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Not Your Typical Noir: "Nobody Lives Forever" (1946)

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Nobody Lives Forever (1946) is one of my favorite Noir Films. It stars one of my favorite actors, the ever-troubled John Garfield. It is also unusual in that much of the film takes place in the sunlight instead of the typical Noir darkness and on the beach instead of the city streets. Even then, the dark scenes are shrouded in mist instead of bathed in garish neon lights.
 
 
The story begins with Nick Blake (Garfield) getting out of a military hospital. A former con artist, his stint in the army and his injuries have changed his views on life and he is ready for a fresh start. His best pal, Al (George Tobias), is going to make the change with him. 
 
 
The first person a guy usually wants to see when he gets out of the army is his girl. Before he left, Blake left his money for safekeeping with his girlfriend Toni (Faye Emerson). He heads to the nightclub in New York City where she works. Upon arriving he sees that business is thriving and presumes that she started it with his dough and made a good profit off of it. But like most women of Film Noir, Toni sold the struggling nightclub to her new boyfriend, Chet King. She tells Blake that his money is gone but he won't stand for that. He roughs up King, gets his dough, and then leaves New York behind for the sunny beaches of California.
 
 
In California, Blake rents a bright and spacious beach house. He also meets up with another old friend and fellow conman, Pop Gruber (Walter Brennan). His vacation doesn't last long, however, as he is approached/blackmailed by his old enemy Doc Ganson (George Coulouris) to do one more job. In return, they will leave him alone.
 
 
Before he went straight, Blake would con unsuspecting rich widows into sinking their money into phony companies by romancing them. His "assignment" this time is the young and beautiful Gladys Halvorsen (Geraldine Fitzgerald), worth two million. She is traveling with her business manager (Richard Gaines) and isn't having a very good time. He gets her interested in his "company," invites her over to his beach house, and takes her out dinner, dancing, and the theater.
 
 
Gladys quickly falls for him and surprises him with a date of her own. She takes him to the old Mission San Juan Capistrano, founded in 1776 by Father Junipero Serra. Its a lovely and poignant scene.
 
 
 
It is there that Blake realizes he is in love with Gladys. He tells Ganson he's not going through with the con and will pay the gang their original cut of the money, $30,000, out of his own funds. He then makes plans with Gladys to leave. Gladys is radiantly happy, and doesn't believe her business manager when he tells her his suspicions of Blake's shady past.
 
 
Everything looks like its going to work out for the happy couple when Toni enters back into the picture. She learns of Gladys and convinces the gang that Blake has simply cut them out so he can marry Gladys and get all of her money for himself. Before Blake has a chance to come clean with Gladys, she is kidnapped and taken to an abandoned shack on the dock.
 

 
Blake and Pop go after her and the film ends with a climatic noir gunfight. I won't tell you how it ends. You'll have to watch it to find out!
 
 
Before I wrap up this post, I want to share a few more screen shots with you. First, this awesome hat:
 
Front view

Back view

Side view

The brim is removable!!!
 
And some shots of the Spanish Mission:
 






 
This post is part of The Film Noir Blogathon hosted by The Midnite Drive-In. Be sure to check out all the other posts, as well as my post on Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982). 


Johnny Trouble (1957)

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Johnny Trouble (1957) is Ethel Barrymore's final film and the second film I saw of hers (the first was Portrait of Jennie in which she has a somewhat minor but still important role). It is also the last film of director John H. Auer. The only other "big" name in the film is Carolyn Jones of the later Addams Family fame. The title character is played by Stuart Whitman (The Comancheros). It was his first leading role. Fun Fact: he was considered for John Gavin's role in Psycho (1960). The film, though not well known, is still worth watching and is yet another emotionally outstanding performance by Miss Barrymore.

Katherine Chandler (Barrymore) is a widow who lives alone with her faithful butler/chauffeur/caretaker Tom (Cecil Kallaway) in an old apartment building that is being turned into a boys dormitory for a nearby college.

Mrs. Chandler, who is wheelchair-bound, refuses to move from her home. The college gives up and lets her stay. This causes some unique problems for the boy, as they have to be warned to clear the halls so she won't see them walking to and from the shower and they have to keep the noise down when she's sleeping. The boys soon all grow to love her and fit right in with her routine, like carrying her wheelchair down the stairs when the elevator is removed. They also try harder to live up and be the honorable young men she believes them to be. She truly brings out the best in them, not to mention she also invites them to tea every week.

One day Mrs. Chandler hears about a troubled student named Johnny Chandler (Whitman). She wonders if he could be the grandson of her only son, who had run away after being expelled from school so many years before. She sets out to befriend him, which isn't easy with his explosive temper. He's a war vet, a marine, and a little older than the other students. He doesn't know why the old lady keeps bothering him but the other guys won't let him disappoint her. She's like a grandmother to them all.

One evening Mrs. Chandler meets Johnny's girlfriend, Julie Horton (Jones) when she climbs through her apartment window, so she won't be caught in an all-boys dorm where she was visiting Johnny. While Mrs. Chandler doesn't approve, she befriends the young woman too and allows her and Johnny to meet at her apartment - while she's there of course. Johnny is grateful and begins to like the old lady, though it puzzles him why she chose him as her special friend and why she always asks questions about his childhood and parents.

Before the school year is out, Julie discovers she is pregnant with Johnny's child. Johnny plans to leave both Julie and school until Mrs. Chandler guides him into seeing that he really loves Julie and he should marry her. Julie is of course very grateful.

The end of the film is very emotional and beautiful. Luckily, the entire movie can be watched here for free! It can also be downloaded. There are over 500 hard-to-find/ not-on-dvd films on this site.

Every Ethel Barrymore fan should watch this film. If you haven't seen much of her work, this is a good film to watch. She transforms a mediocre film into something beautiful.

This post is part of The Second Annual Barrymore Trilogy Blogathon hosted by In the Good Old Days of Classic Hollywood. Be sure to read all of the other posts on this talented family!

The Spiral Staircase (1945)

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A silent film. A woman playing the piano. A man cranking the film. An enraptured young woman. Upstairs, a limping young woman, an impending storm, and a closet full of dresses. Behind the dresses? An eye! The limping girl is strangled! The piano continues to play.


So begins The Spiral Staircase (1945) starring Dorothy McGuire, Kent Smith, George Brent, Ethel Barrymore, and a few other familiar faces. We know from the moment the credits start that this is going to be a suspenseful film. The eerie music can mean nothing else as the notes slide up and down, immediately inducing a feeling of uneasiness. And when a murder happens before the first line is spoken, one can only wonder, how many others are going to die during its course? But back to the scene of the crime.


