Tonight's Movie: Seven Sweethearts (1942)

The MGM musical SEVEN SWEETHEARTS is notable as one of Kathryn Grayson's earliest roles. She was 20 when she starred as the youngest of seven daughters of an innkeeper (S.Z. Sakall) in Holland, Michigan.

The plot is somewhat reminiscent of the same year's YOU WERE NEVER LOVELIER from Columbia, which starred Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth: a hotel owner who lives in an exotic location has a bevy of beautiful daughters and insists they marry in order of age. SEVEN SWEETHEARTS isn't a classic on the same level as the Astaire film (which among other things boasts an enduring Jerome Kern score), but like so many MGM films of its era, it provides well-crafted family entertainment.

Van Heflin is Grayson's reporter beau. Her sisters are played by Marsha Hunt (a comedic turn as the imperious, stagestruck eldest sister), Cecilia Parker, Peggy Moran, Dorothy Morris, Frances Rafferty, and Frances Raeburn.

Diana Lewis, who plays a starry-eyed newlywed staying in the hotel, had wed William Powell in 1940; despite a 27-year age difference, they were married for 44 years, until Powell died in 1984.

SEVEN SWEETHEARTS was filmed in black and white. I love B&W movies, but this is one film I think would have really benefited from Technicolor to show off the Dutch costumes and tulips!

A close friend's son attends college in Holland. It sounds like a wonderful place. The Tulip Time festival is immortalized in song in the movie. According to IMDb, the film was exhibited in some locations under the title TULIP TIME. Unfortunately, the movie appears to have been filmed entirely on the backlot, but it's a nice tribute to Holland nonetheless.

The movie runs 98 minutes and was directed by Frank Borzage. It's not available on either VHS or DVD but is part of the Turner Classic Movies library.

Update: Today I dug out the November 2005 issue of Classic Images, which has a wonderful article on one of the title "Sweethearts," Frances Rafferty, including a number of stills from the film. The article includes the most interesting information that Frances Raeburn, who plays another of the sisters, is Kathryn Grayson's real-life sister, and Michael Butler, who plays one of the sisters' boyfriends, is Grayson's brother. Raeburn appeared in four other films in her brief career, while Butler appeared in just one other movie.

Update: This film is now available from the Warner Archive.

New Book: The Education of Ronald Reagan

John Fund of Opinion Journal reviews a new book on Ronald Reagan's years working as spokesman for General Electric. The book is subtitled "The General Electric Years and the Untold Story of His Conversion to Conservatism" and traces how some of Reagan's experiences during that time directly impacted not only his political ideology but some of his decisions as President.

(Hat tip: Power Line.)

Tonight's Movie: Rich Man, Poor Girl (1938)

RICH MAN, POOR GIRL, like THE AFFAIRS OF MARTHA, is a highly entertaining MGM programmer. This fun tale of a wealthy man (Robert Young) who wants to wed his secretary (Ruth Hussey), but must first overcome her reservations about their different financial backgrounds, does not pretend to be great art, but it is a great diversion.

Young is charming and Hussey was never more lovely than she was in this picture. Lana Turner plays Hussey's ebullient kid sister, and Lew Ayres comes close to reprising his role from the same year's HOLIDAY as Hussey's ne'er-do-well cousin. Guy Kibbee and Sarah Padden round out the cast as Hussey's parents, while Rita Johnson plays Young's sister.

RICH MAN, POOR GIRL was one of a small handful of English-language films directed by German-born Reinhold Schunzel. Schunzel was also an actor, most notably playing Dr. Anderson in Hitchcock's NOTORIOUS in 1946.

The movie was based on a 1929 film, THE IDLE RICH, which was in turn based on a play. It runs 70 or 72 minutes, depending on the reference source, and was filmed in black and white.

RICH MAN, POOR GIRL, like so many "B" movies of that era, is not available on DVD or VHS. It would be wonderful if at some point Warners would release DVD sets with several short MGM pictures such as this in a set. Fortunately, the movie can be seen on cable as it is part of the Turner Classic Movies library.

Historic Googie Building Demolished

L.A. Observed reports that Harvey's (later Johnie's) Broiler in Downey, California, considered by many to be one of the finest examples of '50s Googie architecture, was illegally demolished this weekend.

More from the L.A. Times and the Long Beach Press-Telegram.

It's very sad to see such a wonderful piece of California architectural history ground to bits.

For more on Googie architecture, including a link to a fine book on the topic, see my post from October 2005.

