Movies I Watched in October

Can you guess why I revisited this one? ;)

Well, I have TCM again (signed in with my Aunt's account). I went to visit my aunt on Long Island for an entire month and, as you can see from all the * I've mostly been watching movies I've already seen with her. A couple she remembered vaguely having seen before but I was able to introduce her to some "new" films. Her favorite seemed to be Theodora Goes Wild ;)

While on Long Island I got to visit a couple movie locations. I've already posted about visiting Jones Beach, the setting for The Girl From Jones Beach (1948), but I've updated it so be sure to check it out again! I also got to go to Old Westbury Gardens. The house there was used as James Mason's mansion at the beginning of North By Northwest (1959). That post will be coming shortly (after my blogathon).

Now to the films I watched:

1. The Old Dark House (1932) - Boris Karloff, Melvyn Douglas, Charles Laughton, Raymond Massey, Gloria Stuart
2. The Ghost Goes West (1936) - Robert Donat
3. Make Way for a Lady (1936) - Anne Shirley, Herbert Marshall 
4. *Theodora Goes Wild (1936) - Irene Dunne & Melvyn Douglas
5. *The Ex-Mrs. Bradford (1936) - William Powell & Jean Arthur
6. *Double Wedding (1937) - William Powell & Myrna Loy 
7. *Third Finger, Left Hand (1940) - Melvyn Douglas & Myrna Loy, Lee Bowman
8. Night Train to Munich (1940) - Margaret Lockwood, Rex Harrison, Paul Henried 
9. *Love Crazy (1941) - William Powell & Myrna Loy, Jack Carson
10. Tish (1942) - Marjorie Main, Susan Peters, Lee Bowman, Zasu Pitts
11. *The More the Merrier (1943) - Jean Arthur & Joel McCrea, Charles Coburn
12. Always Together (1948) - Cecil Kellaway, Dennis Morgan & Jack Carson (cameos)
13. Born to Be Bad (1950) - Joan Fontaine & Robert Ryan, Zachary Scott & Joan Leslie, Mel Ferrer
14. *The Lemon-Drop Kid (1951) - Bob Hope & Marilyn Maxwell, Jane Darwell
15. *Three Coins in the Fountain (1954) - Louis Jourdan & Maggie McNamara, Clifton Webb & Dorothy McGuire, Jean Peters & Rossano Brazzi
16. Odds Against Tomorrow (1959) - Harry Belafonte, Robert Ryan
17. *North by Northwest (1959) - Cary Grant & Eva Marie Saint, James Mason

Least Favorite Movie: Almost all the films I watched were old favorites. Out of the new-to-me movies I watched the only one I didn't "love" was Always Together, mainly because I can't stand storylines where the wife divorces the husband without letting him explain what really happened, causing herself to look foolish when she finally learns the truth. Tish had a similar non-communication problem, though I enjoyed it more.

Favorite Movie: Again, all favorites but I greatly enjoyed The Ghost Goes West with Donat in a double role as well as Night Train to Munich. Also, why wasn't Harry Belafonte in more movies??? I watched Odds Against Tomorrow for Robert Ryan but found myself focusing on Belafonte (whose Calypso record was incidentally a favorite of my brother's and I growing up in the 90s). You can find the entire film (in two parts) on YouTube.

We listened and danced to this all. the. time.

The Remake of the "They Remade What?!" Blogathon has Arrived!!

Today is the day! The Remake of the "They Remade What?!" Blogathon has finally arrived!!

The Story Enthusiast kicks off the day with The Male Animal (1942) and She's Working Her Way Through College (1952).

The Midnite Drive-In takes things in a heavenly direction with Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941) and Heaven Can Wait (1978).

Caftan Woman sees ladies everywhere in the two star-packed versions of When Ladies Meet (1933 & 1941).

Critica Retro issues a warning for watching both versions of Magnificent Obsession (1935 & 1954) back-to-back.

 

The Flapper Dame does some fast talking about The Front Page (1931) and His Girl Friday (1940).

Pale Writer tackles The Big Sleep (1946 & 1978) in The Big Remake Part I and The Big Remake Part II.

Realweegiemidget Reviews takes a look at when a classic film-star-riddled TV show is remade with TV...A Dynastic Disaster or Delight.?

The code clearly didn't apply to poster art lol

 

Top 10 Film Lists shows us how the code effected remakes with a look at Red Dust (1932) and Mogambo (1953).

Movies Meet Their Match takes on the challenge of comparing The Shop Around the Corner (1940) with it's subsequent remakes (plural!).

Back to Golden Days takes us back to the heavens and closes the blogathon with A Guy Names Joe (1943) and Always (1989).

A huge thank you to all who participated!! I hope to bring this blogathon back in a couple years. Now to read these!

Announcing the 90 Years of Jean Simmons Blogathon!

