The New Year has started off with some pretty good movies! Here's my usual list and, if you keep scrolling I've written mini-reviews for some of the films (was going to do all of them as I went along but got "behind")!
Dust Be My Destiny (1939) - John Garfield & Priscilla Lane
Over the Moon (1940) - Merle Oberon & Rex Harrison
Midnight Shadow (1940) - Frances Redd, Buck Woods, Richard Bates (all African American cast)
The Body Disappears (1941) - Jeffrey Lynn & Jane Wyman, Edward Everett Horton
Keeper of the Flame (1942) - Spencer Tracy & Katharine Hepburn, Daryl Hickman
In Our Time (1944) - Paul Henreid & Ida Lupino
The Sea of Grass (1947) - Spencer Tracy & Katharine Hepburn, Melvyn Douglas, Harry Carey, Robert Walker, Phyllis Thaxter
Big City (1948) - Margaret O’Brien, George Murphy, Danny Thomas
John Loves Mary (1949) - Ronald Reagan & Patricia Neal, Jack Carson, Edward Arnold, Wayne Morris
*Battleground (1949) Van Johnson, Marshall Thompson, George Murphy, Ricardo Montalban
Border Incident (1949) - Ricardo Montalban, George Murphy
Right Cross (1950) - Ricardo Montalban & June Allyson, Dick Powell, Lionel Barrymore, Marilyn Monroe
The Tall Target (1951) - Dick Powell, Adolph Menjou, Marshall Thompson
Macao (1952) - Robert Mitchum & Jane Russell, William Bendix
The Caine Mutiny (1954) - Humphrey Bogart, Van Johnson, Fred MacMurray
Gaby (1956) - Leslie Caron & John Kerr
Operation Mad Ball (1957) - Jack Lemmon, Ernie Kovacs
The Proud Rebel (1958) - Alan Ladd, David Ladd, Olivia de Havilland, Dean Jagger, Cecil Kellaway
Cactus Flower (1969) - Walter Matthau, Ingrid Bergman, Goldie Hawn
Catlow (1971) - Yul Bryner, Richard Crenna, Leonard Nimoy
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008) - Brendan Frasier
The Little Mermaid (2018) - William Moseley, Shirley MacLaine, Claire Crosby
James Stewart, Robert Mitchum: The Two Faces of America (2017) - documentary (very good!)
A few notes: the lead actress in Midnight Shadow was the worst actor in the entire movie, The Body Disappears was surprisingly delightful, Ida Lupino was a strange choice for In Our Time - it was much more a Joan Fontaine type of role, Patricia Neal's performance in John Loves Mary made me think of Eleanor Parker, finally got my brother to watch Battleground, Border Incident definitely gives one food for thought, Gaby lacked the emotional impact of Waterloo Bridge, The Proud Rebel made me weep, I LOVED Bergman in Cactus Flower - definitely doing "the dentist" at my next dance, the third Mummy movie desperately needed Rachel Weisz and once the yeti appeared I was done...
Mini-Reviews
1. The Tall Target (1951) - When it's a Caftan Woman recommendation you know it's going to be good. While aboard a train Dick Powell tries to stop an assassination plot against Abraham Lincoln who is on his way to give his inaugural address. It reminded me of something that could happen on Timeless (if you follow me on twitter you're definitely aware of the twice-cancelled show saved by the fans to a satisfying conclusion wrap-up movie) but without the time travel. I thought the way it was filmed was interesting, especially the tracking shots following Powell up and down the train. Look out for Barbara Billingsley (June Cleaver) as a passenger!
2. Right Cross (1950) - Last year I watched Battleground (1949) and Mystery Street (1950) for the first time and discovered that Ricardo Montalban was more than just a "Latin Lover." When I saw he was in this movie and that there was boxing involved - I'm a big fan of Rocky (1976) - I thought I'd give it a go. Up until the match at the end was pretty good - a rare on-screen inter-racial romance, a secret and probably career-ending injury, and a mind battle between racial prejudices. The main weak link for me was June Allyson as Montalban's chemistry. They had no chemistry and she just didn't quite seem right for the role, except in her scenes with real-life husband Dick Powell - no lack of chemistry in those scenes! The thing that made the film change from fair to wow for me was the final boxing match. I'm no expert but I thought it was masterfully choreographed and shot and it appears that it was actually Montalban throughout the entire scene. It was well worth a watch. Montalban looked pretty good too ;)
3. Keeper of the Flame (1942) - A public figure beloved the world over dies in a freak car accident. Spencer Tracy, an investigative reporter, comes back from covering the war in Germany to write the story of his life. He finds difficulty in trying to see the widow, Mrs. Forrestt (Katharine Hepburn), yet once inside finds the atmosphere to be very mysterious. Everyone seems to be hiding something, from Mrs. Forrestt herself to the gatekeeper. The film is engrossing, moody, full of suspicions and queer characters. Throw in a little WWII propaganda and you've got yourself a top-notch film.
