Box Set Monday #13: Ingrid Bergman (Guest post!)

This week's Box Set Monday post is by the very knowledgeable and lovely Rianna from Frankly, My Dear. Her favourite actress is the ever wonderful Lucille Ball and her blog is a veritable font of everything Lucy. I urge you all to follow her because, aside from Lucy related posts, Rianna writes about multitude of things pertaining to classic film. I'm honoured to have her guest posting here on Waitin' On a Sunny Day! 

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I can never list my favorite actresses in a chronological order. Save Lucille Ball, my favorite, I always have a hard time sorting through the other actresses; I just can’t decide who might have that particular second place after Lucy. But if I have to be honest, one of the very strongest contenders for that place would be Ingrid Bergman.

What’s not to love about Ingrid? She was one of the greatest screen actresses of all time; and let’s not forget that gorgeous face and that marvelous Swedish accent. The best thing about watching Ingrid on the screen is you believe every action she preforms and every line she delivers; you believe it because she believes it. Ingrid was one of those actresses that truly loved her art and respected it, and always put her all into it. She was a natural performer. So it’s a fantastic shame there is no box set for her, but if I could pull the strings, it’d go like this
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Contains:

Intermezzo: A Love Story (1939)

Casablanca (1942)

Gaslight (1944)

The Bells of St. Mary's (1945)

Notorious (1946)

Anastasia (1956)

Intermezzo: A Love Story (1939) was originally a Swedish film Ingrid had starred in. David O. Selznick brought Ingrid out to Hollywood to star in American version, and this kicked off her Hollywood career. In this movie from Hollywood’s Golden Year, Ingrid plays a naïve piano instructor who falls in love with the father (Leslie Howard) of a young girl she teaches. The only problem is he happens to be married. This isn’t actually a perfect movie or anywhere near it, but it’s an important performance for Ingrid. She shines so brightly, it’s easy to see why America fell in love with her afterwards.

Casablanca (1942) is easily Ingrid’s most well known movie. Everyone knows this tale of a fight for love and glory and a case of do or die! For the few that may need a refresher, Ingrid plays the luminous Ilsa Lund opposite Humphrey Bogart’s Rick Blaine as the two lovers that just aren’t meant to be. Though Ingrid wasn’t even nominated for an Oscar for this most famous performance of hers, she really could have earned one. Casablanca (1942) is one of the most talked about movies of all time, and it’s not one bit overrated, and neither is Ingrid in her role as Ilsa.

I think out of all her performances, Ingrid’s in Gaslight (1944) is my favorite. It’s a melodrama set in the early twentieth century. Ingrid plays Paula, a beautiful woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown after she’s pressured to move back into the house her aunt was killed in by her husband, a very chilling Charles Boyer. There are plenty of intense, suspenseful scenes in this movie for Ingrid to show off her dramatic talent. It is such a complex role but every fiber of her body is into it; she’s honestly so perfect in this and SO deserving of the Oscar she won for this.

The Bells of St. Mary’s (1945) is a fun & sweet sequel to Going My Way (1944) from the prior year (in which Ingrid did not star). Ingrid plays a dedicated nun who runs the school for children Father O’Malley (Bing Crosby) arrives at to help reform. Father O’Malley and Ingrid’s Sister Benedict engage in a friendly rivalry all while helping the grade school children deal with the various issues they face. Ingrid is so adorable in this; there are certainly dramatic scenes but there also ones where she gets to show her flair for comedy, like one in which she teaches one of the schoolboys how to fight. This is easily one of Ingrid’s most endearing & charming performances.

Out of all the characters Ingrid played, her role as Alicia Huberman in Notorious (1946) is my favorite. Alicia risks her life by marrying a Nazi to spy on him for the US government, all while engaging in a hot/cold relationship with Cary Grant. Ingrid & Cary Grant are always perfect together – I wish they had gotten married. Their chemistry is just that perfect, and this is also the Hitchcock thriller with that famous kissing scene between the two of them. This is an exciting, suspenseful film with Ingrid at some of her very best & burning holes in the screen with Cary Grant.

Anastasia (1956) is very important film for Ingrid; it was the movie that reintroduced her to American audiences. Six years before she’d been exiled from the country for her scandalous affair with Roberto Rossellini, and in the time since, she’d made only Rossellini pictures in Italy. In Anastasia (1956), she plays an emotional woman who Yul Brynner tries to pass off as the Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov. (The whole Romanov family was murdered in 1917, but for years rumors would exist that Anastasia had survived, and many women claimed to be her.) I find the Romanovs very intriguing and so it’s a treat to see Ingrid playing a woman who may or may not actually be Anastasia Romanov. America’s peace offering with her was an Oscar for this role, which Ingrid completely earned. She is simply compelling in this performance.

Well, those are my choices. Hopefully one day Ingrid will get a complete box set! A big thank you Sophie for giving me the opportunity to do this guest post on her lovely blog and for creating this super awesome series. :)

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A hearty thank you to Rianna for coming up with such a wonderful box set for Ingrid. I'll definitely be checking out The Bells of St. Mary's as I loved Going My Way.

Is there are star you feel isn't appreciated and is need of their own box set? Do you feel like you could make a box set that will live up to their greatness? I'm looking for another 2 guest posters for this series of BSM and it could be you! (How cheesy does that sound?! ;D) Leave me a comment, send me an email, and we'll work something out!

