Frosty mornings, rainy windy days, and finally a good one---

---So nice to be outdoors puttering a bit. This week I watched:

Adventures Of Robin Hood (1938) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0029843/ Errol Flynn's great film that will always delight lovers of action, romance and the era of the Plantagenets in England. Good King Richard is away at the Crusades and his brother, evil King John, (Claude Rains) is taxing his subjects cruelly. Robin of Locksley takes to Sherwood forrest with a merry band of men and is soon making things difficult for the Sheriff of Notingham. Great, rousing score, lovely Olivia de Havilland as Maid Marian, and Basil Rathbone, the villian to have a rousing sword fight with at the end. Restored to its' 1938 technicolor glory I give this 10/10.

Inside Daisy Clover (1965) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059314/ Natalie Wood in the title role, as a 15 year old who can sing, is discovered by a studio boss (Christopher Plummer) and turned into a Little Miss Sunshine. Robert Redford manages to bed and wed the nymphet. Also has Ruth Gordon as the dotty mother. 7/10

The Country Girl (1954) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0046874/ Grace Kelly, in her Oscar winning role as the wife of a weak drunkard and liar (Bing Crosby). William Holden as a stage director, who is trying to get the guy back on his feet to take the lead performance in his new play. A curiosity now. 7/10

Hedy Lamarr month on Turner Classic Movies:
Called the Most Beautiful Woman In Films by critics and fans in the 1940s. Can't disagree.

Tortilla Flat (1942) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035460/ Awful film with Spencer Tracy at his worst, John Garfield and a slew of character actors. They are supposed to be funny, quaint and loveable, but are borish louts. 5/10 only for beautiful Hedy Lamarr.

White Cargo (1942) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0035553/ When has a leading man been so loud, unpleasant and so bad? Walter Pidgeon does nothing buy shout at everyone. Richard Carlson is the new man out to Africa to a rubber plantation run by Pidgeon. How, I don't know because all he does is get angry at everyone and everything.
When Hedy finally arrived at the station in her skin - and a little cloth to cover here and there, it is a relief. Maybe she is camp to some, but to me she is beautiful, does very well vamping all the men, and you have no trouble believing they would go a little nutty over this woman. When she is on screen, your eyes can't leave her. Meanwhile we have a few minutes without Pidgeon shouting his lines. 6/10

Men in WWII made Hedy, as Tondelayo, a pinup to rival Betty Grable in her swimsuit, or Rita Hayworth in her satin nightgown. She has her longivity in the movie annals. 6/10

Good Night & Good Luck (2005) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0433383/ The recreation of Edward R. Murrow's clash with Senator McCarthy who accused everyone of Communist leanings, without any evidence. The witch hunts during the 1950's ruined lots of people. Murrow and CBS showed him up for the blowhard he was, but the network pulled the plug on Murrows See It Now program anyway. Very good. The black and white photography adds to the feeling of authenticity. 8/10

Taking Lives (2004) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0364045/ Angelina Jolie is an FBI investigator looking for a serial killer. Ethan Hawke is or isn't. Kiefer Sutherland is something. Gena Rowlands is in it as someones mother. Confused and dazed. 6/10 for the Canadian scenery.

The Hunted (2003) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0269347/ Tommy Lee Jones chases Benicio Del Toro around forrests to keep him from killing anymore people. A sort of environmental film because that is what motivates the latest killings. Del Toro was trained by Jones as special ops assassin, to go in and kill without anyone even knowing he is there, but now he has to be stopped. Good fight scenes. 7/10

Now that spring has finally come to the Heartland, I hope to do some planting. I have lots of large patio pots to fill with flowers. And sitting on the glider on the patio just watching the birds. Our areas Great Blue Heron is flying over the river and coming to nest on our ponds. Love to see the graceful flight.