I have decided to keep doing Thursday Movie Picks, inspired by Wandering Through The Shelves, who has decided to scale back to a bi-weekly event. I just enjoy it so much and now that spring is definitely here and, this week it feels like mid summer all of a sudden. This is so typical in the area I live but I’m going stop being Canadian and stop talking about the weather:). I decided to choose 3 movies that take place during the spring time and here we go…
1. MAYTIME-1937
This is the first film I saw starring Jeannette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy, that operatic team that became famous for their formulaic romance films only to disappear a few short years later, their films not the actors. My teen girl heart just fell for this film about an operatic diva telling her young friend about her life and the man she loved. We see how she falls passionately for Nelson but feels loyalty to the man that has shaped her career, played by John Barrymore. You know I love the music and the pure schmaltz that are their films, but they belong to this time period, just before the war, during the Great Depression when you heard wonderful singing and saw some great costumes. Thanks, Joel, for reminding me of this film since you chose this in one of your previous comments. The last time I watched this, was with my former mom in law, who loved their movies and the more romantic the movie got, the more her crossed leg would move back in forth. I love that memory.
2. WENT THE DAY WELL-1942
About face! This takes place in a small, quaint English village who welcome a group of men who seem nice, at first, until we and the villagers, realize all is not right in the early spring world. It turns out this group are nasty Germans who are invading England and no person is safe from their wrath. Time and again, the villagers try to get help to the outside only to get kiboshed in one form or another. This film was obviously made when World War 2 was going on but, thankfully, the threat of invasion was much, much less. This “what if” story is quite intriguing and one of the baddies is played by, be still my heart, David Farrar, whom I find very handsome and had, apparently, brilliant violet eyes. It’s a quirky film that is quite bold for its time.
3. FERRIS BEULLER’S DAY OFF-1986
Matthew Broderick became famous playing this devil may care high school kid who wakes up, notices what a beautiful spring day is out there, and decides to play hooky. He talks to us, breaking down that wall in film, while getting his hypochondriac best friend to play hooky with him. After getting his girlfriend out of school, the 3 enjoy the day while his sister, played by Jennifer Grey ( they were dating in real life) is steaming that her brother gets away with all this while people rally around the dying Ferris. The principal doesn’t believe Ferris is sick either and goes to great pains trying to locate him and get him expelled. It’s a fun flick directed by the great John Hughes who seems part of the 80s in so many ways.
I was all over the place with my films but I stuck to Spring. What Spring movies can you think of?
Hi Birgit!
ReplyDeleteIt's been a lovely spring here with mild temps and not too much rain though it looks like we are heading into a mini heat wave for the next couple of days and then right back to milder days...but that's spring too!
Glad I reminded you of your first pick but must admit I have limited patience for Jeanette & Nelson's trilling. One view of any of their films and I'm good for months before the next one.
Went the Day Well is an excellent, sobering film, beautifully put together and acted.
Ferris is just flat out fun. I don't know if it could even get made today which is a pity but I enjoy every second of it.
I was tempted to go all spring training movies after I thought of my first pick but decided to mix it up based on the theme's title of a mishmash.
So my first is Big Leaguer (1953)-with Edward G. Robinson as perhaps the least convincing one-time legendary ball player reduced to coaching at a spring training camp. This was during the time he was graylisted so he was probably happy to take whatever came along. His costar is Vera-Ellen, another odd choice since the role doesn't require any dancing. It's minor but enjoyable.
Next it's spring break time with Where the Boys Are (1960)!! So of its time and yet timeless too. The remake is beyond dreadful.
Finally a story of later in life love with A Walk in the Spring Rain (1970)-costarring the unlikely duo of Ingrid Bergman and Anthony Quinn. The film isn't terribly special but those two make it far better than it would otherwise be.
We saw your last movie review several years ago. It was a fun flick to see. Your second film might be a good one to see on the rarest occasion we're in this type of mood to see. The Nazis were nasty but then so are all evil people. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteMy mum was a big fan of Jeannette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy so I’ve probably seen Maytime, but I don’t remember it.
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of the first two and haven't seen the last one, but would love to see it one day. I know the premise, at least. You found some great spring films.
ReplyDeleteI've only seen Ferris Bueller of these!
ReplyDeleteWow! You done real good with this theme, BIRGIT! Color me: Impressed.
ReplyDeleteThe *only* movie that came to my mind was 'SPRINGTIME IN THE SIERRAS', a 1947 'B'-Western starring Trigger. (Oh, yeah, and Roy Rogers was in it, too.)
~ D-FensDogG
POSTSCRIPT:
DeleteI just now remembered that my sister, "Bonehead", did background work on 'FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF' and got a silent bit in a classroom scene where she was giving the "stink-eye" to the teacher to show her disgust.
If you're interested, here's a URL to a gif of her big close-up moment in that movie: https://i.imgur.com/WNCBA12.gifv
~ D-FensDogG