----five films I watched recently:
San Francisco (1936) Jeanette MacDonald, Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy (Oscar Nomination). Wonderful cast in the story of the Barbary Coast saloons and the people of the city in 1906, the year of the great earthquake. Jeanette sings title song, and a few operatic arias, and Clark is two-fisted and charming. Tracy seems subdued and I really don't see a great performance here, but his lip is bloodied by Clark, so maybe the gold statue was a compensation prize. The earthquake sequence is still great, after all these years, and all the spectacle we take for granted. 9/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0028216/
The Women (1939) Watch at least once a year. Commented on before. March 9, 2009 post on this Blog I compared the latest film, with Meg Ryan as Mary, to 1939s "classic" with the top stars of the top studio, MGM, all taking part. The latest version pales in comparison to the wonderful cast with their claws out (Jungle Red!) for each other, with no holds barred in the '39 version. Women of today, with careers, all sorts of interests, have trouble realizing the limits the 1939 woman had to endure. Some like limits. Hooray for them! But for the rest of us gals, today is better. Don't think the latest version played up the many choices todays women had which makes the whole story different. It is simply not the story Booth Luce told in 1939 and it suffers for the difference. 1939 version a 10/10. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032143/
She Wouldn't Say Yes(1945) Rosalind Russell, Lee Bowman, Adele Jergens, Charles Winniger. Watched it but cannot remember much about it so that tells me it was a bomb. Something about a lady gifted psychiatrist, grounded in self-control, on a train to somewhere getting involved with an annoying man who is a returning serviceman. He is a cartoonist. Not funny enough or wacky enough, just forgetable. Travis Banton wardrobe for Roz worth a look. 6/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038084/
The Pirate (1948) Gene Kelly, Judy Garland, Walter Slezak, Gladys Cooper, The Nicholas Brothers. I watched it on TCM. I had not seen it since it first came out back when I was in high school. I know now why I never made a point to get it and watch again. My reaction was just the opposite of so many - I thought it was too frantic, too loud, and for a fantasy - not fun enough. Some good dancing, but the songs were atrocious IMO. Only one hummable song, with lyrics we can remember and sing. Thank goodness, Kelly brought back the "Be A Clown" number and had Donald O'Connor do it in "Singing In The Rain." That made it a 'classic.' Think Gene is more fun in his Three Musketeers role (and much better acting); and Judy is 3-times better in Easter Parade with Astaire. 5/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040694/
June Bride (1948) Bette Davis, Robert Montgomery. Stars work well together. Linda Gilman (Davis) is the editor of the woman's magazine which is heading to a small town to document the wedding of Jeanne Baker (Barbara Bates) and Bud Mitchell. Trouble is war-correspondent Carey Jackson (Montogomery) is back and has been given his old job and is to work under madam editor Gilman. Which is messy because he walked out on their relationship a few years before without even saying adios. With Mary Wickes and Faye Bainter as her staff, you know there will be a few chuckles. Another film I remember well from my high school days, when teenagers were mooning about going steady, getting engaged, weddings! I knew these people well and they did a great job with the ginger bread house and decor in the before pics. Saw many a home with just such horrors and could almost smell the apple pie. 8/10 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040499/
Have more comments on more films to do, but I'm hungry and it's time for lunch!
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