Week 3 Lombard Cup Marquee Match Spotlight: ESTHER WILLIAMS vs GINGER ROGERS

Week 3 matches of The 2013 Lombard Cup will begin today and I thought I would spotlight some of the matches. I already talked about the main match between Myrna Loy and Natalie Wood. But there is another high profile match that will be taking place too. Aquatic superstar Esther Williams takes on dancing queen Ginger Rogers in a key match-up. Based on match play experience solely on my blog, it would appear Ginger has the edge. She is 7-1 and is the 2012 Favorite Classic Movie Actress Champion. Esther Williams is 1-2 and has never made it past round 2 in any year. But I think it will still be a very exciting match. Kristen will have the matches up sometime today and you can go vote here: http://journeysinclassicfilm.com/

"So whose idea was to put me up against Ginger? Oh yeah that would 

be Monty! Thanks pal!

And Ginger has her game face on!

The 2013 Lombard Cup: Week 3 Matches

The action moves back over to Kristen's blog, Journeys In Classic Film, with the next five matches. And there are some choice ones plus one of the biggest matches ever to take place. I will save that one for last....

ESTHER WILLIAMS (TEAM CAROLE)

VS

GINGER ROGERS (TEAM VERONICA)

*****************

LOUISE BROOKS (TEAM CAROLE)

VS 

JOAN BLONDELL (TEAM VERONICA)

**********************

GRACE KELLY (TEAM CAROLE)

VS

LAUREN BACALL (TEAM VERONICA)

****************

MARLENE DIETRICH (TEAM CAROLE)

VS

INGRID BERGMAN (TEAM VERONICA)

*********************

and lastly...the big one...

NATALIE WOOD (TEAM CAROLE)

VS



MYRNA LOY (TEAM VERONICA)

Matches begin on Sunday and will run through Friday. Here's the link to go vote for your favorites..http://journeysinclassicfilm.com/

Pawsome Pet Pictures: Esther Williams

Esther and her cute cocker spaniel at the beach

At The Beach: ESTHER WILLIAMS

Perennial aqua-girl Esther looking so wonderful

Summer Lovin' - ESTHER WILLIAMS

Esther rocking the polka dots poolside

Summer Lovin' - ESTHER WILLIAMS

Perennial aqua girl Esther in her element

At The Beach: Esther Williams

What a great photo of Esther on the rocks as the waves crash about!

At The Beach: ESTHER WILLIAMS

For some reason I only did one post featuring Esther Williams for my at the beach series. You would have thought I would have done more. Well I tend to make up for that this year, by posting more pics of everyone's favorite aquatic film star. I can hear Dawn screaming with glee right about now.

The Pursuit of Love (1950) starring Cary Grant and Esther Williams....yes it's another Monty fantasy movie

 

So here is my fantasy movie had Cary Grant paired up with Esther Williams. The title is In The Pursuit Of Love and Cary plays suave playboy Peter Lassister who refuses to settle down with any one woman. That is until he sees Liz Watson, a model who aspires to be a swimming champion. Peter pursues Liz instantly while trying to avoid the clutches of  rich society girl Ann Pendergast (played by Joan Caulfield). All the while reporter Stu Blanchard (Eddie Albert) is trying to be be the first to get the story on Lassiter finally settling down. Of course Liz has no time for romance as she is busy trying to compete in swimming competitions. And listening to her is seen it all best friend Sally (Betty Hutton). Of course things will eventually get sorted by the two leads and they fall in love by the end of the movie. Directed by George Cukor and released in 1950. Cary and Esther had remarkable chemistry together as Cary brought out Esther's comedic ability. One of the film's funniest scenes has to be when Liz dares Peter to a swimming race and Peter brags that he doesn't want to show her up. Liz politely whips Peter in front of a bevy of onlookers quite easy. Of course he takes it in stride and wants to be with Liz all that more. A beaut of a comic gem from 1950. And wonderful support from Charlotte Greenwood as Aunt Jessie and Zachary Scott as Jack Gardner, an ex-boyfriend of Liz.

