Happy Father’s Day…or Not

 

This Sunday, millions of dads will be so happy to receive a tie. It’s Fathers Day and, I hope, most have wonderful dads. I had a wonderful dad even though, at times, he could be mean and unfair, but, overall he was a very good man and one who could be downright sweet. I miss my dad every day and he died 38 years ago. This got me thinking, for every Gregory Peck, who played the best dad ever, Atticus Finch, you have Darth Vader who tortures and fights his children, cutting off his one kid’s hand. I decided to go the mean route and choose dads who are just nasty S. O. B.’s. So here we go…

1. BROKEN BLOSSOMS-1919

I know I spoke about this 107 year old movie( holy crap! I saw this film when it was only 65 yrs old) before, but it really fits this theme because it is one of the first films to show an abusive parent. Donald Crisp plays the brutish, ex-boxer who takes out his frustrations on his sad, little daughter who has no clue what kindness means, played so well by the great Lillian Gish. She can only smile by using her fingers to move her lips into a smile. On another part of the city is a Chinese man, played so humbly, by white Richard Barthlemess, who came to America to spread the word of Buddhism. He quickly finds out that the States is not wanting to know anything about Buddhism ( except for Richard “ anyone see my pet gerbil”  Gere) and he is relegated to have some smoke in their own opium dens. When he sees the young girl, he falls, very innocently,  in love with her. When he finds her, nearly beaten to death by her dad, he brings her to his tiny oasis of his home and treats her with respect and reverence. This is the first time, she has ever experienced kindness and is unsure how to react. When her nasty father finds out where she is, all hell breaks loose. This film, directed by D. W. Griffith, is chock full of rascist stereotypes from the opium dens to all the white guys getting high on opium playing Chinese men. I saw this film in film class and we all laughed when the words came up letting us know what each was saying. Gish kept calling her friend, “ Chinky” just not the right thing to say. The professor, quite rightly, chastised us for laughing and to remember when the film was made and by who. Griffith meant to show this  with respect and that this was a love story, pretty bold for the times since it is between a white girl and Asian man. It is worth a look.

2. THE BARRETTS OF WIMPOLE STREET-1934

This is the true story of the love affair between Elizabeth Barrett Browning and Robert Browning and the major conflict they had to deal with regarding her dad, played so menacingly by Charles Laughton. This evil bastard makes sure to keep his daughters all to his own literally crippling his one daughter, Elizabeth ( played by Norma Shearer), by mental and emotional abuse. Her poetry becomes famous bringing Robert Browning( played by Fredric March) to write to her and, before long, their letters become one of affection and love. When Browning and Elizabeth meet, love is in bloom, but not if Laughton has anything to do with it. I need to re-see this film since it has been decades, but I was enthralled by their love for each other and the nastiness of Laughton. In fact, Laughton suggested via his mannerisms, that he loved his daughters  the way you are not supposed to which makes him more heinous. Due to this film, I started to read poetry starting with these 2 and venturing to other greats like Byron and Shelley.

3. CHINATOWN-1974

“My Mother, ( slap), my sister ( slap), my daughter” so yells Faye Dunaway to her lover, Jack Nicholson, who slaps her when he realizes she is not telling him the truth. This is a modern film noir, directed by Roman Polanski, who, memorably, makes a cameo as a short, freak thug who slices Jack’s nose. Throughout most of the film, Jack wears a Nose bandage throughout most of the film. He is hired by femme fatale Dunaway, and becomes involved with the water reservoir and the fight between the land owners and the money men who control the water. Head of that fight is the very evil Cross, played so perfectly, by John Huston. Huston’s voice and mannerisms create a character that is both charming and evil to the core. What he does to his daughter is beyond reprehensible. Well acted, with a typical, convoluted plot and music that evokes the feel of this film noir set in the 1930s, helps you become invested in this film. 

What Nasty dads can you think of? 

By the way, the newer to yesterday’s music post, “Sooner or Later” won the Oscar, “Somewhere In My Memory” was nominated and “ It Must Have Been Love” came up empty-handed. FYI..the other nominees were, “Blaze of Glory” by Bon Jovi from  Young Guns 2; “I’m Checkin’ Out” written by Shel Silverstein from the movie, Postcards From The Edge; and “Promise Me You’ll Remember”  by Carmine Coppola with lyrics by John Bettis from The Godfather 3.

Which song won the Best Oscar for 1990

 

It is freebie week over at Monday Music Moves Me and It’s that time again to wonder which song won the Oscar, which was nominated and which got nuttin’!  It is also the time for me to forget to post, the following day the answers…I hope I remember, but let’s see if any of you guess correctly.

