Tag Archives: gregory peck

To Kill a Mockingbird: Five Reasons It’s Wonderful

Posted on by under carrie's faves, lit adaptations

It’s been a while since I’ve written… apologies! I’m back in school, etc. I hope to post more this summer. Fortunately, we have awesome (and much more disciplined!)  bloggers.

From smushnoses.blogspot.com

However, I wanted to jump in and do one. You can say procrastinating. I’ve been wanting to review To Kill a Mockingbird for over a year, so now I’m doing it. Finally.

If you haven’t seen this movie… shame on you. Seriously. Go watch it.  Because the film and the novel are so iconic, I am not going into a lot of plot detail. For information about why the story is awesome, those comments are here.

So, without further ado, here are five reasons why this is one of the best films ever–ever.

1) Gregory Peck. I love him always, and Atticus Finch was just “the role.”  He gives an amazing performance and embodies Atticus as no one could have. It is a true “moment” in film, except it’s throughout the movie, so a long moment.

Atticus owning the courtroom! from johneaves.wordpress.com

2) Story. The story is touching and outstanding (see link above).

3) Nostalgia. I know this sounds redundant on a classic film blog (who of us isn’t nostalgic?), but it’s more than a yearning of the past or excellent film (which this fits), but it’s a nostalgia for childhood. This growing-up story is purely childhood, for all of its dark details. Scout grows up in a serious and still very special way, and watching the film, you feel Atticus is your father and that you’re growing up with her. That is great filmmaking.

Atticus and his children from lauricewithlove.blogspot.com

4) Setting. This film is set perfectly. You get the full feeling of the time and place, which is paramount to the story. If you’ve read the book (which you must), you’ll recognize it immediately. You get to know the place as well as the people.

Icons of the story from watchesinfilms.info

5) Tone. From the credits of a child humming and coloring icons from the story to the manner of speech to the speed at which they unfold the story. The film moves steadily and maintains interest, but at the same time it gives the feeling of quiet. It feels like the iconic positive childhood: passing too quickly and too slowly, but still smooth and steady.

Fix some lemonade or ice tea (or mix them, which is my favorite) and sit down with this one, especially as this weather gets warmer. It’s perfect for the muggy setting!

You’re Welcome, Michael.

Posted on by under carrie's faves

I’m deviating a little from our usual, and hopefully Nikki and Brandie will just let me get away with it. I’m getting ready to go to Dragon Con (anyone else going? Anyone? Anyone? … Okay, then), so if it isn’t an Anne McCaffrey book or Joss Whedon, I haven’t been participating in anything recently. I’ve got to be prepared, you know.

(Anchors Aweigh, 1945) Frank Sinatra learning about women from Gene Kelly ... priceless!

However, on my drive to my big-girl job that helps to keep me from posting regularly (read: hardly ever), I decided that Frank Sinatra was in order. I just love him (see other posts on musicals such as High Society for further Sinatra worship). It got me to thinking: some of that is making a comeback. While it was once a little old-fashioned for someone my age to like Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong, Peggy Lee (need I go on?) as much as I do, their musing is returning in the “current” market. Yes, the crooners are back. Am I pleased? Fairly. No, we haven’t gotten Old Blue Eyes back, and I doubt we ever will, but it’s increasing in vogue. Women again swoon, but this time it’s over the voices of men like John Mayer, who play a lot of acoustic melody and original pieces. However, the tones of these new pieces are true descendants of the jazz standards. Today’s crooners are also remaking the original pieces made famous in the lounges and films of a long-lost era (Michael Buble, the resident champion). Who can blame them? Perhaps we can begin to thank American Idol for this, as they are fans of recreating existing songs. The move is becoming popular (Glee, the multiple new renditions of “Over the Rainbow,” etc.). We like bringing the past back. Looks like classic film fans are not the only ones who miss it.

This is too awesome.

In film, however, we are not reverting back so much. Instead, we move ever forward into graphics, action, and of course, the 3D revolution. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy these as well, but in a completely different way from the classics. More importantly, though, we continue to comment that “they just don’t make actors/actresses like that anymore.” We said it during the Lucy Blogathon. We’ve said it about Cary Grant, Gregory Peck, Katharine Hepburn, etc. It’s the truth–they just don’t. In today’s film industry, would they have a place?

