Around the Blogosphere This Week
...A very happy 80th birthday to the effervescent Ruta Lee, who was born Ruta Kilmonis in Montreal on May 30, 1935. Lee played Ruth in my favorite film, SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS (1954), and she also guest starred opposite James Garner in one of my very favorite MAVERICK episodes, "Comstock Conspiracy." Her personal website is here. She's seen here in a SEVEN BRIDES publicity still with Matt Mattox.
...Kristen Lopez interviews Eddie Muller on TCM's "Summer of Darkness" at her blog Journeys in Classic Film.
...At Speakeasy Kristina reviews Joan Bennett and James Mason in the superb film THE RECKLESS MOMENT (1949). For anyone who hasn't seen it yet, this is one to try to catch sooner rather than later!
...John McElwee's review of PARIS MODEL (1953) at Greenbriar Picture Shows cracked me up. After listing the film's many flaws, he said they make it "an absolute must-see!" Sounds like fun, especially as its cast includes Paulette Goddard, Tom Conway, and Barbara Lawrence.
...Toby's written about the "Whistler" films with Richard Dix at The Hannibal 8. I've never seen a Whistler film and hope to rectify that this year!
...Last week Amazon launched free same-day delivery for Amazon Prime members in a number of areas. Place a $35 order by noon, have it by 9:00 p.m. that night!
...Actress Nancy Gates has an official website.
...There's lots of great stuff at KC's A Classic Movie Blog recently, including extensive coverage of the Seattle International Film Festival plus reviews of Warner Archive DVDs. Be sure to check it out!
...I've been meaning to catch up with Rock Hudson and Piper Laurie in HAS ANYBODY SEEN MY GAL (1952). This post at Classic Movie Ramblings makes the film look like a visual treat...another one I'd like to see soon!
...I covered the Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival in Palm Springs extensively last month. Here's an alternate look at the festival, written by Jeremy Arnold for Turner Classic Movies. And another enthused report was filed by "Kingrat" at Silver Screen Oasis....Turning to another film festival, my pal Stephen has posted some great tips for the TCM Classic Film Festival at his blog Classic Movie Man. It was a lot of fun getting to watch movies with Stephen at the festival!
...Here's a fun article on sisters who worked as stand-ins for Heather Menzies and Angela Cartwright on THE SOUND OF MUSIC (1965).
...This week's YouTube find: ROCK ISLAND TRAIL (1950) with Forrest Tucker and Adele Mara. Adrian Booth (aka Lorna Gray) and Bruce Cabot costar.
...Clint Eastwood is making a film on Captain Sullenberger and the "Miracle on the Hudson." Personally I like my husband's idea that Harrison Ford should star...
...Next time I'm in Palm Springs I'm going to try to make time for a cemetery visit and pay my respects to George Montgomery, William Powell, and Frank Sinatra.
Have a great week!
posted by Laura @ 10:00 PM
11 Comments:
Thanks for the link Laura! I'm looking forward to reading that additional Arthur Lyons Fest coverage. Even though I'm eyeing that festival, I can already see that it's going to be a year or two before I can swing it. As I left for a SIFF screening Sunday afternoon, both my girls were standing on the porch yelling, "don't go Mama!" Yeesh. I'm going to be buying them a lot of ice cream when this is all over.
Hi Laura,
Great news about the new Eastwood project.
Since the smash hit that was AMERICAN SNIPER the offers have been flooding in.
I am more excited about the project that you mention than the other two films
that he was rumored to be attached to.
Firstly he was said to be doing a Richard Jewell film with Jonah Hill starring
and Leonardo Dicaprio co- staring and producing.
Then there was that odd rumor about Clint doing an Enzo Ferrari bio-pic starring
De Niro.
I find it amusing that the offers are flooding in especially considering the
problems Clint had getting finance for his pet projects MYSTIC RIVER and
MILLION DOLLAR BABY
I still think,like many, many others that Clint should make one final Western
Years ago Peter Bogdanavich tried to snare Wayne,Stewart and Fonda to team up for
one final Western. The three turned it down,stating that the film was trying to
make "old fogies" out of them. Well,Clint,Tommy Lee Jones and Robert Duvall are
"old fogies" and my greatest fantasy is to see them saddle up for one last ride
together. If "young whippersnapper" Costner was also on board that would be
too good to be true!
I'm on a sort of Clint kick at the moment,on Sunday I watched the Blu-Ray of
COOGAN'S BLUFF to celebrate Clint's 85th.
I've just ordered the Blu-Ray of THE EIGER SANCTION off Amazon France,a guilty
pleasure to be sure but hey,I really love that film.
Thanks for the credit on the POST OFFICE INVESTIGATOR review,glad that you kinda
liked the film.
Thanks also for the link to Nancy Gates' website.
Now all we have to do is get that rascal Toby to contact Nancy for his Western
book. What wonderful stories she would have to tell regarding working with Joel
McCrea,Randolph Scott,George Montgomery among many others and also great directors
like Tourneur and Boetticher.
