The January 2014 Schedule for TCM

[Bronxgirl48]

What an embarrassment of riches coming right up -- DIE! DIE! MY DARLING!, followed by SKIDOO, then Lana in THE BIG CUBE!

[Sue Sue Applegate]

Die, Die, My Darling was Donald Sutherland's screen debut! This film scared the padoodle out of me when I first saw it, and I know I was up WAYyyyyyy past my bedtime. Mrs. Trefoile! Yikes! And she stabs herself after she kills her own employee because of Biblical prophecy. I noticed that Tallulah had bloodshot eyes every time there was a closeup, and I don't know if it was intentional, but it made it all the more spooky.

But the Girl From Uncle and that bowl of oatmeal. Geeze. I would have just thrown it at Mrs. Trefoil, and grabbed the keys and the gun. How many chances did she have to get away and she did nothing? I think that was the hardest part of this film to watch.

Anyone laugh when Powers dropped the postcard to Sutherland, and then Tallulah came and sat down right by the bench near Sutherland and the tree? I suppose this is just a Bad Movie I love.

[Western Guy]

Donald Sutherland told me when I spoke with him for an interview that for some reason never got printed but is part of his bio in my book "Pioneer Canadian Actors" that he was (and is) embarrassed by his role in DIE, DIE MY DARLING but remains professionally philosophical, stating that "An actor has to start somewhere." He is much more fond of his work in DR. TERROR's HOUSE OF HORRORS, where he portrays the small town doctor who slowly begins to suspect that his wife is a vampire. In any case, both films are significantly better than his role as a witch(?) - actually he does double duty - in CASTLE OF THE LIVING DEAD. Yet Donald obviously felt he was indebted to the film's director Warren "Kiefer" . . . for an obvious reason.

[Sue Sue Applegate]

Stone, thanks for sharing that great story! Sutherland's later role in Animal House gave him plenty of exposure and certainly provided several comical moments, but in "Die.." he gave us a glimpse into some of his later, quirkier roles.

Interesting to note his personal connection to the film. He really had one of the more unusual characters in Die, Die, My Darling. Any comments from Sutherland about the famed Tallulah?

[Western Guy]

Christy, I hate to admit that I never thought to ask Sutherland about working with Miss Bankhead. It's like when I interviewed Mickey Knox and failed to ask him about working with Leo Gorcey and The Bowery Boys. What a lunkhead!

Donald certainly does excel at playing eccentric roles. Even in a film like THE DIRTY DOZEN it is his character who is the most . . . odd. His film choices are also eclectic. Kinda like Christopher Walken. He certainly cannot be pigeonholed. He did tell me a funny story about the night he hosted a dinner party and enjoyed watching his guests' jaws drop when he told them he was making a movie called BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER.

A nice, funny and very intelligent man.

[Sue Sue Applegate]

Thanks, Stone. Good story!

[norfious]

The other day I was able to catch most of The Canterville Ghost, which I had not had the pleasure of seeing before. I was especially pleased with the performance of Robert Young, whom I never really paid much attention to previous to this film, aside from his role in The Enchanted Cottage (one of my favorites!). I enjoyed his generally happy-go-lucky character who played almost a fatherly role for Margaret O'Brien.

This movie got me more interested in Robert Young and his work, so I've been reading little snippets from the Internet. I was surprised to hear about his distaste for Hollywood and his later depression, but it's awesome that he used his experiences in a positive way to assist others struggling with mental illness.

[JackFavell]

norfious,

we have so much in common! I have become a huge Robert Young fan over the last few years after I found out he had those experiences with depression. I always liked his easy breezy style in movies, not so much when I was a kid and his TV show Marcus Welby was on, which I didn't like. Over the last 2 years, I've come to admire his darker roles, or the ones that let him examine the more callow or irritable parts of a character. The Enchanted Cottage is just marvelous, one of my favorites too, but lately I've seen a few others you might like to check out (in no particular order:

Journey for Margaret - I haven't seen this one for a while, but I have nothing but good things to say about it. This one has everything, a great role for Young, giving him a chance to show his characteristic charm but also to become embittered and fight his way back to life again after a loss.

They Won't Believe Me - A noir film, with Young as another light and careless fellow, this time a serial adulterer. Marvelous, deep performance by Young, who uses his warmth and relaxed charm to snow young women into falling for him, then dumps them because he can't commit. I just loved this movie, found it extremely satisfying. Young invests his role with self loathing and real angst. It's definitely a B picture, but the cast is A list - Rita Johnson as Young's wife, who holds him with her money, Susan Hayward as a secretary on the make who understands his dalliances and need for freedom, and Jane Greer as the woman who really does fall for him. Unexpectedly good.

