Ship Ahoy!

 

Over at Monday Music Moves Me, their theme was in dedication to Titanic that sank back on April 14, 1912. That made me think about all the Titanic films, then I went to movies involving ship disasters and finally, decided to just speak about movies that take place on a ship. I went with cruise ships and chose these 3 films…

1. ROMANCE ON THE HIGH SEAS-1948

I now have TCM and you can tell I am loving it since my ass appears to be getting bigger. Anyways, I finally saw this film that introduces Doris Day in her first film and she does great job as a singer hired by Janis Paige to impersonate her on a cruise ship. Janis suspects that her husband is having an affair and remains in New York City to catch her husband in the act. Her husband, played by Don Defore, believes his wife is having an affair and hires a PI, played by Jack Carson, to watch over his wife. Yup, the perfect set-up for romance and, yup, Carson and Day meet up on the ship and fall in love with each believing the other is someone else. For good measure, throw in Oscar Levant for some ascerbic comedy and elegant piano playing. Doris sings her heart out and I love her fresh faced, but knowing character who you would never think would turn into a hoity-toity, business woman refusing Rock Hudson in later films. She and Carson have real chemistry( they had an affair while making this film) and she steals every scene.

2. SHIP OF FOOLS-1965

This is not a happy film with many people on this ship having to deal with death, imprisonment, loss of beauty, racism/anti-semitism and a German asshole and blowhard. Simone Signoret plays a Contessa going to jail, in Spain, for aiding the Rebel Cause and uprising in 1933 Cuba. She falls in love with the doctor, played so well by Oskar Werner, with a severe heart condition. George Segal and Elizabeth Ashley are lovers who are artists but George doesn’t take his gal’s artwork seriously. Vivien Leigh is the once beautiful socialite whose beauty is declining along with her pleasant manner who has great disdain for Lee Marvin, a British baseball player who has eyes for the Flamenco dancers. Then you have the disgusting idiot German, played to the hilt by Jose Ferrer who openly shows his racial hatred to the Jewish people and other undesirables. The undesirable in question is the dwarf, played by Michael Dunn, who is the center for everything going on in this ship. Dunn received an Oscar nomination for this role and I’m glad he did. This is an excellent film to see as a great character study all set on this ship.

3. VOYAGE OF THE DAMNED-1975

This is the true story of the over 900 Jewish passengers, on board the St. Louis cruise ship headed by the heroic Capt. Schroeder, played by Max Von Sydow, who desperately tries to save the lives of these Jewish people. They thought they were home free escaping the persecution of the Jews in 1939 Germany, but were not allowed into Cuba because their Visas are now considered invalid. The Captain  travels to Florida beseeching the American Government to take on the Jewish refugees but were turned away. When the captain wants to run the ship aground, the American ships follow the refugee ship out to opens waters. His next stop is Canada but, they are turned away as well. The Captain travels to England where, finally, a third of the passengers are taken by England with the rest taken in by the French and The Netherlands. You find out that, since the Nazis took over France and The Netherlands before being defeated in 1945, that of over the 900 Jewish people on that ship, over 600 were killed in the camps. This is a star-studded film headed by Faye Dunaway and Oskar Werner as wealthy, avant-Garde couple plus others who  are terrified for their future. James Mason, Orson Welles, Lee Grant plus so many others are on this ship with lives that we get to see. It is a film forgotten but one that should not be. It’s an excellent film that is tension filled with a splash of glamour but it is no Love Boat.

Any cruise ship movies you can think of?

Titanic Songs

 

Since I was a kid, I was enthralled by anything Titanic. I was hoping to meet any survivor and some were still around back in the 70s and even, 80s. I read books and watched any movie about it. The best film, ever made about the Titanic is, “ A Night To Remember” from 1958, which recounts what happened including the snobbery of the 1st Class ( the 1997 flick has superb special effects, but the story is stupid, it’s The LoveBoat Sinking). Over at Monday Music Moves Me, in honour of the people who lost their lives as well as survived this famous sinking, it’s about Icebergs, ships, Big Band Music etc… and I went with these 3 songs that were all part of the repertoire of the White Star Line. They were probably played during this voyage if, not in fact, while the ship was sinking, by this very brave band.