(1940) The Philadelphia Story, or Too Much Awesome for One Film.

I’d like to think they would, that that much talent just can’t be shut out. That’s what I tell myself. There is some evidence: Hugh Laurie, Alan Rickman, Kathy Bates–all brilliant. It’s a different kind of brilliance, but brilliant nonetheless. Johnny Depp is quite the current heartthrob, and, let’s face it–he can act. Is he William Holden? Not so much.

(Sense and Sensibility, 1995) Alan Rickman and Hugh Laurie in one room--in a film with Emma Thompson. Jane Austen really CAN put a lot of awesome in one room.

Music is moving back to the swing era a little. Fashion is going all over the place. Will the film industry follow? What I do know is that if Cary Grant or Gregory Peck are ever reincarnated, I will be an obsessive movie-goer.

But I'm pretty sure we'll never see this again ... Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch (To Kill a Mockingbird, 1962).

SUtS: Lauren Bacall

Posted on by under 4-star films, ahh romance, brandie's faves, classic pairings, noir, summer under the stars

Carrie’s choice: Designing Woman (1957)

Airing at 4:30PM EST

Simply put: I loved this movie. Mostly, it’s cute. It’s entertaining. That’s the big picture.

Lauren Bacall is a very successful woman in and of fashion. She falls in love with a guy’s guy- a sports writer. She knows clothes. He knows boxing. They both love their lives, their friends, and each other. Trying to make things work out is interesting enough, with her artistic friends and his horse-races, but then husband Mike gets in trouble with the mob…

A successful woman in fashion

Now that you have the gist of the plot (I’ll let you figure out the rest on your own), I can tell you why this movie is great: It’s hilarious. A little stereotyped, but innocently enough. And Lauren Bacall sells it. They all do, really. The acting is great, sometimes over the top, and just charming. Mike has a “body guard” boxer who has a few too many hits to the head to protect him from the mob. Marilla (Bacall) has an artistic, musical, theater-oriented crowd. Besides, two very different people still trying to build a relationship based on love and respect is always a heart-warming pleasure, is it not?

And if this needs further endorsement, Mike, the husband, is played by Gregory Peck. So you know that this one is definitely on my DVR to record and watch again!

Brandie’s choice: The Big Sleep (1946)

Airing at 2:00PM EST

Looking at the picture heading off this post, all I can say is, I wish my eyebrows would do that. That would be a marvelous weapon to have in any feminine arsenal. And no one could do more with a delicately-arched eyebrow than Lauren Bacall.

Bacall’s love affair with Bogie is the stuff of Hollywood fairy tales, and in my review of the Bogie-Bacall film collection last year, I touched on what makes this pairing so damn special. Even in a movie like The Big Sleep, which is one of the most notoriously convoluted films ever released, the magic of Bogie and Bacall lights up the screen.

In this film, Bogie takes another stab at playing an iconic detective role, this time Raymond Chandler’s hard-drinking Philip Marlowe. He is hired by General Sternwood to help settle his daughter Carmen’s (Martha Vickers) gambling debts to a rare book dealer, Arthur Geiger, but Sternwood’s other daughter, Vivian (Bacall), warns Marlowe that there is more to the request. The plot dissolves into a complicated mess at this point. Seriously. I have now sat here for ten minutes trying to figure out how to explain the rest of this movie to you, and it’s just too difficult to manage. So you’ll just have to watch it for yourself. And then curse and complain afterward when you realize there are no easy answers to any of the mysteries put forth by this blasted movie.

Why watch it, then? Well, despite its tendency to make one want to pull out his or her hair by the roots, it is still an interesting movie, and one of the great film noirs to emerge from the 1940s. Bogie as Marlowe is the perfect sardonic anti-hero, and Bacall is simply sizzling as Vivian. It’s cliche to say that the two of them throw up sparks, but when you can almost literally see them, I think there’s no other way to say it.

However, the script, which was doctored by William Faulkner at one point (so that explains why it’s so damn hard to follow!), is the biggest draw for the film. The zingers fly fast and furious, as do the double entendres, and you’ll find yourself smirking throughout as Bogie cracks wise to any and all comers.

