Saturday Matinee: BAD TEACHER

I am going a bit away from my Vintage Movie Saturday Matinee Reviews....I was going to save this movie snippet for August when everyone's mind is on "Back to School" time...this would be enough to Home School your kiddos!!!!  However, this movie was so funny that I could not wait to share.

To beat the Texas Summer heat, David and I skipped the water park and headed out for a Mid-Day Matinee.  We saw Bad Teacher with Cameron Diaz.  She is one of those actresses that I say "gets on my nerves" but I usually enjoy her movies.  She is funny and fun to look at.  Her legs just do not stop and I wish they were on my body (not in a lesbian kind of way...I literally want them ON my body as MY legs).

Here is the synopsis from Yahoo! Movies:

"Some teachers just don't give an F. For example, there's Elizabeth. She's foul-mouthed, ruthless, and inappropriate. She drinks, she gets high, and she can't wait to marry her meal ticket and get out of her bogus day job. When she's dumped by her fiance, she sets her plan in motion to win over a rich, handsome substitute - competing for his affections with an overly energetic colleague, Amy. When Elizabeth also finds herself fighting off the advances of a sarcastic, irreverent gym teacher, the consequences of her wild and outrageous schemes give her students, her coworkers, and even herself an education like no other. "


When I first saw the trailers for this movies I was like "NO WAY can a TEACHER afford Louboutins"...But then that was answered in the first 10 minutes...she was GOING TO marry "well" and was on her way to maxing out her hubbie to be's fortune.  Well that did not work out for her so she returned to her teaching job, bitterness in tow.

What a great place to "hide out"!!!!  Middle school, that "No Man's Land" of awkwardness between grade school and high school.  The kids are too busy trying to find their place in life to notice how bad their teacher might be.  HOWEVER, she is so bad they DO NOTICE.  In fact, the only person who does not seem to notice is her boss, the PRINCIPAL. 

I know...I know...she is BAD and the poor children are suffering....GET OVER IT!!!!  It is a movie and supposed to be over the top and funny.  We all know it would not be funny in real life (ok...well not THAT funny...but I would still give out a chuckle or two...three).

I recommend this movie for a fun way to entertain yourself while cooling off with some popcorn (which I did not have....back on the Low Carb wagon this week).


Tiffany

Saturday Matinee: Faces

"Richard Forst has grown old. One night, he leaves his wife for Jeannie Rapp, a young woman who does not like friendship. Meanwhile, Richard's wife, Maria, is seduced by Chet, a kind young man from Detroit... A film about the meaningless of life for a certain kind of wealthy middle-aged people." from IMDb

Well then....if that is all the Internet Movie Database has to say....LOL

This is one of those movies with really weird scenes.  There is a lot...WAY LOT of drinking so maybe that should explain things.  They drink so much and act so stupid you almost feel sorry for them.  You know when you have a Girls Night Out and there is always that ONE friend who drinks way too much and dances all weird and thinks she is funny (ok...I know I have been THAT girl once or twice...LOL)?  Well almost everyone in the movie is THAT girl.  Everyone but Jeanie (and her friend on one scene) and this gal makes a living off of a "good time".

She is absolutly my favorite character in this movie.  Gena Rowlands playing her might have SOMETHING to do with it, along with other reasons I will not get into (that would take my entire blog into a new direction).  

Richard meets Jeanie while out at "the Losers" coctail lounge with a friend.  They have a few laughs, the friend offends Jeanie because she has no use for him and they leave.  Richard arrives home to his attractive wife, more drinks, and a hot meal.  Richards wife (I forget her name, sorry) tries to keep things interesting.  She is pretty, seems to be able to hold a conversation, and tries to keep life interesting....but she is "not a sex machine" as she tells Richard.  You see, Richard is all wound up from being at Jeanie's house without "release" and would rather stay in than go to a movie as his wife suggests. A few more "words" and Richard announces he wants a divorce.  No discussion...he will send for his clothes in the morning.  Richard is cruel in this scene...but then it seems we are not really "in" on teh entire situation.  I feel as I walked in durring the middle of something.  I mean surely he does not want a divorce because he is bored?  His wife does not amuse him?  Their dinner conversation was going so well before.... I mean the wife even told a story about how her friend's husband talks in his sleep about "kissing a women.....(down there she motions)".

