1. TO CATCH A THIEF-1955
Cary Grant, Grace Kelly and the beautiful Monaco all star in this Hitchcock film about a famous jewel thief. Of course the thief is Cary Grant..er...former jewel thief who is being set up but unsure by who (or is that whom??) so he must come out of hiding to prove his innocence. It figures that Grace Kelly and her mother, the wonderful Jesse Royce Landis, are the marks so Grant must get cozy with Kelly (Yup, Landis was closer to Grant's age and younger but we can't have her be the object of his affection). It comes to a head at a beautiful costume ball where Kelly looked golden in that over the top gown. This is sophisticated, tongue in cheek fun movie and, as a girl, er...woman, I love Grace Kelly's outfits especially the blue one. Yes, this is when Grace Kelly met Prince Ranier, her future husband.
2. THE PINK PANTHER-1963
I think I chose this before but I don't care because it is one of my favourites. It stars the best Inspector Clouseau-Peter Sellers, who, with his wife, played by Capucine, travel to a Swiss town since he believes the jewel thief will be there. Little does he know, his wife is with the thief and they plan to take the precious Pink Panther diamond from the visiting Indian princess. It is madcap fun with Sellers great as the bumbling oaf and David Niven as the thief who is also quite funny. Put in Robert Wagner as his duplicitous nephew and it is all out fun. It all culminates at a gala costume party featuring 2 gorillas, a knight and a zebra...of course.
3. ENCHANTED-2004
This is a fun Cinderella story starring Amy Adams as the Giddy, happy gal ready to marry her Prince in animation land when the evil Queen sends her to our world. She has no idea where she is but her perky happiness makes the people, who meet her, fall for her charm. Enter Patrick, McDreamy, Dempsey who is initially saddled with her but slowly falls in love with her. Her chipmunk friend follows her to our world along with her Prince and a henchman sent by the evil queen. Of course, the perky gal sings and the birds come and help her clean plus she has all of Central Park singing with her. It culminates at a gala costumed ball where the Evil Queen, played with relish by Susan Sarandon, comes to finally kill off the perky bitch by turning into a dragon. Even though I hate perky, it works so well in this storyline because it is meant to be tongue & cheek. I enjoy watching this movie and can turn off the nasty world.
Bonus...
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE-1946
You think Christmas comes and I can't mention my favourite film?! I love this movie..well that's a big duh! It has 2 parties-the dance at the high school and the wonderful ending. I don't want to hear anyone not liking this movie because...well...you are wrong...hahahaaa.
Sorry for not visiting and not replying to the comments but I seem to be losing track of time with Christmas, work and all. I promise I am not getting old timer's disease as my Dad used to call it. I know others are just as busy and can still blog everywhere but I don't have that gift. Anyhoo, hope you like my post and see my theme within a theme.
Which 3 would you choose?
Nice movie picks this week! I am a big pink panther fan so even if I hadn't seen the others, I would give you an A+ for these picks. Hope all is well and you are having a wonderful month. Hugs-Erika
ReplyDeleteA good lot of picks indeed! All films I like, especially the first-mentioned, but the Pink Panther films are huge fun. So, did you ever see Peter Sellers in The Party? That was the one where he was a klutzy Indian movie extra who is accidentally invited to a Hollywood party instead of fired, and all the crazy things that happen at the party, where you find out that all these people are far more over the top than he is.
ReplyDeleteHi, Birgit!
ReplyDelete"Judy, Judy, Judy," I love Cary Grant films, and I enjoyed Hitchcock's To Catch A Thief. The first thing that caught my attention in that trailer, however, was the voice and diction of the narrator. They don't make 'em like that anymore. When the narrator informs us that mega stars Grant and Kelly are brought together in a romantic motion picture filmed on the French Riviera, those exciting facts alone would have been enough to sell millions of theater tickets.
Moving on to The Pink Panther movie, I have to wonder if jewel thieves are a thing of the past. They certainly were in abundance in movies and TV series of the 50s and 60s, weren't they?
Amy Adams is one of my favorite actresses, and Enchanted looks like a charming Disney film for kids of all ages. You need to see Amy in the mini-series Sharp Objects. She turns in yet another amazing performance.
I like James Stewart as much as you do, and your theme post would not be complete without the holiday classic It's A Wonderful Life.
Thanks for the entertainment, dear friend BB!
Pink Panther is a good one.
ReplyDeleteI can think of lots of good party movies - Trading Places (party on the train), Real Genius (party in the auditorium), and of course there's Bachelor Party with Tom Hanks.
Haven't seen To Catch a Thief, but your other two picks are great. Enchanted is soooo much fun because, as you said, it's all tongue-in-cheek. And It's a Wonderful Life is a classic for a good reason.
ReplyDeleteHi Birgit...well this is a first I have seen them all...hope you have a very happy Christmas xxxx
ReplyDeleteThe only one I've seen is Enchanted and it's just so cute. I couldn't hate that movie if I tried.
ReplyDeleteThief is my favorite Cary Grant movie. No one then or now is smoother than Grant.
ReplyDeleteI thought your theme within a theme was thieves, but I don't think Enchanted fits that. I have seen all of those. Great choices.
ReplyDeleteBIRGIT ~
ReplyDeleteThe first two that came to my mind were 'BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S' and your choice, 'THE PINK PANTHER'. Of course there's also another Peter Sellers movie, 'The Party'. And I've seen it but it was so long ago that none of it comes to mind now.
I'd guess that 'Animal House' would be a popular pick today, although the movie didn't really appeal to me.
If I could go with TV, I'd definitely pick a couple of episodes of 'Moonlighting' that included some great partying.
