THE FALL SERIES: Romy Schneider

Romy looking stunning as always

The Morning Movie: SLIGHTLY DANGEROUS (1943)

Now playing this morning on TCM is the delightful, little seen romantic comedy Slighty Dangerous. It stars Lana Turner as a small town girl named Peggy who is bored with her life who changes her identity and heads to New York. Trouble is people back home thinks she was kidnapped or murdered and leaving her boyfriend as a prime suspect. This sounds kind of heavy and film noir but it is actually a light comedy. Robert Young, Dame May Whitty, Walter Brennan and Eugene Pallette lend their talents for a strong supporting cast. Once again Lana shows she is more than just a beautiful face as she is quite funny in this role. Things get a little dramatic towards the end but for the most part this is a sweet little movie.

Pawsome Pet Pictures: Audrey Hepburn

Audrey and a little fawn...

Classic Stars Match Play #8 - Claudette 'The Gilded Lily' Colbert vs Loretta 'The Farmer's Daughter' Young

The next match play features two of the greatest classic actresses of all time...Claudette Colbert and Loretta Young. Both had long running careers and both won Oscars for Best Actresses. I think they are evenly matched and this should be a thrilling match. Voting begins immediately and runs through Sunday 2 pm EST. Good luck to both women. I know I will have to think on this one a little before I vote.

LORETTA YOUNG

Name: Gretchen Michaela Young
Birth Date: January 6, 1913 (Salt Lake City, Utah)
Height: 5 '6"
Academy Awards: 2 nominations, 1 win (Best Actress - The Farmer's Daughter)
Monties: none so far
My favorite Loretta film: The Bishop's Wife
Match Play record: this is Loretta's first match


CLASSIC STARS MATCH PLAY

CLAUDETTE COLBERT

Name: Emilie Claudette Chauchoin
Birth Date: September 13, 1903 (Saint-Mande, Seine, France)
Height: 5 '4 1/2"
Academy Awards: 2 nominations, 1 win (Best Actress - It Happened One Night)
Monties: 2 nominations, 0 wins so far
My favorite Claudette film: a tie between It Happened One Night and The Palm Beach Story
Match Play record: 2-1 (beat Louise Brooks and Norma Shearer before losing to Irene Dunne in
the favorite classic actress tournament)



A New Blog Everyone Should be following...

Time for me to spotlight a new blog that I think everyone should be following. One that I am a contributor on. Me and my friend Irene Palfy decide to team up to do a blog called Let The Show Begin. It's where we will talk about classic movies and stars, books, records, and other things. We will recognize a star each month, the first being the dashing Errol Flynn. We will post photos, reviews and more about the particular star of the month. I will also bring over my Memorable characters from film and tv that I used to do on Irene's blog, And Then They Start to Sparkle. We just started Let The Show Begin this month so it's still in it's early stages. Please stop by to check it out when you get a chance. Here's the link: let the show begin

A Shout Out to BRITISH BEAUTIES

My friend Alicia Garbo on Facebook created this wonderful page called British Beauties. Dedicated to all the fabulous women born in the U.K. The page just hit 100 fans and I told her I would mention it here on All Good Things. Here are Alicia's own words to describe British Beauties. 

This Page is in celebration of British Beauty in all it's forms. This is kind of a response page to all the people that seem to like 'Knocking' the way British women look, etc. True there are Beautiful women the world over, but Britain has it's fair share of beautiful women to offer too, which is evident in the picture albums of this group. Please stop by to check out this very cool page. The current star for the week is singer Dusty Springfield. Here's the link: British Beauties


This group incorporates ALL the women of the United King...dom from England to Northern Ireland to Wales to Scotland and those who have been born in the UK but maybe have Parents from elsewhere in the world. We are also celebrating beauty from the past and present.

This is NOT a racist group so please take any racial slurs, etc elsewhere!

This is also NOT a group trying to protest that British women are the most beautiful women in the world, because that country does not exist, beautiful and ugly women are spread out the world over wherever they are from. Beauty isn't always skin deep either.

