Funny Lady Blogathon: Jane Russell in GPB

I've been a little absent from the blog scene for the better part of this year, so the Funny Lady Blogathon over at Movies, silently was the perfect jumping point for me to get back into the groove of things. It wasn't too hard for me to pick out a subject for this event... I knew right away it would have something to do with my favorite film, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953). While this film is billed more for its musical content, both of the leading ladies offer some comedic relief. I chose to highlight Jane Russell's performance as Dorothy Shaw. Her one liners are short, to the point, and manage to make me giggle every time I watch the film.

In this Howard Hawks Technicolor spectacle Dorothy Shaw is the friend and chaperon of Lorelei Lee (played by Marilyn Monroe) on their cruise to Paris. Dorothy has been given the task to keep an eye on Lorelei to make sure she makes it 'safely' to Paris. Needless to say the Olympic team and Mr Malone become a sort of distraction for love starved Dorothy and as a result she must help Lorelei get out of the mess she gets into on board the ship. The climax of the film comes when the police come for Lorelei and Dorothy dons a blonde wig posing as Lorelei and excites all the men in the French court room. And you'll just have to watch the film to see more!

Below are some of my favorite lines from the film...

Gone Too Soon: Jayne Mansfield (Coming Soon)

I was browsing blogs the other day when I ran across a banner about an upcoming blogathon that caught my eye. Which blogathon you may ask? Comet Over Hollywood's Gone Too Soon Blogathon would be the one! The primese is to write a post(s) about a star that died before the age of 50. There were plenty to chose from... Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe, Jean Harlow. Well I chose another funny, pretty lady to write about... make sure you check back on March 9 or 10!

Blogathon | Clark Gable For Movember

"During November each year, Movember is responsible for the sprouting of moustaches on thousands of men’s faces, in the US and around the world. With their Mo’s, these men raise vital funds and awareness for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer and other cancers that affect men." - us.movember.com

Bette over at Bette's Classic Movie Blog is throwing a Blogathon (Classic Moustaches For Movember) in honor of the nationwide cause to raise awareness for men's health. I had never heard of this, but apparently every year the 'Mo Bros' with their 'Mo Sistas' by their side start clean shaven and then groom, trim and wax their new growing moustaches into works of art. They then seek out sponsorship to raise funds for the cause. I thought this was a fun idea, so here is my contribution to the cause...

One of my favorite actors after Cary Grant is the great Clark Gable. During his film career he played opposite some of Hollywood's most famous leading ladies and made all of their hearts melt with his neatly groomed moustache. Women wanted to be with him and men wanted to be like him. While Clark's moustache didn't appear until a few years into his career in the 1932 film Strange Interlude, it wouldn't take long for it to become one of the most famous pieces of facial hair to ever grace the silver screen. In 1939, as Clark Gable played lead opposite Vivien Leigh in Gone With The Wind, his moustache was setting trends across the country. Below you will find pictures of Clark along side his lovely leading ladies that span his lengthy career. What a stache!

Before the images come, make sure to head on over to the Movember (US) Donation Page and learn more about this great cause.

With Joan Crawford | 1933 | Dancing Lady

With Myrna Loy | 1934 | Manhattan Melodrama

With Claudette Colbert | 1934 | It Happened One Night

With Jean Harlow | 1937 | Saratoga

Blogathon | The 411 On Carole Lombard

I first want to thank Carole & Co for hosting the Carole-Tennial (+3) Blogathon. If you continue reading you will find my contribution to the event...

 "I've lived by a man's code designed to fit a man's world, 

yet at the same time I never forget that a woman's 

first job is to choose the right shade of lipstick."

Before this Blogathon, I never new much of Carole Lombard. I knew Clark Gable was hopelessly in love with her and that she died tragically at a young age. My initial plan to was to check out My Man Godfrey (a film that is on my long list of films to see), but I just haven't had time to do so. In its place I have done a 'Star Spotlight' on Carole. Below you will find pictures, information, and trivia about this very funny lady.

► Carole Lombard (known earlier in her career as Carol Lombard) was born as Jane Alice Peters on October 6th, 1908 in Fort Wayne, IN.

► Was married to two of my favorite actors of Classic Hollywood: William Powell (1931-1942) and Clark Gable (1939-her death)

► At the height of her career she was the highest paid female star, making $500,000 a year.

► Unlike most other stars, Carole preferred NOT to have a dressing room in order to socialize with the cast and crew.

► The funny lady was known for her outbursts of profanity and came to be known as "The Profane Angel".

► Even a major movie star could love animals, among Carole's pets were dogs, cats, and even chickens. I loved learning about her rooster Edmund (I also have two pet chickens).

► Known for films such as My Man Godfrey (1936) (which she was nominated for an Academy Award), To Be or Not To Be (1942), Mr & Mrs Smith (1941), and Twentieth Century (1934).

► Missed out on a few, now famous, roles for other actresses such as: Mr Deeds Goes To Town (1936), His Girl Friday (1940), It Happened One Night (1934), and They All Kissed The Bride (1942)

► After her death the role in They All Kissed the Bride (1942) went to friend Joan Crawford who donated her salary for the picture to the American Red Cross (which had found her body).

► On her way back from raising $2,000,000 in war bonds, her plane crashed killing everyone on board. Carole was awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Roosevelt as the first woman killed in the line of duty in World War II.

