great deal of human kindness.
Howard Hawks's To Have and Have Not with Bogey and Bacall is probably more well-known but this version has merits of its own. Namely, a typically tenacious and compelling John Garfield playing a returning G.I. and family man trying to make a living in an unfeeling world. His wife portrayed by Phyllis Thaxter deserves a nod as well for her thoroughly honest effort. The movie gets bonus points for shooting in and around my old summer stomping grounds on Balboa Island.
Bigger Than Life (1956)
It does feel a bit like Nicholas Ray was the king of the 1950s. Rebel Without a Cause is the landmark thanks, in part, to James Dean. However, his best picture, on any given day, could be Johnny Guitar with Joan Crawford, On Dangerous Ground with Robert Ryan, or The Lusty Men with Robert Mitchum. Today I choose Bigger Than Life because James Mason gives, arguably, the performance of his career as a man turned maniacal by the effects of his new miracle drug, cortisone. It employs the same gorgeous Technicolor tones and Cinemascope Ray would become renowned for while also developing a truly terrifying portrait of 1950s suburbia.
Ashes and Diamonds (1958)
I skipped James Dean's most famous film, but never fear because in his place is a film featuring an actor who channeled the American icon's angsty cool. In Andrzej Wajda's Polish drama, set at the end of WWII, Zbigniew Cybulski embodies much of the same electric energy. His defining performance is central to a gripping tale about a country absolutely decimated by war, between German occupation and the ensuing columns of Russian soldiers arriving on their doorstep.
Good Morning (1959)
This might be my personal favorite of the Yasujiro Ozu's films for its pure levity. The images are meticulously staged as per usual with glorious coloring. Every frame could easily be a painting. However, against this backdrop is a domestic story about two brothers who hope to wage a pouting war against their parents who won't cave and buy them a TV like they want. The conceit is simple but the results are absolutely delightful.
Well, that just about wraps up my 5 supplemental picks…
Except I would be remiss if I didn't share at least a handful of other outliers. Let me know what you think of the films I chose!
Honorable Mentions (in no particular order)
Ordet (1955)
The Steel Helmet (1951)
Executive Suite (1954)
There's Always Tomorrow (1956)
Murder By Contract (1958)
Devil's Doorway (1950)
Cry Danger (1951)
Day of The Outlaw (1959)
Some Came Running (1958)
99 River Street (1953)
Posted in 1950s, Blogathon	| Tagged Andrzej Wajda, Jacques Tourneur, James Mason, Joel McCrea, John Garfield, Nicholas Ray, Phyllis Thaxter, Yasujiro Ozu, Zbigniew Cybulski	| 2 Replies
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Madame Curie (1943): Starring The Indomitable Greer Garson
While the City Sleeps (1956)
Pride and Prejudice (1940): Laurence Olivier and Greer Garson
Whiplash (2014)
Grace Kelly & Audrey Hepburn
Review: The Ox-Bow Incident (1943)
A Letter from an Unknown Woman (1948)
I Walked with a Zombie (1943): Shadow and Psychology
The Spiral Staircase (1945)
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A chart and graphs detailing the numbers and races of high school and college graduates from 1900-1997.
NOTE: (—) = not available.
1 Includes persons of Hispanic origin for years prior to 1980.
2 Data for years prior to 1993 include all persons with at least 4 years of high school.
3 Data for 1993 and later years are for persons with a bachelor's or higher degree.
1 Bachelors's degrees. Includes first-professional degrees for years 1900–1960.
2 Includes graduates of public and private schools.
3 Public high school graduates based on state estimates.
NOTE: Includes graduates from public and private schools. Beginning in 1959–60, figures include Alaska and Hawaii. Because of rounding, details may not add to totals. Most recent data available.


text:
The UKIP candidate who said a gay donkey molested his horse is launching a new party. Here's its logo. [IMAGE]
The former UKIP leadership hopeful who accused a "homosexual donkey" of trying to "rape" his prize "stallion" is launching a new political party. But he may have made an error of judgement when choosing its logo…
The only gay (donkey) in the village?
John Rees-Evans (is there something about double-barrelled names beginning with 'Rees'?) made the scandalous comments about a donkey in 2014. In a story with echoes of BBC Two comedy The League Of Gentlemen, Rees-Evans made the bizarre allegations while opening a local UKIP shop (presumably for 'local people') in Merthyr Tydfil. After protesters confronted him with comments from another UKIP member, who said that some gay men prefer sex with animals, Rees-Evans reportedly said:
Actually I've witnessed that. I was personally quite amazed. I've got a horse, it was in the fields, and a donkey came up – my horse is a stallion. A donkey came up which is male, and I'm afraid tried to rape my horse.
