Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Tuesday Posting - Some Flicks

GR&DF I do appreciate and thank you for your kind comments for yesterdays post. I would also like to thank you for the great suggestions about copying the chart - for a working copy. I had copied each section on a regular copier and was sort of working from them, but they where not at all that good. Now with the end looming I will just forgo the copying of this chart and just sort of stumble along with the way it is now. The next Needelprint Chart I do - which just might be Ann Trump - I will certainly try to get a good copy to work from. Last night and for the next few nights I am finishing up an exchange piece - so no snapperoos of that, yet.

Lets talk film - over the past few days there where some good, great and not so great films - Starting off with "Upper World" - 1934 -Starring William Warren, Mary Astor and Ginger Rogers - a wealthy railroad magnate who is bored with his marriage, but is still in love with his wife. The wife who is too busy leading a social life and "keeping up" to notice her husband. Then enters "heart of gold" burlesque dancer Lilly Linda - who jazzes up bored husbands life - Although everything is very platonic things lead from good to bad to gunfire -then a cover up. A very interesting film and a very early precode Ginger film.

On Saturday TCM had a mini marathon of San Francisco films. Starting off the evening with "San Francisco" - 1936 - starring Clark Gable, Jeanette McDonald, Spencer Tracy and Jack Holt. The story revolves around a singer - McDonald - and the two men after her affections - saloon keeper Gable and rich impresario Holt. A really great film with some great early special effects. Here is a "colorized" clip with the two versions of the song San Francisco from the film -



The next film is "Eternally Yours" - 1939 - starring Loretta Young, David Niven, Hugh Herbert, Billie Burke and C Aubrey Smith. Not your typical 30's comedy - the story is of a Bishops granddaughter who falls for a magician - becomes his wife and assistant but eventually can not take all the never ending touring and death defying stunts - she packs up and disappears. The 2nd half of the film is his trying to win her back with the climax at the 1939 Worlds Fair. Very watchable and interesting photography.

Then there was "Easy to Wed" - 1946 - starring Van Johnson, Esther Williams, Lucille Ball and Keenan Wynn. This was a musical remake of "Libeled Lady" - 1936 - starring Jean Harlow, William Powell, Myrna Loy and Spencer Tracy. This all color - all musical version from 46 was and interesting version and taken almost word for word from the original. The music is forgettable but the over all film is fun. If you can only see one version stick to the B&W 1936 original.

Another film from my favorite duo - "Double Wedding" -1937 - starring William Powell and Mryna Loy - a fun but weak comedy featuring Powell as a dreamer, Loy as hard as nail realist who both want the best for her sister - enter sisters fiancee - hand picked by her mother. Misconnections and a bit of a sloppy script lend to the laughs - potential for a real classic if it had been handled better, but worth a look.

Another film from the San Francisco evening was "Flower Drum Song" - 1961 - starring Nancy Kwan, James Shigeta, Benson Fong, Jack Soo, Juanita Hall and Reiko Sato. The story is about a picture bride and who she will marry. There story also involves the clash between the older and younger generations and cultural clashes. I really enjoy Rodgers and Hammerstein Musicals and find that "Flower Drum" along with "State Fair" are the two weakest of all of them. Although there are a couple of truly superior songs overall the music is mostly forgettable. Probably the best IMHO but rarely remembered song is the dream sequence "Love Look Away" by Reiko Sato -



The final film for today was a holiday film from a couple of years ago - "Four Christmases" - 2008 - starring Vince Vaughn, Reese Witherspoon, Robert Duval and Sissy Spacek. When a modern power couple are grounded at Christmas time - they end up having to visit the family instead of the tropical vacation they had planned for Christmas Day. Some laugh out loud moments, but the film often feels pushed and obvious. Without much Christmas or Holiday spirit - the film falls flat - and I would skip it. It is playing on HBO (that's how I saw it) and is on Demand - that way you wont waste a trip or DVD rental.

There you go sports fans. Thanks for stopping by!!

Take care,
edgar

2 comments:

  1. I sooo hate those huge folded charts. I love the subject matter and the stitching, but it's like wrestling with a roadmap in a moving vehicle. And forget stitching outdoors!

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  2. I tried photocopying a HUGE chart and ended up with like 9 or 10 pieces of paper turned all which way and it's a pattern me AND my hubby are working on together...it's been....fun...sure, we'll go with that one. =) can't wait to see photos of your progress!

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