Carole Lombard and Myrna Loy are at it again....

For the third year in a row, Carole Lombard and Myrna Loy are facing each other in a match in the 30's bracket of the favorite classic movie actress tourney. It's become old hat for these two ladies and I got a chance to sit down with them both to talk about it.

Me: Good afternoon ladies. So glad you could take a break to come on here to talk tourney stuff.
I didn't expect you to bring guests though (Seated by the two women are Clark Gable, Charles Laughton and Melvyn Douglas).

Carole: Well we all just came from this dinner party and the guys were interested in this tourney.
Myrna: Yes..especially Melvyn. He kept asking how Greta was doing.
Me: So you girls match is now underway and this makes three years in a row you have faced each other. Is it getting old?
Carole: Oh god no. I love sparring against Myrna. She makes for great competition.
Myrna: Oh, why thank you Carole. But since you have beaten me two years running, I don't know if I'm really that much competition.
Carole: You are my dear. You actually have me nervous. I would have much rather faced Jean Arthur. 
No offense to Jean.
Me: speaking of Jean...both of you had to get by a Jean in your previous match. Carole you faced Jean Harlow while Myrna faced Jean Arthur. Very similar matches and results too.
Carole: yes, me and Myrna seemed to be destined for each other. (Clark raises his eyebrow on that remark)
Myrna: I for one can't wait for this match to be over..it is all so very stressful.

Me: any plans for after the match?
Melvyn chimes in: Oh yes my good man, a huge party like no other. For the winner and loser, we're gonna celebrate in high style.
Carole: Oh really...I did not know that. 
Me: I'm sure that will be some party.
Myrna: Oh yes nothing but the best. All who attend will be drunk and passed out by midnight. That reminds me I have to give Bill a call (William Powell, I assume who she means)
Me: Well I don't want  to hold you guys up any longer. I will let you get back to your fun and good luck to both of you on the match.
Carole and Myrna in unison: Thank you Monty!
Myrna adds: yes for putting us through this yet again....
Clark: I do not envy you Monty..for all the actresses that face one another that loses...do you get some blame for that?
Monty: ummm not too much.
Charles: bully for you!
Monty: ummm thank you....

March Madness continues....

Be My Guest - Tina Cosio

My guest for this month is my Tina Cosio, a friend I met on FB through the love of classic movies and film groups on Facebook. Let's get started and there is no number one question for Tina as she does not currently write a blog.

2.)  Who are your favorite classic film stars: 

Tina: Gary Cooper, Joseph Cotten, Gregory Peck, Paul Newman, Jimmy Stewart, Clark Gable, Deborah Kerr, Marilyn Monroe, Jennifer Jones, Bette Davis, Ingrid Bergman, Natalie Wood

Me: We share some of the same favorites in Newman, Kerr, Monroe, Gable, Davis and Wood.

3)What are some of your favorite films?

Tina:  Gone With The Wind, Dr. Zhivago, To Kill A Mockingbird, Rear Window, Casablanca, Now, Voyager, Song of Bernadette, The Searchers, Mrs. Miniver, Jezebel, Some Like It Hot, The Sundowners, Roman Holiday, Portrait of Jennie, Little Women

Me: Some big time classics there Tina..love Rear Window, The Searchers, Some Like It Hot, To Kill a Mockingbird and Mrs. Miniver.

4) My first classic movie experience was when I was a child. Every Sunday, my mom would take my brother and I to the movies. We would see classic Mexican movies with stars like Maria Felix, Pedro Infante, Sylvia Pinal, Libertad LaMarque

Me: Awesome Tina!

5)What films upon first viewing did you not like, then later on when re-watching them, loved them? 

Tina: Casablanca, Roman Holiday

Me: I liked Casablanca the first time I saw it. Holiday not so much.

6) What's the perfect way to watch a classic film?

 Tina: The perfect way for me to watch a classic film is on TV with a bowl of popcorn.

Me: I second that

7)  How many friends, family member or co-workers share your love of classic films?

Tina: Michael, my son, likes classic movies especially Italian classics. 

Me: cool

8) Tina: My favorite time period is the 40's. 

Me: My favorite era is the 30's..but I love the 40's too.