After Rees-Evans 'slapped' his stallion (he didn't mention where), the donkey backed off. He has since apologised, although no comment has ever been made by the donkey in question.
Do not adjust your screens:
Since then, he stood for UKIP leader in 2016. But now, on 9 February, he's launching the Democrats and Veterans Party. And in a bizarre twist, or a sign that Rees-Evans actually has a sense of humour, this is the party's logo – as spotted by eagle-eyed BuzzFeed News Political Editor Jim Waterson:
It is unclear whether the gay donkey Rees-Evans encountered did the modelling for the image.
As The Military Times reported, the Democrats and Veterans Party claims it will be:
This Martin Luther King Jr. Day, let's not whitewash what he stood for
Trump becomes the first US president to be impeached twice
Bringing together men and women from all walks of life who are bonded by their shared values, positive attitudes, and sense of service… The Party will reassert the nation's Constitution and Common Law; protect and strengthen the rights of the individual; and defend the principles of freedom of speech and liberty of conscience, without compromise.
The party has not yet disclosed whether the "rights of the individual" extend to members of the LGBTQ+ donkey community.
– Support the Donkey Sanctuary.
Featured image via John Rees-Evans/Wikimedia and pxhere, and additional image via Facebook
Sophia Purdy-Moore , 17th January 2021
The Capitol coup only highlights the threat that white supremacy poses to democracy
Weird, elitist secret society appalled at being 'seen as weird, elitist and secretive'
Players and fans are mocking a footballer for his struggle with depression [OPINION]

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Devry, Smith & Frank LLP, a mid-sized law firm located in Don Mills is seeking a full-time family law clerk.
The successful candidate must have a minimum of 6+ years' experience as a family law clerk and will have a solid understanding of family law procedures and processes, including the Family Law Rules, and will be someone who takes initiative, has excellent organizational skills, positive attitude, and is able to work well in a team environment.
Please submit your resume via fax to 416 (449-7071), email to mimi.stellino@devrylaw.ca using the Apply button.


Downloadapkgratis.com – Download Gratis 501 Free New Room Escape Game – unlock door v13.6 released on 10 October 2018 | 6:11 pm and this 501 Free New Room Escape Game – unlock door v13.6 Android by www.Downloadapkgratis.com Challenging 501 Levels waiting for you to escape.HFG brings you this point and click type latest new room escape games especially for the escape games lovers. 501 Free New Room Escape Games is a combo of 501 room & door escape games of various locations. After playing all these 501 Free New Escape Games, surely you will have the feel of escaping in a logic way and give reality. That kind of experiences is assured by these Escape Games. Almost all room escape games have players locked inside the room and how they escape from the rooms by open the doors. But this 501 Free New Room Escape games will give you more excitement than other room escape games, as the rooms are filled with cryptic puzzles that have to be cracked. So, these Room Escape games will surely make all the players addicted to it and it will definitely test your intelligence through your escaping skill.
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Downloadapkgratis.com – Free Download Can You Escape this 1000 Doors – Christmas Santa released on 14 August 2018 | 8:55 pm and this Can You Escape this 1000 Doors – Christmas Santa Android by Downloadapkgratis.com Challenging 501 Levels waiting here to escape. Unlock doors find keys and exit.HFG Hidden Fun Games brings you this point and click type latest free new Christmas season escape games especially for the escape games lovers. It is a combo of 65 games with 3 categories of Christmas collections.
The first collection is Wax Stone of 23 games. Its story is about preventing the earth from the wax stone falling on the earth and celebrating Christmas with the happy ending. The second collection is Christmas celebration of 27 games. The third collection is New Year Celebrations. Each game is different in all aspects in celebrating New Year in completely different atmospheres. It's all about partying the New Year, participating in celebrations and presenting precious gifts to your loved ones.
Downloadapkgratis.com – Download Free 301 Levels – New Room and Home Escape Games v16.6 released on 29 July 2018 | 6:43 pm and this 301 Levels – New Room and Home Escape Games v16.6 Android by www.Downloadapkgratis.com Let's escape from 301 levels classic room and puzzles brain challenge301 New Room Escape Games is a combination of point and click type classical room escape games of different locations and it is developed and released by HFG Hidden Fun Games. These Escape games are logically developed with tricky puzzles, adventure location, messy clues, and obscured-hidden objects to enter into the clue of Best Escape games. These games will surely test your brain logical and analytical skills. These Free rooms and doors escape games are designed in the sense of real fun, hi-fi scenes, more thrilling twist, challenging and exciting soundtracks to make you addicted and crazy for the escape game lovers.