1. SOMEWHERE IN MY MEMORY SUNG BY A CHILDREN’S CHOIR

This song was composed by the esteemed John Williams with lyrics by Leslie Bricusse and is from the little Christmas movie, “Home Alone.”  We most often hear this song done by a children’s choir with a  symphony orchestra  which sounds quite beautiful.

2. IT MUST HAVE BEEN LOVE SUNG BY ROXETTE

This song is from the blockbuster “ Pretty Woman”  and was written by Per Gessle who was the male half of this Swedish Pop group. Marie Fredriksson was the lead singer of this iconic song. Sadly, she died in 2019 from complications of her cancerous brain tumour she had been fighting for the past 17 years. 

3.  SOONER OR LATER SUNG BY MADONNA

This song, written by Stephen Sondheim, comes from the film, “Dick Tracy”  that starred Warren Beatty and Madonna who had a brief affair with him during this time ( who didn’t sleep with Beatty….who hasn’t slept with Madonna?). When she was shown this song that she needed to sing, she thought it was old fashioned crap. I can’t recall her exact words but she was not enamoured with the song…sigh.

So…can you guess which one won, which was nominated and which came up empty-handed? Let me know.

Who Should Have Won Best Actress-1982

 

My choice for Best Actress for 1982 will be controversial because most everyone loves the actress that did win and feels she deserved it for this year…except me…lol. So let’s get on with it with my choice for Best Actress…

1. JESSICA LANGE IN FRANCES

This is a film that I have not been able to watch since 1982! This is not because I didn’t like the film, but because it was so harrowing and disturbing that I still am emotional when I think about this film. Jessica Lange gave a mind boggling performance as the 1930s actress Frances Farmer, a beautiful woman who starred in a few films before her alcoholism and erratic behaviour took hold. In this film, it is very much implied that Frances’s mother, who wielded a power over the household, did not like her daughter’s independent spirit and was an active proponent to have her daughter committed to the insane asylum. You see Frances’s descent where she is raped while in the asylum and, finally, given a lobotomy. Once out, she is a shell of her former self. It is an incredibly sad film especially since it is based on a true story. Now, it is called a highly fictionalized film version but the real Frances Farmer was a proponent for better treatment of the patients and wanted an end to lobotomies that were in place back in the 40s and 50s. Jessica deserved her Oscar for this role and not the boring romantic foul to Dustin Hoffman’s Tootsie. Personally, I think she won that Best Supporting Oscar as a comeuppance for not winning the Best Actress.

2. MERYL STREEP IN SOPHIE’S CHOICE

I know, I know…sacrilege! How dare I say that Meryl should not have won for her role as a Polish woman, in the concentration camp being told to decide which of her children should live and which one should die. It is beyond disgusting but, for this moment, I just had a hard time dealing with her meh Polish accent and the long winded storyline of her love affairs with Kevin Kline, whom I love and Peter McNichol…um the very short guy who played the creepy nut in Ghostbusters 2. To be honest, I had a hard time keeping my eyes open watching this movie because, I found it…boring. Told you this would be controversial.

3. JULIE ANDREWS IN VICTOR/VICTORIA

Julie was, rightfully, nominated for her brilliant comedic turn as a starving woman in Paris, taken in by an old Queen, played by Robert Preston,  who comes up with a brilliant premise. Julie is a woman, who pretends to be a man who pretends to be a woman. She/he sings up a storm and becomes a major star on stage winning the hearts of the audience especially visiting gangster, James Garner, and his moll, played so well by Lesley Ann Warren ( up for Best Supporting Actress)and Alex Karras, who steals many scenes as Garner’s secretly gay bodyguard.  This is a brilliant comedy with some wonderful singing scenes showcasing Andrews’ 4 Octave range. I’m glad she was nominated and, if it wasn’t for Jessica Lange, I would have given the Oscar to Julie over, yes, Meryl. 

Have you seen these films? I bet you disagree with me but if you don’t …thank you! Is there another actress you would have given this Oscar to? Let me know.

Long Summer Hours

 

It’s a fun theme this week over at Monday Music Moves Me where we pick songs that makes you think of long summer days and warm nights. Nowadays, I enjoy the evenings, before the mosquitoes dive bomb to suck the blood from me, sitting and enjoying the flowers and that evening air which is just hard to explain. My 20s were filled with sadness but also contained a lot of fun! I often danced the night away and enjoyed a few parties, some with campfires, making friends that are still in my life. When I hear these songs, I always reflect back to those fun times. Here are 3 that I just love…

1. SUMMER IN THE CITY BY THE LOVIN’ SPOONFUL-1966

I love this song, which has been used by a couple other people this week, but I still had to place this in, because I just love this song. I recall, sitting by many a fire listening to this song in the warm air, smelling of mosquito repellent, enjoying hearing this song.

