MUSINGS, PONDERINGS, RUMINATIONS AND FANCIES

[jamesjazzguitar]

Can someone explain Mel Ferrer? Thanking anyone in advance.

I must admit over the years I've kind'a wondered about this as well Bronxie, and the answers I've come up with are, first, he was a reasonably handsome (well, at least a hell of lot better looking than JOSE Ferrer was anyway...no relation btw) and athletic guy, and secondly for a New Jersey boy, he always seemed to give off this sort of "sophisticated European gentleman" kind of vibe, and probably because he was fluent in English, Spanish and French (and I'll bet one of the key reasons Audrey Hepburn was attracted enough to him in order to agree to marry him) and thus the reason he made quite a few movies over on that continent during his carrer.

(...and thirdly here, I will say I've always thought he was very good as Stewart Granger's antagonist in 'Scaramouche', and think their sword fight scene in that movie is one of the best ever put on film)

Jose Ferrer was the brother of Mel Ferrer. The confusion is that, this Jose wasn't THE Jose, the actor.

[Dargo]

Jose Ferrer was the brother of Mel Ferrer. The confusion is that, this Jose wasn't THE Jose, the actor.

Oh, so then you're sayin' that the OTHER "Jose Ferrer"--Mel's brother---could maybe be best summed up as follows (and offered up in the spirit of tomorrow's national holiday)...

♫ Jose, you can't see

'Tweren't the star on the screen

What so proudly he hailed

But no one ever saw him ♫

(...so kind'a like THAT, James?)

[CinemaInternational]

Question of my own. Can films of the 70s, 80s, and early 90s still be called modern films or are they in some purgatory like middle ground of not being classic or modern? They certainly have more spiky material than the classic era, but they also have more thoughtful craftsmanship than much of what has been doled out in the last 25 years.

[laffite]

It might be a good point of departure to start from the beginning and work towards the present. I have thought to myself that the Golden Era ended with Streetcar Named Desire. What comes after that lasts to late to middle 60s or earlier, meaning the the 50s era was a relatively short and transitional. The 60 was the beginning of the "spikier" vein (if I understand your use of the word) and then then increases by degrees over the following decades. Where "modern" is a great question, and a wonderful exercise would be to determine what movie was the first modern one.

Cinemainternational., in opinion this idea of yours here ought have a thread of its own.


Here is a list of movies by decade in chronological order.

https://www.filmsite.org/200films.html
yi
It occurs to me after writing this that I might be trying to alter the thread. Apologies if that seems so. The idea is so invigorating and I may have inappropriately added on too much.

[Bronxgirl48]

From time to time Mel Ferrer wakes up, or possibly is replaced by an alien replicant (the more reasonable explanation). He actually seems kind of sexy in Rancho Notorious. Then in Born To Be Bad he has plenty of energy as Joan Fontaine's (coded) bitchy gay friend. Most of the time he is in that "Geez, how did that guy ever get to play romantic leads?" category.

Kind of sexy in RANCHO NOTORIOUS? Perhaps only in comparison to Arthur Kennedy I'm thinking, lol. Oh, yeah, BORN TO BE BAD -- I will give it to Mel that his is the only performance that even remotely resembles anything like a real human being; everyone else (including Robert Ryan) is laughably cardboard.

I always felt Ferrer was perfect casting in LILI since his face to me looked rather puppet-like.

[Bronxgirl48]

Can someone explain Mel Ferrer? Thanking anyone in advance.

I must admit over the years I've kind'a wondered about this as well Bronxie, and the answers I've come up with are, first, he was a reasonably handsome (well, at least a hell of lot better looking than JOSE Ferrer was anyway...no relation btw) and athletic guy, and secondly for a New Jersey boy, he always seemed to give off this sort of "sophisticated European gentleman" kind of vibe, and probably because he was fluent in English, Spanish and French (and I'll bet one of the key reasons Audrey Hepburn was attracted enough to him in order to agree to marry him) and thus the reason he made quite a few movies over on that continent during his carrer.

(...and thirdly here, I will say I've always thought he was very good as Stewart Granger's antagonist in 'Scaramouche', and think their sword fight scene in that movie is one of the best ever put on film)

Mel was born in New Jersey? (in my best Johnny Carson voice) I did not know that! Yeah, I guess he did have a sort of "international" thing about him strangely enough. Haven't gotten around to SCARAMOUCHE which is odd because I always enjoy Stewart Granger. Poor Audrey, not much luck with the men in her life...

[Dargo]

Mel was born in New Jersey? (in my best Johnny Carson voice) I did not know that! Yeah, I guess he did have a sort of "international" thing about him strangely enough. Haven't gotten around to SCARAMOUCHE which is odd because I always enjoy Stewart Granger. Poor Audrey, not much luck with the men in her life...

