Around the Blogosphere This Week

Miscellaneous bits of news and fun stuff from around the Internet...

...MONEYBALL (2011), a fact-based baseball film starring Brad Pitt, has opened to strong reviews, such as this positive write-up from Kenneth Turan at the Los Angeles Times. My oldest daughter enjoyed being a background extra in the crowd behind home plate in scenes which were filmed overnight at Dodger Stadium last August or September. She was decked out in the Oakland A's colors of green and yellow for the filming. The trailer can be seen on the film's official site.

...At Dear Old Hollywood, Robby has another of his outstanding posts on movie locations -- this time the Northern California locations of Grass Valley and Marysville seen in THE LAWLESS (1950). THE LAWLESS stars Gail Russell and Macdonald Carey, and it can be seen on Netflix Watch Instantly.

...I'm setting my DVR to record the new '60s themed show PAN AM Sunday night on ABC. It got a good review from the L.A. Times, which called it "sparkly" and "highly appealing," saying also it's "very much like a type of movie that flourished around the time the series is set, in which three or four young women set off together into the wider world; indeed, COME FLY WITH ME, from 1963, the year PAN AM begins, is about stewardesses working for an airline that looks very much like Pan Am." The vintage air travel and early '60s rom com vibe make it a "must try" in my book. Those who watch the show may want to check out my 2009 review of the film COME FLY WITH ME (1963).

...MacGuffin Movies reviews Robert Montgomery in PICCADILLY JIM (1936), which I enjoyed this summer.

...This November fan favorite Mark Harmon stars in the TV-movie CERTAIN PREY, based on a book by Pulitzer Prize winning author John Sandford. Harmon was also executive producer. It will air on the USA Network.

...A Tweet by Jacqueline Lynch led me to Mildred Fierce and a wonderfully detailed, thoughtful essay on a favorite film, HISTORY IS MADE AT NIGHT (1937), starring Jean Arthur and Charles Boyer. I also enjoyed her piece on Arthur's EASY LIVING (1937), released the same year. My 2008 review of EASY LIVING can be found here.

...Fedoras and High Heels looks at actress Marsha Hunt's fabulous photo book THE WAY WE WORE: STYLES OF THE 1930S AND 40S. This book is a must for fans of classic film in general, and MGM movies and Marsha Hunt in particular.

...Kimberly Lindbergs reviews James Mason and Margaret Lockwood in the spooky A PLACE OF ONE'S OWN (1945) at the TCM Movie Morlocks blog.

...Greenpriar Picture Shows has a typically terrific, photo-filled post on MGM's SCENE OF THE CRIME (1949), a good film with Van Johnson, Tom Drake, and John McIntire as cops. Then stick around at Greenbriar for a wonderful post on Warren William and EMPLOYEES' ENTRANCE (1933)

...First Showing has a trailer for what looks like an interesting new documentary, BEING ELMO: A PUPPETEER'S JOURNEY (2011).

...UCLA will be sponsoring a film festival at the Million Dollar Theater in Los Angeles from October 5th through December 21st. The titles are mostly of more recent vintage and thus not of particular interest to me, but they do include SUPERMAN (1978) and THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (1951). Photos of the interior of the Million Dollar Theater are amazing; I hope to see a film there at some point.

...Thrilling Days of Yesteryear will be sponsoring a 50th Anniversary DICK VAN DYKE SHOW blogathon on October 3rd. I'll be contributing a post about the tribute to the show being held at the Egyptian Theatre on October 1st.

...At 50 Westerns From the 50s, Toby has a very interesting review of Fred MacMurray and Dorothy Malone in QUANTEZ (1957), which is available in the Universal Vault Collection exclusively from Amazon. Be sure to also read through the knowledgeable and interesting comments.

...Over at Riding the High Country, Colin is back from his summer break with a review of James Stewart, Janet Leigh, and Robert Ryan in Anthony Mann's THE NAKED SPUR (1953). Welcome back, Colin!

...Add to the list of "5 Things You Like About Classic Films" at Another Old Movie Blog. My list includes sleeper cars on trains and Streamline Moderne sets. There are some wonderful contributions; if you love old movies be sure to check it out.

...Notable Passing: Bob Hope's widow, Dolores, recently passed away at the age of 102. Her final resting place will be alongside her husband at the historic San Fernando Mission Cemetery. Mrs. Hope was herself an entertainer and was also a prominent Southern California philanthropist who was a key player founding the Eisenhower Medical Center in Palm Springs, California, on land donated by the Hopes. The medical center has posted a tribute, saying "Eisenhower Medical Center has lost its dearest, most treasured friend and one of the world’s great humanitarians...She gave unselfish, hands-on service in striving to make this a better world."

Have a great weekend!