THE MONTIES: 1944 - Screwball comedy and film noir dominate this year...

For 1944, we have some veteran directors (Capra, Hawks, Sturges), top stars (Cary Grant, Barbara Stanwyck, Claudette Colbert, Humphrey Bogart) and notable films (Double Indemnity, Since You Went Away, The Woman In The Window, Laura) competing for the top prize called the Monties.

BEST FILM
winner: Arsenic and Old Lace
nominees: To Have And Have Not; Double Indemnity; None But The Lonely Heart; The Woman In The Window; The Miracle Of Morgan's Creek; Laura; Lifeboat; Since You Went Away; Sunday Dinner For A Soldier; The Uninvited
Thoughts: The first Frank Capra film to win a Montie and it's one of my top ten favorite films of all time. Marks yet another Cary Grant film to land a Montie bringing that total to 5. As you can see, it was a nice mix of comedies, film noir and dramas to make the nomination list. Notably absent is the Oscar winner for 1944, Going My Way, as it is not one of my fave films.

Wait, say that again..slowly

BEST DIRECTOR
winner: Frank Capra (Arsenic and Old Lace)
nominees: Billy Wilder (Double Indemnity); Fritz Lang (The Woman in the Window); Preston Sturges (The Miracle of Morgan's Creek); Howard Hawks (To Have and Have Not)
Thoughts: The fourth time was the charm as Frank Capra finally wins his first Montie for directing. He was previously nominated for Mr. Deeds Goes To Town, You Can't Take It With You, and Mr. Smith Goes To Washington. It was close, as he just edged out Preston Sturges who did an equally memorable directing turn for The Miracle of Morgan's Creek.

Frank feeling pretty good after winning his first Montie

BEST WRITER - new category
winner: Preston Sturges (The Miracle Of Morgan's Creek)
nominees: Raymond Chandler and Billy Wilder (Double Indemnity); John Steinbeck (Lifeboat); Jules Furthman and William Faulkner (To Have and Have Not); J.H. Wallis and Nunnally Johnson (The Woman in the Window)
Thoughts: I decided to add writing as a category and 1944 yielded some top notch writing jobs. The other nominees were of the thriller and film noir variety but it was a screwball comedy that gets the Montie: Preston Sturges for his extremely hilarious Morgan's Creek.

Preston keeping his cool upon learning of his win

BEST ACTOR
winner: Humphrey Bogart (To Have And Have Not)
nominees: Cary Grant (None But The Lonely Heart); Edward G. Robinson (The Woman in the Window); Fred MacMurray (Double Indemnity); Eddie Bracken (The Miracle of Morgan's Creek)
Thoughts: Bogie wins his first Montie for his solid performance as the tough yet tender Harry Morgan. Yes I liked him here more than I did in Casablanca. This film allowed him to show his emotions on the outside and his chemistry with Lauren Bacall was perfection. Cary Grant did a wonderful job outside his normal safe comedy zone with None But The Lonely Heart but I think Bogie edges past him by a hair.

Now that you won a Montie, let's go celebrate

BEST ACTRESS
winner: Lauren Bacall (To Have And Have Not)
nominees: Joan Bennett (The Woman in the Window); Barbara Stanwyck (Double Indemnity); Claudette Colbert (Since You Went Away); Betty Hutton (The Miracle of Morgan's Creek); Hedy Lamarr (Experiment Perilous)
Thoughts: What a film debut for 19-year old Lauren Bacall as Marie "Slim" Browning, the young woman who craves adventure and causes Bogie to fall head over heels in love with her. Out of all the categories for this year, this was the easiest choice to make. Bacall was amazing in her debut film performance.

Yeah I think this acting thing is going to work out nicely

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
winner: Diana Lynn (The Miracle Of Morgan's Creek)
nominees: Ethel Barrymore (None But The Lonely Heart); Ruth Hussey (The Uninvited); Jean Adair (Arsenic and Old Lace); Josephine Hull (Arsenic and Old Lace)
Thoughts: As the wise beyond her teen-ager years, Diana Lynn was awesome as Emmy Kockenlocker. Sister to Betty Hutton, she was able to dispense sound advice and keep her dad in check. A marvelous performance.

Cheer up girls...this is a festive occasion

OK, that's better Diana

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
winner: Edward G. Robinson (Double Indemnity)
nominees: Raymond Massey (Arsenic and Old Lace); Clifton Webb (Laura); William DeMarest (The Miracle of Morgan's Creek); Joseph Cotten (Since You Went Away)
Thoughts: The venerable Edward G. Robinson wins his first Montie with his strong performance as insurance investigator Barton Keyes, who really is the best thing in this superb film.

You two ain't fooling me...which one of you took my Montie?

