The A To Z Challenge
....Spencer Tracy starred with Gene Tierney (Plymouth Adventure) and she starred in...
1. LAURA-1944-FILM NOIR MYSTERY
DIRECTOR: Otto Preminger
STARS: Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, Clifton Webb, Vincent Price, Judith Anderson
PLOT: Cop checks out the murder of a beautiful sophisticate, when he sees her portrait, he falls in love.......
QUOTE: I don't use a pen. I write with a goose quill dipped in venom.
OSCAR NOMS: Best Screenplay, Best Art Direction, Best Supporting Actor
OSCAR WINS: Cinematography (B & W)
LOVE: the acid tongue of Waldo Lydecker
FAVOURITE SCENE: Lydecker in the bathtub
FAVOURITE CHARACTER: Waldo Lydecker naturally:)
TIDBITS: Rouben Mamoulian was originally supposed to direct and ignored Otto's suggestions (who was a producer). Nothing worked right so Mamoulian left and Otto came in. he scraped everything Mamoulian did which did not bode well with the former director. Cue the cats hissing at each other. By the way, the musical score became a major hit and the painting is a photograph enhanced by paint strokes.
This is for you Stephen:)
SIX DEGREES (MORE OR LESS) OF SEPARATION: Gene Tierney starred with Spencer Tracy (Plymouth Adventure) who starred with Katherine Hepburn ( Woman of the Year). Hepburn was directed by David Lean (Summertime) who directed Omar Sharif (Lawrence of Arabia) and Omar Sharif starred in....
2. THE LAST VALLEY-1971-EPIC DRAMA
DIRECTOR: James Clavell
STARS: Omar Sharif, Michael Caine, Florinda Bolkan, Nigel Davenport, Madeleine Hinde
PLOT: A man, running from the the 30 years war and plague that has decimated Germany, comes across a beautiful valley untouched by war. Soon a group of crusaders also find this village and stay in for the winter. Tired of war, fighting for God, they contemplate what it all means.
QUOTE: Don't talk to me of God. We killed God at Magdeburg (actually my grandfather's hometown)
OSCAR NOMS: Nil
OSCAR WINS: Nil
LOVE: the beautiful music and the writing
FAVOURITE SCENE: A horrible scene actually-the burning of the witch. Shocks me to this day and I saw this at the drive in when I was 7..by accident. we went to see Tidal Wave starring Lorne Greene and this film was on before Tidal Wave. I always remembered it. Glad I found the film many years later
FAVOURITE CHARACTER: The Captain (Michael Caine)
TIDBITS:The actor Martin Miller was set to star in the film and died, on set before he actually started. The film tanked at the box office but it, to me is a case of bad timing since this type of film was out of fashion. If you get a chance, try to find the score on youtube and have a listen. Michael caine gave one of his best performances.
SIX DEGREES (MORE OR LESS) OF SEPARATION:back tracking a bit....Omar Sharif starred with Peter O'Toole (Lawrence of Arabia) who starred with Katherine Hepburn (Lion In Winter) who....:)
I don't think I've ever heard of either of these films. I remember the drive-ins though. We used to go very frequently. There is actually one drive-in still open, about a 30 minute drive from my house. I will still go there from time to time.
ReplyDeleteThe first one is a classic and worth seeing. I love the second one but so few have seen this film but it's beautiful and horrible at the same time.
DeleteLaura is one of my favorite films. Especially the music. And not one of the stars is anyone I would go out of my way to see which in itself makes it great. I have never heard of The Last Valley.
ReplyDeleteThe first is such a great film that I love. I think The Last Valley should be bette regarded because it's so good.
Delete0 for 2 this time. Never even heard of either of them. Never been to a drive in either. Out of the loop today haha
ReplyDeleteI think both are great and hope you see them one day. We have a drive in about 20 min. Away
DeleteLaura... was spoiled for me by my oboe teacher years before I finally got around to seeing it. He was a film guy, too. Taught film music (and would on occasion play in orchestras that were scoring films). It was fun to learn what films he got a chance to play on.
ReplyDeleteI think that's pretty cool actually.
DeleteI've never seen Laura and that picture you posted with it is quite disturbing! I must see if I can find it as it sounds great.
ReplyDeleteThat's Purrfect
Yup, Clifton Webb hated this scene because of his body in the bathtub.
DeleteHeard of both - haven't seen either. (My mum loved Spencer Tracy.)
