I believe the wonderful Brittani chose this unique theme and there are quite a few out there that fit this. Head over to Wandering through the Shelves and let's see what else has been chosen. Here are my 3...
1. THE BLUE DAHLIA- 1946
This stars Alan, "I'm not short" Ladd as the main character who is coming home with his 2 war buddies, one suffering from battle fatigue( WW2 name for PTSD), after being overseas in the Pacific. Al decides to see his wife who, you guessed it, has been unfaithful and drinks like a stinky skunk. Her dalliance is with the owner of a nightclub called, you guessed it, The Blue Dahlia. This noir film gets even darker when slutty wife ends up dead and hubby is the main suspect. He meets up with a Dame, Veronica, "don't get your silken hair caught in that vice" Lake who is true blue. There is more to this story and the Ladd and Lake team was popular. Raymond Chandler wrote the script, put Paramount in a vice when they wanted the ending changed by being able to drink plus work from home. Chandler hated Veronica Lake whom he called Moronica Lake dissing her every chance he got. It's a good movie with a perfect Noir looking theme. Yes, this is where the poor gal Elizabeth Short, who got sliced in half...literally, got her name with a slight change...the Black Dahlia, a still unsolved murder.
2. BLACK NARCISSUS-1947
Yes, I have talked about this film more than once but I just love this film. It's by the magical team of Michael Powell and Eric Pressburger. This stars Deborah Kerr as a nun sent to this remote Tibetan area to run a nunnery in what used to be a palace for a former king complete with enticing colours and diagrams on the walls. With a debauched man( rugged good looks, baritone voice and devil may care attitude...I would have climbed him like a tree) bringing them things they need or just causing shit, the nuns seem to be swaying to the senses and erotic undertones with one nun going all out with red lipstick, giving up her order for lust. I love this film. Sensual, beautifully photographed, you almost think you can smell all the spices.
3. DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES- 1962
Jack Lemmon stars as an up and coming public relations exec who goes to all the parties and shindigs having drinks and enjoying the perks. He marries the young secretary( Lee Remick) and initiates her to booze. Before you know it, they are in deep in as alcoholics where he loses his job. Even trying to kick the booze at her dad's place doesn't work. He finally finds AA but who knows if it will last. It's well acted and raw with Jack Lemmon in an early dramatic performance that truly showcases his acting metal. It's a great portrait of alcoholism.
What films can you think of with a flower in its title?
'SOCK' entertainment!
ReplyDeleteTaglines:
"Tamed by a brunette - framed by a blonde - blamed by the cops!"
"Double dame trouble! Double-barrelled action!"
"LADD'S HOT TEMPTED BY TWO WOMEN...
TO KISS ONE!... AND KILL THE OTHER ONE!!"
Hi, Birgit!
Happy movie Thursday, dear friend!
This is an interesting topic. Black & white noir is one of my favorite genres, and you reminded me this morning that I must see The Blue Dahlia because I like Veronica Lake and Bill Bendix. The booth announcer on that trailer is one of the most famous off-screen voices in mid 20th century movies and TV. I'm pretty sure its the same guy who voiced Disney movie trailers, Zorro, Yogi Bear and other animated shorts in the Hanna-Barbera cartoon series. Isn't it chilling that they never solved the gruesome murder of Elizabeth Short, who came to be called The Black Dahlia? Jack the Ripper comes to mind.
I love Deborah Kerr, and need to watch Black Narcissus. Seems like Deb got herself into a similar situation in The Proud And The Profane (1956). In WWII, on an island in the Pacific, her character, a Roman Catholic widow, falls in-love with a roguish battalion leader (Bill Holden) who seduces her by pretending to have been a friend of her late husband.
Two more acting giants and two of my favorites, Jack Lemmon and Lee Remick, are paired in Days Of Wine And Roses, one of the greatest and most disturbing films ever. For someone like me, who struggled with my own heavy drinking issues for decades, the film is hard to watch, because it brings back so many unpleasant memories. The trailer is especially effective. I suspect that it was scripted and rehearsed, and yet Jack's direct appeal to viewers to see the film comes across as spontaneous and sincere.
Two flower pictures that come to my mind are Steel Magnolias starring Julia Roberts, Sally Field, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah and Olympia Dukakis (a film that Mrs. Shady watched for the dozenth time couple of weeks ago), and the 1960 Doris Day - David Niven movie Please Don't Eat The Daisies. By the way, Mrs. Shady and I just finished watching the marvelous Olympia Dukakis - Laura Linney miniseries Tales of the City which we highly recommend.
Have a wonderful day and enjoy the rest of your week, dear friend BB!