Downstairs at the hotel where the murder took place, the moviegoers are sent home and the town doctors come to inspect the body. Through their conversation it is established that the younger doctor, Dr. Parry (Kent Smith) is new to the town and gets on the nerves of old Dr. Harvey, who resents the fact that some of his patients prefer Dr. Parry.


On his way home, Dr. Parry picks up the young woman (Dorothy McGuire) who had been watching the movie. We learn that her name is Helen, she works at the Warren house as a caretaker to old Mrs. Warren (Ethel Barrymore), and today is her day off. We also learn that she is a lost her voice several years ago. Dr. Parry believes that with a specialist's help, she could regain her voice back. It is apparent that Dr. Parry and Helen are attracted to one another.


Before they reach the Warren house, a boy runs up to their buggy and says that his mother is sick. Dr. Parry lets Helen out and leaves with the boy. As Helen walks home through the woods, the tension builds along with the growing storm. A rustling noise turns out to be a rabbit. As she reaches the gate, the storm lets loose. She drops her key in a puddle and we suddenly see that she is not alone. A dark figure in a raincoat is watching her and starts to move towards her just as she finds her key and takes off running to the house.


In the house, Helen heads to the kitchen to dry off before going upstairs to see Mrs. Warren. We learn from the housekeeper (Elsa Lancaster) that this murder was not the first and that the murderer targets only young disabled or disfigured women. The first had a scar on her face, the second was "simple-minded," and now this third girl who had a limp.

 

While going upstairs, Helen stops to look at her reflection in the mirror, moving her lips as if talking and then putting her hands to her silent throat. The camera backs away from the stairs and again that dark figure is watching her and his eye fills the screen. He sees Helen's reflection without a mouth, as she can't speak. This time he only watches, then disappears into the shadows.


Up in Mrs. Warren's room, the atmosphere seems to be more relaxed. She appears to be asleep but as Helen builds up the fire, she opens her eyes and tell Helen to come to her. It is obvious that the invalid woman is very fond of Helen. Her little smile turns serious and she warns Helen that she isn't safe there and must leave tonight!

Stephen, Dr. Parry, and Albert

Downstairs we meet the rest of the family. There is Professor Albert Warren (George Brent), his secretary Blanche (Rhonda Fleming), and his younger step-brother Stephen. Stephen, who has just returned from a long stay in Paris, is a bit of a womanizer and turns his attentions to Blanche. The constable stops by and warns them to keep an eye on Helen, as they have traced the murderer to their vicinity. Albert tells Helen to stay in the house and trust no one.


Back in Mrs. Warren's room, she has another attack. She expresses displeasure that Stephen has returned, as he always brings trouble with him. She also knows that there has been another murder, even though no one told her. When Dr. Parry arrives, Mrs. Warren tells him that she likes him because he is strong like her husband, not weak like her sons. She also tells him to take away Helen at once. The strain causes another attack. They send a man to town for some more ether, which they use as a stimulant.


Downstairs, Dr. Parry tells Helen to pack her things and he will bring her to his mothers and then to Boston to see about restoring her voice. He also tells her that he has learned how she lost her voice from a visitor from her hometown that was at the home of his last patient. When Helen was a girl, she saw her house burn down with her parents still inside. Dr. Parry believes that if she stops blocking the memory out, her voice will return. After he leaves, Helen has a daydream where she and Dr. Parry are getting married. It is broken when she can't say the words "I do."

 

While she is packing, Blanche visits her in her room and decides to leave too, as she doesn't like being the cause of the animosity between Albert and Stephen (she had been Albert's girl first). She heads down to the basement to find her suitcase. She is frightened by someone she knows and her smile of relief turns to terror as whoever it was strangles her, her face and the murderer shrouded in darkness.

While all of this is taking place, Mrs. Warren tells Helen of a murder she saw many years ago, on the grounds of this very house. It was a simple-minded girl. A "tree" moved and threw her into the well. Mrs. Warren couldn't find a rope to save her. Then she says something strange: "You were that girl, Helen." Again she warns her to leave, or at least hide under the bed.

Full movie

*THE REST OF THE POST CONTAINS SPOILERS*

Helen then goes downstairs to find Blanche and finds her body. She now knows the murderer is in the house. Suddenly she hears someone behind her. It is Stephen. He tells her to go call Dr. Parry. Helen runs out and locks Stephen in, thinking he is the murderer. She rushes to the phone but when the operator asks for the number she can't say anything. Albert walks in and she writes down what has happened. He starts to take her upstairs to his step-mother's room but stops at the mirror. He reveals that he is the murderer. "There is no room in the whole world for imperfection." He explains his actions as disposing the weak that his father detested. "He would have admired me for what I'm doing."


Helen manages to get away from him and locks herself in Mrs. Warren's room. She frantically begins searching for the gun that is usually on Mrs. Warren's nightstand. Then she sneaks back downstairs to let Stephen out but stops when she sees Albert's shoes at the bottom of the spiral staircase, where he was about to go tend to Stephen. She turns to go back up the stairs and who should be standing there with a gun but Mrs. Warren! Albert comes our of his hiding place and she shoots him multiple times, "ten years too late." Helen, for the first time, screams. She then goes and lets out Stephen, who rushes to his mother, who has now collapsed. "Forgive me, Stephen, I thought it was you. He always waited until you came home, so I thought it was you." Stephen again sends Helen upstairs to call Dr. Parry. This time she is able to speak.

"It's I, Helen."

*END OF SPOILERS*


This post is part of The Second Annual Barrymore Trilogy Blogathon hosted by In the Good Old Days of Classic Hollywood. Be sure to read all of the other posts on this talented family! Also, be sure to check out my post on Ethel Barrymore's final film, Johnny Trouble (1957).

Discovering Jean Simmons

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Today TCM's Summer Under the Stars is honoring British actress Jean Simmons and giving the chance to many of us to get to know this beautiful and talented actress.


I first discovered Jean Simmons in Until They Sail (1957). I had come across this photo on the internet a few years before but it wasn't labeled. I only recognized Joan Fontaine and Sandra Dee. Then, during my "Paul Newman" phase, I caught Until They Sail on TCM and finally knew what the photo went to. Though I started watching it for Newman, it was Jean Simmons that caught my eye (not to mention her and Newman go great together).

The music in the background is annoying.

After that I watched The Robe (1953). Again, Jean Simmons gives a wonderful performance. Then I saw her in one of her earlier, British films So Long at the Fair (1950). I started watching it, I realized I already knew the plot, as it is used in an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents with Patricia Hitchcock in the lead role (and a mother instead of a brother).

