Here are some of today's birthdays:
SUZANNE PLESHETTE (1937 - 2008)
The Bob Newhart Show, Rome Adventure, Nevada Smith
JEAN SIMMONS (1929 - 2010)
Elmer Gantry, Spartacus, Guys and Dolls
JESSICA WALTER (1941 - present)
Play Misty For Me, Arrested Development
ANTHONY LAPLAGIA (1959 - present)
Without A Trace, The Client, Empire Records
PORTIA DE ROSSI (1973 - present)
Ally McBeal, Arrested Development, Scream 2
GLYNN TURMAN (1947 - present)
Men Of Honor, Gremlins, Cooley High
TALLUHAH BANKHEAD (1902 - 1968)
Lifeboat, Tarnished Lady, My Sin
JOANNE DRU (1922 - 1996)
Red River, She Wore A Yellow Ribbon, All The King's Men
Talking about movies, movies, movies. I believe movies are one of the best pleasures in life. Nothing better than watching a classic film and talking with others about them. Love the classics the most but will also talk about the newer stuff too. And covering all genres: comedy, action, horror, sci-fi, drama, musicals, etc. Will also discuss TV shows, more of the classics, but occasionally the newer stuff too. And anything else that might be on my mind. Feel free to drop by and have a chat.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Gable and Harlow are at it again in CHINA SEAS
Clark Gable and Jean Harlow team up again after the success of Red Dust and make China Seas better than it ought to be. Gable is ship captain Alan Gaskell who has to deliver passengers safely from Hong Kong to Singapore because of the waters being overrun with pirates. The first time you see Gaskell it is apparent he is coming in from an over-night bender and makes it to his ship just as it's about to sail. His ex-girlfriend Dolly (Ms. Harlow) shows up to razz him about not being committed to their relationship. Also on board is Sybil Barclay (Rosalind Russell), a woman Alan fancied years ago but she married someone else. Well, Ms. Barclay is a widow now and hopes of a relationship is presented before Alan's delight and Dolly's anger. Also on board is Dolly's old drinking Buddy MacArdle (Wallace Beery) who has a hidden agenda. Throw in some rough weather, a jewel thief, the deadly pirates, and a coward of an officer looking to make amends and China Seas has a lot going on. There is a lot of unintentional humor that kinda throws it off every now and then, mainly from Harlow and Beery. But it doesn't ruin the whole movie. Not as good as Gable and Harlow's previous film Red Dust, but still worth a look.
B-
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Captain Alan Gaskell: Now wait a minute, Dolly! You and I are friends. We've had a lot of fun together, and, as far as I'm concerned, you're #1 girl in the Archipelago, but I don't remember making any vows to you, nor do I recall your taking any.
B-
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Captain Alan Gaskell: Now wait a minute, Dolly! You and I are friends. We've had a lot of fun together, and, as far as I'm concerned, you're #1 girl in the Archipelago, but I don't remember making any vows to you, nor do I recall your taking any.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
New Poll Started
I just did a post on Sidney Poitier record setting year of 1967. So I decided to add a poll to go along with it. Of the three films he made that year: Guess Who's Coming To Dinner, To Sir With Love, and In The Heat Of The Night...which one do do you like the most? I will have the poll up for 2 weeks so there is plenty of time to cast you vote. For me, I had to think about all three films and it was kind of hard, but I eventually made a decision.
Friday, January 28, 2011
Box Office Attractions - SIDNEY POITIER
For my next box office attraction, I chose Sidney Poitier. And while Sidney has had a long and successful film career, I want to focus on one year in particular. 1967. That was pretty much Sidney's break-out year even though he had already been on the film scene since the mid-50's. But in 1967, he had a year for the record books. The three films he made that year all landed in the top 20, and two of them finished in the top 10. They were To Sir, With Love, In The Heat Of The Night, and Guess Who's Coming To Dinner. Thanks to the box-office success of these three films, Sidney finished the year as the 7th most successful actor for the year right behind stars like Elizabeth Taylor, Sean Connery and Paul Newman.You would be hard pressed to find another actor who had the success he had when you compare the ratio of films released in a given year and how successful they were. I mean many other actors had bigger moneymakers to be sure, but Sidney did the hat trick: a perfect 3 for 3. The only other actor I know to have done that is modern actor Jim Carrey. He did the same thing in 1994: went 3 for 3 with Ace Ventura, The Mask and Dumb and Dumber. Anyway back to Sidney, while he never had another big year like 1967, he still had lots of successful films. Other hits included The Defiant Ones (1958), A Raisin In The Sun (1961), Lilies of the Field (1963), A Patch Of Blue (1965), Uptown Saturday Night (1974), Let's Do It Again (1975), A Piece Of The Action (1977), Shoot To Kill (1988), Sneakers (1992), and The Jackal (1997). His career has spanned an impressive 40 years. Below are the numbers and rankings for his amazing year in 1967.
GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER (rank for the year-3rd) $25.5 million
TO SIR, WITH LOVE (8th) $19.1 million
IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT(12th) $11 million
Numbers provided by Box Office Report.com
GUESS WHO'S COMING TO DINNER (rank for the year-3rd) $25.5 million
TO SIR, WITH LOVE (8th) $19.1 million
IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT(12th) $11 million
Numbers provided by Box Office Report.com
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Birthday Roll Call
Here are some of today's birthdays:
DONNA REED (1921-1986)
BRIDGET FONDA (1964-present)
JAMES CROMWELL (1940-present)
INGRID THULIN (1926-2004)
DONNA REED (1921-1986)
BRIDGET FONDA (1964-present)
JAMES CROMWELL (1940-present)
INGRID THULIN (1926-2004)
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
All Good Things in February
Ah, the month of love. Who better than Vivien Leigh to be my classic movie goddess. I will be posting about Viv all month long with photos, facts and reviews of her films. My friend Debbie will be my guest for the month and Leigh happens to be one of her favorite actresses. Hopefully Debbie will shed some light on that subject of why Viv is one of her faves. Me and Dawn will be focusing on Great Screen Couples across our shared blogs. So look forward to posts on legendary couples such as Hepburn/Tracy, Bogie/Bacall, Powell/Loy and lots more. And I believe that me and that wonderful great new friend of mine, Irene Palfy of And Then They Start To Sparkle, will be doing some type of cross-over between our two blogs. I don't know what that will entail yet but knowing Irene, it should be something wild and crazy and fun. And in honor of Liz Taylor's birthday, I will be ranking my top 10 favorite screen performances of hers. So expect great things here on All Good Things in February. See ya soon.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Spending Time With Michelle Pfeiffer
Me and my wife, Stephanie have been watching several of Michelle Pfeiffer's films lately and a few of them I had never seen before. I've always loved Michelle Pfeiffer, going back to the 80's with such films like Married to the Mob, The Witches of Eastwicke, Tequila Sunrise and The Fabulous Baker Boys. She is a very underrated actress that most people can't look past her gorgeous beauty and see how very talented she is. My wife loves her like crazy and I will admit the same thing. Michelle has shown an amazing range of acting ability in all kinds of genres in films such as Wolf (horror), Batman Returns (action as the irrepressible Catwoman), Into The Night (comedy), What Lies Beneath (thriller) and Hairspray (musical). So by chance we've been watching some of her films on demand and it has turned into a little marathon.
The first movie we saw was the delightful and criminally under seen 2007 comedy I Could Never Be Your Woman, co-starring the equally talented Paul Rudd. Michelle displays a natural knack for comedy as a recently divorced TV producer and now single mom struggling with keeping her show on the air and also dealing with her love life, or lack thereof. Michelle reminded me of the great Carole Lombard in this film quite a bit because she is very funny and relaxed. She has great chemistry with Paul Rudd and with Saoirse Ronan as her daughter Izzie. This was a very good movie and I especially think mothers and daughters will enjoy it quite a lot.
Then we watched the 2008 drama Personal Effects, which is the total opposite of the first film. It's a very dark piece about two people moving forward with their lives after losing someone close to them. Michelle's co-star this time is Ashton Kutcher, who gives a credible dramatic performance as a young man dealing with the loss of his younger sister. Michelle is dealing with the loss of her husband. So they end up consoling each other and falling in love. The movie has some cheerful moments but for the most part it's very dark and depressing. Michelle manages to keep things from getting too dark thanks to her ever glowing face and a constant beautiful smile. Michelle is one of the few current actresses who can light up the screen with her mere presence. She is definitely a movie star. And a very good actress to boot.
