Memorial day movie pick The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) **** May 30, 2006

The superb, eloquent, and realistically-intimate film was nominated for eight Academy Awards and won seven Oscars: Best Picture (Samuel Goldwyn’s sole competitive Oscar win), Best Actor (Fredric March – his second Oscar – the first was for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1932)), Best Supporting Actor (Harold Russell), Best Director (William Wyler – his second of three career Oscars), Best Screenplay (Robert E. Sherwood), Best Editing, Best Musical Score — its nomination for Best Sound was the only one that failed to win. Real-life double amputee (from a ship explosion) and one of the cast’s inexperienced actors – Harold Russell received an additional Special Honorary Oscar “for bringing hope and courage to fellow veterans” for his first performance. [Russell is the only actor ever to win two Oscars for the same role.

Did You Know??

-	Director William Wyler was furious when he learned that Samuel Goldwyn had sent Harold Russell for acting lessons; he preferred Russell’s untrained, natural acting.
-	Wyler wanted a completely un-glamorous look, requiring all costumes to be bought off the rack and worn by the cast before filming, and making sure all sets were built smaller than life-size.
-	In order to give the film a documentary-style realism, the director drew each member of the crew – props, grips, mixers, etc. – from the ranks of WWII veterans.
-	This was the first movie in history to feature a disabled actor in a major role. It was also the first to deal directly with intimacy issues between disabled and non-disabled people.

http://www.filmsite.org/besty.html

Watch The Best Year Of Our Lives Clip HERE

Fallen Angel *** 1/2 May 28, 2006

Fallen Angel is Otto Preminger’s follow-up to Laura, another noir story of a beautiful woman and her effect on the men around her. In this case the beauty is Stella, played by Linda Darnell. Several reviews compared the picture to Laura , a 1944 Twentieth Century-Fox production that was also directed by Preminger, starred Dana Andrews, and featured music by David Raksin and photography by Joseph La Shelle.
Preminger liked long takes though the camera manned by the very expert Joseph LaShell (who also photographed Laura and River of No Return for Preminger, as well as My Cousin Rachel, The Apartment, and Billy Wilder’s following three films) was not at all static. The black-and-white scenes look crisp and allow the actors to convey emotion.

The movie is not as relentless as Detour or as witty as Laura. It (especially the second half) is plenty melodramatic and involves a change of heart I find highly suspect. It is better to look at than it is to think about. Many would say the same about Linda Darnell’s “performance.” Little as she was asked to do, she did less, yet was accepted again by Preminger (who wanted Lana Turner) in Forever Amber, and appeared in films directed by John Ford, Preston Sturges, and Joseph Mankiewcz during the late 1940. She must have had a “special” relationship with Fox magnate Daryl F. Zanuck.**

DId You Know??

According to modern sources, Alice Faye(who was Fox biggest star after Shirley Temple was angered when studio production chief Darryl F. Zanuck ordered her rendition of the song, as well as several of her dramatic scenes, cut from the picture in order to emphasize Linda Darnell’s role. Consequently, Faye left Twentieth Century-Fox without fulfilling the rest of her contract, which called for the making of two more films. Fallen Angel was Faye’s first picture since the 1943 film The Gang’s All Here , (although she did make a brief singing appearance in 1944’s Four Jills and a Jeep ); it was her first and only purely dramatic role; and was her last film until the 1962 picture State Fair , for which she returned to Twentieth Century-Fox. ** Stephen Murray toxic universe

Royal Cola Vintage May 28, 2006

http://jayspace2006.blogspot.com/2006/05/royal-cola-vintage.html

Did You Know?? May 28, 2006

Lana Turner owned fifty percent of the net profits of ‘Imitation of Life,’ her comeback movie. The film grossed eleven million dollars the first year alone. Though Elizabeth Taylor would make headlines three years later when she was paid a breathtaking one million dollars to make ‘Cleopatra,’ Lana’s earnings from ‘Imitation of Life’ handily topped that.

Nivea Cream: A cosmetic cream that is used primarily for dry skin. Although Lana Turner could afford the worlds most costliest beauty creams (and even endorsed one or two), she swore by this stuff and used it each and every night before she went to bed. She also used an industrial strength scoring powder called (of all things) Borax, which was used to clean greasy hands. When Lana told actress Kathryn Grayson about the Boraxo, she became angry with Lana and accused her of trying to sabotage her face. Get some Nivea today and you too can look like Lana Turner!