Side note, this is one of the first films in cinema history to talk openly about cunnilingus (from IMDb)

Oh....after the "I want a divorce" anouncement and in front of his wife, Richard calls Jeanie to ask if he can see her again that night.  He is just cruel.

He is no better to Jeanie.  I know, I know...she is a "Pro" and should not have feelings but she falls for this creep.  This old, wrinkled, and I am sure smelly from the amount of liquor and smokes he consumes, creep. 

While Richard is being entertained by the beautiful Jeanie (remember she is played by Gena Rowlands), his wife calls up her gal pals and hits the town.  These ladies are middle aged, upper middle class housewives...  and they are living it up.  They head to a night club, drink (of course), dance, and meet a young (supposed to be good looking, I guess) man....who they bring home (to Richard's house).  He charms the high heels off of several of the women but when they all head home, for being offended in one way or another, he stays with "the wife" (goodness I wish I could remember her name...LOL).  Well as you can imagine Richard comes home..... and this is where I will leave you to see the movie for yourself.

This was an independant movie directed by John Cassavetes who you might know as the director of Rosemary's Baby.  Cassavetes was married to Gena Rowlands. 

...oh and Richard was played by John Marley.

Saturday Matinee: Niagra with Marilyn Monroe

"Ray and Polly Cutler (Max Showalter and Jean Peters) on a delayed honeymoon at Niagara Falls, find their reserved cabin occupied by George and Rose Loomis (Joseph Cotten and Marilyn Monroe). They politely accept another, less-desirable cabin, and the two couples become acquainted.
George and Rose have a troubled marriage. She is younger and very attractive. He is jealous, depressed and irritable. It is implied that he may have recently been discharged from an Army mental hospital. While touring the falls the following day, Polly sees Rose passionately kissing a man, Patrick. That evening the Cutlers witness George's rage. Rose joins an impromptu party and George storms out and breaks a record playing a tune that he suspects has a secret meaning for Rose.
What George does not know is that Rose is planning his murder. The next day she lures him into following her to the dark tourist tunnel underneath the Falls. There Patrick is to kill him. Patrick is to request the nearby carillon to play the special song to let Rose know that George is dead. By chance, the tune is played and Rose concludes George is murdered...." from Wikipedia  There is more to this synopsis of plot but I do not want to spoil the movie...I want you to watch it and enjoy the plot twists.

from This is Marilyn

My Mawma got this movie for us to watch as soon as it was available on VHS.  I loved it at first showing.  Marilyn, of course, oozed sex but her acting was...well...I do not think many love her for her acting.  her first scene opened with her in bed, nude, with legs sprawled under the sheets.  Hair messy, smoking...but with perfect red lips.  Sexy.

The costumes were glorious.  Marilyn wore many tight "wiggle" skirted suits and dresses while Mrs. Cutlers wears clothing of a "sweeter" nature, loose fitting circle skirts.  The men were dressed in loose pleated pants and cabana shirts, things they might wear on vacation.  There were a few scenes where Mr. Cutler would have on a suit or jacket and tie, but most of the time the costumes reflected a relaxed style of vacation wear.  They were in Niagara Falls, afterall.

I searched and could not find any photos of the gentlemen in this film, except for one with Rose's lover in a parka and then one with George in a loose jacket.  Not very exciting.  Most of the photos, as you can see, are of Marilyn.  Not surprised in the least at this.  Photos from Yahoo! Images

I enjoy this film, mostly for the costumes, scenery, and Marilyn.  I enjoy her in this because she is not playing a dumb blonde.  I enjoy THAT, too, but it gets old (as it got old for HER playing the dumb blonde if biographies I have read were accurate).

Here is some fun trivia for you...

Rose (Marilyn Monroe)'s walk across some cobblestones holds the record for the longest walk in cinema history - 116 feet of film.

Even though she had a starring role, Marilyn Monroe was still under contract to 20th Century-Fox as a stock actor at a fixed salary, so she actually made less money than her make-up man did.