Next up was Stardust, a wonderful fantasy from 2007 which cast Michelle as one of three witches who clash with a dashing young hero on a quest to save a shooting star (played by Claire Danes). When you first see Michelle in this movie, she is heavily made up as a grotesque hag but thanks to some magic, she is transformed into the stunning Michelle we all know and love. It's quite a breath-taking scene when you watch it. You will see that Michelle can still turn heads with quite the ease. Stardust is a fanciful movie that will remind you of The Princess Bride. It co-stars Robert DeNiro and Sienna Miller. And it's the rare film where Michelle gets to play an evil character and she does it quite well. I hope to continue our impromptu Pfeiffer Fest with several more of her films. I will have to dig through my DVDS to see what else I've got and what may be showing on demand as well. Regardless it's been great spending time the last few nights with such a talented and lovely woman. I hope she continues acting for a long time to come.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Jeanne Crain: Classic Movie Goddess of the month Part 3
Here are my favorite Jeanne Crain films, or her essential must see films. Either way, I recommend them strongly.
HOME IN INDIANA (1944) This is Jeanne's first credited movie role and she is terrific as Char Bruce, a tomboyish young girl who loves horses and and young troubled boy. A picturesque film with solid co-stars in Walter Brennan, Charlotte Greenwood, and June Haver. Crain was a fresh faced 18 year old when cast in this film.
STATE FAIR (1945) Another homespun family film with Jeanne now as the leading lady. While this may not be my favorite of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, State Fair is still a really good movie with Jeanne showing signs she is about to become a breakout star.
LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN (1946) Classic 40's melodrama that is mainly remembered for the unforgettable performance of Gene Tierney as the woman who does just about anything to keep her marriage intact. But Jeanne Crain gives a solid performance as Gene's younger sister. Grand Hollywood stuff.
APARTMENT FOR PEGGY (1948) A very underrated film which has Jeanne as a young mother to be who helps a old man (Edmund Gwenn) get over his suicidal tendencies. A very different kind of film which tackled the very serious issue of suicide. Jeanne gave one of her best performances ever. Co-starring William Holden as her husband.
A LETTER TO THREE WIVES (1949) Great drama focusing on three women who must deal with the fact that one of their husband has ran off with another woman and the details are left in a letter addressed to all three. Jeanne shares billing with Ann Sothern and Linda Darnell and they all give terrific performances.
PINKY (1949) Terrific film with three amazing performances by the three women: Jeanne, Ethel Barrymore and Ethel Waters. In this drama, Jeanne plays Pinky, a light skinned black woman, who returns to her grandmother's house in the South after graduating from a Northern nursing school. She was able to pass as a white woman and had to problems up north. But once back home, she has to deal with racism all over again. All three women were nominated for Oscars for their performances: Jeanne with a Best Actress and the two Ethels each received Best Supporting Actress nods. None of them won, but the fact they were all nominated shows how good a film this is.
CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN (1950) based on the real-life story of the Gilbreth family, follows them from Providence, Rhode Island, to Montclair, New Jersey, and details the amusing anecdotes found in large families. Co-starring Clifton Webb, Myrna Loy and Edgar Buchanan. Charming movie.
HOME IN INDIANA (1944) This is Jeanne's first credited movie role and she is terrific as Char Bruce, a tomboyish young girl who loves horses and and young troubled boy. A picturesque film with solid co-stars in Walter Brennan, Charlotte Greenwood, and June Haver. Crain was a fresh faced 18 year old when cast in this film.
STATE FAIR (1945) Another homespun family film with Jeanne now as the leading lady. While this may not be my favorite of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, State Fair is still a really good movie with Jeanne showing signs she is about to become a breakout star.
LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN (1946) Classic 40's melodrama that is mainly remembered for the unforgettable performance of Gene Tierney as the woman who does just about anything to keep her marriage intact. But Jeanne Crain gives a solid performance as Gene's younger sister. Grand Hollywood stuff.
