Before I begin, let me tell you of a story between a man whom I would love to create stars over his head...my hubby. I am smiling over clenched teeth since he started to show an interest again, in the computer....this is a bad thing because he has no idea about computers, hell, he has no idea how to use the remote! He downloaded some game his brother sent him and he had difficulties with it so he deleted it....with his new e-mail. Last night he decided to try and get this back so he spoke to his brother for quite a while but, in the end, he just told me his brother needs to come out. Now, I decide to try to go on my blog and ...I can't! Why? It now says my Google+ address is his e-mail (which he spelled wrong) and no clue about the password. I love him, but when I asked him what he did, he claimed it was my fault. You know what I saw......BAM! POW! KAZAM!! His brother came by today and let's hope I can get on my blog at home.
This week's movie theme is Star-Crossed lovers. I am never one for just a romance story so I am having a tough time with this one. If you wish to find out what the others have picked, head on over to Wandering Through The Shelves. These are my 3 that I picked...
1. CASABLANCA-1942
What more can be said about this great film except, if you haven't seen it, what is wrong with you??-lol. Just about everything takes place at Rick's Cafe owned by the tough talking Bogart. Intrigue, spies, Nazis...you name it happens in this club. This has a superb cast, my favourite being Claude Rains as the prefect. All seems aok until Bergman comes back into Bogart's life, or should I say Ilse and Rick. Rick has certain papers everyone wants their hands on and you wonder who will Ilse end up with, Rick or her Husband... Watch the movie!
2. ROMAN HOLIDAY-1953
This is a great comedy with a dramatic flair. The beautiful Audrey Hepburn stars as a sheltered princess visiting Rome on a tour. She wishes she could be a normal, carefree girl so she escapes her life and meets...Gregory Peck who happens to be a reporter, but she doesn't know this. You walk with these 2 in Rome (let's dream) as she experiences many things for the very first time. It is a very sweet movie with a truth that you wish would not be so.
3. LOVE STORY-1970
"Love means never having to say you're sorry".....WTF??? What mind bending trip was she on when she said this? A boy from a wealthy family meets a girl from a much less wealthy family and they fall in love while at school. The boy's father disapproves. of the union and so begins a zzzzzzzzzzz, oops sorry, I fell asleep there for a minute. This was a huge hit back in the day and I still don't know why but I bet many do like this movie, just not me. I won't give all away but it is a love story tear jerker that makes me want to turn the channel and watch the 3 Stooges, which I do like by the way:)
What 3 films will you pick? I bet The Notebook will be big this week:)
I almost went with Casablanca! Lovely choice. I'm not a huge fan of Roman Holiday, but it fits here quite well.
ReplyDeleteLOL, I remember thinking Love Story was...awful, too.
Casablanca is just fantastic and I really love Roman Holiday. Love story is blechh
DeleteI really like Roman Holiday. It's super weird, but in a good way. I've never seen the other two, but Love Story does sound like it would be very basic and boring. lol
ReplyDeleteOh, it's boring, dull and with Ali MacGraw so that says it all:) I love Roman Holiday
Delete"Love means never having to say you're sorry (that you f--ked up my computer again." :)
ReplyDeleteHi, dear Birgit!
Next time your husband wants to play that game his brother sent him, utter these famous words:
"Play it again, Sam... but use somebody else's computer!" :)
I have seen all three of these movies. In my experience, these three 20th century motion pictures are relatively well known by the millennial generation. Scenes from Casablanca have been used in numerous comedy sketches and music videos over the years and Bogey has often been imitated. Audrey Hepburn is a style icon among many of today's young people. Love Story, the book and the most recently released of the three movies, continues to fascinate younger generations.
Thanks, dear BB!
I am going to buy an I pas very, very soon and then the computer is all his:) I love the SCTV version of Casablanca
DeleteI love Casablanca and Roman Holiday, how could I have forgotten them? I haven't seen Love Story but it really sounds boring!
ReplyDeleteIt is...boring. I'd rather do my taxes
DeleteI've seen the first two, but never watched the last one. Doesn't sound like I missed anything from missing it haha
ReplyDeleteYou have not missed a thing with that last one
DeleteTremendous picks. You can't beat Casablanca for repressed longing and regret, it's all so beautifully played. I agree that Rains is inimitable but I'd have a hard time choosing an MVP in the film.
ReplyDeleteI really like Roman Holiday rather than love it and while Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn make a wonderful couple something about it just never sweeps me away. It fits here so well though.
I've never gotten all the hoopla over Love Story either but I do remember when it was out vaguely and it was uber popular, one of my cousins saw it at least 20 times in the theatre. And that seemed to be a prevailing occurrence with its fans. It's terribly acted, Ali MacGraw is an odd case I've seen her being interviewed and she charming, funny and relaxed but hand her lines to say and the woman turns into a tree, and the direction is sloppy but it does have some beautiful scenery. I guess it's just one of those films that caught the zeitgeist of the moment and doesn't travel well.
