Let's Spam About Gary Cooper - The TCMR Edition

pktrekgirl · Post by **pktrekgirl** » April 24th, 2007, 9:49 am

MissGoddess wrote:I really must see more Valentino movies. I'll never forget the huge impression he made on me as a young girl, when I happened upon his Son of the Sheik on television one night. I think that was my first exposure to that particular flavor of exotic eroticism. Such themes were really the vogue in the 1920s, influencing literature, fashion and decor, and especially films. Is SotS on dvd? If it is, I will definitely rent it on Netflix.

Yes! It is!

In fact, The Shiek/Son of the Shiek are on a double bill DVD, and if you rented that one, you could see both!

This is what you are looking for:

http://www.deepdiscount.com/viewproduct ... Id=5748453

Plus, one of the special features is The Shiek's Physique - a short film that...as the titile describes, shows off Valentino's considerable....erm....'assets'.

Just have a cold shower handy.

MissGoddess · Post by **MissGoddess** » April 24th, 2007, 11:29 am

Very true about "it", Jdb. It's a gift, not a thing that can be taught, though the performer can learn to maximize it and use to its best effect. It also helps to be very controlled about what kinds of roles you play.

MissGoddess · Post by **MissGoddess** » April 25th, 2007, 10:15 am

PK or anyone: Is there some hope, or have I overlooked the announcement, that SARATOGA TRUNK is coming to dvd? Because I saw this encouraging sign on Amazon.com:

Does that mean a release is imminent? Or am I merely suffering from a Cooper-induced delusion?

pktrekgirl · Post by **pktrekgirl** » April 25th, 2007, 2:11 pm

On Amazon? No...that doesn't mean a release is necessarily on the horizon.

It would be nice if it were...but if you look at some of those reviews, they are from a few years ago.

Could it be possible that this was once released on VHS and the reviews are from that? Or released in Europe or Asia or something? Although that might not be it either, because one or two of the reviewers actually comment that they wish it would be released.

I'd love it if it were being released, of course...

But sadly, I suspect we'll just have to settle for the 9 films coming out on May 22.

I mean, can you BELIEVE it's only NINE????

An outrage, I tell you!!

MissGoddess · Post by **MissGoddess** » April 25th, 2007, 2:24 pm

pktrekgirl wrote:On Amazon? No...that doesn't mean a release is necessarily on the horizon.

It would be nice if it were...but if you look at some of those reviews, they are from a few years ago.

Could it be possible that this was once released on VHS and the reviews are from that? Or released in Europe or Asia or something? Although that might not be it either, because one or two of the reviewers actually comment that they wish it would be released.

I'd love it if it were being released, of course...

But sadly, I suspect we'll just have to settle for the 9 films coming out on May 22.

I mean, can you BELIEVE it's only NINE????

An outrage, I tell you!!

Ah, that's what I feared. And yes, nine is such a paltry number of Gary Cooper films. I'd feel better about buying 42 of them and declaring Bankruptcy. I wonder how the judge would feel if I stated as my reason an uncontrollable addiction to Gary Cooper movies.

pktrekgirl · Post by **pktrekgirl** » April 25th, 2007, 6:07 pm

^ Sounds like a perfectly reasonable defense to me!

And yes...it's a pity about those 9 films. I mean clearly, the studios have nowhere NEAR as much respect and admiration for Gary Cooper as they should have. I mean, if they really cared the way they should, we'd have full boxed sets from each of the studios...and a few more documentaries.

But sadly, their commitment to Coop just isn't what it should be.

That....and I'm WAY greedy.

metsfan · Post by **metsfan** » April 25th, 2007, 8:56 pm

Pktrekgirl, thanks for the info on the double feature of the dvd. I haven't seen either one or "The Four Horseman Of Apocalypse" unfortunately.

"Women are not in love with me but with the picture of me on the screen. I am merely the canvas upon which the women paint their dreams."

feaito · Post by **feaito** » April 25th, 2007, 9:26 pm

It's kind of uncanny, but today, quite by chance, I was reading David Shipman's "The Great Movie Stars" and he discussed the same point some of you have been exchanging views about: Gary's rather non-apparent acting talent.

He states that John Barrymore said: "That fellow is the world's greatest actor. He can do, with no effort, what the rest of us spent years trying to learn: to be perfectly natural." Charles Laughton said: "I knew in a flash he'd got something I should never have...that boy hasn't the least idea how well he acts." And finally, Robert Preston said after Coop's death: "Now, Cooper doesn't have the reputation as a great actor except with us who knew him as an actor. But he was great. People used to comment on what they called his idiosyncrasies, his little foibles. But Cooper never made a move that wasn't thoroughly thought out and planned. He is probably the finest motion picture actor I ever worked with."

pktrekgirl · Post by **pktrekgirl** » April 25th, 2007, 11:21 pm

metsfan wrote:Pktrekgirl, thanks for the info on the double feature of the dvd. I haven't seen either one or "The Four Horseman Of Apocalypse" unfortunately.

