Saturday, April 2, 2016

The Letter B


The A to Z Challenge

To Gregory Peck (Spellbound-Hitch directed) in...

1. THE BIG COUNTRY-1958-WESTERN


DIRECTOR:William Wyler
STARS:Gregory Peck, Charlton Heston, Jean Simmons, Burl Ives*, Caroll Baker, Charles Bickford
PLOT: Man from the East comes to marry the girl of his dreams and gets in between land wars over the Big Muddy.
QUOTE: Crawl, you act like a dog, crawl like one! Crawl, I said, Crawl!
OSCAR NOMS: Musical Score
OSCAR WINS: Best Supporting Actor*
LOVE: The music! It really invigorates me
FAVOURITE SCENE:Hard to choose but when Burl Ives character comes to the big engagement party and tells off  the big cheese, that is golden.
FAVOURITE CHARACTER: Rufus Hannassey (Burl Ives)
TIDBITS:William Wyler, the director, and Gregory Peck, the star clashed big time and Wyler vowed never to work with Peck ever again.
SIX DEGREES (MORE OR LESS) OF SEPARATION: Gregory Peck to Robert Mitchum (Cape Fear), Mitchum to Ralph Bellamy (Winds of War-miniseries), Bellamy to Eddie Murphy Trading Spaces) to...

2. BOWFINGER-1999-COMEDY


DIRECTOR: Frank Oz
STARS:Steve Martin, Eddie Murphy, Christine Baranski, Heather Graham, Terrence Stamp
PLOT: Sad sack, bad film producer creates a movie using a famous action hero as his star without that star knowing it.
QUOTE: It's too cerebral! We're trying to make a movie here, not a film.
OSCAR NOMS:Nil
OSCAR WINS:Nil
LOVE: the writing-Steve Martin oozes brilliance.
FAVOURITE SCENE: so, so many but love the freeway scene
FAVOURITE CHARACTER: "Jiff" Ramsey...close second is the dog:)
TIDBITS: The gold digging character played by Heather Graham is supposedly based on Anne Heche whom Steve Martin dated. Anne Heche had a big affair with Ellen Degeneres.
SIX DEGREES (MORE OR LESS) OF SEPARATION: Eddie Murphy to Ralph Bellamy to....have to wait:)

84 comments:

  1. Can't comment on today's films because I've not seen either of them, but loving your header letters!
    The Glasgow Gallivanter

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    1. Glad you like the letters I made. Maybe one day you will have seen these films

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  2. The Big Country was one of my dad's favourite films. Looking forward to Monday's films. Have a lovely weekend.

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    1. Your dad has great taste:) have a wonderful weekend

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  3. Your six degrees connections are brilliant. Trading Places is a great movie to know for that game - good generation bridge.

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    1. Glad you like my 6 degrees. Ralph Bella,y comes in handy

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  4. Really nice to see all the summaries. Thanks. Have a great weekend!
    Mary Montague Sikes
    Notes Along the Way
    The Artful Way

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    1. Glad you like the summaries. Have a great weekend too

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  5. I haven't seen either of these movies. Love the way you are presenting them. And your letter at the top of your post is beautiful...as is everything you do!
    Happy A-Z, Day Two!

    Michele at Angels Bark

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  6. Wasn't crazy about Bowfinger, but it was interesting that Frank Oz directed it. Yeah, he'll always be Miss Piggy and Fozzie Bear to me.

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    1. I know! I didn't know he directed this either until I looked it up. I love Bowfinger but it is all about film making and there is a lot of inside stuff that I got a kick out of it of

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  7. Hi, dear BB!

    I don't remember watching either of these movies, but I can testify that Burl Ives was an excellent actor and folk song recording artist. I remember the splash made by the latest "it girl" of the period, Carroll Baker. I have seen both Cape Fear movies and can't decide which one I like more. Christine Baranski is a treasure - superb in every role she accepts. My earliest impressions of Heather Graham were formed when she appeared in Twin Peaks and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, and who could forget her revealing (topless) scene as Rollergirl in Boogie Nights?

    Thanks, dear Birgit, and have a nice weekend!

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    1. baby Doll! It was quite the thing back then with Baker. I hated the remake of Cape Fear. The daughter was beyond stupid. I wishChristine Baranski was in more fun films and musicals. I don't think anyone will forget Graham in Boogie Nights

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  8. Birgit, The 1958 feature I don't remember, but I thought the newer one, Bowfinger, I might have and yet I don't think I've seen it. Oddly when I think of Burl Ives I think of him as a singer or an animated snowman. lol Steve Martin is a favorite 80s-90s actor of ours. So, I'm definitely going to check into this movie. Thanks for sharing and for visiting!
    Curious as a Cathy
    All Things Vintage: Bomber Girls #AprilA2Z

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    1. Burl Ives is excellent in this film and it is hard to think that he is the amiable animated snowman. I love Bowfinger so I hope you enjoy it

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  9. Love the B card. Great post. The quotes were classic:)

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  10. Seen both this time. I remember liking Bowfinger when I watched it years ago, but barely recall it.

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  11. I don't know Bowfinger. Must have missed that one along the way. Burl Ives always fascinated me. I never got over his beautiful singing voice.

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    1. You wil love Burl Ives in this film because you don't even think of him as a loveable singer

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  12. My gosh, you really did do a lot of research for this! I haven't seen either of these movies :(

    betty

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    1. Yes...I just picked movies out of my head and then went from there. Hope you get to see some

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  13. I forgot about Bowfinger! LOL. Your theme is awesome, I'll be back tomorrow!

    Love ya!