1. THE MERRY WIDOW WALTZ BY FRANZ LEHAR

This piece came from the very famous operetta The Merry Widow from 1905 which was a huge hit and continues to be to this day. A few songs made their way on to the White Star Line list of music to play during its voyage. The original play came from 1861 but it’s the operetta that became famous with a few movies based on this musical including a silent version starring Mae Murray and John Gilbert.

2. LET ME CALL YOU SWEETHEART FROM 1910

I think we all heard this song in one version or another  and was a huge hit from this early time with music by Leo Friedman and lyrics by Beth Slater. This was played  during the voyage either during the luncheons or before the fancy dinners. I like to think they played this since so many men were saying goodbye to their wives, lovers or girlfriends helping them into the lifeboats knowing they will never see each other again. It takes on a new meaning when one thinks of this scene.

3. SONGE  D’AUTOMNE BY ARCHIBALD JOYCE FROM 1908

Archibald Joyce  was quite the prolific writer in his heyday and many of his musical pieces were part of the White Star Line and were, more than likely, played on the Titanic. In fact, some of the survivors said this song “Dream Of Autumn”  was the last song played by the musicians instead of “Nearer My God To Thee”. I still believe that it is the latter that was last played, but this song is pretty.

Bonus…NEARER MY GOD TO THEE FROM FILM A NIGHT TO REMEMBER-1958

Best Actress Oscar for 1998

 

I think 1998 is very new and, yet, it is 28 years ago….wowzers! I remember this Oscars because I thought Gwyneth Paltrow’s dress was ugly. It was a pink that seemed to wash her out and her spaghetti straps seemed so low tht I thought her boobs were at her waist. Gwyneth won the Oscar for her turn as the love interest to Shakespeare played by Josef Fiennes, yes, Ralph Fiennes’s brother. I don’t mind the movie, “Shakespeare In Love” and find it quite funny but, you know, I don’t agree with the winner….

1. CATE BLANCHETT IN ELIZABETH

Cate Blanchett wowed me as the future Elizabeth 1st also known as The Virgin Queen. You see her go from a fun loving young woman to the Queen who loses her freedom by ruling one of the greatest nations (at that time) in the known world. She loves deeply and has great intelligence knowing how to keep the ones wanting her to fail, at arm’s length. She is the supreme ruler in a world dominated by men but she rises to the occasion. Cate kept me riveted in her multi layered role as this extremely pale monarch. To me, she deserved the Oscar hands down but I still need to see Fernanda Montenegro in the film, “Central Station” which many felt she should have won. 

2. GWYNETH PALTROW IN SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE

Yup, this gal won the Oscar and , I do admit that Gwyneth is quite good in the role of a lady betrothed to a jerk ( played by Colin Firth) but wishes she could be an actor. The problem is that no self respecting woman would play…in a play. At this time, other men would play the female parts ( can you imagine some hairy guy playing Juliet?) but Gwyneth decides to play a boy so she can act but she does not expect to fall for the writer and star of the show, Joseph Fiennes. Joseph’s agent is played hilariously, by Geoffrey Rush⁸ and Ben Affleck is one of the actors and he does a pretty decent job, Judi Dench played the aging Elizabeth the 1st who won the Oscar for something like 8 minutes on the screen. This film was the big winner this year but it should have gone to other films and the Oscar for best actress should have gone to Cate.