I hadn't ever watched 'Scaramouche' until about five years ago or so myself, but I found it very entertaining and so highly recommend it to you, Bronxie.

And so then speaking of Stewart Granger here...

I remember watching him guest on some talk show (maybe the old 'Mike Douglas Show'?) sometime back around the late-'70s or early-'80s. This being when he had to be in his mid-sixties and after his movie career was over. I remember him coming across to me as a guy who thought very highly of himself and lacked any modesty. In other words, like a guy who thought his shi...ahem, well you know.

And so after just now checking out the Wiki page for the film 'Scaramouche', I found the following little tidbit of information shown within it, and which seems to confirm the feeling I got about the guy so many years ago while watching the aformentioned talk show:

"Eleanor Parker later said that Granger was the only person in her career that she did not get along with:[15]
It wasn't a conflict between the two of us. Everyone disliked this man ... Stewart Granger was a dreadful person, rude ... just awful. Just being in his presence was bad. I thought at one point the crew was going kill him. Jean [Simmons..his wife at the time] visited him on the set and would leave his dressing room in tears. He humiliated her. It was terrible. All of the dueling scenes in Scaramouche were wonderful, though. I'll give Granger credit for that. He didn't know how to do any of that, but worked hard and learned. Mel Ferrer, his counterpart in the movie, was extremely adept at the swordplay, but was a gentleman. He could have taken advantage and upstaged Granger, the star, but he never did."

[Bronxgirl48]

Thanks for the heads-up on SCARAMOUCHE, Dargo! I'll definitely make it a point to watch when next it airs.

Wow, appreciate that info on Stewart Granger. Like you I always had a feeling the guy was an insufferable jerk not well liked among his peers. (I think Rex Harrison was in this same category) Seems Jean Simmons had a predilection for these kinds of men -- Richard Brooks was no picnic either.

Makes me appreciate Mel, if not exactly as an actor.

[txfilmfan]

Can someone explain Mel Ferrer? Thanking anyone in advance.

I must admit over the years I've kind'a wondered about this as well Bronxie, and the answers I've come up with are, first, he was a reasonably handsome (well, at least a hell of lot better looking than JOSE Ferrer was anyway...no relation btw) and athletic guy, and secondly for a New Jersey boy, he always seemed to give off this sort of "sophisticated European gentleman" kind of vibe, and probably because he was fluent in English, Spanish and French (and I'll bet one of the key reasons Audrey Hepburn was attracted enough to him in order to agree to marry him) and thus the reason he made quite a few movies over on that continent during his carrer.

(...and thirdly here, I will say I've always thought he was very good as Stewart Granger's antagonist in 'Scaramouche', and think their sword fight scene in that movie is one of the best ever put on film)

Mel was born in New Jersey? (in my best Johnny Carson voice) I did not know that! Yeah, I guess he did have a sort of "international" thing about him strangely enough. Haven't gotten around to SCARAMOUCHE which is odd because I always enjoy Stewart Granger. Poor Audrey, not much luck with the men in her life...

With apologies to Patrick Dennis and Auntie Mame and people from New Jersey... Well, when you're from New Jersey you have to do something...

[Dargo]

I must admit over the years I've kind'a wondered about this as well Bronxie, and the answers I've come up with are, first, he was a reasonably handsome (well, at least a hell of lot better looking than JOSE Ferrer was anyway...no relation btw) and athletic guy, and secondly for a New Jersey boy, he always seemed to give off this sort of "sophisticated European gentleman" kind of vibe, and probably because he was fluent in English, Spanish and French (and I'll bet one of the key reasons Audrey Hepburn was attracted enough to him in order to agree to marry him) and thus the reason he made quite a few movies over on that continent during his carrer.

(...and thirdly here, I will say I've always thought he was very good as Stewart Granger's antagonist in 'Scaramouche', and think their sword fight scene in that movie is one of the best ever put on film)

Mel was born in New Jersey? (in my best Johnny Carson voice) I did not know that! Yeah, I guess he did have a sort of "international" thing about him strangely enough. Haven't gotten around to SCARAMOUCHE which is odd because I always enjoy Stewart Granger. Poor Audrey, not much luck with the men in her life...

With apologies to Patrick Dennis and Auntie Mame and people from New Jersey... Well, when you're from New Jersey you have to do something...

Funny...I've heard the same thing about Texans!

(...and I probably shouldn't mention what I've heard about Floridians lately!)

LOL

[dianedebuda]

Funny...I've heard the same thing about Texans!

Grrr.