To see this and more trivia, go to the Internet Movie Database, but be warned there are plot spoilers.

Tiffany

Saturday Matinee: The Children's Hour with Audrey Hepburn and Shirley McClain (1961)

The Children's Hour is about Karen Wright and Martha Dobie, best friends since college and they own the boarding school Wright and Dobie School for Girls with twenty students. They are working hard as headmistresses and teachers to grow the school and make it profitable. Karen is engaged with the local doctor Joe Cardin, who is the nephew of the powerful and affluent Mrs. Amelia Tilford. While the spiteful and liar Mary, who is Amelia's granddaughter and a bad influence to the other girls, is punished by Karen after telling a lie, Martha has an argument with her snoopy aunt Lily Mortar in another room. Lily accuses Martha of being jealous and having an unnatural relationship with Karen. Mary's roommate Rosalie Wells and a friend overhear the shouting and tells Mary what Mrs. Mortar had said about her niece. The malicious Mary accuses Karen and Martha of being lesbians to her grandmother and Amelia spreads the gossip to the parents of the students that withdraw them from the school...(from IMDb)

While both Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine were great in this movie, MacLaine was by far prefered over the usual overly dramatic Ms. Hepburn.  I know...I know...but Audrey Hepburn is wonderful..ok, so she IS wonderful and one of my most favorite actress of her time...but I still think she over does "it" a bit.  This was not the MacLain I am familiar with.  She was not "Ouiser Boudreaux ", "Aurora Greenway ", or even "Katharine Richelieu " aka "Mrs. Robinson" (the older one in Rumour Has It).  She was not self important, loud, or a little crazy.  She was understated.  Very pretty.  I liked this Shirley MacLaine (I like the older one, too).  I felt sorry for her character.  Something you do not usually do with her more recent characters.




James Garner was also in the film as Dr. Joe Cardin.  I did not even know this was James Garner until I looked this character up while researching for this post.  Now I understand what my Aunt was talking about...he IS a sexy man.

The movie was one that I enjoyed.  The story was heart breaking.  It shows how a childish lie and influence can ruin lives.  The childish lie comes from a very unhappy little brat of an ignorant and gossiping old lady, her grandmother.  How tragic that this silly old lady had so much influence over the parents, of the other students, just because she was rich.  It is hard to say if I would be a follower and hold sexual preference against a teacher.  In 2011, no I wouldn't.  In 1961, who knows, really.  I am not going to be so high and mighty to say I would be above this.  The world was different and I would be differnt in it.  And even further....in 1934 when  Lillian Hellman wrote the play.  Sexuality was not as talked about then.  I can both wish for the privacy of sexuality being PRIVATE while being glad that we can talk about it and have more tolerance for differences.  Thank goodness we have the advances in medicine, education, and tolerance.  We have choices with our bodies, a man can marry the man he loves (in some states)...heck, we even have sitcoms about the subject, Will and Grace is one of my all time favorite TV shows (LOVE Jack). In the present homosexuality is the subject of many films, books, plays, etc.  In 1961 and certainly in 1934 it was seen as a rather explosive subject.  One can only imagine how it would be in real life.

This film is defiantly worth viewing.  I highly recommend it.

Tiffany

Saturday Matinee: Splendor in the Grass

"A fragile Kansas girl's unrequited and forbidden love for a handsome young man from the town's most powerful family drives her to heartbreak and madness."(from IMDb)

"Deanie Loomis (played by Natalie Wood), a teen-aged girl living in a small town in Kansas in 1928, follows her mother's advice to resist her desire for sex with her boyfriend, Bud Stamper (Warren Beatty), the scion of the most prosperous family in town. In his turn, Bud reluctantly follows the advice of his father, Ace (Pat Hingle), who suggests that he find another kind of girl with whom to satisfy his sexual desires.
Bud's parents are disappointed by, and ashamed of, his older sister, Ginny (Barbara Loden), a party girl who is sexually promiscuous, smokes, drinks, has had an abortion (or as Deanie's mothers said "one of those 'awful surgeries'"), and a marriage annulled, so they "pin all their hopes" on Bud, pressuring him to attend Yale University." (from Wikipedia) 

There is much more to read on both Wikipedia and IMDb but I warn you, they give away so much of the movie...and why would you want to ruin the movie?  Just go watch it if you haven't, or watch it again, if you have seen it.