Box Set Monday #12: Mildred Davis (Guest post!)

For this week's Box Set Monday I am very excited to have the wonderful Missy from labelleboheme guest posting. Missy is the biggest Mildred Davis fan you will probably ever meet and, as such, she is extremely knowledgeable about Mildred's films and life. Who better to create a box set for the lady in question? No one! And I, for one, am looking forward to watching the films in the box set because I've shamefully only seen one (a long time ago at that). So, without further ado, I'll hand you over to Missy.

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Silent film actress Mildred Davis is often underappreciated as an individual actress. She tends to be seriously overlooked due to the bulk of her work being as a leading lady in comedian Harold Lloyd's films (and then more-or-less retiring shortly after her marriage to Lloyd in 1923). And that's a bit unfortunate. Though she may not have been a huge force in the silent era, Mildred's sweet charm and her skills as a comedic leading lady contributed much to Harold Lloyd's films, at a time when Lloyd's popularity was certainly on the rise. And she's personally my favorite of Lloyd's female co-stars! In a box set centered around Miss Davis, some of her greatest and most memorable films with eventual husband Harold Lloyd would be featured.

Contains:

From Hand To Mouth, 1919

I Do, 1921

A Sailor Made Man, 1921

Grandma's Boy, 1922

Dr. Jack, 1922

Safety Last!, 1923

From Hand to Mouth (1919) is significant because it was Mildred's first film opposite Harold Lloyd, replacing former Lloyd co-star Bebe Daniels. In this short film, Mildred plays an innocent young heiress who is being swindled out of her inheritance by a dastardly lawyer and a gang of criminals. The plan to keep her from claiming her inheritance by midnight? Kidnap her. The impoverished Boy (played by Harold Lloyd), of whom Mildred's character had helped earlier that day, somehow gets caught up in the scheme. Once he realizes who the damsel in distress is, he vows to help save her and her inheritance. Knowing this is Mildred and Harold's first film together, it's interesting to see how they interact with one another in character.

I Do (1921) is my favorite of the Lloyd-Davis short films, mainly because of the interaction between the two. In this short, Harold and Mildred play a young newlywed couple who are told to babysit a brother-in-law's two young children. As you would imagine, the children are a handful and it doesn't help that word on the street is there's a dangerous burglar on the loose in their neighborhood. What I especially love about this film is the strong sense of companionship between the two. Here, Mildred's character is not simply there as the object of Harold's affection; instead, Mildred takes part in the majority of the hilarious antics side-by-side with Harold and really shows her own brand of comedic skill. They play off of one another and it's a wonderful thing!

In A Sailor Made Man (1921), Mildred and Harold both play wealthy young people. Harold's character, a pretentious playboy, falls in love with the daughter of a wealthy business man (played by Mildred) and suddenly decides to marry her. To prove himself worthy to her father, he enlists in the Navy. When the Navy ship docks on a Middle Eastern town, it is found that The Girl and her father also arrive there at the same time by yacht. The Girl gets kidnapped by the local maharajah and, in the ultimate test of worthiness, Harold's character embarks to outwit the maharajah and save her. Mildred's flirtatious nature, especially in the beginning of the film, is quite funny and endearing.

Grandma's Boy (1922) was Harold's personal favorite of his films and was the film that really established him as a force to be reckoned with in the world of silent comedy. Again, Mildred plays Harold's love interest but she gives her character an innocent, coquette, and bubbly personality that makes her very likable (and very funny!) Her character really believes in Harold's shy character and is one of the reasons that drives him to prove his courage and assertiveness.

Dr. Jack (1922) is actually my personal favorite out of all of Harold Lloyd's films, and a large part of that is due to Mildred's character and performance. Though Dr. Jack is not considered one of Lloyd's groundbreaking films, Mildred's complex character and her acting in this film really shine through. In the film, Mildred plays "The Sick-Little-Well Girl" who is, as her name suggests, not actually sick but is being treated as though she were deathly ill. Harold is Dr. Jack, the new specialist they bring in to check up on The Sick-Little-Well-Girl. In addition to being funny and charming in many scenes, Mildred's character also tugs at your heartstrings. You feel especially sympathetic towards The Sick-Little-Well Girl, of whom no one but Dr. Jack seems to truly understand. The forbidden love story-line is also another one of my favorite things about this film -- you don't often see it done in the Lloyd-Davis films.

Then there's the classic Safety Last (1923). Mildred plays the devoted girlfriend to Harold's iconic go-getter character. When Harold's character moves to the city to try and make well enough to buy a nice home for Mildred and himself, Harold gives his girlfriend the false impression that he's doing splendidly. Mildred, believing him, decides to join him in the city earlier than expected, leaving Harold to try to keep up the lie he concocted. This movie is arguably their most famous film together and it became the pinnacle of thrill comedy. Though Mildred didn't climb any buildings and hang off of clocks with Harold in this film, she does a fantastic job at perpetuating the comedy of the whole situation with her adorably naive character. It's a classic, indeed.

A large thank you to Sophie for allowing me to write this guest post -- it was a lot of fun and I really appreciate it! I hope this post inspires some people to watch my lovely lady Mildred Davis's films and I hope these films brighten your day and give you a good laugh!

