THE MONTIES: 1945 - Christmas comes early for Barbara Stanwyck

So sorry for the delay in between posts on the Monties, my version of the Oscars. Just was so busy with work and a lot of the films and star performances I hadn't seen yet, so I really couldn't critique on any of them. That is until now. So let's get started shall we..


BEST FILM:
Winner: Christmas In Connecticut
Nominees: The Lost Weekend; Leave Her To Heaven; Mildred Pierce; Scarlet Street; Detour; They Were Expendable; A Tree Grows In Brooklyn; The Wicked Lady; And Then There Were None
Thoughts: 1945 was another solid year in film. With some notable star driven films like Mildred Pierce and Leave Her To Heaven. And some smaller films that caught everyone's attention like Detour and The Wicked Lady. But my pick for favorite film of 1945 is Christmas In Connecticut. Call me sentimental but this is my favorite Christmas movie ever and my favorite Stanwyck film as well. It's funny, romantic and a joy to watch. While The Lost Weekend may boast some stellar acting and a riveting story line, I have a soft spot for Christmas in Connecticut. I know I may take some heat on this one, but what can I say, this is my fave film of 1945.

Pure holiday joy with Barbara

BEST DIRECTOR:
Winner: Billy Wilder (The Lost Weekend)
Nominees: Fritz Lang (Scarlet Street); Rene Clair (And Then There Were None); Edgar G. Ulmer (Detour); Michael Curtiz (Mildred Pierce)
Thoughts: Billy Wilder may be more remembered for his wonderful comedies (Some Like It Hot, The Apartment) he was never better than directing The Lost Weekend. Talk about a taut gripping tale that doesn't pull any punches. And while it's my second favorite film from 1945, there is no denying the amazing job Wilder did as director.

BEST WRITER:
Winner: Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder (The Lost Weekend)
Nominees: Ranald MacDougall (Mildred Pierce); Frank Davis and Tess Slesinger (A Tree Grows In Brooklyn); Dudley Nichols (Scarlet Street)
Thoughts: Can't beat the dramatic and tense dialogue in Weekend crafted by Brackett and Wilder. Some really good stuff!


BEST ACTOR: 
Winner: Ray Milland (The Lost Weekend)
Nominees: Edward G. Robinson (Scarlet Street); Danny Kaye (Wonder Man); Tom Neal (Detour); James Mason (The Wicked Lady)
Thoughts: Without a doubt, Ray Milland gives the performance of the year. Heck it's the best performance of his career. As his life slowly spins out of control due to his addiction to alcohol, you feel his despair and keep thinking..this guy has hit rock bottom. Kudos to Milland.

"OK, quit playing Jane. Where's my Montie?"

 

BEST ACTRESS:
Winner: Barbara Stanwyck (Christmas in Connecticut)/Joan Bennett (Scarlet Street) TIE
Nominees: Joan Crawford (Mildred Pierce); Gene Tierney (Leave Her To Heaven); Margaret Lockwood (The Wicked Lady); Donna Reed (They Were Expendable); Jane Wyman (The Lost Weekend); Ann Savage (Detour); Virginia Mayo (Wonder Man)
Thoughts: Now this is the category where I had the most trouble choosing from all the wonderful performances in what has to be a stellar one for women. And I really couldn't decide on just one, so we have a tie. And it was close to being a three way tie but I finally chose Stanwyck  and Bennett. As two totally opposite performances as you can get. Stanwyck was more of the comedic vein and she was wonderful. And no this is not a sentimental vote for her as this is my fave performance of hers and film. And Joan Bennett took it up a notch playing another femme fatale for Fritz Lang as the terrific Kitty March. The pair previously on The Woman in the Window, but I thought Joan's performance here was much better. And Gene Tierney came awfully close to making this a three way tie, but she just misses it by an inch.

Ok fellas, here we go! Fingers crossed I don't mess this up!

See I told ya, working with Fritz would eventually pay off Eddie!