Jean Simmons was born January 31, 1929 in London. A dancer, she got her start in movies at the age of 14, making her film debut in Give Us the Moon (1944) starring Margaret Lockwood. She appeared in fourteen films in the 1940s alone. 1950 started off with So Long at the Fair. She married actor Stewart Granger that same year. They had one daughter before divorcing in 1960. A few months later she married Richard Brooks. They also had a daughter.

This post is part of the 2016 TCM Summer Under the Stars Blogathon hosted by Journeys in Classic Film. Be sure to read all of the other posts on this months 31 Stars!

Announcing the Cary Grant Blogathon!

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I've noticed this past year that a lot of actresses have been given attention in the blogathon circle. Since January we have honored Loretta Young, Barbara Stanwyck, Dorothy Lamour, Bette Davis, Audrey Hepburn, Katharine Hepburn, Olivia de Havilland, Joan Crawford, Margaret Lockwood, Ingrid Bergman, and later this year Grace Kelly and Agnes Moorehead. The only men we have honored have been the two Barrymore brothers (along with their sister Ethel), and directors Mel Brooks and Alfred Hitchcock.


In June of this year we had the 50th Anniversary of Cary Grant's final film Walk Don't Run (1966) but unfortunately I didn't realize it until the day had passed. I also missed his birthday. Therefore I have decided to hold a blogthon honoring one of the Classiest Actors that has ever lived on the 30th anniversary of his death, November 29. Since Thanksgiving is the 24th, I've decided to hold it in the middle of the week instead of the weekend, running from Tuesday November 29th to Thursday December 1st.

Here are the rules:

1. Since Cary Grant made over 70 films, I ask for no duplicates. There are plenty of favorites to go around.

2. Once you have picked your topic (anything Cary Grant related) leave a comment here with the name of your blog and the link. Please also include the year your movie was released, if applicable. If you have trouble commenting you can also contact me on my fb page or via Twitter (@Solidmoonlight).

3. Choose one of the banners to display on your blog and help spread the word! Use #CaryGrantBlogathon on Twitter!


           


Roster:

Phyllis Loves Classic Movies - Once Upon a Honeymoon (1942) &Gunga Din (1939)
The Flapper Dame - Only Angels Have Wings (1939)
B Noir Detour - Notorious (1946)
The Wonderful World of Cinema - Topper (1937)
Wolffian Classic Movies Digest - His Girl Friday (1940)
Finding Franchot - Every Girl Should Be Married (1948)
Critica Retro - Hot Saturday (1932)
Once Upon a Screen - North by Northwest (1959)
Caftan Woman - The Talk of the Town (1942)
Back to Golden Days - The Awful Truth (1937)
Wide Screen World - Penny Serenade (1941)
Cinematic Scribblings - Charade (1963)
Moon in Gemini - Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)
Classic Movie Hub - My Favorite Wife (1940)
Love Letters to Old Hollywood - The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947)
In The Good Old Days Of Classic Hollywood - Bringing Up Baby (1938) & TBA
CineMaven's Essays from the Couch - Mr. Blandings Build His Dream House (1948)
Hamlette's Soliloquy - Father Goose (1964)
The Film Noir Archive - Suspicion (1941)
Old Hollywood Films - Holiday (1938)

Slapstick Class Documentaries

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For those of you taking the Slapstick class but don't have TCM, The Golden Age of Comedy (1957) is currently on YouTube. You can watch it below (don't miss Carole Lombard and Jean Harlow at the 34 minute mark!). All but one of the rest of the films airing tonight can be found in the movies section on the home page of the course.


Harold Lloyd's World of Comedy (1962), airing on TCM tomorrow night, is also on YouTube. 


Dorothy McGuire Marathon

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Recently I've become interested in the movies of Dorothy McGuire. It started last month with my post on The Spiral Staircase (1945) for the Barrymore Trilogy Blogathon. Then, after seeing it listed many times on the TCM schedule but never watching or recording it, I watched The Enchanted Cottage (1945) last week. The next day I watched McGuire's first film Claudia (1943) on YouTube and yesterday I watched Mister 880 (1950). I enjoyed all of them, especially McGuire's performance in them.


Of course I have seen her in films before. Like most people I've seen The Swiss Family Robinson (Disney - 1960), although my eye was mainly on Fritz at the time, and I've seen Summer Magic (Disney - 1963)a couple times, and probably a little of Old Yeller (1957 - I have never watched the whole thing though and don't intend to), but in all of them she's just the kind yet concerned mother (plus I was a teen). I also watched Three Coins in the Fountain (1954) last year. Her performance was very good but she was too young for the role - in which she is interested in Clifton Webb whom she is the secretary of.

Trailer

The Enchanted Cottage (1945) was, as the title suggests, enchanting. McGuire is a plain girl who marries a man (Robert Young) who's face was badly disfigured in a plane accident as a matter of convenience - this is WWII. In the enchanted cottage however, they see each other as beautiful and fall in love. My only complaint is that McGuire wasn't "plain" enough for the role. Her character truly thinks she is ugly and I've definitely seen worse! All she needs to do is style her hair, do a little eyebrow trimming, and put on some makeup and a stylish dress! Another thing that bothered me is that it is implied that one cannot be happy unless they and their spouse is attractive. Also starring in the film are Mildred Natwick, who owns the cottage, and Herbert Marshall in a superb performance as a blind musician.

Trailer

Claudia (1943) is a more unusual film. McGuire and Young (in their first of four films together), are newlyweds living out in the country. McGuire - "Claudia" - is always running around, going through windows instead of doors, letting another man kiss her to see how she liked it, and admits to being attached to her mother (luckily Mother and Young get along well, no "in-law" animosity). Halfway through the film we discover the mother is ill (I'm guessing cancer but they never say what she has) and is going to die soon. She tries to hide it from Claudia but she overhears - one of Claudia's faults is eavesdropping on the phone extension. The movie basically ends with everyone accepting Mother's impending death and going on as if everything is okay. The movie was a hit, however, and McGuire and Young reprised their roles in the sequel Claudia and David was made in 1946. Unfortunately it's not on YouTube (their last film together was the 1978 TV mini-series Little Woman). 


Mister 880 (1950) is a wonderful gem of a film, and I fear little known except to fans of McGuire and Burt Lancaster, who co-stars. Lancaster works for the Secret Service. He is called in to work on a counterfeiting case that has been baffling the Service for 10 years. When McGuire passes a fake bill, Lancaster begins trailing her. He then manages to get a date with her to investigate further. She finds out who he is and plays with him a little, leaving suspicious materials around her apartment. He's not too mad at her  - they're going pretty steady by now. It helps that he's got some good leads on "880" (the file number of the counterfeiter). Edmund Gwenn is McGuire's delightful neighbor. This is a must-watch.