APARTMENT FOR PEGGY (1948) A very underrated film which has Jeanne as a young mother to be who helps a old man (Edmund Gwenn) get over his suicidal tendencies. A very different kind of film which tackled the very serious issue of suicide. Jeanne gave one of her best performances ever. Co-starring William Holden as her husband.
A LETTER TO THREE WIVES (1949) Great drama focusing on three women who must deal with the fact that one of their husband has ran off with another woman and the details are left in a letter addressed to all three. Jeanne shares billing with Ann Sothern and Linda Darnell and they all give terrific performances.
PINKY (1949) Terrific film with three amazing performances by the three women: Jeanne, Ethel Barrymore and Ethel Waters. In this drama, Jeanne plays Pinky, a light skinned black woman, who returns to her grandmother's house in the South after graduating from a Northern nursing school. She was able to pass as a white woman and had to problems up north. But once back home, she has to deal with racism all over again. All three women were nominated for Oscars for their performances: Jeanne with a Best Actress and the two Ethels each received Best Supporting Actress nods. None of them won, but the fact they were all nominated shows how good a film this is.
CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN (1950) based on the real-life story of the Gilbreth family, follows them from Providence, Rhode Island, to Montclair, New Jersey, and details the amusing anecdotes found in large families. Co-starring Clifton Webb, Myrna Loy and Edgar Buchanan. Charming movie.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Under The Weather
Sorry I haven't been posting much as I've been sick. Caught a bug that's been going around and I've had the fever, sore throat, coughing, runny nose, the works. Been unable to go to work the last few days, but I seem to be over the worst of it now. I should be back to normal hopefully by the week-end and will make up for all the blogging I missed the past few days, including my favorite actor Cary Grant's birthday. See ya in a few.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
RIP Susannah York (1939 - 2011)
Susannah York, the British actress whose gamine looks and demure persona made her an icon of the swinging 60s, has died at the age of 72. She passed away Saturday following a long battle with bone marrow cancer.
York won acclaim for her roles in They Shoot Horses, Don't They? – the 1969 film role for which she was nominated for an Oscar and Golden Globe – as well as A Man For All Seasons in 1966 and as the feisty section officer who took on Kenneth More in the stirring second world war epic Battle of Britain in 1969.
She also had an extensive and critically acclaimed stage career, which included roles in The Singular Life of Albert Nobbs and Henry James's play Appearances, and continued to act late into her life. She was also a children's author, penning two fantasy novels.
Other notable film roles include Tom Jones (1963), The Killing of Sister George (1968), Happy Birthday Wanda June (1971), The Maids (1974), and Superman (1978) as Kal-El's birth mother Lara.
York won acclaim for her roles in They Shoot Horses, Don't They? – the 1969 film role for which she was nominated for an Oscar and Golden Globe – as well as A Man For All Seasons in 1966 and as the feisty section officer who took on Kenneth More in the stirring second world war epic Battle of Britain in 1969.
She also had an extensive and critically acclaimed stage career, which included roles in The Singular Life of Albert Nobbs and Henry James's play Appearances, and continued to act late into her life. She was also a children's author, penning two fantasy novels.
Other notable film roles include Tom Jones (1963), The Killing of Sister George (1968), Happy Birthday Wanda June (1971), The Maids (1974), and Superman (1978) as Kal-El's birth mother Lara.
Monday, January 10, 2011
A New Series: From The Past To Now - Jimmy Stewart and Tom Hanks
Here is the new series I mentioned last month I would be doing comparing an actor/actress from yesteryear to one of today. The first choice is Jimmy Stewart and Tom Hanks. And that these two men would be comparable is no surprise. Hanks quickly became a heir apparent to Jimmy thanks to his same everyday appeal. Both men had similar starts in their careers. Stewart would have bit parts in films such as Wife vs Secretary with top billed Clark Cable, Myrna Loy and Jean Harlow and Rose Marie with Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy before scoring leading roles in Vivacious Lady, You Can't Take It With You, and Made For Each Other. Hanks meanwhile got his start on TV in small roles on such series as Happy Days, Taxi and The Love Boat. He then moved on to lead on the comedy series Bosom Buddies. Humble beginnings for both men. Stewart would soon become a huge star thanks to such big films like Mr. Smith Goes To Washington, The Philadelphia Story (his only Oscar came here), Destry Rides Again, and The Shop Around The Corner. All coming while in his early 30's. A few years later would come the all time holiday classic It's A Wonderful Life. Hanks would have similar success at the same age with comedy hits such as Bachelor Party, Splash, The Money Pit, Dragnet and Big.
