Friday, April 1, 2016

The A To Z Challenge...It's Here! The Letter A



Oh wow...the pistol has been shot and we are out of the gates! Welcome to the month of April and the A to Z Challenge. I have chosen...movies this time around instead of film stars. I will do my best to make it short and sweet. There will be an Old Film followed by a Modern Film and they will be connected by the 6 (somewhat) degrees of separation. The * denotes if someone won an Oscar. So here we go with the Letter A


1. ALL ABOUT EVE- 1950-DRAMA/COMEDY



BEST DIRECTOR: Joseph L. Mankiewicz*
STARS: Bette Davis, Gary Merrill, George Sanders*, Anne Baxter, Celeste Holm, Thelma Ritter, Hugh Marlowe.
PLOT: Famous Broadway actress helps out poor waif but is this waif what she appears to be?
QUOTE: fasten your seatbelts, it's going to be a bumpy night.
OSCAR NOMS: Best Actress, Best Supporting Actress, Art Direction, Cinematography(black & White), Editing, Best Score
OSCAR WINS: Best Supporting Actor*, Best Director*, Best Screenplay, Best Costume, Best Sound.
LOVE:  The writing! Witty and acerbic
FAVOURITE SCENE: Addison has a good talk with Eve
FAVOURITE CHARACTER: Addison DeWitt (George Sanders)
TIDBITS: Supposedly based (somewhat) on a real life actress, Tallulah Bankhead or Elizabeth Bergner. Bette Davis and Gary Merrill met on this set and had the hots for each other. They were married for 10 drunken, brawling years.
SIX DEGREES (MORE OR LESS) OF SEPARATION: Bette Davis to Oliver Reed (Burnt Offerings) to Faye Dunaway (3 Musketeers) to Jack Nicholson (Chinatown) to....

2. AS GOOD AS IT GETS- 1999-COMEDY/DRAMA


DIRECTOR:James Brooks
STARS:Jack Nicholson*, Helen Hunt*, Greg Kinnear, Cuba Gooding Jnr.
PLOT: An OCD mean, wackadoodle author falls for a waitress who has a sick son. The nut has to take care of his neighbour's dog after the gay artist neighbour gets beaten up.
QUOTE:People who talk in metaphors oughta shampoo my crotch.
OSCAR NOMS: Best Supporting Actor, Editing, Best Picture, Best Score, Best Original Screenplay
OSCAR WINS: Best Actor*, Best Actress*,
LOVE: The acting! Made the characters real and with heart.
FAVOURITE SCENE: Main character walks with the dog
FAVOURITE CHARACTER: Verdell the Dog!
TIDBITS:They used 5 dogs just for this one character
SIX DEGREES (MORE OR LESS) OF SEPARATION: Jack Nicholson to Dennis Hopper (Easy Rider) to John Wayne (True Grit) to James Stewart (The Man who Shot Liberty Valance) to Alfred Hitchcock (Rear Window) to.......gotta wait for tomorrow:)

90 comments:

  1. I've seen both of these and enjoyed them both. Good start!

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  2. Hi Birgit - I like your theme. Very different to my Wildlife Encounters theme, but it would be boring if we were all the same, wouldn't it? I'm A-Z'ing at: http://susan-a-eamestravelfictionandphotos.blogspot.ie/

    As Good As It Gets is one of my all time favourite films. :)

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    1. Glad you like the theme and will check yours out since I love animals

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  3. Hi Birgit - I like your theme. Very different to my Wildlife Encounters theme, but it would be boring if we were all the same, wouldn't it? I'm A-Z'ing at: http://susan-a-eamestravelfictionandphotos.blogspot.ie/

    As Good As It Gets is one of my all time favourite films. :)

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  4. Oh my gosh! This is great with the 6 degrees of separation! We'll learn lots of trivia this month for sur! I saw As Good as it Gets; cute movie!

    betty

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    1. Glad you like this and it gets my mind working how to connect all of these

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  5. You made it in three steps - well done! Both good films.

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  6. I've never seen All About Eve (of course). I have seen As Good As It Gets. Don't have me, but it isn't one of my favorite movies. Yeah, I know it won Oscars. I can see that (and I vaguely remember it), but still. There's something about Jack Nicholson that I find discomfiting. I will say that I liked this movie way better than the one he did with Diane Keaton. I really didn't like that one.

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    1. Oh gosh..nope I do t hate you:) there are some films people love that I think is crap. I think Jack is a good actor but I don't think I would want to know him.

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  7. I meant "don't hate me." My typing today...

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  8. As good as it gets was a great movie indeed. The pup was my favorite too.

