Golden Age of Hollywood Book Club discussion

I know this thread is about personal faves, but what about faves that have elements you don't particularly like? For me that's the character of Ilsa in 'Casablanca.' I really like the movie; I just don't like her. I think she fed Rick a line in Paris, by not telling him the truth. That kept him dangling until the climactic scenes. A woman with two men in love with her--I suspect when the war was over, she didn't have either one.

She seemed to have the best of both worlds, didn't she? I never thought about her having neither one once the war ended but you may have hit on something. So you are saying that it was the character that you didn't like as opposed to Bergman playing the part?

Maybe Feliks will consider a "non-favorite" thread in which we can vent about those films/actors, etc. that many people think are wonderful but you can't personally endure........and we all are guilty of this.

A place to 'gore sacred cows'? I think there's already a thread for it. Try 'when star power fails'.

Around the web such chats are usually called ...ehh ....unh! I forget. I don't think there is a catchy name.

Thanks, Feliks. I wasn't sure if that was the place.

Feliks wrote: "Aye, ya can't forget how good that young Sidney Poitier was. Even 'late-classic-era' classic stars like he, (1960s & 70s) and the movies he appeared in, still seem to TOWER over the look of anythin..."

I have been watching a good amount of Poitier lately. Recently purchased The Defiant Ones, In the Heat of the Night, and The Slender Thread. All amazing. I need to rewatch Guess Who's Coming to Dinner and The Blackboard Jungle. The film that brought rock and roll to suburban white kids.

Circuses, and circus movies!

It's astounding to me, that this generation has seen Ringling Bros., Barnum, & Bailey CLOSE. Clearly, something is wrong here. Imagine being a kid growing up and never attending a circus???

Too bad for clowns and acrobats. But probably a great coup for the animals. Anyway, there's still Cirque de Soleil and the Blue Men.

I am not one who likes circuses although I have attended my share. Actually, my father was a catcher in a trapeze act before joining the army.

There are many holiday movies out there, some good and some not-so-good. My favorite is the 1951 version of 'A Christmas Carol' with Alastair Sim, but a more recent favorite is 'A Christmas Story.' Darren McGavin is terrific in it. I know some might not like the profanity, but it's more realistic than some of sickening-sweet movies put out.

A Christmas Story and Christmas Vacation are grand traditions. As are Charlie Brown and the Grinch.

Die Hard is becoming known as a Christmas movie.......not sure I agree with that categorization.

definitely not

I haven't posted a thread yet around here, one which is usually required in larger movie-chat groups ...often called "what is a classic?". At this point I'm just too frustrated with constantly having to reiterate those principles all over again. I'm just taking it on faith that in such a small group as we have here, in such an out-of-the-way spot, that everyone participating here is a classics fan. Plenty of other places around the net, to discuss "Entertainment Tonight" level stuff

Hooray for you, Feliks.

Jill wrote: "Die Hard is becoming known as a Christmas movie.......not sure I agree with that categorization."

Absolutely not, i don't think you can get further from a christmas movie than that.

As far as christmas movies go for me, I'm a sap for a, White Christmas, i love it, it gets me misty eyed every time i watch it.

I agree about 'Die Hard'. I am ambivalent about 'White Christmas'. The title song is great, but I'm not as big on some of the other songs. A friend of mine is a big Vera-Ellen fan, but she leaves me kind of cold. She certainly could dance though.

I put Vera-Ellen and Mitzi Gaynor in the same category....they are interchangeable.

I really like watching The Apartment around the holidays. Most probably don't think of it as a holiday film, but the Xmas party and New Year's really make the film.

I think 'The Apartment' has lots of holiday elements. In fact, we used to watch it every New Year's Eve. It's one of 2 films that I like Shirley MacLaine in.

Jill wrote: "I put Vera-Ellen and Mitzi Gaynor in the same category....they are interchangeable."

I don't quite agree. I think Vera-Ellen was a bit more versatile. In fact, I think Mitzi Gaynor was not a bad dancer, but I really didn't like her in South Pacific.

Hmmmm. You may be right. To be honest, I haven't seen them in enough films to really make a distinction.

Vera-Ellen was someone I just couldn't warm up to that I admit. Also, I believe she had problems with anorexia, which caused problems. Like you, I think I may have only seen Mitzi Gaynor in South Pacific. The one big number that I did like in that movie was Ray Walston's portrayal of Honey Bun. He was really a talented actor.

Betsy wrote: "I think 'The Apartment' has lots of holiday elements. In fact, we used to watch it every New Year's Eve. It's one of 2 films that I like Shirley MacLaine in."

Now I have to know the other. The Trouble With Harry? Being There?

Some Came Running?

Irma La Douce?

None of those--My Geisha. There's just something I like about it, including Yves Montand.

I love this kind of thing. Is there hidden meaning behind the screeching white cockatoo in 'Citizen Kane'?

https://tinyurl.com/uft7yaq

IDK--I'm a big fan. I'm into new age crap. I even watched the TV special she made of the book. But I can't fathom not liking Being There.

