huston's own

some of the best lines in 'the maltese falcon' are delivered to the policemen who keep on bogart's trail. expressions like 'crackin' foxy' really get me.

"Sam Spade: Haven't you anything better to do than to keep popping in here early every morning and asking a lot of fool questions?
Lt. Dundy: And gettin' a lot of lyin' answers!
Sam Spade: Take it easy."

the way he says 'take it easy' is priceless.

then there's always:

Detective Tom Polhaus: [picks up the falcon] Heavy. What is it?
Sam Spade: The, uh, stuff that dreams are made of.
Detective Tom Polhaus: Huh?

the screenplay was written by the film's director john huston.

reimagination

the job's yours

bette davis was unbelievable in 'of human bondage.' if you adore actor leslie howard like i do, this film is downright painful to watch. still, bette and leslie are both true artists and their talents manage to uplift the viewer from such a downright drag of a story.

ageless, considering

raquel welch 100 years b.c.

o'toole and child

breathtaking

'In 2007, she accepted a part on a Brazilian prime time soap opera, Páginas da Vida, and then in the Portuguese language version of the American TV series Desperate Housewives. After that she moved back to Roosevelt Island in New York City to relaunch her career in the United States.'

gosh, how stunning was sonia braga?? so that's what she's been up to. well, if the legendary shirley knight can do a stint in a 'housewives' production, i guess it's acceptable.

hey days

keaton's card

“It was on purpose that I started looking miserable, humiliated, hounded, and haunted, bedeviled, bewildered, and at my wit’s end. Some other comedians can get away with laughing at their own gags. Not me. The public just will not stand for it. And that is all right with me. All of my life I have been happiest when the folks watching me said to each other, ‘Look at the poor dope, wilya?’

Because of the way I looked on the stage and screen the public naturally assumed that I felt hopeless and unloved in my personal life. Nothing could be farther from the fact. As long back as I can remember I have considered myself a fabulously lucky man. From the beginning I was surrounded by interesting people who loved fun and knew how to create it. I’ve had few dull moments and not too many sad and defeated ones.”

-Buster Keaton, in his autobiography My Wonderful World of Slapstick (1960)

makin' movies

class

anjelica huston was stunning! i had a brief exchange with her in a store and she was gracious as well.

a man needs a carrie

legend has it that neil young fell for actress carrie snodgress after watching her in 'diary of a mad housewife.' he wrote 'a man needs a maid' without giving too much thought to what those lyrics might mean to others. then again, neil has gotten away with plenty in the lyrics department.

their union ended as abruptly as her shining career. i only included the magazine page so you can see her and the son she had with neil. he looks like his pa.

she was a magnificent actress, tiny and fragile, yet fierce.

the allure of a total prick

today is frank langella's 74th birthday. i first set eyes on him in 1970 when he played a total cad opposite carrie snodgress in 'diary of a mad housewife.' gosh, carrie was surrounded. richard benjamin played her impossibly irritating husband and their two daughters were a total drag! however, even though the quality of the dvd is poor, the film is terrific and the performances are stellar.

it was frank's first big screen role. he was so gorgeous that i was able to fully understand carrie's character choosing to spend time with him. langella has 82 screen credits. he just completed a film in which he plays a man named 'frank.'

there have been so many great looking fellas in countless movies. still, i think i'd have to give this man the vote for sexiest screen presence for his work in 'diary.'