After playing such stalwart good guys, Stewart would soon turn over a new leaf during the 1950's by appearing in complicated westerns done by Anthony Mann and top notch thrillers by Hitchcock such as Vertigo and Rear Window. Stewart was at his best when working with these two highly respected directors. Hanks would get similar chances to shine with different types of films other than comedies. He would appear in such sterling dramas like Philadelphia (for which he won a Best Actor Oscar), Apollo 13, Forrest Gump (another Best Actor Oscar) and Saving Private Ryan. Hanks would also appear in the hugely family animated series of films Toy Story. Hanks best films came under the direction of Ron Howard (yes Opie from The Andy Griffith Show) and Steven Spielberg. The only difference between the two men would be that Stewart appeared in about twenty westerns. So far Hanks has made not one single western. But Hanks did remake one of Jimmy's older films. He remade the sentimental classic The Shop Around The Corner into the likeable You've Got Mail.
Hanks would be constantly compared to Stewart thanks to his good guy, aw shucks demeanor and most film goers enjoyed both men's films. True there are a lot of non Hanks fans more so than non Stewart fans but you still can't help but see the connection between the two stars. And for the record I am a fan of both. So this is the start of a wonderful new series that I hope to being doing at least once a month. Everyone let me know what you think.
Penny Serenade (1941) - a rediscovered classic
A friend of mine from work was recently telling me that her VHS copy of Penny Serenade (1941) the Cary Grant/Irene Dunne tearjerker is on its last legs. I told her I thought I had an extra DVD copy of because I record so many movies on TCM, I sometimes lose track of which ones I've recorded. Lo and behold I had two copies of Penny Serenade. Well its been a few years since I seen it, so I decided to watch it again and it's better than I remember. The story has Cary as dashing news reporter Roger Adams, who meets and falls in love with record store clerk Julie (Irene Dunne). They get married and travel to Japan for Grant's assignment. It's there where an earthquake hits and Julie who is pregnant loses the baby and the ability to conceive again. The couple are able to adopt a little girl later on but tragedy strikes again. Expertly directed by George Stevens who is able to mix light comedy with the heavy drama with ease. Grant and Dunne are superb together and it proves my point that Irene was Cary's best co-star. Look for Edgar Buchanan in a scene stealing role as Uncle Applejack, who helps the couple out from time to time. And for those who say Cary can't really act outside of screwball comedies, just take a look at the scene where he pleads with the judge to not take his adopted child away from him. That 5 minute sequence is one of Cary's or anyone else for that matter, best film performances ever. Penny Serenade is a great movie. One of those timeless classics and I'm glad I'm able to give a copy to one of my friends so she can have it forever now.
A
A
Jeanne Crain - Classic Movie Goddess of the Month Part 2
Here are notable facts and trivia about Jeanne found on IMDB:
Devoutly Catholic mother of 7.
Although frequently cast in musicals, she herself was not a singer. Louanne Hogan was specifically under contract so that she could dub the singing in all her musicals.
Won the "Miss Camera Girl of 1942" title in Long Beach, Florida, and given a contract by Fox.
By the time she left Fox studios in 1956, she was making $3,500 a week.
Long-time husband, Paul Brooks, was an RKO contract player at one time, briefly appearing in the movie Those Endearing Young Charms (1945). He went by the stage name of Paul Brooks, but gave it all up to become a highly successful businessman.
Children with Paul Brooks: Paul F. Brinkman Jr. (b. 6 April 1947), Michael (b. 21 January 1949), Timothy (b. 2 August 1950), Jeanine (b. 5 March 1952), Lisabette (b. 21 November 1958), Maria (b. 10 January 1961), Christopher (b. 5 May 1965).
Two of her children, Michael and Christopher, predeceased her.
In her retirement years, she and her husband spent most of their time working at two of their ranches.