And there you have it, my contribution to the Carole-Tennial (+3) Blogathon. I can't wait to catch her films such as My Man Godfrey and To Be or Not To Be.

Film | An Affair To Remember

I originally bought this film on DVD a few years ago and have never gotten around to watching it. As I continue writing on this blog I have come to realize how many movies I have bought and never watched. Anyways, I decided to watch this picture as apart of the Darling Deborah Blogathon. I have only seen Deborah Kerr in a few other films (Separate Tables and The King and I) but I have seen those films in so long I couldn't possibly write a post on those. I also love every movie I've ever seen with Cary Grant so how could I go wrong?

AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER (1957)

"Every precious moment of the glad...tender...
triumphant love they found -- and almost lost!"

THE PLAYERS:
Cary Grant - Nickie Ferrante
Deborah Kerr - Terry McKay
Richard Denning - Kenneth Bradley
Neva Patterson - Lois Clark
Cathleen Nesbitt - Grandmother Janou

THE STORY:
Although each is already engaged to another, Nickie Ferrante (Cary Grant) and Terry McKay (Deborah Kerr) meet on an ocean liner and fall deeply in love. Tempting fate, they agree to meet at the Empire State Building in six months if they still feel the same way. But a tragic accident prevents their rendezvous, and the lovers' future takes an uncertain turn. [Netflix] 

MY THOUGHTS:

When I sat down to watch the movie I had a pretty good idea of what the movie was about. Two people who are engaged to other people meet on a ship and fall in love (having an affair to remember) and decide to meet up six months later at the top of the Eiffel Tower. When tragedy strikes their affair is put on hold and their love for one another is put to the test. Now I was a little angry while looking at the IMDB page prior to watching it and learning what the tragedy was before hand. While it ruined the twist, it definitely didn't ruin he movie.

I thought Cary grant and Deborah Kerr carried this film superbly. Their chemistry was refreshing and their acting was on par. The scenes where they are trying to act like they didn't know each other were quite funny. In the dining room and especially when grant is circling the stairs so they can talk really had me in stitches.

 

My favorite part of the film actually had nothing to do with the main story. I just adored Nick's (Grant) grandmother Janou, played by Cathleen Nesbitt, that they go visit while on shore in France. Her acting was subtle but really made me feel every emotion she had during their stay. The way her face so subtly changed to show her sadness when she heard the ship's horn. I actually got a little teary eyed seeing her watch them go. This was probably one of my favorite scenes from any film I've ever seen. So much is learned about all of the characters involved and there is so much care/loved felt between all of them.

One thing I found distracting was Cary grants skin tone. I know he was always a tan guy, but I couldn't stop thinking about his skin. I thought it aged him and maybe it wouldn't have been so apparent if he hadn't been paired with the very fair skinned Kerr.

Ive written about how much I enjoy Cary Grant as an actor, but this was the first time I've watched Deborah Kerr in a film where I really noticed her acting. I found her form of acting very easy to watch. She had a very soft way of conveying her feelings on screen. She could use her eyes and expressions to show her happiness or sadness without using words. You could actually see her acting flow from being totally against falling in love to not wanting to be apart from her newly found love effortlessly, as if it were her actual feelings.

I really enjoyed this film and wish it hadn't taken me so long to see it. I liked the story so much I might go see the original and remakes.

Film | The Women vs The Women

When I seen Pussy Goes Grrr's Juxtaposition blogathon, I had a great idea to talk about The Women (1939) vs The Women (2008). And so here is my contribution to the blogathon...

juxtaposition [juhk-stuh-puh-zish-uhn] noun
1.an act or instance of placing close together or side by side, especially for comparison or contrast.

1939 is known as the best year in Hollywood's history. There were more classic, timeless movies made that in that year than any other. Films like Gone With The Wind and The Wizard of Oz, but of the films made that year The Women is probably one only Classic Hollywood fans would appreciate for it greatness. We are talking about a film starring greats like Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Rosalind Russell, and Paulette Goddard, how could it not be on any classic film lover's favorite list?

Film | Classic Films Around The World

This post is for The Great Movie Project's World In Film blogathon. The challenge of this blogathon was to highlight films made in each of the 7 continents. I decided (for obvious reasons) to do this blogathon with a classic film twist...

Blog | Upcoming Blogathons

Today while browsing the web, I came across three more Blogathons! I am always up for posting with a theme, so Blame Mame is going to take part in the following...


Name: World In Film

Theme: Classic Movies Around The World

Date: September 9-12th

Hosted by The Great Movie Project

Name: Juxtaposition 
Theme: The Women ('39) vs The Women ('08)

Date: September 12-16th

Hosted by Pussy Goes Grrr

Name: Darling Deborah

Date: September 30th

Hosted by Waitin' On A Sunny Day






And on top of those, we still have the Fashion In Film and Carole-tennial(+3) Blogathons lined up.If anyone knows of any other Blogathons [especially Classic Film related] that are coming up, please comment.

Blogathon | Loving Lucy

In celebration of Lucille Ball's 100th birthday celebration, True Classics is hosting the Loving Lucy Blogathon! Here is my contribution...

Most people know Lucille Ball as the hilarious housewife of Ricky Ricardo on the show I Love Lucy, but here are some things about Lucy you may not know. Who knows, maybe it will make you "love Lucy" more?