From my collection:
The Paradine Case (1947) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0039694/ Black & White. A Hitchcock courtroom drama, with Gregory Peck the barrister for the defence, in a notorious murder case in England. Alida Valle is the prisoner in the dock; Louis Jourdan, the victims valet; Ann Todd, Pecks wife; Charles Laughlin the sitting judge; and Ethel Barrymore, his abused wife. Great cast, in a drama you have to pay attention to because there is no action. Except for the mental kind.
Marnie (1964) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058329/ One of my favorite later Hitchcocks. In color, gorgeous Tippy Hedron and Sean Connery are simply breathtaking. When she is frightened by lightning and runs into his arms, and he turns and runs his lips down her face to her lips, talk about heat. No nudity needed. No tongues dueling. Pure erotic hints of what may come. The story of a cleptomaniac and her captor is very interesting and worth our 2 hours watching.
Mayerling (1968) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064645/ Two more beautiful people in an Edwardian romance. Omar Sharif as the Austrian Archduke Rudolph, and Catherin Deneuve, as the young aristocrat he falls in love with, are simply stunning. James Mason is the Emporer, Ava Gardner the Empress; and the gorgeous, lush score, make this a favorite of mine. May not be history, but who cares? By "the end" I'm always in tears.
Jane Eyre (1944) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0036969/ Joan Fontaine is Jane; Orson Welles, is Rochester; darling Margaret O'Brien is Adele; Peggy Anne Garner is young Jane; and Agnes Moorehead, her horrible aunt. Elizabeth Taylor, in her 1st very small role, is as beautiful as ever. Of all the adaptations of this Charlotte Bronte story, this is my favorite because of Welles, dark and excentric acting. The black and white photography lends itself to the stark, lonely and morbid tale.
The Great McGinty (1940) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032554/ Preston Sturges, wrote and directed this first of his great comedies. About politics and the crooked politicians, it is as relevant today as 68 years ago. They may have styled hair and $1000 suits, but the same and worse goes on now. Who hasn't heard of bought elections? Brian Donlevy, Akim Tamiroff and William Damarest are perfect as the mutt, the Boss, and his henchman. And Muriel Angelus as Mrs. McGinty is lovely. From the breadline to the Govenors mansion, to South America on the lam, this has very insightful things to say about politics. And is lots of laughs as well.
Ransom! (1956) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049656/ The original of this kidnapping story, and much better as far as I'm concerned, than the Mel Gibson remake. Glenn Ford should have been recognized for his performance as a business man father who uses an unusual and unpopular way to handle the kidnappers ransom demands. Donna Reed is the distraught mother. A fine cast of character actors brings this story to life.
From my Blockbuster que:
The Year Of Living Dangerously (1982) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086617/ This hasn't been on TV for a very long time so I put it in my que and watched it this week. Mel Gibson was goodlooking, but so short it is almost silly seeing him with almost 6 foot Sigourney Weaver. Linda Hunt as male Billy Hunt still is amazing. The story of reporters covering a civil war in Indonesia and their corruption, is still relevant, but very little has changed in 25 years.
Seen on TCM:
The Divorcee' (1930) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0020827/ Norma Shearer and Chester Morris in a story of moderns who decide to have a open marriage, except he doesn't like it when the wife does the same as he and has an affair. One of the films that brought the Legion Of Decency and the Breen Office into being. Tame by todays standards, but was seen by churches as causing moral decay.
We had another snow shower this morning. Very cold, but should warm up later in the weekend. At least the days are getting longer. And we start daylight saving this weekend.
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