Crain, who starred in the original 1950 film version of Cheaper by the Dozen (1950) sadly passed away just twelve days before the release of the remake of the same film starring Steve Martin.
Her youngest child, son Christopher Brinkman, was the original lead guitarist for the rock group Jane's Addiction (1985-1986). He died of a drug overdose in 1997.
Devoutly Catholic mother of 7.
Although frequently cast in musicals, she herself was not a singer. Louanne Hogan was specifically under contract so that she could dub the singing in all her musicals.
Won the "Miss Camera Girl of 1942" title in Long Beach, Florida, and given a contract by Fox.
By the time she left Fox studios in 1956, she was making $3,500 a week.
Long-time husband, Paul Brooks, was an RKO contract player at one time, briefly appearing in the movie Those Endearing Young Charms (1945). He went by the stage name of Paul Brooks, but gave it all up to become a highly successful businessman.
Children with Paul Brooks: Paul F. Brinkman Jr. (b. 6 April 1947), Michael (b. 21 January 1949), Timothy (b. 2 August 1950), Jeanine (b. 5 March 1952), Lisabette (b. 21 November 1958), Maria (b. 10 January 1961), Christopher (b. 5 May 1965).
Two of her children, Michael and Christopher, predeceased her.
In her retirement years, she and her husband spent most of their time working at two of their ranches.
Crain, who starred in the original 1950 film version of Cheaper by the Dozen (1950) sadly passed away just twelve days before the release of the remake of the same film starring Steve Martin.
Her youngest child, son Christopher Brinkman, was the original lead guitarist for the rock group Jane's Addiction (1985-1986). He died of a drug overdose in 1997.
Saturday, January 8, 2011
All Good Things 2010 Year In Review
I decided to do a post reviewing my first full year on All Good Things. 2010 was a great year if I must say so. To all of my followers who didn't know, I started All Good Things in October 2009 and it really took off in 2010. It was fun blogging about classic movies and meeting fellow fans as well. I did a mammoth 325 posts in 2010 which I thought was a lot. I will break down my review of 2010 by months. So here we go.
MAY - The weather was starting to warm up and things were started to heat up on my blog. I chose Bette Davis for my CMG. And I posted a list of her 8 essential films along with other facts and pictures. I did birthday shout-outs to John Wayne, Anne Baxter and Jeanne Crain. I started yet another series called Be My Guest and which I asked guest bloggers to answer some questions about their favorites. My first guest was my new friend Kori, who writes the fantastic blog Blonde Episodes. Be My Guest would soon become one of my favorite attractions on here. I did a memorial on the recently passed Lena Horne. Had a good morning from Donna Reed. And I wrote a piece on That Girl, one of my favorite TV comedies of yesteryear.
JUNE - The start of summer began in full with Donna Reed being my CMG. I did birthday tributes to Marilyn Monroe and Rosalind Russell. My poll of the month asked the question from what movie did modern audiences know Grace Kelly from and to my surprise a whopping 30% had no clue to who Grace was. Unbelievable. Anyway I started yet another new series called FUN SUMMER MOVIES, which focused on those summer films that I recall fondly seeing at the theaters while growing up. First up was Back to the Future and Raiders of the lost ark. My guest blogger for the month was my best blogging friend Dawn, who handles other wonderful blogs such as Noir & Flick Chicks, Betty Grable, Saddles and Spurs, Esther Williams and more. And I aslo posted my favorite 30 classic actresses list, one of my best posts ever.
OCTOBER - I did something different for this month as I focused on the women of Hammer Studio Films instead of one particular actress for my CMG. I wrote about Hazel Court and Joanna Lumley. I also chose a classic horror movie a day and wrote about it. Included were Cat People, The Innocents, Psycho, The Uninvited, The Wicker Man, I Walked with a Zombie, Rosemary's Baby, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? and lots more. I also started a new series dedicated to all things Grace Kelly entitled If It's Tuesday, Then It Must Be Grace Kelly, which has been a lot of fun to do. I did birthday tributes to Rita Hayworth, Janet Leigh, Miriam Hopkins, Catherine Deneuve and Constance Bennett. And I did another films comparison between The Best Years of our Lives and Since You Went Away.