This was going to be an all Barbra Streisand list since star crossed lovers seems to be part of her stock in trade but her version of A Star is Born is such a stinking pile of wasted celluloid I just couldn’t bring myself to list it and turned to a MUCH better version of the same tale. I threw in a little snippet for each to highlight the theme.
The Way We Were (1973)-Memories will light the corners of your mind after viewing this high quality drama of Jewish radical Katie Morosky (Babs) and "gorgeous goyish guy" Hubbell Gardner (Robert Redford) who attend college together in the 30’s then meet again during WWII and despite immense differences fall in love. The film follows their problem plagued relationship through dating, marriage and the Hollywood blacklist. Tale of doomed love is ultra-romantic with political overtones has nice period detail and perhaps Streisand’s career best performance.
**Star-crossed quote- "I want us to love each other. The trouble is we do."
Funny Girl (1968)-Gawky, burning with ambition and massively talented Fanny Brice is trying to make her way in show biz, by chance she meets suave professional gambler Nicky Arnstein who helps give her a step up. Sensing a spark but pulled apart by circumstances Fanny continues her ascent occasionally running into Nick until a fateful encounter leads to a great love. Problem is Fanny’s compiling one triumph on top of another while Nick feeling the pressure of being “Mr. Brice” suffers a series of bad luck deals leading to a disastrous decision (and an emotion packed finale). Oscar winning showcase for Streisand, how much is true is questionable though the real life Brice and Arnstein did have a troubled marriage.
**Star-crossed quote-Nick: “I thought maybe, finally, at last my luck had changed…but it hadn’t. “Fanny-“So it will change tomorrow, the way it has a hundred other time. Everybody has a run of bad luck now and then it doesn’t mean anything.” Nick-“How would you know darling? You never lose.”
A Star is Born (1954)-Band singer Esther Blodgett (Judy Garland) saves movie star Norman Maine (James Mason) from making a drunken fool of himself at a Hollywood benefit when he stumbles into her act. Intrigued he tracks her down to a late night club and discovers that she possesses “that little something extra” that makes a great star and convinces her to leave the band. After some complications a friendship develops leading to a romance and marriage but as Esther, now rechristened Vicki Lester, rises ever higher Norman, trapped by demons in a downward spiral, falls leading to tragedy for all. Judy’s pinnacle both vocally and dramatically. She’s almost matched by Mason and they are supported by strong work from Charles Bickford, Tommy Noonan and especially Jack Carson.
**Star-crossed quote:
“Love isn't enough, I thought it was. I thought I was the answer for Norman. But love isn't enough for him. No matter how much you love someone — how do you live out the days? How?”
OMG-You had me laughing with Ali MacGraw compared to a tree-it is so true! She has as much charisma as my half-dead houseplant. Casablanca is rich in every degree and I could not think of one character considered MVP-you are so right. The Way We Were is a much better love story and the dredge I mentioned even though I don't go out of my way to see it. I love Funny Girl with all the antics and brilliant turn by Streisand even though she drove the director nuts. A Star is Born with Judy is the best of the 3 (or is it 4 actually). It is so well acted and she was robbed of her Oscar
DeleteLOL with your hubby; interesting how he would blame you for issues he caused with the computer. Maybe he needs his own one?
ReplyDeleteI have not seen any of these movies you picked, but have heard a little about each of them. I do remember all the hype about Love Story when it came out.
I would have picked A Star is Born with Kris Kristofferson and Barbara Streisland. I think I saw that movie at least 6 times in the movie theater when it came out and cried every time. But then I was young :)
betty
Yes....he did but he knew to recant...the bum! I am going to buy a I Pad very, very soon and then he can have the lap top. Now of all the films, you must see Casablanca! A Star is Born with Streisand is..ok but I prefer the Judy Garland version
DeleteI have actually seen all three of those. I'm not a huge fan of Love Story, and we have it to blame for all the Jennifers that I grew up with.
ReplyDeleteLove Story is blechhh:)
DeleteSIGH Casablanca. My favorite. Ingrid Bergman's face as Sam plays "As Time Goes By." "We'll always have Paris." "Here's looking at you, kid." PERFECTION.
ReplyDeleteRoman Holiday is NOT perfection, but it is nonetheless a lovely lark. I've never seen Love Story, but I ADORE the Carol Burnett Show spoof of it, "Lovely Story". I never understood that "Love means never having to say you're sorry" line either.
Casablanca is just perfect and has not dated in my eyes. I love Roman Holiday as for Love Story...I have to watch the Carol Burnett version . I forgot about her version and I saw it so long ago that I can't remember hardly anything from it but I remember laughing
DeleteBIRGIT ~
ReplyDeleteThe first two are fantastic choices - classics! - I love them both, and own 'CASABLANCA' on DVD.