Feliks wrote: "I love this kind of thing. Is there hidden meaning behind the screeching white cockatoo in 'Citizen Kane'?

https://tinyurl.com/uft7yaq"

Good question. Was it something to frighten the audience, as the author of the article said, or was there something deeper going on? Did it represent the destruction of Kane's life? I am so bad at trying to interpret some scenes in film but I am sure that Welles meant something there that I am missing.

Hey, I just recognized that you put a a new cover picture for the group home page and I actually recognized it.....Lupe Velez and Walter Huston in the very disturbing film "Kongo". Is that correct?

You're right! Keen eye.

I love both versions of this story. Tod Browning's 'West of Zanzibar' with Lon Chaney as the 'crippled' (what a loathsome word) jungle mastermind is my favorite silent movie; but 'Kongo' (a talkie remake with Walter Huston and the always-fun Lupe Velez) is really a hoot as well.

Kongo was pretty loathsome as well. Poor Virginia Bruce....her part was pre-Code and it showed.

Tastes may have changed --making this style of film not normative any more --nonetheless it's riveting (admittedly, 'potboiler') drama at the base of it all. Still, human degradation is a topic worth visualizing in cinema, as the pioneer Browning and other great directors believed. Not for the least of which reason, so that we recognize depravity better when we encounter it in reality.

Today, we have films like 'Saw' ...'Fifty Shades of Gray' ...and (spoiler) (view spoiler)['Human Centipede' (hide spoiler)] so can we really claim advancement or progress?

Browning's Freaks(now that is a loathsome title) really was a shocker in its time and to be honest, it still is to me. Instead of making the "freaks" depraved, he made the "normal"' people the depraved ones. The chase through the woods was terrific and the revenge was fitting. It makes for uncomfortable viewing if one is particularly sensitive.

Haven't seen that in years. Great piece of grotesquery.

A favorite movie of mine, although from the middle 60s, is the wonderful, 'The Wrong Box' which has an amazing cast, and a feel for a time period long gone by. To me, the 2 stand-outs are Ralph Richardson as that 'pedantic old poop', Joseph Finsbury, and the butler, Peacock, portrayed by Wilfrid Lawson. If you are not familiar with it, the film centers on the last two remaining members of a tontine. Tontines have been featured in movies before, but this is a pip. In the hands of these sterling British actors, the film is a treat.

Why, how fascinating! Tontines, eh? I'm gonna ruminate on this. Nope I've never heard of the movie either but if Richardson is in it, it's worth considering.

Ralph Richardson is my favorite British actor from the big lineup which includes Olivier, Gielgud, Guinness, or Laughton. I think he was the best of them.

p.s. what do you mean the 1960s are long gone? The spirit of the 60s can never be eradicated. Right this minute, all across America, every barroom or pool hall, any bowling alley or party scene, any popular music venue whatsoever, emanates with the rock n roll which stems from that timeperiod.

No, no, you misunderstood. The movie was made in the 60s, but it's about the Victorian period. Victoria even puts in an appearance so that's why I mentioned a time gone by.

Ralph Richardson was certainly a fine actor, but wait until you see him in this. He and his brother (John Mills) are the last 2 members of the tontine.

Looks like the new picture on our home page is Laird Cregar. Am I correct? If I am wrong, don't tell me who it is and I will take another look at it. It looks like his eyes but the face seems a bit thin so maybe it isn't him after all. I love guessing what you put up there, Feliks.

No kewpie-doll to hand out yet ...

Darn, I am going to have to study it a little closer. I had a feeling I was wrong but the eyes fooled me.

Orson Welles? The face still looks too thin but this is my next guess anyway.

Cold guesses, Nanook. Colder than the ticket-taker's smile at the Ivar Theater. You're playing the hinterlands.

Joseph Calleia?

Nooooooo ....brzzzzzzza (sound of negative buzzer).

Let me know when you're ready for clues. I should do this photo challenge every week to keep things lively around here.

Looks like Zorro.

Brzzzzap

I've enlarged it for you all, maybe that will ease the difficulty here

Thanks for enlarging the photo; however it didn't help. I can't figure out why I don't know who that is. It is driving me crazy. Please give me a clue but make it obscure.

I think the new photo challenge is a great idea. I love little quizzes to stir up my little grey cells.

...thinking this hour about the numerous and highly-acclaimed films of Satayajit Ray, India's most revered filmmaker. I've seen 2/3 of his famous Apu Trilogy; the directorial competency in storytelling and photography is present, and as solid as any famous name we might boast from the west. Very confident and controlled though shot on a shoestring. I wasn't keen on the way the narrative was leading so I abstained from the third installment. The first episode 'Apu' was dazzlingly good as an introduction both to Ray and to Indian culture. #2 somewhat less so while still enjoyable.

p.s. I'm sure I've misspelled, above, but ...