ROUND 3 begins tomorrow (The Brackets Finals Matches)

Tomorrow begins round 3 of the 2014 Favorite Classic Movie Actress Tourney and we move into the final matches for the brackets of each era.

Two actresses competing in each category in each era to see who will move on to the sweet sixteen round next week. Here are the match-ups

scheduled to begin on Tuesday in each era. Since I am hosting the 60’s era portion I will  begin with the match-ups taking place here. There are

three top seeds left in this era after Diana Rigg got shown the exit door last round. Natalie Wood, Catherine Deneuve and Anne Bancroft.

But they all will have some tough competition to face. In the song and dance category, Natalie Wood faces Shirley MacLaine, which should give

Natalie her toughest challenge so far. In the Foreign Affair bracket, top seed Catherine Deneuve squares off against 2nd seed Romy Schneider,

which might be the best match of all four. In the All-American Girls bracket, Anne Bancroft takes on 3rd seed Lee Remick, which should be an

interesting match. And finally 2nd seed Elizabeth Taylor looks to continue her winning ways since coming from the 50’s era bracket, takes on the

lowest seed remaining in 5th seed Jean Simmons. Matches will run through Sunday evening!

A FOREIGN AFFAIR BRACKET

SONG AND DANCE BRACKET

BRITISH INVASION BRACKET

ALL-AMERICAN GIRLS BRACKET

Here are the links to the other blogs to cast your votes in the other eras:

The 30's era:
http://www.rozrussell.com/

The 40's era:
http://journeysinclassicfilm.com/

The 50's era:
http://mythicalmonkey.blogspot.com/

Tourney Update Round 2 (second set of brackets)

Here's an update with the latest numbers in the 2014 Favorite Classic Movie Actress Tourney in all four eras. And I posted the link to each era to go cast your votes if you haven't done so already. Matches in the 30's, 50's and 60's eras will run through Sunday night, while the matches in the 40's will wrap up a day later on Monday. 

30'S ERA:

BARBARA STANWYCK leads MARLENE DIETRICH 40-6
NORMA SHEARER leads GLENDA FARRELL 37-6
JOAN BLONDELL leads JEANETTE MACDONALD 26-20
ELEANOR POWELL leads BILLIE BURKE 21-19
http://www.rozrussell.com/

40'S ERA:

ROSALIND RUSSELL and BETTE DAVIS tied 21-21
JUDY GARLAND leads AVA GARDNER 28-13
INGRID BERGMAN leads VIVIEN LEIGH 22-18
OLIVIA DE HAVILLAND leads MAUREEN O'HARA 26-15
http://journeysinclassicfilm.com/


50'S ERA:

AUDREY HEPBURN leads EVA MARIE SAINT 32-7
SUSAN HAYWARD leads JUDY HOLLIDAY 29-11
GRACE KELLY leads SOPHIA LOREN 28-11
LANA TURNER leads KIM NOVAK 23-15
http://mythicalmonkey.blogspot.com/

60'S ERA:

ROMY SCHNEIDER leads ANNA KARINA 29-8
CATHERINE DENEUVE leads CLAUDIA CARDINALE 27-13
SHIRLEY MACLAINE leads SHIRLEY JOENS 22-19
NATALIE WOOD leads ANN-MARGRET 36-8

Round 2 (Song and Dance/A Foreign Affair Brackets)

Here are the match-ups for the song and dance/a foreign affair brackets) which will conclude round 2. And it will be the top 4 actresses competing in these particular brackets, and no dark horses this time around. In the Song and Dance bracket, top seed Natalie Wood will face 4th seed Ann-Margret, who survived last round's back and forth match with Barbra Streisand. Then the second match will feature the Shirleys as 2nd seed Shirley Jones squares off against 3rd seed Shirley MacLaine in a rematch from last year, which saw Jones win. Over in the Foreign Affair bracket, top seed Catherine Deneuve will face 4th seed Claudia Cardinale while 2nd seed Romy Schneider will battle 3rd seed Anna Karina. Matches will run through Sunday night.

