Golden Age of Hollywood Book Club discussion

Like you, I have only seen Apu but was impressed.

Yea. Apu #1 is haunting. Simple and powerful, emotions on the sleeve.

I've heard that Sally Field is one of the most demanding and shrewish personalities to come in contact with, behind-the-scenes. Crewmembers typically despise her.

p.s. Hard to believe this TV show was for real: ' The Flying Nun '. Seriously? LOL

I never watched it, thank heavens.

I always thought that she was probably really sweet but that was just the face she put on for the public obviously.

I bet she raked in beaucoup dinero over the course of her career. Probably worth a mint.

Geez, when one is that wealthy and when you also have a friggin' Oscar ...what the heck is there to be grumpy about? Maybe something turned her ... BITTER...?

Some people can't handle fame.....it turns them into d***s.

You're reminding me of those acidic barbs used in 'The Women'

I think I will choose to be Paulette Goddard from that film!!

State WHY! Come come, speak up ...you're among friends ...

I liked her snappy little character so much better than the rest of the oh, so suffering soon-to-be divorced......Norma Shearer the martyr, Joan Fontaine the wimp, nasty Rosalind Russell. But I thought the film was great!!!!

Was Constance Bennett or Kay Francis in it as well? I remember the witty dialog but those are two stars that go on my less-than-appealing list. Maybe its Shearer I'm thinking of.

Anyway yes indeed the flick is a hoot

Actually Field has 2 Oscars. I watched 'Flying Nun' because I liked Alejandro Rey.

Ouff! I was gonna use Rey in Photo quiz! That would have been an easy win for ye

I need a little inspiration for something I'm writing.

An older, slightly dotty, executive in a high-pressure corporation, struggles against his company's upper management to push a really sane, good-hearted, commonsense idea through their befogged, business-as-usual attitude.

He typically does not open up about his feelings but his clerical pool is staunchly on his side.

One of these is a loyal aide who has been with him many years but is now being moved to an upper level.

Replacing her is an entry level secretary, clumsy and fumbling and making numerous mistakes.

This all takes place at the worst possible juncture.

Based on our communal knowledge of classic movies, what might be some of the things we might expect to see in this little subplot?

Thanks!

Feliks wrote: "Was Constance Bennett or Kay Francis in it as well? I remember the witty dialog but those are two stars that go on my less-than-appealing list. Maybe its Shearer I'm thinking of.

Anyway yes indee..."

They weren't in it so you are probably thinking about Shearer.

1. The replacement with the "dumb" secretary is a test by upper management to see if he is ready for promotion even though he is dotty. Or;
2. He finds that his "loyal" secretary was really having an affair with the big boss and was taking the dotty employee's ideas and passing them on in order that management could take credit. Or;
3. He loses it and kills the "dumb" secretary for her mistakes. Or;
4. The "dumb" secretary, to whom he is quite kind, turns out to be an heiress hiding out from her family that owns the competition. The dotty one is hired by the family's business and goes on to great things. Or;
5. The clerical pool goes on strike forcing management to accept the dotty one's idea. Or:
6. The competition applies the dotty one's idea to their own business, not knowing that he had already thought of it. He jumps from the 15th floor window. Or:
7. The "loyal" secretary finds out that the boss is embezzling funds, tells the dotty one who struggles with his conscience as to whether he should call the cops.

Any of those scenarios would fit right in to one of the old films that we love.

Good, good...thanks for the brainstorming ....

But let me boil down further.

~The 'big idea' will eventually be accepted by management and everyone keeps their jobs; no scandals or anything.

~The dotty older executive is devoted to his wife (wife not seen in this story) and phones her frequently. Again, no scandals. He is a true-blue gentleman.

The matronly executive assistant, is suspected by other secretaries of secretly being in love with her boss, but she has never shown anything but deep warmth and sincere loyalty. Sorta like a Frances Sternhagen type. You know that actress?

I guess I'm just asking anyone if they can recall any sweet, simple, boss-secretary interactions from classic movies. Sorta like the interaction between Greer Garson and Ronald Colman in 'Random Harvest'. Or maybe the situation between Arthur Kennedy and Helen Walker in 'Some Came Running'.

This is all about human nature I suppose; (which is what Hollywood used to be all about).

Here's what I got so far:

Small farewell party for the exec assistant who is moving to upper management. Everyone jokes about her 'joining the enemy'.

Her boss puts on a show of being unmoved, but privately he is wistful/rueful, claims he will be lost without her, begs her to stay in touch, please pop in once ever so often.

