In April of this year the world lost Mickey Rooney, an entertainer whose career spanned an unbelievable nine decades. Born in Brooklyn New York on September 23, 1920, Rooney was on the Vaudeville stage almost before he could talk and appeared in his first movie at the age of six. From there the movies became his life. With sidesteps into radio and television Mickey Rooney … Continue reading getTV Mickey Rooney Blogathon
If you know John Ford’s THE QUIET MAN (1952), then you know me better than you think. Some say this film is an Irish western… A love story… A romantic fantasy of Ireland. For me, all of these can be said as true, but more specifically it’s also a love story of the deep roots of Irish family and community. If you have never seen … Continue reading My Irish Heart Can Be Found in THE QUIET MAN (1952)
With the enormous success of Sam Wood’s A NIGHT AT THE OPERA (1935) under their belts, the Marx Brothers trio of Groucho, Chico and Harpo proved they were a box office hit post-Paramount and ready for their next MGM hit, continuing on without brother Zeppo. Directed again by Sam Wood, A DAY AT THE RACES (1937) brought the hilarious Marx Brothers threesome and a talented … Continue reading A DAY AT THE RACES
“An actor entering through the door, you’ve got nothing. But if he enters through the window, you’ve got a situation.” —Billy Wilder Filmmaker Billy Wilder was a genius because he looked through the camera lens and typed words on the keys with a different perspective than most. His skew was wittier, and richer in layers of character development. Today we celebrate him with this blogathon … Continue reading Happy Birthday Billy! The BILLY WILDER BLOGATHON is here…
Billy Wilder was an Austrian born filmmaker/writer/director… and all-around cinema genius. Born Samuel Wilder on June 22, 1906 in Sucha, Austria, Wilder went from being a Viennese reporter to a free-lance writer in Berlin where he started working on film scripts in 1929. As Hitler rose to power, Wilder moved to Paris to direct his first film, as he feared his Jewish ancestry would threaten … Continue reading STALAG 17 (1953)
The swinging, silly, sexy, psychedelic sixties. This aptly describes the style of the times and of the outrageously fun flick, CASINO ROYALE (1967). I can’t say for certainty because I was just wee babe of six months old when this film was released in April 1967, but to me, this film is a stylish party that projects what many wanted the 60’s to be. Reality … Continue reading CASINO ROYALE (1967)
Recently, I was contacted by my friend Michael of the WHEN IT RAINS…YOU GET WET blog (aka @le0pard13 on twitter). He told me that he had nominated me for a Versatile Blogger Award! I was both thrilled and honored, of course! Let me tell you a couple things about my friend Michael. I had gotten to know him initially through twitter, often at #TCMparties, or … Continue reading The Versatile Blogger Award and Noms!
Carol Reed’s innovative classic THE THIRD MAN (1949) is one of my favorite films. It stands apart from many films of its time and still remains a unique cinematic experience. A very different film to reflect a very different time and place… post WW2 war, ally occupied Vienna. This aesthetically beautiful film noir was photographed by cinematographer Robert Krasker and written by novelist Graham Greene. … Continue reading THE THIRD MAN (1949)
It’s the dry, sandy desert of the New Mexico landscape of the 1950’s. A small plane circles above in radio communication to the two state patrol officers driving in the squad car below. The pilot has alerted the officers there’s a little girl wandering the desolate area alone and agrees to follow above until they reach her. When Officer Ben Peterson calls to her, she … Continue reading THEM!
This is all about Billy Wilder. The great. Beginning his screenwriting career in 1929 Germany, Wilder would make a definitive mark on Hollywood from behind the camera, both by way of his his pen and later as a premier director. Films written by or directed by Billy Wilder continue to spark debate and adoration to this day thanks to his sharp wit and memorable imagery. … Continue reading BILLY WILDER Blogathon
Outspoken & Freckled 