[Swithin]

I must admit over the years I've kind'a wondered about this as well Bronxie, and the answers I've come up with are, first, he was a reasonably handsome (well, at least a hell of lot better looking than JOSE Ferrer was anyway...no relation btw) and athletic guy, and secondly for a New Jersey boy, he always seemed to give off this sort of "sophisticated European gentleman" kind of vibe, and probably because he was fluent in English, Spanish and French (and I'll bet one of the key reasons Audrey Hepburn was attracted enough to him in order to agree to marry him) and thus the reason he made quite a few movies over on that continent during his carrer.

(...and thirdly here, I will say I've always thought he was very good as Stewart Granger's antagonist in 'Scaramouche', and think their sword fight scene in that movie is one of the best ever put on film)

Mel was born in New Jersey? (in my best Johnny Carson voice) I did not know that! Yeah, I guess he did have a sort of "international" thing about him strangely enough. Haven't gotten around to SCARAMOUCHE which is odd because I always enjoy Stewart Granger. Poor Audrey, not much luck with the men in her life...

With apologies to Patrick Dennis and Auntie Mame and people from New Jersey... Well, when you're from New Jersey you have to do something...

I guess you know the town in the quote is Pittsburgh? In any case, I sat next to a woman at a wedding a while back. She was in her high school drama production with Meryl Streep. She adored teen-age Meryl, said you knew she would go places, but she was so kind, and so generous. But to my point: as a New Yorker, my early memories of New Jersey were formed by Wallace Beery's line to Jean Harlow in Dinner at Eight: "If you don't behave, I'll take to back and dump you where I found you, in Passaic by the railroad tracks." To me, for a long time, all of NJ was Passaic near the railroad tracks. But later I had friends in Bernardsville, Somerset County, which is totally different. That's where Meryl's from. (And that's where Jackie and Ari lived for a time). Lovely part of the world.

[laffite]

Mel was born in New Jersey? (in my best Johnny Carson voice) I did not know that! Yeah, I guess he did have a sort of "international" thing about him strangely enough. Haven't gotten around to SCARAMOUCHE which is odd because I always enjoy Stewart Granger. Poor Audrey, not much luck with the men in her life...

With apologies to Patrick Dennis and Auntie Mame and people from New Jersey... Well, when you're from New Jersey you have to do something...

I guess you know the town in the quote is Pittsburgh? In any case, I sat next to a woman at a wedding a while back. She was in her high school drama production with Meryl Streep. She adored teen-age Meryl, said you knew she would go places, but she was so kind, and so generous. But to my point: as a New Yorker, my early memories of New Jersey were formed by Wallace Beery's line to Jean Harlow in Dinner at Eight: "If you don't behave, I'll take to back and dump you where I found you, in Passaic by the railroad tracks." To me, for a long time, all of NJ was Passaic near the railroad tracks. But later I had friends in Bernardsville, Somerset County, which is totally different. That's where Meryl's from. (And that's where Jackie and Ari lived for a time). Lovely part of the world.

Oh man, what a stellar post! This should have a page in the New Yorker.

[Dargo]

Funny...I've heard the same thing about Texans!

Grrr.

LOL

So Diane, I take this to mean that I would be well-advised to heed the message on this young lady's T-shirt then, eh?!...

[Dargo]

I guess you know the town in the quote is Pittsburgh? In any case, I sat next to a woman at a wedding a while back. She was in her high school drama production with Meryl Streep. She adored teen-age Meryl, said you knew she would go places, but she was so kind, and so generous. But to my point: as a New Yorker, my early memories of New Jersey were formed by Wallace Beery's line to Jean Harlow in Dinner at Eight: "If you don't behave, I'll take to back and dump you where I found you, in Passaic by the railroad tracks." To me, for a long time, all of NJ was Passaic near the railroad tracks. But later I had friends in Bernardsville, Somerset County, which is totally different. That's where Meryl's from. (And that's where Jackie and Ari lived for a time). Lovely part of the world.

And I learned how beautiful many parts of New Jersey were/are and why it's called "The Garden State" about 30 some years ago now, Swithin.

This surprising little epiphany of mine coming after years of hearing so many of you New Yorkers putting the place down so often.

Long story short here...I got lost one summer mid-day while riding a borrowed motorcycle owned by my wife's cousin's husband and while we were back there visiting some of her family members. I started out in the Cherry Hill area and rode north along the Delaware River in order to keep my bearings, but after about an hour I discovered I had drifted east and then hadn't any idea where the hell I was. This taking place before having my first "smartphone", and so I didn't have any way to track my movements or location.

Well anyway and like I said, while riding through the central part of New Jersey state and away from any large cities, I discovered what a beautiful part of this country New Jersey actually is and while riding past lush wooded areas, small little farms, and large and impressive horse properties.

(...epilogue: I eventually found my way back after 3 hours and after before telling the bike's owner I'd be back in only about an hour)