October Schedule 2014

Discussion of programming on TCM.
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Rita Hayworth
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Re: October Schedule 2014

Post by Rita Hayworth »

I was thinking the same way Knitty and I just read your post here and I was confused too and when I read the TCM write-up for this movie it's supposed to be a screwball comedy and I just was so disappointed in this movie and I tried my best to watch this straight through and even with the commentary from Robert Osborne and Drew Barrymore that I find it even more confusing than ever. Man, I was so bummed and I'm afraid to see it again.

Twentieth Century starring John Barrymore and Carol Lombard wasn't all that good. Sorry everyone - I just don't get it!
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Rita Hayworth
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Re: October Schedule 2014

Post by Rita Hayworth »

moira finnie wrote:
Erik, I think you'll enjoy them--though anyone who hasn't seen Out of Africa in a real movie theater is missing a great experience. As close as most of us will ever get to the Serengeti or Happy Valley.
Moira, I do like Out of Africa ... and matter of fact it's one of my favorites!
Vecchiolarry
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Re: October Schedule 2014

Post by Vecchiolarry »

Hi Nancy & Erik,

I'm with you...
I'd never seen "Twentieth Century" and settled down to watch, as I'd actually been on The Twentieth Century train several times in the 40's and 50's. The train set bore no resemblance to the actual train - you can enter another ajoining cabin, but those cabins were much larger than the too small ones on set.

I'm not a great fan of Carole Lombard - far too arch in her acting (screaming). And, John Barrymore is a big ham and never could stand him. Ethel was the best acting Barrymore.
I too made it to 1 hour and then turned it off.

We'll probably be ostracized for not liking this, and will be flogged 40 times with a wet noodle; but really folks - Nancy & Erik & I are very nice people and do have a sense of humour.... Don't hurt us........

Larry
Last edited by Vecchiolarry on October 5th, 2014, 9:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
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CineMaven
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Re: October Schedule 2014

Post by CineMaven »

:D HI THERE FOLKS!! :D

There’s an upcoming blogathon next weekend that’s going LATIN. Click on to Desi’s bongo drum to read more about it:

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"You build my gallows high, baby."

http://www.megramsey.com
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knitwit45
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Re: October Schedule 2014

Post by knitwit45 »

Thanks, guys. I thought maybe I was missing the funny bone gene... Never saw the humor in bullying someone else...maybe that's why I really disliked Mama's Family. Loved all the actors, but not that segment.

Larry, my parents took me and my friend to the Worlds Fair in both 1964 and 1965. We rode the Santa Fe Chief to Chicago, then the Twentieth Century Limited to NY. What an adventure!!!
"Life is not the way it's supposed to be.. It's the way it is..
The way we cope with it, is what makes the difference." ~ Virginia Satir
""Most people pursue pleasure with such breathless haste that they hurry past it." ~ Soren Kierkegaard
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JackFavell
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Re: October Schedule 2014

Post by JackFavell »

Just putting a word in about Twentieth Century. I find it hilarious. I think what I like about it is that Lily and O.J. ( appropriate name, eh?) pretty much deserve one another. Lily is as big a ham as Oscar... she even admits it at one point, that the only thing she cares about is acting. I certainly see what you guys mean, but for me the dysfunctionality (is that a word?) of the two main characters cracks me up. The chalk marks on the floor, Lombard kicking at Barrymore or moaning and sinking into a couch, and the way Barrymore acts everything out, including camels on the march, makes me laugh hard. Maybe it's because I worked in theatre for so long...I've known so many hams that this kind of bullying and upstaging seems normal to me. :D

As for Mama's Family, I find it to be great acting, but like you knitty, I don't like to watch it much because it's mean spirited. However, I think it says something about family - there are always going to be family members who feel compelled to rip someone apart or people who are their own worst enemies, so why not make fun?

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The Hispanic history blog-a-thon that Maven mentioned has been a joy to participate in! There will be articles this week by Maven herself, our own Fernando, and even by me over at Aurora's Gin Joint, aka Once Upon a Screen. Check out the other blogs for more classic film articles on this topic.
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CineMaven
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Re: October Schedule 2014

Post by CineMaven »

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Bullying is no good. No good at all. But when is bullying NOT bullying?

I do see “Twentieth Century” a bit differently. It took me years to warm up to the movie because it was just too wild and fast and frenetic to me. I enjoy the movie now. I cant tell you when "it" clicked for me, but it did. I get it; everything is such a heightened state of affairs, I can truly take nothing seriously in that film. As for Lily being bullied, to me...she looks as though she gives as good as she gets from Oscar.

I wonder if in the Romance Department, things are about being the same temperament? Having a partner that matches your temperament makes both parties be on an even playing field. No one has the upper hand to put the other down.