H. M. Pulham, Esq. - Young plays a man who is born well off, succeeds in business, has a happy marriage...but something is lacking. He thinks back on his life and remembers a girl he once knew during the one time he was really on his own. Not to everyone's taste, a quiet examination of that tinge of regret we might have floating in the back of our minds, the "what if I'd..." - married the other girl, taken the other job, lived a different life thoughts that sometimes flicker through our minds. With Hedy Lamarr, who is very good btw.

The Mortal Storm/Three Comrades - You have probably already seen these. Young is quite good in both, though he gets a little overlooked with the rest of the cast members being so strong. The Mortal Storm has a far more complex role for Young, again, his dark side is showing in this one, making him more interesting, to my way of thinking.

The Shining Hour - A flawed film that was just on TCM's tribute to Joan Crawford. Young plays a pianist smitten with Joan Crawford, but she's married to his straight arrow brother, Melvyn Douglas. Young and Crawford are the same type of person, drawn to one another because they understand one another. How will it turn out? Also starring Margaret Sullavan.

New Morals for Old - An interesting film, dealing with a brother and sister who are aimless and like to party, 1920's style. The movie is based on a John Van Druten play, and had an interesting plot, with wealthy scion Young giving up the family wallpaper business to travel to Paris to become a painter. His sister, played by Margaret Perry, falls in love with a married man. Mother is rather grasping (played well by Laura Hope Crews) and Father is Lewis Stone of course. Elizabeth Patterson plays Auntie Doe. The kids get a few years on the outside, and come back, realizing that the old folks have more substance than they thought. There's a fascinating cameo by Myrna Loy, as Young's Parisian lover for a night.

Lazy River - This early 30's drama was on just the other day, and I have to admit I enjoyed it, though the setting seemed a little oddball at first. It's a backwoods bayou story of a young city criminal who finds the good in himself while helping an old lady save her land from unscrupulous developers. Again, this might not be to everyone's taste, but I liked Young's struggling in this story. He seems particularly good at characters who have come to a crossroads and don't really know what to do, how to live.

Spitfire - I hesitate to even mention this one, as it is considered one of Katharine Hepburn's worst films, from the time when she was labeled box office poison. Another backwoods story, with Young one of a couple of city dudes who fall for Kate. She's a faith healer who seems to have supernatural powers. I like the film, but some hate Kate's terrible accent and these kind of backwoods stories in general.

I don't know if you'll care to try these out, but they are the movies that made me appreciate Robert Young even more. Enjoy!

[ChiO]

Another interesting film noir with Robert Young in the lead is THE SECOND WOMAN (James Kern 1950). It's on YouTube.

[norfious]

Wow, Jack! It is amazing how many favorite actors and movies we have in common!

Thank you so much for the recommendations your summaries! I actually haven't seen The Mortal Storm nor Three Comrades, but those did look intriguing to me. Unfortunately, I am in grad school, so I don't have a lot of time to watch movies (that also explains why I disappear a lot!). I can only catch movies that play on TCM in the evenings, but if these can be found online, I'd love to take them in during my lunch break!

Edit: Thanks, ChiO! Gotta love movies on YouTube. That's the only way I've been able to watch anything for the past few weeks!

[JackFavell]

I totally understand about grad school, norfious. I was thinking about including links but I'm also baking a bunch of stuff for a school bake sale, and I forgot what I was doing. I just took a quick look and didn't see any of the ones I mentioned on youtube. I know They Won't Believe Me shows up there occasionally.

[Rita Hayworth]

H. M. Pulham, Esq. - Young plays a man who is born well off, succeeds in business, has a happy marriage...but something is lacking. He thinks back on his life and remembers a girl he once knew during the one time he was really on his own. Not to everyone's taste, a quiet examination of that tinge of regret we might have floating in the back of our minds, the "what if I'd..." - married the other girl, taken the other job, lived a different life thoughts that sometimes flicker through our minds. With Hedy Lamarr, who is very good btw.



Spitfire - I hesitate to even mention this one, as it is considered one of Katharine Hepburn's worst films, from the time when she was labeled box office poison. Another backwoods story, with Young one of a couple of city dudes who fall for Kate. She's a faith healer who seems to have supernatural powers. I like the film, but some hate Kate's terrible accent and these kind of backwoods stories in general.

H. M. Pulham, Esq. ... Based on your write up - I got to see this movie Jack Favell.

I agree with you Jack Favell on your write up on Spitfire here. It is Katharine Hepburn's worst film of all time. The Worst of the Worst.

[JackFavell]

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.

[movieman1957]

"The Iron Petticoat" was probably her worst. I have it recorded but haven't yet watched it.