It's a pity how easily people can be fooled.
4. The Sea of Grass (1947) - Another Tracy/Hepburn film. The first half was interesting, the second half was tiresome (bull-headed Tracy is my least favorite Tracy), and the end had me in tears.
5. The Little Mermaid (2018) - Knew about this film from my favorite Youtube family, the Crosbys. Their oldest daughter Claire, who has been on the Ellen DeGeneres Show multiple times, is an amazing little singer and her and her siblings are adorable. She has a very small part in this film, which had an intriguing premise but not the best acting - the villain wasn't scary at all. Shirley MacLaine was in it though! It's on Netflix.
6. Catlow (1971) - I didn't watch a single film from the 70s last year but I was intrigued with the cast of this Western: Richard Crenna (Our Miss Brooks) and Spock himself, Leonard Nimoy, with Yul Brynner in the title role. The first 30 minutes felt very much like a John Wayne movie. However, there were a lot of different things going on in the movie which made it feel somewhat episodic: stolen mavericks, Indian attacks, a party with a grateful Mexican family, gold, and a bounty hunter. WARNING: There was scene in which Nimoy was completely nude, which I did not know going into the movie. However, I was able to guess when it was about to happen and, when you're watching on an ipad it's easy to cover the screen with your hands ;)
I wrote a few more reviews by hand but no longer feel like typing them up...
This post is always as sad one to write as I remember favorite actors and actresses from Classic Movies and Television who have passed away. Sometimes it's a shock all over again as, being so alive on the screen, I've forgotten they're gone.
Jan. 5 - First Rose-Marie at the end of December and then Jerry Van Dyke. Not a good time for Dick Van Dyke (thankfully still with us - looking forward to seeing him in Mary Poppins Returns).
Jan. 19 - I'm still upset the Academy left Dorothy Malone out of their Remember video at the Oscars. It's incredible sad that an Oscar winner can be forgotten so easily...!
Jan. 22 - Connie Sawyer (age 105)
Feb. 9 - Losing John Gavin was a sad one from me. I've had a crush on him ever since seeing Tammy Tell Me True. He gets a lot of flak for his "wooden acting" but I've always enjoyed him in whatever movie he shows up in. He is probably best known as Janet Leigh's boyfriend in Psycho (1960).
Feb. 22 - Nanette Fabray
March 10 - I didn't even know that Hubert de Givenchy had still been alive! He is known by all classic movie fans for the many incredibly chic costumes he designed for Audrey Hepburn. And after the British Royal Wedding in May the designer house that bears his name is finding a new audience.
April 27 - Kristen Nelson (wife of Ricky Nelson)
May 20 - Patricia Morrison
May 21 - Clint Walker
June 1 - William Phipps (voice of Prince Charming in Cinderella) - article
July 8 - Tab Hunter
Aug. 1 - Mary Carlisle
Aug. 26 - Neil Simon (writer)
Sept. 4 - Bill Daily (I Dream of Jeannie)
Sept. 6 - Oh man, Burt Reynolds was a tough one. I absolutely love Smokey and the Bandit and even got to see it on the big screen last year! It was so much fun to watch with an audience and I'm glad he was still alive when I did see it.
Fred MacMurray had one of the most diverse film careers in Hollywood. Screwball in the 30s, Noir and War films in the 40s, Westerns in the 50s, Disney and Television in the 60s, the man did it all. He also had an impressive list of leading ladies: Carole Lombard, Barbara Stanwyck, Katharine Hepburn, Claudette Colbert, Jean Arthur, and Madeleine Carroll to name a few. For quite some time I've been wanting to host a blogathon celebrating his incredible career and this year I've finally decided to do it.
The Blogathon will start on August 30th, our honoree's birthday, and conclude on September 1. Topics may cover any aspect of his career. Since MacMurray has such a huge amount of credits to his name I'm asking for no duplicates. You can view his filmography here.