3. JANE HORROCKS IN LITTLE VOICE

If I had seen “Central Station” I might change this blog post, but I am only going with films I have seen and this tiny gem was just a wonderful watch, it is biographical because Jane Horrocks can sing just like Judy Garland, Edith Piaf, you name it, she can sing just like them which makes the Michael Caine character see dollar signs. He plays a miserable prig who is dating her mother, also not the nicest person. The only person who seems to truly love her is the geeky guy, played by Ewan McGregor. I need to see this film again because I was quite enthralled by all the leads but no one was nominated.

Just so you know, the other nominees in this Oscar year are Fernanda Montenegro for Central Station, Meryl Streep for One True Thing and Emily Watson for Hilary and Jackie. 

Would you choose the same or pick someone else?

April…WTF!

 

The other day, when I got off the elevator to leave work, I saw…snow. Now, I like snow in November all the way through to end of February, but not now. After o said a few…words, I looked down at my phone for 5 seconds, I’m not kidding, and when I looked up, it was raining. I waited for my hubby to pick me up and when he came, 5 minutes later, it was sunny. That didn’t last long before it started to snow again. I surmise that the weather is psychotic and it means to screw us up. I thought of April and the songs written about it and had my own theme for Monday Music Moves Me. Oh, the calendar pussy cat is my Lexi

1. APRIL IN PORTUGAL SUNG BY JANE MORGAN-1953

I know the music well and always loved it but I did not know there were words to it. Bing Crosby does a nice version as well as Vic Damone, but I really like this version with the English lyrics written by Jimmy Kennedy. It was written by Raul Ferraro with lyrics by Jose Galhardo and made famous by the Portuguese singer Amalia Rodrigues. I just enjoyed listening to this song.

2. THE GIRL WITH APRIL IN HER EYES SUNG BY CHRIS DEBURGH-1978

Sorry Anabel:) I do love Chris DeBurgh and this song, from his album, “ Crusador”, just blew me away. I love the gentleness of this song and the fairy tale feel of it. 

3. I’LL REMEMBER APRIL SUNG BY JULIE LONDON-1956

The smouldering Julie London has an album called, “Calendar Girl” and she sang this song which was written by Gene De Paul with lyrics by Don Raye and Patricia Johnston. I had no idea this song made its debut in an Abbott & Costello film, “Ride’em Cowboy” from 1942. I know I heard the song since I watched this movie long ago but I don’t remember it but I like it. 

Here is Amalia’s version of of April in Portugal

Star Of The Month-Anthony Perkins

 ANTHONY PERKINS

BIRTH: April 4, 1932

DEATH: September 13, 1992

AGED: 60 years old

DIED FROM: Pneumonia due to AIDS

MARRIED: Berry Berenson

AFFAIRS: Let me count the ways! Tab Hunter( 4 year relationship), Grover Dale (6 yr relationship), Stephen Sondheim, Rudolph Nureyev, Victoria Principal, plus many, many others. There is now a sad rumour, that he and Paul Newman had an affair. This came out only after Paul Newmn’s death and there is no real evidence to support this rumour. 

CHILDREN: Oz Perkins and Elvis Perkins, both in the entertainment industry 

FAMOUS PARENT: Osgood Perkins

OSCAR NOMINATIONS: Best Supporting Actor for “Friendly Persuasion”

OSCAR WINS: Nil…should have been nominated and win for “Psycho”

TALENT: He could sing and was in musicals on Broadway. One song, (Frank Loesser created this song for Perkins because he hated Perkins and, deliberately, wrote this song believing it was shit), “ Never Will I Marry” became a hit and has been sung by many famous singers like Frank Sinatra, Perkins was an excellent impersonator and could do a very funny impersonation of Roddy McDowall. They were gret friends

KNOWN FOR: His quirky mannerisms; his charm and genial personality; his oddly, boyish good looks. He was known to stutter.

I’m late here but it’s been a busy weekend, but I’m still here:) Poor Anthony Perkins will forever be known for his “alter ego” Norman Bates from Psycho, the 1960 film, directed by Alfred Hitchcock. He should be known for his wider talent of work he has done in film and Broadway creating some mighty fine work heralded by critics and his fellow actors. 

