I realized I totally missed my Oscar events in music and in film so I hope to do this next week…we shall see:) I was gone last week, Thursday to Saturday for our early Christmas party in Toronto and fell behind here which is typical, sadly. My work put on a great event during the day. We ate at their local synagogue and the food was delicious. They hired 2 ladies to teach us line dancing, but since we were in the synagogue, women and men had to be separated. I tried the line dancing but my pain would not let me continue so I sat on the sidelines and the women were great. Since my pain was quite intense, I could stay and watch the men…that was hilarious especially when they had to do some hip movements…hahahaaaa. The night was at an Italian restaurant and it was excellent. I forgot how many courses comes before the main course followed by some decadent cakes…there must have been a dozen different cakes. I cheated and had carrot cake and strawberry shortcake.
Now, my friend, VJ, had a great time riding a camel into the desert Staying overnight in a tent which is another tick off his bucket list. I am continuing the desert and Moroccan theme choosing 3 pics that fit this theme..
1. MOROCCO-1930
This is Marlene Dietrich’s first U.S. film and she was nominated for an Oscar for her film role in this drudge of a film. Yup, I said drudge because it seemed all so exciting at the beginning when she first meets Gary Cooper, playing a French Legionnaire. She plays a Cabaret headliner, in her men’s tuxedo with top hat, who ends up kissing a girl. To say this is racy, in pre-code Hollywood, is an understatement and made Marlene a huge star. In this film, she is damaged goods who does not want to fall in love with cad, Gary Cooper, a handsome, narcissist who screws them and leaves them. They fall in love despite his reluctance and knowing she would have a better life with rich, secure Adolphe Mengou, who wants to marry Marlene. This all take place in Morocco and the Saharan desert and the famous ending where, spoiler alert, she runs into the desert with her high heels before taking them off and going barefoot…in the Sahara..it gets extremely hot n the day and quite cold at night. It’s an early sound film and it’s neat to see Marlene at a young 29 and Gary, the same, but I was not enamoured with this movie, but, maybe, I need to give it a second chance.
2. CASABLANCA-1942
Even though this Classic, brilliant film was all filmed on a set, it really evokes all the intrigue and drama that did take place in this Moroccan city. If you haven’t seen this film yet…what the F#@, are you waiting for…lol. Humphrey Bogart plays Rick, who owns Cafe American, where intrigue and drama takes place every minute. His best friend, Sam (Dooley Wilson, who couldn’t play a note) plays the piano and we meet many characters including the bartender, played by S. Z. “Cuddles” Sakall, Madeleine Lebeau as the floozy involved with Rick, Peter Lorre as Ugarte who has Letters of Transit ensuing 2 people to leave this port, the great Claude Rains as the corrupt Capt. Renault, Sydney Greenstreet as Ferrari who would love to own Rick’ Cafe and the evil Nazi, Major Strasser, played by Conrad Veidt. Conrad was German, married a Jewish lady and was openly hostile against the Nazi regime. He was held by the Nazis and, due to British government intervention, he was allowed to leave. Actually, many German Jews played Nazis in films including this one. Anywho, enter Paul Henreid as Victor Lazlo with his wife, the stunning Ingrid Bergman as Ilsa where you soon find out she had an affair with Bogie back in Paris. The acting, directing, art direction and cinematography is excellent and the writing? The writing is great with so many one liners that became famous. It’s a must see.
3. THE FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX-1965
I love this film, starring James Stewart, as the pilot bringing back a group of men, mainly oil workers, to Benghazi but they run into a Sandstorm and crash in the Saharan desert. They have only enough water for 10 days or so and try to find water, make friends with some very bad Arab men( it didn’t turn out well) and try not to kill each other. A German aeronautical engineer feels they can fix this plane and get it running to get home, so the men are all tasked to help fix the plane. I find the acting brilliant and the writing, the same. There is a shocker I did not see coming near the end of the film which also made me laugh. It’s a great thrill of a movie.
Bonus…
THE SHEIK-1921
I have to include this luscious film that stars Rudolph Valentino as a Sheik who abducts an independent British lady, played by Agnes Ayers, and brings her to his home in the Saharan desert. Women swooned watching this film hoping Rudolph would take them away and make love to them under the sandy stars. This was a mega hit and solidified Rudolph’s immortality.
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