The movie takes on more than this little synopsis, much more.  It takes on what the poem speaks of romanticizing things in our past, things like teenage love.  We think, when we are young, that we are in love...can not live without...etc etc ...our special someone.  I am sure it is love, in what we thought love was at the time...but it is immature love.  Sometimes that love is true and the couple lives happily ever after.  Sometimes, they do not.

The film's title is taken from a line of William Wordsworth's poem "Ode: Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood":

What though the radiance which was once so bright

Be now for ever taken from my sight,

Though nothing can bring back the hour

Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower;

We will grieve not, rather find

Strength in what remains behind

Romanticising the past, not just love, is something we all do.  Reminiscing about the "good ole days"...but really, not everything about the "good ole days" was perfect, now was it?  What the poem suggests is to not grieve for the past but to remember it, enjoy it, and learn from it.

There is also the theme of sexuality...or denying it.  "The different mindsets motivating Deanie's mother, who is relatively poor, and Bud's father, who has made a great deal of money in the oil industry, to hold back their children's sexuality are evident in two adjacent scenes early in the story. In the first, Deanie's mother encourages her not to give up her virginity to Bud, telling her "Boys don't respect a girl they can go all the way with; boys want a nice girl for a wife". Having bid her daughter a good night, Mrs. Loomis then talks with her husband, enthusiastically informing him that their daughter and the son of the richest family in town are in love and that Bud would "be the catch of a lifetime". In the next scene, Bud's father encourages him to abstain from sex with Deanie, because, if Deanie were to conceive a child by Bud, they would have to marry.
Deanie's mother believes that sex would ruin her daughter's chances of marrying Bud. Bud's father believes that sex, especially pregnancy, would force his son to marry Deanie. One parent wishes for such a marriage, while the other seems to warn against it. In their discussion of what kind of girl a boy wants as a wife, Mrs. Loomis also tells Deanie that "No nice girl" has sexual desires for a boy. When Deanie asks her mother whether she was ever sexually attracted to Mr. Loomis, the answer is "Your father never laid a hand on me until we were married. And, then, I—I just gave in because a wife has to. A woman doesn't enjoy those things the way a man does. She just lets her husband come near her in order to have children." This enhances Deanie's inner struggle—about whether to give Bud what she and he both seem to want, or whether to behave in a more socially acceptable way, avoid the risk of pregnancy, and follow her mother's advice about how to retain Bud's respect—, which eventually drives her to madness." (from Wikipedia)

Really?  Why not just teach the teens about sex and how they should wait...bla bla bla...  "No nice girl has sexual desires"....Yep...telling an ignorant girl THIS might drive her to think she is crazy.  Teaching about sex would show that she is normal...but still no need to get "naughty", right?  LOL.  This movie was not unique with this .... people just did not "talk" about such things back then.  So glad we do now....we do, right?  ha ha!

This is one that I will watch again and again...every few years or so.  It is a definite choice, if you see it on TCM.  Natalie Wood is gorgeous and Warren Beatty is handsome....so it does make a pretty picture.
Tiffany

Mon Oncle (1958): Great example of consumerism, gadgetry, and the next great "thing"

model of Villa Arpel

M. Hulot (Jacques Tati) is the dreamy, impractical, and adored uncle of young Gérard (nine years old), who lives with his materialistic parents in an ultra-modern geometric house and garden (Villa Arpel) in a new suburb of Paris, situated just beyond the crumbling stone buildings of the old neighborhoods of the city. Gérard's parents, M. and Mme. Arpel, are firmly entrenched in a machine-like existence of work, fixed gender roles, and the acquisition of status through possessions and conspicuous display. (A running gag involves a fish-shaped fountain at the center of the Arpels' garden that Mme. Arpel turns on only for important visitors).
Each element of Villa Arpel is representational rather than functional, an environment completely hostile to the comfort of its occupants. In choosing modern architecture to punctuate his satire, Tati once stated, "Les lignes géométriques ne rendent pas les gens aimables" ("geometrical lines do not produce likeable people"). ^{from Wikipedia} From pas japonais, stepping stones,  positioned like mine fields, weird, hardly comfortable furniture and a kitchen with booby trap-esque controls and appliances,  Villa Arpel emphasises the supremacy of superficial aesthetics and electrical gadgets over the reality of daily living.  All this to impress those who work FOR M. Arpel and the neighbors (who live in smaller, less impressive homes).  The Arpels were huge show off to those who did not "have" and looked down their nose to the less ambitious uncle (who never was honored with the fish fountain being turned on).

