Christmas Films I Finally Saw!

 

There are some films that have escaped my viewing until now. You won’t believe the first film that I have not seen until last weekend! Actually, you won’t believe the second film I have not seen until last year Christmas. So let’s start…

1. CHRISTMAS IN CONNECTICUT-1945

Yes, this classic film is one that has escaped my viewing until last weekend. To be honest, I found this film in the bin in Walmart for under $6. Bucks! This is such a funny film and one I a. So happy to say I have finally seen and own. It starts off with 2 sailers who have survived the sinking of their ship by a German Submarine and were finally saved after adrift for many days. In the meantime, the head of a major corporation, wants his star of the magazine, to invite this sailer to her home in Connecticut for a splendid Christmas meal. Barbara Stanwyck plays this early version of a Martha Stewart who cooks up a storm of great meals while living at her cozy home in Connecticut, that she has decorated in her own style that people love to copy. The problem is that she has no home in Connecticut and has no idea how to cook! Now, she must entertain a soldier there for Christmas as well as her boss, played so well by Sydney Greenstreet and she is at a loss as well as her publisher. In comes a very rich man who wants Barbara as his wife who lets her use his home provided she finally accepts his marriage proposal. They all travel to that nice home, with an great fireplace, I might add, bringing along her fatherly friend, S. Z. “Cuddles” Sakall, who is the real chef behind her famous recipes. When the soldier, played by Dennis Morgan, arrives, sparks fly between him and Barbara but the ruse must continue which contains many funny moments. It’s a great movie and one I will watch every Christmas.

2. HOME ALONE-1990

Yes, I never saw this film until I, reluctantly, saw this with my hubby and the end of Christmas last year and really enjoyed it. I remember when it came out and became this mega hit with  so many interviews with MacCauley Caulkin, that browned me off wanting to see this movie especially because of this smarmy kid. I did my very best to avoid any movies starring this brat, as you can tell, I am not a lover of children who are smart asses, but, over the years I have seen a few like “ Uncle Buck” and “Home Alone 2”. Now, after all these years, I watched this movie and got a kick out of  the antics the 2 dumb ass robbers get into when they try to rob the home that the kid is living in. It starts off when the family are travelling to Paris for Christmas, but when the kid takes a hissy fit, mom, played by the golden Catherine O’Hara, sends him to the attic to sleep overnight. In all the chaos, the family take off for Paris forgetting about the brat. Kevin, the brat’s name, is happy being on his own, at first, but soon misses his family especially his mom. He notices the 2 bozos who want to rob the place and sets up booby traps all over the house. The  2 robbers, played so well by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern, have one mishap after another evoking the old Warner Bros. Cartoons that Wile E. Coyote got into. It is funny and strangely endearing even though the family are truly bad…who forgets their son!? Mom realizes she has left Kevin at home, while on the plane to Paris and does everything she can to get home. It is a fun movie, not a great one, but a fun one.

3. LAST CHRISTMAS-2019

Emilia Clarke is one big fuck-up..sorry for the swear word but it really deserves to be used here. She drinks too much, sleeps around, has no care for other peoples’ stuff and is always late at work which she  wishes she could be anywhere else. She works, in downtown London at a year round Christmas store run by the evocative Michelle Yeoh, who keeps giving this gal 2nd and 3rd chances. After burning her last friend, she must endure living back home with her overly dramatic mom, played so well by Emma Thompson who wrote the script and produced the film. Her dad drives a cab who would rather work all the time than be home with his wife who centers on the negative a bit too much. Her sister is fed up with her ..um..fucked-up sister, believing people cater too much to Emilia. While at work, Emilia sees a young guy on his bike and goes out to speak with him. They are drawn to each other and start spending a lot of time together where he starts showing her that her life is precious and  should not be burned nor the people around her. You find out that this girl, who has the gift of a beautiful voice, suffered a severe illness which affected her heart resulting in a heart transplant. Over time, she starts to realize that this young guy really believes in her and they fall for each other. This is a witty movie and I love Michelle Yeoh’s quips as well as her budding romance with a Dane. Emma Thompson rules her scenes as the a former Yugoslavian who her and her family had to escape the war in her country, and focuses on the negative. There is also real chemistry between Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding as her love interest. What’s very strange is that Emilia Clarke, when on “Game of Thrones” suffered 2 brain aneurysms, in 2011 & 2013, and almost died. This is a good movie and worth seeing.