I am definitely going to be watching more of McGuire's films in the near future. I've been wanting to watch Gentlemen's Agreement (1947) for John Garfield for some time now and I want to get A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945) from my library and any other films of hers they have.

Have you watched many of McGuire's films?
 
Has she caught your attention in a certain one?
 
What are some of your favorites?
 

Cinema Wedding Gowns: Light in the Piazza (1962)

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Since I ran out of book sources for my Behind the Dress series (without shelling out $40), I've decided to start a new series showing some of the gorgeous wedding gowns that have been featured in films, whether is was shown for a long scene in the movie or just a fleeting glance.

Since weddings generally take place on Saturdays, this series will appear on the second and fourth Saturday of every month.


Our first wedding dress is from Light in the Piazza (1962) and is worn by Yvette Mimieux. George Hamilton is the groom (a last minute replacement for James Darren), the mother of the bride is Olivia de Havilland, and the father of the groom is Italian actor Rossano Brazzi.


This gown is the epitome of style and glamour (two of my favorite words when talking about clothes). While the dress has a 1950s cocktail dress vibe, the veil/headpiece is definitely 1960s. The lace is exquisite.


Dolly Smith was the Wardrobe Mistress for this film. Olivia's wardrobe was by Dior. I don't know who actually designed this stunning gown.








And Then There Were None (1945)

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Ten people are invited to an isolated island, only to find that an unseen person is killing them one by one. Could one of them be the killer?

That is the premise of one of my favorite mystery stories by the Queen on Crime, the great Agatha Christie. Originally written in 1939, the book, a best seller with over 100 million copies sold, has been made into a movie more times than any of Christie's other novels and has appeared as a television production even more, attesting to the popularity of the story through the decades. You can read more about the book and it's adaptations here.

The Island "prison."

The story was first adapted for the stage, with a alternate ending. This ending is the one mostly used in the film adaptations, the first of which was And Then There were None (1945) starring Barry Fitzgerald, Walter Huston, Roland Young, C. Aubrey Smith, Richard Haydn, and Judith Anderson. The young couple and romantic interest in the film is played by Louis Hayward and June Duprez. Like the book, the story takes place on an island (changed to the Alps in the 1965 film titled Ten Little Indians). A group of strangers are invited there by a Mr. U. N. Own (get it - "unknown"), of which none of them has ever actually met. They arrive by boat and are informed that it will be back to pick them up in a few days. The guests are met by two servants, husband and wife, whom they learn have just been hired and also do not know their mysterious host. Everyone is settled in their rooms and have dinner, where they begin to get to know one another. After dinner, a record begins to play. A voice identifies itself as their host and proceeds to tell them why they are there. It seems that everyone has a shady past, whether it was murder or some other sort of crime. The guests are indignant and attempt to tell their stories to clear their names of their supposed crime.

Judith Anderson, the perfect person to put in the middle of a Christie story.

It is then that things begin to get interesting. Prince Nikita Skarloff (Mischa Auer - the protégé from My Man Godfrey) begins drunkenly playing the piano and suddenly collapses, poisoned. Someone notices that one of the Indian statuettes they had only just been admiring on the dining room table has been smashed. They also realize that there is a statue for each of them, totaling ten. Vera Claythorne (Duprez) suddenly recalls a rhyme about "Ten Little Indians," in which the first choked to death. At first everyone thinks there is a killer hiding in the house but suspicion quickly turns to each other as one by one each person meets a terrible fate until finally there are only two people left alive.  Which one of them is the killer? Will he or she kill the other and then hang himself, as the poem says? You'll have to watch the movie or read the book to find out!


Here is the rhyme (the word Indians has since been replaced with Soldier Boys):

Ten little Indian boys went out to dine;
One choked his little self and then there were Nine.
 
Nine little Indian boys sat up very late;
One overslept himself and then there were Eight.
 
Eight little Indian boys traveling in Devon;
One said he'd stay there and then there were Seven.
 
Seven little Indian boys chopping up sticks;
One chopped himself in halves and then there were Six.
 
Six little Indian boys playing with a hive;
A bumblebee stung one and then there were Five.
 
Five little Indian boys going in for law;
One got into Chancery and then there were Four.
 
Four little Indian boys going out to sea;
A red herring swallowed one and then there were Three.
 
Three little Indian boys walking in the Zoo;
A big bear hugged one and then there were Two.
 
Two little Indian boys were out in the sun;
One got all frizzled up and then there was one.
 
One little Indian boy left all alone;
He went out and hanged himself and then there were none
 
 
Released on Halloween of 1945, the film was highly successful. Unfortunately it has fallen into the public domain so copies of the film are extremely poor.
 
Although I really like this movie, I highly recommend reading the book first, as it is superbly written and with a truly thrilling climax. You can watch the movie in its entirety below:
 
 
This post is part of The Agatha Christie Blogathon hosted by Christina Wehner and Little Bits of Classics. Be sure to read all of the other suspense-filled posts!
 

And Yet Another Liebster

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The amazing Western-loving Hamlette nominated me last week for another Liebster award (this makes 4 for me). Since I did one not too long ago, I'm not going to tag anyone so feel free to answer my 11 questions in the comments or on your own blog :)

Here's my answers to Hamlette's awesome questions:

1.  Is there a movie that has really yummy-looking food in it that you'd love to eat?

I can't think of one off the top of my head but I always want gelato when I watch Roman Holiday (warning: It's illegal to eat it on the Spanish Steps. Depressing I know).

2.  What era do most of your favorite movies take place in?
Well, going from my Five Movies on an Island list, the 1950s. The decade on my movie list that is the longest is the 1940s.

3.  What two actors/actresses have you always hoped would make a movie together, but didn't/haven't yet?

I'm pretty sure I've thought of some before but I can't think of them now so I'll go with Cary Grant and Olivia de Havilland! Or how about a 1930s comedy with Olivia and Carole Lombard! Their combined beauty and comedic talent would break the screen!!

4.  If money and time and supplies (and crafting ability) were not considerations, what movie character would you love to cosplay or dress up like for Halloween?
I would love to dress up as Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz (I already have the most important part: the shoes. I also have a stuffed animal Toto) but I would look terrible in that outfit.

I also want to dress up as Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday but I would rather wear it in Rome.