Peter looking all so dapper

Liz about to start her daily routine

Ann actually is not that bad of a girl..just that Peter has eyes
only for Liz

 

Genre: Comedy
Release Date: 1950
Running time: 103 minutes
Directed by George Cukor
Written by Charles Lederer

Cast:
Pete Lassister.....Cary Grant
Liz Watson......Esther Williams
Ann Pendergast.....Joan Caulfield
Stu Blanchard.....Eddie Albert
Sally Rogers.....Betty Hutton
Aunt Jessie....Charlotte Greenwood
Jack Gardner....Zachary Scott

Notes:

This marked the only film that paired Cary Grant with Esther Williams

The Pursuit of Love was a tidy hit, being one of the top 20 money-earners of 1950.

As usual, Esther did all her own swimming sequences..which apparently rubbed off on her
co-stars as Cary and Betty did all their own swim scenes as well.

Joan Caulfield was a last minute replacement as first choice Joan Leslie had to bow out
due to an illness.

Liz being playful

Notable quotes:

Peter: You don't make it easy for a fella do you?
Liz: Easy enough. All you have to do is catch me.

Stu: If I land this story first, I will be the most famous reporter ever! Well maybe second famous!

Aunt Jessie: My dear, men can be just as crafty as we are. The trick is to never let them know that.

Sally is a pretty good swimmer as well

Stu looking shocked!

The sweet Aunt Jessie

The no good Jack Gardner

HAPPY NEW YEAR! CLASSIC HOLLYWOOD STYLE

Just a Happy New Year from me does not carry that much weight, so I asked some of my friends to lend a hand. They responded quite well. Happy New Year everyone!

Clara and her friends from THE WILD PARTY definitely know how

to bring New Year's in the right way

It can't be a party without Nick and Nora Charles

I think Ann Dvorak may have started a little early

Joan making plans as we speak

Lauren and Humphrey enjoying a quiet New Year's together

Joan and Constance going the costume way

Even rivals Bette and Miriam put past grievances aside to celebrate

Ummm Esther...why did you bring a clown?

Greta doesn't do events like this, so she decided to stay home and have a

private little dinner

And of course some guy has to hit on Marilyn

Debbie, Shirley and Ann let us know it's time..

When it's all said and done, what a party...hey it's my girl Carole down at the bottom right corner!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Classic Movie Goddess Of The Month - Esther Williams: Part 3 (Video)

As I have not seen enough of Esther movies to compile an essential viewing list of her films, I thought I would close out her month with this beautiful video of clips of her more famous film sequences. And I'm hoping to see Easy To Wed eventually as I recorded it about a week ago from TCM. Now of the few films I have seen of Esther that I can recommend include Bathing Beauty (1944) with Red Skelton; Skirts Ahoy (1952); and Dangerous When Wet (1953) best remembered for her swimming sequence with Tom and Jerry. So hopefully next time Esther is my goddess of the month I will have watched more of her films to write about.

At The Beach: ESTHER WILLIAMS & FRANCES GIFFORD

Let's spend a little time with Esther Williams and her friend Frances Gifford. They're not at the beach but a fancy resort relaxing. Close enough. From the film, The Thrill Of Romance (1945).

Classic Movie Goddess of the Month - Esther Williams: Part 2 (Personal Quotes)

Here are some personal quotes by Esther herself:


I was called America's mermaid, because it appeared that I could stay underwater indefinitely.







All they ever did for me at MGM was change my leading man and the water in my pool.






No one had ever done a swimming movie before so we just made it up as we went along. I ad-libbed all my own underwater movements.





I don't know to this day how I managed to fit into those bathing suits when I was pregnant, but I did.






The popular "Andy Hardy" series movies were MGM's tests for its promising stars such as Judy Garland, Lana Turner and Donna Reed. If you didn't make it in those pictures, you were never heard from again.





[International Swimming Hall of Fame] If swimming would make his daughter grow up to look like Esther Williams, then father was willing to pay for the lessons.






[in 2003] I was just a swimmer who got lucky.

Happy Birthday Esther Williams (1921 - present)

Happy Birthday to Esther Williams, my classic movie goddess of the month. Perfect timing right? I will celebrate her day by watching Easy To Wed, the 1946 remake of Libeled Lady. I have never seen this before and I recorded it the other night off of TCM. I have heard a lot of great things about this movie so I can't wait to see it. Anyway, Happy Birthday to Esther, one of the last remaining classic Hollywood stars still living today. She turns the young age of 90 years old today.

Ummm...Esther or Lucy? Who shall I choose?

I wouldn't want to be Van in this situation..tough choice.