2. GOOD VIBRATIONS SUNG BY THE BEACH BOYS-1967

Now, I danced to this song many, many times at the countless discos that were around in the 80s. They would play music from the 80s, but also the 70s and the 60s. The Beach Boys seem to epitomize  the long summer days and I was happy dancing to their many tunes.

3. PARADISE BY THE DASHBOARD LIGHT SUNG BY MEATLOAF AND ELLEN FOLEY-1977

This song comes from the album, “Bat Out Of Hell” which I own and except for the song of the same name as the album title, I love all the songs and this particular song reminds me of the time when, at a campfire, we started to sing their song with us gals singing, “stop right there” and the guys miming, “sleep on it.” It was fun and dancing to it, sometimes, out on some patio, created memories that I will cherish. I still dance to it recalling times when it was paradise by the dashboard light. Come on, haven’t we all had fun in the backseat of some old car? Hmmmm, maybe I’ll take my hubby out to watch the submarine races.

What summer songs remind you of long summer days?

By the way, the picture was taken in 1985 at my parent's home. I had a 3 day party with tents, music, fires and yes, lots of booze! We still talk about it! 

Birthdays!

 

I have 8 birthdays in May including my hubby on May 25th and ending June 2nd with mine and it was nice. I am loving all your comments you have left on my blog posts..they just bring a smile to my face when I read them…I wanted you to know that. I wondered, how many movies celebrate birthdays, whether it’s the main theme or just a part of the movie and I realized, it was hard to recall movies I have seen where a birthday takes place but I did think of 3…

1. THE LITTLE PRINCESS-1939

This film stars the ever perky Shirley Temple who is left at a fancy boarding school, by her dad, who is off to fight in the Boer War. The woman who runs the school is a nasty, beady-eyed bitch who treats Shirley with wonder since her daddy is rich. A sumptuous birthday party, with all the trimmings and grand gifts is given to Shirley until a letter comes with the message that her dad died and his money gone since it was in property which was seized. As soon as you can say, “Happy Birthday, my little pretty”, the bitch grabs Shirley’s gifts and takes almost everything for herself before grabbing the poor girl and brings her to her new digs. It’s the cold, damp attic that she must share with the other girl who cleans and scrubs the home. Shirley doesn’t believe the report that her father died and goes on a search to the local hospital to find her dad. It’s a sweet story with Shirley in top form still playing a young girl and does a great job as does all the actors. I love the side story about the rich, crotchety old man who has his Indian manservant help the 2 young maidens in The attic by providing, food and warm blankets. This film is also done in technicolour which is great to see in the original format. 

2. HEAVEN CAN WAIT-1943

This is not the famous film done by Warren Beatty, which was from 1978, not 1943. This film stars Don Ameche as a rich but spoiled man about town who meets the beautiful Gene Tierney and marries her. We learn about their life together through his birthdays and if he is in the right place, He’ll, or if he should be in Heaven. I love this movie and find the writing, acting and directing superb and it should be better known.

3. 16 CANDLES-1984

I like this film better today than when it first came out, but it’s still not a favourite of mine because I’m just not a fan of Molly Ringworm..er…Ringwald. I never understood why she became so famous to be honest and it started with this comedy by John Hughes. You have a nice family, in a very nice home dealing with the upcoming nuptials of their eldest daughter completely forgetting that their younger daughter( Ringworm) has her Sweet 16 that day. Topping it off, aside from her grandparents coming in for their wedding knocking her out of her room, she must deal with her major crush on this hunky boy, but deals with a horny kid who is always bothering her in that gross adolescent way boys do, to her sister’s wedding day. The girl who plays the sister, Blanche Baker, did a very funny performance of a stoned out bride. I also love the foreign exchange student  played by Gedde Watanabe who gets into quite a pickle. Actually, this character and the writing received harsh criticism, but, I believe, it’s just how these 2 old people think about foreign exchange students and , like every other kid, he just wants to party. 

So what movies can you think of that is about birthdays or has a birthday party in the film?

