Let’s Talk Sports

 

I’m late writing this so I will try and make it brief. I wrote about music revolving around sports and I thought, why not do something regarding sports. I thought, rather than sports movies, I’ll talk about sports people who ended up in movies and here we go…

1. TARZAN AND HIS MATE-1934

I miss watching the Tarzan movies which used to always be on TV when I was young. This is the 2nd film in the series made before the Hays Office really clamped down on their idiotic censorship. You have the upper crust Englishmen wanting to grab elephant tusks at their grave yard plus try to convince Jane to come back home. Before Jane and Tarzan wore respectable garments, their clothing was much more revealing and they even skinny dipped. Johnny Weissmuller is still the perfect Tarzan, to me. He was an Olympic gold champion in swimming and you can see him swim in this film and all the others. These early films are the best and should be seen.

2. SUN VALLEY SERENADE-1941

Sonja Henie…who? She was a gold medalist, I think, 3 times, in figure skating and her influence is still felt to this day like wearing white skates. She was a huge influence in the world of figure skating but she did, rightfully, get some major flack, when she gave the Nazi salute during the Berlin Olympics meeting Hitler. All that aside, Hollywood beckoned and she was quite the novelty playing Norwegian nymphs who figure skate her way into mens’ hearts. In this film, she is supported by John Payne who plays her love interest. I love that the Nicholas Brothers are in this film who are brilliant dancers that defy reality to dance. Her films can go from one to the other but they are a thrill to see. 

3. MILLION DOLLAR MERMAID-1952

This film stars Esther Williams as Annette Kellerman, a famous Olympic swimmer who ended up in early silent films. Esther Williams, an expert swimmer, who would have been in the Olympics if WW2 didn’t mess up those plans. Esther was quite beautiful so she often played some sort of vixen who could do so much in the water. In fact, she is one reason why we have that weird synchronized swimming. I know it takes a lot of strength and control but it’s just a bit weird. She did most of her stunts breaking her neck once and she almost drowned once. She was under water doing these mermaid like swims when lunch was called and people left but forgot she was underwater. The pool was entirely covered by boards with a trap door but everything was painted black so Esther could not find her escape. A film crew member happened to see her and called others over to get her out of the tank! There was only one Esther Williams.

What movies can you think of? Any sports people that ended up in cinema? Please, no OJ….

Sports Songs..Kinda

 

This week, over at Monday Music Moves Me, it’s all about sports…sports and me….me and sports…..hahahaaaaa. I did think of 3 songs that I have done, in one form or another and here they are…

1. NIGHTSWIMMING BY R.E.M. -1993

I do love swimming and enjoy swimming in a pool, the lake or the ocean, as long as there are no sharks. This song, by REM, makes me think when I was a kid and my brother and I were swimming at midnight in our Esther Williams above ground pool. In fact, we would get out of the pool and run around the small sidewalk surrounding the pool, a few times and then jump in. It would feel like bath water and we would  continue to do this for over an hour or more….it was so much fun. 

2. COME SAIL AWAY BY STYX-1977

I love this song and it would always play when I went on this ride called The Blizzard or something like that. This ride had all the cars connected in one big circle and would go forward and backward in a circle, going faster and faster squishing me into the corner. While on this ride, I’d hear this song being played and it was just fun. I have gone sailing, kind of, well, I was on a boat and enjoyed every minute, drinking my OJ and vodka, don’t worry, the driver was completely sober but I was not driving the boat so I could have a drink or 2. 

3. WALK THIS WAY BY AEROSMITH-1975

I’d never buy their records but I do love quite a few of their songs including this famous song. I get a kick that this song was inspired by the movie, “ Young Frankenstein”,  which they went to see and kept laughing at the  scene when Marty Feldman says to Gene Wilder to “Walk this way” and then Wilder walks like Feldman( you have to see it). Steven Tyler realizes that it s the perfect title and lyrics to this riff they created. I love walking, when I can, especially in nature because it is just so calming to me.

So…what sports songs come into you mind?

What Should Have Won The Oscar

 

1951 was a pretty good year for the musical because " An American In Paris" was receiving all the accolades and, unlike Joel, I like the film but it should not have won. That is for a different time because I'm actually going to speak about Best Supporting Actor. None of the stars in Paris were up and that's aok because Bogie finally got his Oscar and, I believe, he deserved it. He won best actor for "The African Queen." The actor I'm choosing is for a film that wasn't up for anything and that's a crime! So here are 3 actors from 1951, one won, one was nominated and my fav got nuttin' honey! 