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Thank you so much for such an interesting box set - I can't wait to watch the films! :)

As always, if you would like to participate in BSM, leave me a comment, send me an email etc. and we can work something out! :) 

Box Set Monday #11: Rosalind Russell

Roz Russell was, after Deborah, one of my first classic actress loves. I admired her, and still do, because where someone like Ava Gardner only had to slink across a room whilst nonchalantly pulling on a cigarette to command audiences, Roz made use of something else: her comedic talent. She may not have been a femme fatale, but she remained popular with audiences around the world because she knew how to make them laugh. On the flip side, as well as being a brilliant comedic actress, she was equally as well equipped to perform in more dramatic roles. In short, she was an incredible actress and everyone should love her as much as I do!

Contains:

The Women, 1939

His Girl Friday, 1940

My Sister Eileen, 1942

A Woman of Distinction, 1950

Auntie Mame, 1958

The Trouble With Angels, 1966

The Women is a film that every fan of classic film should see and a good starting point for those looking to get into the classics. In terms of 1939 in film, I rank this as #1. As well as Roz's great performance as the delightful and hilarious Mrs. 'Prowler', The Women is filled with a veritable who's-who of great Hollywood names: Joan Crawford, Norma Shearer, Joan Fontaine, and Paulette Goddard, to name but a few. If you're looking for something with strong female leads, this if your film. In fact, I would go so far as to say that never has there been such a brilliant all female cast. 

Like the film above, His Girl Friday is a must for all fans of classic film. The epitome of screwball comedy, Roz slays Cary with her quips, one-liners, and hilarious faces. It was the first film Roz films I saw and I've been hooked ever since. There's something so ageless about HGF that makes it all the more brilliant and worthy of praise.

My Sister Eileen tells the story of wo sisters, Ruth (Roz) and Eileen (Janet Blair), who move to New York in the hopes of boosting their respective careers of writing and acting. This may very well be the most ridiculous film in this box set. However, it's ridiculousness rules in it's favour because it's not a silly film trying to be serious, it really is just silly (and rather witty at times). Without Roz, however, I'm not sure that it would have been quite the same. It's contrived, full of scenarios that everyone has seen a hundred times before, but Roz brings a freshness to it which makes it quite impossible not to enjoy.

A Woman of Distinction sees Roz playing a college dean who firmly believes that her life is far to full and busy to leave any room for romance. So when an fantastical love story is cooked up by publicist Teddy Evans involving Roz's college dean and Ray Milland's English professor (of astronomy, no less), sparks being to fly - and not the sparks of love. The highlight of the entire film, for me, has to be the bike ride. I'm not the biggest fan of slapstick but that scene has me doubled up with laugher every time.

What can I say about Auntie Mame? Perfect films don't exist but if they did, Auntie Mame would be up there at the top. Roz IS the eccentric, extremely flamboyant, and always good fun Mame Dennis who, after her brother dies, is given charge of his only son, Patrick. Together, they manage to weather the ups and the downs of Mame's crazy life. With aspects of comedy, drama, and just downright craziness, no one with a heart will manage to get through this film without laughing and crying - quite possibly doing both at the same time.

Whilst The Trouble With Angels isn't actually a Disney film, it definitely has the Disney live action vibe that is present in films like The Parent Trap and The Moon Spinners (it probably helps that Hayley Mills stars in all three films!). Roz plays the Mother Superior of an order of nuns who run a private school for girls and she does so with wonderful gravitas and her usual dry wit (Fun fact: Roz was actually a Catholic in real life.).  Everything about the film makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside - it's so heartfelt and so lovely. And, you wouldn't think it, but Roz has some absolutely hysterical one-liners!

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As always, if you would like to participate in BSM, leave me a comment, send me an email etc. and we can work something out! :)

Thanks for reading!

Box Set Monday #10: Myrna Loy (Guest Post!)

It's been exactly 6 months since the last Box Set Monday post so when Bette of Bette's Movie Blog sent me a message last month asking if she could write a BSM for Myrna Loy, I was thrilled. I've decided that this post will mark the start of a new BSM series which will hopefully be 6-8 weeks long. After that I'll put the series back on the shelf for a few months and then start again at the end of the summer. As always, if you would like to participate and write a guest BSM post, you can shoot me an email, leave a comment, send me a twitter message etc. I'll list the criteria that you have to follow when writing a post at the end.

Now, onto Bette's wonderful post!

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It's a travesty that Myrna Loy never got her own DVD box set. She was never nominated for an Oscar, hardly any of her movies are even on DVD. This drives her fans - like me - to forever haunt the likes of YouTube and MetaCafe for clips or if we're lucky whole movies from our favourite star. My other favourite - Katharine Hepburn - has had many a boxed set created, and the majority of her films are released for us on DVD. I wish there were more of her films on DVD and I wish that there WERE A BOXED SET OF HER ALONE!!! There is the Thin Man Box set and the William Powell and Myrna Loy boxed set, but why not make one of her own? Surely she - one of the most underrated actresses of the golden age - deserves one, particularly as she's just had a new biography written about her. I remember deforest writing about a time on the TCM cruise when an 80 year old man stood up in the middle of a crowd of 300 and screamed at the head TCM programmer "WHERE IS THE ANN SHERIDAN BOX SET?" and then sat down again. So here is what I think should be in a Myrna Loy box set, some of these aren't even on DVD (TCM, I don't know if you frequent Classic Film Blogs, but please read this... Hint, hint?)

