Here's To A Bewitching Halloween For Everyone...

Elizabeth Montgomery as Samantha and Agnes Moorehead as her mother Endora, from the classic TV series Bewitched.

Happy Halloween from Clara Bow

Irene Dunne & Greer Garson Just Hanging Out

My good friend Renata was gracious enough to allow me to use this wonderful picture of the two women hanging out together. I love pics like these when stars are just being like regular people. And when two stars who rarely worked together can be seen with each other having a good time is awesome.

Classic Horror Films - Day 27 (WAIT UNTIL DARK - 1967)

A blind woman (Audrey Hepburn in one of my favorite performances of hers), stranded alone in her apartment, is menaced by a pair of henchmen who believe that some drugs have been planted there. A solid supporting cast that includes Alan Arkin, Richard Crenna, and Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. And Hepburn is fantastic as Suzy Hendrix, the woman who becomes involved in a cat and mouse game with the bad guys. One of the best suspense thrillers made during the 60's.

If It's Tuesday, Then It Must Be Grace Kelly - Tribute To A Princess video

Almost got by me that it's Tuesday and that means Grace Kelly. So here's this great little video...

The Best Years Of Our Lives or Since You Went Away?

It's time for another comparison between two similar films. It was fun comparing Breakfast at Tiffany's and Butterfield 8 a while back, that I thought I would do it again. This time I am comparing two films about families dealing with the affects of World War Two. Now while The Best Years of Our Lives focuses on soldiers returning home after the war, Since You Went Away is actually set during the war and deals with the family while their loved ones are away fighting.

First is Since You Went Away (1944), the mammoth film which clocks in at just under 3 hours, and stars Claudette Colbert as family matriach Anne Hilton, who copes with family life while her husband Tim is away during World War Two. She has two daughters, Jane (Jennifer Jones) and Bridget (Shirley Temple) that she watches after. Anne takes in a lodger to help make ends meet during wartime rationing and shortages. The lodger is Colonel Smollett, played by Monty Woolley. The colonel also happens to have a son named William (Robert Walker) who falls in love with Jane. Joseph Cotten appears as a friend of the family that secretly loves Anne. Rounding out the cast are Agnes Moorehead, Hattie MacDaniel, Keenan Wynn, and Guy Madison. Since You Went Away is top notch melodrama with solid performances, especially by Colbert and Woolley. But do not overlook Jennifer Jones in a truly emotional performance as the eldest daughter Jane. Look for her scene at the train station when she says good-bye to William before he goes off to war. If you don't get a little misty eye during that scene, then there is something wrong. Wonderfully directed by John Cromwell, backed by a powerful Max Steiner music score, Since You Went Away is one heck of a movie. A bit long, but never boring. It really couldn't been done any better.

Now as good as Since You Went Away is, The Best Years Of Our Lives (1946) is even better. This is one of my favorite films of all time, sitting right there nestled in my top 10. The story in this film centers on three returning WW Two veterans after the war has ended. Frederic March is Al Stephenson, who returns to his loving wife Milly (a magnificent performance by Myrna Loy), his two children Peggy (a terrific Teresa Wright) and Rob (Michael Hall). Al returns to an influential banking position, but finds it hard to reconcile his loyalties to ex-servicemen with new commercial realities. He has several scenes where he copes by drinking heavily. Dana Andrews is Fred Derry, an ordinary working man who finds it difficult to hold down a job or pick up the threads of his marriage with Virginia Mayo. He ends up falling for Peggy, and Peggy lets her mom know that she doesn't mind busting up the marriage to be with Fred. I was like, heck yeah, go for it Peggy. That's when I fell in love with Teresa Wright at that exact moment. And the last soldier is Homer Parrish (played by real life amputee Harold Russell) who unsure that his fiancée's (Cathy O'Donnell) feelings are still those of love and not those of pity. Each of these three men face a different crisis in their lives and try to cope and come through it emotionally sound. This movie is awesome. I can't find any faults with it. From the top notch cast to the expert direction by William Wyler to the epic music score by Hugo Friedhofer and the gorgeous cinematography by Gregg Toland. The Best Years of Our Lives is one of the best films ever made and if I had to choose between this and Since You Went Away, well I gotta go with Best Years. But both films are great.You can enjoy both of them. I'm curious to see what everyone else thinks though.

Amanda's awesome survey...

I saw where Amanda started a survey on her wonderful blog, A Noodle In A Haystack. I love taking surveys so I decided to post my answers to her survey here on my blog. She will be compiling all the responses from everyone who takes it and let all of us know the results shortly. In the meantime, I encourage everyone to take the survey, it's fun and you get to learn a lot about your fellow bloggers. Click on the link to Amanda's page for the survey below:

http://noodleinahaystack.blogspot.com/2010/10/amandas-cinema-survey.html


1. What is your favorite movie starring William Powell and Myrna Loy, excluding all of The Thin Man films?

LOVE CRAZY (1941) is hilarious and my favorite of their non-Thin Man films.


2. Name a screen team that appeared in only one film together but are still noteworthy for how well they complimented each other. Cary Grant and Carole Lombard in IN NAME ONLY (1939)

3. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers' best film together? I'm going to go with SWING TIME (1936).

4. Your favorite actor named "Robert"? Robert Montgomery

5. An actor/actress who, when you see one of their movies, you always wish that someone else was in his/her role? Gary Cooper.

6. An actor/actress that someone close to you really loves that you can't stand or vice versa? I love Leo DiCaprio but my best friend can't stand him.

