g.g.

she arrived in hollywood age 19. she spoke no english. in the next sixteen years she made 24 films. then she was gone from public view. no one has ever been as divine and reclusive as garbo.

marlene

dietrich was an incredible force. if you are interested in this woman's great courage you can watch this enlightening documentary. it will amaze you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHwv0TtLkgc

by way of illustration

feast your eyes

hot spell

she has not made a movie in eight years, still the gorgeous carroll baker has 81 screen credits. she was already in her twenties when she starred in the 1956 film 'baby doll', but she was thoroughly convincing as the young wife who is 'not ready for marriage.'

eli wallach and karl malden are equally great in the film. even though no sex is shown, the movie managed to seriously outrage the board of decency. i think of it as a truly tender film. writer tennessee williams brought to the story much humor. he is said to have had a great fondness for kazan's version of his play.

when i came upon this photo of carroll i had to post it. how gorgeous she was!

p.s. the terrific actor rip torn pops up in a small but interesting scene.

she's got the look

my friend wants glasses like rashida jones, daughter of quincy. i think of her as daughter of peggy lipton! anyone who grew up with 'the mod squad' would agree. either way she is a very cute gal. she is also a harvard grad with 44 screen credits.

keeping fit

anne francis was so dang darlin'.

decisions decisions

Anything well written with good language and clarity and honesty is worth doing. It comes out of the same tradition as Shakespeare.-Michael Moriarty

i often wonder what makes someone decide to do a film. because they want to work with a co-star? they love the script? $? moriarty makes it sound pretty simple.

images from 'who'll stop the rain'

not worried about douglas booth

this darlin' was excellent as 'boy george' in the bbc film 'worried about the boy.' the entire cast was tops. next up, booth plays both 'pip' in 'great expectations' and 'romeo.' naturally.

'mickybo and me'

in my quest to see more movies with actor ciaran hinds i found this treasure. i was up late into the night staring into my computer screen (i rarely watch stuff on the computer) because i loved every scene.

John Joe McNeill, Niall Wright (the boys who carry the story), Julie Walters, Ciaran Hinds and everyone else were perfectly cast and perfectly real. this 2004 irish drama is not available in the states. you can see it on youtube.

my love of the irish began with 'the crying game' and has never faltered. the accent really wows me. the irish storytellers have a brilliant gift for weaving humor through the sadness. i hope you take the time to watch this touching film.

ciaran with a k

where does one even start with such an amazing actor? he already has 79 screen credits. he's done indie films and mega films. an incredibly gifted man.

in the dark

"it's an unhealthy relationship."

Edie: I want you to stay away from me.
Terry: Edie, you love me... I want you to say it to me.
Edie: I didn't say I didn't love you. I said, "Stay away from me."

there are so many quotable lines in 'on the waterfront.' both the novel and screenplay were written by budd schulberg. how happy he must have been to have the best actors reading his words.

photo: amy and blake

smart can be fun

this morning i was reading a piece written by warren beatty and annette benning's intelligent kid. as they say, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. warren may have earned his reputation as a playboy, but the man made stupendous films. if there are still some of you who have yet to see 'heaven can wait' i offer this clip as a tease:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sQfCJLDU2A&feature=player_embedded

it is one of the most wonderful movies ever made. team warren!

'love that bob'

most people know robert cummings as the lover of grace kelly in hitchcock's 'dial m for murder' but he had a serious heyday in television. in his hit t.v. series he played a fashion photographer. all the models seemed to be in love with him. the show still seems funny.
cummings married five times. his show lasted five years. 178 shows total! each episode would begin with bob taking a photograph of the television audience and then stepping back to say, "i think you're gonna like this." as ray davies once sang, 'young and innocent days...'

he also has 104 other screen credits. a man definitely worthy of remembrace.

some cool facts:
Godson of Orville Wright, an old family friend, who also taught him to fly. He piloted his own plane most of his life.
Not only was he a health food fanatic, but he often carried a small suitcase with him full of vitamin pills.
"I was accused of being a vitamin addict, of eating 40 or 50 tablets a day. I said, 'That's a dastardly lie, I take 140!"

by way of illustration

the original keeler

it's foolish for me to confuse ruby and christine just because their last name is keeler. but i do. not any more! last night i watched '42nd street' and i shall not be confused any longer. ruby is unforgettable. so is the terrific actress bebe daniels.

ruby can sure dance! she became a professional dancer at age 14. two husbands (the first was al jolson) and five kids, she may only have 16 acting credits (and several more uncredited dance credits) but she has a star on hollywood blvd. she also had a great turn as dick powell's darlin' in this tale of a first timer getting to go to the top of the ladder. 42nd street must have been really cool a long time ago.

images: keeler/with powell

missed

jimmy takes on the world

j.d.

James Dean refused to attend the premiere party for East of Eden, which almost cost him the lead in Rebel Without a Cause. maybe he just coudn't handle seeing raymond massey (he played his father) again!

nothing compares with him.

master's mistake

great photograph. terrible film! billy wilder made classic movies that i will watch again and again. i wonder if there are people who actually liked his 'kiss me, stupid.' i think the comma got in the way. it could so easily have meant (kiss me till i'm stupid)

genius

jean cocteau was one of my first creative loves. every drawing is perfect to my eyes. his films are deeply splendid. he directed 11, acted in 12, and wrote 63. his signature always included a tiny star. he is eternally inspiring.

missed

i don't know how to post a moving image on this blog, but if you go to this link:

http://popsicleskies.tumblr.com/post/12484344517/brittany-murphy-was-terrific

you will see what i'd like to post here.

in youth is beauty

seriously ahead of his time. truman with a man sac!

m.m.

no one can portray her, but they keep tryin'.

newman's own sewing service

by way of illustration

i have not seen this film. however, i just read the book and it is quite amazing. in fact it is so good i don't want to see the film! how about that, a posting about NOT seeing a movie. great poster.

when you get where you're going

Simone Signoret became the first French person to win an Academy Award, for her role in Room at the Top (1959). i rewatched that movie just last night. such a great performance from simone. everyone was really good in the classic rags to riches story of a hungry young man determined to have it all. but the price, the price...

I suspect there isn't an actor alive who was able to truthfully answer his family's questions after his first day's activity in his future profession. -Simone Signoret

simone's looks changed drastically over the years. the more weary she appeared, the greater the impression. like anna magnani, she was a force to be reckoned with.

too much to say

Akira Kurosawa & Michelangelo Antonioni

verona comes to hollywood

in the original play Juliet delivers a lengthy speech, commonly known as The Potion Scene, before drinking the sleeping potion. in the film version Juliet simply says: "Love give me strength" before drinking the potion.

my shakespeare teacher took our class to see this gorgeous movie. i imagine people still study shakespeare, but are there still day trips?

sad eyed buster of the lowlands

b.b.

accept no substitute