I see today from ClassicFlix announcements a whole raft of interesting new releases on their way that should gladden the hearts of all mouldy figs like me out there!
They include some terrific little British "noirs" too!
Yes, John, I also was grateful to Laura for the heads-up on Nancy Gates' website. Found some wonderful pikkies there and even left a personal message of appreciation as she is a special favourite of mine. Did any other saddo out there see her early appearance in Eddie Dean's "CHECK YOUR GUNS"?? Delightful as ever!
I never realized until I read it in his obituary that Wally Cassell was the skeptical jockey in National Velvet! The Cockney accent was an effective disguise. :) And they didn't even mention Island in the Sky—I thought he was particularly good in that.
Thanks for the mention! Glad you recommended THE RECKLESS MOMENT, really liked it. You have to schedule for yourself a marathon of the WHISTLER movies, they're different, more like anthology installments, or the Inner Sanctums (where Lon Chaney Jr. played different characters in each film).
Thanks for the news about the Nancy Gates site. I can't tell you how often I'll see her in an old TV program and pause for a moment and then - of course, it's Nancy Gates!
Great column as always. I've just ordered The Wallls Came tumbling Down. Didn't know it had come out in DVD. I reviewed it last year and liked Lee Bowman in it.
I'm also interested to hear Nancy Gates has a website.
Wonderful to see all this love for Nancy Gates!
Jerry,I would be most interested to see if you get a reply.
We all have to corral Toby to contact Nancy for his book/blog.
Never seen an Eddie Dean picture Jerry, but did you notice Panamint in the UK
are releasing THE HAWK OF POWDER RIVER on Blu Ray!
I find it amazing that a PRC quickie has made it to Blu-Ray!
THE HAWK OF POWDER RIVER is said to have a very interesting "bad gal" performance
from Jennifer Holt.
Laura,I'm afraid watching films on you-tube is a total anathema to me and it
saddens me to see lovely Republic Westerns reduced to this horrid medium.
If people must watch ROCK ISLAND TRAIL don't miss the scene where Forrest Tucker
and Bruce Cabot fight a duel with floor mops dipped in boiling hot soup!
I hate seeing the lovely Republic catalog reduced to this or being released in
Germany in dubious quality with mostly German soundtracks.
More Nancy Gates.........
Its kinda funny but I have been commentating over at Greenbriar Picture Shows as a
first timer as John has just reviewed the lovely new Koch Blu-Ray of STAR IN THE
DUST. This is a very offbeat Universal Western that gets better each time I watch
it.At any rate I'm also on a sort of Charles Haas kick at the moment,and
furthermore John actually seems to take me seriously.....he will learn over time.
Anyway I note with interest that Charles Haas actually directed just one RAWHIDE
episode and that one featured Nancy's sole appearance in the show.
Its an excellent episode and had the added attraction of also starring the
very wonderful Warren Stevens.
I do hope that Toby and others are able to contact and interview Nancy about
all the people that she worked with during her varied movie and television career.
Thanks to you all so much for the great replies and info!
KC, that is too cute about your little girls! I remember those days...
John, enjoyed your thoughts on Eastwood and also Nancy Gates, an actress I first knew from MAVERICK! "Passage to Fort Doom" and "Burial Ground of the Gods" were the episodes. I agree it would be very cool if Toby could interview her.
Jerry, there is sure some great stuff ahead from both Warner Archive and VCI too! I have an Encore Westerns recording of CHECK YOUR GUNS but haven't caught up with it yet. When I was recording on VHS and only had an hour left on a tape I would fill the last hour with things like Eddie Dean Westerns. I wasn't quite as in to Westerns then as I am now, so now I look at what I put on those tapes and I'm really glad I have them! Speaking of Westerns, be looking for a review of BELLE STARR'S DAUGHTER soon which I saw thanks to you!
Elisabeth, I agree Wally Cassell was excellent in ISLAND IN THE SKY -- that's probably the first film where I learned his name. I'm thrilled I'll be seeing ISLAND IN THE SKY on a big screen a week from Saturday!
Also, everyone should know Elisabeth told me about a book which will be in the next roundup - BEHIND THE SCENES OF THEY WERE EXPENDABLE: A PICTORIAL HISTORY. It's a bit pricey but an absolute must-have!!
Thanks for the WHISTLER feedback, Kristina, sounds fun! Glad I could share your take on THE RECKLESS MOMENT and hopefully more people will check out not just your post but the movie!
Caftan Woman, I'm so delighted to see all the folks enthused about Nancy Gates!
Vienna, I decided to go ahead and order THE WALLS CAME TUMBLING DOWN now myself! I'd forgotten about your review, which intrigued me at the time -- for everyone else, it's here! Like you I enjoy Lee Bowman.
John, I would certainly rather watch ROCK ISLAND TRAIL on a DVD on my TV! It's so frustrating that so many Republic (and Paramount and Universal) movies I'd love to see are so hard to come by. The fight you describe sounds hilarious! After reading the Greenbriar post I pulled out my copy of STAR IN THE DUST and moved it up in the viewing stack! Thanks again for that one!! :)
Best wishes,
Laura
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