I posted the whole Vicki episode on YouTube it in four part I posted it on here or go to YouTube :)

Thank you so much for getting back to me regarding the episode. I really appreciate that you took the time to post it, as I know that so many of us are going to have a ball watching it! Thanks again. :-)

SPECIAL REQUEST:

Does anyone know whether this show is posted somewhere online or not? Cause to see the fun-loving Vicki Lawrence interviewing all of those golden-age stars, who are  fun and funny in their own right, well, it would just be a joy!

So, if anyone knows where this particular episode of The Vicki Lawrence Show (as-well as similar episodes)can be seen, please either visit my Tumblr, and click "Questions/Contact" or post a comment to this particular post, to let me know. I would love to see it! Thanks so much!

Mickey Rooney, Gloria DeHaven, June Allyson, and Vicki Lawrence

The Joan Crawford/Fred Astaire connection

It seems like Joan Crawford is often overlooked whenever the career of  Fred Astaire is discussed (she wasn't even mentioned in the little Astaire tribute done for Turner Classic Movies by Micheal Feinstein), yet she (not Ginger Rogers) was his first on-screen dance-partner, making her a definite highlight in Astaire's career. And, with Joan set to be STAR OF THE MONTH for TCM in January,directly following Astaire's turn as SOTM in December,  I have to wonder---did TCM have that in-mind when planning their schedule that way? Something tells me they did1 And, aren't we all so lucky for it?! I have adored December, as almost all of Astaire's movies make me happy, and now, I'm, looking forward to January too! Merry belated holidays and happy New Year to all! A great start to a new year for classic movie fans! :-) Catch both Astaire and Crawford in the 1933 film, "Dancing Lady" on TCM, Thursday, Jan. 9th, at 11:45PM!

Just a reminder to myself and the world of why I love Lucy -- I mean, look at her! The first person I ever thought of as the most beautiful sight I had ever seen! <3

"He was absolutely fantastic to work with and was about the sweetest man I’ve ever met. He wasn’t a bit funny offstage, but a very warm, lovely gentle man. When the fright wig was off, he was just Harpo." - Doris Singleton

Happy birthday, Adolph “Harpo” Marx! (November 23, 1888 - September 28, 1964)

Testing out the re-blog function, and wishing Harpo Marx a very happy birthday!

 Yes!

do you ever go a long period of time without watching one of your favs movies and then you see like a minute of them in something and you freak out like omg I missed you so much!11!! dkghjsdkghd

Albert Nobbs (2011) review

Not the tragedy people claim: Albert Nobbs actually leads a pretty good life!, 22 October 2013

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

... I must be the only one to feel this way. But, I really don't see his life as very tragic. In fact, I wouldn't mind being him! Why? How can I possibly feel this way? Well, it's simple: he had a great working environment and he was making an independent living. So what if he had to dress up in disguise himself? I do it every day more or less; we might not all masquerade as another gender, but we all modify ourselves for society, in some way or another (either visually, verbally, behaviorally, or otherwise). And what a society he lived in! It was beautiful, mannered, and yes, people talk about the struggles of women -- but what makes anyone think that we struggle any less today? We just have different kinds of struggles is all... And if I were going to struggle, I would much rather struggle in the mannered, visually stunning society like that, than in an unsophisticated, crude one like the one we live in today. And yes, I realize that he had a difficult start in life -- being raped by a group of men under a stairs. But, again, we all have our sob stories, don't we? Maybe I would feel worse about it, if it was an ongoing occurrence, or if he was stuck with a baby afterwards. But no, it happened once, and that was it. It was traumatic for him, sure. But, so is any number of things for other people... and yes, he lost his mother at an early age, but, some of us come from broken families, and feel like we don't have parents, even when we do. Some of us come from perfect families. I think as long as he was raised with food, and a roof over his head, it really wasn't that bad. The worst part of it was not that he didn't get to know his mother, but that a woman was actually being paid to raise him. I would always question her care for me, knowing that she was paid. In fact, it is that which I think is the most tragic of his story. Not the rape, not the death of his mother, not the cross-dressing -- but the lack of secure knowledge that one is loved. Therein, lies the real tragedy. And, I don't mind saying that I do get angry when I read how most people come away from this movie with a sense of pity that Albert was forced to live like a man, in such a "cruel, uncaring world, unfair to females". Because I have a feeling that those who hold such an opinion are looking at this film through 21st-century eyes, rather than seeing it from a 19th century perspective. It wasn't that bad back then. It was just life... Think about it, was Albert really all that tragic? He had hope. The most tragic people have none. He had ambitious goals and plans of how to achieve them. He was levelheaded. And he even fell in love -- which is more than some of us can say, which is more than some people could ever say! Some people live their whole lives without a single kiss. And we call Albert tragic?! The guy was positively giddy over his own plans -- it made me feel exhilarating, just watching him dream of them! To me, tragic people are those who go around moping about life. Albert didn't do that. I guess it was sad when that disease came to town. Of course, it's a tragedy. But people die every day. It's just a fact of nature. And someday, we all lose our loved ones as well. Our loved ones will lose us as well. The point is to be happy while we have each other, and accept what life brings us with dignity and fairness. There's no reason to look at this whole movie in a dark tragic way, just because some bitter tragedies were in it. In fact, I say "bitter tragedies" so that this will translate to the people who actually believe them to be so, but I watched this just seeing it as regular life stuff. What person does not deal with something hard or unfair? What person does not deal with drama? Who among us will live forever? No one. I don't think that living in Ireland at that time would be all that bad. In fact I think it would've been wonderful! Had Albert lived, he would have gotten his dream of the tobacco shop, and he would have gotten Helen -- because remember, by the end, Helen was coming around to caring about him. So, let's look at it like this -- we've got a person who's hopeful, who is enthusiastic, who knows exactly what he wants, and who is ready to love. There is absolutely nothing tragic about that whatsoever! In other words, the problem with people who called this movie tragic is that they're dwelling on little details which really don't amount to a hill of beans were Albert's overall plans in life are concerned... Had things worked out and the typical bittersweet European ending was not tacked onto the conclusion of this film, "Albert Nobbs" would have been a positive success story. And that's how I basically see it. Even though he didn't live long enough for everything to come to fruition, he lived long enough to feel it -- to feel that it would happen, in his heart. So he died, with a positive view of life. And that's what counts.