7. An actor/actress that you both agree on completely? Me and my wife both love Sandra Bullock

8. Complete this sentence: Virginia O'Brien is to Ethel Merman as...Judy Garland is to Ann-Margret.

9. What is your favorite film starring Ray Milland? Without a doubt, DIAL M FOR MURDER (1954), where he plays the guy with the perfect plan to perfection.

10. You had to have seen this one coming: what is your favorite movie of the 1960s? THE ODD COUPLE (1968)

11. An actor/actress that you would take out of one film and put into a different movie that was released the same year? I would love to have seen Carole Lombard in My Favorite Wife (1940), even though Irene Dunne did an amazing job. Carole could have passed on that same year's Vigil in The Night.

12. Who was your favorite of Robert Montgomery's leading ladies? Carole Lombard

13. You think it would have been a disaster if what movie starred the actor/actress who was originally asked to star in it? Sammy Davis Jr wouldn't have fit in THE DEFIANT ONES (glad Sydney Poitier got the role).

14. An actor/actress who you will watch in any or almost any movie? Cary Grant

15. Your favorite Leslie Howard film and role? THE PETRIFIED FOREST (1936)


16. You have been asked to host a marathon of four Barbara Stanwyck films. Which ones do you choose?
Let's see, first I would start off with a little comedy with THE LADY EVE (1941), then DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944), then GOLDEN BOY (1939) and finally CHRISTMAS IN CONNECTICUT (1945) which is my favorite Barb film.


17. What is, in your mind, the nearest to perfect comedy you have ever seen? Why? HIS GIRL FRIDAY (1940) To me everything just clicks in that movie from all the rapid fire dialogue to the wonderful chemistry between Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell. I really can't put into words why I think this is the perfect comedy but for me this is it. I can watch Friday over and over and never get tired of it. Not too many films can say that.

18. You will brook no criticism of what film? CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF (1958)

19. Who is your favorite Irish actress? Maureen O'Hara

20. Your favorite 1940s movie starring Ginger Rogers? PRIMROSE PATH (1940)

21. Do you enjoy silent movies? The few that I have seen...YES!

22. What is your favorite Bette Davis film? ALL ABOUT EVE (1950) I love that movie and Bette is sensational as Margo Channing.

23. Your favorite onscreen Hollywood couple? Close call between Cary Grant/Irene Dunne and Myrna Loy/William Powell but I will go with Loy and Powell.

24. This one is for the girls, but, of course, the guys are welcome to answer, too: who is your favorite Hollywood costume designer? Edith Head is about the only one I know.

25. To even things out a bit, here's something the boys will enjoy: what is your favorite tough action film?
DIE HARD

 26. You are currently gaining a greater appreciation for which actor(s)/actress(es)? Esther Williams

27. Franchot Tone: yes or no? no

28. Which actors and/or actresses do you think are underrated? Gail Patrick, Dorothy Malone, Teresa Wright.

29. Which actors and/or actresses do you think are overrated? Katherine Hepburn, just a touch.


30. Favorite actor? Cary Grant

31. Favorite actress? Carole Lombard

32. Of those listed, who is the coolest: Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Steve McQueen, or Patrick Stewart? Steve McQueen

33. What is your favorite movie from each of these genres:



Comedy:                                HIS GIRL FRIDAY (1940)



Swashbuckler:                      THE ADVENTURES OF ROBIN HOOD (1938)



Film noir:                             THE BIG SLEEP (1946)



Musical:                              EASTER PARADE (1948)



Holiday:                             CHRISTMAS IN CONNECTICUT (1945)



Hitchcock:                         THE LADY VANISHES (1938)

Iconic Film Images #7 - (The Big Sleep)

Bogie and Bacall from The Big Sleep (1946)...pure movie magic.

Tea For Two (1950) with Doris Day

Thanks to my friend Dawn for reminding me that the Doris Day movie, Tea For Two airs today on TCM at 2 pm. I have never seen this movie before and have been wanting to ever since I met Dawn and starting posting on her wonderful Doris Day page. The timing couldn't have been better as I just recently watched the Bob Hope film, Nothing But The Truth, in which Hope makes a bet he can tell the truth for 24 hours. Well the plot of Tea For Two centers on Doris betting her uncle that she can say no to everything for 48 hours. That's very ambitious of Doris and I can't wait to see it today. I will post a review once I see it. Just wanted everyone to know that it was on today and if you're a Doris Day fan to check it out.

Happy One Year Anniversary to All Good Things

I can't believe it's already been a year since I started blogging. And I can't believe that I almost didn't remember today was the 1 year anniversary. And considering my love of movies, I can't believe I never blogged before last year. Well, I'm making up for lost time now as I recently hit 385 posts. I also have met a lot of friends and fellow bloggers. A few that have turned into real good friends such as Dawn of Noir & Chick Flicks. I actually contribute to several of her wonderful blogs such as Doris Day, Esther Williams, and Singing and Dancing Through Time. We make quite the team. Also there is Tracy aka Gilby37, who I met on What We're Watching on TV. She's been a great friend as well. And Kori of Blonde Episodes, who told me I was one of her few male followers of her blog. And Kori was my first to be my guest on my blog when I started that ongoing series. Other friends include KC, Tom, Sarah, Paul, Laura, Anastasia, Irene and countless more. It's a joy to share with this wonderful blogging community. I look forward to each new day because there are always some great blogs to read. So happy one year anniversary to All Good Things. And I hope to be blogging for many more years to come. The photo above from the film The Best Years of Our Lives fits this occasion perfectly.