Looks like the this guest deserves the honor of the fish fountain being turned on.

The Arpels might have been ridiculous, stuck up, and all around pretentious but this film is worth checking out.  The set design was so much a part of the film that one might not notice the entire dialogue is in French.  A few scenes come to mind when hardly a word was spoken, other than mumbles and rambling.

The uncle in the booby trap of a kitchen

Mme. Arpel has a special garage door installed for M. Arpel's anniversary gift.  The door opens and closes automatically when the sensor is set off.  Mme. gets locked in the garage when the dog walks in front of the sensor, with his tail UP.  Meanwhile M. Arpel comes home, walks in front of the sensor, opens the door.  Both walk back into the garage marvelling at the gift.  Dog walks back in front of sensor, door closes, locking BOTH inside.  They yell and make all kind of noise, trying to get the dog to walk in front of the sensor, again, to let them out.  Does not work because now the dog's tail is DOWN and he is not tall enough to set the sensor off.  Maid hears the commotion and FREAKS out.  She will NOT help them as she is scared to death of all the modern contraptions around the villa and thinks if she walks in front of the sensor devastation will happen. I know I am not doing the scene justice, you must watch it to get the humour and enjoy it yourself.  There are several other scenes, few involving the glorious fish fountain, that command little dialogue, I will not butcher them.

 
There are subtitles, although not many, as there is not that much dialogue.  It is a very physical and scenic movie, not much dialogue is needed to tell the story.  Please do not let it being a foreign film turn you off. I highly recommend this film if only to see the Villa.

Mme.  Showing off to the neighbor.

M. Arpel "relaxing" in the courtyard of the villa.

Tiffany

Saturday Matinee in honor of Elizabeth Taylor: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

photo from IMDb

In honor of Ms. Taylor AND Tennesee Williams because I LOVE LOVE LOVE him, too....oh and Paul Newman isn't so bad, either. "Brick, an alcoholic ex-football player, drinks his days away and resists the affections of his wife, Maggie. His reunion with his father, Big Daddy, who is dying of cancer, jogs a host of memories and revelations for both father and son." From IMDb

This is another of my favorites.  I know I say that alot but I do love this era of films, costumes, etc.  Cat on a Hot Tin Roof does not disappoint in either.  I am also a HUGE fan of Tennessee Williams.  His work was almost an obsession of mine during college when I studied Theatre.  I was in A Streetcar Named Desire
, more on that when I do a review. I designed costumes for A Streetcar Named Desire
, as well.  I did many scene studies of his work and set design of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.
.

Elizabeth Taylor and Paul Newman do an amazing portrayal of Maggie and Brick.  Burl Ives plays Big Daddy wonderfully while Judith Anderson plays Big Momma in an extremely annoying way, but I think that is the character, not the actress.  "Although the film did not win any Academy Awards, it received several nominations including Best Picture, Best Actor (Newman), Best Actress (Taylor), and Best Director (Brooks). The film also received nominations for Best Cinematography, Color (William Daniels), and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium" from Wikipedia.  This makes me wonder WHAT won that year....so of course I looked it up on Wikipedia.  Well "Gigi" won best picture and a host of other awards, breaking "Gone With the Wind's" record, but only for one year because a year late Ben Hur winds even more.  Best Actress that year went to Susan Hayward in "I Want to Live", which is a movie I LOVE and have since I was a little girl (why my mom let me watch it at a young age, I do not know...). Anyway....it did not WIN any awards but that does not mean it is not a good movie....

Paul Newman is a hottie....

 There is usually a scene where the female lead wears a slip in Williams plays and Elizabeth Taylor does it very well...