5.  Have you ever cosplayed or dressed up like a movie or TV character for Halloween?
I once dressed up as Daphne from Scooby Doo for a Sadie Hawkins dance that was around Halloween at my college. (Nervous because this is the first photo of myself I've put on any of my blogs...)

6.  What movie would your friends/family be surprised to learn you truly enjoyed?

Probably quite a few haha. My brothers are the only ones who really know what movies I enjoy. I think my friends and extended family know I like old movies but maybe not just how MUCH! They might be surprised on some of the movies containing crude humor - mostly 80s and 90s - or some action films.

7.  What's one book you hope no one ever makes into a film?

50 Shades of Grey. Oh wait... they already did :/

8.  Do you know the Wilhelm Scream when you hear it?

I have no idea what that is...

9.  When a character onscreen has to hold their breath, to you try to hold your breath to match theirs?

I don't think so. I have tried to hold out a musical note for a long time (ex: Judy Garland in several songs and "Ain't No Sunshine" sung by Bill Withers).

10.  What upcoming movies (or TV series) are you excited about?

I really want to see The Light Between Oceans starring Alicia Vikander and her real-life boyfriend Michael Fassbender. It just came out but only in select theaters (none close enough to me) so I will have to wait until it comes out on dvd.


I also can't wait for the WWII film The Kaiser's Last Kiss (also known as The Exception) starring Christopher Plummer, Lily James, and Jai Courtney. I may feel differently when I see the trailer, whenever it comes out because I really have no idea what it's about...


11.  What are some of your favorite movie-oriented blogs?  (Or just blogs that post movie reviews sometimes.)

My favorite blogs are The Blonde at the Film (love all her screenshots) and Back to Golden Days. I always learn so much from reading their reviews. Another fun one that is more 1930s actress-oriented is Curious Pip. She makes amazing dolls as well as awesome sketches of Myrna Loy, Jean Harlow, and several other screen favorites. You should definitely check it out. And of course Hamlette's Soliloquey ;) I've listed several others on my Classic Movie Sites Page/tab.

My 11 questions:

1. Favorite British Movie Star (other than Cary Grant):
2. Favorite Classic Movie gif:
3. Have you signed up for the Hub Club? If not, use this link so I'll get points ;)
4. Favorite movie geared for teens/young adults (ex. Gidget, beach party films, Divergent, etc.):
5. Favorite supporting character in Gone With the Wind (you can't pick Scarlet, Rhett, Melanie, or Ashley):
6. Favorite Classic Courtroom movie:
7. Favorite book that was made into a movie:
8. Favorite song sung by a movie star (Judy, Bing, Deanna, etc.):
9. Favorite movie filmed on location (other than US):
10. Favorite classic movie hat:
11. Favorite blogathon so far this year (*Olivia* cough, cough):

Cinema Wedding Gowns: I Married a Witch (1942)

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I Married a Witch (1942) is a delightful film preceding the extremely popular Bewitched television series of the 1960s and early 70s. Starring Veronica Lake and Fredric March, it is about a witch who returns to life in order to fulfill an ancient curse on the descendant of a witch burner. The curse is that all male descendants will marry the wrong girl. Jennifer (Lake) takes on bodily form in order to make Wallace Wooley (March) fall in love with her on the eve of his wedding to Estelle Masterson (Susan Hayward). Hayward wears an exquisite wedding gown in this movie and it is the second gown in this series.


If Estelle doesn't exactly look happy at her wedding, it is because things keep happening to make them start over. First there's a hurricane, caused when Jennifer shows up at the Masterson home. Then Wally hears a gunshot and rushes back upstairs thinking Jennifer has killed herself. Finally Estelle goes upstairs to see what in the world is going and finds Jennifer and Wally kissing, this ending any chance of nuptials that day, and probably the future.

             

The costumes for this film were designed by Edith Head. I could not find any pictures of her original sketches to include. This dress is another vision in lace with a plunging illusion neckline, gathered bust-line, and full hooped skirt with tiers. The veil features large stand-up scallops around the face as well as scallops down the sides and bottom.

         

Here are some screenshots from the movie:

Looking happy for a brief moment



Wondering why the groom is running down the aisle.

The back of the veil.


The skirt in motion.
 
 

Cinema Wedding Gowns: The Parent Trap (1961)

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When I started this series I mentioned that some of the gowns I would cover are only seen for a brief moment on screen. One of these gowns is the wedding dress worn by Maureen O'Hara at the end of The Parent Trap (1961). Not only is it on screen for less than a minute, it is also only seen in Hayley Mills' dream.

Here is what we see in the film:

 
Susan and Sharon's matching bridesmaids dresses:
 
 
Here are some publicity photos that show more of the dresses:

  
 
This is a great photo. Maureen O'Hara is so beautiful.
 
This shows the entire dress, minus the veil.

This photo shows the lace on the bodice.

 
 

My 2nd Anniversary and a Sunshine Blog Award

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Wow. I can't believe it has already been two years since I started this blog and became part of a wonderful, unique group of people known as Classic Movie Fans!! I don't know how I lived without this outlet for all of my Classic Movie adventures and discoveries. In the past year alone I have:

 
  • Hosted a Costume Awards to find the give Oscars to the costumes that came before the institution of the Best Costume Award category
  • Listed my Top Ten on nearly every topic imaginable (ok, not really, but a lot)
  • Wrote what I consider my best posts to date in the month of August (especially the first half of the month)


And started a Cinema Wedding Gowns series.


♥ ♥ ♥

I have also been nominated by Virginie of The Wonderful World of Cinema for a Sunshine Blog Award. Below are my answers to the questions she asked (since I just did a Liebster I will not be tagging anyone or asking 11 questions).



1. Except for the USA… which country do you think makes the most interesting and worthy movies?
- Well, the only other country I've watched movies from is England...

2. If your life had to be like a movie, which movie would you choose?
- Gidget?

3. Which movie star inspires you the most? It doesn’t necessarily have to be your favorite.
- Carole Lombard

4. What is your favourite catastrophe movie of the 70s (the golden decade of catastrophe movies)?
- I haven't seen any...

5. To you, who is the most iconic actress of all times and the most iconic actor of all times?
- Audrey Hepburn and John Wayne 

6. Is there a book you would like to see a movie adaptation of? Who would star in it?
- Maybe a Trixie Belden mystery book with Sandra Dee

7. You think Audrey Hepburn made her best movies with Billy Wilder, William Wyler or Stanley Donen? I chose the movie directors with whom she made more that just one film.
- William Wyler

8. If you had the chance to own all the costumes of one movie, which one would it be?
- White Christmas (1954)

9. What do you think was the prettiest Oscar dress?
 - Audrey Hepburn

10. The ugliest?
- Haha most of the ones from the 70s-90s

11. If you could go back in time, what would you change from the movie history? But you can choose only ONE thing (it can be a movie ending you didn’t like, prevent the premature death of one of your favourite actors, choose another actress for Scarlett O’Hara, anything!) I know, hard choice.
- I would have Carole Lombard not die.
 
