Thursday, August 22, 2019

Thursday Movie Picks-Actor’s in Multiple Roles


This is when I wish I would have seen Kind Hearts and Coronets with Alec Guinness but I haven’t.....yet, so I have gone with 3 films I have seen that I really love and showcases some great acting in comedy roles. Wandering Through The Shelves picked a good theme this week. Here are my 3...

1. THE MOUSE THAT ROARED-1959


This stars Peter Sellers in 3 roles as Tully, a military leader, a Count and a Duchess, The leader of the tiniest country in the Alps whose whole country rely on the export of their wine. When they find out there is a knock off  version being sold, crippling their tiny nation, it is decided they will go to war with the U.S. They come up with a foolproof (HA!) plan invade the States, lose and the States will give them money in war reparations. They head off, in chain mail, bows and arrows on a ship to invade the States. This is farce at its finest and ahead of its time considering it is about war and what is it good for. ( you know that song:)). It’s a great under-rated film worth watching and having a laugh way before Monty Python came into our lives.

2. ON THE DOUBLE-1961


Danny Kaye is the star of this film and, frankly, he often played more than one role in his films but I always had a soft spot for this movie and Danny Kaye who was a master of tongue twisters done to music. He is best known for his role in White Christmas but he created many fun roles often playing anxiety ridden, nervous nellies who adore being cowards even though, in the end, they are anything but. In this film he plays General Sir Lawrence MacKenzie Smith who is on the hit list of the dreaded Nazis. In England is cowardly, American  Ernie Williams who bears an uncanny resemblance to the General. Ernie is a great mimic and before you can say, Holy Nervous Tick Batman, Ernie is asked to impersonate the General. He does not realize he is more than just a decoy until he gets in over his head, ends up in Berlin and must escape  but not before becoming more than one character including a Marlene Dietrich Blue Angel Gal. I think this is quite funny and it truly does showcase Danny Kaye’s brilliance in comedy and mimicry.

3. CAT BALLOU-1965


You think "Everybody Loves Mary" was the first film to have 2 men sing in between scenes to link the story? Think again! This film has the Greek Chorus of Stubby Kaye and Nat King Cole who appear throughout the film singing the ballad of Cat Ballou. Cat is played by Jane Fonda who hires Kid Shelleen to protect her dad’s homestead from the evil men who want his homestead. Her dad is killed by the evil Tim Strawn who wears a fake nose that was shot off. The town refuses to help so she creates her outlaw gang and they create hell. The best is Lee Marvin who won an Oscar playing the drunken Kid and the evil Tim who had a great time playing along side his equally drunken horse. This is another great comedy where Fonda is almost outdone by her gang members and no one does a drunken cowboy better than Marvin. When he won the Oscar, he also thanked the horse:)

Which 3 films would you pick?

37 comments:

  1. I haven't seen any of thes, but I do know Peter Sellers and Danny Kaye were good at playing double roles. This morning I can't think of any films that fit this topic. Too early for my brain I think. Hus-Erika

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    1. Early mornings are never great for the brain.

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    2. i am ERIC BRUNT by name. Greetings to every one that is reading this testimony. I have been rejected by my wife after three(3) years of marriage just because another Man had a spell on her and she left me and the kid to suffer. one day when i was reading through the web, i saw a post on how this spell caster on this address AKHERETEMPLE@gmail.com have help a woman to get back her husband and i gave him a reply to his address and he told me that a man had a spell on my wife and he told me that he will help me and after 3 days that i will have my wife back. i believed him and today i am glad to let you all know that this spell caster have the power to bring lovers back. because i am now happy with my wife. Thanks for helping me Dr Akhere contact him on email: AKHERETEMPLE@gmail.com
      or
      call/whatsapp:+2349057261346










      i am ERIC BRUNT by name. Greetings to every one that is reading this testimony. I have been rejected by my wife after three(3) years of marriage just because another Man had a spell on her and she left me and the kid to suffer. one day when i was reading through the web, i saw a post on how this spell caster on this address AKHERETEMPLE@gmail.com have help a woman to get back her husband and i gave him a reply to his address and he told me that a man had a spell on my wife and he told me that he will help me and after 3 days that i will have my wife back. i believed him and today i am glad to let you all know that this spell caster have the power to bring lovers back. because i am now happy with my wife. Thanks for helping me Dr Akhere contact him on email: AKHERETEMPLE@gmail.com
      or
      call/whatsapp:+2349057261346

      Delete
  2. Seen the first and third. Sellers and Marvin are both great actors.
    A little-known comedy with Mike Myers playing dual roles is So I Married an Axe Murderer. Very funny and Mike playing his Scottish father is hilarious.

