Wandering Through The Shelves decided on the seasons which is a good theme and more difficult than I thought it would be but I think I found 3 that work. Let’s get this going…
1. SUMMER STOCK-1950
I like this movie with some quite good musical numbers aside from the justly famous “Get Happy” number with Judy Garland. I love the routine Gene Kelly created with newspaper and the dance between Garland and Kelly. This is the last film Garland made for MGM before being fired by them due to her addictions and mental state. You can see that Garland does not look all that well…tired but she does a great job, regardless, as the sister who works the farm singing away on a tractor( yeah, not a great opening scene of Garland) whose other sister comes with a troop of performers and her boyfriend, Kelly, only to leave everyone stranded when given a better offer. Enter Garland to save the day and the musical troop. Not one of the better films they made but still enjoyable.
2. THE FOUR SEASONS-1981
This film was written, directed and stars Alan Alda as a happily married man to Carol Burnett who have 2 other married couples as friends who vacation each season together. This idyllic fun is blitzed when the one couple split because he is unhappy in his marriage and winds up with a much younger woman. The other 2 couples must deal with their own feelings about this and what to do with their friendship with the former wife who now feels betrayed by everyone. I saw this film when it first came out and again a few years later but have not seen this in decades. I thought it was funny and thought provoking. I remember liking Carol Burnett and Rita Moreno in their roles. This is when Alan Alda, famous as Hawkeye Pierce from MASH, wrote, directed and starred in quite a few films during this time.
3. DEAD OF WINTER-1987
This is a horror thriller film more than just a horror movie starring Mary Steenbergen in 3 roles and co-starring Roddy McDowell as a creepy valet/right-hand man of this old coot in a wheelchair. Mary plays an actress approached by McDowell to appear at an audition to a director ( I think, it’s been a while) out of the city in some country mansion. You know this is not a good idea but now she is in it up to her fingers and slowly realizes that she is in some deep doodoo. I find this is more of a thriller than horror as there are no zombies or killers that keep coming back no matter how many times they die. It’s well done overall and there are some good surprises.
So, what films can you think up that have a season in the title.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier!
ReplyDeleteI've only seen Summer Stock from your picks, which I enjoyed. Judy is such a star. I want to find Dead of Winter now. That has my interest.
ReplyDeleteThe Summer of '42; Suddenly Last Summer; The Lion in Winter. They were the first three thst popped into my head.
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard of any of these. I must live in a bubble.
ReplyDeleteLion in Winter was the only one to come to mind but I see it’s already been mentioned. I Know What You Did Last Summer - not seen it, but am familiar with the book.
ReplyDeleteI've seen Summer Stock. I liked it, but yeah, the writing was on the wall for Garland. I haven't seen the others.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I can name any other films other than the ones others have listed in the comments. Autumn in New York. That just popped into my head. I'm sure I'll think of others now.
A nice variety mix Birgit!
ReplyDeleteYou know I love Summer Stock (except for that horrid dog number!) even with all its problems. Judy’s weight literally changes before our eyes but she’s in magnificent voice. I know Get Happy! is the signature number but I’m more partial to the gentle Friendly Star.
I liked The Four Seasons when I saw it decades ago, I should really revisit, but like you it was Carol Burnett and Rita Moreno I recall.
I walked into Dead of Winter not expecting much but was pleasantly surprised at how tense it was. Terrific performances, in particular Roddy McDowell. I’ve seen the original “My Name is Julia Ross” with Nina Foch as well, a very good B.
So many ways to go but since summer is right around the corner, I'll go with three that reference that season.
A Summer Place (1959)-When successful businessman Ken Jorgenson (Richard Egan) in an unhappy marriage to controlling witch Helen (a marvelously venal Constance Ford) take their teenage daughter Molly (Sandra Dee) to a New England Island resort for their summer vacation he discovers it is run by his former love Sylvia Hunter (Dorothy McGuire) also in an unhappy marriage to the drunken Bart (Arthur Kennedy) who likewise have a teenage son Johnny (Troy Donahue). Sparks fly between the former couple and their offspring leading to romance and drama for all. Beautiful settings and a theme song that became an enormous hit (spending 9 weeks! at #1 on the Billboard charts) helped this earn a small mint on its release and turn Sandra Dee & Troy Donahue into box office stars overnight.
Summertime (1955)-David Lean directed story of a single and lonely American secretary Jane Hudson (Katharine Hepburn) on vacation in Venice who unexpectedly finds love with Italian antiques dealer Renato (Rossano Brazzi) only to discover he is married. Gorgeously shot on location in Technicolor and full of dreamy heartache. Both Hepburn and Lean were Oscar nominated. Kate performed her own stunt of falling backward into a Venice canal forgetting to take proper precautions to protect her eyes, contracting a pernicious eye infection that lasted the rest of her life!
Suddenly Last Summer (1959)-Surgeon Dr. John Cukrowicz (Montgomery Clift) is assigned the case of Catherine Holly (Elizabeth Taylor) a young woman whose aunt Violet Venable (Katharine Hepburn) wants her lobotomized to cover up a family secret. It’s Tennessee Williams set in the South, so you know there are big emotions and secrets aplenty (and considerable drama behind the scenes as well!) Both Kate and Liz were Oscar nominated as was the art direction.
I'm not familiar with these. Good finds.
ReplyDeleteSandra sandracox.blogspot.com
I haven’t seen any of your picks. I went with Summer simply because I have seen more summer movies. I don’t think I’ve watch a movie with a “Season” title either.
ReplyDeleteThe first thing that popped into my mind was 'The Winter of Our Discontent', which I've never seen.
ReplyDeleteAlong with 'Midnight Cowboy', 'Night Of The Ghouls', and 'Night Of The Hunter'.
~ D-FensDogG
Hi, Birgit!
ReplyDeleteI have returned from my blogging break and will publish a new post tomorrow. I wanted to poke my head in and say hello and let you know that I have watched film #2 and #3. Mrs. Shady is a big Alan Alda fan. I like him, too, but oddly, don't like to watch his hit TV series M*A*S*H. I am also fond of Mary Steenbergen and Roddy McDowell. I will probably continue to take a hard pass on the musical Summer Stock.
I have two recommendations for this category, including my old standby Summer of '42:
"I was never to see her again. Nor was I ever to learn what became of her. We were different then. Kids were different. It took us longer to understand the things we felt. Life is made up of small comings and goings. And for everything we take with us, there is something that we leave behind."
My other pick for the category "Seasons in Title" is (who would have guessed?) a musical!!! - Spring Breakers (2012):
Junkies at my door
They know the secret knock
It go one time for the reefer
Two times for the rock
Big bank take little bank
Drop a x pill in the fish tank
Got the sharks on lean
Fish scale for my whole team
Have and safe and happy weekend, dear friend BB!
Happy Birthday, Joel.
ReplyDeleteSandra sandracox.blogspot.com
We watched Late Spring recently. It's a Japanese film from the late '40s. Beautiful but sad.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen any of your picks but I'm curious about The Four Seasons now!
ReplyDelete