The January 2014 Schedule for TCM

Discussion of programming on TCM.
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JackFavell
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Re: The January 2014 Schedule for TCM

Post by JackFavell »

It's not great, that's for sure. Yes, I'll go along with that, I do think iron petticoat is her worst.
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Rita Hayworth
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Re: The January 2014 Schedule for TCM

Post by Rita Hayworth »

JackFavell wrote:I actually don't agree with it being her worst film, Erik. I like Spitfire, in fact, I'll even go so far as to say I love it. If you overlook the obvious accent issues. I think Kate turns in a marvelous performance as a woman who can't help loving and healing people, and the story is quite interesting, with religious overtones rather similar to Strange Cargo. I like it tremendously.

I'm going to give it another chance and thanks for your vote of confidence. :)
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Bronxgirl48
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Re: The January 2014 Schedule for TCM

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Sue Sue, I remember my first reaction years ago to Tallu as the psychotic Mrs. Trefoile: what a great actress! It takes a lot of talent to be witty and terrifying at the same time, and Bankhead delivers, in spades. She's got such a frighteningly bemused, creepy reptilian half-smile while playing with her "game", lol. I don't remember the bloodshot eyes because her gash of a mouth kept freaking me out.



I hated April Dancer in this movie! You had to suspend disbelief mightily to accept such mind-numbing stupidity, but then, there'd be no movie if Patricia had even half the brain of, say, a stegasaurus.



How Powers could even remotely think that Donald would understand what she was trying to tell him was indeed hilarious. "Go to the post office!"
Yeah, right....

I missed the other two turkeys.

Recorded many of the Crawfords, but always get the David Brian ones mixed up -- THE DAMNED DON'T CRY, FLAMINGO ROAD, THIS WOMAN IS DANGEROUS, etc. Can't stand him, lol. For some reason Brian always reminded me of a perverse barking Pillsbury Doughboy (even though he seemed pretty tall and wasn't chubby) It's the weird snarling baby-face and blond hair. The more this actor growled and acted "tough", the blander he became; quite a feat. I could never tell him apart in any of those gangster roles.
Western Guy
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Re: The January 2014 Schedule for TCM

Post by Western Guy »

Bronxgirl, I'm in total agreemewnt with you when it comes to David Brian. Geez, I try to like him but he just doesn't do it for me. The closest I came to admiring his work was in the war film "Breakthrough". His pontificating throughout the otherwise intriguing "Intruder in the Dust" very quickly grated on me. Tried to get through "This Woman is Dangeous" (hey - Warner Brothers . . . crime drama - all the right elements for an engrossing movie), but the film fell flat for me because of David Brian's . . . as you so accurately put it: blandness. And I do gotta say that Dennis Morgan was only slightly better. Morgan was always much more fun and effective in his pairings with Manitoba-born Jack Carson, IMO

Likewise Brian's gangster performance in the otherwise intriguing "The Damned Don't Cry". We just ain't talkin' classic movie tough guy here. At least the latter film had Steve Cochran in a "Bugsy" Siegel impersonation. Now Brian coulda taken lessons from Steve.
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Bronxgirl48
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Re: The January 2014 Schedule for TCM

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Western Guy, I never knew Jack Carson was Canadian! Wow, that's really interesting, because for some reason he always seemed so "American" to me, ha! (especially in MILDRED PIERCE) Love him paired with Dennis Morgan. Ah, Dennis....(sigh) Er, what was I saying, lol?

You're so right about Steve Cochran leaving David Brian in the dust gangster-wise. Steve thoroughly oozes effortless sleaze. I'll check Brian out in BREAKTHROUGH.

Did anyone see DELLA, the failed '60's t.v. pilot presented as a movie, with Joan Crawford? (it's on YouTube for anyone who missed the TCM premiere -- one commenter described Cranberry's mansion as looking like "a Ramada Inn", and I have to agree) Diane Baker's situation vaguely reminded me of Hawthorne's "Rappacini's Daughter". I constantly waiver between thinking Paul Burke is either 1) New York hunky or 2) can't-put-my-finger-on-it creepy.

At this moment I'm desperately trying to get through MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON. It's not easy for someone whose favorite Capra film is THE BITTER TEA OF GENERAL YEN.
Western Guy
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Re: The January 2014 Schedule for TCM

Post by Western Guy »

I don't think Carson lived in Manitoba for long, Christy. But it's interesting the Manitoba/Winnipeg connection many celebrities have, including Deanna Durbin, Jack Kruschen, Monty Hall, David Steinberg, Nia Vardalos, Anna Paquin, Donnelly Rhodes, Donald Woods, Adam Beach. Heck, Jan Rooney (sadly Mickey's latest "ex") told me her mom was born in Miami, Manitoba.

Miami . . . given oour winter temps, that seeps with irony.
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Bronxgirl48
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Re: The January 2014 Schedule for TCM

Post by Bronxgirl48 »

I'm Barb! But I'm very flattered you think I'm Christy! (Sue Sue Applegate)

Miami, Manitoba?? LOL!! Hey, the best one out of that bunch is definitely Deanna Durbin. What -- Jan and the Mickster split?? Wasn't this supposed to be Rooney's most successful marriage; i.e., lasting longer than 20 minutes? (30 years or something, for goodness sake?) What happened?
Western Guy
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Re: The January 2014 Schedule for TCM

Post by Western Guy »

Sorry Barb :oops:

As with Bud Abbott, I'm oft-times bad with names.