More on Arnold Calling Taxes "Fees"

As the L.A. Times reports, there's more than salesmanship in Governor Schwarzenegger calling the taxes which are part of his universal healthcare proposal "fees."

Fees, you see, can be passed by the California state legislature with a simple majority. Taxes, on the other hand, require a two-thirds majority to pass, and that number of votes will be much harder for the governor to obtain.

I find the governor's attempted deception -- which isn't going to fool anyone -- in order to further his agenda disturbing. A "fee" which is mandatory and cannot be avoided is a tax, pure and simple. Components of the plan include new payroll taxes on employers who don't purchase health insurance for their employees, new taxes on doctors and hospitals, and the state withholding income tax refunds or garnishing wages of those citizens who don't obtain health insurance. These are all new forms of taxation.

As Captain Ed points out, the new tax on doctors -- which Arnold euphemistically calls a "coverage dividend" -- could discourage some from becoming doctors or from practicing medicine in this state. And that's just the tip of the iceberg for the unintended consequences that clearly would result from Arnold's grand plan.

The governor needs to stop playing semantic games and honestly acknowledge that this plan will require him to break his campaign pledge against new taxes.

Arnold Wants Universal Health Care in CA

As mentioned here last week, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is moving the state toward state-run health insurance. Initially it was reported that the governor wanted to insure every child -- including those here illegally -- in California.

However, as reported by Bloomberg News (subject link), the governor is actually seeking universal health care for California.

This kind of plan has already been decisively rejected by California voters. Not to mince words, but it's a socialist job killer.

Part of the plan emulates that supported by Mitt Romney in Massachusetts, which interferes with the free market by requiring every citizen to have health insurance. (That plan is one reason I don't support Romney in his quest for the presidency -- his instincts have too often been liberal, but he is bending conservative in areas such as abortion in his quest for the Republican nomination.)

Not only would businesses and individual citizens face fines and fees if they don't comply with Governor Schwarzenegger's proposed plan, but doctors and hospitals would be charged what amounts to a "revenue tax" to help support the costs of the plan. Arnold masks this new tax by calling it a "coverage dividend."

The governor believes this will be less expensive than the state's current costs for covering the uninsured. But, given that he plans to cover those children here illegally, I suspect that he hasn't even considered addressing the related matter of illegal immigration, which has strained our state infrastructure, including health care, to the brink. Illegal aliens using hospitals as their primary care facilities is one reason the state's hospitals are overburdened and underpaid.

The governor says, since illegal aliens must legally be treated at hospitals, that the question isn't whether to treat them but how to pay for it. But what could he be doing to work with the federal government to reduce the original problem and in turn reduce the strain on the state budget?

He's also not addressing what this will do to the marketplace in general -- if you're a business, would you hire the tenth worker that would force you to comply with the insurance plan? And will businesses decide to pay the payroll tax instead of providing insurance, thereby forcing employees into state-run health plans? This is exactly what California voters rejected in 2004. Strangely enough, Arnold at that time also rejected the state plan and agreed with the voters.

Instead of Hillarycare, we're now looking at Arnoldcare.

After much inward debate, I voted for Arnold last November as the better of two unpleasant options, but I'm now regretting having given him my vote.

Tuesday Update: Captain Ed weighs in.

Tonight's Movie: The Affairs of Martha (1942)

THE AFFAIRS OF MARTHA is an MGM "B" movie which is great fun. Martha (Marsha Hunt) is a maid who is secretly writing a book about her employers (Spring Byington and Melville Cooper). She also has another secret concerning the family's son (Richard Carlson), an anthropologist who as the movie opens has spent the last year and a half in the Arctic. The son arrives home with a fiancee on the same day news of the book roils the local community, and chaos ensues.

The movie features an extensive cast of pros, including Marjorie Main, Virginia Weidler, Margaret Hamilton, Allyn Joslyn, Barry Nelson, Sara Haden, Grady Sutton, and Hedy Lamarr lookalike Inez Cooper.

This black and white film (also known as ONCE UPON A THURSDAY in Great Britain) was directed by Jules Dassin and runs a quick 66 minutes. The Writers Guild of America magazine ran a November profile on Dassin which is worth a read. Dassin is now 95 years old and has lived in Europe since he was blacklisted; he was married for nearly three decades to the late actress Melina Mercouri.

Actress Marsha Hunt, incidentally, is also still with us -- and acting! -- at age 89, and she is quoted briefly in the Dassin article.

THE AFFAIRS OF MARTHA is not available on either video or DVD. It is part of the Turner Classic Movies library.

