Re: BLACK TUESDAY ON TCM
Posted: November 27th, 2009, 9:21 am
<< Moriafinnie writes: >>
"Besides, that poster alone makes this one worth a look. Hope it's not a case of the art work in the poster being more engaging than the flick.” -
I watched this film Moira. The poster was better. I was shocked to see Michael Shayne and Lyle Talbot in it. And when one of the bad guys gets gunned down inside his car, the actor looked dead into the camera b'4 he drops. Oh brother!! But I love "B" movies.
"...Except for that whacky hallucination about killing her stepdaughter (the gloriously beautiful, under-utilized Geraldine Brooks), most of the rest of the movie is not my cup of warmed over tea. But heck, give Ms. Crawford a hand--she was great in those beginning moments.”
Funny, when I see Geraldine Brooks, I always remember her as the person who paralyzed Raymond Burr in his tv show, “Ironsides.” Now me, I liked the hallucination scene. And Joan’s wandering (those early morning L.A. shots) made me think of Bogie in “In A Lonely Place” for some reason. But I enjoyed Joan through out. She was unbalanced and the love affair ending didn’t help her case. I liked that she seemed like she just...couldn’t...help...herself. Poor lady. And since I've gained a very new and recent appreciation for Van Heflin, I have to say I liked the film from beginning to sad end. (My luck...three Van Heflin films that day and he's different in each one).
”I was busy when The Big Sleep was on, but to tell you the truth, following the plot has never helped me understand that movie.”
I’ve given up on following the plot fifteen viewings ago. Now, I just go along for the ride on the Bogie/Bacall Express.
”The only reason to watch it might be seeing Louis Jean Heydt and John Ridgely get a break and a few more lines than usual in their appearances.”
Ha! You got a chuckle out of me with that. They were ubiquitous and always when I spot them in films I notice. It’s like a “Where’s Waldo” moment for me. I love the music for when Canino gets shot and his backward stagger into eternity. And say, where'd the lovely Peggy Knudsen disappear to???????
"My favorite moment is when she's singing and he is led into the room by a short skirted cutie and there is such a look exchanged between Lauren Bacall and Bogart. It's funny and real.”
No doubt they had chemistry, didn’t they. I know that scene you speak of. For me, Bogie leaning against the door with that dark suit, and hand in his pocket. Handsome. Throughout the whole movie, it looks like they took great pains to show that women were attracted to him. He has mini-encounters with cab drivers, hat check girls, cigarette girls and (whew!) Dorothy Malone. Funny...she went the opposite of Joan Bennett in hair color. Being a blonde I think gained her a couple more showbiz years.
As for Bogie and Bacall (again) I absolutely wait the entire movie for the last look they give each other that ends the film.
For me, Tuesday was a grand line-up. It was one of the highlights of my TCM year along with Karloff's Day and Gloria Grahame Day. I’ve never seen “Johnny Eager” in its entirety until Tuesday. I was shocked at how cold Robert Taylor was and how it fit him so. (Could this be the same dewy love sick Armand Duvall???) His hard handsome look and steely voice was done very well. I can’t quite describe it, but Taylor has a very distinctive voice. He played a rotten trick on Lana (who utterly looked like beautiful cotton candy) and then she couldn’t quite recover from it. I hadn’t expected that plot twist. Loved Edward Arnold ("Thief!") What I also hadn’t expected was Van Heflin’s performance. He was never my cup o’ tea...but now I can see why he won an Academy Award. He was touching, he was the conscience. I loved his performance as the alcoholic friend who really loved his cold-hearted pal.
”DARK PASSAGE” has a strange wonderful affect and effect for me. Not a noir, nor a detective story...character-driven. Bogie’s hairdo gives me pause, but that’s another story...For me, the whole movie belongs to Agnes Moorhead anyway. Ooooh, she's hatefully wonderful: ("You need evidence. You need me!!!")
One more comment on Tuesday’s line-up...I wasn’t crazy about watching “Cast A Dark Shadow.” I annoyedly thought: "what's this doin' here?!!" In fact, I put it on a separate tape just in case I wouldn’t like it. All I could hope for was that it wasn’t a costume drama. I was a tad disappointed when I saw Margaret Lockwood not quite looking her Brunette Joan Bennett-ish (but this film was made in 1955). Dirk Bogarde’s a bit too effete for my taste but he did a great job as a purveyor of older women. Well...I’m here to tell ya I was SO wrong about this movie and my dumb ol’ pre-conceived notions. Lockwood was great. She was loud and raucous and lively and knew exactly what she wanted of and from Dirk and she didn't fear him. Dirk did well: a little nervous, always wringing his hands, a touch of the Mama’s Boy. Oily, slimy. Handsome though. The plot unfolded nicely engaging me all the way (especially when I saw it was not a costume drama).
But I’ve got to tell you...through it all, there was one DIAMOND I found in “Cast A Dark Shadow.” It’s been a long time since someone made me sit up and take notice. KAY WALSH!! Okay okay so I may be late to her party...some of you out there are already saying: "Oh...her! You're no maven if you don't know her.” (Hey, what can I say, I can't know EVERYbody). She was mature, intelligent, beautiful. Her character looked evil straight in the face and (though afraid) wouldn’t leave. On second thought maybe she wasn’t so afraid when she found out Evil’s weakness. I thought Kay Walsh was the best thing about this movie.
I’m so glad I watched and recorded it. Whew! That was a close call. That’ll learn me not to keep an open-mind. I’ll re-post this over at TCM City after the holidays. No sense depriving them of my Maven-thoughts.