This man was one conflicted, layered man who fought his sexuality to the point where he went to a psychiatrist to change his wish to be with men rather than women. Of course, we now know, this can’t be done, but, back in the day, many people thought it could be taken out of him, sort of speak. I guess, some still think this today, but, this is very wrong. Anyhoo, let’s add that Anthony also had huge mother issues where, as a young child, he wished his dad dead. When his famous dad died ( Osgood was a big actor during the silents and early sound films), Perkins felt intense guilt for wishing this and, later, sought treatment for these feelings. Let’s add even more mental fuck up( sorry, but this word is perfect), when his mom started caressing him including  all the way to, you know where and she continued sexually abusing him into his young adulthood. As he grew up, his mom became great friends with playwright, Marchaela O’Hara eventually moving in with Perkins and his mom. Yup, the consensus is that they became lovers and stayed together. 

Hitchcock must have sensed Perkin’s sexual ambiguity and he was hired to be Norman Bates. Perkins  and Hitchcock got along very well where, for years after, Perkins was invited to Hitchcock’s home for dinners when Hitchcock would entertain other people during the making of other films. Perkins was very well liked by many and found him charming, intelligent and sweet. He would stand up when he saw injustice. When he made a film with Shirley MacLaine, “The Matchmaker(1958)”, Perkins salary was $75,000 but Shirley’s was $25,000, so Perkins went all the way to the head of the studio demanding that MacLaine received the same amount as he, but this fell on deaf ears. During the 50s and 60s, Perkins had 2 major relationships first with Tab Hunter and 2nd with Dancer and actor Grover Dale, where he lived with them, entertaining friends and it was an open secret that Perkins was gay. Perkins, was so conflicted that, in the late 60s, he sought psychological counselling. His first time, with a woman, was with Victoria Principal during  the making of the film, “The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean.” He soon met Berry Berenson, an actress and photographer, and married her. By all accounts, he did love her but he continued to have sexual encounters with many men during their marriage but never separated. Perkins decided to embrace his alter ego and he directed 3 more films on Norman Bates, Psycho 2, 3 and 4, a TV prequel. I saw 2 and 3 and I just don’t like them especially that poor Vera Miles dies with a Big knife thrown into her mouth. Oops, spoiler alert. 

It was during the making of Psycho 3, that he found out he had AIDS and died from pneumonia with Berry and his 2 sons by his side. Sadly, Berry Berrenson was on one of the planes, on 9/11, that crashed into the Twin Towers. Perkins grew up in a very abusive household and during a time when homosexuality was against the law. Despite this, he became a romantic leading man before doing Psycho cementing his fame in this excellent film. He was genial, generous and a nice man. This is the man we need to remember.

FILMS 

1. Psycho-1960

2. The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean-1972

3. The Tin Star-1957

4. Murder anon the Orient Express-1974

5. Pretty Poison-1968

6. Friendly Persuasion-1956

7. On The Beach-1959

8. Green Mansions-1959

9. Mahogany-1975

10.  Desire Under The Elms-1955

Cigars…Cigarettes

 

Today, thankfully, cigarettes are looked upon as unhealthy and a “filthy” habit, no disrespect to the bloggers who still smoke. My mom smoked for over 50 years and, when I was little, I remember my dad giving me $5.00 to go buy a pack of cigarettes for him and mom while he filled up the car with gas. Yes, I was, maybe 6 or 7 when I went up to the cashier, my eyes barely over the counter, asking for a pack of cameo and a pack of export A. This is when a pack cost a little over a buck. During the heyday of Hollywood, just about everyone smoked and the haze one sees in the bar scenes are real. Often, the cigarette was used as a sexual precursor to something more alluring which just made the genes public want to smoke more. This was also when doctors said smoking was healthy and calmed ones’ nerves. I believe it does including calming pain but at a price…greatly increasing the risk of getting heart disease, stroke, COPD, and cancer. Anyways, here are 3 films showcasing 3 great stars known for their smoking…