"Women are not in love with me but with the picture of me on the screen. I am merely the canvas upon which the women paint their dreams."

Leave it to you to come up with a photo of Valentino that I've never seen, metsfan!

Amazing!

I thought I'd seen every photo of Valentino there was, practically! I even collect photos of him in 'hard copy'. And here you are...coming up with one I don't have yet.

Bless you!!!

I think I feel a "Half Nekkid Rudy Avatar" coming on....

And by the way, I really hope you get to see The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. It's a really great film in it's own right - regardless of my personal fascination with Rudy.

It comes on TCM every so often...although it's not scheduled right now.

It is also available as part of a documentary disk on Valentino that is really cheap - only $5.99 here:

http://www.deepdiscount.com/viewproduct ... Id=5743668

The Sheik and The Son of the Sheik are fun films - I love them both. But The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse is a very well MADE film - most likely would have been nominated for an Oscar if they had had them in 1921. It cost over a million dollars to make...which was a record, I believe, at that time....or close to it!

pktrekgirl · Post by **pktrekgirl** » April 25th, 2007, 11:37 pm

feaito wrote:It's kind of uncanny, but today, quite by chance, I was reading David Shipman's "The Great Movie Stars" and he discussed the same point some of you have been exchanging views about: Gary's rather non-apparent acting talent.

He states that John Barrymore said: "That fellow is the world's greatest actor. He can do, with no effort, what the rest of us spent years trying to learn: to be perfectly natural." Charles Laughton said: "I knew in a flash he'd got something I should never have...that boy hasn't the least idea how well he acts." And finally, Robert Preston said after Coop's death: "Now, Cooper doesn't have the reputation as a great actor except with us who knew him as an actor. But he was great. People used to comment on what they called his idiosyncrasies, his little foibles. But Cooper never made a move that wasn't thoroughly thought out and planned. He is probably the finest motion picture actor I ever worked with."

Wow...what great quotes!!! Thanks for posting those!

Coming from folks like John Barrymore and Charles Laughton, those are some impressive comments!

I'm so pleased that actors like that thought so well of him!!!

feaito · Post by **feaito** » April 26th, 2007, 6:40 am

Welcome Pktrekgirl....In general I feel that "natural" players like Gary, Gable, Loy, Cary Grant et al, are the best cinematographic actors.

MissGoddess · Post by **MissGoddess** » April 26th, 2007, 9:07 am

metsfan wrote:Pktrekgirl, thanks for the info on the double feature of the dvd. I haven't seen either one or "The Four Horseman Of Apocalypse" unfortunately.

"Women are not in love with me but with the picture of me on the screen. I am merely the canvas upon which the women paint their dreams."

*gasp* Blimey! That picture is almost too much before my morning cuppa!! In fact, now I don't need my morning cuppa.

MissGoddess · Post by **MissGoddess** » April 26th, 2007, 9:12 am

feaito wrote:Welcome Pktrekgirl....In general I feel that "natural" players like Gary, Gable, Loy, Cary Grant et al, are the best cinematographic actors.

Ciao, feaito,

I just watched Myrna again for the thousandth time in one of my favorites, 1933's When Ladies Meet. It's a challenging role for her because some of the dialogue is in the most histrionic and over-the-top melodramatic style. However this charming, understated actress manages to breathe reality into it. In fact, the entire cast is and raises this movie far above its material. Myrna is one of my all time favorites, and seeing her with my other favorite "crush", Robert Montgomery, is always a thrill. I hope you have had a chance to see it.

A great regret I have is that Myrna and her fellow Montanan of this thread never did a film together.

Miss G

pktrekgirl · Post by **pktrekgirl** » April 26th, 2007, 5:59 pm

MissGoddess wrote:
metsfan wrote:Pktrekgirl, thanks for the info on the double feature of the dvd. I haven't seen either one or "The Four Horseman Of Apocalypse" unfortunately.

"Women are not in love with me but with the picture of me on the screen. I am merely the canvas upon which the women paint their dreams."
*gasp* Blimey! That picture is almost too much before my morning cuppa!! In fact, now I don't need my morning cuppa.

I know...

I just made a Babs & Coop avatar that I was gonna use for my next one...and I made one of Errol and Olivia as well that I wanted to use. But this photo was just too good to stay away from.

Good gracious!

pktrekgirl · Post by **pktrekgirl** » April 26th, 2007, 6:03 pm

MissGoddess wrote: A great regret I have is that Myrna and her fellow Montanan of this thread never did a film together.

Yes...that would have been fun to watch, wouldn't it?

I would have really loved to have seen this. Kinda a bummer, because Myrna worked with so many people...

I wonder though, if they ever met and talked in real life about Montana. They are the only two stars I can recall that were from there...

The Silver Screen Oasis

The Silver Screen Oasis

Let's Spam About Gary Cooper - The TCMR Edition