Burl Ives as Big Daddy Pollitt

Even in Black and White here eyes are mesmerising

 If you are a fan of Taylor, Newman, Ives, or Tennessee William's plays....or maybe you just like good mid century movies with stylish costumes...this is a must see movie.

Tiffany

Photos from Yahoo! images.  Video clip from Youtube.

Butterfield 8

One of my most favorite Elizabeth Taylor movies in Butterfield 8.  She plays a disturbed woman who is employed as a model so the costumes are amazing.  Lots of pretty dresses she must wear around town to be photographed in.  Even her "down time" outfits are amazing....and of course she appears in that gorgeous slip and mink coat.  I enjoy the story very much, too, but I do not know what makes me watch this more, the costumes or the story....or Elizabeth Taylor.  Laurence Harvey stars in Butterfield 8, as well, and even though he is very handsome and I enjoy looking at him, his caracter really gets on my ever last nerve.

BUtterfield 8 was named for a list of old Manhattan telephone prefixes that was used to place calls in NYC up until the 1960’s.  Gloria Wonderous, Taylor's character, gave Mr. Ligget a gift of a lighter with BU 8 in-graved into the side so he would always have her number. Gloria would call in to get her messages.  It seems to be like an answering service, as well.  Since I was not alive during the time such prefixes were used, I have no experience with them except for hearing them in movies and older television programs.

The film was based on a 1935 novel, BUtterfield 8 , written by John O’Hara, however there was,  little resemblance of the book in the film.  I read the book after I saw the movie, years later, in fact, and can honestly say that there was not much similarity, although I enjoyed both.

"Gloria Wandrous (Elizabeth Taylor) wakes up in wealthy executive Weston Liggett's (Laurence Harvey) apartment and finds Liggett has left her $250. Insulted, Gloria, whose dress is torn, takes Liggett's wife Emily's mink coat to cover herself and scrawls "No Sale" in lipstick on the mirror. But she orders her telephone exchange, BUtterfield 8, to put Liggett through if he should call.
Gloria visits a childhood friend, pianist Steve Carpenter (Eddie Fisher), in his Greenwich Village apartment. He chastises Gloria for wasting her life on one-night stands, but agrees to ask his girlfriend Norma (Susan Oliver) to lend her a dress. Gloria leaves, whereupon Norma jealously gives Steve an ultimatum: He must choose between her and Gloria.
Liggett takes a train to the countryside where his wife Emily (Dina Merrill) is caring for her mother. A friend, Bingham Smith (Jeffrey Lynn), advises him to end his adulterous relationships and return to Bing's law firm instead of working for the chemical business of Emily's father.
Gloria lies to her doting mother Annie (Mildred Dunnock), claiming to have spent the night at Norma's. A neighbor, Fanny Thurber (Betty Field), insinuates that Gloria spends many nights in less than virtuous circumstances.
Liggett returns home. Finding the lipstick and money, he phones Gloria to explain the money was meant for her dress, which he had torn." from Wikipedia.  This explanation softens Ms. Wonderous, a bit, and she says she MIGHT be in the area where Ligget will be later that night. As usual, I will not spoil the movie and let you watch to see what happens....trust me in saying this is not a movie to be missed if you enjoy mid century fashions or seeing Elizabeth Taylor in prime form.

She throws this beautiful coat back in the closet and takes the mink instead.

from IMDb

One thing the movie sorta, kinda glosses over is the fact that Gloria was part call girl.  "John O'Hara's 1935 novel BUtterfield 8 was based on the life and death of a real-life call girl named Starr Faithfull." From Turner Classic Movies .  Sure, Ligget leaves her money and Gloria is offended, he later offers her an apartment and allowances to live to be his mistress, she stabs his foot with her stiletto....but in the movie she is just a slut, nympho, and alcoholic.  This was much more proper for the Production Code of 1959 /1960.  The same thing was done with Breakfast at Tiffany's.  Holly Golightly was a high priced (for the time) call girl in the book while in the movie she was a model who met up with men in night clubs.  The men gave her money for the powder room, usually 50 dollars (!!!!), I assume to tip the matron (?) and she pocketed the change.  Maybe I have a weird opinion of this subject but I do not see why being a nympho, slut, loose woman, and alcoholic is so much better than earning a living with what these ladies where going to do anyway?  I could write and write on this subject (and have in other venues) but this blog is not the place for my soap box on this subject.