9) Tina: My fav film quotes: The stuff that dreams are made of, Fasten your seatbelts it's gonna be a bumpy ride (All About Eve) Oh, Jerry, don;t let's ask for the moon. We have the stars.(Now, Voyager) You're not to smart are you? I like that in a man (Bodyheat) 

Me: Some great film quotes you picked there

10)What classic films have you yet to see for one reason or another?

 Not sure about this one Monty

11) Tina: Favorite genre: Musicals, Romance

Me: Ahhhh...music and romance..what a combination

12) If you threw a movie theme party, describe how you would do it. The costumes, decorations, food, etc.

Tina: If I were to throw a movie theme party I would have to pick The Great Gatsby. I would have the invitations hand delivered. My guests would be picked up in 1920's vintage cars. The party would be in Napa, CA. In a white outdoor tent with chandeliers. We would start with a reception with live entertainment before a sit down dinner. The waiters would be dressed in 1920's style clothing. The waitresses would be dressed as flappers. The menu would consist of comfort food. Nothing over the top just delicious. Followed by dessert. And lots of champagne of course!

Me: Count me in...

13) What are some films that are widely loved that you couldn't care less about?

Tina: Try as I might I do not care for silent films. Not any movie in particular all of them. 

Me: I've only seen a handful of silents but I would like to see some more.

14)  Who’s the biggest film fanatic that you know? Besides yourself of course.

Tina: cannot for the life of me think of one person who is a film fanatic. All my friends love movies!

Me: cool!

15) And finally who are some of your favorite film characters?

Tina: Scarlett O'Hara, Stella Dallas, Holly Golightly, Atticus Finch,

 Me: Can't go wrong with any of those characters.

Well that wraps up another guest for this month. I like to thank Tina for accepting my invite to come aboard and I think she did an awesome job.

Round Three begins now...

I decided to start round three of the Favorite Screwball Tourney match today instead of waiting tomorrow. Here are the four scheduled matches that sees what film wins their respective brackets: Capra, Lubitsch, Hawks and Sturges. The matches will run through Thursday. Of note, my two favorite stars of all time, Cary Grant and Carole Lombard both have two films still left competing...along with William Powell and Barbara Stanwyck, they represent the only stars with multiple films still in play. 

FRANK CAPRA BRACKET

1 IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT (1934)

VS

2 HIS GIRL FRIDAY (1940)

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

HOWARD HAWKS BRACKET

1 MY MAN GODFREY (1936)

VS

7 BALL OF FIRE (1941)

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

ERNST LUBITSCH BRACKET

2 THE THIN MAN (1934)

VS

4 THE LADY EVE (1941)

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

PRESTON STURGES BRACKET

1 BRINGING UP BABY (1938)

VS

2 TO BE OR NOT TO BE (1942)

The first round of Favorite Screwball Film Tourney is in the books

The first round of The Favorite Screwball Film Tourney is in the books and with the exception of three upsets, most of the expected winners are moving on to round 2. The upsets included one of the four major top seeds..Trouble in Paradise losing to My Favorite Wife 23-15. Paradise made a gallant comeback as it was done early by the score of 13-2, but fell short. Another upset occurred when third seed Libeled Lady fell to sixth seed The Palm Beach Story by the count of 20-17. And a mild upset took place when 2nd seed Sullivan's Travels lost to 7th seed Ball Of Fire by the score of 22-20. The other matches were pretty much blow-outs except for Theodora Goes Wild and Topper engaging in a close 19-17 thriller. Here are the complete scores below:

Just hold on a minute baby and let me get ready for round 2

IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT 34
THE MORE THE MERRIER 8

MERRILY WE LIVE 22
THE GILDED LILY 7

THE PHILADELPHIA STORY 26
TWENTIETH CENTURY 16

HIS GIRL FRIDAY 37
THE MAJOR AND THE MINOR 8

MY MAN GODFREY 33
EASY LIVING 8

See it says it right there..The Awful Truth wins..so I actually 

beat myself if you can believe that

THE AWFUL TRUTH 25
ARSENIC AND OLD LACE 18

YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU 24
BLUEBEARD'S EIGHTH WIFE 12

BALL OF FIRE 22
SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS 20

MY FAVORITE WIFE 23
TROUBLE IN PARADISE 15

THE LADY EVE 22
NINOTCHKA 16

THE PALM BEACH STORY 20
LIBELED LADY 17

THE THIN MAN 27
HOLIDAY 11

BRINGING UP BABY 34
BOMBSHELL 5

MIDNIGHT 27
THE GOOD FAIRY 8

TO BE OR NOT TO BE 30
THE DEVIL AND MISS JONES 6

THEODORA GOES WILD 19
TOPPER 17

Some stats:

Cary Grant started with the most films competing in this tourney with 8...he now has five left. Still the most by anyone else.

