Blogathon

Announcement: 5th annual WHAT A CHARACTER Blogathon

“What’s great about being a character actor is you know that you can survive forever. It’s not about the gloss of your eyebrows.” – Martin Short We’re back for a fifth consecutive year to honor the versatility and depth of supporting players with the WHAT A CHARACTER! Blogathon.  Based on a phrase borrowed from Turner Classic Movies (TCM) the WHAT A CHARACTER! Blogathon is an … Continue reading Announcement: 5th annual WHAT A CHARACTER Blogathon

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Film Festivals

Hometown Pride Honors Robert Taylor in Beatrice, Nebraska

Traveling across the highways and roads under dark, stormy skies, I recently found my way to Beatrice, Nebraska. As a Beatrice native, attorney by day and film historian by passion, Jeanelle Kleveland shared, “Beatrice’s population was about twelve thousand when I was born and it’s remained about twelve thousand to this day.” While many things about this small Nebraska town appear relatively unchanged over the … Continue reading Hometown Pride Honors Robert Taylor in Beatrice, Nebraska

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Blogathon, classic film review, Film Noir

The Black Pools of Noir in MURDER, MY SWEET 1944

It’s dark. Too dark to see without assistance from a handy flashlight to confirm the time on his watch. Private dick Philip Marlowe is scouting out the meeting place in a densely wooded area, just off the road. He walks cautiously as dense, smoky fog crawls along the ground, in his tipped fedora and buttoned up trench coat. He hears the snap of a twig … Continue reading The Black Pools of Noir in MURDER, MY SWEET 1944

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Blogathon, classic film review

The Seduction of SHANGHAI EXPRESS (1932)

Josef von Sternberg’s SHANGHAI EXPRESS was the top grossing film of 1932 (in US and Canada)- at the apex of the salacious Pre-Code era. With good reason. This exotic film takes us on a journey via rail in Northern China from Peking to Shanghai. There’s a uniquely diverse group of passengers that sometimes clash and sometimes simmer for the ride. Ultimately, each are surprised to … Continue reading The Seduction of SHANGHAI EXPRESS (1932)

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Blogathon, classic film review, Classic Film, Biography, silent film

Clara Bow is “IT”(1927)

Elinor Glyn’s novel “It” may be a different story than the film adaption, but the concept of “It” remains the same. What exactly is “It”? To claim it simply meant sex or sex appeal is selling it short. According to Clarence Badger’s/Josef von Sternberg’s IT (1927), “Self-confidence and indifference as to whether you are pleasing or not – and something in you that gives the … Continue reading Clara Bow is “IT”(1927)

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Blogathon, classic tv

My 80s TV Crushes: David Addison and Remington Steele

    The Silver Screenings site is conducting the Reel Infatuation Blogathon this week. Bloggers are tasked with reflecting upon their fictional character crushes- from books or the big or small screen. Truth be told, my first TV crush (and this is according to a discovery I made in my baby book as scribed in my mother’s own handwriting so it must be true) was … Continue reading My 80s TV Crushes: David Addison and Remington Steele

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Blogathon, Classic Film, Biography, New classics

Love is Served Up in WIMBLEDON (2004)

I’m not a huge sports nut. I’m what could be described as selectively passionate. I could care less about football. European or American. I couldn’t tell you when the NBA season is. But there are a couple of sports and a few teams I follow and cheer with vigor. University of Kansas Men’s Basketball (aka the Jayhawks, hence my twitter moniker @IrishJayhawk66), the Kansas City … Continue reading Love is Served Up in WIMBLEDON (2004)

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Blogathon, Classic Film, Biography

Annette & Frankie’s BEACH PARTY Ice Cream Social

When I heard Fritzi of Movies Silently had this cool idea for an Ice Cream Social themed blogathon, serving up some sweet treats to kick off the summer, I was on board. Surf board, that is. According to Fritzi, the idea is to review a movie, post an article or share a recipe that has a sunny plot or has the power to cheer you … Continue reading Annette & Frankie’s BEACH PARTY Ice Cream Social

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Blogathon, classic film review, PreCode

A PreCode Paralyzed Piranha: Walter Huston in A HOUSE DIVIDED (1931)

One of the many joys of attending a classic film festival such as the recent TCM Classic Film Festival, sometimes you get a chance to screen a film for the first time. When seeing a decades old film for the very first time, yet on the big screen, it’s like momentarily slipping back in time. I imagined what it may have been for audiences of … Continue reading A PreCode Paralyzed Piranha: Walter Huston in A HOUSE DIVIDED (1931)

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Blogathon, classic film review

Happy #ClassicMovieDay! My 5 Movies on an Island

  May 16th is National Classic Movie Day. Rick of CLASSIC FILM & TV CAFE chose to honor this with the 5 Movies On An Island Blogathon. As Rick states, “the intent is for participants to write about the five classic movies they’d want to have with them if stranded on a deserted island. (Yes, you can assume you have electricity, a projector, big screen, … Continue reading Happy #ClassicMovieDay! My 5 Movies on an Island

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