Give this movie a shot, and if you find yourself lost in the middle, don’t worry … you’re not alone.

SUtS: Ingrid Bergman

Posted on by under 4-star films, brandie's faves, carrie's faves, from stage to screen, lit adaptations, noir, summer under the stars

Carrie’s choice: Spellbound (1945)

Airing 4:00PM EST

Today it was pretty hard to choose which movie to recommend. So, let me start by saying just set your DVR up now and record the whole thing, call in sick, get popcorn, something.

That said, I’ll get to Spellbound. To fully understand how much I liked this movie, I have to explain my history with Hitchcock.  You see, I wasn’t a particular fan. I don’t like movies where things jump out suddenly. I don’t like to be scared. I did like Strangers on a Train pretty well, but that’s it. So, when Brandie told me I had to watch this movie I was not exactly enthusiastic. “But I really want to see your opinion/interpretation.” Okay, fine. So, after being assured that things were NOT going to jump out at me, I consented to watch this, at night, no less.

Well, one of the big selling points for me on this one, as you can probably guess, was Gregory Peck. Le sigh. We put this movie on, and I’m pretty enthusiastic about a female mental health practitioner getting it done in classic film. Then Gregory Peck shows up and its’ all over. That’s not the only reason I like this movie, although Brandie may tell you that it really is. Didn’t hurt, though.

IMDB Plot Summary:

“The head of the Green Manors mental asylum Dr. Murchison is retiring to be replaced by Dr. Edwardes, a famous psychiatrist. Edwardes arrives and is immediately attracted to the beautiful but cold Dr. Constance Petersen. However, it soon becomes apparent that Dr. Edwardes is in fact a paranoid amnesiac impostor. He goes on the run with Constance who tries to help his condition and solve the mystery of what happened to the real Dr. Edwardes.”

What I like about this one is the way it’s twisted. It’s not completely predictable, and only mildly out in left-field. When watching this, you must consider the time and psychological research that was popular. That said, is all the theory used in the film terribly practical/accurate/useful- not completely. But, in Hitchcock’s defense, I’ve seen much, much worse in current film and television.  That’s about all I can say without spoiling the ending.

One of the best features, for me, was that Dr. Constance Petersen (Bergman) is an intelligent, strong heroine in the film. This is not the shrieking kind of situation one thinks of with the horror/thriller genre. Moreover, she is a competent, respected doctor. Having the female lead play a strong character, for me, greatly enhanced the movie. She is believable and as a viewer, I was able to like her and identify with her as a “real” person. So, extra cudos.

I recommend this one. It’s my favourite Hitchcock (yes, I’ve seen more since this one, but none I liked as much I enjoyed this one).

As an added bonus, if you see this film, I recommend watching Mel Brooks’ High Anxiety, which plays off of most of Hitchcock’s work, but quite a bit fits this particular film.

Enjoy!

Brandie’s choice: Gaslight (1944)

Airing 3:30AM

Closing out Bergman’s well-deserved SUtS tribute is the film which won her the first of her three Academy Awards, the prize for Best Actress.

In Gaslight, adapted from Patrick Hamilton’s play of the same name (though it was originally known as Angel Street),  Bergman plays Paula, an aspiring young opera singer. Her aunt Alice, a famed opera singer in her own right, had been murdered years previously, and Paula is haunted by her aunt’s death. She meets a charming, slick man named Gregory Anton (Charles Boyer) and falls head over heels in love; before long, the two are married, and Gregory insists that the couple move into the London townhouse left to Paula by her aunt. He also insists that, in an effort to start their lives together on a fresh slate, they pack up all of Alice’s belongings and store them in the sealed attic of the home. Soon after moving in, however, the isolated young bride begins to hear noises around the house, the gaslights throughout the home begin to flicker mysteriously for no discernible reason at all, and Paula begins to wonder if she’s going a little bit mad …

The showcase of this film is undoubtedly Bergman’s performance as the frightened, bewildered Paula. She swings between feelings of madness and coherence, joy and fear, almost seamlessly. Her always-luminous face reflects the haggard weight of her character’s many concerns, but Paula does not collapse under them; this young bride has a ribbon of steel in her spine, which we see come to full fruition in her final confrontation with her shady husband. That’s the brilliance of Bergman’s acting–she’s so subtle and layered, it takes multiple viewings sometimes to see everything she’s doing with a character. A sideways glance, a tilted eyebrow, the slight raise of her chin … she acts with her entire being. There have been only a handful to match her.