10 out of 10 stars! Highly recommended!

I know this might seem anti-Joan, but...

...I just love the fan-video for the song, "Joan Crawford Has Risen from The Grave"! And even though it can very well be seen as a stain on her image, I actually see it as her being cool enough to be creepy too! She can be it all! The best part is that it's not just thanks to the maybe-pseudo-horror, MOMMIE DEAREST. No. Most of the credit must go to Joan herself, and that strong, if stern image she cultivated in her later years, which led to being cast in suitably stern and intimidating roles. I just love how an old-Hollywood glamor-queen also became known as something else altogether...something deliciously dangerous!! It makes me sad to think that in her final years, Crawford resented her turn as horror star in camp classics. Because it was but another facet in her fantastically varied career! So, here's to the many faces of Crawford!

The Ice Follies of 1939 (1939)

Oh what a difference a hair-do makes!

25 August 2013

When the most notable part of a movie is the hair-style of its star, that's not saying much. And so is the case with this film. The film itself isn't much...

I just finished watching "Ice Follies of 1939" a bit ago, (which is now my least-favorite Crawford film so far), and I do have to comment on how cute she was in the beginning, very Donna Reed-like, and her name was even Mary (does the name "Mary Baily" ring a bell?)! Well, no offense to the Donna Reeds of the world, but I don't watch a Joan Crawford movie to see a woman like that. She just wasn't "Joan" enough for me! She's more "Joan" in "Berserk" (1967) and "Trog" (1970) than she seemed in IFO1939! But, I guess it was a weak character to match a weak script.

So, if you like Joan for being intense, seductive, and fierce, if not in attitude, then at lease in appearance, then skip this. Cause you'll find none of those "Joan-ish" qualities here! What you will find though, is such a lack of drama that it's almost deadening!

Anyway, "adorable" is about the best that can be said of Joan in this movie, and even that doesn't last, because before long, she is made-over to look like Heddy Lamarr, and the result is atrocious, in my opinion! It's amazing how much less pretty and glamorous a simple change of hair-style can make a person out to be, and if nothing else, this film proves at least that much.

As for all the other characters in the film, save for a low-key moment of tenderness between Jimmy Stewart and the fellow who plays his business partner, everyone except for Joan is all pretty cookie-cutter and forgettable---embarrassingly so! The movie's only saving grace, if you will, was in the closing colorized sequence. Joan was stunning---absolutely stunning---in it. But then, her hair had a side-part once agaain and was no longer the harsh black that it had been for her "glamour make-over". So, that had had everything to do with it. I guess some people can get by with the "Heddy-do," but Joan just can't! This was only one problem with this movie, but it's the one problem that stood out the most...Oh, what a difference a hair-do makes!

SIDE-NOTE: I am always offended when a star I love hates a movie I like, the way Joan got her guard up whenever anyone would discuss any of her post-"Baby-Jane" films. Cause what was she thinking?! Cause different genre or not, a good film is a good film, and "Straight Jacket" (1964) is a veritable masterpiece compared to this!

2 out of 5 stars.

The Bride Wore Red (1937)

17 August 2013

This one takes some time to get into, but once you do...

...you'll really enjoy it! I don't know why...it's something I've noticed with a lot of old pre-1967 films---that they often take a lot more patience to really enjoy. This isn't always the case, of course. But then, that leads me to wonder whether or not films like this take more patience because they are of a lesser quality, or if they take more patience, just because?

At any rate, I started out bored for the first 20 minutes or so, but it got better as it went along, until by the end, I decided that I liked it...that I maybe even loved it!

It's not a masterpiece and it's not great, but it's one of those you'll be glad you watched anyway---if you'll only take the time. Ultimately a feel-good kind of film. 8 out of 10 stars!

The ultimate crash-course on Crawford! -----Prepare to fall in-love!