You know, I'm not sure about the split between Jan and Mickey, although I would hazard a guess and say it has to do with Mickey charging Jan's son Christopher from a previous marriage with fraud and "elder abuse" and ordering a restraining order against him and Christopher's wife. Mickey currently lives with his son Mark and Mark's wife. I daresay the notorious Mickster won't be jumping to the altar again.

Sad, though, because I found Jan a really nice, warm lady.
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Bronxgirl48
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Re: The January 2014 Schedule for TCM

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No prob, Western Guy! And is that why Bud always called everyone "neighbor", lol?

Oh, dear, that's a very ugly situation if you're correct about the couple's family problems. I somehow always liked Jan, too -- she actually looked like Mickey (the same chipmunk expression) which I always thought was a predictor of a long and happy marriage, when spouses resembled each other. I'm not so sure, though, that Andy is off the marriage-go-round, lol. He just might surprise us with, what? wife number 7?
Western Guy
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Re: The January 2014 Schedule for TCM

Post by Western Guy »

Glad you got my Bud Abbott reference, Barb. That's why I enjoy this site. Try talking to the average person here in Winnipeg about classic movies and it usually elicits a vacant stare.

Well, the Mickster better not wait too long. But you know . . . you just might be right. Rooney has always been full of surprises.

Shoulda known there was trouble in matrimony when I stopped receiving Christmas cards a couple of years ago. Glad I saved the ones I got. Have a great one of Jan and Mickey atop a camel in front of a pyramid when they were in Egypt.
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Bronxgirl48
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Re: The January 2014 Schedule for TCM

Post by Bronxgirl48 »

I sympathize with you, Western Guy -- here in Boca they wouldn't know Abbott from Costello.

So you know the Rooneys personally? How wonderful! You've got to hand it to Mickey (and I'd love to see him astride a camel) -- he's always been such a bundle of energy; a real workaholic is how I peg him, restless, ambitious, will no doubt die with his boots on doing what he loves best, show business. I'm sure old age will eventually slow him down, but probably not by much re: his profession and romantic life.
Western Guy
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Re: The January 2014 Schedule for TCM

Post by Western Guy »

Actually Barb, I know Jan. But the Christmas cards came from both. Never got a chance to directly meet or talk to Mickey -- and likely won't now. I'll see if I can get my stepdaughter to scan the Jan/Mickey/Camel Christmas card and I'll try to post it. Sad, they look so happy together in that shot.

Hey, I live in Canada and when I mentioned I was writing a bio of George Raft, virtually no one knew who I was talking about. That's why SSO is so valuable.
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JackFavell
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Re: The January 2014 Schedule for TCM

Post by JackFavell »

Don't you think Mr. Smith would be a better film without those cherubic kids getting driven off the roads and stuff? This is where I draw the line in the film. I LOVE Jean Arthur and Thomas Mitchell, Jean is easily the best part for me - she cracks me up, especially when she does her angry imitation of the senator's daughter. She's totally believable, and really quite pretty in this film, retaining her humor, but pulling off the serious parts perfectly. Jimmy does so well with all that serious aw shucks stuff, you never once feel he's phoning it in, he's sincere and I like him. I just can't bear the parts where the kids come in, somehow, they seem so overdone, overkill you know, so DIRECTED. I love Harry Carey, even though he has nothing to do except sit and look benign and bemused. I actually hate the ending, the dancing around... jeez, Claude Rains just tried to kill himself. The good guys are dancing a jig!

Compare that attempted suicide with Rains screaming his guilt to the quiet suicide of Frank Morgan in The Shop Around the Corner. With anyone but Rains playing the part it would be laughable. He brings a certain crazy, off-his-rocker intensity to it that I almost buy (I especially like his waving his gun around in his hand and the people trying to subdue that wild hand), but it's filmed so corny. Sorry, I really like some of Capra... Yen, American Madness, Meet John Doe (where the goopy corny stuff is completely balanced by the darker parts), and Mr. Deeds. I used to completely love this one from start to almost the end. I love what it represented to a Fascist Europe. I love how brave it was about politics. I even love the performances here. But I don't like the hokum and how Capra really stacks the deck. The evil is just too evil, the good too good. I prefer John Doe where the evil is subterranean and quiet. Of course, one might say that Capra was just portraying Congress as it is....over-the-top evil.... and I'll say nothing to refute that...I'd have to be crazy in this day and age to argue that point. :D
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knitwit45
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Re: The January 2014 Schedule for TCM

Post by knitwit45 »

And Robert Evans in The Best of Everything seems so sleazy he'd be convincing as a Hollywood studio executive

Snicker :lol: :lol: 8)
"Life is not the way it's supposed to be.. It's the way it is..
The way we cope with it, is what makes the difference." ~ Virginia Satir
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