Classic Movie Actress Tourney Round 1 Update (Miriam Hopkins is disqualified)

I thought I would update everyone on how the matches are going. First up, I have to disqualify Miriam Hopkins. It appears someone has hacked into Blogger and has tampered with the match. I thought that was the case during her play-in match with Mary Astor but wasn't for sure. Well I am now. Right before lunch I had checked the match and Barbara Stanwyck was beating Miriam handily 43-7. Now Miriam leads 51-47. No way did Miriam get that many votes in the span of 4 hours. It's so sad that one person can ruin such a fun event for everyone. So that match is over as Babs moves on to round 2. And now this sheds light on last year's victory by Ginger Rogers. Maybe she didn't win it fairly. But I won't worry about that now as I will solely concentrate on this year's tourney. Here are the other scores for the other matches going on...

Sad news as Miriam had to be disqualified due to poll tampering

1930'S ERA 

Barbara Stanwyck wins 43-7 over Miriam Hopkins (Hopkins is disqualified due to poll tampering)
Claudette Colbert leads Joan Crawford 33-23
Marlene Dietrich leads Ann Dvorak 33-20
Norma Shearer leads Glenda Farrell 28-24
Greta Garbo leads Dolores Del Rio 37-17
Kay Francis leads Louise Brooks 34-18
Gloria Swanson leads Clara Bow 29-26
Lillian Gish leads Mary Pickford 31-21

1940'S ERA

Bette Davis leads Jane Wyman 33-1
Vivien Leigh leads Joan Fontaine 24-10
Ingrid Bergman leads Greer Garson 22-10
Olivia de Havilland leads Katharine Hepburn 18-15
Judy Garland leads Margret O'Brien 29-4
Ann Miller leads Donna Reed 17-15
Teresa Wright leads June Allyson 24-7
Jeanne Crain and Virginia Mayo are tied at 15-15

1950'S ERA

Audrey Hepburn 28 to Pier Angeli 0

Deborah Kerr 27 to Jean Peters 1

Sophia Loren 16 to Anne Francis 10

Janet Leigh 14 to Kim Novak 14

Marilyn Monroe 24 to Mamie Van Doren 3

Grace Kelly 28 to Diana Dors 0

Lana Turner 20 to Eva Marie Saint 8

Gloria Grahame 20 to Jayne Mansfield 8

1960'S ERA

Natalie Wood leads Rita Moreno 34-15

Shirley MacLaine leads Shirley Jones 27-24

Liza Minneli leads Barbra Streisand 27-21

Ann-Margret leads Diahann Carroll 38-9

Catherine Deneuve leads Jeanne Moreau 30-15

Liv Ullman leads Lila Kedrova 32-9

Romy Schneider leads Anna Karina 26-15

Claudia Cardinale leads Giulietta Masina 27-15

And since I know the scores now of all the current matches it will be easy to deduce if they get tampered with too. I hope that's not the case. Hope the rest of the tourney will go smoothly  and fairly.

Miriam Hopkins crushes Mary Astor in play-in match

 After a close start Miriam Hopkins poured it on and whooped Mary Astor 91-28. Technically there are still 12 more hours to go but I am putting the mercy rule in effect and declaring Miriam the winner. It was an impressive win for Miriam, marking her very first victory in tournament play to even her record at 1-1. That's the good news. And it secured her the eight and final spot in the pre-codes category in the 30's era bracket of the Favorite Classic Movie Actress Tourney. The bad news is that she will face top seed Barbara Stanwyck, who destroyed Miriam last year 82-16 in round one. But Miriam gets to savor this victory until then. Thanks to all those who voted and got the word out. The full tourney begins Sunday morning.

And the winner...Miriam Hopkins!

Play-In Match Day 2 Update: Miriam Hopkins lead increases

After day 2 of the play-in match between Mary Astor and Miriam Hopkins to decide who grabs the final spot in the Favorite Classic Movie Actress Tournament, Hopkins has exploded to lead by the count of 31-14. After day one, Hopkins led 9-8, so apparently word got out and her fans showed up in force. Still not too late for Astor fans to turn this around as this match goes on till tomorrow evening.

Miriam has her game face on

Play-In match update

After day one, the play in match between Mary Astor and Miriam Hopkins is a close affair with Hopkins leading by the score 9-8. The winner gets the 8th and final spot in the pre-code babes category of the 30's era bracket in the Favorite Classic Movie Actress Tournament. Voting continues on the sidebar to the right through Wednesday.

