2023 FILM DIARY [7/?]

HORROR OF DRACULA (1958) — dir. Terence Fisher

And you're smart and you're mean. And you never get caught and I never get caught!

The Bad Seed (1956) dir. Mervyn LeRoy

The Donna Reed Show — “Just a Housewife” (02.19 / January 28, 1960)

"Donna Reed’s portrayal of Donna Stone presented a more complex character than was typical of 1950s television. While other family sit-coms portrayed women as docile and superfluous to the plotline, The Donna Reed Show challenged these notions, not only with Reed as the producer and star, but in the way she elevated the role of housewife and promoted female careers as early as season one in 1958. That Donna embraced her role as wife and mother while also advocating for professional opportunities may seem paradoxical, but in fact, Donna represented the feelings of many women who would come to embrace maternal feminism. Reed’s character pushed the idea that women were intelligent, capable individuals deserving of respect both as housewives and in the public sphere." — Anne M. Newton

(Watch it on Tubi)

Elvis Presley photographed by Michael Ochs, 1956

“Look at me just the way I look at Natalie.” - James Dean to Sal Mineo during the shooting of Rebel Without a Cause

Marilyn Monroe in How to Marry a Millionaire

Music in Film: Damn Yankees (1958) dir. George Abbott, Stanley Donen Music by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross  

Tab Hunter in 1955

Happy 78th Birthday, Sal Mineo (January 10th, 1939)

"It would be easy to blame Hollywood to say that I was typed and forced to play the same role over and over. For a while, I did. But the truth is that I knew what I was doing. I was enjoying myself. I was making money."

And what, may I ask, do you think of that, Mr. Holmes?

The Hound of the Baskervilles (1959)

Compulsion (1959) dir. Richard Fleischer

“I wanna do something really dangerous. Something that’ll have everybody talking, not just a few guys. With half the fatheaded cops in Chicago running around in circles, wondering about it, while we sat back and laughed at ‘em, huh?”

BRADFORD DILLMAN as ARTIE STRAUSS in COMPULSION

COMPULSION (1959) dir. Richard Fleischer

And just then the car skidded. It whirled completely around and landed in a ditch. Judd sat rigid for a moment, but Artie lay back, laughing. Then Judd got out and walked around the car. They had been lucky; the ditch was quite shallow. He could pull out, he felt sure. He came around to Artie’s side. The laughter had stopped. Artie’s head was against the back of the seat; his eyes were closed. “Move over. I’ll drive.” Artie swayed over, limp and warm-feeling in his raccoon coat. Judd slipped in and closed the door. It was one of those times when you couldn't tell if Artie has really passed out or was only letting things happen. The deal.

Compulsion (1959) dir. Richard Fleischer

“Fasten your seat belts, it’s going to be a bumpy night.”

All About Eve (1950) dir. Joseph L. Mankiewicz