She brushes her teeth with the scotch in her glass.

 Reminds me of the Kesha song, Tik Tok

Butterfield 8 is highly recommended by me and I will watch it again and again.  To tie this into the Oscars here are the awards it won and was nominated for...
"It won the Academy Award for Best Actress (Elizabeth Taylor) and was nominated for Best Cinematography, Color for 1960. It was also nominated for the Best Actress - Drama Golden Globe Award for the same year's releases." from Wikipedia

from Apartment Therapy (huh? odd where one might find photos)

 Tiffany

Saturday Matinee: Anne of a Thousand Days

Turner Classic Movies is doing a 31 Days of Oscar theme this month in honor of the Academy Awards.  If you have not checked in on thier schedule of film showing, please do so...you will be sure to catch some real gems.

This week TCM had quiet a few movies dealing with the Tudor Dynasty and one I enjoyed was Anne of a Thousand Days.  I am sure part of my enjoyment came from the fact that I enjoy most things dealing with Anne Boleyn.

Most of us know the story from history class or from watching Showtimes "The Tutors" so I will just give a quick plot summery....

"Henry VIII of England discards one wife Katharine of Aragon, who has failed to produce a male heir, in favor of a young and beautiful woman, Anne Boleyn, whose one-thousand-day reign as Queen of England ends with the loss of her head on the block. Henry weds Ann and soon she gives him a child. The girl, Elizabeth, is a bitter disappointment to Henry, who desperately wants an heir. Anne promises Henry a son "next time," but Henry is doubtful. Shortly thereafter, rumors begin that the King's eye has already wandered. One Jane Seymour is at court for a moment. The Queen has her sent away, but, if Anne will bring Jane back to court, the King promises to sign the Act of Succession to insure that Elizabeth will be Queen." from the Internet Movie Database

I enjoyed this movie.  I especially enjoyed Geneviève Bujold's performance of Anne Boleyn.  She portrayed Anne as a spirited, seductive, manipulitive, and beautiful Queen.  This is how I think of Anne Boleyn and enjoyed watching Geneviève Bujold on screen.

One of her last scenes, in the tower, was very dramatic.  She informed King Henry that her blood would rule one day...and she was right as their daughter Elizabeth became Queen of England.

"But Elizabeth is yours. Watch her as she grows; she's yours. She's a Tudor! Get yourself a son off of that sweet, pale girl if you can - and hope that he will live! But Elizabeth shall reign after you! Yes, Elizabeth - child of Anne the Whore and Henry the Blood-Stained Lecher - shall be Queen! And remember this: Elizabeth shall be a greater queen than any king of yours! She shall rule a greater England than you could ever have built! Yes - MY Elizabeth SHALL BE QUEEN! And my blood will have been well spent" from the film Anne of a Thousand Days

Geneviève Bujold is an absolutely beautiful lady.  She was nominated for Best Actress for this film, however she did not win. She did win the Golden Globe that year (which I much prefer watching over the Oscars, even thought I never miss either ceremony) To read more about this lovely actress, please visit Internet Movie Database or Wikipedia.

Of course King Henry was as ruthless and as bullish as he always.  Richard Burton played King Henry and did it well.  He too was nominated for the Oscar and Golden Globe for Best Actor, but he was passed over that year for both.  The film had a total of 16 award nominations and took home 5 statues between the Academy Awards and Golden Globe, doing better with the Globes.  The Oscar win was for Best Costume which I always enjoy seeing.  The Golden Globe wins were for Best Actress - Drama, Best Motion Picture - Drama, Best Director, Best Screen Play.  If you are able to catch this on TCM or able to rent it, I highly recommend.

Before I leave you, I want to include some photos from my other favorite Anne Boleyn, Natalie Dormer.

Tiffany

Saturday Matinee: Room at the Top (1959)

With lips still warm from another woman's flesh...I thee wed...