Play-In Match underway between Mary Astor and Miriam Hopkins

A quick post to let everyone know that the play-in match between Mary Astor and Miriam Hopkins in the pre-codes category of the 30's era bracket is underway. Winner will claim the 8th and final spot in that category. Voting ends Wednesday evening and the poll is on the sidebar on the right. 

MARY ASTOR

AKA Brigid O'Shaughnessy, Princess Centimilla

MIRIAM HOPKINS

AKA Lily, Becky Sharp, Martha Dobie

Las Vegas oddsmakers have placed Mary as a slight favorite at

1 and 1/2 votes....let's see if Miriam will take that

lying down...

Stats for Mary Astor/Miriam Hopkins play-in match

For tomorrow's play in match between Mary Astor and Miriam Hopkins, I thought I would do a post about their stats and history here on All Good Things. I set it up just like when I do my match play matches. Voting starts Sunday morning and runs through Wednesday evening 5 pm EST for what is sure to be an exciting match.

MARY ASTOR

Mary getting some final touches before her match with

Miriam Hopkins

Name: Lucille Vasconcellos Langhanke
Birth Date: May 3, 1906 (Quincy, Illinois)
Height: 5' 6"
Academy Awards: one (Best Supporting Actress: The Great Lie - 1942)
Monties: 2 nominations (Best Supporting Actress: Red Dust - 1932 and The Maltese Falcon - 1941)
My favorite Mary film: Red Dust (1932)
Match play record: 0-1 (lost to Claudette Colbert in the 30's era of the 2012 Favorite Classic Actress Tournament 73-25...ouch)

VS

MIRIAM HOPKINS

Miriam is doing the same thing..but doing it personally herself...

Name: Ellen Miriam Hopkins

Birth Date: October 18, 1902 (Savannah, Georgia...woo hoo..from my home state)

Height: 5' 2"

Academy Awards: one nomination (Best Actress: Becky Sharp - 1935)

Monties: 2 nominations, one win (Best Actress: Becky Sharp - 1935) 

My favorite Miriam film: These Three (1936)

Match play record: 0-1 (lost to Barbara Stanwyck in the 30's era of the 2012 Favorite Classic Actress Tournament 82-16...dang!)

So one thing will be for certain after these two outstanding actresses meet...one will pick up her first victory in match play/tourney. Good luck to ya both Mary and Miriam.

MARCH MADNESS....CLASSIC MOVIE ACTRESS STYLE

It's doesn't get any better than this...

Play-In match for 30's era: Tough Broads/Pre-Code Babes

March Madness officially begins Sunday, March 3rd but there will be one play-in match in the 30's era bracket in the Tough Broads/Pre-Code Babes category. Miriam Hopkins and Mary Astor will face each other to see who grabs the 8th seed spot in this exciting category. The match will begin Sunday morning and run through Wednesday night. Winner earns a trip to the Favorite Classic Movie Actress tourney. Think of this match as an appetizer to the main course. Good luck to both women.

PLAY-IN MATCH FOR 30'S ERA BRACKET

MARY ASTOR

VS

MIRIAM HOPKINS

Screwball Tourney Day 1 Update

My first ever screwball film tourney got off to a fantastic start on Sunday with about 20 fans voting on the first round matches on average. Three of the four top seeds are rolling early, and there are some back and forth matches taking place as well. Here are the breakdowns on yesterday's exciting start.

My Favorite Wife has a leg up over Trouble in Paradise

after day one

Three of the four top seeds are besting their opponents quite easily. Overall top seed Bringing Up Baby leads Bombshell 15-1 (I wonder who is the lone person so far to cast their vote for the Jean Harlow vehicle). The second top seed It Happened One Night is up big over The More The Merrier by the count of 18-3. The third top seed My Man Godfrey is having no trouble at all with Easy Living and leads 17-4. The last top seed, Trouble in Paradise is having trouble with upstart My Favorite Wife. It is getting hammered 14-3. The pairing of Irene Dunne and Cary Grant evidently is too much.

If I'm reading this right, then we're winning...

In other matches that are also blow-outs include: To Be Or Not To Be ahead of The Devil and Miss Jones 13-2; His Girl Friday up big on The Major and The Minor 17-4; and The Philadelphia Story double over Twentieth Century 14-7.

It's gonna be close between us and Sullivan..