A trailer can be viewed at the TCM site. I'm pretty certain that's Ava Gardner in the trailer as one of three girls seen raving about the film after leaving a preview screening; if there's any doubt, she's the beautiful girl on the left in that brief scene. At the time MARTHA was released, Gardner was receiving her MGM training in uncredited bit parts...including, it appears, in this trailer!

A final note, my 11-year-old daughter recognized Richard Carlson from the wonderful Bell Science movies directed by Frank Capra, such as HEMO THE MAGNIFICENT. Carlson starred in three of the four films in the series with USC's Dr. Frank Baxter; Eddie Albert costarred with Baxter in the fourth. These educational films are still worth watching, half a century after they were produced.

USC Tragedy

The week began on a high note for the USC Trojans, as they won the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day.

Tonight, however, comes the sad word that starting kicker Mario Danelo has been found dead at the bottom of a cliff in San Pedro. An investigation is ongoing.

Our sincere condolences to Mario's family, friends, and the team.

Tonight's Movie: Broadcast News (1987)

I hadn't seen BROADCAST NEWS since it first came out. It was fun to see it again, having forgotten most of it in the intervening years. The film tells the story of life in a Washington, D.C., TV newsroom, focusing on a smooth but dumb anchor (William Hurt), a tightly wound producer (Holly Hunter), and the reporter who's probably the sanest person in the newsroom (Albert Brooks).

On the whole it's an entertaining comedy, though I would have liked a more conventionally happy ending.

One of the stranger moments, given what has transpired since the film was made, was the producer and reporter joking about all the morning news shows carrying interviews with Arnold Schwarzenegger. In the context of current history, Arnold would definitely be "news" to those characters, so that scene dated the film a bit -- as did those '80s hairstyles and shoulder pads!

The supporting cast includes Robert Prosky, Lois Chiles, Joan Cusack, and Jack Nicholson in a small but funny role as the network's star anchorman. The film runs 131 or 133 minutes, depending on the reference. It was directed by James L. Brooks.

It's available on both DVD and VHS. It's also part of the Fox Movie Channel library.

Restaurateur Vincent Sardi Dies at 91

Vincent Sardi was the owner and manager of the Broadway institution Sardi's for over half a century. The restaurant was founded by his father in 1921.

This New York Times obituary is a fascinating slice of theater history.

Chevy Chase Remembers President Ford

Although I've enjoyed Chevy Chase from time to time in his movies, I think it's safe to say we're polar opposites politically. It's thus especially nice to see that he wrote a very classy tribute to former President Ford, who was often the target of his humor.

(Hat tip: Power Line.)

The Senate Candy Desk

Thanks to Betsy's Page, I learned about a fun Capitol Hill tradition, the Senate Candy Desk.

The Candy Desk originated with former California Senator George Murphy, who kept a supply of sweets in his desk. In the decades since Senator Murphy left the Senate, Republican Senators have continued the tradition, most recently Senator Rick Santorum. Senator Santorum filled the desk with the help of the Hershey Company from his state of Pennsylvania.

Senator Craig Thomas of Wyoming appears to be next in line to man the desk.

Harriet Miers Resigns

Byron York of National Review Online has analysis of Miers' performance as White House counsel, as well as some speculation on who might replace her.

Rose Parade Ratings Drop Without Stephanie

KTLA's Rose Parade ratings were off 14% this year. It appears a fairly significant number of viewers may have voted against KTLA's booting of longtime parade host Stephanie Edwards with their remotes.

Of course, it's also possible that more viewers were at home last year due to rainy weather, but I'm guessing there was also a "Stephanie effect" on the ratings.

Details at L.A. Observed (subject link) and from the Orange County Register's Frank Mickadeit.

Like L.A. Observed, this blog saw a remarkable surge in traffic due to interest in Stephanie. I think HGTV would be wise to hire her for next year's broadcast.

New Book: Talking With My Mouth Full

While browsing at Barnes & Noble after seeing THE HOLIDAY, I came across Bonny Wolf's TALKING WITH MY MOUTH FULL, which I had recently read about in USA TODAY and THE WASHINGTON TIMES.

Wolf, who works for NPR, has written a collection of essays on food, interspersed with recipes. It looks like an entertaining read -- I couldn't resist picking it up. (A side note, I love good graphic art -- the cover is wonderful.)

Eileen Goudge's SOMETHING WARM FROM THE OVEN also looked appealing; I may pick it up another time. I came home and immediately did an internet search for the recipe for Goudge's Chocolate Molasses Crinkles which I'd spotted in her book, and happily found it on her website. They sound wonderful.