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Are you ready to take this world best escape brain challenge, you will definitely find the difference from other escape game.
Addictive easy Gameplay (150 hours).


Who needs the North Pole when you can head to the Big Apple for festive holiday shopping? Explore the best of the city's neighborhoods and retail institutions and find something for everyone on a shopping tour around New York City.
New York is known for its outrageously festive department store windows that re-create classic tales and celebrate the best of the holidays with stunning artwork and moving displays. After you wait in line to check out the windows, take a spin through these major department stores for a bit of holiday shopping.
Macy's truly is a miracle on 34th Street after its designers complete the annual window display. One set of windows revisits scenes from the beloved movie "Miracle on 34th Street" while another set of windows changes each year to focus on a different holiday theme.
Around town, the other department stores that cannot be missed, thanks to both impressive windows and equally impressive shopping selections, include Lord and Taylor, Bloomingdale's, Saks Fifth Avenue and Barneys New York. Bring along willpower or a fully-loaded wallet as the wares at these swanky department stores generally come with a hefty price tag, which may not be a problem if Santa himself is footing the bill.
Following in the great European tradition of mini-holiday villages, New York honors this tradition with its own take on holiday markets and pop-up shops.
Bryant Park is aglow with twinkling lights as artisans, bakers and candy makers fill up glowing glass stalls to pedal their goods at the Holiday Shops at Bryant Park. This Euro-style open-air marketplace hosts over 125 vendors selling toys and puppets for wee ones, jewelry, handmade goods and plenty of sweet and savory treats including kettle corn, dumplings and chocolate treats including the chocolate pizza from cocoa-legend Max Brenner.
The Grand Central Holiday Fair is the city's only indoor holiday festival filling up the 12,000 square foot Vanderbilt Hall with toys, jewelry and crafty goods. High-end designers and artisans include luxury textiles from Aviva Stanoff, unique engraved jewelry from the Barber's Daughters and handmade leather animals from Sandy Vohr.
Stroll through the Union Square Holiday Market with a warm cider and peruse the goods from over 100 merchants. Looking for something specific? The Market Concierge can point you in the right direction for cool housewares, unusual kids' gifts, tasty food and more.
While there are discount retailers galore, including TJ Maxx, Marshalls and SYMS, there are a handful of NY originals that cater for bargain hunters willing to sift through racks for the perfect present.
The downtown location of Century 21 is a NY staple for fashionistas on a budget. Today, the designer discounter also has outposts in the outer boroughs and nearby New Jersey to share the savings. In the Lower East Side, Gabay's carries overstock designer inventory for dirt cheap with great deals on those names usually relegated to the city's finest department stores and boutiques, including Jimmy Choo, Manolo Blahnik, Marc Jacobs and Yves Saint Laurent.
Fill the stockings and deck the halls with Christmas and Hannukah gifts for the kids from the best toy stores in the city. While you can purchase many of these same toys online or at a local box store, there's something magical about going straight to the source.
FAO Schwartz has been a childhood staple for mini New Yorkers for nearly 150 years with unique toys and an unforgettable toy-shopping experience brought to life in the 1980s Tom Hanks movie "Big." A visit to the flagship store itself is a sweet gift for kids as they can design their own signature muppet at the Muppet Whatnot Workshop, adopt a baby doll at the newborn nursery or play a tune on the giant foot-powered piano.
The LEGO store at Rockefeller Center is a new addition on the holiday shopping scene since opening in the summer of 2010. Pick up the coolest LEGO sets for aspiring architects, or inspire your favorite kid's imagination with a stroll past the Pick A Brick Wall loaded with LEGOs in all shapes, sizes and colors.
There's no getting around it—it's nearly impossible to make just a quick stop at the American Girl Place New York store on Fifth Avenue. In addition to carrying the signature dolls and accessories, the store sells experiences like the doll hair salon and a special meal, including brunch, lunch, dinner and afternoon tea, for your girl and her doll at the on-site café.
Load up on edible gifts at New York's finest food shops that prepare specialty dishes and foods to complete any holiday feast.