♥ ♥ ♥

While my blog will never look like what I intended it to in the beginning, I am enormously proud of the way it has turned out and how it continues to bring me joy. I am also thankful for the friends I have made along the way (you know who you are) and for all the discoveries I have made through their blogs and comments. Here's to many more years :)

How to Get Your Ex-Husband Back, According to Maureen O'Hara

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There comes a point and time in a man or woman's life (especially the cinema life) that he or she wishes they hadn't gotten that divorce after all and try to win their ex back. The Parent Trap (1961) is a film that lays the steps out for us perfectly and clearly.

1. Get yourself a stylish haircut and wardrobe. You certainly don't want him to see you as a matronly woman, especially a "proper" one from Boston. Let him know you still have allure! Show of that fabulous figure! You will want to look your best next to his new, younger fiancé!

                        
Before and after


2. Leave your lingerie in his bathroom. Make him realize what he's missing. Sure, he might get confused and think it's his daughters (did she grow up that fast?) but in his state of confusion he will have less energy to send you away or get involved in a fight between you or your daughters and his fiancé.

3. Recreate your first date (especially if it was romantic). Nothing will get a man in the mood better than good food, soft candlelight, and music. It will make him reminiscent and give him a glimpse of how his life could be if he goes back to you.


4. Reveal his fiancé's true colors. Send her on that camping trip instead. He will almost immediately see that she won't be a good companion for him and that she must just be after him for his money.



5. Make him your special stew when he gets back. Barefeet and a soft, clingy top in a color that goes well with your hair helps. Make an excuse to get him close to you (like get your apron knot too tight). He will really start to crave the home life he used to/could have. If you don't have him by then, see the next step.


6. If you need to, a good sock in the eye may help him see straight, no pun intended. That's right, let him know you don't need him. He'll come around.


7. And lastly, get help from your teenage daughter's. They can be immensely helpful in this sort of thing, especially if they are twins separated at birth ;)


And, in the words of Miss Inch, they "will all be one big, happy family."


How to DIY some of the costumes
Screenshots of the California Ranch House
The original puppets from the opening song!

This post is part of the Things I Learned From the Movies Blogathon hosted by Speakeasy and Silver Screenings. To learn more, check out all of the other fantastic posts!

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | Day 4

Cinema Wedding Gowns: The Long, Long Trailer (1954) & Forever, Darling (1956)

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Recently for the first time I watched The Long, Long Trailer (1954) & Forever, Darling (1956). Both films star real-life couple Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, popular from the television sitcom I Love Lucy (1951-1957). Both are about a couple who gets married, has some difficulties, and reconcile in the end. Both use Yosemite National Park as a filming location. And both feature gorgeous 1950s lace wedding gowns (they are also in color but I was unable to take screenshots from either movie).

         
Left: The Long, Long Trailer; Right: Forever, Darling

As you can see, both dresses have a strapless bodice with a lace overlay featuring a high stand-up collar and long sleeves. They also both have a lace apron-like skirt over a full skirt of another type of fabric. Helen Rose designed the gowns for the first film and Eloise Jenssen designed those of the second. Both are ultra-glamorous and chic, as only the fashion-conscious Lucille Ball would have it. While the dresses are both featured somewhat briefly in the films, there are several lovely promo shots that show much more detail.


 
♥ ♥ ♥
 
            
The sketch by Jenssen (note how the veil is different) and the gown as seen on a model.

Lucy in the dress with a matching doll


The veils are tulle attached to a cap-like headpiece made of lace. While the one from The Long, Long Trailer sits on the back of the head and is a very typical 1950s look, the headpiece from Forever, Darling is much more over-the-top and falls well onto the face.


      
 
A coloring page to promote Forever, Darling
 

Costume Dramas of Golden Hollywood

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Costumes, like everything else involved in filmmaking, are extremely important to movies. Without them, viewers would have to try to imagine them (like imagining sets in a play). As you can see, it would be very difficult to envision the tone of a film without them. Therefore, Hollywood has long spent lavish amounts of money of costumes, whether they are fantastical or gritty and realistic, glamorous or ordinary.

Rhett is definitely not in costume!

Costumes are especially important in Period films. It would be very difficult to imagine an Elizabethan setting if the actors were dressed in jeans and t-shirts! Or think of Gone With the Wind without all of those hoop-skirted dresses! Costumes also help the actor to get into their character and therefore act more convincingly, especially in a time they are not familiar with. It can also be plain fun, as Greer Garson recalls:
I think all of us have often thought how interesting it would be to live in a different age and time. Imagination at best is a poor substitute for reality. My role as Miss Bennett (Pride and Prejudice, 1940) was one of the happiest I ever played. In the charming feminine costumes of the period. working on sets authentically re-creating Old English homes, schooled in the modes and manners for the period, and surrounded by the proper atmosphere - gallant gentlemen, candlelight, carriages and pianofortes - it was possible to believe that I was Elizabeth [Bennett] while the cameras turned, and each night after work it was like stepping out of one world into another. I always hated to take off the colorful costumes and put on slacks, feeling something like Cinderella after the ball.
Why Larry! How dare you suggest my costume isn't authentic!

Because movies are so popular, what we see in the movies is convincingly real and sometimes the line between fact and fiction becomes blurred. Especially with costumes, "Hollywood usually offers its audience an elaborate and excessive vision of the past, filtering history through rose-colored glasses... to create the effect of a different time."

That being said, Hollywood gets many aspects of period costumes correct, but oftentimes it is mixed in a little with modern trends to be more easily identifiable with the movie-going public. Fabrics, silhouettes, undergarments, make-up, and hair styles were frequently, and sometimes purposefully,  changed for a modern look with an authentic feel, making the viewer feel like they had just seen something of historical fact yet at the same time be able to relate completely with the characters. They could also incorporate the looks seen easily into their wardrobes, as these patterns from 1939 show (released by Hollywood of course):


With period films from the Classic Hollywood era, one can still always tell what decade the it was actually made in, even if you aren't familiar with the main actors. A 1930s period film looks like a 1930s period film, just like one from the 1960s looks like it was made in the 1960s.

