MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

Discussion of the actors, directors and film-makers who 'made it all happen'
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Bronxgirl48
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Re: MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

Post by Bronxgirl48 »

jamesjazzguitar wrote: May 29th, 2023, 12:40 pm
Bronxgirl48 wrote: May 26th, 2023, 9:51 pm
Hibi wrote: May 24th, 2023, 4:12 pm That ending with Norma and her arms outstretched: I keep hoping someone (Joan?) pies her!!!! :D


That would have been the perfect ending.

I always picture Leslie Howard as Stephen -- blonde, spineless, gentlemanly, just the kind who would fall for a shopgirl's machinations and then feel he had to marry her. A complete idiot. Why Mary Haines would want him back frankly baffles me.
To answer your question about why Haines would want him back; Idiots love the company of fellow idiots.

As for your point about Leslie Howard: he plays a character like the one in Animal Kingdom more often than he plays the type of character you describe. In fact, in which film does he even play that type of character? In Human Bondage and A Free Soul he plays weak men, but in Bondage he doesn't feel the need to marry the Bette Davis character, and in A Free Soul (also with Norma Shearer), he kills the other man.

I do wonder if The Women had been done in the pre-code era if it would have more of a feminist POV.

Leslie for me always has the appearance of weakness even if sometimes his insides are pure steel, lol. Whenever Howard leans on a mantel and puts hand to cheek, we know he's being introspective and "sensitive". This is actually a signature stance of the actor -- I've seen it many times. Leslie's face of course is a study in gentlemanly grace, even when he's being arrogant and belittling (as Prof. Doolittle in PGYMALION).

Interesting to think about THE WOMEN being made in pre-code Hollywood -- I have to run that around in my mind before coming to any conclusions.
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Bronxgirl48
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Re: MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

Post by Bronxgirl48 »

Did they air MR. PEABODY AND THE MERMAID yesterday as part of William Powell Wednesdays in May or did I accidentally miss it?
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Hibi
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Re: MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

Post by Hibi »

Was The Women written during pre-code days? (The play).
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txfilmfan
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Re: MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

Post by txfilmfan »

Hibi wrote: June 1st, 2023, 3:24 pm Was The Women written during pre-code days? (The play).
It premiered during the Christmas season in 1936. No idea how long Luce had worked on the script. It's definitely a product of the world she inhabited. She was very much like Crystal, in that she had humble beginnings but married into the Time/Life fortune, and spent her time with the elite of NY society. She later got into politics and was a member of Congress, and later an ambassador.
Last edited by txfilmfan on June 1st, 2023, 4:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Hibi
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Re: MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

Post by Hibi »

So it wouldn't have been available as a pre-code then.
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Bronxgirl48
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Re: MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

Post by Bronxgirl48 »

The only pro-feminist views in THE WOMEN come from Mary's housekeeper. Everybody else seems to be in favor of marriage, lol.
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Bronxgirl48
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Re: MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

Post by Bronxgirl48 »

Hey guys, don't miss THE CATERED AFFAIR.

Kitchen-sink drama in the tradition of MARTY. (in an interesting casting decision, Ernest Borgnine plays the father but I am happy to opine, none too shabbily)

Bette Davis and Debbie Reynolds are wonderful.

Early Rod Taylor, bespeckled and nerdy, is particularly sexy.

Long Live My Bronx!
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Sepiatone
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Re: MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

Post by Sepiatone »

???
Bespeckled?
Image

Or...
Bespectacled? ;)

Image

;) Sepiatone
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dianedebuda
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Re: MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

Post by dianedebuda »

Just realized I've now posted more here than I ever did over at TCM from when I joined (2005) until the closure was announced: 63 posts. 😲 Visited every day there but ...
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laffite
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Re: MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

Post by laffite »

Sepiatone wrote: June 11th, 2023, 11:29 am ???
Bespeckled?
Image

Or...
Bespectacled? ;)

Image

;) Sepiatone
What he really needs is to be indentured.
Sabine Azema in Sunday in the Country
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jamesjazzguitar
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Re: MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

Post by jamesjazzguitar »

Sepiatone wrote: June 11th, 2023, 11:29 am ???
Bespeckled?
Image

Or...
Bespectacled? ;)

Image

;) Sepiatone
Isn't this Burt Lancaster before he had a lot of work done on him with the studio footing the bill?
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Dargo
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Re: MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

Post by Dargo »

Sepiatone wrote: June 11th, 2023, 11:29 am
Image

;) Sepiatone
Betcha didn't know that this is a pic of a 13 y/o Burt Lancaster, and just before he got braces and joined his junior high school's wrestling team and started bulking up.

See the resemblance?

(...naaah, jus' kiddin') ;)

LOL
Last edited by Dargo on June 11th, 2023, 2:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Intrepid37
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Re: MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

Post by Intrepid37 »

Hey, I looked kinda geeky too when I was in the 9th grade.

But, like Burt, I turned out looking real fine.
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Detective Jim McLeod
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Re: MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

Post by Detective Jim McLeod »

Image
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Hibi
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Re: MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

Post by Hibi »

Bronxgirl48 wrote: June 11th, 2023, 10:41 am Hey guys, don't miss THE CATERED AFFAIR.

Kitchen-sink drama in the tradition of MARTY. (in an interesting casting decision, Ernest Borgnine plays the father but I am happy to opine, none too shabbily)

Bette Davis and Debbie Reynolds are wonderful.

Early Rod Taylor, bespeckled and nerdy, is particularly sexy.

Long Live My Bronx!

Yes, I watched it again. A favorite of mine.
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