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
winner: The Uninvited
nominees: Laura; Double Indemnity; Lifeboat; Meet Me In St. Louis; Home In Indiana
Thoughts: Another new category is cinematography. I know the academy Awards split this into two: color and black and white but I decided to make it just one. And while Home In Indiana is just a gorgeous film to look at in all that glorious color, I found The Uninvited to be just as fantastic with it's almost dreamlike world in black and white.

The beautifully shot film, The Uninvited

So that wraps up another Monties presentation. Would love to hear everyone's feedback on my selections and what did you think of the new categories I added. Will be back soon with the year that was 1945.

*Please note that I just found out while To Have And Have Not was a 1944 production, it was not released until January 1945. But I decided to keep it as part of 1944 anyway. I don't want to make things too technical here. Just keep things fun and light. Arsenic and Old Lace is an entirely different story. While filmed in 1941, it did not see the light of day until 1944.

NOTABLE FILMS THAT I HAVE NOT SEEN FOR THIS YEAR:

GASLIGHT
DRAGON SEED
MRS. PARKINGTON
CASANOVA BROWN
THIRTY SECONDS OVER TOKYO
I'LL BE SEEING YOU

Happy Birthday Jane Wyman (1917 - 2007)

Happy Birthday to Jane Wyman, currently one of my top 20 favorite classic actresses of all time. Best known for such films as The Lost Weekend, Johnny Belinda (Best Actress Oscar), The Yearling, Miracle in the Rain and lots more. And let's not forget her memorable turn as family matriach Angela Channing on the long running nighttime soap Falcon Crest during the 80's. Below are some pics of the wonderful Jane!

My Favorite Things I Love About Lauren Bacall

A new month means a new classic movie goddess and my favorite things that I love about her. This month it's Lauren Bacall and here are some of the things I love so much about her.

1. Of course that deep, smoky voice of hers sounds like music to my ears.

2. I love her name Lauren Bacall, but I also love her birth name of Betty Joan Perske.

3. Her cat-like eyes.


4. Her pairings with real life husband, Humphrey Bogart. They had undeniable chemistry. Just watch them work their magic in To Have and Have Not, The Big Sleep, Dark Passage and Key Largo.

5. Her easy going delivery in her films just made it so enjoyable to watch her onscreen.


6. I love the fact that she always spoke her mind, never minced her words. In some people that may come off as arrogance but with Lauren it was just the truth.

7. Another great dresser with impeccable taste in clothes.

8. She has a very beautiful smile. And seems always full of life.

9. One of my favorite film characters of all time is her Marie "Slim" Browning.

A Little Observation

This post I’m writing about today is not about a favorite classic film or a birthday shout out or about a classic movie goddess. Just something I noticed in a few films I recently watched that kind of irked me  a bit. Don’t take this as rant or anything like that. Just an observation. One that as a blogger now, I kind of took immediate response to. Two new films, Life As We Know It and Larry Crowne, which I both liked had some dialogue that took aim at blogging in general.

So Josh, you don't care for bloggers I take it?

In Life As We Know It, Katherine Heigl stars as a young woman who is thrust into raising a child after being named a godparent when tragedy strikes the  actual parents of said child. Well she and another friend of the couple meet years before this happens and go out on a blind date. He is played by Josh Duhamel. And they do not hit it off when first meeting. And he cracks….”look this isn’t going to work. So why don’t you go back to your home, this being a Saturday night and do your little blog thing. You strike me as the type that has a blog. And I will go out and meet another girl and have some fun”. What the hell? As a blogger maybe I was a little too sensitive to that kind of remark.

Julia's husband, the man in question

So I put it aside and enjoyed the rest of the movie. Then I watched Larry Crowne the other day, the pairing of Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts, which I also liked. The scene where Julia’s husband is a novelist who hasn’t written anything in years and stays home to surf the web watching porn but says he is blogging and posting. Julia slams him and says you’re not blogging or working, you’re commenting, big difference.That scene was not a direct hit on blogging so it’s was not too bad. It just shows bloggers because of this one guy, in a bad light. But in Life as We Know It, that was definitely a strike on blogging. Just wanted to see what everyone else thought about it. Maybe I’m being over sensitive. I just think because now I am blogging I do pick up things like that much more.  Like I said this shouldn’t be taken as a rant, but as an observation.

Happy Birthday Barbara Rush (1927 - present)

 Barbara is so excited about her birthday she had to call me and tell me.....

Happy Birthday to actress Barbara Rush. Known for such films as The Young Philadelphians, Robin and The Seven Hoods,When Worlds Collide, It Came From Outer Space, and Magnificent Obsession (the 1954 remake). And tons of TV series later on in her career such as Peyton Place, Marcus Welby, The Mod Squad, Fantasy Island, Medical Center, The Streets of San Francisco and others. First marriage was to actor Jeffrey Hunter. Happy Birthday Barbara!