Bergman is aided in the film by a great supporting cast; Boyer is perfectly smarmy as the ne’er-do-well husband, and Joseph Cotten (one of my particular favorites) makes waves in a relatively small role as the detective who helps Paula figure out what’s happening in her home. And, somewhat notably, this film features the first-ever screen appearance of the lovely Angela Lansbury, in the not-so-pleasant role of the disdainful housemaid.

This is a great little noir-lite classic, suspenseful and entertaining, so make sure you catch it (or, if you’re not a night owl like me, record it!).

SUtS: Ethel Barrymore

Posted on by under 3-star films, brandie's faves, carrie's faves, drama, lit adaptations, summer under the stars

Brandie’s choice: None But the Lonely Heart (1944)

Airing 8:00PM EST

I must admit that I wish I were suggesting another movie to you right now, a movie featuring the delightful Ethel Barrymore in one of her more effective supporting roles: 1947′s The Farmer’s Daughter, co-starring Loretta Young and Joseph Cotten. I adore this movie with every fiber of my being, and I am saddened that TCM did not put it on the schedule today in honor of Barrymore. Nor is it on their schedule in the near future, which is equally heartbreaking.

But I will console myself with this little gem, a dramatic deviation from Cary Grant’s typical comedic fare.

Now, to the depths that Carrie adores Gregory Peck, my heart flutters with wild anticipation whenever a Cary Grant movie is nigh. Was there ever such a combination of erudite sophistication and baffling tomfoolery to ever grace the screen? He could play high class and low with equal verve. He could tumble across the floor or flip over a couch without blinking, or stand in the street with his heart breaking in his eyes. He could sex you up and cool you down almost in the same breath.

Whew. What a man.

None But the Lonely Heart, adapted by playwright Clifford Odets (who also directed the film) from a book by Richard Llewellyn, stars Grant as Ernie, the Cockney son of a pawnbroker mother (Barrymore) who is secretly dying of cancer. Sounds maudlin already, right? Oh, it gets even better. Ernie falls in love with the ex-wife of the town’s most vicious mobster, while spurning the affections of the “girl next door” who has loved him from afar for years. When Ernie gets drawn into the dark world of organized crime, he must figure out how to turn his life around before it’s too late.

Grant was never fully given the opportunity to stretch his dramatic wings; as audiences greatly favored his comedic performances, studio heads in Hollywood were reluctant to allow their funny star to branch out and test his talents in other genres. None But the Lonely Heart gave Grant his chance to demonstrate that he was more than a pratfalling mugger, but at the time, critics were unimpressed, saying he had been miscast in the role. But, strangely enough, the character was so similar to Grant’s childhood in England, when he was known by the somewhat less debonair name of Archibald Leach, that Grant could have played the part in his sleep, and if you allow yourself to watch Grant’s performance without bias, you see that he nailed it. As melodramatic as the story ultimately is, this is the role that should have won him the Oscar.

Instead, the film brought a much-deserved Oscar to Barrymore, for Best Supporting Actress. By this time, Barrymore had built quite a reputation for herself; she was considered one of the greatest actresses of her generation, and of course the Barrymore surname denoted her membership in one of the most talented acting families ever to grace stage or screen.

After spending years trodding the boards on Broadway and making a name for herself on the stage, Barrymore moved to Hollywood, appearing in more than a dozen silent films and a handful of sound pictures before appearing in None But the Lonely Heart in 1944. That role began a second phase of her career, as she would go on to appear in supporting, often matronly, roles in such films as the above-mentioned Paradine Case and Farmer’s Daughter, Portrait of Jennie (1948), Pinky (1949), and Young at Heart (1954) before her death in 1959.

Even if you’re not in the mood for a melodramatic examination of defeated humanity (you mean you don’t feel like being depressed tonight?), give this movie a shot. At the very least, come for that Cary Grant charm, and stay for, among other things, Barrymore’s smooth, shrewd portrayal of a woman who will do anything it takes to help her hopeless son find a new lease on life.