Once you've decided on a topic, please drop a comment below with your choice, blog title, and blog link. Share one of these banners on your site and you're done!
I can't wait to see what everyone chooses and I look forward to celebrating this truly versatile yet underappreciated actor with you all!
***If you want your blog linked please make sure to include it in your comment. A lot of your names bring me to a Google+ profile and your blog isn't always linked, which means I have to Google your name/blog for a link.***
This month I checked off a couple of must-see Classics, revisited some favorites, and watched a few more Robert Ryan movies ;)
Speaking of Ryan, I'd like to apologize to the people waiting for Part 2 of my Robert Ryan post. It will be coming shortly. I've decided to also do a Part 3 AFTER I've seen some of his post-1958 films, since as of now I've only seen him in The Longest Day and don't even remember his part in that.
* means a rewatch
The Pilgrim (1923) - Charlie Chaplin
This Modern Age (1931) - Joan Crawford
Daughter of the Dragon (1931) - Anna May Wong
Haunted Gold (1932) - John Wayne
Zou Zou (1934 - French) - Josephine Baker, Jean Gabin
The Count of Monte Cristo (1934) - Robert Donat
Naughty Marietta (1935) - Jeanette MacDonald & Nelson Eddy, Frank Morgan, Elsa Lanchester
I Live My Life (1935) - Joan Crawford & Brian Aherne, Frank Morgan
Shall We Dance (1937) - Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers, Edward Everett Horton
Stablemates (1938) - Mickey Rooney, Wallace Beery, Margaret Hamilton
Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939) - Robert Donat & Greer Garson
On Your Toes (1939) - Eddie Albert, Zorina, Alan Hale
Seven Sinners (1940) - Marlene Dietrich & John Wayne
The Fighting 69th (1940) - James Cagney, Pat O’Brien, George Brent, Alan Hale, Frank McHugh, Dennis Morgan
Unexpected Uncle (1941) - Charles Coburn, Anne Shirley & James Craig
Trail Street (1947) - Randolph Scott, Robert Ryan, Anne Jeffreys, George 'Gabby' Hayes, Madge Meredith
Return of the Bad Men (1948) - Randolph Scott, Robert Ryan, Anne Jeffreys, George 'Gabby' Hayes, Jacqueline White
Winter Meeting (1948) - Bette Davis
Caught (1949) - Robert Ryan, Barbara Bel Geddes, James Mason
The Set-Up (1949) - Robert Ryan & Audrey Totter
The Crooked Way (1949) - John Payne & Ellen Drew
Conspirator (1949) - Robert Taylor & Elizabeth Taylor
The Secret Garden (1949) - Margaret O’Brien, Herbert Marshall, Dean Stockwell
The Sword and the Rose (1953-Disney) - Richard Todd & Glynis Johns
From Here to Eternity (1953) - Montgomery Clift & Donna Reed, Burt Lancaster & Deborah Kerr, Frank Sinatra
The Girl Who Had Everything (1953) - Elizabeth Taylor & Fernando Lamas, William Powell, Gig Young
Bad Day at Black Rock (1955) - Spencer Tracy, Robert Ryan, Walter Brennan, Ernest Borgnine, Lee Marvin
*Tammy and the Bachelor (1957) - Debbie Reynolds & Leslie Nielsen, Walter Brennan, Mildred Natwick, Fay Wray
*Gidget (1959) - Sandra Dee & James Darren, Cliff Robertson
The Sundowners (1960) - Robert Mitchum & Deborah Kerr, Peter Ustinov, Glynis Johns
In the Line of Fire (1993) - Clint Eastwood, John Malkovich
*Apollo 13 (1995) - Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon, Ed Harris, Gary Sinise, Kathleen Quinlan
Life (1999) - Eddie Murphy & Martin Lawrence (brother’s choice)
Least Favorite: Haunted Gold was sometimes laughingly bad, sometimes cringe-worthy (why are African American's always depicted as superstitious and terrified of ghosts? Sometimes it's funny - Willie Best comes to mind - but this was ridiculously overdone). It was only 59 minutes though. If The Girl Who Had Everything hadn't of had William Powell in it, I wouldn't have watched it. I've been waiting for TCM to show it again for four years though so I can finally check it off my list of Powell movies watched!