Contains:

Test Pilot, 1938

The Thin Man, 1934

The Best Years of Our Lives, 1946

Libeled Lady, 1936

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, 1948

Evelyn Prentice, 1934

Test Pilot, 1938

Starring: Myrna Loy, Clark Gable, and Spencer Tracy

Directed by: Victor Fleming

Ever since my mum told me she loved this film and I searched out some clips from it I wanted to see this movie. I'd searched and searched for the DVD, but alas, it was no-where to be seen. Test Pilot isn't on DVD.I found it on YouTube and immediately fell in love. Clark Gable is playing a carefree, debonair test pilot self who didn't "give a damn" about women or home life - that is, until he meets Myrna Loy's farm girl character. Spencer Tracy plays Gable's loyal best friend and "manager"... at least he has some common sense! Myrna Loy is adorable in this film. It's one of my favourites of hers.

The Thin Man, 1934  

Starring: Myrna Loy and William Powell

Directed by: W.S. Van Dyke

This is probably the film that Myrna is best remembered for. The quick witted wife, Nora, of detective Nick Charles. She quips back at him, loves him, teases him and is basically all around awesome. Who could want more in a wife? No-one it seems, because after this, most of Myrna's films had her playing the lead as a wife or devoted girlfriend - prompting the documentary "Myrna Loy: So Nice To Come Home To." You can't really love classic film without having seen at least one of the Thin Man series, and if you are only going to watch one, then this is definitely the best. No sequel could ever quite top it. This is flawless. A great addition to any collection.

The Best Years of Our Lives, 1946

Starring: Myrna Loy, Frederic March, Teresa Wright, and Dana Andrews

Directed by: William Wyler

Myrna loy came out of her "retirement" working for the Red Cross to appear in this. It's a very important film and a very important role for her. Here is my previous review of this post-war film that is bound to have anyone in tears.

Libeled Lady, 1936

(Bette's gif)

Starring: Myrna Loy, William Powell, Spencer Tracy, and Jean Harlow

Directed by: Jack Conway

This is one of my all time favourite comedies and films in general. It's wonderful - and I an only really think of The Philadelphia Story that tops it in terms of romantic comedies. Myrna Loy plays a rich society girl who is suing a big-time newspaper for $5,000,000 in a libel suit - after the newspaper had claimed she was a husband grabber. William Powell and Spencer Tracy work to frame her to undermine the credibility of her complaint. William Powell and Myrna Loy pair perfectly in this, the best since their inspired coupling in The Thin Man. There are plenty of cute scenes with Bill Powell in this movie but in my opinion it's not him that leads the show - though I hav to say he's still brilliant. I think that Myrna Loy and Jean Harlow are the best, and their performances stand out for me. Libeled Lady is a great piece of classic cinema that is never boring and always full of life and fun.

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, 1948

Starring: Myrna Loy, Cary Grant, and Melvyn Douglas

Directed by: H.C. Potter

I love this film. It's a great story full of clever observations about a family's need for extra space - and when they get it - they find out that no matter how much space and land they have, they still have the same age-old problem of living together. Cary Grant plays a kind but easily convinced advertising man who follows his dream of having a beautiful family house in Connecticut - even if it means starting right from scratch. This is a super fun film where Myrna Loy again plays a quick witted wife, and it includes a great scene where Myrna Loy goes into great detail describing the colours she wants her house painted.

Evelyn Prentice, 1934

Starring: Myrna Loy and William Powell

Directed by:  W.S. Van Dyke

Evelyn Prentice is an often forgotten pre-code courtroom thriller. It is by no means a masterpiece but Myrna Loy's performance is one of many that should have at least been nominated for an Oscar. Myrna plays the wife of a successful lawyer who absentmindedly neglects her and their child for his work. When he has a short fling with one of his clients (Rosalind Russel, made up and glamourised beyond recognition in her very first film role) and Myrna finds out, she decides to have tea with a poet/gigolo who had approached her a few nights before. She writes some letters to him that he uses to blackmail her, and she finds herself secretly involved in his murder trial. Her performance is wonderful and the finale courtroom scene killed me. This one's an interesting glimpse into a career she could have had as one of MGM's prime dramatic actresses.

Thanks Sophie for having me guest post on your lovely blog and I hope that the rest of the series goes well :-D! So I hope this has inspired you to go watch some Myrna Loy and I hope that someone reads this and makes this box set (TCM, by the way I am completely happy to be paid in box-sets and lifelong subscriptions to your channel/magazine!)

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Thank you, Bette, for such a great post! I'm going to have to get hold of a copy of Evelyn Prentice as I've never seen it. And readers, you should all check out Bette's wonderful blog. 

If you're interested in writing a post, it's probably a good idea to read the following points first.

• When choosing an actor/actress to "box set", you should make sure that a commercially available box set hasn't already been made for said star.
• You must have seen a fair amount of their films so that you can provide a well thought out and well rounded box set. (Shoot for something like 12+)
• The star must have made the majority of his or her films before 1965.
• You must pick 6 films. No more, no less. 
• As of this series, however, BSM is open to screen couples as well as single stars. Not all screen couples made more than 6 films together, so these box sets can contain a minimum of 4 films (the couple must have made at least 5).

Thanks for reading!