Hi Birgit, I've seen the first two films but not the Jack Lemon one. Especially loved the Black Narcissus with the background of the Himalayas, fabulous cast too. Hope all is well with you, Kate x
ReplyDeleteI loved Days of Wine and Roses, even if it did make me cry. My other choices, The Name of the Rose and The Black Rose.
ReplyDeleteBTW, just remembered that Days of Wine and Roses won Oscar for Best Song. Even hearing the song makes me cry.
DeleteAnd I've seen all of your picks, or pics, lol.
Great choices. I haven't seen any of them, but I have, of course, heard of them.
ReplyDeleteThis topic totally stumps me. Nothing I can think of... Wait. There was something with Sean Connery as a monk? I could have that totally wrong, but I think it had rose in the title? Yikes. This is a challenging one.
The Name of the Rose...I spoke about that film a while Back. It's a good movie
DeleteHi Birgit,
ReplyDeleteWhile I don't think The Blue Dahlia is the best of Ladd/Lake films (for me that's This Gun for Hire) it's a good one with fine performances and loads of atmosphere.
I'm not as slavish in my love of Black Narcissus as many but it is a fine picture with an amazing look. Everyone is good but they are all put in the shade by Kathleen Bryon's vivid portrait of that crazy Sister Ruth!
LOVE both Lee Remick and Jack Lemmon (both of whom are brilliant in the film-I think Lee is even stronger than Jack), the theme song is one of the best, most evocative and fitting ever and admire the hell out of the whole of "The Days of Wine and Roses" but you would have to strap me to a chair to ever endure the misery of sitting through this portrayal of two sad tumbledown people as they race for the bottom.
My first thought was films with a common thread which included one of your choices-The Blue Dahlia (1946), The Blue Gardenia (1953) and Blue Jasmine (2013)-all great pictures but I am fairly sure I've mentioned them all before.
So instead, I'm going with a huge favorite-Steel Magnolias (1989) LOVE that film-even more so because I saw the original Off-Broadway production in the small Lucille Lortel (a very influential actress, director and producer from the 40's through the 80's) Theatre.
Next would be "Please Don't Eat the Daisies" (1960) a Doris Day comedy based on a humorous memoir (which I breezed through in a day!) about playwriting partners Jean & Walter Kerr (he was also a well-known theatre critic) and their adjustments and adventures when they moved with their rambunctious boys from New York City to the suburbs.
Finally, “The Subject Was Roses” (1968) a three-person family drama based on a play of the same with Martin Sheen and Jack Albertson (who won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar) repeating their Broadway roles. The film also served as the return of Patricia Neal who had been off the screen for three years after suffering a series of strokes that had nearly killed her (married to writer Roald Dahl she was pregnant at the time-the baby was unharmed miraculously). She was likewise Oscar nominated for her work, though she lost to double winners Kate Hepburn for “The Lion in Winter” and Barbra Streisand in “Funny Girl”.
I think Days of Wine And Roses is the saddest movie ever. It broke my heart. I can think of three good movies with a flower in the title. American Beauty (1999) refers to roses and a beautiful girl and concepts of beauty. It won quite a few Academy Awards. I was disappointed that Annette Bening didn't win Best Actress and still hasn't won an Academy Award. She a great actress. Then there's Driving Miss Daisy (1989), a popular movie that also received a number of Academy Award nominations and won some. My third choice is Steel Magnolias (1989), which I think remains popular. It's wonderfully funny but so sad and filled with excellent actresses. It's the movie that put Julia Roberts on my radar.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Deborah Kerr - born in Glasgow! There’s a plaque about 15 mins walk from my house.
ReplyDeleteI have BLACK NARCISSUS on my watch list, but I haven't seen the other two!
ReplyDeletePlease Don't Eat the Daisies;) I found Days of Wine and Roses incredibly sad:( Well done, but sad.
ReplyDeleteYou've made some good picks in this category to come up with a nice film bouquet. I've seen them all and enjoyed them as well.
ReplyDeleteThe first one that came to my mind is War of the Roses. The "roses" in the title refer to the family's name and not specifically the flower, but I think it works. Also, there's Cactus Flower with Goldie Hawn. I know some cactuses have flowers, but I'm not sure where the title of the film comes from.
That's it from me for now.
Lee
Interesting. You're so worldly, Birgit. I have no idea what I'd pick for this one -- Please Don't Eat the Daisies maybe. Ha. Love to you.
ReplyDeleteBirgit,
ReplyDeleteI know all of these movies by name but I don't think I've seen any of them. They sound interesting. Perhaps, I'll see if I can locate them on one of our streaming services. Thanks for reminding me. I hope you and your hubby have a wonderful Christmas. It's so nice to have such treasured friendships such as yours that I think of as a gift. Merry Christmas, dear friend!
I really need to watch Black Narcissus!
ReplyDelete