Which Christmas movie is still on your radar to see or have you just seen it?

Are They Christmas Songs?

 

It’s the Christmas Season and it’s whatever music moves you over at Monday Music Moves Me and it is  all about Christmas this month so I’m starting off with music that isn’t about Christmas but they have become Christmas songs. Now, one, I understand but the other 2, I don’t quite get. Let’s not pussyfoot around and let’s get to it….

1. WINTER WONDERLAND  BY GUY LOMBARDO-1934

This is a song that seems to be played every hour on the hour during the Christmas season and just bout every singer has sung this. The music is by Felix Bernard and the lyrics, by Richard Bernhard Smith who thought up the words when he saw Honesdale Central Park, PA. Covered in snow. This became a huge hit for the Canadian Guy Lombardo  and his band, 91 years ago. There are over 200 different recordings of this song.

2. BABY, ITS COLD OUTSIDE SUNG BY RICARDO MONTALBAN AND ESTHER WILLIAMS-1949

This has become such a controversial song and I think most of us need to take a pill and  settle down. This song was written by Frank Loesser along with his wife, Lynn Garland who sang it at their dinner parties when they thought it was time for the guests to leave. It became a huge hit and has been covered by many singers over the decades and somewhat done to death. Later in the film, the roles are reversed with Betty Garrett chasing Red Skelton while singing this song and it is very funny.

3. MY FAVOURITE THINGS SUNG BY JULIE ANDREWS AND THE KIDS-1965

Nothing says Christmas than the warm summer sun, greenery and, oh yeah, Nazis! This song is sung by Julie Andrews to the kids who are scared by a thunderstorm( wussies). Christmas is mentioned in the song, written by Rodgers and Hammerstein, so that makes it a Christmas song. It is a great song, sweet and fun before the meanie Christopher Plummer stops the singing with one cold stare. 

So, what songs are played at Christmas, but it is not supposed to be a  Christmas song? Let me know.

Bonus…BETTY GARRETT AND RED SKELTON…

Star Of The Month-Jeff Chandler

 

JEFF CHANDLER

BIRTH: December 15, 1918

DEATH: June 17, 1961

AGED: 42 years

DIED FROM: pneumonia and blood poisoning after back surgery

REAL NAME: Ira Grossel

NICKNAME: Big Grey

MARRIED: once, to Marjorie Hoshelle-divorced

AFFAIRS: Esther Williams, Gloria DeHaven, Ann Sheridan, Julie Adams, Barbara Shelley, Mamie Van Doren(who didn’t!), Marilyn Maxwell, and Eartha Kitt

CHILDREN: 2 daughters. Both died in the early 2000s from cancer. His Aunt, Uncle and Grandfather also died from cancer. Genetic link to this horrible disease.

FRIENDS: Susan Hayward, Gordon MacCrea, Sammy Davis Jr.

OSCAR NOMINATIONS: Broken Arrow for his role as Cochise

OSCAR WINS: Nil

TALENT: singer, violinist, song writer

KNOWN FOR: Grey Hair and Chiseled features plus body hair. That had to be shaved for the movies so he was, often, quite itchy. An avid Democrat, proud of his Jewish Heritage and into civil rights.

What is sad is that Jeff Chandler is known more for what Esther Williams wrote in her autobiography, which was proven to be false, by her own admission, than for his acting ability plus his many other talents.  She wrote that he was a cross dresser and loved to wear women’s clothing, panties etc… while playing a he-man in his many films. This disgusting gossip went “viral” with all the TV shows, like “ Entertainment Tonight” plus even regular news, discussing Chandler’s “hidden”  fetish asking Esther Williams about his life. She loved talking all about this which made her book a best seller. Much later, it came out that she was asked to spruce up her autobiography so she decided to ruin this man’s reputation just to sell her book. She is not a nice person, sadly. I don’t care if a man wears women’s clothing as long as he is a nice person…let him do whatever he wishes, but when a man is not a cross dresser and can’t even defend himself because he has been dead over 40 years, that’s just very, very wrong. 

Jeff Chandler was very proud of his Jewish heritage starring in a couple of films and supporting them when they attacked Egypt which caused a stir. He formed his own production company, was a radio star plying the love interest to Eve Arden in “Our Miss Brooks” plus he was a singer and violinist. He played many Indians in film, which is now considered in bad taste, but these were the times so let’s get over it and move on. He also played many heroes from chivalrous heroes to swashbucklers and adventurers. 