    Cherdo
    Cherdo on the Flipside
    "Favorite Characters, Favorite Lines" on the A-to-Z Challenge 2016

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    1. So glad you like my theme and that you like Bowfinger

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  14. I haven't seen either of these, but Bowfinger sounds interesting. Of course, if the Tidbit is correct, Anne Heche is likely not a fan of this one;)

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    1. Yes, well, I tried to double check everything and considering she went to Ellen after leaving Steve Martin makes me think....

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  15. I love the way you're connecting these movies and the posts, Birgit. ☺ These are two films I haven't seen but I have heard of them. Enjoy your weekend.

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    1. I'm glad you are liking this and hope, one day, you will see one of these films.

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  16. Replies
    1. They are both great in my book and I love them and have seen them several times

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  17. Big Country is one of my favourites. Especially Burl Ives who was wonderful. He played an honourable man didn't he. I think that duelling scene is great. Not seen your other choice.

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    1. It's a great film and love that scene. I also love the taming of Thunder and the music

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  18. Saw Bowfinger. Thought it was funny.

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  19. Oh, wow... I haven't seen either of these—but I love Gregory Peck! Will have to look up The Big Western soon. Interesting tidbit about Anne Heche, too ;)

    Thanks for dropping by at Life In Dogs !

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    1. I love this western and can watch it over and over. It's great

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  20. Haven't seen either. For some reason, I have this aversion to James Bond. I've never seen any of his movies, even though the real James Bond came from my city.

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    1. James Bond I like but he doesn't appear in either of these films...am I missing something??:)

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  21. THE BIG COUNTRY is the movie my best friend used to teach her son what it meant to be a true man. It is a fine movie.

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    1. That's pretty cool actually and Peck's character is a good role model.

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  22. Never heard of Bowfinger. Saw the Big Country when it came out. I never liked Ives but did enjoy the movie.

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    1. You are the first to not like Burl! Glad you still liked the movie though

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  23. I am going to have to check out Bowfinger.

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    1. I find it hilarious but it seems to run hot or cold with people

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  24. I haven't seen either of these movies, but I love your "B" card.

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    1. Glad you like my B card:) Maybe you may even see one of these movies

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  26. Havent seen either of these, but I may have to look up Bowfinger. I do enjoy a good comedy. With Steve Martin, it could bit hit or miss.

    Mary
    Twitter: @KnottyMarie
    Literary Gold
    Jingle Jangle Jungle

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    1. I love Steve Martin and I love this film but not everyone seems to like this film which befuddles me.

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  27. Beautiful monogram atop that wonderful background. Loved the Big Country, didn't know the bit about Peck & Wyler. Always interesting to hear the little tidbits too. Don't know #2. TFS & hope your wkend is great. Hugs.

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    1. Glad you like my B. The Big Country is such a great movie. Bowfinger is funny

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  28. The Big Country was a great western!

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  29. My dad was huge fan of westerns. Watched the western channel all day. BIg Country was watched multiple times. Such a great one! Love the 6 degrees!!

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    1. I love westerns! The Big Country is so good and different from the regular westerns

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  30. Chuck Connors was very good in The Big Country. He was an excellent bad guy.

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    1. He was so good in this film and then he played such a good fearless man in The Rifleman

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  31. I like your tidbits section.
    I'm pretty sure I've seen Bowfinger. It's a funny movie.

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    1. Glad you enjoyed the tidbits. Bowfinger is one of my favs

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    2. Just an update. The day after I posted my comment here I was at a friends house and he wanted to watch a movie. So he asked me to pick. We scrolled through some Netflix films and when I saw Bowfinger I suggested it. We both had a good evening of drinking beers and having a few laughs.

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  32. I haven't seen either of these, but they both sound like fun! Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy always crack me up :)

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    1. They are so funny together that I wish they would make another film

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  33. Westerns fell out of favor. Not many today it seems.

    Pioneer Women in Aviation A-Z

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    1. They used to be so huge and now, they are so rare. I wish more would be made

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  34. Love The Big Country and the music. I'm not a big Eddie Murphy fan but Bowfinger sounds good. From
    That's Purrfect

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    1. Murphy is really funny in this and he plays 2 roles. He keeps his ego in check except in the other role but it fits and it's funny.

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  35. I haven;t seen either of those Brigit! My dad loved westerns, just like Holli's. There's something about them, isn't there?

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    1. I wish I wish more westerns would be made. I miss them

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  36. I haven't seen Big Country in years. Now that's a balst from the past.

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    1. I have many that are from the past and this is a good one.

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  37. I dunno. When I think of Burl Ives, all I can think of is the snowman on 'Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer.'
    Silver and gold, you know.

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    1. Yes, well he's anything but here and he's great!

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  38. I saw Bowfinger a very long time ago - and of course a big fan of Steve Martin! I enjoyed seeing the quotes and trivia, Birgit! And the header letter? Brilliant! :)

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    1. He is great and a great musician too. Thanks..about my letter

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  39. It seems like I remember Bowfinger, but I can remember for sure. I have seen Big Country but that was along time ago.

    I admire those who do the A-Z challenge. It wears me out just thinking about coming up with letter related posts :)
    R

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    1. Oh, it can be tiring especially visiting everyone and trying to keep up but you learn so much and meet so many people

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  40. My dad tried to get me to watch Bowfinger once. I never did.

    Ralph Bellamy. Now I'm picturing him in a movie with Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. Wait, that movie starts with a C...

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    1. Hahahaaa I guess that movie is not to your liking. I have a feeling you knew my C movie:)

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  41. I've seen Bowfinger-- this brought back memories.

    Damyanti, AZ cohost 2016

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  42. Finally, officially joining your little community after all the Mock Squid Soup visits...Bowfinger! Such a great film. I became a fan of Murphy thanks to work like this and Life. He became a lot more interesting later in his career, when people stopped paying attention...

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  43. I am just amazed by your 6º connections ... seriously, WOW!
    x Asha

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