"In late 1940s Yorkshire, England, ambitious young man Joe Lampton (Laurence Harvey), who has just moved from the dreary factory town of Dufton, arrives in Warnley, to assume a secure, but poorly-paid, post in the Borough Treasurer's Department. Determined to succeed, and ignoring the warnings of a colleague, Soames (Donald Houston), he is drawn to Susan Brown (Heather Sears), daughter of the local industrial magnate, Mr. Brown (Donald Wolfit). He deals with Joe’s social climbing by sending Susan abroad; Joe turns for solace to Alice Aisgill (Simone Signoret), an unhappily married older woman who falls in love with him.
When Susan returns from her holiday, shortly after the lovers have quarrelled, Joe seduces her, and then returns to Alice. Discovering that Susan is pregnant...."from the internet movie database  (I left some of the plot synopsis out to keep from spoiling the movie for others.  I do not know why IMDb has to tell so much....)

This film is loaded with Oscar Nominations.  The Best Actress Nom (and win) was well deserved by the beautiful Simone Signoret.  She plays a lonely wealthy housewife, Alice Aisgill, often left alone by her traveling husband.   



Nominated for Best Supporting Actress was Hermione Baddeley as Elspeth , who only had  "2 minutes and 20 seconds of screen time", the shortest ever for a nomination.  Wikipedia   She did not win but did go on for a long career as an actress.  You might better remember her for her roles on Little House on the Prairie or as the "hard drinking housekeeper" on Maude, but I remember her as Samantha Stevens childhood Nanny in her recurring role on Bewitched.  She is one, when you see other roles she played, you might say "oh, yea...that WAS her".  To see these roles, go over to her Wikipedia page.

For the first half of the film, I just could not place who was playing "Joe Lampton".  It was driving me nuts who this handsome and debonair man might be.  I knew I have seen him in many classics, but just could not place him.  AHA!!!!!  He played Westin Ligget, Gloria Wonderous's married lover!!!! (I love LOVE L O V E Butterfield 8, by the way...more to come on this, I am sure, in a future post...).  For now, he is playing Joe Lampton and doing a very good job at it.  He was nominated for this role for a Best Actor Oscar, but, like Ms. Baddeley, was passed over (I must look up who did win this year and watch their performance because for him to win over Laurence Harvey, he must have been day'um good).  Oh, didn't I tell you who I was talking about? Laurence Harvey, my new crush.  He is yummy.

Of course, Mr. Harvey was in many many more films, which you can read all about at the Internet Movie Database.

Even though Saturday Matinees SHOULD be comedies, in my opinion, I really enjoyed this movie.  It was dark, sexy, and sad.  Perfect for this dreary Texas afternoon ~sarcastic smile~.  The film told of the constant battle between classes with Joe wishing to climb the social ladder and Mr.  Brown keeping him down.  The characters included the usual old snob haggy woman (Mrs.Brown) thinking she is better than everyone else and others trying to keep Joe down.  Joe was not a good man, said he loved Susan while sleeping with Alice, but Laurence Harvey played him well.  The atmosphere of the industrial town added to the darkness of the film, as well.

A bit of trivia, for ya, (found at the IMDb), initially no British cinema chains wanted to touch the film as the British Board of Film Classification had given it an X certificate, then usually synonymous with exploitation fare. Eventually the ABC chain took a chance and picked it up for distribution, scoring a huge critical and commercial hit in the process. Many changes had to be made before the film was released, "

Before passing the film with an 'X' certificate the BBFC required some dialogue changes. The word "bitch' was changed to 'witch', and 'Don't waste your lust on her' was changed to the tamer 'Don't lust after her'."  There were also other edits but talking about these would give away too much of the movie...and I do not wish to be a "Spoiler", but you can see them at the IMDb website.

Another interesting fact, "the story takes place in 1947, but all the women's fashions and hairstyles are strictly in the contemporary 1958 mode, when the film went before the cameras" from IMDb  To be very honest, I did not realise the movie was supposed to be set in the late '40s, just after WWII.  I thought it odd that they kept referring to the war so long after it was over and that the "Sargent" (what a man teased Joe as being" was so young looking. (BLONDE moment, I guess)

If you have not seen Room at the Top, I recommend it. 

Tiffany