Box Set Monday #9: Maureen O'Hara

The rules for "Box Set Monday" are that the box sets can only be created for the actors and actresses who don't already have them, so people like Bette Davis, Cary Grant etc. are immediately out, but seeing as it's my series, I'm going to make an exception for someone who does already have a box set, albeit an absolutely rubbish one. The lucky star (*cough*), who joins Deborah and Greer for "box setted" red heads, is Maureen O'Hara! I own the only box set manufactured for the great Irish lady and I can honestly say it is one of the worst you could ever buy. It contains The Quiet Man, Our Man in Havana, Lady Godiva, Against All Flags, Rio Grande, and The Rare Breed. The first two films I absolutely love, but the other four... well, let's just say I don't know what the manufacturers were thinking when they chose them! So, yes, today I'm going against the Box Set Monday rules and making a box set for an actress who already has one.

Contains:

Sentimental Journey, 1946

Miracle on 34th Street, 1947

The Quiet Man, 1952

Our Man in Havana, 1959

The Parent Trap, 1961

Only the Lonely, 1991

Sentimental Journey is a sentimental (no, really?), tear-jerking melodrama about a young actress who, after finding out she has a terminal heart condition, decides to adopt a little girl so that her husband will not be alone when she herself inevitably dies. It's sickly sweet and probably not to everyone's taste but I think it's a necessary film for all Maureen fans to see, especially since it's one of the great lady herself's personal favourites.

I have to admit that the first version of Miracle on 34th Street I saw was the 1994 remake which I still absolutely love (Elizabeth Perkins + Richard Attenborough = fantasmagoricalness), but you can hardly make a Maureen O'Hara box set (even if it isn't actually real) without mentioning the wonderful, magical 1947 original. So don't wait until December to watch the sweetest Christmas film in the world about a determined young lawyer who proves to the cynical young woman he is in love with that Santa Clause is real (who really doubted that though? Not me...)!

In my opinion, you have a bit of nerve to call yourself a classic film fan if you haven't seen The Quiet Man ;D It's one of my favourite films of all time; everything about it is absolutely perfect, from the gorgeous scenery (luscious, green Irish countryside) to Maureen's fantastic performance as the young, fiery Mary Kate Danaher and John Wayne's equally fantastic Sean Thornton. Impetuous! Homeric!

Our Man in Havana is a brilliant film about an English expat, Jim Wormold (Alec Guiness) living in Havana with his daughter Milly, who accepts an offer to recruit a network of agents for the British Secret Service. Although the film is not primarily about Maureen's character, she does do a really wonderful job playing Jim's assistant/secretary.

There's nothing I can say about The Parent Trap that I haven't said before. I'm sure most of my readers know that it is one of my very favourite films and that I can watch it over and over again without getting tired of it. It's a really sweet, almost poignant at times, film about a pair of twins (both played by the always amazing Hayley Mills) who were separated not long after birth and meet by chance at a summer camp where they discover their connection and plot to get their divorced parents back together.

Yep, you're right, I included a film made later than 1970 in the box set. If you've seen Only the Lonely, then you'll know why I just had to include it. Maureen is unfathomably fabulous as John Candy's fierce Irish mother who disapproves rather strongly to her son's new girlfriend (Ally Sheedy), a Sicilian. It mixes comedy with a bit of melodrama, so keep the tissues handy! Oh, and did I mention that Maureen does a bit of Karate on an plane? (I really don't know if it's Karate but it's pretty nifty anyway! ;D)

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Thanks for reading, everyone! Unfortunately, I can only do so many box sets myself because there isn't an inexhaustible list of actresses whose films I've seen enough of to create well rounded box sets, so I'm going to have to end the series (or put it on the shelf for a few months) in a couple weeks unless there are any more people who would like to participate. If you would like to write a "Box Set Monday" post, leave a comment, drop me an email, tweet me etc. and we'll take it from there :D

Box Set Monday #8: Debbie Reynolds

Today we have a "Box Set Monday" post from Amanda of A Noodle In a Haystack (isn't her blog name the best thing ever? :D ). She's writing about 6 of Debbie Reynolds' films (only one of which I've seen... *hangs head in shame*), hope you enjoy!

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Contains:

Singin’ in the Rain, 1952

Give a Girl a Break, 1953

The Catered Affair, 1956

The Gazebo, 1959

Tammy & the Bachelor, 1957

The Unsinkable Molly Brown, 1964

So you want to get to know Debbie Reynolds, eh? Good thing you came to an expert – Debbie is one of my favorites, and I’m never at loss when it comes to suggesting her movies. My only problem is limiting myself to just a few, so you can imagine how hard it’s been for me to pick only six of her movies to share with you guys today.

Singin’ in the Rain – Aside from being one of the greatest musicals ever made, this was also the first movie to shine the spotlight on Debbie. She had only been in five movies before Singin’ in the Rain, and always in a bit part – or portraying the sister of a bigger star. As Gene Kelly’s love interest, though, she was allowed to shine and show everyone just how talented she was – whether she was dancing, singing, or throwing pies at Jean Hagen.

Give a Girl a Break – I always say that this is one of the best musicals that no one ever talks about. Debbie is teamed with Bob Fosse this time: their scenes together are really adorable, and their musical numbers are of the kind that make you want to dance up and down the walls and onto the ceiling.

The Catered Affair – Debbie is always remembered for her bright comedic roles, and rightly so. She’s one of the funniest actresses I’ve ever seen. Sometimes we forget, though, that she could handle the dramatic parts, too. The Catered Affair is in black and white and has no splashy musicals numbers and no slapstick: it’s just an unassuming film about a New York cabbie (Ernest Borgnine), his wife (Bette Davis), and the effects that their daughter’s (Debbie) upcoming wedding has on their family. Debbie’s performance is more subdued than usual, and her scenes – especially the ones with Rod Taylor, who plays her fiancé – are quietly effective and sweet.