He had many affairs which is understandable given his rugged good looks and his silver hair which started to turn white when he was 18. His chiseled features became the model for the main character in the comic, “Johnny Quest”. He loved baseball, was in WW2, and was a devoted friend. He went to school and became a life-long friend of Susan Hayward, and, when Sammy Davis Jr lost his left eye in a car accident and his right eye was feared to be affected, Chandler volunteered to have one of his eyes  taken, but the technology was not ( and is not) available. He had many talents but, sadly, he died suddenly and it was blatant malpractice. On the set of one of his movies, he injured his back ( playing baseball with U. S. soldiers who were extras in the film) and underwent surgery but his artery was knicked, developed blood poisoning and died. His family sued and won the case.

This man should be known for his acting, his devotion to his friends plus his many talents not the gossip that was proven to be false. 

FILMS

1. Broken Arrow-1950

2. Cochise-1950

3. Two Flags West-1950

4. Smuggler’s Island-1951

5. War Arrow-1953

6. Foxfire-1955

7. Merrill's Marrauders-1961

8. Thunder In The Sun-1959

9. The Tattered Dress-1957

10. Man In The Shadow-1957

Who Should Have Won Best Actress 1965

 

I post this on the 2nd week of each month and …I forgot! So, I’m posting it now and this one is close to my heart. In October1972, my mom took my brother and I to Europe to visit family, but before we traveled to Graz, Austria, we went to Vienna and then, to Salzburg. I loved every moment and my heart belongs to the mountains. When The Sound of Music made its premiere on TV, without editing, I was beyond excited! I remember watching the clock all day and telling my dad that we must watch this, not the news, and it starts at 7pm. That opening, showing the beauty of the land, had me enthralled and then, there was Julie twirling on that mountain in love with life. To say I was overjoyed, would have been an understatement and I bought the record, memorized all the tunes and dreamed of going back to Salzburg ( which I did in 1980 and 1993). So, I bet you can guess whom I think should have won for Best Actress…

1. JULIE ANDREWS IN THE SOUND OF MUSIC

This scene just captivated me and brought my tween romantic self out in full tilt! In this scene, not only did Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer dance this Liedler so sweetly, with great ease plus they show how much they have fallen for each other. While Christopher has that confidence, Julie shows raw emotion from love, sexual tension, realization and embarrassment. This, to me, showcased her acting range plus Julie carried the movie. She is in almost every scene with her strength, exuberance, charm and wondrous voice taking control of every part of the film. She won the previous year for Mary Poppins but, I think, she should have won for this film. 

2. JULIE CHRISTIE IN DARLING

I confess, I still must see this film so it’s somewhat wrong of me to say Julie deserves the Oscar more but, I know I would still vote for Julie….Andrews. Julie Christie won the Oscar playing the selfish, mod model/actress who values her career and surface fun over people and their feelings. She dabbles through men to get ahead using her wiles to get where she wants, but she doesn’t even know what she wants. Julie Christie had a big year in 1965 playing the narcissistic model as well as playing Lara, the beautiful paramour to Omar Sharif’s Dr. Zhivago. I must see this movie in the on coming year…if I can find it.

3. CATHERINE DENEUVE IN REPULSION

I have no clue why Catherine Deneuve was not even nominated for this demanding role as a beautiful but emotionally detached woman who lives with her sister, but has an inability to cope with life. When her sister leaves with her boyfriend for Rome. While they are gone Deneuve’s character falls deeper and deeper into madness and Deneuve carries the role so well. Seeing her descent is very unnerving especially when she kills the man who loves her. You realize she was broken long ago and those cracks she concentrates on, are the cracks she is experiencing in her mind. It’s considered a horror film, but you can easily call it a thriller. Maybe because of the chilling motif, she was not even nominated, but this is a crime.

Have you seen Darling? Would you agree with Oscar or with me? Do you think someone else should have won? Love to know:)

FYI- I love  the Glasgow Gallanter and read it every week but, for the last few weeks I can’t log in and leave comments! I tried logging in the normal way and even via Facebook and …nothing. It’s very frustrating. She has a great blog and my hubby and I had the privilege to meet her and her hubby and take them around Niagara Falls for the day. I love all her walks and what she sees. 