"Besides, that poster alone makes this one worth a look. Hope it's not a case of the art work in the poster being more engaging than the flick.” -
I watched this film Moira. The poster was better. I was shocked to see Michael Shayne and Lyle Talbot in it. And when one of the bad guys gets gunned down inside his car, the actor looked dead into the camera b'4 he drops. Oh brother!! But I love "B" movies.
"...Except for that whacky hallucination about killing her stepdaughter (the gloriously beautiful, under-utilized Geraldine Brooks), most of the rest of the movie is not my cup of warmed over tea. But heck, give Ms. Crawford a hand--she was great in those beginning moments.”
Funny, when I see Geraldine Brooks, I always remember her as the person who paralyzed Raymond Burr in his tv show, “Ironsides.” Now me, I liked the hallucination scene. And Joan’s wandering (those early morning L.A. shots) made me think of Bogie in “In A Lonely Place” for some reason. But I enjoyed Joan through out. She was unbalanced and the love affair ending didn’t help her case. I liked that she seemed like she just...couldn’t...help...herself. Poor lady. And since I've gained a very new and recent appreciation for Van Heflin, I have to say I liked the film from beginning to sad end. (My luck...three Van Heflin films that day and he's different in each one).
”I was busy when The Big Sleep was on, but to tell you the truth, following the plot has never helped me understand that movie.”
I’ve given up on following the plot fifteen viewings ago. Now, I just go along for the ride on the Bogie/Bacall Express.
”The only reason to watch it might be seeing Louis Jean Heydt and John Ridgely get a break and a few more lines than usual in their appearances.”
Ha! You got a chuckle out of me with that. They were ubiquitous and always when I spot them in films I notice. It’s like a “Where’s Waldo” moment for me. I love the music for when Canino gets shot and his backward stagger into eternity. And say, where'd the lovely Peggy Knudsen disappear to???????
"My favorite moment is when she's singing and he is led into the room by a short skirted cutie and there is such a look exchanged between Lauren Bacall and Bogart. It's funny and real.”
No doubt they had chemistry, didn’t they. I know that scene you speak of. For me, Bogie leaning against the door with that dark suit, and hand in his pocket. Handsome. Throughout the whole movie, it looks like they took great pains to show that women were attracted to him. He has mini-encounters with cab drivers, hat check girls, cigarette girls and (whew!) Dorothy Malone. Funny...she went the opposite of Joan Bennett in hair color. Being a blonde I think gained her a couple more showbiz years.
As for Bogie and Bacall (again) I absolutely wait the entire movie for the last look they give each other that ends the film.
For me, Tuesday was a grand line-up. It was one of the highlights of my TCM year along with Karloff's Day and Gloria Grahame Day. I’ve never seen “Johnny Eager” in its entirety until Tuesday. I was shocked at how cold Robert Taylor was and how it fit him so. (Could this be the same dewy love sick Armand Duvall???) His hard handsome look and steely voice was done very well. I can’t quite describe it, but Taylor has a very distinctive voice. He played a rotten trick on Lana (who utterly looked like beautiful cotton candy) and then she couldn’t quite recover from it. I hadn’t expected that plot twist. Loved Edward Arnold ("Thief!") What I also hadn’t expected was Van Heflin’s performance. He was never my cup o’ tea...but now I can see why he won an Academy Award. He was touching, he was the conscience. I loved his performance as the alcoholic friend who really loved his cold-hearted pal.
”DARK PASSAGE” has a strange wonderful affect and effect for me. Not a noir, nor a detective story...character-driven. Bogie’s hairdo gives me pause, but that’s another story...For me, the whole movie belongs to Agnes Moorhead anyway. Ooooh, she's hatefully wonderful: ("You need evidence. You need me!!!")
One more comment on Tuesday’s line-up...I wasn’t crazy about watching “Cast A Dark Shadow.” I annoyedly thought: "what's this doin' here?!!" In fact, I put it on a separate tape just in case I wouldn’t like it. All I could hope for was that it wasn’t a costume drama. I was a tad disappointed when I saw Margaret Lockwood not quite looking her Brunette Joan Bennett-ish (but this film was made in 1955). Dirk Bogarde’s a bit too effete for my taste but he did a great job as a purveyor of older women. Well...I’m here to tell ya I was SO wrong about this movie and my dumb ol’ pre-conceived notions. Lockwood was great. She was loud and raucous and lively and knew exactly what she wanted of and from Dirk and she didn't fear him. Dirk did well: a little nervous, always wringing his hands, a touch of the Mama’s Boy. Oily, slimy. Handsome though. The plot unfolded nicely engaging me all the way (especially when I saw it was not a costume drama).
But I’ve got to tell you...through it all, there was one DIAMOND I found in “Cast A Dark Shadow.” It’s been a long time since someone made me sit up and take notice. KAY WALSH!! Okay okay so I may be late to her party...some of you out there are already saying: "Oh...her! You're no maven if you don't know her.” (Hey, what can I say, I can't know EVERYbody). She was mature, intelligent, beautiful. Her character looked evil straight in the face and (though afraid) wouldn’t leave. On second thought maybe she wasn’t so afraid when she found out Evil’s weakness. I thought Kay Walsh was the best thing about this movie.
I’m so glad I watched and recorded it. Whew! That was a close call. That’ll learn me not to keep an open-mind. I’ll re-post this over at TCM City after the holidays. No sense depriving them of my Maven-thoughts.