Meanwhile, the high-powered sales force under him are very tough on the new girl. They harp on her every failing, selfishly concerned with keeping up their usual comfort level.

The older man doesn't criticize her, he just doesn't know how she can measure up to the staffer he is losing.

How does he express this?

Meanwhile, the outgoing #1 secretary shows what emotions? Stiff upper lip? Does she daub at moist eyes with a hanky?

I tentatively think that at least, she will pull the younger girl aside and gives her a pep talk; provides her with reminders and guidelines on 'how to handle all the boys in this unit'; don't be cowed, etc

...but what other kinds of things might she say, as one woman to another; (both of these females not catty at all)?

Later in the story: the embattled exec will come to a point-of-crisis with management, and come to realize that he should retire or some other irreversible step. This is off-to-one-side, though.

The emotional payoff is this: the fledgling new assistant will prove --with some vital little deed during his upcoming crisis--that she can be just as useful to him as his former aide was. Still don't know what that might be. Maybe she learns how to prepare coffee 'just the way he likes'.

Anything that you've ever seen or experienced like this on-screen or in real life, would help.

The scenarios that I suggested were silly and meant to be but you know how old films were.....anything could happen.

Is there any back story to the dotty one or is all we know is what happens at work?

I think the former secretary would tell the new girl about those special things that relate to the dotty one; i.e. how he likes his coffee (as you already mentioned), don't move anything on his desk, realize that he is religious or not religious, know a little about his beloved wife (and family if there is one), remind him of semi-personal things like "you have a doctor's appointment tomorrow" or "Mr. Smith's son is in the hospital", be aware of his hobbies if he has any, and don't gossip about others. It is important that she know as much about his quirks as possible so that she can act accordingly. That helps her become the "girl Friday".

Yes. He's a figure exactly like Robert Donat in "Goodbye, Mister Chips".

I just binged the complete Gidget! How can anyone not like Sally Field?

As for The Women, I also like Paulette Goddard in it. The Opposite Sex is a good musical remake. Joan Collins totally aces the Joan Crawford role.

Just saw Gentleman's Agreement. Not bad, but kind of ironic considering what happened with Kazan and Garfield and the HUAC. Not that I think Kazan would have named Garfield. But the whole point of the film is that you can't just cringe and look away.

Anyway, always nice to see Celeste Holm.

I believe Holm got an Oscar for her performance in that film. As for Kazan, wasn't he a "friendly" witness at the HUAC? That whole thing was a travesty.

I miss those little spots that TCM used to run where one still-living star would reminisce about another.

Borgnine talking about Robert Ryan; Sidney Poitier praising Richard Widmark; George Kennedy expressing admiration for Jimmy Stewart. Clint Eastwood speaking about James Garner.

Actors being generous to each other actors based on the experience of working together. It was a very fine series.

I agree with you. That was a nice touch, and you frquently learned something about both stars.

You can't beat Phil Harris and Louis Prima singing together in Disney's "Jungle Book"

my fave episode of the Harris radio show just might be the one where Phil can't understand why they family "can't vacation in Kentucky this year"

It is hard to believe that he was married to Alice Faye.

Do you feel he was an unattractive guy? Puzzling. He reminds me of actor Paul Douglas. Big feller, broad shoulders; dark features. He and his band always sounded snappy and his personality filled up any room. A family man, plus a laff-riot as well --isn't that what most girls seek?

He wasn't handsome, but he was okay looking. As for being a laff-riot, somtimes that can wear thin.

Plus, I wonder if he was really a laff-riot in real life or was that just his public persona? He and Faye had a long marriage so it must have worked for them for a while.

I had an unusual, lengthy dream last week about actress Katherine Ross. Not someone I usually give all that much conscious thought to. I like her looks and she's performed well in many a fave film but I'm still puzzled. Besides, she's obviously taken by actor Sam Elliott and has been for a long time. Anyway it was ridiculous; we were having long conversations and riding bicycles and whatnot. No rhyme or reason!

Sounds like you were in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid where Ross rides on the handlebars of the bicycle.

There are certainly worse dreams!

Jungle Book and Aristocats are easily the best post-golden age Disney animation.

I am kind of in love with Katherine Ross. The Graduate is her obvious triumph and she's mostly just window dressing on Butch and Sundance. But her real coup de gras is Stepford Wives. I think I even like it better than Rosemary's Baby.

I admire that Ross always seemed to turn in a decent, credible performance with never anything in her personal life which detracted from this.

A little-known role: she had good chemistry alongside James Garner in the cult film 'They Only Kill Their Masters'. Peter Lawford cameo as well. Fun flick.

