The A to Z Challenge
.....Spencer Tracy Starred with Irene Dunne( A Guy Named Joe). She starred in..
1. PENNY SERENADE-1941-ROMANCE DRAMA
DIRECTOR: George Stevens
STARS: Cary Grant*, Irene Dunne, Edgar Buchanan, Beulah Bondi
PLOT: An irresponsible man marries a nice gal and they go to live in Japan. When he loses everything, she is disgusted and then an earthquake hits injuring her so she loses her baby and can never have another. He decides to make good and they adopt a baby girl.....
QUOTE: We don't need each other any more. When that happens to 2 people, there's nothing left.
OSCAR NOMS: Best Actor*
OSCAR WINS: Nil
LOVE: The great acting! You fall for the characters.
FAVOURITE SCENE: When the couple have to change a diaper
FAVOURITE CHARACTER: Applejack Carny (Edgar Buchanan)
TIDBITS: This was Irene Dunne's favourite film of hers. Also the Earthquake was real enough since this was filmed in April and Dec of that year a major Earthquake hit a part of Taiwan that was a Japanese Colony killing over 300.
6 DEGREES (MORE OR LESS) OF SEPARATION: Cary Grant starred with Katherine Hepburn(Holiday) who starred with Charles Bronson(small role in Pat and Mike). He starred with Steve McQueen(Magnificent 7) and Steve McQueen starred in....
2. PAPILLON-1973-PRISON DRAMA
DIRECTOR: Franklin J. Schaffner
STARS: Steve McQueen, Dustin Hoffman, Don Gordon, Anthony Zerbe
PLOT: Based on a true story of a man wrongly convicted and sent to a penal colony where he endures years of abuse and solitary confinement before ending up on Devil's Island. All the while he means to escape and be free (Papillon means butterfly which is tattooed on his chest)
QUOTE: A temptation resisted is a true measure of character
OSCAR NOMS: Best Score( now on the top 25 list of best film scores of the AFI)
OSCAR WINS: Nil
LOVE: the story of survival and endurance
FAVOURITE SCENE: Papillon's last meeting with his friend, Louis
FAVOURITE CHARACTER: Louis Dega (Dustin Hoffman)
TIDBITS: Steve McQueen was a bit on the weird side and full of anxieties and himself at the same time. His name had to be above Dustin Hoffman's and he had to be paid more than him. He also liked to do his own stunts so that is him jumping off that cliff ( filmed in Hawaii). He considered that a thrilling experience.
6 DEGREES (MORE OR LESS) OF SEPARATION: Steve McQueen starred with Paul Newman (Towering Inferno) who starred with Melvyn Douglas(Yup, him again). He starred with.....
I really enjoyed Papillon when it came out. I have never thought of it since. Maybe I'll put it on my re-watch list. Probably saw Penny Serenade back in the 50's.
ReplyDeletePapillon is so good and I wish more people have seen it same with Penny Srenade
DeleteNever saw either film but certainly read the book Papillon and it's sequel.
ReplyDeleteI have never read the books
DeleteHi, dear Birgit!
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen Penny Serenade but have always admired Cary Grant's acting. I best remember character actor Edgar Buchanan as Uncle Joe ("he's movin' kinda slow at the Junction...Petticoat Junction"). Buchanan played the same role on sister series Green Acres and The Beverly Hillbillies. Mrs. Shady and I watched Papillon a few years ago and we both enjoyed it. It always amazes me how many times egocentric actors and actresses demand top billing, higher pay than the other guy, etc.
Thank you for leaving a birthday message for 104 year old Margaret, dear friend BB. Margaret and her daughter Kathleen both appreciate your kindness, as do I. :)
Margaret deserves all the accolades. Steve McQueen takes the cake for ego. He had a conniption fit when paired with Paul Newman on Towering Inferno. They had to place them both on top and then McQueen wanted to be on the left hand side. Paul Newman couldn't have cared less
DeleteBirgit, Wee, am I behind on visits! I have not heard of either of these vintage movies. Penny Serenade sounds like a winner. I'll look for it on Netflix and Amazon Prime today. Thanks for the highlights and suggestions, my friend!
ReplyDelete~Curious as a Cathy
All Things Vintage: Pretty Things #AprilA2Z
Oh I am so behind in visits but plan to try to catch up here and there and I am not going to sweat it.
DeleteThat was interesting about Steven McQueen and his insecurities. I bet the directors et al weren't really happy about him doing his own stunts, especially that one!
ReplyDeleteI did see the movie Papillion; interesting one!
betty
Oh no they weren't happy and tried to talk him out of it but it didn't work.
DeleteNever saw either one this time at my sea. McQueen sure sounds hard to work with and like he had a huge ego.
ReplyDeleteThat is an understatement! Many had issues wirking with him.
DeleteI haven't seen either one. Will have to look up Papillion.
ReplyDeletePapillon is a great film
DeleteWow, that sounds like a horrible true life story. Was he ever exonerated? Another film that would be nice to see. I have watched Towering Inferno. I hate to admit, a lot of these older films I have not watched.
ReplyDeleteThe author was there on the set but died a few months after. It seems he took some liberties when writing his autobiography but don't they all.
DeleteI've heard Papillon was a great movie. I'll have to check it out.
ReplyDeleteIt's a great film..hope you see it.
DeleteI've heard Papillon was a great movie. I'll have to check it out.
ReplyDeleteI don;t know about the first film, but Papillon is in my top ten greatest films of all time!
ReplyDeleteSusan A Eames from
Travel, Fiction and Photos
It is that good isn't it.
DeleteI haven't seen Penny Serenade, but Papillon was a great movie.
ReplyDeletePapillon is a great film. I hope you see Penny Serenade one day
DeleteMake it so! These are the words of the Picard! He was a great believer in not using the phaser probably because he had a replicator to make Papillon Earl Grey!
ReplyDeleteLoved the Picard sayings and he did love his tea...hot!
DeleteI have seen both these movies. Papillon is brilliant. I am a HUGE fan of Cary Grant. He was born in Bristol, England, not so far from where I live. He last wife Barbara was from a town only 18 miles from my home.
ReplyDeleteThat's pretty cool that you live nearby to wear he was born.
DeleteThe counting of the waves. The leper. Some good scenes in Papillon.
ReplyDeleteYes...great scenes!
DeleteNo, oh dear - fairly sure I haven't seen either of these!
ReplyDeleteThe Glasgow Gallivanter
Ooooh well maybe one day:)
DeleteI think I might've seen a bit of Papillion on HBO in the 80s (when I was a teenager). I remember watching a man in a dirt cell eating bugs. I'm pretty sure that it was this movie. Since I was a teenage girl, and bug eating was never on my To-Do List, I'm pretty sure I changed the channel right after that event. However, it must've made an impression as I still remember it today.
ReplyDeleteYup! That's the one!
DeletePenny Serenade... Another that I think I've seen bits of. I've always been fond of Cary Grant and Irene Dunne, though.
ReplyDeleteThe. This is a must see for you. It was her favourite of her films
DeleteI love Cary Grant. I don't know that movie though. I will look into it.
ReplyDeleteHe is really quite good in this film...hope you see it
DeleteI saw Papillion but hardly remember it now. Didn't see the other one.
ReplyDeleteMichele at Angels Bark
Hope you see one or the other one day
DeleteCute. I like the because it's the beginning of papa ( Dutch for dad)
ReplyDeleteYou must mean my "p" card...thank you
DeleteI admire actors who are want to do their own stunts, I just hope they are careful about it.
ReplyDeleteThey have to be because they are worth too much to get injured or die.
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ReplyDeleteI should probably watch Papillon.
ReplyDelete