NOVEMBER - Things got back to normal this month as Ginger Rogers was the CMG. My guest blogger was actually me. I decided that most of my followers don't know all about me. So I took the guest spot to answer my own question. It was kind of weird but still fun to do. I did a tribute to my grandmother who recently passed from Alzheimer's. Birthday tributes included Grace Kelly and Vivien Leigh. The poll of the month asked the question what was your favorite Fred and Ginger movie. The winner was Top Hat. I wrote reviews for The Chalk Garden starring Deborah Kerr and Hayley Mills and Make Your Own Bed with Jane Wyman and Jack Carson.
DECEMBER - The year winds down with the month of Christmas. Barbara Stanwyck was my CMG. I joined in on Sally's 12 Days of Christmas event on her blog Flying Down To Hollywood. She asked friends and fellow bloggers to write about a favorite Christmas movie and I chose The Man Who Came To Dinner. My poll of the month asked the question what was your favorite Stanwyck Christmas movie, Remember the Night or Christmas In Connecticut. The winner was Connecticut by 3 votes, which is my favorite Christmas movie of all time. Anastasia of Lily Lemontree was my guest blogger for the month. I did birthday tributes to Frank Sinatra, Lee Remick, and Denzel Washington. I posted my favorite Christmas movies of all time. I wrote a review of the great film Golden Boy. And another review of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. And that will wrap up my 2010 review. Thanks to all my followers for reading my blog and I hope 2011 with be even better.
JANUARY - I continued my Classic Movie Goddess Series with Grace Kelly, which turned out to be one of my best choices. I love Grace Kelly. I also spotlighted the underrated actress Gail Patrick. I also had my first annual awards selection called The Monties, choosing my favorite films and TV series along with actors and actresses of the modern era. I only did 13 posts in total for the month of January as I had an accident coming home from West Virginia during a snowstorm. But I still thought January was a good month. Next month would be a much more productive month. Oh I also posted a review of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, a terrific screwball comedy with my favorite actress of all time Carole Lombard and directed by the master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock? Yeah, Hitch's only true comedy.
FEBRUARY - The shortest month of the year yielded 37 posts by me as I was very busy blogging away. Elizabeth Taylor was my CMG (classic movie goddess). And I wrote a piece about one of her legendary screen performances in Who's Afraid Of Virgina Woolf? And another review of Cat on A Hot Tin Roof. I started a new series simply called Good Morning, which featured a photo of an actress simply saying Good Morning to all my followers. Some of the actresses included Ann-Margret, Paulette Goddard and June Allyson. I also posted Happy Birthdays to such notables as Jack Lemmon, Lana Turner, and Kathryn Grayson. In honor of the Oscars, I did a post on great actors and actresses who were never nominated for an Oscar which included such shockers like Joseph Cotten, Errol Flynn and Myrna Loy. I did a post on Dirk Bogarde as thanks to my friend Kate Gabrielle of Silents and Talkies for introducing me to this wonderful actor. I also did reviews for These Three (1936), The Lady Eve (1941) and Five Came back (1939). Whew! Like I said I was quite busy in February but I enjoyed every single minute of it.
MARCH - My birthday month came in like a lion with a total of 29 posts including Ann Sheridan as my CMG of the month. I did reviews on Rio Bravo, Bringing Up Baby and the new film The Blind Side, starring Sandra Bullock. I also started a new series called Iconic Photos which featured fondly remembered pics from well known classics. I kicked the series off with the classic Marilyn Monroe comedy, The Seven Year Itch. And I did a poll asking the question who were your favorite movie pair? And I had an awesome response of 51 votes and the winners were Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.
APRIL - Myrna Loy kicked off the month of April as my CMG. I reviewed her wonderful Thin Man series that starred her and William Powell. I wrote a piece called Why Cary Grant is my favorite actor. I continued my iconic photos with Rita Hayworth as Gilda. And my latest poll asked the question if it wasn't for Gone With The Wind winning Best Film of 1939, what other movie from that year would you have chosen. It was a landslide victory by The Wizard of Oz with a whopping 68% of the vote. WOW! And I had a couple of good mornings from Betty Grable and Esther Williams.