'Love Story' - just that famous line (which I have often mocked in a thousand ways) was enough to convince me not to waste my time on that movie.
Hmmm... I'm sure I could think up more if I tried, but off the top of my head (don't know if anyone else has mentioned this yet), a favorite "Star-Crossed Lovers" movie of mine is 'SOMEWHERE IN TIME'. Sheesh! An ill-fated love story mixed with time travel - who wouldn't love THAT movie, eh?
~ D-FensDogG
'Loyal American Underground'
I LOVE Somewhere in Time! I saw that in the movie theatre when it came out. I am savings this film for another time-hahahaaa. Yeah-don't bother with Love Story Ali MacGraw is about as exciting as watching a palm leaf
DeleteEven though I am laughing profusely, I really am sorry to hear about your male human caused computer problems. As for the movies, I have only seen Casablanca. Great movie, that one.
ReplyDeleteMy hubby can be entertaining. His brother came over and fixed it and now my hubby can't get on his e-mail-hahahaaa-this will be the 3rd e-mail he made
DeleteI did get a chuckle from this post. I have remote challenged DH too, and he used to get on the computer - rarely - but just when I wanted to use it (and never used the one I wanted him to use!) Hope you get the google problem solved..so frustrated. Loved all these movies today. The first 2 are my favs, #3 was too sappy for me, but can always rewatch #1 & #2 and enjoy again. Only saw #3 the first time. Good choices. Have a happy ending. TFS
ReplyDeleteOh there are always antics here:) Now I am aok but he can't get on his e-mail:) I can't wait to buy an I Pad for myself:)
DeleteClaude Rains is the best thing about a great film. And I DON'T mean "Love Story!"
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with what seems to get the consensus on here! I saw Love Story when it came out and kept waiting for it to match the hype - it didn't and I've never tried again. Casablanca is wonderful. Watched Roman Holiday recently with my Mum and we both enjoyed it which makes it pretty much unique! No-one has mentioned the buttoned up Brief Encounter which I didn't much like or THE star-crossed lovers of all time, Romeo and Juliet. I loved the Zefferelli version when young, but don't know how it would stand up to a revisit, and was surprisingly impressed by Baz Luhrmann.
ReplyDeleteAnd don't let that man near the computer again!
I love Brief Encounter and I can kick myself for not picking that one. I love the Zefferelli version but have not seen the Baz Lurmann one although others have picked that. Soon I will have an I-pad and then my hubby can have the laptop...except when I may need it on occasion:)
DeleteCan't beat Casablanca! Great pick! The other two I haven't seen but really want to.
ReplyDeleteCasablanca is great...Roman Holiday is great...Love Story...is not! Hahahaaa
DeleteLove Story was shallow and superficial but the other two movies were great.
ReplyDeleteIt was wasn't it? I hope to never see it again
DeleteThe first two---classic. Love Story was alright. I was never as wild about it as most were.
ReplyDeleteOh, by the way, one of the other blogsters had Windows 10 downloaded onto her computer and had mega problems. Hmmm, if I remember correctly, it may have been her significant other that downloaded it.
Love Story is blechhh:) Ahhh yes...windows 10...that my hubby downloaded. He will not step foot near my future IPad
DeleteToo funny. I've seen the first two and have definitely heard of Love Story. I liked both, but I have to admit I don't understand why people get so nuts over Casablanca. I think it's okay, but...well, maybe you had to be there.
ReplyDeleteStar-crossed love? Hmm...my three would be Playing by Heart, Ghost and Out of Africa.
Oh..be still my heart...You are just ok with Casablanca? LOL-That's OK but I'm glad you are in the minority with that one. I have only seen Ghost and that is a good movie even though it co-stars Gimme..I mean, Demi Moore:)
DeleteSometimes they get the music messed up in yoga class and one day they started playing the theme from Love Story. It was driving me crazy. I never actually saw Love Story. Probably never will. Liked Roman Holiday but never could understand the fascination with Casablanca.
ReplyDeleteLove the first two but Love Story is awful to me. Ugh LOL.
ReplyDelete1. Casablanca
ReplyDelete2. Annie Hall
3. Drugstore Cowboy (for now)
I saw Roman Holiday quite recently. Such a cute movie.
ReplyDeleteAhhh, now I understand what "star crossed lovers" mean. Your picks are right on. I don't know if I saw "Love Story." I read the book when I was a sarcastic teen and thought it Yuck. I wonder if I'd still think that way.
ReplyDeleteI am not huge on romantic movies but these three movies I've seen ... and I'm not ashamed to admit that I've seen each more than twice! great choice, Birgit.
ReplyDeletex Asha