As women we should appreciate the differences in each-other and celebrate them, beauty does not come in one form or way, but billions of different ways. I hope you enjoy this group!See More

From The Past To Now: Grace Kelly to Gwyneth Paltrow

I know I haven't done a from the past to now post in awhile but considering today is If It's Tuesday, Then It Must Be Grace Kelly, I figured this would be the perfect time to do one. Especially since Grace is the past portion. I chose Gwyneth Paltrow as the modern choice. There may not be too many similarities between the two other than the obvious blonde hair. But when Paltrow started her career, it was apparent that studios and agents were trying to groom her as the next Grace Kelly. So I will give my insight on why I think there is a small connection from the past to now with these two women.

THE SWAN

HIGH NOON

DIAL M FOR MURDER

BEST ACTRESS WINNER (THE COUNTRY GIRL)

Of course everyone knows the Grace Kelly story. Born and raised in Philadelphia to a blue blood family, she struck out on her own to show that she could do it without her family's connections. Some modeling work and some bit parts paved the way for a most glorious run in film beginning with High Noon (1952). She was 23. Next up was the film Mogambo that paired her with Hollywood legend Clark Gable. Grace held her own with the larger than life Gable. The next three years would be Grace's finest years. She would appear in three of Alfred Hitchcock's films: To Catch A Thief with Cary Grant, Rear Window with Jimmy Stewart and Dial M For Murder with Ray Milland. She would score a Best Actress Oscar for The Country Girl in 1954. Grace would end her film career in 1956 with High Society. She would marry Prince Rainier of Monaco in a fairytale wedding. Grace became a princess and her marriage to the Prince yielded three children. Sadly Grace's life came to a tragic end in 1982 with that fateful car crash at the young age of 52.

SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE (BEST ACTRESS WINNER)

THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY

EMMA

IRON MAN 2

Now Gwyneth's path is a little different than Grace's but they do share some common traits. While Paltrow did not come from a wealthy family, her parents were widely known in the film industry. Blythe Danner and Bruce Paltrow. She picked up her passion of acting from her parents at an early age. By the time she was 19, she was appearing in bit parts in films like Shout, Hook and Malice. It took a role in the thriller Seven that put her on the map so to speak. It also lead to her dating and engagement to co-star Brad Pitt. Pitt was no Prince Rainier but he was rising through the ranks to become one of Hollywood's top stars. Actually once their relationship soured in 1997, Paltrow career got busy and she became quite prolific. Turns in English dramas such as Emma, Sliding Doors, Great Expectations, Talented Mr. Ripley (where she looked positively gorgeous and rivals Grace with this inventive thriller) and Shakespeare in Love (which landed her an Oscar for Best Actress) solidified her career. She even starred in the remake of Dial M For Murder called A Perfect Murder. The remake doesn't hold a candle to the original but Gwyneth was game in her role. Now proving she could do accents in her sleep, Paltrow has since scored in major blockbusters such as the Iron Man films and Austin Powers 3. She would marry musician Chris Martin and they have two children. And she has recently launched a singing career.

So that's my spiel on these two women as I noted some slight similarities. I know as far as looks go, most people might say no way, but I was looking at their career path and films that they did. Would love to hear everyone thoughts.

THE FALL SERIES: Spencer Tracy

Spencer and his best bud just hanging out...

Deborah Kerr in THE INNOCENTS (1961)

Deborah Kerr is top-notch as a spinster governess who must fight the spirits of her dead predecessor and lover for the souls of two orphan children. A classic thriller from 1961that uses superb cinematography and lighting effects for maximum chills. One of the best ghost films of all time. Deborah is in top form as the governess who slowly begins to believe that something is amiss. I truly believe this to be one of her best performances ever. And definitely a must see.

