The Silver Screen Oasis

Someone must have a thought on the debonair leading man.

Oh...I have lots of thoughts!

I really like Cary Grant. Interestingly, I like his early stuff and his later stuff better than his mid-career stuff...which is what everyone seems to love.

I love films like WINGS IN THE DARK - what a great film that is! And I like stuff like CHARADE and NORTH BY NORTHWEST as well.

But BRINGING UP BABY? Meh. I can do without it.

Overall, however, I adore Cary Grant. He's all class!

The TCM tribute to Cary Grant by Tony Curtis, run between films, is a very touching and obviously heart-felt one, and I think it encapsulates what most CG fans feel. With so many years of cinema history for us to consider, CG comes up as truly one of a kind.

I haven't really ever read or heard any really negative comments about him as a man or as an actor. One exception can be found in Shirley Temple's memoirs, but then, she doesn't have much good to say about anyone other than J. Edgar Hoover. I was always a big Shirley fan, but after reading her book, I couldn't like her quite so much.

pktrekgirl wrote: Interestingly, I like his early stuff and his later stuff better than his mid-career stuff...which is what everyone seems to love.

Hmmm... That's exactly the way I feel. I love movies like Holiday (1938) or his really early She Done Him Wrong (1933) with Mae West. Then I basically could skip through alot of his work during the forties and start back in mid-50's, early 60's. You know what I think it is? With me, I don't like the perfect Cary Grant. I think he comes off a little egotistical (but I still love that about him... I mean, he's Cary Grant!) but when he was young, he was awkward. That took away from his self-confidence and I find that attractive. Then when he got older, again he lost some of that self-confidence... That may be stupid, but that's the way I feel.

Grant grew into his later years maybe better than any other actor. By the time he was in his 50's he was doing some of his best work even if it was primarily with Hitchcock. Throw out "The Pride and The Passion" (please) and he was mainly playing Cary Grant and lots of it was fluff, even if sophisticated fluff.

He has my favorite line in that when he was told that people would love to be Cary Grant he replied by saying I would love to be Cary Grant.

That's interesting that you guys aren't fond of his mid-career films...the only Oscar nominations he received were for 2 of his movies from the '40's-"None But The Lonely Heart" and "Penny Serenade." Ironically, I've never seen either!
I love Cary Grant. He was so handsome and suave and made acting look easy.
I could watch (and enjoy) him in anything...from his young Cockney officer in "Gunga Din" to the put-upon Roger O. Thornhill in "North By Northwest."
I'm curious to know more about his one man show, "An Evening With Cary Grant," that he was doing in Davenport, Iowa when he died...

In the middle of his career Cary Grant made The Bachelor and the Bobbysoxer and Mr. Blanding Builds His Dream House. Not too shabby ! Both of these film co - starred the Heavenly Myrna Loy

I just love Cary Grant, primarily in comedies. Somehow he doesn't really float my boat attraction-wise, though I can plainly see what a handsome dude he is. In fact, I all the more appreciate his ability to poke fun at himself and do such graceful pratfalling because he is so dignified and handsome.

I laugh so hard watching The Bachelor and the Bobbysoxer and Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House. I think Myrna Loy is my favorite Grant co-star.

benwhowell wrote: I'm curious to know more about his one man show, "An Evening With Cary Grant," that he was doing in Davenport, Iowa when he died...

Ben:

They do show clips from it in his documentary and is very similar to Gregory Peck's show if you've seen his documentary. I think they are both in May or June.

Basically the shows involve little more than sharing stories of his life and the last portion is given to a question/answer session with the audience.

To me, Cary is the epitome of a Movie Star He made his own unique style and there was no other quite like him. Tony Curtis picked one heck of an idol for himself.

I personally thought he was incredibly handsome, and he never stopped being attractive, even in his 80's he still looked good, long after he was off the screen. I hated what he did to himself in Father Goose!

Anne

I think I fell in love with the young Cary Grant in His Girl Friday , Notorious, and The Philadelphia Story, then Affair to Remember , and again in Charade.


Suave, debonair, and affable.

He is one of a kind. My favorites are Charade, To Catch a Thief, Notorious, People Will Talk, Penny Serenade, Holiday, The Philadelphia Story, The Grass is Greener, Indiscreet, My Favorite Wife and The Awful Truth. So many more, of course, but those he really shines in. I actually like him best when he's cranky/bossy. It's so funny. He's most attractive to me in Notorious.

Miss G

Cary Grant: A handsome, elegant man unafraid of looking ridiculous.

Along with Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., I think he was the best dressed man in Hollywood. Very few could wear a suit like Grant.

MissGoddess wrote:Cary Grant: A handsome, elegant man unafraid of looking ridiculous.

Couldn't have said it better myself... And love the pic, too