Around the Blogosphere This Week

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

...The Self-Styled Siren and Sunset Gun conduct an interesting discussion of Gene Tierney's classic LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN (1945). Their confessions of sympathy for Tierney's green-eyed (literally and figuratively!) Ellen make fun reading. The take on Jeanne Crain's Ruth is also thought-provoking. I can't say I ultimately agree with their points, but I found turning the story inside out and looking at it in a fresh way to be a fun exercise.

...Thanks to Raquelle of Out of the Past for Tweeting this link to photos of celebrity home libraries. The libraries shown which I'd most like to browse? James Stewart and Nigella Lawson's collections.

...The Lady Eve has a terrific post, "Father and Mother Were Movie Stars: Leatrice Gilbert Fountain Remembers."

...Dave Kehr discusses treasures hiding on Netflix in The New York Times, such as Barbara Stanwyck in NO MAN OF HER OWN (1950). I certainly agree with him that Netflix should make it easier to find these types of films. Filling my Netflix Instant queue has taken a great deal of patient hunting.

...There was a rare bit of good news for the Los Angeles Dodgers: Vin Scully will return to broadcast again in 2012, which will be his 63rd season with the team.

...Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman, has a new show on the Food Network. I recorded it yesterday and am looking forward to checking it out. The Los Angeles Times has a story.

...Dear Old Hollywood visits the Hollywood Bowl, including screen captures of some classic films with scenes set at the Bowl. For more on the Bowl, please see my September 2010 post Turner Classic Movies at the Hollywood Bowl.

...If you're a classic film fan and you're not regularly reading 50 Westerns From the 50s, you're missing tips on all sorts of interesting, relatively little-known Westerns, such as THE COMMAND (1954), REPRISAL! (1956), and RETURN TO WARBOW (1958). (THE COMMAND is available from Warner Archive.) Some of Toby's regular commenters also have a wealth of knowledge to share on Westerns.

...Last week Rifftides paid tribute to Uan Rasey on his 90th birthday. Who's Uan Rasey, you may ask? He's one of the truly great trumpet players, whose work on the soundtrack of AN AMERICAN IN PARIS (1951) is nothing less than thrilling.

...Kevin's Movie Corner reviews the Randolph Scott Cinecolor Western ALBUQUERQUE (1948). Another movie for my "to watch" list!

...Jake Hinson, aka The Night Editor, profiles Peggie Castle at Criminal Element. I've come to admire Castle through her work on LAWMAN and in films such as 99 RIVER STREET (1953) and TALL MAN RIDING (1955). It's a shame her life off the screen doesn't seem to have been a happy one.

...Government stupidity in action: a proposed law in California would require the use of elasticized fitted sheets on the mattresses of hotel beds. Yes, that's right, some California lawmakers want to criminalize -- think about that -- the use of flat sheets on hotel beds. The law would ostensibly protect maids from back injuries tucking in the sheets under the mattress. Never mind that maids would still need to tuck in the top sheet, or that elastic tends to wear out more quickly at the high temperatures hotels must use to thoroughly wash the sheets. Why must there be a law covering every single possible bad consequence in life?

...Reviews, reviews, and more reviews: MacGuffin Movies reviews Fred MacMurray and Joan Crawford in ABOVE SUSPICION (1941), which I watched last summer...Another Old Movie Blog takes a look at MISTER 880 (1950), starring Burt Lancaster, Dorothy McGuire, and Edmund Gwenn...Ferdy on Films writes about Douglas Sirk's charmer TAKE ME TO TOWN (1953)...and DVD Savant reviews the Warner Archive release of ATHENA (1954) with Debbie Reynolds and Jane Powell.

...I read an article from Wired Science, "Spoilers Don't Spoil Anything," nodding in agreement. I'm one of those rare people who always reads the last pages of fiction first and never minds plot spoilers before I see a movie. I actually like to have a "road map" for where the story is going and find I enjoy it more and can pay more attention to details when I'm not so concerned with the big picture.

...Jim of Jim Lane's Cinedrome responded to my admiration for William Wyler by letting me know about a multi-part Wyler series he wrote last year, which begins here. Fellow Wyler fans will want to settle in and enjoy Jim's thoughtful and informative posts. Thanks, Jim!

...While we're on the topic of Wyler, head over to Lazy Thoughts From a Boomer for an interesting essay on Wyler's THE BIG COUNTRY (1958). I've always thought Charlton Heston's Steve Leech, a relatively small part, is the most interesting character in the film; the post has some very interesting analysis of Leech, as well as high praise for Chuck Connors' performance.

...Caftan Woman recently featured an interesting post on Jack Carson, Don DeFore, and the films THE STRAWBERRY BLONDE (1941) and its remake ONE SUNDAY AFTERNOON (1948).

...The UCLA Festival of Preservation tour continues. After playing Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, D.C., it comes to Chicago Labor Day weekend. Berkeley, Portland, Columbus, Houston, and Vancouver are also on the schedule between September 2011 and April 2012. Please see my July post for links to some of the films which may play in each city.

...Sincere thanks to Dorian at Tales of the Easily Distracted for awarding Laura's Miscellaneous Musings the Irresistibly Sweet blog award. I deeply appreciate it! Dorian's fine blog recently celebrated its first anniversary. Her recent reviews include THE GAZEBO (1959) with Debbie Reynolds and Glenn Ford.

Have a great week!