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    1. I always wanted to see this movie. Thanks for reminding me

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  3. I loved Cat Ballou. I actually remember the theatre I went to and where I sat when I saw it. Have not seen the other two. Brain dead right now when it comes to thinking of any movies that fit the theme.

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    1. Cat Ballou is so funny and my dad loved this movie

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  4. I've never even HEARD of two of these films, so once again, I'm in the dark and clueless. However, I would never miss your lovely picks and synopses, which always make me smile and often have me rolling in the aisles.

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    1. I am so glad you like my little synopsis on these films

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  5. I haven't seen any of these but I also went with a Peter Sellers movie (Dr. Strangelove) as he was so good at playing multiple roles.

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    1. Peter Sellers was excellent even if he was one strange man

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  6. I love The Mouse That Roared! I’ve read the novel too. There’s a sequel to this film, The Mouse On The Moon, in which the Duchess is played by Margaret Rutherford(I think!). I’m pretty sure I’ve see. On The Double, but it’s been years. My favourite Danny Kaye film is The Court Jester. I’m sure you’ve heard the all time favourite quotes from that - “the pellet with the poison’s in the vessel with the pestle...”, “get it? Got it! Good!” While he doesn’t actually play multiple roles in this, he is under a hypnotic suggestion by the witch Griselda that turns him from an ordinary guy into a dashing Errol Flynn type on the snap of her fingers -or anyone else’s!

    I have only seen a trailer for Cat Ballou, but it looks like fun.

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    1. I forgot that there was a sequel which I have never seen but I love Margaret Rutherford. Danny Kaye was excellent in tongue twisters and I know this film and it is funny.

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  7. I haven't seen any of your picks this week but I remember the theater group at my high school did The Mouse That Roared as a play so I'm at least familiar with that.

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    1. Maybe one day you will see one offered films....maybe for a blind spot series

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  8. Hi Birgit - I know and have probably seen the first and last. What I hadn't realised was how talented Peter Sellers was ... I visited a Stanley Kubrick exhibition yesterday ... in which Sellers featured heavily with his various roles. I'd love to see Cat Ballou again - cheers Hilary

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    1. Sellers was a great comedic actor and the one film I have to watch is Dr. Strangelove which I will see this weekend I think. Cat Ballou is excellent

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  9. I've seen Cat Ballou (it was fun!) and heard of the other two, but only watched bits and pieces. The first movie that came to mind for this topic is Eddie Murphy's "Coming To America" (1988) co-starring Arsenio Hall. They both played multiple roles in that (men in the barber shop, including an old, white man). They're planning to make a sequel, called "Coming 2 America" with Tracy Morgan added to the cast.

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    1. This film was on tv the other day but I caught it too late. I hope to see it and interesting that they will make a remake after so many years.

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  10. Great choices!

    The Mouse that Roared is such a wacky film with Sellers one busy boy with all his different roles.

    Danny Kaye is almost always a hoot, he could go overboard from time to time but comics are like that, while The Court Jester & Me and the Colonel are my favorites (White Christmas is in a class of its own and is really has so many things that make it special I'm not counting it) but On the Double is a very good one.

    I LOVE Cat Ballou!!! It is saucy, sexy loony and just sweet and funny. Lee Marvin is great, as are Nat King Cole & Stubby Kaye, but Jane Fonda drives the film and is a comedic delight. It never fails to crack me up when she wants to rob the train and the guys tell her they're cattle rustlers and she exclaims "If people didn't try new things there wouldn't be any progress at all!!" in a vexed exasperated voice!

    I tied mine together in a mini theme.

    Dead Ringer (1964)-Bette Davis plays identical twin sisters, poor Edith Phillips and wealthy Margaret DeLorca who have been estranged for decades because Margaret married Edith’s boyfriend after stealing him from her. Reunited at the man’s funeral Edith discovers that Margaret manipulated the marriage years before and enraged kills her and takes her place. All seems well until Edith uncovers secrets that may prove fatal.

    Dead Ringers (1988)-Jeremy Irons plays Elliot (Jeremy Irons), a successful gynecologist, who works at the same practice as his identical twin, Beverly (Irons as well). Elliot is attracted to many of his patients and has affairs with them. When he inevitably loses interest, he will give the woman over to Beverly, the meeker of the two, without the woman knowing the difference. Beverly falls hard for one of the patients, Claire (Geneviève Bujold), but when she inadvertently deceives him, he slips into a state of madness. Strange, chilly film directed by David Cronenberg goes to several very dark places.