Some of the parties I actually attended (or kind of hosted) in my early twenties were as wild & wacky as any I've seen on the silver screen.
~ D-FensDogG @ STMcC Presents 'BATTLE OF THE BANDS'
You mentioned some good ones and I'd have to think awhile on this one--as usual. I seem to recall a party scene in the 1967 version of Casino Royale but maybe I'm confusing it just being a casino scene--it's been a long time since I've seen this. Another one that I vaguely recall is Breakfast at Tiffany's--wasn't there a big party scene in that one.
ReplyDeleteGosh, so many that are somewhere in the depths of my memory that don't come immediately to mind.
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
I've only seen Wonderful Life and loved it, the others never heard of, which is surprising as I do like Hitchcock films and Cary Grant, Kate x x
ReplyDeleteHave a Merry Christmas. I too am too busy to sit at my computer. I have all those Hallmark movies to watch! LOL
ReplyDeleteI really liked Enchanted
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed Enchanted too. Perky she was meant to be indeed. Pink Panther is a win. Many a party out there. The Hangover, Bachelor Party...
ReplyDeleteYou are NOT going to believe this, but I have seen TWO of these picks. I loved Enchanted, although I saw it on TV, not in a theater. Same with It's a Wonderful Life. It's a classic that shows almost every year somewhere on tv. Happy holidays, dear.
ReplyDeleteAlthough it doesn't fit the category, in my opinion, the BEST CHRISTMAS movie ever is Die Hard!
I don't love Thief as much as other Hitchs nor latter day Carys (its no Indiscreet) but it is a fine lavish pleasant film and I adore Jessie Royce Landis. The ball scene is sumptuousness itself.
ReplyDeleteThe Pink Panther is frivolous fun and Enchanted a charmer with Adams less unctuous than normal which makes for a rare occasion when I find her standable. Nothing else can be said about Wonderful Life and its many strengths so I won't.
I also when with a fancy dress ball for my first choice but came down to earth for my others.
The Reluctant Debutante (1958)-Sheila Broadbent, chic second wife of barrister Jimmy Broadbent (real life marrieds Rex Harrison & Kay Kendall) welcome Jimmy’s teenaged American raised daughter Jane (Sandra Dee) to London just as debutante season is beginning. Though Jane shows zero interest in participating Sheila spurred by competition with her snotty cousin Mabel Claremont (Angela Lansbury), and thinking she’s doing it for Jane’s own good, plunges all of them into the whirl of endless parties and balls each bring out a new teen into society. While Sheila hopes to pair Jane with the insufferable but wealthy David Fenner Jane has her own ideas and falls for the supposedly disreputable young drummer David Parkson (John Saxon). It’s all a fizzy roundelay with Kay Kendall stealing the show as the well-meaning Sheila. Sadly this was her second to last film, she died the next year of leukemia at 33.
Bachelor Party (1984)-The night before his wedding to fiancée Debbie (Tawny Kitaen) Rick (Tom Hanks) reluctantly goes out for a night of debauchery with his friends, ringleader Jay (Adrian Zmed) and depressed, recently divorced Brad (Bradford Bancroft). They run into Debbie's wealthy, disapproving father (George Grizzard) and her ex-boyfriend, Cole (Robert Prescott), who both attempt to stop the wedding. Meanwhile Debbie is taken out by her friends for adventures of their own. Raunchy comedy was a big hit for the fresh from TV Hanks helping put him on the track to superstardom.
Can’t Hardly Wait (1998)-The entire high school graduating class from football stars and cool girls to complete nerds gather at a wealthy classmate's home for a mega party. The artistic Preston (Ethan Embry) hopes to move in on Amanda (Jennifer Love Hewitt), the girl he’s loved from afar for years. Dorky William (Charlie Korsmo) schemes to pay back meathead Mike (Peter Facinelli) for years of bullying, and would-be rapper Kenny (Seth Green) gets locked in a room with snarky Denise (Lauren Ambrose).
I loved It's a Wonderful Life! I haven't seen the others but I've been meaning to watching The Pink Panther for the longest time.
ReplyDeleteDon't remember "Enchanted", but I love the other three! Hubby and I were "party animals" for many years and hosted a lot of them, as well. Too much trouble and expense, now. My favourite "party" movie is "Dinner At Eight", from 1933.
ReplyDeleteWell, you can't go wrong with It's a Wonderful Life. Everyone should see it at least once, no matter your age. I'm not a Peter Seller's fan but watched my share. They were popular. To Catch a Thief, liked it a lot at time. Haven't seen Enchanted. Hubby and I were never party animals. My parents were though...classic cocktail generation, drinks in hand at gatherings in evening--some at my home. Guess it's why I don't drink much.
ReplyDeleteI liked the fireworks in To Catch a Thief, so much more sophisticated and ooh-la-la than seeing skin on skin. I like Enchanted, too. Amy Adams was great in it.
ReplyDeleteHmm...party movies. That's tricky. Most of the ones I can think of were obnoxious, like American Pie. Blech.
ReplyDeleteSome Kind of Wonderful, which I've mentioned here before, is a favorite. Then there's Dirty Dancing and that epic end-of-the-summer party with its "Nobody puts Baby in a corner" line.
Capote is a brilliant movie (I miss Phillip Seymour Hoffman), and there's a few dinner parties in it, so I'll go with that for choice number three. Merry Christmas, Birgit! And all the best in 2019.
Enchanted was great, and another Peter Sellers movie about parties is of course THE PARTY, which is incredibly racist by today's standards but it still a fascinating (and weird) experiment in film making.
ReplyDelete