Film: B+
Deborah's performance: A

Modern Stuff...Kurt Russell

I recently got asked the question..."Monty, you never talk about new films. Why is that?" And then I would state the obvious that it says right there in my header that I will be talking about classic film, TV and stars. To which they repsonded.."you also said you would talk about the new stuff occassionally too." Touche. So to make amends I will post about modern films and stars once a week. And what better day than Monday to get started. I will either choose a particular topic or star and talk about their films. So for my first  choice I randomly chose actor Kurt Russell. And here are my favorite films starring Kurt. Enjoy.

TOMBSTONE (1993)

My favorite modern western. It's one helluva of a movie. Kurt Russell is solid as Wyatt Earp but it's Val Kilmer as Doc Holliday who steals the show. And just look at the supporting cast: Sam Elliott, Bill Paxton, Michael Biehn, Powers Boothe, Dana Delaney, Billy Zane, Jason Priestly, Michael Rooker, and Billy Bob Thornton. Exciting shootouts and wonderful dialogue make this a winner. And has some of the best lines in movies, period.

A


ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK (1981)

Classic 80's flick with Kurt Russell ultra cool as bad ass ex-soldier now criminal, Snake Plissken. Set in 1997, he's finally caught and on his way to the maximum security prison which is now the entire state of New York. But a a group of convicts kidnap the President from Air Force One and threaten to kill them unless they're released from prison. So the prez's only hope is Snake, who reluctantly agrees. Russell is perfect as Snake who doesn't say much but kicks a lot of ass. A plus is super sexy Adrienne Barbeau as one of Snake's friends and Issac Hayes as the convicts leader.

B


BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA (1986)

Kurt Russell is all swagger as trucker Jack Burton in this very entertaining action/comedy that has a little bit of everything: kung fu, magic, tough talking good guys, nasty bad guys, cool fights, people flying around, and some of the best quotes of any movie in history. As Jack would say this is going to take crackerjack timing.

B

BREAKDOWN (1997)

Terrific, suspenseful film with Kurt Russell and Kathleen Quinlan as a married couple driving through the New Mexico desert on their way to California when their car breaks down. A trucker offers the wife a lift to the next town to call a wrecker but is never heard from again. Kurt is then targeted by the trucker and his cronies to pay her ransom or his wife will be killed. So begins a game of cat and mouse and it's riveting stuff. Kurt is good as the husband and JT Walsh makes the perfect bad guy. An underrated gem.
B+

THE THING (1982)

Very cool sci-fi/horror flick set in Antarctica. At an American research base of only 12 men, an alien life form is discovered and all hell breaks loose. This alien has the unique ability to imitate any other life form it comes in contact with - including humans. Kurt Russell plays RJ MacReady, the pilot who tries to figure out how to kill this thing before everyone is taken over. Directed by ace horror master John Carpenter with terrific gore effects, a suspenseful music score, and a twinge of mystery. Done before the heyday of CG, this 1982 film holds up remarkably well. A treat for horror/sci-fi fans.DARK BLUE (2003)

B+

BACKDRAFT (1991)

Star studded cast about a family of firefighters dealing with all kinds of drama. Check out this line-up: Kurt Russell, Robert DeNiro, Donald Sutherland, Rebecca DeMornay, Scott Glenn, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and JT Walsh again. Amazing fire sequences, coupled with a soaring music score and top notch performances make this a winner.
B+



One of the best movies about police corruption ever. Kurt Russell is on mark as a dirty Los Angeles detective who reaches a turning point as his world and life become unbearable. Set against the backdrop of the Rodney King riots, this is one film that will get your attention. Terrific support from Ving Rhames, Brendan Gleeson and Lolita Davidovich.
B+


Other good Kurt Russell films include Overboard (1987) with his long time girlfriend Goldie Hawn; Miracle (2004), Used Cars (1980), Unlawful Entry (1992) and Tequila Sunrise (1988) pairing him with Michelle Pfeiffer and Mel Gibson. Oh and let's not forget his Disney films he made in the 60's and early 70's, such as The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, The Strongest Man In The World, The Barefoot Executive and Now You See Him, Now You Don't. In fact Kurt was one of Disney's biggest stars during this time period. So Kurt does have a connection to classic cinema..well a little.