'the brothers costelloe'

oil painting by pal shazar

how green was my valley

director ken loach's 2006 'the wind that shakes the barley' took it's title from an old irish ballad. the film was a triumph, an award winner, and another chance for the sad history of ireland's fight for independence from england to reach more minds. the one word i kept reading about this film was 'pure.' watching countrymen pick up arms in defense is sure to be heartbreaking and bloody. the casting, led by cillian murphy, was super convincing. cillian's eyes are as blue as ireland is green. for all those who would like to see a movie based on history that was embraced by those still very inspired by the events, here you go. after decades of heralded indie offerings, ken hit a home run.

I sat within a valley green
I sat me with my true love
My sad heart strove to choose between
The old love and the new love
The old for her, the new that made
Me think on Ireland dearly
While soft the wind blew down the glen
And shook the golden barley

variations on a name

director william wellman, who friends called 'wild bill', hangs round between takes with the leading man, aw shucks darling actor joel mccrae, during the filming of 'buffalo bill.' 'wild' and 'buffalo' respectively.

a dead faint

there is a moment in hitchcock's 'suspicion' when joan fontaine's 'lena' (who cary grant lovingly calls 'monkey face') slips from her chair while playing scrabble and lands on the floor. all the while wearing a velvet evening gown. it is just too great. she seems to deflate and winds up in a senseless heap looking like a huge georgia o'keeffe flower. i too can't bear competitive games but i don't take it quite so hard. actor cillian murphy says he really likes fainting scenes and he had a great opportunity in 'breakfast on pluto.'

t.v. eye

while watching 'flamingo road' i had to take some photos. i am fairly useless with a camera but some scenes are just too great not to share. here's one.

why we love films

here is a really good example. look what people are up for doing! this is the great joan crawford, as in academy award winner with the questionable private life. she took acting seriously and was nuts in a way i totally understand, things like: demanding a particular temperature on set even if everyone else is FREEZING!

here's joan playing a carnival siren in 'flamingo road.'

seriously seductive susan

my mom loved susan hayward. indeed, she was just a wonderfully feisty actress. she was a nyc kid who overcame her nyc accent and was always great. three cheers to her for taking the role of the hardened aging star in the seriously underrated 'valley of the dolls.' hey, nothing wrong with a film being a cult classic, right?

ironic

the adorable and squeaky clean sandra dee exhibiting quintessential bed head.

grrrr

ann-margret and furry friend

dolores costello 1903-1979

"The most preposterously
lovely creature in all the world." - John Barrymore, 1925

Cry, laugh but never whine-Dolores Costello

john barrymore and dolores costello were married for seven years. like her granddaughter drew, dolores had a lisp. imagine the grief she suffered when making the transition into talking films. however, she acted for over thirty years and spent her later life growing avocados! way to go dolores!

photos: exquisite dolores/with barrymore

the best of the barrymores

"The moralists," remarked an anonymous editorial writer in the Herald Tribune, "said it was 'sad' that in his latter years he became a 'caricature' of a once magnificent figure. But none of this was news to Barrymore, nor did he allow it to disturb him unduly. . . . Here was an actor. Was ever there a better in America? . . . No matter what he touched, he gave it a manner and a dash. He was born to be an actor, and when he conscientiously set himself to a task he could blend his genius with a thoroughly sound and intelligent craftsmanship. . . . He was a mortal whose head at times reached very close to the stars."

i have read several books on john barrymore simply because he really gets to me. i defy anyone to watch the film, 'attorney at law'
and not fall in love with this actor. he certainly had a beautiful face but it is all that one cannot touch that is so endearing. he was quick, funny, humble (yes), intense, and ultimately disarming. no one drags their tapered fingers through their hair in despair like this guy. from the stage through silents to the talkies he truly danced. he wound up unable to memorize lines and was surely a sorrow to those who loved him, but what a knockout performer he was.

barrymore loving garbo (multiple meanings apply)

wellman's women

famous for being a man's director, william wellman worked with great actresses too. loretta young stated that all the women were in love with him. i guess that is pretty nice when it comes to showing up on the set. here are four incredible people who had the pleasure of wellman's company:


mae clarke/anne baxter/loretta young/barbara stanwyck