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  9. Hi, dear Birgit!

    You launched into your A to Z series with two excellent picks, dear friend, and I have seen both of them. George Sanders was one of my favorite actors and played Shady characters to perfection. Bette Davis had Bette Davis eyes. :) Character actress Thelma Ritter appeared in dozens of my favorite movies over the years. Mrs. Shady and I have seen practically every Jack Nicholson movie beginning with The Little Shop of Horrors. I love to play Six Degrees and look forward to your next post.

    Happy April Fool's Day, dear friend BB!

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    1. I love George Sanders and Thelma Ritter-they are two of the best character actors ever. I have seen Little Shop and it's a fun movie

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  10. Last year after the A to Z chellange i had a bucket list of movies to watch . I became slightly more richer with trivia on Hollywood. ( My country has its own version of Bollywood, Tollywood, kollywood and Sandalwood. May be next year i will pick an A to Z on theme inspired by you. )
    Look forward to the rest of the month.

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    1. That is so cool:) I'm glad you liked it so much that you caught up on film watching. I think India has the biggest movie studios actually. Will be checking out your A to Z

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  11. Last year after the A to Z chellange i had a bucket list of movies to watch . I became slightly more richer with trivia on Hollywood. ( My country has its own version of Bollywood, Tollywood, kollywood and Sandalwood. May be next year i will pick an A to Z on theme inspired by you. )
    Look forward to the rest of the month.

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  12. I love both those films. Can't wait to see what else you have lined up for April.

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  13. I love both those films. Can't wait to see what else you have lined up for April.

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  14. Haven't seen either of them. I guess I have some catching up to do :) Great theme for the A to Z, Birgit. Have a lovely weekend.

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    1. Hope you get a chance to see them and glad you like the theme

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  15. These are two great A movies! I never quite understood George Sanders as a leading man. He seemed so unlikely. Here's to 25 more days of movie fun.

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    1. He was more of a 2nd lead unless you count the Saint movies. He is so debonair and it's such a shame that he committed suicide

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  16. Nice post. Now I'm wondering what "B" will be.

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  17. I'm on the lookout for both. Great post!

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  18. I always wondered why Moses didn't go after Anne Baxter in The Ten Commandments. I mean, Yvonne DeCarlo was good looking and all, but Nefeteri was hot!

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    1. Actually I. Think he could have had both...every man's dream

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  19. I always wondered why Moses didn't go after Anne Baxter in The Ten Commandments. I mean, Yvonne DeCarlo was good looking and all, but Nefeteri was hot!

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  20. I loved All About Eve. Bette Davis so rocked that movie and the line you quoted was the best. I think I am the only person on earth who didn't like As Good as it Gets. I sometimes think I should watch it again as maybe I was just in a lousy mood or something LOL.

    Have fun with the A to Z!

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    1. Sometimes there can be a film that we just don't like and yet we will Der why since everyone else praises it. It's just a matter of taste

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  21. Both of these are terrific movies. I've always liked George Sanders. Such a shame he committed suicide.

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    1. It is a shame especially his note which I have to admit, I did find amusing. He really went out as himself

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  22. I keep meaning to watch All about Eve, but never have. I've seen and enjoyed As good as it gets. Great start to the challenge - keep it up! I can crack the whip on everyone else now that I'm not doing it myself.....
    The Glasgow Gallivanter

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    1. I hope you get to see it because it is such a great movie. Yes you can crack the whip

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  23. Oh look at you, what a neat way to link your posts. Looking forward to seeing tomorrow's.

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    1. Yes, I thought it would be cool and having to really put my thinking cap on

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  24. Oh, Birgit, I LOVE 'As Good as it Gets'! One of my favourite films! Always makes me cry. I've never seen the other one, but have a feeling there is a new version... clever theme!

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    1. I have never heard of a remake of All About Eve unless you mean the Broadway version called Applause. As Good As It Gets is a great movie and I loved it

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  25. Certainly seen As Good as it Gets. Excellent movie but then I nearly always enjoy Jack Nicholson. I really don't remember if I saw All About Eve or not.

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    1. You may have seen that film but probably a long time ago. Glad you like the 2nd movie

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  26. I saw bits and pieces of As Good As it Gets. I always wondered if it was worth watching all the way through. If I saw All About Eve, it was so many years ago that I don't remember

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    1. I think it's worth seeing the whole movie but that's me. Hope you get a chance to

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  27. I really enjoyed As Good As It Gets. I laughed throughout the entire movie. I had no idea they won awards for that movie though. I'm glad you included that with your summary. Good luck with the Challenge and have lots of fun! :)

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    1. Yes it won and was up for more. It was such a good movie and what Jack say is hilarious

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  28. I am 99% sure that I saw As Good As it Gets but I remember absolutely nothing about it. I'm not certain if that's a terrible knock against the movie or a knock against me as a viewer. :-/

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    1. Hahahaaa well either way, but it didn't make an impression on you

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  29. I enjoyed both of these movies, but I'll admit, I did learn some things with this post. This is really cool. I look forward to what else you'll share.

