I love Katherine Hepburn in the sequined silver moth costume from the film, “ Christopher Strong” and thought this was a good picture for my theme this week which is all about the Masquerade. Let’s face it, it’s the time to have fun, drink, dress up and have some debauchery before lent brings down the steel hammer. I always wanted to go to a masquerade ball and hope it will happen one day. Here are my 3 picks…
1. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA-1925
Love this version of the Phantom with the incredible Lon Chaney creating some nasty and painful makeup to look the part of the Phantom. He is, so far, the only one to stick to the description of the book. This silent gem shows the Masquerade ball in early colour when he appears as Death. This is a 99 year old film that still can shock when Mary Philbin unmasks her benefactor.
2. TO CATCH A THIEF-1955
3. THE PINK PANTHER-1963
I love this film and the climax, the masquerade ball, is one of the funniest moments especially with the zebra. Peter Seller's plays Inspector Clouseau who takes his beautiful wife, Capucine, to the Swiss Alps knowing that the famous Pink Panther Diamond will be there along with the owner, the sweet but voluptuous Claudia Cadinale. Little does he know that his lovely wife is in with the cat burgler played by urbane David Niven. Complications ensue when Nicen's nephew, played by Robert Wagner, comes to town and wants in on the action..the jewel and Capucine. The Ball is where it all takes place involving a fumbling knight, a court Jester, 2 gorillas and a zebra all driving around this French village..well, the Zebra trots, not drives. I find this car chase one of the best.
Which Masquerade Ball comes to mind for you?
Wow. I got nothing. This would surely take some thinking.
ReplyDeleteWow, The Pink Panther is over sixty years old now!
ReplyDeleteHi Birgit, I hope you are well. Not seen any of these films, but I saw the Phantom of the Opera when it was first on stage in London, oh many years ago now, it was terrific, Kate x
ReplyDeleteI loved the Pink Panther! I didn’t always like Peter Sellars, but I did here.
ReplyDeleteGreat topic with three great picks.
ReplyDeleteThe first one that came to my mind was American in Paris with that big masked ball scene toward the end of the film.
The other night we watched a 1931 film called The Common Law and that included a wild masquerade party scene. We watched it so we could see the acting chops of Hedda Hopper who is the mother of William Hopper who played Paul Drake in the TV series Perry Mason in the fifties and sixties. My wife and I have become somewhat obsessed with that show so that whenever we see one of its actors (or someone related somehow) we will watch that old movie. The Common Law was a very interesting and entertaining pre-code film that we quite enjoyed.
Lastly, I'll go with the 1968 version of Romeo and Juliet. I well recall a masked ball scene in that one. Seems like they used a shot of that on the movie ads or somewhere that I recall seeing often.
Lee
Ironically, last night we watched the 2006 version of Marie Antoinette with Kirsten Dunst and it had a masked ball sequence that was a major part of the plot. It's a beauitifully shot film, but has modern rock music interjected at times which I found rather distracting.
DeleteLee
BIRGIT ~
ReplyDeleteAlthough, hilariously, my Brother and I could NOT find me, Debbie DID locate [Link> me in 'AND JUSTICE FOR ALL', and she got a real nice photo of it for me. (Thanks, Debbie!)
I've never seen 'Phantom Of The Opera', but your 'To Catch A Thief' and 'Pink Panther' selections are absolutely stellar! I can't argue with those in the slightest.
A masquerade ball scene that comes to my mind, in an underrated, sleeper gem of a movie that I love, is in 'DEAD AGAIN' (1991). I thought Kenneth Branagh looked so cool in that goatee, that he inspired me to grow one of my own, which I wore until 2015, when my employer said it had to go.
~ D-FensDogG
[Link> BOTB's Battle Of The Booze
(Birgit, gin or wine & pink champagne for you?)
You're welcome Stephen. ☺ Are you going to cast a vote in my BOTB? Missing your insights!
DeleteYou got some good picks here. One of my all time favorites is To Catch a Thief. A masquerade ball would be all kinds of fun.
ReplyDeleteSandra sandracox.blogspot.com
I have not seen that version of Phantom, but I have seen the other two movies. No masquerade balls come to mind... Oh wait. Rebecca. There's a rather pivotal masquerade ball in Rebecca.
ReplyDeleteHi Birgit!
ReplyDeleteFun theme. Kate Hepburn looks amazing in that costume but it was really the only memorable part of "Christopher Strong". Her early films are very much a mixed bag.
There have been many versions of Phantom of the Opera but Lon Chaney's is a high water mark in silent cinema.
To Catch a Thief is enjoyable but second tier Hitchcock despite its marquee names, and I agree Jessie Royce Landis steals the picture. All the costuming, not just the costume ball, is one of the best features of the film but that sequence is memorable.
I've never loved the Pink Panther movies as much as many seem to. They're enjoyable and Seller's is very deft but I never found them laugh out loud just merely chuckle inducing.
The first film that popped right into my head when I saw the theme was the 1943 anthology film "Flesh and Fantasy". In the first vignette plain Betty Field attends a masked ball reluctantly meets Robert Cummings and is transformed into a beauty by love when she removes her mask.
Then there is the wild "Madame Satan" from 1930 with its masquerade ball taking place on a zeppelin at the climax!
Finally one of Norma Shearer's final important pictures (and one of her best performances) 1938's "Marie Antoinette" which has several masked ball sequences before things turn bad for the French aristocracy.
I know the 2004 version of Phantom, but not this original one. Interesting that they used colour! Have you seen Phantom Of The Paradise (1974)? It's a fun twist, set in the music world, starring Paul Williams. Your other two choices are favourites of mine as well.
ReplyDeleteThe Pink Panther was pretty bumblingly funny. Hope you are having a pain free day.
ReplyDeleteSandra sandracox.blogspot.com
Does Eyes Wide Shut count? I'm not so sure I like that movie, but it's certainly memorable.
ReplyDelete