Carole Lombard, Irene Dunne and Barbara Stanwyck are perfect. Carole and Irene started with three films each and Barbara started with two. All of their films moved on to the next round.

Jean Arthur avoided a possible shut out as one of her films made it to round 2. Easy Living and The More The Merrier got sent packing but You Can't Take It With You won it's match.

Second round action with the remaining 16 films will begin Sunday evening. So everybody take a breather and come back then for round 2.

My love of classic films is beyond measure

Monty

Team Classic dominates the first week of Lombard Cup

2012

  LOMBARD CUP

Team                                                                        Team
Classic    4 points                                                    Modern 1 point
                                 
Five matches. Four wins by Team Classic. The classic era of actors are off to a 4-1 point advantage over their modern counterparts. In match 1, Steve McQueen beat Clint Eastwood 20-11, gaining 64% of all votes. In match 2, Spencer Tracy topped Tom Cruise 22-10. Team Modern picked up their only win and point when Harrison Ford beat James Cagney 18-14. Ford was down the first two days but rallied to tie Cagney on Wednesday and then pull away today. In match 4, the marquee match-up, which was anything but as Cary Grant steamrolled Johnny Depp 29-6 for 82% of the vote. Surprisingly that was not the largest margin of victory. That took place in match 5 as Clark Gable just decimated Daniel Day Lewis 28-5 for an 84% share of the votes. I want to think everyone who voted for this first week of Lombard Cup action and I will post the match ups for week 2 by Saturday. And then those matches will kick off Sunday evening. 

MATCH 1 STEVE MCQUEEN 20 CLINT EASTWOOD 11
MATCH 2 SPENCER TRACY 22 TOM CRUISE 10
MATCH 3 HARRISON FORD 18 JAMES CAGNEY 14
MATCH 4 CARY GRANT 29 JOHNNY DEPP 6
MATCH 5 CLARK GABLE 28 DANIEL DAY LEWIS 5

All smiles for the Gables as Clark won his match quite easily!

The Lombard Cup Week One (Day 1 Update)

The Lombard Cup is underway and after one day it is evident Team Classic has come to play. They lead in all five matches but two of those are by a close margin. The blow-outs are Steve McQueen rolling over Clint Eastwood 12-2. Cary Grant taking care of Johnny Depp 12-3. And The King, Clark Gable handily ahead of Daniel Day-Lewis 12-1. The two close matches are Spencer Tracy ahead of Tom Cruise 8-6. And Jimmy Cagney clinging to a one point edge over Harrison Ford 8-7. Day 2 continues today.

Carole with her guy Clark as he is riding to a certain victory...

Happy Birthday Carole Lombard (1908 - 1942)

Everyone knows that Carole Lombard is my favorite actress of all time! Today marks what would be her 104th birthday. Carole died at the very young age of 33 in that tragic plane crash delivering war bonds. Her mother was with her on that fateful plane as well. When it comes to screwball comedies, Carole is the queen.  To Be Or Not To Be, Nothing Sacred, Twentieth Century, My Man Godfrey, Hands Across The Table, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, and so on. She also showed her dramatic range in films like In Name Only, Made For Each Other and Vigil in the Night. I plan on watching several of her films this weekend to mark this occasion.
\Happy Birthday Carole! You were the best!

31 Stars in 31 Days: Day 2 - AVA GARDNER

Today my star selection is Ava Gardner. One of the most beautiful women ever to grace the silver screen. And a lot more talented than people gave her credit for. Here are some of my fave things about Ava. One of which being her passion for going barefoot a lot. I think my friend Irene would agree with me on that.