People, if you're here, and you have any doubts whatsoever that Joan Crawford was not only a star, but a great actress (as good as any of the greats of her generation!), then watch this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QNmIUw6UT20 I have never seen such a beautiful marriage of scenes and song in my life! Even I was surprised at how it made me love her, and as one

commenter posted,

"Absolutely masterful and spectacular Joan Crawford tribute. Her gentleness and strength you have captured brilliantly with some of her outstanding pictures and stills."

And another posted

"a perfect soundtrack; the poignancy matches Joan's expressions. I had always thought Joan more of a movie star than an actress, but thanks to your compilation, I now realize that Joan should have been a silent screen actress. Her talent embodies all of the complexity, nuance, and profundity..."

The above person was obviously not familiar with Joan's Silent movie period, haha! And finally, another commenter posted this about it:

"Wow, your creation is, in a word, dazzling. When I was in my 20s, I had the privilege of knowing Joan [in her later years], and I can honestly tell you that she would have loved and deeply appreciated this tribute, including the song.

As I said, this video surprised me in how it made me feel about her. So, if you've ever disliked her before, watch out, cause you just might love her after this! Oh, and for a less serious but fun "emasculating" look at Joan's career throughout the years, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIrjwBNbw-4 No doubt about it, folks. She was as much a great actress as she was a great star!

Finally, just for the heck of it, if Joan were an MTV star, here's what that video would be like:

JOAN CRAWFORD: BEAUTIFUL, DIRTY, RICH! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atPzWRhJbew&list=FLl1Lx7r4c6hSvS1sX p57V9w I know you all will like this (I love it!). Such perfect and modern editing---as though Joan really made a video for MTV or something! Just superb---and dare I say, I'm crashing, er, falling for her even harder now!  So, thus concludes the crash-course on Crawford!

Am I the only one who thinks she looks like an older Audrey Hepburn?! Especially in the next-to-last photo!

150 photo of Kristin Scott Thomas: |4/150|

Some say "Mildred Pierce" is the ultimate combination of the woman's picture and film-noir genres. Other's say it's just a hyped-up soap-opera. What do you think? I personally liked it a lot, but prefer "Daisy Kenyon", which some classify as a film-noir while others don't. There is just a lot of arguing over what really constitutes a noir film!

What do YOU think?

Joan Crawford in Mildred Pierce (1945)

I had to share the link to this article I found, because it so perfectly illustrates what this blog stands for.

I knew there were benefits to knowing our favorites---and sometimes, living vicariously through them! I never feel more romantic or happy than when I'm involved in a great TV show, book, or movie.

“The restorative effect I found is specific to re-watching favorite television shows (or re-watching favorite movies or re-reading favorite books),” Derrick says. “Just watching whatever is on television does not provide the same benefit. And perhaps surprisingly, watching a new episode of a favorite television show for the first time does not provide the same benefit.”

Derrick explains that there is something special and comfortable about a “relationship” in which you already know what the other person is going to say and do, and all you have to do is sit there and enjoy it. In fact, the effects of this fictional “social surrogacy” may work better than actual social interaction with real people under some circumstances.

  It's true what this researcher says---with our shows, books, and movies, we can "feel" without the burden of judgement and fear of rejection. She also sites that this element of comfort helps people to get things done:

“When you watch a favorite rerun, you typically don’t have to use any effort to control what you are thinking, saying, or doing. You are not exerting the mental energy required for self-control or willpower,” Derrick explains. “At the same time, you are enjoying your ‘interaction,’ with the TV show’s characters, and this activity restores your energy.

So, next time you have a day off, chill with a fav book, movie, or show before tackling big projects! You'll probably do better!

They say there's a first time for everything, and this week, I found that to be true yet again, when I discovered the first (and probably only) of the Slasher Films genre that I like--- The Fan (1981 film)! Don't be fooled though---this is NOT your typical slasher film, at least, I don't think it is. I mean, Lauren Bacall in a slasher? Who would'da thunk it?!

[You more modern types may know Mrs. Bacall as the voice-over for the 1990s and early 2000s "Fancy Feast" cat-food commercials. Okay...that just sounds weird! But, yeah...]

At first glance, Tracy Ullman looks like Carrie Fisher (you know, Princess Leia, i.e, the product of 1950s scandalous, short-lived marriage between "America's sweetheart, Debbie Reynolds, and  playboy crooner, Eddie Fisher). Could there be something to that?! Goodness knows, they're both funny, feisty, and JUST A TAD UNPREDICTABLE!, personality-wise!

On the difference between "stars" and "actors":

“Myrna Loy was very perceptive about this: she once said that in the “Golden Age of Hollywood”, most of her contemporaries were barely actors, what they were, were personalities, and the studios learned how to make vehicles to highlight those personalities, but that didn’t mean they could act!”

----lqualls-dchin , IMDb poster, relating Myna Loy’s thoughts on the stars of the golden-age.

--------------------

Her thoughts reflect perfectly why the age of  the “Star” is dead now; stars were about personality, and cultivating that personality to fit a role. Today, actors are considered better because they lose their personality and become engrossed in a role. But, I don’t care how much talent that takes. I want *personality*! Give me the Stars!