Favorite Movies: Goodbye, Mr. Chips gave me a serious lump in my throat for most of the second half. Such a sweet movie. I also really enjoyed I Live My Life and The Count of Monte Cristo (the 2002 version is one of my favorite movies)
As is usually the case at the end of the year, one's thoughts tend to look back at those who will not be joining us in the New Year. We lost some major Television and Movie Stars this year as well as the beloved Robert Osborne, everyone's favorite Film Historian and adopted uncle. Please join me in this small tribute to them all.
Jan. 26 - The very next day Classic Television was dealt another blow with the passing of Barbara Hale, the ever faithful Della Street from Perry Mason.
March 6 - The death of Robert Osborne, beloved TCM Host and friend to all Classic Movie lovers, was an especially painful event that I had hoped wouldn't happen for many years to come. He's truly irreplaceable and I'm getting choked up just writing this.
March 23 - Lola Albright found more success as a guest star on television than she did in movies. Her most notable film performance was opposite Kirk Douglas in Champion (1949). She appears as one of Frank Sinatra's many girlfriends in The Tender Trap (1955) and as Edie Hart, a nightclub singer, in Peter Gunn (1958-61). She was 92 when she died.
April 6 - Another memorable personality we lost this past year was Don Rickles, who wasn't afraid to poke fun at anything or anybody. Prolific in both film and television, he's made people laugh for years and years.
May 22 - The sophisticated Dina Merrill, who brought class to such films as Desk Set (1957), Operation Petticoat (1959), and The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1963), was 93 when she died. She was the second wife of Cliff Robertson and was one of the founders of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation as well as a director of Project Orbis, a flying ophthalmological hospital that teaches advanced eye care and performs surgical techniques around the world.
May 23 - Sir Roger Moore, best known as the second James Bond (which he played successfully seven times), also had several famous television characters, most notably as the title character in The Saint (1962-69) and as Beau Maverick in Maverick.
June 9 - Everyone's favorite Batman (or at least mine) was another big loss when Adam West passed away at the age of 88. A few days later, the Bat-Signal was beamed onto City Hall in LA as a tribute.
July 15 - Martin Landau, famous for his role in Alfred Hitchcock's North By Northwest (1959), was 89 when he died. He guest starred in many television shows and played Rollin Hand in Mission: Impossible (1966-69).
July 16 - June Foray was best known for her voice work as both Rocky and Natasha Fatale in "Rocky & Bullwinkle," Granny in the Warner Bros. Cartoons, and Little Cindy Lou Who from How the Grinch Stole Christmas. She was 99.
July 31 - Jeanne Moreau, the face of the French New Wave and an icon, died at the age of 89 in Paris. She is most famous for Jules and Jim (1962).
Aug. 20 - Jerry Lewis, nicknamed "The King of Comedy" and the other half of the Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis duo, was known for his crazy facial expressions and slapstick roles, most famously The Nutty Professor (1963). Other famous films are At War with the Army (1950) and, my personal favorite, The Bellboy (1960). He was 91 and was still working.
Aug. 31 - Richard Anderson, best remembered for his role of Oscar Goldman in The Six Million Dollar Man and The Bionic Woman television series, both which ran in the early to late 1970s. He also appeared in such films as Escape From Fort Bravo (1953), Forbidden Planet (1956) and The Long, Hot Summer (1958).
Oct. 17 - Another icon of French cinema, Danielle Darrieux, also passed away last year. She had just turned 100 and had one of the longest film careers in history spanning eight decades. She is best known for The Earrings of Madame De... (1953) and The Rage of Paris (1938).
Dec. 24 - Last year, Charmian Carr was the first of the on-screen Von Trapp family to pass away. This year Heather Menzies, who played the second daughter Louisa in The Sound of Music (1965), died at the age of 68 of brain cancer.
Dec. 28 - The final blow of the year was the sudden death of Rose Marie, best known for her role as Sally on The Dick Van Dyke Show. A fun and diverting presence on Facebook and Twitter, her last tweet was a mere 40 minutes before her passing. This year was a big one for her as a documentary of her 94 year life, Wait For Your Laugh, was recently released to huge successes. It's still making it's way around the country and will soon be released on DVD with Special Features including one of the hour long Q&A sessions Rose Marie attended after one of the screenings. The biggest condolence is knowing that she is now in heaven with her beloved husband, whom she lost during The Dick Van Dyke Show years.
Dec. 29 - I spoke to soon. Peggy Cummins became the final loss of 2017 when she died at the age of 92 in London. With only 28 credits to her name, she is best remembered for her femme fatale role in Gun Crazy (1950). I have only seen her in The Late George Apley (1947).
