Around the Blogosphere This Week

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

...There are two new books coming this fall on Barbara Stanwyck, A LIFE OF BARBARA STANWYCK by Victoria Wilson and BARBARA STANWYCK by Andrew Klevan. The books are published by Simon & Schuster and the British Film Institute, respectively. I'm not familiar with either author's work so will be interested to learn more.

...A few days ago Jessica of Comet Over Hollywood had a fantastic opportunity to interview actress-turned-nun Dolores Hart. It's a lovely interview of a great lady, and Jessica was able to take a photo with Dolores, too!

...Coming this November: The "What a Character!" Blogathon, hosted by Once Upon a Screen, Paula's Cinema Club, and Outspoken and Freckled.

...Another terrific blogathon is underway this weekend: Breaking News: Journalism in Classic Film, sponsored by Comet Over Hollywood and Lindsay's Movie Musings. They had terrific participation and I've read a number of excellent posts this weekend, so be sure to visit their sites for the links, which include reviews of ARISE, MY LOVE (1940) and -30- (1959), along with thoughts on unethical reporters in classic films. Hopefully next year my schedule will allow me the time to participate in blogathons again!

...Here's a teaser trailer for Nicole Kidman in GRACE OF MONACO (2013). Someone suggested this trailer plays more like a fancy perfume ad, and that's not far wrong.

...Royalty Watch: Here's photos of this weekend's wedding of Prince Felix of Luxembourg and Claire Lademacher.

...There's a new book out alleging that the heads of movie studios collaborated with Hitler in the '30s. The author's thesis is so offensive -- and easily disproven -- that I'm not linking directly to the book here, but I do want to share reviews by Jeanine Basinger and the Self-Styled Siren, Farran Nehme, which effectively tear the author's so-called "research" apart. Basinger, a superb film historian, calls the book "something of a film historian's nightmare."

...I'd never heard of ROME EXPRESS (1933) before reading about it at Greenbriar Picture Shows. The script is by Sidney Gilliat, who penned other "train movies" such as SEVEN SINNERS (1936), THE LADY VANISHES (1938), and NIGHT TRAIN TO MUNICH (1940). The DVD out from VCI was just reviewed by Jeremy Arnold at the TCM website and sounds terrific.

...John Greco reviews Cornel Wilde, Jean Wallace, and Dan Duryea in STORM FEAR (1955) at Twenty Four Frames.

...Colin Firth will be voicing Paddington the Bear in an upcoming film. Other actors in the cast are Hugh Bonneville, Jim Broadbent and Nicole Kidman. The script of the 2014 film is by actress-screenwriter Emma Thompson.

...Notable Passings: Boot Hill has an obituary for actress Louise Currie, who died this month at the age of 100...Dance instructor-choreographer Patsy Swayze, the mother of the late Patrick Swayze, has passed on at 86.

Have a great week!