Classic Hollywood movies

BoysForSeles said:
I just watched this.

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I was ENTICED by it being Marilyn’s first dramatic role and SOLD by the blurb that she gives “a chilling performance as a babysitter who will do anything to prevent a crying baby from interrupting her lovemaking.” It also has a Justify My Love hotel corridor moment.
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You've just sold it to me. Do you think it's a direct reference? I know there are obvious nods to the Night Porter (1974).
 
Going to watch a Bette that I haven’t seen before ‘Old acquaintance’. Apparently ’Beaches’ was unfavourably compared to it as a cheap knock off version.

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I started watching Citizen Kane yesterday. I appreciated the groundbreaking cinematography, but I otherwise struggled with following the narrative. I'll try again later.

Horrifying that Trump watched it and thought I WANT TO BE HIM when it's clearly a warning rather than a tribute.
 
2 ESSENTIALS that you need to watch if you love classic movies


My Man Godfrey

First movie ever to have Oscar nominees in all 4 acting categories. No wonder, they're all brilliant. If you love classic movies and good comedies, this one is indispensable.

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Make Way for Tomorrow


At the other end we have this masterpiece that I wouldn't recommend if you're feeling down, but what an interesting movie that makes you think and gives you a different perspective.

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Carole was a talent in the few comedies I've seen her in.

Recently, Meet Me In St. Louis (1944), Invitation to the Dance (1954), Stormy Weather (1943), Mannequin (1987) and Deluge (1933).

I've forgotten what a hoot Mannequin is. I hadn't seen IttD before, it was a bit of a yawn (I said of Brigadoon (1954) in the Singin' in the Rain thread that I think Kelly was running out of ideas, time or stretched too thin, but the problem is also the music). I'll be watching it again though. Stormy Weather has some fantastic numbers, impressive production values/camera work and Lena Horne was a star, but for all its advances the stereotyping is downright horrible to watch when it occurs. Deluge has some extraordinary special effects for the time and, like where Stormy Weather falters, it's leading lady seems to have been yet another victim of a truly despicable Hollywood system.
 
I should really do another round-up as I've been having a gay old time with so many musicals of late, but tonight I've just put on Fire Down Below (1957). I'm especially interested to see if I think more of Rita Hayworth's sole dance number as recently when watching Loves of Carmen (1948) I really enjoyed the minor dance moments that underwhelmed me back in the day after I'd gotten used to her bigger numbers such as You Excite Me from Tonight & Every Night (1945) or even Put the Blame on Mame from Gilda (1946). Hayworth was having another comeback of sorts, this time following a trio of very successful movies (1952-54) she then entered a terrible marriage and suffered great tabloid criticism like never before due to her husband's alcoholism (that would soon rub off on her), but Colombia didn't really have the vehicle for her here and the big dramatic scene she gets was largely ridiculed by contemporary audiences ("armies have marched over me ... I've had to submit to things nice young American boys couldn't conceive of in their wildest nightmares!"). It was also rumoured that she had overheard crew members ask how on earth they were going to light her to make her look beautiful, which resulted in a much less friendly Hayworth on set. She would get her Colombia send off with the next picture, Pal Joey (same year), but let's see how this one holds up as it must be around 8 years or so since I last seen it. Nice opening music playing, and a false first entrance that's a nice touch to play with expectations for our big star (although Jack Lemmon and Robert Mitchum were no b-players at this point either, their double act is being established first).
 
Mitchum's girdle is ridiculous. The theme tune begins again as Hayworth enters the club. She doesn't have the Jane Mansfield or Monroe wiggle that was now a 50s trend alert, but she turns heads as she walks past her co-stars. Hayworth's first close-up, cigarette in hand and smoke adding some dazzle. An icier, more judicious screen presence than the earthier siren of Affair In Trinidad (1952), but not bad for surviving a whole army.
 
When the first woman is on screen and walks past, Mitchum remarks that she's "not icy enough". I guess Hayworth's character was being set up here in more ways than one. "Tell them everything they want to know ... don't be delicate about my dignity" she says as if the dialogue were as caustic as the cigarette.
 
"You understand that this is not the Queen Mary (ship), there will be no steward on board to bring you your morning tea" grumbles Mitchum.

"I've put up with worse" is her reply.

No doubt this is a subtle play with her public perception due to that dreadful husband of hers. I forget his name, but a planned film for Hayworth (Joseph and his Brethen) was cancelled in 1956 because of him after some test shots were already completed. Then again, biblical films were proving costly and not always entirely successful as cinema competed with the increasingly popular television medium.
 
Oh gosh. She is simply stunning in this shot from the point of view of the boat coming to the dock. I'm surprised it hasn't stuck out to me before actually.
 
The red haired half-Spanish Hayworth on this boat is making me wish she had a number on this boat now that she's in her bathing suit getting the obligatory beauty shots in as it would tickle me to have made a Mi Chico Latina video as a souvenir.
 