If It's Tuesday, Then It Must Be Grace Kelly - Star of the Day on Facebook

My friend Marsha who does the terrific page Flick Chick on facebook and writes several blogs including A Person In The Dark is doing the theme of classic stars for the week. And today it's Grace Kelly. How about that. I think that is awesome. She asked for fans to share their favorite films and things about Grace.

My all time favorite Grace film is Rear Window. She was just amazing as Lisa Fremont. A woman who knew what she wanted and was a fabulous dresser. In fact I loved all three films she did for Hitchcock including To Catch A Thief and Dial M For Murder. Fave non-Hitch films would be The Country Girl, Mogambo and The Swan. She didn't do a whole lot of films before she left Hollywood and married Prince Rainier. But she still made quite the impact on me and fellow fans across the world. Here's to Grace Kelly on this special day. Thanks Marsha for choosing her. And here's the link to that wonderful page: FlickChick

Be My Guest - Emily (Part 1)

My first guest of the year is my good friend Emily, who writes the wonderful blog The Silver Screen Affair. She was originally going to be my guest last year but didn't have the time. So when she emailed me a few months ago, she said she could do it, I told her she would be my first guest of the year. I had revamped my Q&A a little, dropping some questions and adding some new ones. The total count now is 15. So we really get to know a lot about everyone. Which also means, my former guests may get called on again for a second appearance. But this month it's all about Emily. Here is some facts about Emily in her own words. She currently resides in Orange, California.  She describes herself as a gal who was definitely born in the wrong decade. I am obsessed with oldie films, sewing, vintage finds, and anything but the ordinary. Now let's get to our little chat with the girl in question.

My guest for the month, Emily


Me: What made you start blogging?


Emily: I was always finding myself trying to share movie trivia or discuss a great oldie that I had just seen with friends only to have their response be blank stares or lack of interest. I needed an outlet with other oldie film nerds like me.

Me: I know that feeling well...

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


Emily: Cary Grant. Lauren Bacall. After them, they come in no particular order… Katharine Hepburn, Loretta Young, Lucille Ball, Esther Williams, Charlotte Greenwood, Gregory Peck, Audrey Hepburn, Robert Mitchum, Fred Astaire, Judy Holliday, Gene Kelly, Joan Crawford, Betty Grable, Bette Davis…


Me: Hey you had me at Cary Grant. And the fact that Lauren is my classic movie goddess this month is perfect timing to your response.

Me: What are some of your favorite films?


Favorite movie ever is “The Women” 1939. Others include “Desk Set”, “Mildred Pierce”, “Sunset Blvd.”, “Sabrina”, “Suspicion”, “Now, Voyager”, “Moon Over Miami”, “Breakfast At Tiffany’s”, and “Adam’s Rib”. I also have a few newbies that are on the list such as “The Aviator”, “The Royal Tenenbaums”, and “The Village”.


Me: I love The Women. While it is not my fave movie of all time, it is my favorite movie from 1939. And it does resides in my top 25. But not a fan of Tiffany's. Sunset Blvd, Sabrina, Moon over Miami, Sabrina, Suspicion I do like them though. Good choices.

Me: Describe your first classic movie experience.


Emily: I was nine years old visiting my grandparents in Arizona. My brother and I were tired of swimming and bored. My grandmother put in “Roman Holiday”. I didn’t want to watch it because I thought black and white movies were dumb. Ten minutes in and I was hooked. And so it began.
 
Me: That fits the old adage of tasting something you never had before and thinking it's gonna be awful. Glad it turned out that you liked them.
 
OK, everyone this wraps up part one of my chat with Emily. We will be back shortly in a few days with part 2.
 
And don't forget to check out Emily's very cool blog. Here's the link: The Silver Screen Affair

The New Stuff - Apes, Dogs and Smurfs..oh my!

Watched a lot of newer films thanks to a free trial through my blu-ray player that offers movies in HD. Funny thing is I bought my player 2 years ago and never bothered to check out all the offers that came with it. Well I have made up for that as we had three free movies to watch all in glorious High Definition and terrific Dolby sound. All the films we watched looked impressively clear and sounded dynamic. Here are my thoughts on said films.

RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (2011) When I first saw the preview for this film early last year, I thought oh my god..here we go again. About to ruin a classic with this update. Lo and behold, this isn't a remake but a prequel in a sense and it's one of the best films of 2011. Taking a page from I Am Legend as scientists (namely James Franco) thinks he has the cure to Alzheimer's, which his dad (John Lithgow) currently has. In Legend, it was the supposed cure to cancer. Well what works in chimps, does not work well on humans without side effects. But one ape dubbed Caesar (wonderfully played through technology by Andy Serkis..who did the same thing in Lord of the Rings as Gollum) actually becomes enhanced with mental faculties far greater than any specimen before him. But after an incident, he is taken to a facility with other apes and then starts to think beyond the box. Thus an ape revolution begins. This is one taut and exciting film with some amazing visual effects. Like I said Andy Serkis is phenomenal in his role as Caesar and I can't praise him enough. His Caesar is a fully developed character that is better than some actual human performances from other films. There are also several references to the original Planet of the Apes film, and a rousing standoff between apes and man on the Golden Gate Bridge. This is great film-making here people. Do not miss this movie.
B+

STRAW DOGS (2011) This remake of the 1971 Sam Peckinpah classic which featured Dustin Hoffman as a meek husband who is pushed too far and decides to fight back against the men who torment him and his wife. The new film takes the same story and transplants the action from England to America. Specifically Mississippi. James Marsden takes over the role of Hoffman's and his wife is now played by Kate Bosworth. Her ex-boyfriend Charlie is played by Alexander Skarsgard, who along with his friends are rebuilding the couple's home. Soon though tensions become volatile as the ex has designs on Bosworth. Throw in the town's former football coach who is regarded as a messiah (James Woods) and things go from bad to real bad very fast. While this remake can't compare to the original, it is still a gripping film with a solid performance by Marsden. And an effective turn by Skarsgard.
B-

THE SMURFS (2011) The live action version of the 80's children's cartoon was a must see by my wife. And it was free. All I can say is that the Smurfs themselves looked amazingly good in all their HD glory. That being said, I think kids will enjoy it along with their parents. Nice seeing Neil Patrick Harris and Jayma Mays as the couple who take the Smurfs in.
C-

Audrey welcomes Lauren.....

I thought it would be cool to have the preceding classic movie goddess to welcome the incoming movie goddess as a nice way of passing the torch, so to speak. Audrey Hepburn graciously said yes to doing so and is here to greet Lauren Bacall, this month's classic movie goddess. Take it away Audrey....

Audrey biked all the way over here for this special occasion...

Audrey: Thank you Monty. Just wanted to say I had a fabulous time last month as your goddess and the interview we did. You will have me for a return visit I hope. Anyway, I am here to welcome the amazing Lauren Bacall. People always talk about my immediate impact in film. Well they need to look at Lauren. Right out of the gate at 19 years old with To Have and Have Not. Just unbelievable Lauren. And your on-screen and off-screen relationship with Bogie is one of those one in a lifetime moments. Just wanted to say welcome to All Good Things and I know you will have a great time!

The wonderful Lauren....

Lauren: Why thank you Audrey. And thank you for all that wonderful praise. But you're pretty amazing yourself. And I'm so glad to be here this month and I hope I won't disappoint Monty's readers. 

Monty: I can safely say that won't happen Lauren. Welcome to All Good Things. Thank you Audrey for that introduction too.

Classic Stars Match Play #13 - HEDY LAMARR vs AVA GARDNER

I'm back to kickstart the new year with a new match play. And I've chosen two women who both carried the title The Most Beautiful Woman in Hollywood at one time or another...Hedy Lamarr and Ava Gardner. Who was more beautiful? Who was more talented? Who has the better resume in films? This argument could go on for decades so in the meantime I figured a little match play was in order to see where both women stood...on All Good Things that is. The match begins today and will run thru next Sunday. Good luck to both women. And I will personally be present as to make sure that this match is kept clean and drama free. It's the least I could do.

HEDY LAMARR

Ummm Hedy...you don't need that whip, it's not that kind of match!

Name: Hedwig Eva Marie Kiesler
Birth Date: November 9, 1914 (Vienna, Austria-Hungary)
Height: 5' 7"
Academy Awards: none
Monties: 1 nomination so far (Experiment Perilous - 1944)
My favorite Hedy film: I know it's regarded as campy today but I love Hedy in White Cargo (1942).
Match Play record: 0-1 (lost to Rita Hayworth in the first round of the 40's era of the Favorite Classic Actress Tournament)

CLASSIC STARS MATCH PLAY

AVA GARDNER

Ava..you have a match now. You're going make it or you're gonna stay and fish?

Name: Ava Lavinia Gardner
Birth Date: December 24, 1922 (Grabtown, North Carolina...love that name!)
Height: 5' 6"
Academy Awards: One nomination (Best Actress for 1953's Mogambo)
Monties: None so far...but I haven't reached her peak era yet
My favorite Ava film: The Night Of The Iguana

Match Play record: 1-1 (beat Jane Russell but then lost to Grace Kelly (her Mogambo co-star) in the 50's era of the Favorite Classic Actress Tournament

Ladies...the stage is all yours!