The fabric is wrong. The makeup is wrong. But it feels right.

Some actors and actresses strove for authenticity however. Bette Davis famously shaved her hairline to play Queen Elizabeth I not once, but twice! Even then, she wasn't allowed to shave it back as far as she wanted for fear it would alienate the movie-going public.


Nowadays, Hollywood and other film-makers are much more careful with getting the details right. For example, the popular BBC television drama Downton Abbey had a historical advisor on the set at all times to make sure that every detail was as authentic as possible. Even such small items as a letter seen for only a split second were handwritten in the style of the period. The celebrated costumes were sometimes actual 1920s items or had pieces taken from a gown falling apart and refashioned into a wearable piece using only materials that would have been available at the time. Some dresses were so delicate that they fell apart soon after filming! The makeup was even authentic, with just a little powder to even out skin tones. Here is a short video about the costumes, hair and makeup on the show (Warning: gives away plotlines). Here's another really short one.


If you are interested in pursuing this topic further, Hollywood and History: Costume Design in Film by Edward Maeder is an excellent book. It was a companion piece to an exhibition hosted by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The chapters include Historical Dress in Films, Hair and Makeup, and their impact on fashion.

       

This post is for the Characters in Costume Blogfest hosted by Christina Wehner and Into the Writer Lea. Be sure to check out all of the other "form-fitting" posts ;)

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3

PT-109 (1963)

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Back in the day when men were men and women were women and president's looked like president's... a movie was made about John F. Kennedy's service during WWII. The star of the film was Cliff Robertson, hand-picked by the president himself. The film: PT-109 (1963).
IMPORTANT: PT-109 is airing on TCM Nov. 1 at 8 pm ET. If you miss it, who knows how long it will be before TCM shows it again. I had to wait a couple years before they showed it earlier this year.

As most biopics, the picture runs long - over two hours. Now, being a big fan of Cliff Robertson, I didn't mind the long length. He's also the only major star in the movie.

Here is the description from the TCM site:
In the early days of World War II, Lieut. (j.g.) John F. Kennedy arrives in the Solomon Islands to assume command of the battle-scarred PT 109. After making hasty repairs, he and his crew are sent to rescue a Marine patrol trapped on Choiseul. Though the mission is successful, the boat runs out of fuel and has to be towed back to base. Then, on the morning of August 2, 1943, while attempting to prevent the Japanese from landing troops at Vila, PT 109, having no radar equipment, is rammed and split in two by an enemy destroyer. Two of the men are killed, and Kennedy decides the only chance he and the other survivors have is to swim to a nearby island. One of the men is too badly burned to swim, and Kennedy tows him through the water. All efforts to make their location known fail until Kennedy writes a message on a coconut, which friendly natives take to nearby Rendova. They return with a canoe, hide Kennedy under palm fronds, and deliver him to an Australian coastwatcher. After directing the rescue of his men, Kennedy learns he is eligible for transfer home; instead, he elects to assume command of another PT boat.
 
This clip on Youtube really made me want to see the movie. I love the line at the end:


Some trivia about the film:

The real PT 109 had been engaged in continual combat for five months when JFK took command, but was not the derelict, inoperative hulk depicted in the movie.

When President Kennedy saw early footage of parts of the film, his only complaint was that Cliff Robertson was parting his hair on the right, while JFK's hair parted on the left. Robertson dutifully parted his hair on the left for the film.


It was decided and approved by President Kennedy that Cliff Robertson speak in his natural voice and not try to imitate JFK's Boston accent for the film.

Cliff Robertson portrays John F. Kennedy during his late twenties during World War II. However, in real life Robertson was 40 years old when this film was released.

Mrs Kennedy's preference to play President John F. Kennedy was Warren Beatty.

The meaning of film's title "PT 109" is PT Boat 109 or Patrol Torpedo Boat 109 or Motor Torpedo Boat PT-109. PT is a symbol referring to a motor torpedo boat's hull classification symbol (aka hull codes aka hull numbers), in this case PT stands for Patrol Torpedo. Occasionally, movies will lend their titles to the numerical designation of a boat


I just learned the other day that Natalie Portman is starring in a film called Jackie about Jackie Kennedy following Kennedy's assassination. Rachel Weisz was originally wanted for the part (and she would have looked perfect in my opinion) but she turned it down. It is slated for release on Dec. 2 of this year.


This post is part of the Hail to the Chief! Blogathon hosted by Pop Culture Reverie. Be sure to read all of the other Presidential posts (especially if the coming election has been getting you down).

Halloween Films 2

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When I first started this blog, my second post was a list of Halloween Films. They were almost all comedies. Since then I have watched some scarier (to me) films that I would like to share with you:


The Leopard Man (1943) - another Val Lewton/Jacques Tourneur classic, this one came out the year after the more well-known cult-film Cat People (1942). Set in New Mexico, it features Lewton's signature shadows and sounds, and even the same panther!

That moment when you show up to a party in a killer dress and with a panther

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The Uninvited (1944) - starring Ray Milland and Gail Russell, this haunting film is a must-watch. Milland and his sister (Ruth Hussey) buy a cheap mansion that happens to be haunted. At night they hear a woman moaning but no one can ever be found. Gail Russell is a neighbor who lived there as a child - until her mother fell, or jumped, of the nearby cliff. When Russell comes to visit her new neighbors she falls into a trance. 

A séance is always a good idea.

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The Innocents (1961) - a classic starring Deborah Kerr, a governess who is convinced that the two children in her charge are possessed by a couple that died there. I only watched a little bit of it on TCM, but I plan to watch the whole film soon.

 
Have a Happy Halloween!

Cinema Wedding Gowns: The Old Maid (1939)

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The Old Maid (1939) is an odd title for a post on wedding gowns, but throughout the course of the movie, starring famous rivals Miriam Hopkins and Bette Davis, there are three weddings and one almost-wedding, which is of course Bette Davis who then becomes the title's "old maid."

Hopkins and Davis are cousins living with their grandmother during the Civil War. On Hopkins' wedding day, her old beau, George Brent shows up. Even though she loves him, she goes through with her marriage to a man who is much wealthier. Davis, who has been secretly in love with Brent for years, takes this opportunity to be with him. But then he goes away to the war and gets shot, leaving her an unwed mother.


Davis starts a foundling home as a way to hide her child. On the day of her wedding to Hopkins' brother-in-law, she tells Hopkins that she has a child. Jealous that Davis had a child with the man she (Hopkins) loved, she stops the wedding.