Which Song Won The Oscar 1945

 

I’m late, as per norm, but doubly late since I, normally, have this post in the 3rd week of each month. Why now? For the big reason that…I forgot!  Better late than never, I always say and this week, over at Monday Music Moves Me,  the theme is to choose songs that can make you happy and this fits for the Oscar songs from 1945. Let’s see if you can pick the song that won the Oscar, which was nominated and which came up short…

1. THE WORRY SONG SUNG BY GENE KELLY AND JERRY THE MOUSE

This song, written by Sammy Fain and Ralph Freed, was a breakthrough moment in film production because Gene Kelly dances with a cartoon character. Gene danced with one of his favourite off-screen partners, Carol Haney and the. The animators got to work and created Jerry the Mouse dancing to Carol Haney’s movements and, through the creativity and magic of film, have Gene teach Jerry that this King can sing and dance and that everyone has talent. It’s a wonderful fantasy sequence in the film, “Anchor’s Aweigh” and one of the highlights in musical film

2. IT MIGHT AS WELL BE SPRING SUNG BY LOUANNE HOGAN

Jeanne  Crain plays the lovely daughter of farmer parents who have entered the state fair, Mom for her mincemeat pie and dad for his boar, Blue Boy. Jeanne longs for something more while her brother is disheartened that his girlfriend can’t make it to the fair. This is the only musical that Rogers and Hammerstein created for film, not Broadway. This is a romantic comedy musical, not just romance between Crain and Dana Andrews (who actually had a great singing voice) but romance with family and happiness in the simple things. 

3. ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE SUNG BY BING CROSBY AND SONNY TUFTS

This is a famous song written by the famous team Johnny Mercer and Harold Arlen originally sung by Bing Crosby and Sonny Tufts in the film, “Here Comes the Waves”, it was made more famous when Bing sang the song with the Andrew Sisters. I always loved this fun and happy song even though this song was sung in blackface,  with the help of the WAVES, on a war ship to the troops. I could not find the excerpt from the actual film so, I hope, this version will do. Just an FYI, WAVES stands for Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Services.

Ok, so can you guess which song won, which was nominated and which got 0 love?

Movies in the Sahara Desert

 

I realized I totally missed my Oscar events in music and in film so I hope to do this next week…we shall see:) I was gone last week, Thursday to Saturday for our early Christmas party in Toronto  and fell behind here which is typical, sadly. My work put on a great event during the day. We ate at their local synagogue and the food was delicious. They hired 2 ladies to teach us line dancing, but since we were in the synagogue, women and men had to be separated. I tried the line dancing but my pain would not let me continue so I sat on the sidelines and the women were great. Since my pain was quite intense, I could stay and watch the men…that was hilarious especially when they had to do some hip movements…hahahaaaa. The night was at an Italian restaurant and it was excellent. I forgot how many courses comes before the main course followed by some decadent cakes…there must have been a dozen different cakes. I cheated and had carrot cake and strawberry shortcake. 

Now, my friend, VJ, had a great time riding a camel into the desert Staying overnight in a tent which is another tick off his bucket list. I am continuing the desert and Moroccan theme choosing 3 pics that fit this theme..

1. MOROCCO-1930

This is Marlene Dietrich’s first U.S. film and she was nominated for an Oscar for her film role in this drudge of a film. Yup, I said drudge because it seemed all so exciting at the beginning when she first meets Gary Cooper, playing a French Legionnaire. She plays a Cabaret headliner, in her men’s tuxedo with top hat, who ends up kissing a girl. To say this is racy, in pre-code Hollywood, is an understatement and made Marlene a huge star. In this film, she is damaged goods who does not want to fall in love with cad, Gary Cooper, a handsome, narcissist who screws them and leaves them. They fall in love despite his reluctance and knowing she would have a better life with rich, secure Adolphe Mengou, who wants to marry Marlene. This all take place in Morocco and the Saharan desert and the famous ending where, spoiler alert, she runs into the desert with her high heels before taking them off and going barefoot…in the Sahara..it gets extremely hot n the day and quite cold at night. It’s an early sound film and it’s neat to see Marlene at a young 29 and Gary, the same, but I was not enamoured with this movie, but, maybe, I need to give it a second chance.