While there were many deaths in the year 2016, as of the beginning of December there were no major classic movie stars on the list (I define classic as pre-1970) - however, there were a great many television stars. But as is usually the case, December brought with it the death of not one but two beloved stars: Carrie Fisher, best known for her role as Princess Leia in the Star Wars films, and one day later, her mother Debbie Reynolds.
Below are the other stars we lost this year from both film and television:
Jan. 13 - Brian Bedford: Known mostly as the voice of Disney's Robin Hood (1973). Also appeared in Grand Prix (1966).
Feb. 28 - George Kennedy: Started out with lots of guest rolls on television programs as the "bad guy." Notable films include Charade (1963), Hush...Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964), In Harm's Way (1965), The Sons of Katie Elder (1965), The Dirty Dozen (1967), Cool Hand Luke (1967), and Cahill U.S. Marshall (1973).
Mar. 6 - Nancy Reagan (Nancy Davis): Starred in Hellcats of the Navy (1957) alongside Ronald Reagan - and married him.
Mar. 10 - Ken Adam: Production designer who worked on films Around the World in 80 Days (1956), Dr. Strangelove (1964), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968), and several James Bond films.
Mar. 24 - Earl Hamner Jr: Writer for The Twilight Zone (1959-64).
Mar. 29 - Patty Duke: Famous for playing twin cousins on The Patty Duke Show (1963-66) and won an Oscar for her portrayal of Helen Keller in The Miracle Worker (1962). Mother of Sean Astin (The Goonies, Rudy, Lord of the Rings).
Apr. 23 - Madeleine Sherwood: Best remembered for playing Jack Carson's wife in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958). Also played Mother Superior on The Flying Nun (1967-70).
May 1 - Madeleine LeBeau: French actress and last surviving cast member of Casablanca (1942) - Yvonne.
May 19 - Alan Young: Remembered most as Wilbur from Mr. Ed (1961-66) and the voice of Disney's Scrooge McDuck. Also appeared alongside Rod Taylor in The Time Machine (1960).
June 12 - Janet Waldo: Voice of Judy Jetson. Also had a role in Waterloo Bridge (1940) and appeared in several episodes of The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (1953-66).
June 14 - Ann Morgan Guilbert: Boloved as Millie Helper from The Dick Van Dyke Show (1961-66).
July 24 - Marni Nixon: Vocals dubber for Deborah Kerr in The King and I (1956) and An Affair to Remember (1957), for Natalie Wood in West Side Story (1961), and Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady (1964). Also had a small part as Sister Sophia in The Sound of Music (1965).
July 30 - Gloria DeHaven: Known for The Thin Man Goes Home (1945) and Summer Holiday (1948). Also, FALSELY listed as a young Frances Bavier (Aunt Bee from The Andy Griffith Show) all over the internet with this photo.
Aug. - Jack Riley: Regular on The Bob Newhart Show (1972-78).
Aug. 28 - Gene Wilder: Beloved character in many Mel Brooks films and as Willie Wonka (1971).
Sept. 5 - Hugh O'Brian: Known for The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp (1955-61). Also appeared in Come Fly with Me (1963), Ten Little Indians (1965) and The Shootist (1976).
Sept. 17 - Charmian Carr: Beloved as Liesl in The Sound of Music (1965). Look for my review of her book, Forever Liesl: A Memoir of "The Sound of Music" in the upcoming month.
Oct. 11 - Patricia Barry: Guest star on many television programs. Appeared in Send Me No Flowers (1964).
Nov. 11 - Robert Vaughn: Best remembered as the suave Napoleon Solo in The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (1964-68) and his roles in The Magnificent Seven (1960) and Bullitt (1968).
Nov. 16 - Joan Carroll: Child actress best remembered as Judy Garland's sister Agnes in Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) and as Patsy in The Bells of St. Marys (1945).
Dec. 18 - Zsa Zsa Gabor: Sister of Eva Gabor (Green Acres) Appeared in Moulin Rouge (1952) and had many television appearances.
Dec. 27 - Carrie Fisher: Princess Leia from the Star Wars films.
Dec. 28 - Debbie Reynolds: Got her start at the age of 19 in Singing in the Rain (1952) and never stopped.
Dec. 31 - William Christopher: Beloved as Father Mulcahy from the groundbreaking M*A*S*H (1972-83).