June, June, June

 

I had a great birthday yesterday by doing almost nothing and watching a fun comedy with 2 of my dearest friends, Peter and Ron. They are brothers who do just about everything together. They have their own lives but they go on vacations together and do many fun events-today they will go to Niagara Falls and do some fun events since everything is half price this day. We watch, “Dodgeball”, a politically incorrect comedy, stupid but, I find, very funny. Peter did not like it…lol but, I think, Ron found it fun. Comedy is a hard one because not everyone likes the same thing. I like just bout every comedy style even the 3 Stooges. By the way, the deer picture was taken by my best friend, Loretta, who saw this outside her window. Ok, I digress, I am choosing songs about the wonderful month of June and I will join Monday Music Moves Me on Wednesday and here we go..,

1. MEMPHIS IN JUNE SUNG BY JULIE LONDON-1956

Julie created the album, “Calendar Girl” and I am enjoying all her songs and this one, written by Hoagy Carmichael and Paul Francis Webster, back in 1944, is special since it is bout the month of June.

2. JUNE COMES AROUND EVERY YEAR SUNG BY BING CROSBY-1944

This was written by the famous Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer and I always enjoy Der Bingle who sings this song with his usual flair.

3. JUNE IS BUSTIN’ OUT ALL OVER SUNG BY CLARAMAE TURNER AND BARBARA RUICK-1956

This is a great song by Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein for the musical, “Carousel” that became a film starring Shirley Jones and Gordon MaCrea. He is a lout who marries a sweet gal who takes his crap. It takes place in June when the fair comes to town. The townsfolk with some special gals sing about this month. It’s fun and full of frolic.

What June songs can you think of?

Star Of The Month-Marilyn Monroe

 

MARILYN MONROE

BIRTH: June 1, 1926

DEATH: August 4, 1962

AGED: 36 yrs

DIED FROM: Overdose, ruled a suicide, but I do believe she was murdered

REAL NAME: Norma Jean Mortensen or Baker

MARRIED: 3 times- James Dougherty, Joe DiMaggio, Arthur Miller

AFFAIRS: where does one start…Johnny Hyde( famous agent), Yves Montana, Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra, Elia Kazan, Milton Berle, Charlie Chaplin Jnr. And his brother, Sydney, Elia Kazan, Andre De Dienes and JFK and RFK

CHILDREN:Sadly, none-3 miscarriages

FRIENDS: Jane Russell, Dorothy Dandridge, Hildegard Knef and Ella Fitzgerald Whom she helped get into higher end clubs that she, normally, couldn’t have entered due to her colour. Monroe got her in and made sure she used the front door!

OSCAR NOMINATIONS: none!

TALENT: her ability to know how to model and use her face and body. Wrote poetry, painting

KNOWN FOR: loving books, a stutterer( got help from diction coaches), wore glasses, loved children and animals. Active equal rights activist, her mental instabilities, lateness and anxieties.

There are over 60 books about her not counting all the film books that mention her, of which I have quite a few few. June 1st was her 100th birthday( today is my birthday, but I’m just 62 which is why I am late with this today), but she died, way too young, at 36. If she would have lived, I bet she would have had. Weight problem, like Elizabeth Taylor, she would have gone to Studio 54 and would have ended up at the Betty Ford Centre. I do believe she would have been a co-star on the Love Boat, helped Bob Hope entertain more troops and made more films finally being nominated, if not winning, an Oscar….If only.

Her childhood was horrible start8 g with a mom, who did love her, but suffered from mental health problems often ending up in a sanitarium. Monroe ended up in Foster Care, bouncing from one place to another and being raped by one of foster parents when she was 11. By the time she was 16, she was told  she would have to go back to the orphanage or marry. She ended up marrying a childhood friend, James Dougherty, who went off to war soon after. She was one of the many gals who started working in a factory when, now sure how, Ronald Reagan saw her, and singled her out to be in films. She was already modeling, so she decided tht it was time to become a movie star. When her husband came back home,she g e him a kiss goodbye and off she went. She did a few extra roles, but times were tough which is when she posed for those famous nude photos. When they were “found”, she spoke to the reporters openly and said she was very hungry and needed the money. When asked what she had on, she famously said, “The radio”. You can see her climb the movie ladder from her short role in, “Love Happy” with the Marx Brothers to her breakout roles in “The Ashphalt Jungle” and “All About Eve”. When she finally hit the big time, she said, “Thank God that’s the last cock I have to suck”. She knew all about the casting couch and used it to get to the big times. 