Now the nail-biters currently going on include: Arsenic and Old Lace with a slight 11-9 edge over The Awful Truth; The Palm Beach Story with a one point edge over Libeled Lady 9-8; The Lady Eve over Ninotchka 10-7; and  Sullivan's Travels tied with Ball of Fire at 10-10. 

My oh my, how exciting is this. The matches continue on through Friday and I will keep everyone updated with posts through-out the week. Below are the complete scores on all the matches:

IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT 18
THE MORE THE MERRIER 3

MERRILY WE LIVE 11
THE GILDED LILY 5

THE PHILADELPHIA STORY 14
TWENTIETH CENTURY 7

HIS GIRL FRIDAY 17
THE MAJOR AND THE MINOR 4

We are definitely in trouble...

MY MAN GODFREY 17
EASY LIVING 4

ARSENIC AND OLD LACE 11
THE AWFUL TRUTH 9

YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU 12
BLUEBEARD'S EIGHTH WIFE 8

BALL OF FIRE 10
SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS 10

MY FAVORITE WIFE 14
TROUBLE IN PARADISE 3

THE LADY EVE 10
NINOTCHKA 7

THE PALM BEACH STORY 9
LIBELED LADY 8

No worries sugar...

THE THIN MAN 10
HOLIDAY 5

BRINGING UP BABY 15
BOMBSHELL 1

MIDNIGHT 11
THE GOOD FAIRY 5

TO BE OR NOT TO BE 13
THE DEVIL AND MISS JONES 2

THEODORA GOES WILD 10
TOPPER 5

My love of classic films is beyond measure

Monty

Good Morning from Miriam Hopkins

And she means it!

Happy Birthday Miriam Hopkins (1902 - 1972)

Happy Birthday to Miriam Hopkins, one of my favorite actresses. Star of such films as These Three, Trouble in Paradise, Old Acquaintance, and The Heiress. Happy Birthday Miriam!

THE MONTIES: 1935

Back for the next year in my Monties awards and it's 1935. Here are my films and performers I chose as best in show for that year.

FILM

ALICE ADAMS
MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY
TOP HAT
CAPTAIN BLOOD
BECKY SHARP
BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN - WINNER
A NIGHT AT THE OPERA
ANNA KARENINA

DIRECTOR

GEORGE STEVENS - ALICE ADAMS
JAMES WHALE - BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN (WINNER)
MARK SANDRICH - TOP HAT
CLARENCE BROWN - ANNA KARENINA
MICHAEL CURTIZ - CAPTAIN BLOOD

ACTOR

ERROL FLYNN - CAPTAIN BLOOD
FREDRIC MARCH - ANNA KARENINA
CLARK GABLE - MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY
CHARLES LAUGHTON - MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY (WINNER)

ACTRESS

BETTE DAVIS - DANGEROUS
OLIVIA DE HAVILLAND - CAPTAIN BLOOD
KATHERINE HEPBURN - ALICE ADAMS
ELSA LANCHESTER - BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN
MIRIAM HOPKINS - BECKY SHARP (WINNER)

As you can see I awarded Bride of Frankenstein as top movie of 1935 and to it's director James Whale for crafting such a great film and solid sequel. I thought Charles Laughton was excellent as Captain Bligh and usually when two actors both receive a nomination in the same film it kind of cancels each other out. But Laughton was too good. And finally Miriam Hopkins was perfect as Becky Sharp. While her character may have been kind of unlikable, you still rooted for her. And Hopkins was fantastic in the role.

Up next : 1936...

Happy Birthday Miriam Hopkins (1902 - 1972)

Happy Birthday to Miriam Hopkins (1902 - 1972). She hails from my home state of Georgia. My favorite Miriam films are These Three (1936), Woman Chases Man (1937), Becky Sharp (1935) and Old Acquaintance (1943) with Bette Davis.

Be My Guest - Sarah (from And...Scene) Part 2

Here is part 2 of my conversation with Sarah.

Monty: What is your absolute favorite movie?

 Sarah: This is a hard one as I am not given to absolutes but I’ll say, for sentimental reasons, The Quiet Man. I could watch it over and over.

 Monty: I love that movie Sarah. Excellent choice.

Monty: Describe the perfect way for you to watch a classic movie.

 Sarah: Alone, in my living room, preferably on a rainy day. 

 Monty: I agree with. If it's raining on the week-end and everyone else is mad because outdoor plans are ruined, I'm quite content with watching classic movies in my living room.