Carrie’s choice:  The Paradine Case (1947)

Airing 8:00AM EST

To begin, let’s be up front. I love, love, love Gregory Peck. He’s my HiH, as is Cary Grant (isn’t he everyone’s?).  Hitchcock fans might recall his performance in Spellbound (my favourite Hitchcock, which, I think is also coming on this month.)

The Paradine Case from 1947, however, places Gregory Peck in his well-used role of attorney (think Atticus Finch, but without the wisdom beyond his time), or rather, British barrister.  He defends a newly-widowed woman accused of murdering her husband. Unfortunately, he falls in love with her, despite being happily married, and so begins the numerous twists and turns that creates the thriller genre.

Ethel Barrymore plays the wife of the judge hearing the case.  As such, she’s not as directly involved in the twists and manipulations that make this a Hitchcock piece. However, she assumes a commentary role, showing us, the viewers, the various viewpoints about the case. She sets up the frame for the twisted and conflicted characters to move about freely.  This allows the audience to follow the internal conflict better, because the facets of the case have all views expressed. Voicing the views becomes essential in aligning and re-aligning sympathy, which, as is true for many crime and trial stories, is part of what creates the drama and tension. We see this technique in everything from 12 Angry Men (the Henry Fonda version to be shown later this month) to the ever popular Law and Order. It also allows Hitchcock to accomplish the layers of manipulations, ideas, and metaphors that gave him his fame.

Barrymore and Peck perform alongside such illustrious names as Charles Coburn, Charles Laughton, and Ann Todd, making this one worth viewing for the cast, if no other reason.

Happy Birthday, Audrey!

Posted on by under ahh romance, carrie's faves

Whether it’s Audrey or Katherine, let’s face it- I’m a Hepburn fan. With today being Audrey Hepburn’s birthday celebration on TCM, I naturally had to take some time out for a quick post.

So, question of the day is obviously, “What’s your favorite Audrey Hepburn film?”

For me, it’s a tie between Sabrina and Roman Holiday.

Sabrina is a perfect classic: Cast, script, rewatchability, and some beautiful images. It’s so well-written that the remake was clever. This is the sort of move that deserves it’s own evening, curled up with a good bottle of wine, and maybe a bread and cheese platter. Or you can just watch it by itself.

Roman Holiday is brilliant in it’s frivolity, despite the themes of fun versus duty and maturity. If I had the chance to gallivant through Rome with Gregory Peck, I’d have gone, too. The picture of the adventures you can have while traveling is perfect, accessible, and makes me want to fly to Rome. It’s a perfect escape when you need something light, even if the romance feels a little overdone. We’re talking about Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck, so they’re automatically forgiven. After all, when in Rome…

A Roman holiday.

Posted on by under 4-star films, ahh romance, best.films.ever., carrie's faves, daily recommendation

Roman Holiday (1953)

Airing 5:45PM EST

TCM has pulled out all the stops for a lineup this weekend, and I’m really excited about Roman Holiday playing tonight. If you’re around, definitely tune in.

Audrey Hepburn plays a dissatisfied princess on an ambassadorial tour that eventually leads her to Rome, where she suffers a nervous breakdown from the stress of  living in the public image. Medicated for her nerves, she escapes to Rome proper, where she is “rescued” by the unlikely hero, a journalist played by Gregory Peck. Realizing the stray he has taken in is in fact the now missing princess, he sees the scoop of his dreams, but he can’t let the princess know that he knows her secret- now can he?

This movie is charming and amusing with a lot of rewatchability. The scenes of Rome are excellent, and Hepburn and Peck play an excellent semblance of a couple. The story is sprinkled with amusing characters who push forward and complicate the story.

Don’t worry- I’m wholly against giving away the endings. However, I will say that Roman Holiday is a great way to plan a quiet Saturday evening, especially if you’re one of the many who are snowed in. So, make some pasta, have some wine, and curl up with Roman Holiday.

Oscar checklist:

Wins: Best Actress (Hepburn), Best Costume Design (Edith Head), Best Story, Best Screenplay

Nominations: Best Supporting Actor (Eddie Albert), Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Director (William Wyler), Best Picture