SONG AND DANCE

A FOREIGN AFFAIR BRACKET

And here are the links to the other sites to vote on the other era's matches:

30's era

 http://www.rozrussell.com/

40's era

http://journeysinclassicfilm.com/

50's era

http://mythicalmonkey.blogspot.com/

Be My Guest: Marsha Collock aka Flick Chick

This month, my guest is the much loved and well known Marsha. Better known as Flick Chick. She has this wondrous page at Facebook. And one cool blog called A Person in the Dark. I was glad she accepted by invite to be my guest this month so we can all get more acquainted with her. So let's get right to it shall we..

Me: What made you start blogging?

Marsha: I love to write and I love movies, so I took a small plunge with a little post and just got carried away! I don't know how long I'll keep it up, but for now, it is rewarding.

Me: Well I for one hope you keep going for a very long time.

Me: Who are your favorite classic film stars? Name as many as you want

Marsha: I am sure this is a hard question for most film lovers and like most others, my favorites have changed over the years. I'll try to confine it to my top 5 male and female stars:

Male

Cary Grant

Charlie Chaplin

James Cagney

Buster Keaton

William Holden

But may I add: Douglas Fairbanks, Sr, Jack Lemmon, Peter O'Toole, Edward G. Robinson and William Powell?

Female:

Ann Dvorak

Audrey Hepburn

Vivien Leigh

Joan Crawford

Doris Day

But just can't omit: Clara Bow, Mary Pickford, Ann Sheridan, Susan Hayward, Hayley Mills, Jean Harlow, Irene Dunne and Kay Francis.

Me: Your list was immediately great when you led off with Cary Grant!

Me: What are some of your favorite films? 

Marsha: Sunset Boulevard, City Lights, Vertigo, North By Northwest, Gigi, The Apartment, Laurel & Hardy's Big Business, and a bunch more!

Me: Some excellent films there Marsha. Especially Sunset Boulevard and The Apartment.

Me: Describe your first classic movie experience. Like where and when..at a cinema, on TV, etc..

Marsha: The very first classic film and star that I became enamored of was James Cagney in "The Public Enemy," which I happened to catch on a Sunday afternoon on WNEW channel 5 in NY. I was probably about 11 or 12. Prior to that, I discovered that I had the capacity to sit through multiple viewings of the same film (a sure sign of a movie junkie), when WOR channel 9 showed Abbott and Costello's "The Time of Their Lives" on Million Dollar Movie. The same movie ran every night during the week and I didn't miss one showing. The first classic film I saw in a theater was a re-release of "Gone With the Wind." Before it went to TV, this was a very big deal. And just to bring the story full circle, when the "Theme From Tara" started to play, I immediately thought "hey, that's the theme from Million Dollar Movie!" Anyone from NY in the 60s will know what I mean!

Me: Awesome Marsha!

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

Marsha: Vertigo took a few viewings, now I'm obsessed (in a good way, of course). I admit it took a few viewings for Casablanca to grow on me (but now it has). I always have a bit of a problem with Bogart. I always end up liking him, but I have to force myself to sit down and watch him.

Me: I see...I was the same way with Vertigo as well.

Me: Describe the perfect way for you to watch a classic film.

Marsha dreaming of the perfect movie to watch...

Marsha: Seeing a classic film on the big screen with others is a treat, of course, and nothing beats seeing a silent with an audience full of people and live music. But, my first experience was alone, one the floor with a bowl of popcorn, getting lost in black and white (ok - everything was black and white in those days!), so I guess that still remains my favorite (but on the sofa now, not the floor!).

Me: Cool..nothing can beat a sofa in the comfort of your own home.

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

Marsha: Zero (though some pretend to be interested). This is why blogging and Facebook has proved to be such a blessing. It's been great fun to connect with people who share the same passion.