2. CASABLANCA-1942

Even though this Classic, brilliant film was all filmed on a set, it really evokes all the intrigue and drama that did take place in this Moroccan city. If you haven’t seen this film yet…what the F#@, are you waiting for…lol. Humphrey Bogart plays Rick, who owns Cafe American, where intrigue and drama takes place every minute. His best friend, Sam (Dooley Wilson, who couldn’t play a note) plays the piano and we meet many characters including the bartender, played by S. Z. “Cuddles” Sakall, Madeleine Lebeau as the floozy involved with Rick, Peter Lorre as Ugarte who has Letters of Transit ensuing 2 people to leave this port, the great Claude Rains as the corrupt Capt. Renault, Sydney Greenstreet as Ferrari who would love to own Rick’ Cafe and the evil Nazi, Major Strasser, played by Conrad Veidt. Conrad was German, married a Jewish lady and was openly hostile against the Nazi regime. He was held by the Nazis and, due to British government intervention, he was allowed to leave. Actually, many German Jews played Nazis in films including this one. Anywho, enter Paul Henreid as Victor Lazlo with his wife, the stunning Ingrid Bergman as Ilsa where you soon find out she had an affair with Bogie back in Paris. The acting, directing, art direction and cinematography is excellent and the writing? The writing is great with so many one liners that became famous. It’s a must see.

3. THE FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX-1965

I love this film, starring James Stewart, as the pilot bringing back a group of men, mainly oil workers, to Benghazi but they run into a Sandstorm and crash in the Saharan desert. They have only enough water for 10 days or so and try to find water, make friends with some very bad Arab men( it didn’t turn out well) and try not to kill each other. A German aeronautical engineer feels they can fix this plane and get it running to get home, so the men are all tasked to help fix the plane. I find the acting brilliant and the writing, the same. There is a shocker I did not see coming near the end of the film which also made me laugh. It’s a great thrill of a movie.

Bonus…

THE SHEIK-1921

I have to include this luscious film that stars Rudolph Valentino as a Sheik who abducts an independent British lady, played by Agnes Ayers,  and brings her to his home in the Saharan desert. Women swooned watching this film hoping Rudolph would take them away and make love to them under the sandy stars. This was a mega hit  and solidified Rudolph’s immortality. 

The Desert and Morocco

My dear friend, VJ, is on another adventure and right now, he has taken a trip into the Sahara, by Camel, and is staying in a tent overnight. He arrived in Marrakech, Morocco on Saturday and met up with a friend ready to embark on a 2 week travel around Morocco. This excursion has been on his bucket list and now it has been fulfilled! He contacted me via WhatsApp  just to show me the golden desert and the caravan with his camel out front, resting where they will be pitching their tents. I told him, I hope no snakes or scorpions visit him in the night, but he is not fazed by this one bit. So, in honour of his escapade, I am choosing some desert songs that will work with the free theme over at Monday Music Moves Me.

1. WE’RE OFF ON THE ROAD TO MOROCCO SUNG BY BING CROSBY AND BOB HOPE-1942

This is a famous song sung by these 2 greats in their 3rd Road picture they did together. It’s sung almost tongue in cheek since they sing about making a picture with Dorothy Lamour who appeared in all but one of their famous Road pics. This song, written by Jimmy Van Heusen with lyrics by Johnny Burke is a fun entry to this funny movie as well as a great introduction to this famous duo. Well, you meet them beforehand, but this still helps develop these characters as they sing while fluffing up the camel’s hump. I wonder if VJ fluffed up his camel’s hump….not that there’s anything wrong with that.

2.  THE DESERT SONG SUNG BY GORDON MACREA AND KATHRYN GRAYSON-1953

This is the 3rd remake of this Broadway operetta written by Sigmund Romberg with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein which takes place in Morocco and the Sahara Desert. Here we have Triple D Kathryn Grayson sing oh so lovingly to Gordon MacCrea, the hero in this film. I am certain that VJ is rolling his eyes to this loving tune sung by 2 great singers/actors that deserve better recognition today.

3. MARRAKESH EXPRESS SUNG BY CROSBY, STILLS AND NASH-1969

After the Hope and Crosby song, this was the 2nd song that came into my head and one that I thought was done by Bread or even Simon and Garfunkel but, nope this comes from this trio ( Neil Young was gone) and was written when Nash was in this city and took note to paper to develop these characters’ songs.

4 DESERT ROSE SUNG BY STING AND CHEB RABAH-1999

I am not a Police fan and not really a fan of Sting’s voice but I really like this song and felt it was perfect for my Desert theme. I really love Cheb’s singing which gives that Moorish feel.

I hope VJ looks at this post and can’t wait to hear about his escapades. What desert song can you think of?