The Films of Douglas Sirk

Post Reply
User avatar
MissGoddess
Posts: 5072
Joined: April 17th, 2007, 10:01 am
Contact:

Re: The Films of Douglas Sirk

Post by MissGoddess »

I never even heard of this movie! And with Charles Boyer...not to mention Bettger NOT playing a "heavy" for a change. Thanks for writing about it, I will hope it turns up on YouTube or some such outlet.
"There's only one thing that can kill the movies, and that's education."
-- Will Rogers
User avatar
moira finnie
Administrator
Posts: 8024
Joined: April 9th, 2007, 6:34 pm
Location: Earth
Contact:

Re: The Films of Douglas Sirk

Post by moira finnie »

I am so glad that you had a chance to see this interesting Sirk film, kingrat. I agree about the ending but think that Carroll & Boyer were excellent in their roles. I believe that Demarest as a monsignor represented a more familiar type of priest to audiences at the time, though he does seem to lack the Jesuitical intellectualism, to put it mildly. I would love if someone could ever sit down at length with Barbara Rush to discuss this film and her early career. What a heady experience this must have been for a neophyte film actress. You can read more about The First Legion (1951) here in a thoughtful article by Susan Doll:
http://moviemorlocks.com/2010/01/25/on- ... st-legion/
Avatar: Frank McHugh (1898-1981)

The Skeins
TCM Movie Morlocks
User avatar
ChiO
Posts: 3899
Joined: January 2nd, 2008, 1:26 pm
Location: Chicago

Re: The Films of Douglas Sirk

Post by ChiO »

This is a marvelous movie. This, SLEEP, MY LOVE and THE TARNISHED ANGELS are the Sirk films that I most wish that Criterion or Olive or someone would issue (though I'd settle for A SCANDAL IN PARIS as well). Sirk did say that John Gavin was not his first choice -- he wanted Paul Newman.
A Time To Love and a Time To Die was made in Germany, and Sirk directed no more American films, which seems unfortunate.
IMITATION OF LIFE, with the return of John Gavin, was shot and released later.
Everyday people...that's what's wrong with the world. -- Morgan Morgan
I love movies. But don't get me wrong. I hate Hollywood. -- Orson Welles
Movies can only go forward in spite of the motion picture industry. -- Orson Welles
User avatar
moira finnie
Administrator
Posts: 8024
Joined: April 9th, 2007, 6:34 pm
Location: Earth
Contact:

Re: The Films of Douglas Sirk

Post by moira finnie »

Your mention of A Time To Live and A Time to Die (1958) reminded me of the fact that Larry Russell (VecchioLarry) knew both leads of this film, and recalled his time with them on our site in the past here: http://silverscreenoasis.com/oasis3/vie ... 4&start=75

I believe that Larry is also going to the TCM Film Festival, kingrat, so perhaps you can ask him more about it in person very soon!
Avatar: Frank McHugh (1898-1981)

The Skeins
TCM Movie Morlocks
Post Reply