Razor’s Edge (1946) **** May 23, 2006

“Darryl F. Zanuck’s Production of W. Somerset Maugham’s Razor’s Edge.” Maugham’s novel was originally serialized in Redbook from Dec 1943–May 1944. and The Razor’s Edge became Tyrone Power’s first role since his return from war and a three-year absence from the screen.

According to studio publicity materials, the production cost around $4,000,000 to film, used eighty-nine different sets and enjoyed the longest shooting schedule in the studio’s history to date. A Jul 1946 HR news item notes that the film incorporated footage excerpted from a photographic expedition shot by the Bombay Film Co. in the Himalayan mountains. Gene Tierney’s real-life husband at the time, Oleg Cassini, designed her costumes for the film. According to a studio publicity item, the wedding gown worn by Tierney in the picture was based on a sketch that Cassini had made for his and Tierney’s wedding. The couple eloped, however, and so the dress was never made until the production of this film. According to a 6 Jan 1947 HR news item, the film broke all previous Fox box office records. The DV review called the picture a “dramatic triumph in every sense of the word.” The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Art Direction, and Clifton Webb was nominated for Best Supporting Actor.
Anne Baxter’s performance as Sophie earned her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. *

*Source AFI

Did you Know??

• George Cukor was originally assigned to direct, but was fired because Darryl F. Zanuck did not care for his more literal interpretation of the novel.

• Betty Grable and Judy Garland were considered for the role of Sophie.

Read “Life ” Original Article of Razor’s Edge Here

The Career of Agnes Moorehead May 21, 2006

Read Article The Career of Agnes Moorehead Our very first ” Star of the Month”

Fallen Angel *** 1/2 May 21, 2006

Fallen Angel is Otto Preminger’s follow-up to Laura, another noir story of a beautiful woman and her effect on the men around her. In this case the beauty is Stella, played by Linda Darnell. Several reviews compared the picture to Laura , a 1944 Twentieth Century-Fox production that was also directed by Preminger, starred Dana Andrews, and featured music by David Raksin and photography by Joseph La Shelle.
Preminger liked long takes though the camera manned by the very expert Joseph LaShell (who also photographed Laura and River of No Return for Preminger, as well as My Cousin Rachel, The Apartment, and Billy Wilder’s following three films) was not at all static. The black-and-white scenes look crisp and allow the actors to convey emotion.

The movie is not as relentless as Detour or as witty as Laura. It (especially the second half) is plenty melodramatic and involves a change of heart I find highly suspect. It is better to look at than it is to think about. Many would say the same about Linda Darnell’s “performance.” Little as she was asked to do, she did less, yet was accepted again by Preminger (who wanted Lana Turner) in Forever Amber, and appeared in films directed by John Ford, Preston Sturges, and Joseph Mankiewcz during the late 1940. She must have had a “special” relationship with Fox magnate Daryl F. Zanuck.**

DId You Know??

According to modern sources, Alice Faye(who was Fox biggest star after Shirley Temple was angered when studio production chief Darryl F. Zanuck ordered her rendition of the song, as well as several of her dramatic scenes, cut from the picture in order to emphasize Linda Darnell’s role. Consequently, Faye left Twentieth Century-Fox without fulfilling the rest of her contract, which called for the making of two more films. Fallen Angel was Faye’s first picture since the 1943 film The Gang’s All Here , (although she did make a brief singing appearance in 1944’s Four Jills and a Jeep ); it was her first and only purely dramatic role; and was her last film until the 1962 picture State Fair , for which she returned to Twentieth Century-Fox. ** Stephen Murray toxic universe

Once upon a time there ’s Magazine call "American Manhood" May 19, 2006

The 100 Greatest Performances that should have won Oscars but didn’t May 18, 2006

Reel Classics: Article: For Your Reconsideration – The 100 Greatest Performances that should have won Oscars but didn’t

Mother’s Day Movie Pick “Madame X” *** May 17, 2006

Although some critics sniped that Madame X was hopelessly old-fashioned, others praised the film, and Turner's performance. James Powers wrote in the Hollywood Reporter, "a superb cast of players take this rather shabby old piece and give it immediacy, vigor and credibility." And Charles Champlin wrote in the Los Angeles Times, "the unsparing, guileless honesty of [Turner's] performance is very touching." Those who called the film passé may have been right – Madame X did not do well at the box office. But it remained among Lana Turner's personal favorites, and one of the performances of which she was proudest.