1. BLONDE VENUS-1932

This is one strange film that stars Marlene Dietrich, directed by her Svengali paramour, Josef Von Sternberg. She plays a cabaret singer married to Herbert Marshall, who is dying from Radium, with a young son, thinking their only hope is to me this physician in Dresden who can cure poor Herbert. The trip is not cheap so Marlene goes back to the stage billed as the Blonde Venus where she meets up with a rich politician, played by Cary Grant. They have an affair, her marriage crumbles and there is a lot of soap opera going on. We see Marlene smoking with a cigarette holder, a sophisticated look to smoking that was an extra gem to have along with earrings, broaches etc… This film is most famous for Marlene’s one performance in a gorilla suit where she takes off the gorilla head to show her in an absurd blonde afro. This is a pre-code film which is a fun watch.

2. NOW, VOYAGER-1942

What can one say, when women swooned over Paul Henreid, when he took 2 cigarettes in his mouth, lit them and handed one to the mesmerizing Bette Davis, who never looked so good. This is considered one of the sexiest moments on screen. The film, starring Bette Davis plays a downtrodden spinster bullied and put down by her shrew of a mother played so well by Gladys Cooper. Enter the ever great, Claude Rains, as a psychiatrist who brings Bette to a sanitarium to heal her mind and soul. He does and the next time we see Bette, she is dressed in one of the best outfits I’ve seen on film…love the hat! She is taking a cruise where she meets Paul Henreid and has an affair shown by the classic cigarette scene(s) plus sharing a sleeping bag. When Bette returns home, she meets up with her mom, confronting her and overcomes the negativity her mom spews forth. This is a classic woman’s picture, well acted and directed with a wonderful score.

3. TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT-1944

This film stars Humphrey Bogart( who did die from throat cancer most likely from his smoking) as a boat captain on an island taken over by the Vichy French during WW2. Bogart doesn’t want to get involved with politics only wanting to make a living. He meets up with Slim, played by Lauren Bacall, who sings a little ditty while draped around a piano. Of course, Bogie is holding a cigarette in his mouth looking alluring to us and Bacall. In fact, this is the film where Bogie and Bacall meet, falling in love and marrying. The cigarette seems to be, yet another, sexual metaphor where Bogie lights a cigarette and hands it over to Lauren Bacall. The bar has a constant haze of smoke which lends to the feel of this film about the free French trying to escape from the Vichy.  This is a must see film and the 1st of four they made together.

Which films can you think of with cigarettes taking a dominant role? 

Storms

 

Yesterday, was quite stormy…rain, some hail, lightening, thunder all day long. March went out like a lion, that’s for sure so it works with this week’s theme over at Monday Music Moves Me. I always think of the brilliant songs, “Stormy Weather” sung by Judy Garland and “Riders of the Storm” by the Doors but I went with these songs and hope you enjoy…

1. STORMS SUNG BY FLEETWOOD MAC-1979

This song was written by Stevie Nicks for their album, “Tusk” and was about her affair with Mick Fleetwood which did not help his marriage…obviously. 

2. THE STORM SUNG BY CHRIS DEBURGH-2010

I love Chris DeBurgh, an Irish singer, balladeer, and singing recanteur who has sung about many storms and rain, but I really like this song with the infusion of Irish music.

3. RAIN IS FALLING SUNG BY ELO-1981

Along with ABBA, I love ELO which was another band I really wanted to see but knew my mom would say no since she said no to seeing ABBA when they were on their Voulez-Vous tour( “there might be drugs there”, my mom said). They had an elaborate set back in the 1970s with a space ship and a light show but I loved how they brought in all these classical elements into their music. This song was written by Jeff Lynne which is about loss and sadness, a typical theme when singing bout rain and storms.

Which stormy songs come into your mind?