Tonight's Movie: The Holiday (2006)

Watching THE HOLIDAY, a feel-good romantic comedy, was true bliss. I laughed, I cried, I left the theater with a happy glow. A grand start to the New Year, in terms of movie-going.

As you may know if you have read any of the recent reviews of the film, the plot concerns two lovelorn ladies who impulsively exchange houses for two weeks at Christmastime. Amanda (Cameron Diaz), an L.A. producer of movie trailers, trades places with Iris (Kate Winslet), a writer at London's Daily Telegraph. Amanda meets Iris's charming brother (Jude Law) within hours of her arrival, while Amanda makes friends with both an elderly screenwriter (Eli Wallach) and a kind musician (Jack Black).

I particularly enjoyed Wallach's character teaching Iris how to be "the leading lady in her own life" by having her view countless screwball comedies from the Golden Era. (There's a cameo in a scene at the video store that's a lot of fun.) I also liked that Law's apparent playboy-about-town isn't quite what he seems. To say more would spoil the surprise. And OK, I'll say it: The man is drop-dead gorgeous. Those eyes!

As with other Nancy Meyers films, such as BABY BOOM and SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE, THE HOLIDAY has fabulous sets. I want Jude Law's kitchen! And my jaw dropped with wonder when I got a look at Amanda's DVD library and screening facilities; as Iris gasped, "That's intense!" The L.A. Times recently ran an article on the set designs for Meyers' films in general and this film in specific.

Trailers can be found here. The last trailer on the list has at least 3 scenes I don't believe were in the movie, which was rather interesting.

A postscript, we saw a trailer for BECAUSE I SAID SO with Diane Keaton and Lauren Graham (GILMORE GIRLS). It looked a bit like a cinematic GILMORE GIRLS, concerning the relationships between three generations of women; Keaton plays the controlling grandmother. It may not be great, but I have enjoyed several of Keaton's "family" films and hope it's entertaining.

Coming This Summer: Ocean's Thirteen

I watched this trailer with a big smile on my face. I love this series. It's kind of a guilty pleasure, given that the heroes are crooks, but they're fun crooks. :)

But where are Julia Roberts and Catherine Zeta-Jones?

OCEAN'S THIRTEEN opens June 8th.

Zeta-Jones actually has an interesting-looking movie called NO RESERVATIONS coming out this summer. She plays a chef who receives custody of her niece. It opens July 27th.

Why John McCain is a No-Go for Conservatives

The man simply drips with condescension toward those with whom he disagrees, and he has no core values. Indeed, when he says early on in a new Vanity Fair profile that "I'm willing to negotiate anything," it's unclear in context if he means with regard to illegal immigration specifically or is speaking in more general terms.

Either way, that position -- which is no position -- doesn't work for me.

Hugh Hewitt has analysis.

Update: Power Line points the way to a transcript of a conversation Hugh Hewitt had with Mark Steyn today regarding the McCain article.

Steyn on McCain: "Here is a guy who was in many ways a conventional, mainstream Republican conservative when he started out. Now, his only political bedrock belief seems to be in his own indispensibility. Everything other than that is negotiable."

Ouch.

The Best Education Blogs

A few weeks ago Jay Mathews of The Washington Post asked for nominations for the best education blogs. He and a retired teacher then reviewed the blogs and came up with a list of favorites.

Two of the blogs I submitted, Joanne Jacobs and edspresso, made the "Top 16."

A side note, one blog on their list, Susan Ohanian, I cannot recommend. She has written any number of angry posts about William Bennett and charter schooling. I disagree with both her tone and her content.

Otherwise, I'm looking forward to exploring a number of new-to-me education blogs in coming weeks.

Arnold Tacks Left on Health Insurance

Californians have in the past decisively rejected state-run health insurance.

Recently re-elected California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger now plans instead to take incremental steps moving our state to state-run health insurance, by offering health insurance to all of the state's children, including illegal aliens.

"All sectors of the healthcare industry, including hospitals, insurers, doctors, patients, businesses and government, would pay some of the costs under Schwarzenegger's plan. People familiar with the proposal say that it includes new requirements for businesses to cover employees, though the details were unclear."

It's particularly galling that in yet one more area our state's hard-working taxpayers would have their earnings transferred to illegal non-citizens.

I'm sure Arnold thinks this is "compassionate conservatism," but in my view this is another step on the road to socialism, which isn't at all compassionate.