Me: Cool. And it is great to meet fellow classic movie lovers blogging and on facebook I completely agree. 

Me: What is your favorite time period: the 20's, 30's, 40's, 50's or 60's?

Marsha: That depends on what phase I am going through. All eras have been my favorite at one time or another. Right now, I seem to be loving the 50s.

Me: The 30's is my fave, but I love the 50's too.

Me: What are some of your favorite film quotes?

Marsha: Some favorites that I use are"

"It's lavish, but I call it home" - Waldo Lydecker, "Laura"

and a bunch from "Sunset Boulevard":

"All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up."

"They'll love it in Pomona"

"Stars are ageless"

"If you need any help with the coffin, call me."

Me: What classic films have you yet to see for one reason or another?

Marsha: I have not seen as many classic foreign films as I'd like, so high on my list are:

Belle de Jour

The Bicycle Thief

Breathless, and

The Earring of Madame de.....

Me: Oh Marsha, you need to see Belle de Jour. In fact you need to see all of Catherine Deneuve's films ASAP. Kim Wilson can back me up on that.

Monty: What is your favorite genre?

Marsha: This again depends on the phase I am in. I am not a war or western fan (just a typical chick). I blow hot and cold with Noir - but I love a good mystery spiced with a sense of humor.

Me: cool

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

Marsha: Oohh, I would love to throw a "Dinner at Eight" party. Naturally, I would be a platinum blonde in a tight, white satin evening gown! The entire theme would be white, and I would have white phones and boxes of bon-bons strategically placed throughout.  Cocktails would be made in elegant, silver cocktail shakers, dinner would be served at eight (naturally), and the aspic would make it to the table!

Me: Sweet! I imagine it would be one heck of a party!

Me:  What are some films that are widely loved that you couldn't care less about?

Marsha: The Godfather and all sequels. Plus any war movies, great or otherwise. Sorry, I am a total chick.

Me: That's cool Marsha...

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

Marsha: Well, there are a few people on my FlickChick Facebook page (who I won't name) who are just amazing. They blow me away with their knowledge and love of film. But, one film lover I truly admire is Woody Allen, whose movies always show his love of the medium. However, I will give a shout out to my late Aunt Lois who had photos of Rudolph Valentino on her bedroom wall as a teen and always referred to Jean Harlow as "Jean," as though she knew her personally. Here's the link to Marsha's FB page:  flickchick

Me: That's great Marsha. And might I add, your FlickChick page is just amazing.

Me: And finally who are some of your favorite film characters?

Marsha: The Little Tramp, CK Dexter Haven, Gigi and - my all time favorite, Lina Lamont from "Singing in the Rain." That character deserved her own movie!

Me: Can't argue with you there. 

I hope everyone enjoyed having Marsha (flickchick) stop by here this month and now know her just a little bit better. Please stop by a her amazing blog if you haven't before. It's a treat. Thanks again Marsha for coming by. Here's the link to her blog btw:  A Person in the Dark

My love of classic films is beyond measure

Monty

Sweet 16 Matches

Here are the match ups for round four or better known as Sweet Sixteen. Matches will begin tonight and run through Thursday night.

30'S ERA

1 GRETA GARBO vs 3 GINGER ROGERS
1 CAROLE LOMBARD vs 3 JOAN CRAWFORD

40'S ERA

1 JUDY GARLAND vs 5 GENE TIERNEY
1 BETTE DAVIS vs 2 LUCILLE BALL

50'S ERA

1 GRACE KELLY vs 2 DEBBIE REYNOLDS
1 ELIZABETH TAYLOR vs 5 JANET LEIGH

60'S ERA

1 JEAN SIMMONS vs 3 ANN-MARGRET
1 NATALIE WOOD vs 3 CATHERINE DENEUVE

As you can see there are still several top seeds left. And a couple of 5 seeds in Gene Tierney and Janet Leigh, who continue to surprise us all.