Movies I Watched in January

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")!

1. Dust Be My Destiny (1939) - John Garfield & Priscilla Lane
2. Over the Moon (1940) - Merle Oberon & Rex Harrison
3. Midnight Shadow (1940) -  Frances Redd, Buck Woods, Richard Bates (all African American cast)
4. The Body Disappears (1941) - Jeffrey Lynn & Jane Wyman, Edward Everett Horton 
5. Keeper of the Flame (1942) - Spencer Tracy & Katharine Hepburn, Daryl Hickman
6. In Our Time (1944) - Paul Henreid & Ida Lupino 
7. The Sea of Grass (1947) - Spencer Tracy & Katharine Hepburn, Melvyn Douglas, Harry Carey, Robert Walker, Phyllis Thaxter
8. Big City (1948) - Margaret O’Brien, George Murphy, Danny Thomas
9. John Loves Mary (1949) - Ronald Reagan & Patricia Neal, Jack Carson, Edward Arnold, Wayne Morris
10. *Battleground (1949) Van Johnson, Marshall Thompson, George Murphy, Ricardo Montalban 
11. Border Incident (1949) - Ricardo Montalban, George Murphy
12. Right Cross (1950) - Ricardo Montalban & June Allyson, Dick Powell, Lionel Barrymore, Marilyn Monroe
13. The Tall Target (1951) - Dick Powell, Adolph Menjou, Marshall Thompson 
14. Macao (1952) - Robert Mitchum & Jane Russell, William Bendix 
15. The Caine Mutiny (1954) - Humphrey Bogart, Van Johnson, Fred MacMurray
16. Gaby (1956) - Leslie Caron & John Kerr
17. Operation Mad Ball (1957) - Jack Lemmon, Ernie Kovacs
18. The Proud Rebel (1958) - Alan Ladd, David Ladd, Olivia de Havilland, Dean Jagger, Cecil Kellaway
19. Cactus Flower (1969) - Walter Matthau, Ingrid Bergman, Goldie Hawn
20. Catlow (1971) - Yul Bryner, Richard Crenna, Leonard Nimoy
21. The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008) - Brendan Frasier
22. 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...

The First Annual Valentine’s Day “Meet-Cute” Blogathon is Here!

I am so excited that the First Annual Valentine’s Day “Meet-Cute” Blogathon has finally arrived!

The Posts

Realweegiemidget Reviews starts things off with her Favorite Meet-Cute Moments.

Caftan Woman writes about one of my favorite meet-cutes, the hilarious Support Your Local Sheriff (1969).

Musings of a Classic Film Addict looks at a small but memorable meet-cute in The Big Sleep (1946).

 

The Midnite Drive-In shares his personal memories on seeing Urban Cowboy (1980).

The Story Entusiast gives us her Five Favorite Classic Film Meet-Cutes.

The Stop Button relates the bantering meet-cute in Primrose Path (1940).

Critica Retro shares the hilarious meet-cute in Sunday in New York (1963).

Thoughts All Sorts shares some "Slightly Different" Favorite Meet-Cutes.

Overture Books and Films brings us to New York for They All Laughed (1981).

Cinematic Scribblings shares the rather perverse meet-cute in Marriage Italian Style (1964).

The Flapper Dame finds that meet-cutes can happen in unusual places in Easy Living (1937).

Whimsically Classic talks about the comical meet-cute in That Funny Feeling (1965).

Movies Meet Their Match breaks down the meet-cute in Singin' in the Rain (1952).

A big thank you to all the participants. I hope to see you all again next year!

The 90 Years of Jean Simmons Blogathon has Arrived!!!

I can't believe the  90 Years of Jean Simmons Blogathon is already here! This is my first blogathon of the New Year, hosting and participating-wise. I can't wait to delve into all the wonderful posts on one of my all-time, but sadly often overlooked, favorite actresses (here's a short post I wrote about how I discovered her) and I'm so thankful that Virginie from The Wonderful World of Cinema invited me (She just announced a blogathon honoring another Jean -  Jean Harlow - so be sure to go sign up for that!)!

The Posts!

Screenshot by Maddy

Maddy Loves Her Classic Movies kicks things off with Footsteps in the Fog (1955).

Widescreen World follows Simmons to the final frontier where she appeared in Star Trek TNG: The Drumhead.

Screenshot by Brittaney

The Story Enthusiast chose one of Simmons' more obscure films, All the Way Home (1957).

Mikes Take on the Movies shares a lovely selection of Simmons' Movie Posters and Lobby Cards

MovieRob shares his take on the Gothic Drama Footsteps in the Fog (1955).