    Dead Again (1991)-A mute amnesiac (Emma Thompson) arrives at the gates of an old orphanage and private investigator Mike Church (Kenneth Branagh) is asked to find out who she is. With the help of a hypnotist (Derek Jacobi), the woman regains her voice and recalls vivid past memories of a couple (also played by Emma & Branagh) from the 1940s torn apart by murder. Church begins to develop feelings for the woman, whom he calls Grace then discovers he has a connection to the tragic couple from the 40s. Atmospheric noir shot at the time that the pair were married in real life.

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    1. Glad you like my choices. Danny Kaye can go a bit off the wall, like those nutty terriers but, you are right that many zany comics can go too far, like Robin Williams and Jonathan Winters Who. I both adore. Peter Sellers is excellent and I think I will finally sit down and watch Dr. Strangelove tonight. Jane Fonda is the force for Cat Ballou and the film would not be as good without her but I wonder how Ann Margeret would have been. I see your theme and, you know what? I almost chose Dead Ringers which is a good film with the strange Bette Davis. Peter Lawford is now playing those heels that he can play so well. I have not seen Dead Ringers since I am not sure David Cronenberg is my cup of tea from some movies I have seen. I love Dead Again since it brings up reincarnation into the thriller who done it mix.

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  11. Oooh! All of these movies sound interesting, especially the Peter Sellers one!

    Here’s my Thursday Movie Picks!

    Ronyell @ The Surreal Movies and TV Blog

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  12. Sure struck out this time. Sound like good ones though. Coming to America and Multiplicity come to mind.

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    1. You would enjoy Cat Ballou especially, I think. I don’t know Multiplicity and have to look that one up.

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  13. I didn't know Lee Marvin played another character! Neither did the Husband. That means to the Netflix queue. I wonder if Stubby is related to Danny. The best parts of the movie for me were Stubby and Nat singing.

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    1. I don’t think Stubby is related to Danny since Danny Kaye’s real name was David Kaminsky. Yes, you have to see that film and I know you will like it. I think you will like the Peter Sellers Movie too.

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  14. Ha. Thanks the horse. Love it.
    Have a fun weekend.

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    1. The horse was excellent and deserved an Oscar nom.

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  15. Cloud Atlas - a film i’m Not sure you could make sense of unless you’d read the book.

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  16. Oh, CAT BALLOU and DEAD AGAIN are excellent choices!!

    I will add BLAZING SADDLES. Mel Brooks not only directed the movie but he also played Governor Lepetomane and a (Jewish) Indian Chief. :^D

    ~ D-FensDogG
    STMcC Presents BATTLE OF THE BANDS

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  17. I love Blazing Saddles and love Mel Brooks! It was so funny to see "GOV" written on the back of his jacket and that Jewish Indian chief is priceless

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  18. I have not seen any of these. I've heard of the first and last, but not the second. I don't recall at the moment any films for this topic, but it's Thursday and it's been a long week. I'm sure I'll think of something later.

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  19. i am ERIC BRUNT by name. Greetings to every one that is reading this testimony. I have been rejected by my wife after three(3) years of marriage just because another Man had a spell on her and she left me and the kid to suffer. one day when i was reading through the web, i saw a post on how this spell caster on this address AKHERETEMPLE@gmail.com have help a woman to get back her husband and i gave him a reply to his address and he told me that a man had a spell on my wife and he told me that he will help me and after 3 days that i will have my wife back. i believed him and today i am glad to let you all know that this spell caster have the power to bring lovers back. because i am now happy with my wife. Thanks for helping me Dr Akhere contact him on email: AKHERETEMPLE@gmail.com
    or
    call/whatsapp:+2349057261346










    i am ERIC BRUNT by name. Greetings to every one that is reading this testimony. I have been rejected by my wife after three(3) years of marriage just because another Man had a spell on her and she left me and the kid to suffer. one day when i was reading through the web, i saw a post on how this spell caster on this address AKHERETEMPLE@gmail.com have help a woman to get back her husband and i gave him a reply to his address and he told me that a man had a spell on my wife and he told me that he will help me and after 3 days that i will have my wife back. i believed him and today i am glad to let you all know that this spell caster have the power to bring lovers back. because i am now happy with my wife. Thanks for helping me Dr Akhere contact him on email: AKHERETEMPLE@gmail.com
    or
    call/whatsapp:+2349057261346

    ReplyDelete