The Gazebo – Glenn Ford’s character is the main focus of the movie, but Debbie holds her own quite well as his loving wife. Her comedic scenes are terribly funny, too – watch this movie if only to see Debbie try to dial a telephone with her nose!

Tammy & the Bachelor – Tammy may be a little on the corny side, but that doesn’t detract from its appeal. Debbie plays a girl who was raised on the Mississippi and has suddenly been transplanted to a large Southern plantation, where her frank manner and sweet temper helps heal old wounds in a family that was once wealthy but is now on the brink of poverty. It’s an old story, I know, but this is a great movie for a summer afternoon.

The Unsinkable Molly Brown – Last but not least, we have Debbie’s own personal favorite. For her performance as social climber Molly Brown, she received an Oscar nomination. Amazingly enough, Julie Andrews won for Mary Poppins. Whether she won or lost, however, is beside the point: Debbie is, as always, a joy to watch. She plays Molly all the way through from a backwoods gal to a lady of high society, showing us all the stumbling blocks and heartaches along the way.

Thanks, Sophie, for letting me share my love for Debbie Reynolds with your readers, and thanks to everybody who took the time to read this post. If you aren’t familiar with Debbie already, I hope you’ll take my advice and check out of couple of her films. You won’t regret it.

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Amanda, thank you so much for writing such a smashing post for this week's "Box Set Monday"! It's been a pleasure having you! :)

If you would like to participate in "Box Set Monday", just let me know my leaving a comment (along with some way for me to contact you), drop me an email, tweet me etc. and we'll see what we can do! :)

Box Set Monday #7: Ava Gardner (guest post by Clara)

This week I am honoured to have the wonderful Clara from Via Margutta 51 writing the guest post for "Box Set Monday". If you aren't already following her blog, go over there and do so immediately! I'm always in awe of how beautifully she writes, combining humour with a deep understanding of all aspects of classic film. So, without further ado, I will hand you over into her very capable hands!

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Hi Sophie's readers!  I tried to make the complete homework and did watch 8 movies from Ava I hadn't seen before. Even when some of them were bad; I found two new films I really liked and added them to the list. That's why movies like The Killers and On the beach were left out (sorry). My final selection is varied in genre, so you can pick your favorite.

Contains:

One touch of Venus, 1948

East Side, West Side, 1949

The Bribe, 1949

Mogambo, 1953

The barefoot contessa, 1954

The night of the iguana, 1964

One touch of Venus (1948): I included this film because is one of the few comedies Ava did. Plus it has a lot of funny moments. I love the idea of the movie: Robert Walker kisses the expensive statue of goddess Venus owned by his boss, and all of the sudden she comes to life. I personally like fantasy movies; this one is light and very entertaining plus you also had Eve Arden being hilarious as always and a magic song, Speak Low (http://youtu.be/DiXAWU_FQvo) . Ava's Venus is playful, relaxed, funny and cool.

East Side, West Side (1949): Interesting movie starring Barbara Stanwyck, Ava Gardner, James Mason, Van Heflin and Cyd Charisse. Drama, romance, crime, all together. Barbara is worried because the ex lover of her husband (Mason), Ava Gardner, is back in town. She had forgiven his affair, but now she's not sure if her hubby will remain faithful. Ava is great as the seductive bad gal, recognizing she only has her good looks to triumph in life. Stanwyck, and a new supportive male friend (Heflin) have great chemistry.

The Bribe (1949): I hadn't seen this movie before and I really liked it. Ava Gardner and Robert Taylor made three movies together and this one is the best. It tells the story of an American agent investigating a case in some hot Caribbean country. Soon, he falls in love with the wife of one his targets. Ava is innocent: she doesn't know what her husband is up too, but as the movie develops you learn she's also desperate because her hubby is ill and may commit a crime for him. Charles Laughton brilliantly plays the sick and sweaty assistant of the leader of the criminal group, boss Vincent Price. Believe me, Laughton steals the movie with his performance. "The bribe" is entertaining and keeps you intrigued. Ava's acting is believable and measured, according to her role of a long-suffering and young housewife.

Mogambo (1953): I must confess I don't like the complete movie. But if this is an Ava's Box Set I think it should be included only because Ava is hilarious in it. This is a love triangle (the other two involved are Clark Gable and Grace Kelly) that takes place in Africa. Ava's character is a showgirl from New York, an honest gal that doesn't stand social conventions and just lives her life the best she can. The problem is that she falls in love with Clark Gable, while he falls in love with a dull (and married) scientist. In that tense situation, Ava's lines become sharper than an African spear and so hilarious (http://youtu.be/Dli6k6IqSwA) you keep waiting for the next one. Her acting is playful and natural, very memorable.

The barefoot contessa (1954): One of my favorite directors, Joseph L. Mankiewicz (All About Eve; A letter to three wives, etc) is in charge of this movie. It tells the story of a poor Spanish dancer Maria Vargas (Ava) that's is spotted by a millionaire who wants to transform her in an international actress/star and another object in his collection. In the very first moment we learn that Maria has died, so different characters recount the story in flashbacks. One of them, the most important and Ava's best friend, is Humphrey Bogart, a movie director.His iconic voice describes most of the facts, which is pleasing to the ear. Because we know the ending, the tone of the movie is always hopeless; the pace, moderate, giving you time to detect everyone's motivations. Ava's acting is my second favorite, transmitting the grief of her character, like a wild animal in a cage.