The wedding gowns designed by Orry-Kelly and worn by Hopkins and Davis in the film are very elaborate and each very distinct. Hopkins gown is extremely busy. It features a silk corset-like bodice that is covered with a lace bolero. The long-sleeved bolero has a ruffled trim and small posies of flowers on each shoulder.

 
The skirt is hoop-skirted with a lace overskirt and a hem with ruffles, intricate pleating, and flowers.

 
The veil is made of tulle and has flowers surrounding the bride's forehead.

A look at the back of the dress as well as Davis' bridesmaid gown.

 
The dress worn by Davis seems designed to make her look like an old maid. She is not especially happy to be getting married as she is worried she will have to give up her foundling home and along with it her child. The gown is made of cream satin and features a high neckline, long sleeves, and bib pleating on the bodice and at the hips creating a symmetrical look.

 
The lace veil looks very much like a Spanish mantilla and is topped with a large headband of flowers. The bride's hair is held back from the face with a snood.

Relaxing on the set
 
Out of the other two weddings in the film, that of Hopkin's daughter and Davis' daughter, one dress is only briefly seen and the other not at all.

The Swan (1956)

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Last year Virginie of The Wonderful World of Cinema hosted the 1st Wonderful Grace Kelly Blogathon in honor of her Serene Highness's birthday. This year she is back with the 2nd Wonderful Grace Kelly Blogathon. For last years event I wrote about the fashion marriage of Grace Kelly with the renowned costume designer Edith Head. This year I am writing about The Swan (1956), Grace Kelly's last film to be made (High Society was her final film to be released).


CAST:

Grace Kelly.....................Princess Alexandra
Alec Guinness..........................Prince Albert
Louis Jourdan......................Dr. Nicholas Agi
Jessie Royce Landis...............Princess Beatrix
Agnes Moorehead.........Queen Maria Dominika
Brian Aherne.................Father Carl Hyacinth
Estelle Winwood.........................Symphorosa


The film tells the story of Princess Alexandra (Kelly) meeting her distant cousin, Crown Prince Albert (Guinness), that she, and her mother, are hoping will propose marriage so that they can regain the throne that was taken from them by Napoleon Bonaparte. When the Prince (Guinness) appears to show no interest in Alexandra, she tries to make him jealous by pretending to be love with her brother's tutor, Nicholas (Jourdan). Nicholas has been secretly in love with Alexandra which, like the constellation mentioned several times, creates a love triangle.










The star Vega that Nicholas points out to Alexandra, is part of the Summer Triangle, a constellation made from three other constellations: Aquila (the Eagle), Lyra (the Harp), and Cygnus (the Swan).


The three constellations have another metaphor (aside from one of them being names "The Swan"). According to Kelly's biography by Donald Spoto, "Beatrice and her household represent an old and now inadequate way of life. Albert and his mother stand for a kind of royalty that can still be relevant in a modern world - a working family mindful of the need for a new social order. And Nicholas and Alexandra (a noteworthy choice of names in light of the couple still reining in Russia) represent the unlikely lover."


Spoto goes on to say:
The film sparkles with delicate humor that leavens the gravity with which it explores the nature of romantic love in a rapidly changing world dominated by class struggles. In this regard, Alexandra is not simple a foolish, inexperienced young woman. She is a sympathetic soul who, in the course of the story, moves through the stages of moral education, comporting herself at first with charming awkwardness, then relying on her idea of what it is to be a love-struck maiden, and finally accepting that her ambitions and her vocation require sacrifices she has not yet considered.
Under the pretense of being a romantic film, it is actually "high comedy, puncturing social pretenses and exaggerated expectations of life gently and without bombast or cruelty. The Swan is also a remarkably earnest depiction of the shallow, fading monarchical pretensions of minor European royalty."

Symphorosa

Princess Beatrix (Landis) feigning illness so that she doesn't have to deal with Queen Maria.

One of the things I noticed about this film was the use of Cinemascope to emphasize emotional distance. There are several shots where Alexandra and Nicholas or Alexandra and Prince Albert are on opposite sides of the screen. There are also shots when the Prince is shown literally standing between Alexandra and Nicholas, as he is the one preventing their love to be realized.






Spoto on Kelly and Jourdan:
Louis Jourdan, as the lovesick, mistreated academic, knew how to play a young man at the mercy of his emotions. His love scenes with Grace in the carriage by moonlight and on the terrace are lessons in the fine art of making such moments both credible and affecting.












For much of her time onscreen, Grace remains silent, or speaks but a few words. But we see her listening, we watch her subtle reactions and confusions, and her muted passion in the cyclorama against which everyone must play. The performance is like a pantomime in a silent movie: she communicates every emotion with only the slightest changes in facial expression.


One scene worth mentioning is when Alexandra comes to invite Nicholas to the ball. We just see her feet as she walks into the room, hesitates, turns to go, and then comes into full frame when Nicholas notices her. It's a brilliantly filmed scene:




Another thing that must be mentioned is the location. The exteriors were filmed at Biltmore House in the mountains of North Carolina. I especially liked the scenes where the house is being readied for the arrival of the Prince. I wonder if they used extras or just filmed the actual staff cleaning?









The interiors for the film are also spectacular, as seen in these shots:












Great care was taken in the set dressing, as seen in this set table:


Also worth mentioning is the costumes in the film. Designed by Helen Rose, who also designed Kelly's wedding gown, the gowns designed for Princess Alexandra "were an enchanting look." Kelly "was trilled when [she] saw Helen's sketches and some of the exquisite fabrics she had selected."

Helen Rose said "I never saw a star as thrilled as Grace the day we fitted the white chiffon ball gown. She stood before the mirror, gently touching the embroidered camellias and saying, 'How simply marvelous, Helen - what talented people you have here at MGM!' For weeks, several skilled women had sat at embroidery frames, carefully working by hand each petal of every flower. The ball gown was indeed fit for a princess." You will notice that almost all of Kelly's gowns are white, another reference to the title of the movie.


























Trivia:

The role of Prince Albert was offered first to Rex Harrison and Joseph Cotten. While I personally would have preferred either of them, Alexandra's sacrifice at the end wouldn't seem that bad (especially with Cotten).

One of the reasons this film is special is that, unknown to the public, Grace Kelly really was about to marry a prince, Prince Rainier of Monaco. Unlike the film, however, Grace was marrying for love.

The film premiered on April 18, 1956 to coincide with Grace Kelly's wedding day.

Kelly named her son Albert, which is the name of Guinness's character in the film.

Shots I didn't include above:
















Favorite Shots:




Sources:

     High Society: The Life of Grace Kelly. Donald Spoto. Harmony Books. 2009

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