WHAT FILMS HAVE YOU SEEN LATELY?

[sandykaypax]

Thank you, CCFan and Silentscreen! Very cool. I agree, Mason was a class act. Also, it's wonderful that Mason's daughter found a buyer interested in restoring the house and grounds.

Sandy K

[mrsl]

I just want to say --- Welcome back, Sandykaypax :!: :!: :!:
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[charliechaplinfan]

Brenda, that's a lovely article, thanks for posting.

[silentscreen]

Alison,

Your welcome. It's good to know that Buster's home didn't meet the same fate as "Falcon Lair" or "Pickfair." and was demolished, but was restored to it's original beauty. It's a good thing Portland Mason was a chip off the old block and had the foresight to be picky about whom she sold it to. Parts of "Parlor, Bedroom, and Bath" were filmed there. This is a very interesting article as well.

http://www.busterkeaton.com/Villa/Parlo ... m_Bath.htm

[charliechaplinfan]

Brenda, another fabulous article. Buster would have done anything to make Natalie happy, he never bad mouthed her like she did him. My belief is that if the Talmadges had butted out with their bedroom advice, the Keaton's might have been a great deal happier.

[silentscreen]

Brenda, another fabulous article. Buster would have done anything to make Natalie happy, he never bad mouthed her like she did him. My belief is that if the Talmadges had butted out with their bedroom advice, the Keaton's might have been a great deal happier.

If Natalie had loved him, she wouldn't have listened to their bedroom advice. It was obvious that she only used him for the money, and once she got all she could out of him, she took his sons away from him too.

For those who don't know, Natalie kicked Buster out of their bedroom after the birth of their second son, and Buster found solace elsewhere, but then he warned her that he would. She then put private detectives on him as if she cared what he was up to.

[sandykaypax]

I just want to say --- Welcome back, Sandykaypax :!: :!: :!:
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thanks, mrsl!
BTW, I was in Chicago for the very first time at the end of August. An old college friend of mine lives there and hubby and I went to visit for an overnight stay. It's only a 6 hour drive from Cleveland. My friend lives on the north side of Chicago in the Ravenswood neighborhood--very nice area. We had our first official Chicago deep-dish pizza. Delicious!

Sandy K

[mrsl]

In lifestyle and distance, the difference is almost the same between Ravenswood and where I live. I live clear across the city and about 30 miles out in the southwest area. I'm kidding about the distance but it would take more than an hour to get to either place from the other. Glad you liked the pizza, next time you'll have to try the hot dog :!: :!: :!:
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[JackFavell]

mrsl -

I had no idea you were from Chicago. I lived in Kankakee for several years when I was growing up. I'm told that it is almost a part of Chicago now, and not a terribly good part. Last time I visited, which was over 20 years ago, there were bars on my old school...

[feaito]

Last night I watched one of the finest films I've seen during these past years: "The Reader" (2008). This film shows the complexities of the human soul, the human relationships and morality. This film is the total opposite of a maudlin, manipulative, formulaic Hollywood film. It's so real that it hurts. Many things that happen in it are quite unexpected, such as in life. Magnificent, moving, multi-layered performances by Kate Winslet, Ralph Fiennes and David Kross. Completely recommended. My wife was totally moved by it. The film caused me a mixture of anger and sadness.

[feaito]

Watched "The Majestic" (2001) an OK film starring Jim Carrey. Old pros Martin Landau and James Whitmore are featured and we get to see many classic films, even excerpts of "The Big Parade" (1925).

[mrsl]

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This is really kind of strange. A couple of weeks ago, I watched a relatively new movie about a group of women who formed a Jane Austen book club, and it reminded me that I had read 5 of Miss Austens' books but never got around to Persuasion. Then last weekend, I watched Becoming Jane, starring Anne Hathaway who is fast earning my admiration for tackling varied roles and handling them quite well. Finally, yesterday I caught Sense and Sensibilities, with Kate Winslet, Emma Thompson, and Hugh Grant. I loved it :!: I also recall seeing Kiera Knightly in Pride and Prejudice, but it wasn't nearly as good as the original with my Greer Garson. I also saw Emma with Gwyneth Paltrow about a year ago. I love these movies so much, they remind me of being a little girl and playing dress-up in my aunt's clothing when I spent the night. The nice thing about them also, is they are not dated like a regular detective drama, or love story where today's fashions are worn. I've read a couple of posts here, and heard on talk shows comments where clothing is joked about, but each decade, from the 30's to the 90's had its' own unusual styles. But with a period piece, the clothing is just taken for granted.
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[JackFavell]

I love reading Jane Austen. I have almost all the films and miniseries made of her works. Of the movies you mentioned, I thought the Keira Knightley one was the weakest. It has some moments of nice directing, and the costuming is good, but it just seemed lacking in humor and they chopped the story up too much. Plus, it takes all I've got to watch the wan Keira try to act beyond her capabilities. I will never understand why she has become so popular, and worse, why everyone thinks she is so brilliant.

Surprisingly, I enjoyed The Jane Austen Book Club a lot! I think I liked it because it didn't try to be anything more than it was. Maria Bello is an actress I really like in almost everything I have seen her in. Ditto Hugh Dancy. Emma and Sense and Sensibility are both quite good. I also like the Pride and Prejudice miniseries put out by A&E with Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth.

Again, mrsl, you have hit on some of my favorite films. Are you sure we aren't related?

[mrsl]

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Judging by your avatar, you could be right about being related. I've spent many a happy hour drooling over that handsome hunk.

Seriously though, have you seen the original Pride and Prejudice with Laurence Olivier as Mr. Darcy, and Greer Garson as Elizabeth with Maureen O'Sullivan, Ann Rutherford, and Marsha Hunt as the other sisters. Best of all is Edna Mae Oliver as Lady Catherine, and she really plays it up, she is perfect in everything she does, and this is one of her best parts, very similar to Aunt March in Little Women. There are very few actresses today who hold my attention well. Kiera is NOT one of them. Like I said, Anne Hathaway is proving to be fairly good, Gwynneth is good but getting old believe it or not. I like the gal from Grey's Anatomy, but she has stuck to light comedies, and hasn't ventured out to challenge herself, so I guess it's better she keeps her day job.

It's just as I've said, with no studio behind them, they (guys and gals), don't get that 4 or 5 years of all types of varied roles to polish their skills, and simply learn how to act. The Gables, Coopers, Davis', and Crawfords, et.al., had to pay their dues before getting A movies, but they were so much better off for it. Too bad they didn't know it at the time. Today they grow up on TV then star in a movie, or come from acting school and star in a movie, or sing a song and etc., etc. I'll take those old, practiced actors any day.
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[JackFavell]

I read the book when I was a young girl of maybe twelve? I was precocious , but I still remember how hard the first third of the book was for me, but then suddenly everything opened up and I loved it. Next I saw the classic movie - I love Greer as Elizabeth Bennett -- she was my first Elizabeth and will always be my favorite. You are so right about Edna Mae - She is someone I could watch for hours... my favorite is David Copperfield -when she stands up to the Murdstones, I want to cheer!

Maureen O'Sullivan was the perfect Jane - I have never seen anyone who could project beauty and kindness as well as she.