Favorite Ava film: THE NIGHT OF THE IGUANA (1964)
Favorite Ava role: Kitty Collins -THE KILLERS (1946)
Favorite Ava co-star: Clark Gable (THE HUCKSTERS, MOGAMBO)
Number of  Ava Films seen so far: 16 out of 68

Star of the day, Ava Gardner

Today's Film: THE HUCKSTERS (1947) Much star power in this film. Besides Ava, we have Clark Gable, Deborah Kerr, Sydney Greenstreet, Edward Arnold, Keenan Wynn and Adolphe Menjou. Set in the world of advertising, Gable plays  Victor Norman, fresh out of the service and looking for a job. Lands one at an advertising agency when he lands a rich widow (Deborah Kerr, never better) as a endorsee to a major client. Ava enters the picture as Jean Ogilvie, a singer, aspiring to be an actress. And who also happens to be an old flame of Victor, which creates some tension between him, her and Kay (Kerr's character). 

Ava is stunning to say the least and quite funny.  Check out this line when she meets Victor's boss...

Mr. Kimberly: aren't you pretty Ms. Ogilvie.
Jean: Why, aren't you nice...I'm doing my hair differently.

I may not be a woman, but this outfit Ava wears is just awesome!

She is like that pretty much the whole movie. Along with Gable and Kerr, the acting by these three is top notch. And nobody says darling better than Ms. Kerr. Plus Ava and Deborah wear some of the best clothes one could ask for!

Rating: *** out of *****

Let me show you a little trick here Clarkie...

Classic Film Survey Hosted by: Frankly, My Dear

Rianna of Frankly, My Dear started this wonderful survey this month and I had to join in on the fun, as I noticed so many of my friends were doing it. Plus Rianna's blog is so cool. So here are my answers and if you wish to take the survey as well, here is the link to Rianna's blog. Tell her Monty sent you...

Frankly, My Dear

1. Favorite Classic Disney?

Lady and The Tramp (1955) A great family movie and one of Disney's best. I love dogs so this was a treat to watch growing up. I watch it at least once a year. Can't go wrong with this one. Just a wonderful film.

2. Favorite film from the year 1939?

As heralded as Gone With The Wind is from that golden year, my favorite is The Women. I mean an all-star cast of some of the biggest actresses in one film: Shearer, Crawford, Russell, Fontaine, Goddard. Laughs aplenty and some excellent acting by the ladies.

3. Favorite Carole Lombard screwball role?

Tough one for me since Carole is my fave actress of all time and I loved her in pretty much everything she did. If I had to choose only one though I would go with her role as Ann Krausheimer in Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Love her in that one. Too funny.

4. Favorite off screen couple? (It's ok if it ended in divorce)

Clark Gable and Carole Lombard...hands down

5. Favorite pair of best friends? (i.e - Jimmy Stewart and Henry Fonda, Joan Crawford and Barbara Stanwyck, etc.)


I would say Elizabeth Taylor and Roddy McDowall. Their friendship just seemed so real.

6. Favorite actor with a mustache? (i.e: Charlie Chaplin, William Powell)

William Powell

7. Favorite blonde actress?

Grace Kelly..without a doubt.

8. Favorite pre-code?

I would probably say Gold Diggers of 1933

9.  Which studio would you have liked to join?

Warner Bros would be cool, but I think I will have to go with MGM first. Then maybe later on be signed by WB.

10. Favorite common on screen pairing that SHOULD have gotten married?

I would say Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland

11.  Favorite I Love Lucy episode?

The one where she meets William Holden

12. Lucille Ball, Audrey Hepburn, Katharine Hepburn, Natalie Wood, Grace Kelly, Ingrid Bergman, and Greer Garson - which one do you like the best?

Grace Kelly!

13. Shadowy film noir from the 1940's or splashy colorful musicals from the 1950's?

I love them both but if I had to choose one, I would pick the film noir's of the 40's.

14.  Actor or actress with the best autograph (photo preferred)?

Ruth Hussey

15.  A baby (or childhood or teenage) photo of either your favorite actress or actor (or both, if you'd like)?

Carole Lombard

And done...I must admit that was a lot of fun. Can't wait to do another one!

You see..I'm rhyming...that's how much fun I had!