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    1. Glad you like what I'm doing. I hope you like the other I have picked. Now I have to post my 3 guesses for the film society

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  30. I haven't seen All about Eve, but I knew the quote.

    I've seen As Good as It Gets,and the best part was Helen Hunt. They gave Nicholson some good one-liners though.

    I'm guessing the next film in the link is The Birds.

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    1. That quote is so famous that it's used in many other movies and tv shows. You are incorrect about the film but good guess

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  31. Never seen All About Eve. Although, I should have. But of course I've seen As Good as it Gets. Love the six degrees thing you have going.

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    1. I hope you get to see that film one day. Glad you like the 6 degrees

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  32. I love the scene where Jack walks the dog too. Such a marvelous actor and Great movie. I could watch it again.

    Pioneer Women in Aviation A-Z

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    1. I love it when he tells the dog not to be like him:)

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  33. Great theme :) I have seen neither of these movies - somehow missed them. And now look forward to seeing them. Thanks for the reminder.
    www.kalpanaawrites.com

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  34. I like the six degrees of separation you're using :) I watched As Good As It Gets probably about 10-12 years ago and I vaguely remember Jack's character with the dog, but that's about it, lol.

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    1. Glad you like the 6 degrees. Some films resonate more than others:)

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  35. I love As Good As It Gets, too, Birgit!! One of the family favorites.

    Best of luck on the ole' A-to-Z!

    Cherdo
    Cherdo on the Flipside
    "Favorite Characters, Favorite Lines" on the A-to-Z Challenge 2016

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    1. It's such a good film and love the comments from Nicholson's character

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  36. I love "All About Eve"! Bette Davis at her absolute best. The other movie was good too. Jack Nicholson and that dog cracks me up!☺ Great start to the challenge, Birgit.

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    1. Glad you saw both of these and that you liked both

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  37. As good as it gets made me laugh. This evening I watched the Bucket List with Jack Nicholson - he's always been an actor I enjoy watching.

    Great post - as always I learn a little something I did not know about movies.

    Cheers, Jenny
    Pearson Report
    On Twitter

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    1. I love The Bucket List! It is one of our favourites too

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  38. As Good As It Gets took me a while to like. I had to watch it a couple of times before I really appreciated it. Haven't seen About Eve, but I've been told it's spooky...did you find that?

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    1. I do not find Eve spooky but it is creepy because we have seen these things happen even to us. It shows how sociopathic people can be all in the name of power, greed, attention....

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  39. Birgit, All About Eve sounds like a winner. I love old movies! As Good As It Gets may not be something I'd like, but I'm not ruling it out should I find it on Netflix.

    ~Curious as a Cathy
    All Things Vintage: Artists #AprilA2Z #BoTB

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    1. All about eve is a great film in my book. I hope you do see the other also just to see what you think.

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  40. I haven't seen All about Eve, but I did rather enjoy Jack Nicholson in As Good As It Gets. I thought he was rather brilliant, and the show was a bit thought-provoking.

    Mary
    Twitter: @KnottyMarie
    Literary Gold
    Jingle Jangle Jungle

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    1. It was thought provoking and helped give a little insight into people with OCD

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  41. This sounds like a fun theme. Its' going to be fun seeing all the six degrees. :)

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  42. Hello from A to Z. I haven't seen either movie, but I've heard of them. I might like to see All About Eve sometime.

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  43. I saw As Good as it Gets. I love Jack Nicholson. Great actor!

    Sunni
    http://sunni-survivinglife.blogspot.com/

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  44. I saw As Good as it Gets. I love Jack Nicholson. Great actor!

    Sunni
    http://sunni-survivinglife.blogspot.com/

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  45. I saw As Good as it Gets. I love Jack Nicholson. Great actor!

    Sunni
    http://sunni-survivinglife.blogspot.com/

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  46. Love As Good As It Gets, it may even make a top 10 or 20 if I ever tried to figure out which movies I love the most.

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  47. It took me forever and I'm here!!! Hello? Birgit? You there? LOL.
    What an amazing start, my friend. Seen and thoroughly enjoyed both movies. On to the next!
    x Asha
    p.s. thank you for being so patient and for your lovely emails.

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