Around the Blogosphere This Week

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

...Don't miss Part 2 of the fabulous French Film Noir Posters at Where Danger Lives. Part 1 is here.

...An interview with Olivia de Havilland about her service as a lay reader at the American Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Paris provides an interesting and unusual glimpse into her faith and her life in retirement.

...Starting Monday, March 5th, the L.A. Times goes behind a pay wall, allowing access to 15 free stories a month before requiring a subscription. Print edition subscribers will not be charged to access the online edition.

...Colin reviews Glenn Ford and Felicia Farr in JUBAL (1956) at Riding the High Country. Ernest Borgnine and Rod Steiger costar.

...Leonard Maltin shares the story behind a letter from Melissa Fairbanks -- granddaughter of Doug Sr. and daughter of Doug Jr. -- to Jean Dujardin, who won Best Actor for THE ARTIST (2011) last week.

...Most of the cast of DOWNTON ABBEY has re-signed for Seasons 4 and 5. Season 3 is currently filming.

...Mark Wahlberg's CONTRABAND (2012) was based on a film from Iceland. Now he's looking at remaking a Norwegian thriller.

...The Sheila Variations recently posted a well-done analysis of a scene with Elvis Presley and Dolores Hart in KING CREOLE (1958). (A heads-up, there is some R-rated language in the post.) I'm looking forward to seeing this movie.

...Speaking of Dolores Hart, Tom has video of her at the Oscars at Motion Picture Gems.

...Kristina recently posted a fun article on noir portraits at Speakeasy. It's amazing how many memorable portraits there have been in films!

...I found a recent post on the healthcare mandate quite fascinating, as it brings up an issue I'd never heard raised before in this context: would an insurance mandate negate centuries of contract law by forcing the parties to enter into a contract under duress?

...John Lee Hancock, the director of THE ROOKIE (2002) and THE BLIND SIDE (2009), is said to be in talks with Disney to direct SAVING MR. BANKS, about the relationship between Walt Disney and MARY POPPINS author P.L. Travers.

...Currently reading on my Kindle Fire: BELOW STAIRS by Margaret Powell, an absorbing memoir of life as a kitchen maid which is said to have helped inspire UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS and DOWNTON ABBEY.

...I enjoyed this profile of Shannon Bream of Fox News Channel, who left her career as a successful lawyer to pursue her dream of being a broadcast news reporter. Baseball fans may enjoy knowing Shannon's brother-in-law is former MLB player Sid Bream.

...Coming to the Classic Film and TV Cafe later this month: A Powell-Pressburger blogathon. Details are here.

...James Garner's daughter Gigi is on Twitter. Follow her at MavrocksGirl.

...Jacqueline Lynch of Another Old Movie Blog has edited her posts for a brand-new ebook, CLASSIC FILMS AND THE AMERICAN CONSCIENCE. What a neat idea! Jacqueline has long been one of my favorite bloggers, in part because of the interesting way she presents films in the context of their times. The book is available to download for free from Amazon on Monday, March 5th, through Thursday the 8th.

...Notable Passings: Cinematographer Bruce Surtees, who worked on a number of Clint Eastwood films, has died age 74. His father was Oscar-winning cameraman Robert Surtees...STAR WARS visual designer Ralph McQuarrie has passed on at 82. Visit his official website for a look at some of his brilliant work, which will impact filmgoers for as long as movies survive...Jan Berenstain, co-creator of the Berenstain Bears, died at 88...Those of us of a certain age felt a pang hearing the news of the death of Monkees singer Davy Jones at age 66...Social scientist James Q. Wilson, a graduate of my college alma mater, has died at 80. He pioneered the concept of "broken windows" in policing. He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2003. Michael Barone pays tribute...I was greatly saddened by the sudden passing of Internet publisher Andrew Breitbart last week, at the too-early age of 43.

Have a great week!