Fire Down Below is actually a pretty lovely song, they quite literally missed a beat not making this a performed number especially with it playing after she and Lemmon take a dive off the boat and swim onto an island.
 
If the lighting technicians rumours are true, they need not have worried. There are some stunning close-ups that the likes of Hedy Lamarr couldn't even pull off in her prime.
 
Finally, the Mardi Gras scene is being set up.

"You like to dance?" Lemmon asks.

"Sometimes" Hayworth squeezes.
 
Entangled in party streamers, the dance begins. And what a crimson carnival it is. Taking her shoes off (just 4 years prior, dancing barefoot in the Trinidad Lady dance for Affair In Trinidad, was something she and her female choreographer and co-star Valerie Bettis had to fight studio boss Harry Cohn to keep in, not to mention the Barefoot Contessa, which was a vehicle turned down by Rita), arms are raised and there is a lease of life in the movement here that shows glimpses of some of her best dancing that is a million miles away from her Astaire or Cole Porter numbers from the 40s, but it's not a formal piece we are watching, rather it is a spontaneous happening I guess (something Astaire said was his emphasis when reflecting on one of his rare flops, Yolanda and the Thief (1945), a pseudo-artsy thing that didn't resonate with post-war audiences that I actually really enjoyed). But ultimately, an actual dance number that is emphatically designed as such is what I'd really like to have seen here even if I like the preference for realism. The care-free abandon along with some image-trademark hair-tossing is some necessary air being let in to an otherwise tense web of dialogue between Hayworth and Mitchum. It also makes it clear she is not deserving of her sailing companion's disdain. Throwing heels and caution to the wind I guess. Mitchum's cad character is not to my taste, resenting a woman's beauty and "I've known women like you ... I saw that little gay frolic on the beach". "Don't worry about me, I've had enough trouble as it is" is the response. Well, I got what I came for. The dance ended up being rather wonderful and yes I've just played it back twice. More choreographed than I remembered, but it's wanton climax is just a wow moment indeed. A breathless Hayworth slumps back in her chair with visible sweat - "that was wonderful!"
 
Some recents: The Warriors (1979), Breakin' 2 (1984), Wild Style (1983), 2 Girls and a Sailor (1944), Gang's All Here (1943), Pandora's Box (1929), Umbrellas of CH ERbourg (1964), Can Can (1960), Pin-Up Girl (1944), On the Avenue (1937), Hong Kong in Noctorne (1967) and a documentary Festival Panafrican D'Alger (1969) that came doubled with another feature that I've yet to watch, Eldridge Cleaver Black Panther (1969)

I'm currently going through 80s hip hop movies and have a few to go, but on the look out for more for sure (Beat Street from 1984 and Krush Groove from 1985 both on the way). 2 Girls wasn't great, I'm not really a fan of June Allyson. On The Avenue had some great visuals - I'm not long off a Busby Berkeley obsession and there was definitely a touch of his behaviour to the big beds number. Umbrellas - my god at the Italian male lead, I had to look him up. Pin-Up Girl was a flushable Betty Grable musical vehicle (I think there's a reason she never became a true tentpole icon of the era despite being absolutely huge). Can Can - I'm totally late to the Shirley McClaine train and am shocked I overlooked her in both this and Sweet Charity. Hong Kong, it's a remake of a Japanese film that was shot by the same director anyway - I'd love to track down more JP cinema, but so many of my searches for titles proves absolutely fruitless ("Tokyo Cinderella" might just be an unfortunate name to google, but that's the one I remember without looking at any list). The Festival documentary is in French, but I bought it more for the dancing anyway - there are some really graphic shots of war injuries in there. I burn my DVDs straight to my laptop, but perhaps in the case of this documentary should really look out a DVD player to watch with subtitles, especially for the Black Panther one, which I'm doubtful will have any musical numbers in it. Until the next time..
 
Some new watches, some old watches and all jewels: Querelle (1982), The Witches (1967), City of Women (1980), Flesh (1968), Gilda (1946), Einer frisst den anderen/Dog Eat Dog! (1964).











 
Technically not a Hollywood film, but I'm going to talk about it here anyway :tongueout: I went to a showing of The Red Shoes (1948) last night, knowing nothing about it and honestly what a fucking film :disco:
 
Obviously the highlight was the nearly twenty minute long, wordless ballet sequence (that they had to invent new lighting equipment to actually film properly), but all of the surrounding camp melodrama was also a real treat. I was surprised to see several clearly gay-coded male characters in a film from that era too.
 
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I watched 'The Mirror Crack'd' on iPlayer the other day. It's not quite classic Hollywood (it's from 1980) but it does have the most 1950s Hollywood cast ever... Angela Lansbury, Liz Taylor, Rock Hudson, Kim Novak! And it's delightfully camp. My only complaint is that for a Miss Marple story, Angela Lansbury doesn't get all that much screen time.
 
Loads that I won't list for SORBVISION II reasons, but these are safe:

Laughing Sinners (1931)
The Damned (1969)
The Sixth Day (1986)
High Heels (1991)
 
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