The night of the iguana (1964): A classic. Ava at her best. Director John Huston tells the story of an ex priest, now a touristic guide (Richard Burton), that gets involved with one of the girls he's guiding in Mexico, causing the criticism and shock of their teacher. The group stops at Ava's inn, where also arrives a poor artist (Deborah Kerr) and her old poetic uncle. The movie (and novel) is based in everyone's passions, in human relationships, in the things that are unsaid. The clash of these different people provokes a dramatic implosion, but at the end everyone manages to solve their issues. Here Ava is ironic because she's tired of her life; passionate, because she knows that previous fact. And by portraying that in such natural way, Ava looks more alive than ever.

Well, that's it. Hope you enjoyed!

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Thank you so much for writing such a great "Box Set Monday" post, Clara! :)

As always, if you would like to write a guest post for "Box Set Monday", just leave me a comment (please leave me some way of contacting you though), drop me an email, tweet me etc. and we'll work something out! :D

P.S. I participated in the first part of a new series over on Clara's blog on Friday, you can check it out here. :)

Box Set Monday #6: Thelma Ritter

Thelma Ritter is the featured star of this week's "Box Set Monday" post. She was one of the great character actresses and received 6 Best Supporting Actress Academy Award nominations (interesting fact: she is tied with Deborah for being nominated the most times in one particular category without a win.).

Contains:

All About Eve, 1950

The Mating Season, 1951

Pickup on South Street, 1953

Rear Window, 1954

Pillow Talk, 1959

The Misfits, 1961

All About Eve is the first film I remember seeing Thelma Ritter in and in every film I've seen her in since then she has never failed to impress. She plays Margo Channing's (Bette Davis, as if you didn't know!) gritty, outspoken maid - the only member of Margo's close circle who dislikes Anne Baxter's conniving Eve Harrington. Thelma gained her first Academy Award nomination for her absolutely stellar performance. 

In The Mating Season, Thelma plays gives such a sweet, funny performance as the mother-in-law of socialite Maggie McNulty (Gene Tierney) who arrives at Maggie and her son's house and is mistaken by her daughter-in-law for the maid. It's such a delightful film, I can't recommend it enough. Also, Thelma plays a bigger part in the film than she does in many others so that is always wonderful!

I think Thelma's performance in Pickup on South Street is probably her finest ever. She plays Moe, a weary peddler of neck ties and seller of information. She is great in the entire film, but her final few minutes are what make her really stand out. If I could award Thelma the Academy Award she never won, this would be the performance I would give it too.

Rear Window is one of my favourite Hitchcock films, not least because of Thelma's fantastic performance as James Stewart's nurse, Stella (STELLAAAAAAA! or maybe not...). It wasn't one of her biggest roles, but her dry wit and perfect timing gives the film a little extra something that makes it all the more exhilarating.

Thelma's comedic, slightly over the top performance as Doris Day's nosy, drunken maid in Pillow Talk may not be one her strongest performances but she is so entertaining and engaging that you can't help but love her. The scenes in the lift make me chuckle every time!

The Misfits and Rear Window are the only films in this box set that didn't gain Thelma an Academy Award nomination; it seems so strange to me that she was overlooked for her performance in The Misfits. She plays Isabelle, a tired, sad, and slightly wistful character who befriends Marilyn Monroe's beautiful and vulnerable Roslyn. This was Thelma's second film with Marilyn Monroe with the first being All About Eve in which MM had a very small part as a young, aspiring actress. I can't recommend The Misfits enough, it's a film I think everyone should see at least once.

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Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this week's instalment of "Box Set Monday" and, as always, if you would like to write a guest post for this series please leave a comment (please leave me some way to contact you if you do this!), send me an email, tweet me etc. and we will figure something out! 

Box Set Monday #5: Carole Lombard

The star of today's "Box Set Monday" post is Carole Lombard, the gorgeous, tremendously talented Queen of Screwball Comedy.

Contains:

Twentieth Century, 1934

My Man Godfrey, 1936

Nothing Sacred, 1937

True Confession, 1937

Mr. and Mrs. Smith, 1941

To Be or Not To Be, 1942

I saw Twentieth Century for the first time today and just had to put it in the box set (it knocked out No Man of Her Own). Carole plays a lingerie model who is turned into a huge theatrical star by Oscar Jaffe (incredibly played by John Barrymore), a Broadway impresario. It encompasses everything a screwball comedy should and does so with such ease that you become entirely engrossed in the crazy and hilarious goings-on.

My Man Godfrey is the quintessential Lombard film, I think. If you don't end up loving dizzy, scatter-brained heiress Irene Bullock, then there's something wrong with you. William Powell also gives a smashing performance as the butler and only sane member of the Bullock household. MMG one of the most perfect examples of screwball comedy you will ever see, and I would not hesitate in using this film to lure people into the Old Hollywood downward spiral of obsession. ;D

The third film in the box set is Nothing Sacred, the first screwball comedy to be filmed in colour and Carole's only technicolour film (and yes, she is just as flawless in colour as in black and white!). Carole plays Hazel Flagg, a woman dying of radium poisoning. As such, she is invited to New York and becomes the talk of the town. Everything is smooth sailing until it's discovered that Hazel isn't actually dying...