ReplyDeleteSusan A Eames from
Travel, Fiction and Photos
Spencer Tracy is one of the greats.
DeleteI might have to see Laura.
ReplyDeleteIt's really quite good.
DeleteI've always wondered about that portrait of Laura. Who painted it, and where is it today?
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about this portrait but they just took a photo and enhanced it with paint. Where it is now??? I have no idea and wish I did. I often wonder where some of the props and costumes are.
DeleteBirgit, I haven't seen either of these vintage flicks, but I will look into them both. Laura sounds like one I would enjoy, I'm not sure about the other one, but am not closed to the idea of watching it.
ReplyDelete~Curious as a Cathy
All Things Vintage: Kisses #AprilA2Z
The first is a classic and the 2nd is not well known but I consider it excellent
DeleteI, too, thought of StMc when I saw it was a Gene Tierney movie. You need to leave him a message so that he comes back and sees this. He didn't realize this post was underneath your movies of the week post.
ReplyDeleteAha yes I will let him know thanks
DeleteI love Film Noir but I haven't seen Laura. Will have to do something about that!
ReplyDeleteMichele at Angels Bark
This is a classic film and so much to read I to this film
DeleteI haven't seen either of these! But I did read Laura (about a million years ago)—and I didn't know it had been made into a movie. Will have to check it out. Both of them, actually... The Last Valley sounds riveting, too!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the visits over at Life In Dogs, Birgit. I'm so sorry it's taken me this long to visit back... I'm so far behind on A2Z! But we're almost at the weekend, and with a bit of luck I'll catch up then :)
Laura is considered a classic and one of the best films made. The Last Velley I consider a hidden gem. I know what you mean about falling behind....I have big time.
DeleteHeard of Laura, never seen it or the second film.
ReplyDeleteJO ON FOOD, LIFE AND A SCENT OF CHOCOLATE
It's a good movie!
Delete"A goose quill dipped in venom"...nice quote! The Last Valley sounds like a peaceful place, but I'm not so sure about the burning of a witch.
ReplyDeleteBIRGIT ~
ReplyDeleteThanks for the photo and the shout-out!
Oddly, although 'LAURA' is quite possibly Gene Tierney's most famous, well regarded movie, it's not really one of my favorites (even though I love Film Noir).
It's also odd considering that Dana Andrews played a major role in the movie, since I think of Dana Andrews as "the ULTIMATE Film Noir detective".
But that assessment stems primarily from Andrews in 'WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS', in which he also co-starred with Gene Tierney... the ULTIMATE female, the most beautiful woman God ever created, and a goddess if there ever was one. GRRR...! MEOW!
If I could have had my way with Gene Tierney, I...
...wouldn't have.
Because she was so beautiful that she was "untouchable", and if she would have lowered herself to have ANYTHING to do with me, it would cause me to lose my respect for her.
There is NO OTHER WOMAN I've ever met or seen about whom I could say the same thing.
'HAIKU FOR TIERNEY'
[Created specifically for 'BB Creations']
Gene, I call your name
You never answer, and I
Thank you all the same.
~ D-FensDogG
'Loyal American Underground'
That is a great Haiku and thank you! I know it is not one of you favourite films of hers but I knew you love her so I had to give a shout out. What a shame that she had such bad taste in men. Every time I see Oleg Cassini talking about Gene Tierney, I want to punch him. JFK treated her horribly as well and then we have the devastating history of her daughter and how she got the measles and met the woman afterwards. I consider her a bit of a tragic beauty. I love her in The Ghost and Mrs. Muir.
ReplyDeleteThank you, BIRGIT!
ReplyDeleteYeah, what a tragic story about her daughter. There she is doing a good thing, entertaining the troops, and THAT'S how she got rewarded for it. No good deed goes unpunished.
'THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR' is my favorite Gene Tierney movie. What a classic romance! Brings a tear to my eye. But I think Gene looked most gorgeous ("most", because she ALWAYS looked gorgeous) in 'HEAVEN CAN WAIT'. Gene in full color and wearing those pale blue and lavender costumes was just exquisite. No woman could compete with THAT! Ha!
~ D-FensDogG
The Last Valley - love all "period pieces" movies.
ReplyDeleteYour "L" card is lovely; I'm addicted to green lately. Thanks, Birgit!
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"Favorite Characters, Favorite Lines" on the A-to-Z Challenge 2016