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:
Winner: Eve Arden/Ann Blyth (Mildred Pierce) TIE
Nominees: Jeanne Crain (Leave Her To Heaven); Vera-Ellen (Wonder Man); Anne Revere (National Velvet); Angela Lansbury (The Picture of Dorian Gray)
Thoughts: Another tie as I thought Eve Arden and Ann Blyth were both amazing in Mildred Pierce. Arden in another sidekick role was good as always and she picks up her second Montie, the first was for Stage Door (Best Supporting Actress...which she shared with Lucille Ball). And Blyth was really good as the daughter from hell, Veda. That girl could give you nightmares.

 

"Why no I didn't  have to pay Monty off to win...honest! Girl Scouts honor!"

 

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:
Winner: James Dunn (A Tree Grows in Brooklyn)
Nominees: Dan Duryea (Scarlet Street); Jack Carson (Mildred Pierce); George Sanders (The Picture of Dorian Gray); Walter Huston (And Then There Were None)
Thoughts: James Dunn gives one of the best performances I have ever seen as the ne'er-do-well father who just can't seem to do right. In real life, Dunn would struggle years later with bouts with alcohol and his career would stall. But he will have this one great performance left as his legacy.

James is all smiles after receiving his first Montie

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY:
Winner: Leave Her To Heaven
Nominees: The Picture of Dorian Gray; Anchors Aweigh; National Velvet; The Lost Weekend; Mildred Pierce
Thoughts: One of the most glorious looking films I have ever seen. I mean the color just leaps off the screen. Actresses Gene Tierney and Jeanne Crain look stunning. This was an easy choice for me.

Even Gene can't believe how beautiful the movie looks...

So final count has The Lost Weekend being the big winner with 3 Monties; followed by Christmas In Connecticut (2 Monties) and Mildred Pierce (2 Monties). I will be back with the 1946 edition soon. Hopefully it won't be as long a wait as this time was. Once again, sorry for the delay.


NOTABLE FILMS THAT I HAVE NOT SEEN FOR THIS YEAR:


SPELLBOUND
THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM
SAN ANTONIO
THE CORN IS GREEN

Ray Milland crushes Stewart Granger 19-4 in match play

Milland all calm and collected after an easy win...

What I thought would be a tightly contested match ended up being a blow-out as Ray Milland cruised to a 19-4 victory over Stewart Granger. Milland is now 1-1 in match play while Granger strikes out in his first match and is now 0-1. A new match will begin within a few days. Thanks to everyone who stopped by to vote.

Classic Stars Match Play #7 - Ray Milland vs Stewart Granger (Rumble in the UK)

A pair of distinguished actors take to the ring for our next classic stars match play. Let's list their stats so we can get this match underway quickly shall we. Starts tonight and will run thru Sunday noon. Good luck gents.

RAY MILLAND

"So Paulette, you just won the last match play...
any tips on how to beat Stewart?"

Name: Reginald Alfred John Truscott-Jones
Birth Date: January 3, 1905 (Neath, Glamorgan, Wales, UK)
Height: 6' 2"
Academy Awards: 1 nomination, 1 win (Best Actor: The Lost Weekend - 1945)
Monties: no nominations so far...
My favorite Ray Milland film: close call...between The Lost Weekend and Dial
M For Murder
Match Play record: 0-1 (got crushed by Jimmy Stewart 46-13 in first round
of favorite classic actor tournament)



CLASSIC STARS MATCH PLAY


STEWART GRANGER

"Not now Grace, I have a match to play!"

Name: James Lablanche Stewart
Birth Date: May 6, 1913 (Kensington, London, England, UK)
Height: 6' 3"
Academy Awards: no nominations..which is a little shocking
Monties: none so far, but I've yet to reach the 50's..his era when he
was in his prime..so we'll see
My favorite Stewart Granger film: that's an easy one...
King Solomon's Mines
Match Play record: 0-0 (this is his first match)

Classic Horror Films - Day 4 (THE UNINVITED - 1944)

Soon after moving into a house purchased at a suspiciously low price, a music critic and his sister (the wonderful Ray Milland and Rut Hussey) experience unusual occurrences. A beautiful young girl (Gail Russell) frequently visits the house and secrets of the past are revealed in a most terrifying manner. Solid ghost thriller that ranks right up there with The Innocents and The Haunting.