Today, they make it that she was raped by big time producers like Darryl Zanuck, but she used her assets to get a head, er, sort of speak. Today, she would be part of the Me Too movement, but there was no such thing back in her day. I  have been reading and seeing videos making Monroe out to be the next Einstein, but, sorry, she was not this extremely intelligent woman who knew how to get more money by being late on the set and delaying production for her equal rights blah, blah, blah. She was average, but she was very curious and, never having a proper education, she was a veracious reader and loved learning. One director did note that he saw her start many books, but not sure she ever read the whole book. Unfortunately, she did inherit her mom’s mental issues and deal with extreme anxiety, depression and, later got hooked on barbiturates and alcohol. She was constantly very, very late on the set, stuck in her trailer, not wanting to come out and do the scene. The actors were often, very frustrated and angry with her because they would start at 8am and she would not come out of her trailer, often until 3, 4, or 5 pm! Sometimes, the actor or actress would be of great help like Jane Russell from “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” but you had Tony Curtis who claimed “Kissing Monroe was like kissing Hitler.” Because of his extreme frustration working with her on the set of “Some Like It Hot”. He later claimed they had an affair during this time but I don’t believe him. He never said he had an affair with her until decades later when he was writing his tell all book plus he was just too narcissistic in praising his prowess. Marilyn relied too much on her acting coaches, like Natasha Lytress and Lee Strassberg and his daughter, Paula Strassberg creating tensions on the set. Finally, her last film, “The Misfits” was hell to make. She was acting along side her teen-age crush, Clark Gable, but her marriage to Arthur Miller was failing and her mental health was not the best. Her delays on the set was upsetting Clark Gable who was always prompt making this set full of friction. Gable did many of his own stunts ( being dragged by a horse, for example) in high heat and with  all these issues, he had a severe heart attack. While recuperating in the hospital, he suffered mother heart attack and died at just 59. 

Marilyn, according to director/writer Billy Wilder, did not show any huge allure when you met her in person, but the camera captured something our eyes could not see. She looked beyond luminous and captured her sexual vulnerability on film. Despite not being able to remember her lines ( they did 76 takes when she walked into Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis’s room asking where the bourbon was. Wilder finally, pasted the line in the dresser when she opens up the drawer), being late, having major anxieties, she brought effervescence, gaiety, and gret humour to her roles. She enjoyed being photographed and having fun which Richard Avedon found when she created looks of the famous film stars from the turn of the century to the early 30s. She called her friend/lover, Andrede Dienes in the middle of the night to capture her inner feelings which is very haunting and sad. She wanted children so badly but suffered from endometriosis and suffered 3 miscarriages. She was rekindling her love for Joe DiMaggio at the end of her life and was going to have a Press Conference to talk about JFK and RFK when she died. It is, officially, ruled a suicide but, I do believe, she was murdered. She was a mess, mentally and hooked on drugs and alcohol, so it is easy to say she called it a day, but I don’t buy it. I watched an excellent documentary, years ago, about JFK’s death and all the people associated with his murder. It took a step by step approach about his murder and how over 170 people all died within the first 5 to 6 years after his death. The famous scene where Jack Ruby gunned down Lee Harvey Oswald to the many low lying people who just knew too much. Dorothy Kilgore was said to have committed suicide, but she was just way too logical to do this. Plus she stated she had the proof that JFK was shot by someone else and was going to go to the News with this, when she died.  All her papers were gone. Marilyn showed no signs of the barbiturates in her stomach which would have shown up in the autopsy. They did find a needle mark between her toes! The maid could not open the door so, rather than calling the police, after she looked in Marilyn’s bedroom window, she went to the home in the back of Monroe’s yard to Peter Lawford who was the brother in law to JFK and RFK. He looked in and was on the phone with god knows who. It was a couple of hours before the police were called. Her diary, certain papers were ripped out, and other papers were gone. It is circumstantial but it does make one think.  OK, this is lengthy, but she is an icon. I am going to showcase her unique photos by Richard Avedon and then the very sad images that Monroe said captured her soul, by Andrede Dienes.

Marilyn as Lillian Russell

Marilyn as Theda Bara

Marilyn as Jean Harlow

Marilyn as Clara Bow

Marilyn as Marlene Dietrich

2 pictures of Marilyn from Andre de Dienes

FILMS- MY FAVOURITES 

1. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes-1953

2. Some Like It Hot-1959

3. Seven Year Itch-1955

4. Bus Stop-1956

5. Niagara-1953

6. How To Marry A Millionaire-1953

7. There’s No Business Like Show Business-1954

8. The Misfits-1961

9. River Of No Return-1954

10. Don’t Bother To Knock-1952