Turner plays Holly, the neglected wife of a diplomat and mother of a young son. She has an affair with a playboy, and is implicated in his death. To avoid tainting her family with scandal, Holly disappears, leaving them to believe she's dead. Over the years Holly sinks into a life of degradation, until another death leaves her on trial for murder…defended by the son who's unaware of who she is.

Click HERE to see "Madame X" trailer

femme fatales May 17, 2006

Primary Characteristics and Conventions of Film Noir:
The primary moods of classic film noir were melancholy, alienation, bleakness, disillusionment, disenchantment, pessimism, ambiguity, moral corruption, evil, guilt, desperation and paranoia

The females in film noir were either of two types (or archetypes) – dutiful, reliable, trustworthy and loving women; or femme fatales – mysterious, duplicitous, double-crossing, gorgeous, unloving, predatory, tough-sweet, unreliable, irresponsible, manipulative and desperate women. Usually, the male protagonist in film noir wished to elude his mysterious past, and had to choose what path to take (or have the fateful choice made for him).

Invariably, the choice would be an overly ambitious one, to follow the dangerous but desirable wishes of these dames. It would be to follow the goadings of a traitorous, self-destructive femme fatale who would lead the struggling, disillusioned, and doomed hero into committing murder or some other crime of passion coupled with twisted love. When the major character was a detective or private eye, he would become embroiled and trapped in an increasingly-complex, convoluted case that would lead to fatalistic, suffocating evidences of corruption, irresistible love and death. The femme fatale, who had also transgressed societal norms with her independent and smart, menacing actions, would bring both of them to a downfall.

Royal Cola Vintage. May 17, 2006

Mother’s Day Movie Pick "Madame X" *** May 14, 2006

Although some critics sniped that Madame X was hopelessly old-fashioned, others praised the film, and Turner’s performance. James Powers wrote in the Hollywood Reporter, “a superb cast of players take this rather shabby old piece and give it immediacy, vigor and credibility.” And Charles Champlin wrote in the Los Angeles Times, “the unsparing, guileless honesty of [Turner's] performance is very touching.” Those who called the film passé may have been right – Madame X did not do well at the box office. But it remained among Lana Turner’s personal favorites, and one of the performances of which she was proudest.

Turner plays Holly, the neglected wife of a diplomat and mother of a young son. She has an affair with a playboy, and is implicated in his death. To avoid tainting her family with scandal, Holly disappears, leaving them to believe she’s dead. Over the years Holly sinks into a life of degradation, until another death leaves her on trial for murder…defended by the son who’s unaware of who she is.

Click HERE to see “Madame X” trailer

femme fatales May 13, 2006

Primary Characteristics and Conventions of Film Noir:
The primary moods of classic film noir were melancholy, alienation, bleakness, disillusionment, disenchantment, pessimism, ambiguity, moral corruption, evil, guilt, desperation and paranoia

The females in film noir were either of two types (or archetypes) – dutiful, reliable, trustworthy and loving women; or femme fatales – mysterious, duplicitous, double-crossing, gorgeous, unloving, predatory, tough-sweet, unreliable, irresponsible, manipulative and desperate women. Usually, the male protagonist in film noir wished to elude his mysterious past, and had to choose what path to take (or have the fateful choice made for him).

Invariably, the choice would be an overly ambitious one, to follow the dangerous but desirable wishes of these dames. It would be to follow the goadings of a traitorous, self-destructive femme fatale who would lead the struggling, disillusioned, and doomed hero into committing murder or some other crime of passion coupled with twisted love. When the major character was a detective or private eye, he would become embroiled and trapped in an increasingly-complex, convoluted case that would lead to fatalistic, suffocating evidences of corruption, irresistible love and death. The femme fatale, who had also transgressed societal norms with her independent and smart, menacing actions, would bring both of them to a downfall.

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