True Confession is a wonderful comedy about husband and wife Helen and Ken Bartlett (Fred MacMurray). Helen is a writer and pathological liar, and Ken is a very honest lawyer. Going against against her husband's wishes and behind his back, Helen gets a job as a secretary. However, she soon finds herself in a bit of a pickle. I can't recommend this highly entertaining little film enough.  On a side note, Carole and Fred are one of my favourite '30s on-screen couples.  

One of Hitchcock's few comedy films, Mrs. and Mrs. Smith is a lively little film about a happily married couple who one day find out that they aren't actually married. Will they remarry or... ? The combination of Carole's perfect comedic timing, Robert Montgomery's pure brilliance, and Hitch's peerless skills as a director, makes this one of my all time favourite films.

To Be or Not To Be is a comedy drama (with an emphasis on drama) of the highest caliber. Most of the films in  this box set see Carole in slightly crazy comedic roles, but for the character of Maria Tura in this you have a chance to see her exercise her dramatic chops whilst still maintaining that glorious touch of Lombard comedic genius that we all know and love. TBONTB was the last film Carole made before her tragic death in a plane crash on January 16, 1942.

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Thanks for reading! Be sure to check back for next installment of "Box Set Monday". 

As always, if you would like to contribute to this series please drop me a line either here, on twitter, by email or wherever else you may be able to find me online, and we'll hopefully be able to work something out. :)

Box Set Monday #4: Ginger Rogers (Special Guest Post)

For the fourth "Box Set Monday" post, I am super duper excited to introduce to the first guest poster this blog has ever had, the marvellous Audrey of Fedoras and High Heels! 

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Hello, readers-of-Sophie’s-wonderful-blog! I am honored to be doing a guest post on here this week for the “Box Set Monday” feature! The subject of my imaginary box set will be six of my favorite films starring the multi-talented Ginger Rogers.

As you can probably imagine, it is difficult to select six essential films from an actress who appeared in over seventy films (or was it eighty?). I tried to pick a variety of roles that showcase Ginger’s many talents and give viewers a good introduction to her filmography.

Ginger Rogers’ Box Set

Contains:

Carefree, 1938

Bachelor Mother, 1939

Primrose Path, 1940

Stage Door, 1937

The Major and the Minor, 1942

I'll Be Seeing You, 1944

Although Ginger is best known today as being the dancing partner of Fred Astaire, you’ll notice that Carefree is the only one of their collaborations to make this list. While I do (by all means, do!) recommend viewing the other nine films they made together, I chose this one because the plot largely showcases Ginger—especially her comedic talents. Of course, there are also some wonderful dances between her and Fred, so you get a sampling of what made their iconic pairing so great.

In Bachelor Mother, when Ginger’s character gets stuck with a newborn baby, her boss at work assumes that she is an unwed mother. Basically, this film is just a great deal of fun. The plot is ridiculously delightful and David Niven has wonderful chemistry with Ginger.

You’ll notice that while Ginger’s Oscar-winning role of Kitty Foyle did not make the list, her other 1940 film—Primrose Path—did. That’s because I actually like this one better, and I think Ginger gives a finer performance. (I realize that may be an unpopular opinion, so feel free to disagree!). Considering that the Production Code was in effect, this film deals with some taboo subjects. But it manages to do so without resorting to a lot of stereotypes. Ginger gives a really natural, subtle performance that I consider one of the finest of her career. As an interesting side note, she dyed her hair brunette to de-glamorize (is that even a word?) for the role.

Stage Door is a marvelous drama (with some comedy thrown in) about a boarding house of aspiring actresses. I especially love Ginger in this because she gets some great lines and goes toe-to-toe with Katharine Hepburn without blinking an eye. The dynamic between the actresses in this is is snappy, sometimes catty, but always entertaining. How could it not be with a cast that, in addition to Ginger and Kate, includes a young Ann Miller, Lucille Ball, Eve Arden, and Gail Patrick?

Okay, so Ginger really doesn’t look twelve here, but The Major and the Minor is such laugh-out-loud funny comedy that it’s okay (plus, it’s all kind of explained in the story). I especially love how Ginger has to bounce between her real age and pretending to be a twelve-year-old (as you can see in the photos). Oh, and there’s even a scene where she pretends to be her grandmother!

I'll Be Seeing You is a tender and unlikely love story of a shell-shocked WWII veteran and a wrongly accused convict. I love this film because it has a very quiet and honest feel to it. Some people may call it sentimental, but I think the the strength of the performances brings a depth to the characters and keeps it from being too sappy. I’m not really sure how else to describe this film...except that you need to see it! Though it takes place during Christmas, don’t expect a typical holiday movie. :)

So that's it for my imaginary box set. Be sure to chime in with your favorite Ginger films in the comments! 

That was a lot of fun! Thanks for having me, Sophie. I love reading your blog and especially enjoy your contagious enthusiasm for classic films! :D

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Thank you so much for such a great post, Audrey :) I loved reading your summaries and, being shamefully lacking in knowledge of Ginger films, I'm looking forward to watching those that I haven't seen - especially Bachelor Mother and Primrose Path! It's been a real pleasure having you, Audrey! :D

Like always, if any of you would like to write a "Box Set Monday" post, just leave me a comment, send me an email, tweet me, send a carrier pigeon etc. and we'll see what we can do! ;D 

Thanks for reading and please check out my 5 mini film reviews post from yesterday!