The Silver Screen Oasis

Bronxgirl48 wrote: ↑August 12th, 2023, 1:12 pm I had no idea, james. Thanks for this crucial info.

(I take nothing away from Bogie who is a delight in THE AFRICAN QUEEN)

The best actor winner that year was William Holden for Stalag in 1953. (Shane was made in 51 but released in 53 and the Oscars are based on release-year).

I admit I mostly ignored ALAN LADD until I saw enough of THIS GUN FOR HIRE last night. Those first 20 minutes are riveting. Raven likes cats and slaps pretty girls around who don't. And then... Wow. Looking forward to sitting through it again. Really cool sweetness in tough times.

I figured one of the reasons that Shane bonded so strongly with Joey is that they are about the same height.

My favorite Alan Ladd film will always be This Gun For Hire , his cold eyes and sharp, monotone voice were very menacing. It is not hard to believe Laird Cregar was so frightened by him in the film, even though he was twice his size.

It is kind of sad to see Ladd in 1950s and 1960s films where alcoholism made his face and eyes puffy and his voice became ragged.

Andree wrote: ↑August 13th, 2023, 12:24 am I figured one of the reasons that Shane bonded so strongly with Joey is that they are about the same height.

Now, now, lol.

I'm guessing Alan was, what? 5'6" That's pretty short for a movie star. But in THE BLUE DAHLIA his character's description is "5'10 and 160 lbs"

jamesjazzguitar wrote: ↑August 12th, 2023, 6:28 pm

Bronxgirl48 wrote: ↑August 12th, 2023, 1:12 pm I had no idea, james. Thanks for this crucial info.

(I take nothing away from Bogie who is a delight in THE AFRICAN QUEEN)

The best actor winner that year was William Holden for Stalag in 1953. (Shane was made in 51 but released in 53 and the Oscars are based on release-year).

Thanks -- I should have known about the release date.

I watched Shane again Friday. Such a great movie.

Bronxgirl48 wrote: ↑August 14th, 2023, 7:32 pm

Andree wrote: ↑August 13th, 2023, 12:24 am I figured one of the reasons that Shane bonded so strongly with Joey is that they are about the same height.

Now, now, lol.

I'm guessing Alan was, what? 5'6" That's pretty short for a movie star. But in THE BLUE DAHLIA his character's description is "5'10 and 160 lbs"

In his dreams!!!!!! Veronica Lake was a perfect leading lady for him. She was barely 5 feet tall. Even in heels he'd tower over her!

Bronxgirl48 wrote: ↑August 14th, 2023, 7:32 pm
Now, now, lol.

I'm guessing Alan was, what? 5'6" That's pretty short for a movie star. But in THE BLUE DAHLIA his character's description is "5'10 and 160 lbs"

On occasion I find it difficult to resist an Alan Ladd is short joke. His Wiki entry discusses his height and gives a few different
numbers which average out to 5' 6". I think Napoleon was also a bit taller than most people think, but it's too late to reverse
their reputations. I enjoyed seeing The Blue Dahlia again, with Ward Cleaver as the voice of reason. William Bendix is
so believable as a suspect, especially with his monkey music obsession, that I sometimes forget that old curmudgeon Will Wright
was the actual murderer.

Up until the ending at least. Their changing the ending works against the plot. In the book it was Bendix that was the killer and the switch at the end just isn't believable to me. This Gun for Hire is my favorite of the Ladd/Lake pairings (I haven't seen Saigon, but it's not well regarded). I don't care much for The Glass Key. Too much time spent on Brian Donlevy. Dahlia is pretty good up until the end.

Hugh Beaumont -- blandest, dullest actor ever. Just looking at him makes me sleepy.

THIS GUN FOR HIRE is my favorite Ladd/Lake pairing as well. I've never seen SAIGON but am not in any rush.

I'm not a Brian Donlevy fan. It seemed his character in THE BLUE DAHLIA was a continuation of sorts from THE GREAT MCGINTY, or am I nuts? (don't answer, lol)

Hibi wrote: ↑August 15th, 2023, 4:23 pm Up until the ending at least. Their changing the ending works against the plot. In the book it was Bendix that was the killer and the switch at the end just isn't believable to me. This Gun for Hire is my favorite of the Ladd/Lake pairings (I haven't seen Saigon, but it's not well regarded). I don't care much for The Glass Key. Too much time spent on Brian Donlevy. Dahlia is pretty good up until the end.

Wiki has a very informative and sometimes amusing entry on The Blue Dahlia, including how the movie came to be.
In Chandler's original script Buzz (what an appropriate name) was the killer, but the Navy didn't want to have a veteran
be the killer, so he was forced to change the ending. Will Wright was one of the suspects, a rather shifty, unscrupulous
type. But Bendix made such a strong impression that all the other suspects fade into the background, at least for me.
And of course......Ladd didn't like the fact that Doris Dowling was half a foot taller than he was, so they came up with
the usual tricks to diminish the difference.

All kidding aside, I like Alan Ladd, though he did seem to make a lot of mediocre flicks after his 1940s heyday. I've
always found Veronica Lake very attractive and likable in movies like The Blue Dahlia, even if she was something
of a handful in her personal life. I agree about The Glass Key. Lots of dull spots between the action.

Bronxgirl48 wrote: ↑August 15th, 2023, 6:38 pm
I'm not a Brian Donlevy fan. It seemed his character in THE BLUE DAHLIA was a continuation of sorts from THE GREAT MCGINTY, or am I nuts? (don't answer, lol)

Well Bronxie, I'd say the ONLY way anyone could conceivably call you "nuts" here, would be by pointing out that Brian Donvey wasn't in 'The Blue Dahlia'.

(...as the kind of part Donlevy would've normally played in that film, was instead played by Howard da Silva)