It's no secret (at least I hope not) that Jean Simmons is one of my favorite actresses. I first saw her in Until They Sail (1957) and since then I've watched every film of hers I could get my hands on. So when Virginie of The Wonderful World of Cinema asked if I would like to co-host a blogathon in Simmon's honor, I jumped at the chance!

RULES:

• First of all, if you don't like Jean Simmons (what's wrong with you?? ;), this blogathon is not for you. We want to honor Simmons, not criticize her.
  
• Make sure you subscribe first. Don't expect us to add you to the roster after the blogathon has started.
• The blogathon will run from January 29-31, 2019, coinciding with Simmons' birthday.
• We will allow up to two duplicates in order to cover as many films/topics as possible. Also, we will allow up to two entries per person so that everyone has a chance to write about what they want. Please make sure it is new content.
• Don't have a blog but want to participate? No problem! Contact me or Virginie and we will be happy to share your post on one of our blogs!
• When you decided on your topic, leave a comment WITH A LINK TO YOUR BLOG and your topic of choice. 
• Lastly, add one of these breathtakingly banners that Virginie made to your blog to help advertise!

Topics already chosen twice:

Star Trek: The Next Generation

Murder, She Wrote
Guys & Dolls
Elmer Gantry
Footsteps in the Fog
The Happy Ending

ROSTER:

Phyllis Loves Classic Movies: She Couldn't Say No (1952) & TBA
The Wonderful World of Cinema: Personal Tribute
Wide Screen World: Star Trek: The Next Generation "The Drumhead" (1991)
Caftan Woman: Murder, She Wrote "Mirror, Mirror on the Wall" (1989)
Realweegiemidget Reviews: Star Trek: The Next Generation "The Drumhead" (1991)
Hamlette's Soliloquy: The Big Country (1958)
Taking Up Room: Elmer Gantry (1960)
Movie Rob: Footsteps in the Fog (1955) & The Happy Ending (1969)
The Midnite Drive-In: The Blue Lagoon (1949)
Maddy Loves Her Classic Films: Footsteps in the Fog (1955)
Cinema Cities: Guys and Dolls (1955)
Pop Culture Reverie: Dark Shadows (1991)
Pale Writer: Guys and Dolls (1955) & This Could Be the Night (1957)
Silver Screenings: Elmer Gantry (1960)
In the Good Old Days of Classic Hollywood: Murder, She Wrote "Mirror, Mirror on the Wall" (1989)
The Stop Button: The Happy Ending (1969)
Critica Retro: Hilda Crane (1956)
The Story Enthusiast: All the Way Home (1957)

"Oh, I think this event will be a great success!"

The Girl From Jones Beach (1948)

I’m back on Long Island visiting my aunt and after spending the morning recovering from my train ride - unfortunately I didn’t meet a Cary Grant (and thankfully not a Bruno Antony) - we went for a walk at Jones Beach. I went in July to watch the sunset and I knew there was a movie that was set there but hadn’t seen it. TCM showed it in August as part of Virginia Mayo’s day for Summer Under the Stars and I made sure to watch it. The only thing I recognized was the tower.

I took screenshots of the other Jones Beach shots for later use. So I was very happy when my aunt took me back on the first day of my visit and parked in Lot 6, right nearby the East Bathhouse! Everything looked the same, though I highly doubt the actors actually went there to film. It looks like a little rear projection was involved and probably a studio replica set. But it was neat just the same. Here are the shots in the movie and my photos. Hope you enjoy!

I was not amused by Eddie Braken's character who kept telling his girlfriend he was going to commit suicide then would wait for her to come and stop him in the nick of time.

In the letter above he says he will be near the East Bathhouse. The camera actually shows the WEST Bathhouse first.

The West Bathhouse in 1948.

The West Bathhouse today!

The camera then pans to show more of the beach. Below you see the boardwalk curving away from the front of the West Bathhouse.

The little round building is an umbrella and beach chair stand! There was nothing in it when I peeked inside but they could still use it in the summer.

East Bathhouse in background.

Finally, here is the East Bathhouse. Braken spots Virginia Mayo through the binoculars.

I kind of doubt she's actually there...

Note how the sign says Circa 1929

If you go up the stairs there's an area to sit out of the wind and sun!

Mayo enters a woman's locker. I'm not sure if this is a real building that exists at Jones Beach or not. I didn't have access to my screenshots so I wasn't on the lookout for it. And even if there is one I don't know if this is it or a set.

UPDATE: This is the front of the East Bathhouse facing the highway. The building in the film looks to be a modified set based on the actual building (unless the building itself was modified shortly after this film was made but I doubt it). My photos didn't turn out very well as the sun was coming up right over it. Some of them are a little crooked too because I couldn't see the screen on my phone lol.

The trash cans are very similar...

There's a nighttime shot of a playground that is still there. I didn't take a picture of it though.

There was a little museum display next to the gift shop (closed when I went).

 

Hope you enjoyed this little look at historic Jones Beach!