Caftan Woman writes about when Jean Simmons Visits Cabot Cove.

The Stop Button has to wait for Simmons smile in The Happy Ending (1969).

Taking Up Room gives us the fascinating back story to Elmer Gantry (1960).

Silver Screenings finds Simmons' performance a study in acting in Side-Stepping Burt Lancaster's Shadow.

Realweegiemidget Reviews discovers a twist or two in the thriller Dominique (1979).

Silver Scenes reviews Simmons' segment in the anthology film Trio (1950).

And their second post on a personal favorite The Egyptian (1954).

The Midnite Drive-In gives us the low-down on a less famous version of The Blue Lagoon (1949).

My lovely co-host The Wonderful World of Cinema shares her tribute to Jean Simmons.

Hamlette's Soliloquy covers a film that lives up to it's BIG name, The Big Country (1958).

Movie Rob shares his second post on The Happy Ending (1969).

Critica Retro explores the main themes in Hilda Crane (1956).

Poppity Talks Classic Film reminisces about Affair with a Stranger (1953).

18 Cinema Lane shares some of Simmons' voice work in the animated film Howl's Moving Castle (2004).

Pale Writer takes a look at the classic Guys and Dolls (1955).

A big thank you to everyone who participated!

2018 Movie Stats

This year I watched 230 new-to-me movies and 44 movies that were rewatches.

New to me: 230 (215 pre-1970, 15 post-1970)

Rewatches: 44 (34 pre-1970, 10 post-1970)

Total: 274 (249 pre-1970, 25 post-1970)

Where I watched them:

TCM: 207 (10 rewatches)

Library: 21 (5 rewatches)

Personal DVD: 33 + 3 VHS (27 rewatches)

YouTube: 3

Netflix or Amazon Prime: 4 (all post-1970)

Other (TV, website, Redbox): 3

Theater: 0

Here are my top ten movie discoveries:

 

2/4: Roughly Speaking (1945) - Rosalind Russell & Jack Carson
2/7: Battleground (1949) - Van Johnson, Ricardo Montalban, etc.
2/20: Mystery Street (1950) - Ricardo Montalban, Elsa Lanchester
3/1: Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939) - Robert Donat & Greer Garson
4/23: The Smallest Show on Earth (1957) - Virginia McKenna, Bill Travers, Peter Sellers, Margaret Rutherford
5/10: Sabotage Agent (1943) - Robert Donat & Valerie Hobson, Glynis Johns (Originally The Adventures of Tartu)
9/17: Summertime (1955) - Katharine Hepburn & Rossano Brazzi
10/29: The Ghost Goes West (1936) - Robert Donat
12/3: The Divorce of Lady X (1938) - Merle Oberon & Laurence Olivier
12/6: His Kind of Woman (1951) - Robert Mitchum & Jane Russell, Raymond Burr

Last year I should have included Act of Violence (1949) and Period of Adjustment (1962) in my top ten, both of which I had watched near the end of the year. I guess I couldn't kick anything off of my list.

 

Classics I finally watched:

The Most Dangerous Game (1932) - Joel McCrea & Fay Wray

Wuthering Heights (1939) - Laurence Olivier & Merle Oberon, David Niven, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Flora Robson

Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939) - Robert Donat & Greer Garson

Mildred Pierce (1945) - Joan Crawford, Anne Blyth, Jack Carson, Eve Arden

The Red Shoes (1948) - Moira Shearer, Anton Walbrook

From Here to Eternity (1953) - Montgomery Clift & Donna Reed, Burt Lancaster & Deborah Kerr, Frank Sinatra

Mon Oncle (1958 - French) - Jacques Tati 

South Pacific (1958) - Rossano Brazzi & Mitzi Gaynor, John Kerr, Juanita Hall

Oceans 11 (1960) - Frank Sinatra, Peter Lawford, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop, Angie Dickinson 

Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) - Harrison Ford & Karen Allen

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) - Harrison Ford

Number of movies per decade:

1920s: 1 + Shorts
1930s: 62 (6 rewatches)
1940s: 94 (12 rewatches)
1950s: 67 (12 rewatches)
1960s: 24 (4 rewatches)
1970s: 0 (0 rewatches)
1980s: 7 (3 rewatches)
1990s: 6 (3 rewatches)
2000s: 4 (4 rewatches)
2010s: 8 (0 rewatches)


Number of movies per month:

January: 40 (4 rewatches)
February: 29 (3 rewatches)
March: 33 (3 rewatches)
April: 16 (4 rewatches)
May: 20 (2 rewatches)
June: 16 (0 rewatches)
July: 18 (0 rewatches)
August: 24 (2 rewatches)
September: 17 (3 rewatches)
October: 17 (9 rewatches)
November: 19 (5 rewatches)
December: 25 (9 rewatches)


Most Watched (Leading) Movie Stars:

Robert Ryan - 16 films
Deborah Kerr - 8 films
Clark Gable - 8 films
Charles Boyer - 8 films
Joan Crawford - 7 films
Joel McCrea - 7 films

Robert Donat, Marlene Dietrich, Herbert Marshall, Esther Williams, Jack Carson - 6 films

Rossano Brazzi, Jean Simmons, Eve Arden, Myrna Loy, Ingrid Bergman, Ginger Rogers, Van Johnson, Marsha Hunt, Frank Morgan - 5 films


Stars I discovered/grew to love/admire:

Robert Donat
Deborah Kerr
Glynis Johns
Rossano Brazzi

 

Really discovered these three at the end of last year (had seen Kerr and Johns in other movies previously). Don't really know why I left Johns off of last years list.

 

Had seen Brazzi in several movies before but was unimpressed until this year

when I watched South Pacific which started a major (ongoing) crush.

*To see last years stats click here.

Movies I Watched in December

Lots of the usual Christmas rewatches (*) this month and a few new ones. Also FINALLY watched The Most Dangerous Game. I put it on my list every time TCM shows it but never actually watch it.

1. Private Lives (1931) - Robert Montgomery & Norma Shearer, Reginald Denny, Una Merkel
2. Penguin Pool Murder (1932) - Edna May Oliver & James Gleason
3. The Most Dangerous Game (1932) - Joel McCrea & Fay Wray
4. In Person (1935) - Ginger Rogers & George Brent
5. Page Miss Glory (1935) - Marion Davies, Patsy Kelly, Pat O'Brien, Dick Powell, Mary Astor, Frank McHugh
6. Three Godfathers (1936) - Lewis Stone, Chester Morris, Walter Brennan 
7. The Divorce of Lady X (1938) - Merle Oberon & Laurence Olivier, Ralph Richardson & Binnie Barnes
8. Woman Against Woman (1938) - Herbert Marshall, Mary Astor, Virginia Bruce
9. *Hard to Get (1938) - Dick Powell & Olivia de Havilland, Charles Winniger, Bonita Granville
10. *Remember the Night (1940) - Fred MacMurray & Barbara Stanwyck, Beulah Bondi
11. *Christmas in Connecticut (1945) - Barbara Stanwyck & Dennis Morgan, S.Z. Sakall
12. *It's a Wonderful Life (1946) - James Stewart & Donna Reed, Thomas Mitchell, Lionel Barrymore, Ward Bond, Beulah Bondi
13. *Miracle on 34th Street (1947) - Edmund Gwenn, Maureen O'Hara & John Payne, Natalie Wood, Thelma Ritter
14. His Kind of Woman (1951) - Robert Mitchum & Jane Russell, Vincent Price, Raymond Burr
15. You Never Can Tell (1951) - Dick Powell, Peggy Dow, Joyce Holden, Charles Drake
16. O. Henry's Full House (1952) - Charles Laughton, Anne Baxter, Jean Peters, Jeanne Crain & Farley Granger
17. *White Christmas (1954) - Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Vera-Ellen, Dean Jagger, Mary Wickes
18. The Cobweb (1955) - Richard Widmark, Lauren Bacall, John Kerr, Gloria Graham
19. Signpost to Murder (1965) - Joanne Woodward & Stuart Whitman
20. Lady L (1966) - Sophia Loren & Paul Newman, David Niven - dir. Peter Ustinov 
21. *Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983) - Alan Young
22. *Home Alone (1990) - Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Catherine O'Hara, John Candy
23. Almost Heroes (1998) - Chris Farley & Matthew Perry
24. *Elf (2003) - Will Ferrell, Zooey Deschanel, James Caan, Bob Newhart, Ed Asner

Least Favorite Film: Almost Heroes had the potential to be a hilarious movie but missed the mark.

Favorite Film: Olivier was absolutely hilarious in The Divorce of Lady X. I had only seen him in serious roles (Wuthering Heights, Fire Over England, Rebecca, and Pride and Prejudice). Three Godfathers was heartbreaking but beautiful. You Never Can Tell was a delightful film! And His Kind of Woman was sizzling!

Look for my End-of-Year Stats tomorrow!

Stars We Lost in 2018

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.