MAY - The weather was starting to warm up and things were started to heat up on my blog. I chose Bette Davis for my CMG. And I posted a list of her 8 essential films along with other facts and pictures. I did birthday shout-outs to John Wayne, Anne Baxter and Jeanne Crain. I started yet another series called Be My Guest and which I asked guest bloggers to answer some questions about their favorites. My first guest was my new friend Kori, who writes the fantastic blog Blonde Episodes. Be My Guest would soon become one of my favorite attractions on here. I did a memorial on the recently passed Lena Horne. Had a good morning from Donna Reed. And I wrote a piece on That Girl, one of my favorite TV comedies of yesteryear.
JULY - A scorching summer continues into the month of July with the ever perky Debbie Reynolds as the main attraction of the month. My guest blogger was Tracy aka Gilby37, who I met on the blog What We're Watching on TV. Fun Summer Movies continued with Jurassic Park, Soapdish, Star Wars and Big. A load of birthday tributes included Olivia de Havilland, Harrison Ford, Barbara Stanwyck, Ginger Rogers, Natalie Wood and Sandra Bullock. And I wrote a review of my favorite Alfred Hitchcock film, The Lady Vanishes.
AUGUST - Rosalind Russell led the way in August as my CMG. Fun Summer Movies continued with The Goonies and Single White Female. I had birthday tributes for Myrna Loy, Rhonda Fleming, Norma Shearer, Ella Raines, and Esther Williams. My guest blogger was Laura of Laura's Miscellaneous Musings. I did my favorite 25 Cary Grant films. I wrote a great review of Stage Door. And I started another series of comparing two similar films. Up first was Breakfast at Tiffany's and Butterfield 8.
SEPTEMBER - If I had to list my favorite CMG that I have done so far, this month's actress Natalie Wood would be at the top. While she may not be my favorite actress, I had a wonderful time writing about her the entire month. And for the record, Natalie ranks 17th on my favorite classic actresses of all time. My guest blogger was Sarah from And..Scene. I did birthday tributes to Raquel Welch, Margaret Lockwood, and Deborah Kerr. And I wrote reviews on Peyton Place and Waterloo Bridge.OCTOBER - I did something different for this month as I focused on the women of Hammer Studio Films instead of one particular actress for my CMG. I wrote about Hazel Court and Joanna Lumley. I also chose a classic horror movie a day and wrote about it. Included were Cat People, The Innocents, Psycho, The Uninvited, The Wicker Man, I Walked with a Zombie, Rosemary's Baby, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? and lots more. I also started a new series dedicated to all things Grace Kelly entitled If It's Tuesday, Then It Must Be Grace Kelly, which has been a lot of fun to do. I did birthday tributes to Rita Hayworth, Janet Leigh, Miriam Hopkins, Catherine Deneuve and Constance Bennett. And I did another films comparison between The Best Years of our Lives and Since You Went Away.
NOVEMBER - Things got back to normal this month as Ginger Rogers was the CMG. My guest blogger was actually me. I decided that most of my followers don't know all about me. So I took the guest spot to answer my own question. It was kind of weird but still fun to do. I did a tribute to my grandmother who recently passed from Alzheimer's. Birthday tributes included Grace Kelly and Vivien Leigh. The poll of the month asked the question what was your favorite Fred and Ginger movie. The winner was Top Hat. I wrote reviews for The Chalk Garden starring Deborah Kerr and Hayley Mills and Make Your Own Bed with Jane Wyman and Jack Carson.
DECEMBER - The year winds down with the month of Christmas. Barbara Stanwyck was my CMG. I joined in on Sally's 12 Days of Christmas event on her blog Flying Down To Hollywood. She asked friends and fellow bloggers to write about a favorite Christmas movie and I chose The Man Who Came To Dinner. My poll of the month asked the question what was your favorite Stanwyck Christmas movie, Remember the Night or Christmas In Connecticut. The winner was Connecticut by 3 votes, which is my favorite Christmas movie of all time. Anastasia of Lily Lemontree was my guest blogger for the month. I did birthday tributes to Frank Sinatra, Lee Remick, and Denzel Washington. I posted my favorite Christmas movies of all time. I wrote a review of the great film Golden Boy. And another review of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. And that will wrap up my 2010 review. Thanks to all my followers for reading my blog and I hope 2011 with be even better.