The original author developed several mysteries with a small-town sheriff as the investigator, one of which took a comic turn and starred Andy Griffith; but keeping the same character name and setting as this more morbid one.

TCM has started its '31 Days of Oscar' tribute and one of the ones today is 'Broadway Melody of 1936', which we talked about on another thread. They always have some good selections.

Hoffman has said that playing desperately in love with her was not difficult.

Watched a pretty neat piece on Lee Marvin, Peter O'Toole, Oliver Reed, and Richard Harris telling crazy stories about their drinking days and partying.

Watched a Dick Cavette show where Richard Harris was a guest, Harris comes out with his face all cut and bruised up from a fight he was in at a bar the night before. The great thing about Harris was he didn't try to hide his face at all, he wore those cuts proudly.

I love those Dick Cavett interviews. Groucho Marx, Richard Burton, John Cassavettes all had memorable appearances. Really savory

Richard Harris and Michael Caine despised each other I know that. Mystifying as to why.

Anyway Harris was kinda in a slow tailspin ever since 'Camelot'. Starred in a lot of sub-par projects.

Some of these subjects of the British Empire had surly, unruly tempers. But the funny thing is about most 'limeys' is that they are not even very tall or bulky. Short stature, on average.

RIchard Harris and Trevor Howard though, were both rabid fans of footie. Go figure. There's worse hobbies, but ...

I've been watching a bunch of the Cavett shows lately, the ones with Lestor Maddox, damn what a piece of work, one interview Maddox wanted Cavett to apologize for saying something about his friends being bigots, Cavette refused and wasn't to worried about Maddox leaving.

There was someone else who walked out --was it Norman Mailer? After trying to punch Capote?

When Cassavettes turn came up, he brought Falk and Gazzara with him and they decided to clown with Cavett by not actually walking out onto the stage, just leaving him there with nothing to do. Hilarious!

Feliks wrote: "There was someone else who walked out --was it Norman Mailer? After trying to punch Capote?

When Cassavettes turn came up, he brought Falk and Gazzara with him and they decided to clown with Cavet..."


Those guys were all geniuses. No one like that anymore.

Too true. And classic Hollywood yielded so many geniuses because it was such a face-to-face industry. These guys acquired fearlessness by performing in so many capacities, directly before so many real-life audiences. They started out small, on stage or in improv, or dinner theater, proved their gusto time and time again, and worked their way up. Consuming drive to succeed. It's really something to step out before the world, and prove you can act, in a make-or-break fashion. It's not the same anymore. Now it's all 'demo reels' and retakes and hand-holding and ego-stroking. 'Fix it in the mix' afterward, edit out any errors, etc etc etc

"...something new has been added!"

I like how the writer of 'Forbidden Planet' slipped that long-running gag line of Jerry Colonna into the script. As if it would persist down through the centuries to an era of intergalactic travel! So few today, even remember it.

Interesting photo series about Hong Kong and 'The World of Suzie Wong'. But when I was there, many of these same streets didn't look all that different. I had seen the movie but never thought that much about it; never knew how much a phenomenon it was.

I sauntered around the Wanchai district but it was not at all inviting, it was nasty and menacing. There were plenty of other places I wanted to see instead; even if I had realized the impact of the film I wouldn't have gone 'round hunting down these tawdry locales.

Holden is my fave actor but isn't the movie just a variation on the theme of 'Justine' or 'Anna Karenina'? I kinda thought it was far-fetched.

What 'wealthy young British painter' (Holden) would land in HK and deliberately take a room in a brothel in that city? And then fall for a girl who works there?

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Sounds like a lovestruck GI oversea's in Asia away from home for the first time.

Hitchcock's storyboards!

https://filmschoolrejects.com/gallery...

https://storyboardart.org/hitchcocks-...

https://99designs.com/blog/creative-i...

Happened to be in a pub this evening; as usual there are five televisions hanging from the ceiling. displaying all manner of pointless sports and other bs

then --lo and behold --inexplicably, one of the screens runs an episode of 'Barney Miller'. No rhyme or reason. So astounding.. So great.

Just perfect. Like a beacon of normality and realness penetrating the gloom of today's craziness.

And look at the characters! The detectives were variously black, Asian, Pole, Hispanic, Italian. Hal Linden and James Gregory were the only two 'ordinary' white males.

And LOL at all the off-the-street characters who came in to file police reports for whatever complaint or problem they had.

In this minutes I was able to enjoy: Gregory Sierra takes down info from a another character and they look right at each other eye to eye the entire conversation. Uninterrupted eye contact.

Outlandish! Bizarre! There was once a world where people maintained eye contact while they spoke to one another!