I don’t know if I can explain this properly without my usual “Show & Tell.” This, in a very general way, is the type and temperament I see Hollywood matching up. I'm not talking about compassion, mutual respect, sared world-views and all that other high toned stuff. I'm talking about temperament. Look at these couples and maybe this can explain me better.

Uhhhhh...you will please pardon my...a-hem...predilection for Gable.

YOUNG LOVE -

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Girl and boy next door. Sweetness. Innocence. Niceness. Van Johnson & June Allyson; Cathy O'Donnell & Farley Granger.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

ALPHAS in LOVE -

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These couples’ looks are so blinding, they very much are on equal levels of attractiveness. Something nice to look at in each other’s eyes.

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KIBBITZERS in LOVE -

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They are easy breezy in love. They quip, they kid, they shoot one-liners across the bow. Their romance is lined with humor and laughs.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

PASSIONATE LOVERS -

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A couple so hot together, it's just insane.

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HEARTS AND FLOWERS -

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Tony, polite, rarefied. Pardonnez moi.

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LOVE IS A BATTLEFIELD -

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Yelling, screaming, one upsmanship, double-crossing they can't stay away from each other. Two high-strung narcissists who need each other. And love each other, in their own way.
"You build my gallows high, baby."

http://www.megramsey.com
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JackFavell
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Re: October Schedule 2014

Post by JackFavell »

I love this post, Maven! I enjoy your groupings and your ideas.

I believe that a good screwball should leave as many questions at the end as it solves during it's short run time. Will any of the couples of screwball really be happy together? Hmmmm. Or is happiness overrated? Is marriage (or even just being a couple) just an old ball and chain? Is anyone really suited to anyone else? Probably not. Maybe you just need to find the right partner, the one who sparks your interest for more than a half an hour - the person who is not going to look down their nose at your ideals, the one who understands you. But.... it will be a bumpy road, no doubt, with the 'right' person...and marriage is not always the endpoint. In fact, we never EVER get to the end point in a good screwball. Maybe THAT'S the point.

Screwball comedies should end almost exactly where they started - or show a continuation of the relationship in exactly the same way, warts and all. I think Oscar and Lilly are two peas in a pod, the way that Walter and Hildy are two peas in a pod, or Laurel and Hardy, or Lucy and Jerry Warriner from The Awful Truth. Let's face it, they're not nice. They aren't noble or gracious. Now maybe they have one moment where a little flicker of fineness comes out, but it will be snuffed out by ego or temperament in a second. Now that I think about it, Scarlett and Rhett also fit this category..... GWTW as a screwball comedy? Naah. but I see them chasing one another in perpetuity....just like a screwball couple. Maybe the chase is all we humans really want.

Screwball seems to me to be a questioning of societal mores - marriage, or the validity of even being in a long term relationship at all, or a questioning of how society validates you as a couple. So you like to collect dinosaur bones? You wear women's underwear? You enjoy the company of big cats? Then you need to find the one person who doesn't give a damn what people think of your predilection for ladies fuzzy nightgowns. Maybe you need to find the person who would be with you even without the benefit of marriage, like Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Screwball couples are together mainly because nobody else would have them.
Western Guy
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Re: October Schedule 2014

Post by Western Guy »

Anyone catch Silent Sunday's THE BLOT? I can't believe Louis Calhern was ever that young.
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Rita Hayworth
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Re: October Schedule 2014

Post by Rita Hayworth »

kingrat wrote:
As for Twentieth Century, part of the problem is that it is two movies in one. The first half is satire of the theater. For those like JF who know this world well, this is good fun. Others may wonder what is going on. The second half is almost a different film, as we have what will come to be called screwball comedy. This has more general appeal. I like Twentieth Century and find it interesting to see screwball comedy before Hawks and others really figured out the form. It's not surprising some of you are not fond of it.

Great piece of writing here Kingrat and I totally agree with you here. :)
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ziggy6708a
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Re: October Schedule 2014

Post by ziggy6708a »

VERY disappointed announced Van Beuren shorts were suddehly dropped from "Back to the Drawing Board" night, with NO explanation!! Bad form !! :x
was "mr6666" @ TCM
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JackFavell
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Re: October Schedule 2014

Post by JackFavell »

I am guessing that there was a rights issue with the Van Beuren shorts that prevented TCM from showing them. It's a disappointment.
RedRiver
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Re: October Schedule 2014

Post by RedRiver »

I wanted to like TWENTIETH CENTURY. I'm a fan of Hawks and of Lombard. And I do like it. Some. To me, it's just not all that funny. There's dialogue that works. But there's a lot that doesn't. And that Barrymore! He may have been a great stage actor. But movies? Dude! Tone it down. Especially comedy. The one thing that should NEVER be overplayed. If the actor looks like HE thinks it's funny, it's probably not!
Last edited by RedRiver on October 8th, 2014, 11:35 am, edited 1 time in total.
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