It's OK if you don't know your way around a cheese plate—the cheese purveyors at Murray's Cheese Shop have been doing this since 1940. They have the best selections and recommendations on the stinkiest, runniest, ripest and tastiest artisanal, organic or handmade cheeses in town. And they deliver, too, so even if you can't make it home for the holidays, you might send a stinky blue or delicate goat milk cheese in your place.
On the Lower East Side, Russ & Daughters makes Hannukah a little happier with its traditional collection of homemade potato latkes and smoked fish. If your holiday host can't make it to New York, bring along a baker's dozen of the classic bagels and other specialties like pickled herring, sweet babka and some caviar to ring in the new year. Uptown, Zabar's can put together a holiday basket packed with succulent smoked salmon and toppings or a sweet feast of rugelach for the perfect hostess present.
You can take your gingerbread house to the next level with brightly colored candy from Dylan's Candy Bar, a sweet candy emporium that would impress Willy Wonka himself. The store carries over 5,000 kinds of candy and has 300 bins of bulk candy with more gummy creations that you can imagine. The Belgian chocolate bars or chocolate-drizzled popcorn make perfect stocking stuffers, if they make it to Christmas morning.


Bob and Ron packed away their fancy Progvember capes, put on their festive Christmas capes, and then recorded this podcast.They discuss Bob Dylan, Bob's poster addiction, and price codes. Plus they release their annual Christmas Play List on Spotify. Make it the soundtrack for your holiday season. In a surprising twist sure to go viral, Ron found out he's related to rock royalty! Find out who the superstar is by listening to the show now.


hospital will take over the world.
big move..i dunno if staying with hype on liqweed ganja woulda been betta tho, put some quality tunes out with him..
God i rly want Tomorrows anotha day Vip to come out, rly happy for Netsky, that was bound to happends sooner or later!
this was discussed during mista-gate, they were keeping it hush for some reason but its out i guess. or everyone just missed it.
He's a very good dj. Not heard a bad thing about him and he has a nice guy too.
To be fair, He's had great promotion on Liqweed and it would of only got better. The playaz camp always promote artists well imo.
They needed someone to replace mistabishi.
but its good for the fans too, cus it means that they'll be steady releases and albums on the way in the future too.
See I don't think thats the case at all. IMO he has had bigger promotion on Hospital allready. If you think back to the demo podcasts Netsky was getting his stuff played on them TIME ago, and Coleman was raving bout him, Then 'Smile' gets put on that Hospital compilation after Goss played it on Hospital's drive by show.
Then he gets his latter tunes ie. 'Everyday' and 'Come back home' rinsed by High Contrast, and LE.
I think nobody would argue that in terms of artist management hospital are well ahead of the majority of dnb labels.
i see shogun audio to do a similar thing in the last few years.
I dig some of Netsky's stuff, and think it fits hospital perfectly.. Real dancefloor uplifiting liquid... Only problem is it is actually starting to get a bit boring already.
Now Subwave is a different story I think, new ideas etc.
good move for him. does this mean no more releases on liqweed?
They're not replacing Mistabishi, why does everyone assume he's being replaced. Labels can sign whoever they want, it's not a one in, one out process. Mistabishi is still up on the artists page on the Hospital site, does noone even look at that?


The project aims at providing scholarships to disadvantaged children who are at risk of not being able to continue with their education because of financial difficulties. Scholarships include the provision of school fees, extra classes, books, stationery, uniforms and transport where needed. This program encompasses learning life skills, building self-esteem and self-awareness.
All students are monitored regularly to ensure that academic achievement and dedication to study is maintained. With this initiative, we strive to guide children towards securing gainful employment and thereby enabling them to be productive members of the community.


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Congrats, Vin Team Members of the Year!
By Caroline Murray | February 27, 2018
Earlier this month, VinSolutions hosted its annual All Hands meeting, a company-wide gathering to celebrate the previous year's success and rally behind the vision for the future. In addition to recognizing the successes of the company, the All Hands meeting also recognizes the individual successes of our hardworking team members. We caught up with this year's Team Members of the Year to hear more about their year and what this recognition means to them.
Congrats to all of this year's honorees!
Team Member of the Year
Michael "Whitt" Whittlesey, Supervisor, Technical Client Service
Proudest 2017 Accomplishment: I have been proud to watch my entire team cycle into better and higher roles with more responsibility. I am thrilled by their success and knowing that I can continue to help in many ways.
What this Recognition Means: This recognition means a lot to me. It means a lot knowing my hard work is seen and appreciated at such a high level, and I am very honored to have received this award. There are many team members I would have also liked to see get this award because everyone works very hard and just as passionately.