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

 Sarah: Definitely the 30’s! Movie making was advancing with the advent of talkies and the Hayes Code hadn’t taken full effect. Subjects such as divorce, sex before marriage, and a woman’s independence were box office draws and actresses such as Tallulah Bankhead, Barbara Stanwyck, Joan Blondell, Norma Shearer, and Miriam Hopkins (to name a very few) thought nothing of traipsing across the screen in silken negligees spouting witty dialogue and cleverly getting their own way. And what’s a 30’s film with out a cocktail shaker? Martini anyone?

 Monty: The 30's is my favorite period as well mainly because that's when screwball comedies flourished. And I love you answer as well. 

Monty: Any current stars catch your fancy, if so who are they? Sarah: Cate Blanchett and Russell Crowe. They make extremely fine actors down under!  Monty: Great picks...I love both Cate and Russell. Cate played Katherine Hepburn wonderfully in The Aviator. Monty: What is your favorite movie quote?  Sarah: "There's a name for you ladies, but it isn't used in high society - outside of a kennel" -- St. Joan Crawford from The Women. Monty: One of my favorite movies and one of the best lines ever. Joan Crawford was awesome in that movie. Monty: If you could be any movie character, who would it be and why? Sarah: Without a doubt, I would love to be Nora Charles from The Thin Man series. She was witty, courageous, and best of all, had the love a wonderful husband. Together they made a hilarious and entertaining team.  Monty: Yes...I think I would love to be Nick. They are perfect.

 So that concludes my Q&A with Sarah for this month. I enjoyed having her as my guest this month. And really enjoyed her answers. And I am more than willing to return the favor Sarah, if you ever want to interview me on your blog. 

Review: These Three (1936)

I watched this excellent film a few days ago and I thought it was one of the best films I've ever seen. Based on the Lillian Hellman play, The Children's Hour, the main storyline has been changed from lesbianism to a heterosexual triangle involving two women and a man. But the film still remains a solid dramatic effort. The film casts Miriam Hopkins as Martha and Merle Oberon as Karen, college roommates, who graduate and face the future with no place and no money.

Karen, however, has inherited a farmhouse from her grandmother, and gets the idea that she and Martha can turn it into a school for girls. They travel to the farmhouse, which turns out to be quite rundown, and all hope seems lost, until they meet Dr. Joe Cardin (played by Joe Cardin), who tells them not to give up, to take out a loan, fix up the farmhouse, and it will work out. And before you know it, the school is open and full of young girls. And Karen starts falling in love with Joe. Even though Martha longs for the good doc herself. All seems to go according to plan, until one student devises a scheme for revenge for being punished by the teachers. The student is Mary Tildford (played by Bonita Granville) as the child from hell. Her lie about an affair between Karen and Joe spreads quickly and all over town. And before you know it the parents quickly remove their kids from the school without an explanation to the titular three. Well Joe decides he wants answers and goes to Mary's grandmother's house to get some. Mary's grandmother is played by the wonderful Alma Kruger. Once there the story comes out to the three young people, they can't believe that this has happened. There is a trial and the whole town is against our three young individuals. After the trial Karen decides it's best if Joe leaves as she is preparing to close down the school. Flash forward a few months later and the truth finally comes out that Mary made the whole thing up and even bullied her classmate Rosalie (a superb Marcie Mae Jones) to corroborate her story. But the damage has been done, that has ruined the lives of three people. Martha finds out and is relieved but still saddened. Karen goes looking for Joe, who is living abroad and they end up together finally.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film from beginning to end. I thought all the actors involved gave very strong performances beginning with Hopkins who had the most delicate of the lead roles and she delivered it superbly. Hopkins shows that she can act when the need arises. Oberon was good also, but got kind of overshadowed by Hopkins in some scenes. It's not her fault, it's just that Martha is the juicier of the two roles. McCrea is his typical strong leading man self. Granville is truly monstrous as the child brat who is just teeming with hatred and deceit. But she finally gets what coming to her when her playhouse comes falling apart and gets one of the all time best film slaps in the face ever. And guess who delivers it.. none other than Margaret Hamilton, the wicked witch of the west, from The Wizard Of Oz. Hamilton plays the maid for Mrs. Tilford. And I cheered when she gave that slap to Granville. I was like finally someone steps up to give that girl what she truly deserved. These Three was expertly directed by the great William Wyler, who would also direct the remake, The Children's Hour (1962) with Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine. I haven't seen that version but I doubt it can be any better than this classic. This is what you get when you get all the stars aligned with great performances, solid direction, and that old Hollywood magic. These Three is a must see.
A-