Love for Vin: I have never worked for a company that rewards accomplishments and celebrates success like VinSolutions. We continue to thrive by putting our people first. VinSolutions is an amazing place to build your career and enjoy what you do.
VinGives Award (Volunteerism and Philanthropy)
Cindy Meeks, Lead Client Service Quality Rep
Proudest 2017 Accomplishment: I am proud to have been promoted into my new job role.
What this Recognition Means: It is one of my proudest moments. I love what I do for the community and Hope Lodge specifically. Thanks to VinSolutions for giving us the opportunity to lend a hand.
Love for Vin: Thank you to all the VinSolutions team members who nominated me. I appreciate every one of you.
Product Team Member of the Year
Mike Shean, Senior Product Manager
Proudest 2017 Accomplishment: In early 2017, we were given the privilege to build a Cox Automotive-wide platform. As the team dug into this project, we realized the similarities between this platform and some of our local Connect CRM opportunities. We decided that we could align a VinSolutions-specific deliverable as part of a larger Cox Automotive project. The result of this collaboration across teams is an enhancement that VinSolutions will offer at NADA.
What this Recognition Means: We've learned a lot over the years about how to design, implement and launch software products. We still have a long way to go. As we continue to learn and grow together, I am thankful that my peers and leaders have recognized me as an impactful team member.
Love for Vin: I love the car business. I made my living using our products in the dealership, and I'm excited to be in a position to impact the solutions we provide to our dealers. As we continue working to integrate with the rest of Cox Automotive, we have the opportunity to affect change in the retail automotive industry while also working for a great family-owned company.
Sales Team Member of the Year
Rob DeGeorge, Senior Product Consultant
Proudest 2017 Accomplishment: My proudest moment was hearing my name announced as one of the recipients of the Cox Automotive President's Club during the 2018 Cox Automotive Sales Summit awards ceremony in Las Vegas. The award includes an all-expenses-paid trip to Maui, Hawaii. This will be my first time traveling to Hawaii. Aloha!
What this Recognition Means: First and foremost, thank you Mo Zahabi, Steve Keen and Chase Abbott. Without your belief in my ability to succeed, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to earn this prestigious recognition. Thank you to each and every VinSolutions team member. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for your dedication. Ultimately this recognition means reward for the past, opportunity for the future and motivation for the present.
Love for Vin: I am appreciated. VinSolutions genuinely cares about me as a person and my professional growth. Rewarding my efforts from the past year provided validation of appreciation. I love my Vin family!
Client Onboarding Team Members of the Year
Kaci Hedden, Launch Consultant
Proudest 2017 Accomplishment: I'm proud to have launched 141 stores with an average quality score of 98%.
What this Recognition Means: Hard work does not go unnoticed. Keep pushing through even when it seems impossible!
Alex McCabe, Senior Client Trainer
Proudest 2017 Accomplishment: I am proud to be trusted to work with and lead our new hires, as well as help them create a solid foundation to grow on.
What this Recognition Means: Being nominated by your peers means the world. The hard work and long hours that were put in wouldn't change…but the recognition makes it just a tiny bit more meaningful.
Love for Vin: I'm very fortunate to be a part of the greatest department in the best business unit in one of the top companies in the U.S.
Performance Management Team Member of the Year
Kevin Hudak, Performance Manager
Proudest 2017 Accomplishment: I'm proud to have gained the trust of my new clients and maintained positive relationships with my current clients.
What this Recognition Means: This is one of the proudest career moments in my life. (My family comes first of course.)
Love for Vin: What I like most about working at VinSolutions is the teamwork. We have incredible support staff, sales team and managers.
Development Team Members of the Year
Rob Anderson, Senior Software Engineer
Proudest 2017 Accomplishment: I'm proud to have worked with my new team (Edison) to kickstart a software rewrite.
What this Recognition Means: It means that the company and I are on the same page.
Love for Vin: What I like the most about working for VinSolutions is the people I work with. They make the environment enjoyable.
Mark Dell, Lead Software Engineer
Finance, Marketing and People Strategies Team Member of the Year
Kelly Colwell, Financial Planning and Analysis Manager
Proudest 2017 Accomplishment: I am proud to have identified and fixed a financial error that affected multiple businesses in Cox Automotive.
What this Recognition Means: Hard work is valued.
Operations Team Members of the Year
Rebekah Gall, Senior Technical Client Service Rep
Jesse Kaufman, Technical Client Service Rep II