1.  KARL MALDEN IN A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE

Karl Malden played the friend of brute, Marlon Brando who is not happy that his wife’s sister is living with them. The sister, played brilliantly, by Vivien Leigh, talks up a storm portraying herself as a genteel southern lady and Karl is smitten with her. When it comes out that she is not quite the lady she portrays, Malden feels like a real chump and turns, cruelly, on her. His portrayal of a sweet man who turns into a real jerk is shocking. He got the Oscar for best supporting actor and he was good in this role but he is no match for the one I would have chosen…

2. ROBERT WALKER IN STRANGERS ON A TRAIN

No one really knows who Robert Walker is today but back in the 1940s, he was known as the handsome boy next door. He played all innocent and dreamy with big names like Judy Garland and Ava Gardner and many women swooned over his boyish good looks and sweetness. It took Alfred Hitchcock to bring out the much darker side of this very damaged soul. He played amiable handsome men but he was struggling with his mental health and was a full blown alcoholic. In this brilliant film, Farley Granger, plays Guy Haines, a tennis pro, on a train when he accidentally foot bumps Robert Walker who plays Bruno. Bruno ingratiates himself with Guy and over lunch Bruno decides that they should swap murders. He will bump off Guy’s wife leaving him free to marry the senator’s daughter( played so well by the beautiful Ruth Roman) and Guy will off Bruno’s dad whom Bruno can’t stand because the dad thinks Bruno should get a job. When Bruno does do in Guy’s slutty wife, he expects Guy to reciprocate but Guy now realizes how much of a sociopathic nut job Bruno truly is. You do meet Bruno’s mother, played so well by Marion Lorne, who should have been up for an Oscar herself for her part in this. We know Marion as the sweet, daffy Aunt Clara from “Bewitched” and here she is the the daffy and quite odd mother of Bruno. This is one of Hitchcock’s best films ever made….in my humble opinion.

3. PETER USTINOV IN QUO VADIS

Peter Ustinov did steal the show as wacky Nero in this film about the Romans wanting to do in the Christians in the arena. We see Nero singing, having fun watching Christians meet their fate to the lions and just being a total tyrant. It’s somewhat over the top but Ustinov knows when to play it ipso facto nutso and when to rein it in…somewhat. I always found Peter Ustinov engaging as an actor and as a guest on many talk shows. This film was also up for best picture but the 50s were the times for all the religious epics that had major stars and major special effects…no CGI. Leo Genn was also up for the same award so they may have cancelled each other out.

The other 2 up for the award were Kevin McCarthy from “Death of a Salesman” and Gig Young for “Come Fill the Cup”.

What do you think? Have you seen any films from 1951 and would you choose one of these or someone completely different? 

Vacation

 

My newest addition is part sweetie and part demon. Right now, she is resting on me while I write this, not sure if she will sleep or attack but she seems to be sleeping. I do love her….the other animals are not too sure of her.

Ok, in 2 weeks we will be on a vacation to my hubby’s aunt’s place on the Richeleau river. A friend, actually, my ex, will house sit which is great. I have to make sure to cook something for him. I was thinking vacations and I thought of my trip to Panama way back in 2006. It was a bittersweet vacation because my friend and I were to with my other good friend and her husband but something horrific happened. Their beautiful son of 9 months died from SIDS. I was ready to cancel but they wanted me to go so, I went. I found, once there, that tequila was the drink for me and had quite a few. Anyhoo, These 3 songs came into my head right away, when I think back to this time. I’m joining the Monday Music Moves Me over at Curious As A Cathy

1. TEQUILA BY THE CHAMPS-1958

The first full day we were in Panama, we decided to have margaritas and other drinks with tequila. Should I have been drinking? Probably not, but I did, in a very big way and, thank God my dear friend, VJ, was with me because he made sure I stayed upright. I decided to dance the chicken dance and threw up on his flip flops…his feet were still in the flip flops. I was all class but he took care of me, by dropping me in our room, on my bed leaving me there with the door wide open while he left to find some man candy. I woke up not knowing where I was before realizing I was in Panama. I was hungry so, I took a shower and went to dinner wondering why so many people were staring at me. To this day, I have no idea what else I did but I am not too enthusiastic about tequila any more or the margarita.

2. WIPEOUT BY THE SURFARIS-1963

Did I learn? Nope! It was another day, another day of debauchery trying to forget and we drank and drank some more around the pool and at the pool bar. I vaguely recall falling in the shallow end and using my left hand to stop myself. The next morning, we woke up bleary eyed but my left hand was more than double its size! I really sprained the crap out of it.  We went to the health guy on the hotel grounds who wrapped my hand up. I really wiped out but, as per norm, no broken bones but, to this day, I can’t open my hand up like I used to.

3.EAGLE BY ABBA-1978

On the Thursday, one week and a day after little Shane’s death, we took a trip up to the mountains to go zip lining. I am terrified of heights and my knees were truly knocking together. The guys running this were hesitant in my going but I told them I had to go in honour of Shane’s spirit. We were 180’ up but there was a lot of tree cover so you couldn’t see the bottom. We would zip line from one tree to another. The last zip was …amazing! I looked to my right and saw these green mountains and to my left, I saw a waterfall. Suddenly, I saw a butterfly which was a magical moment. It is one of my highlights of all my trips and the butterfly, in native teaching, means joy in life. I felt like I was flying until I stopped a few feet from the end and had to turn around and pull myself in with my very sore hand. I didn’t drink too much after that and enjoyed the trip despite the sadness.

What songs make you think of a vacation you had?

Rendezvous Movies

 

Yesterday, I wrote about songs with a Rendezvous as the theme and it made me think about movies with this as a big part of the plot. So here are my 3 films that came, right away, into my head when I thought of that word…rendezvous…

1. BRIEF ENCOUNTER-1945

This is the first film that popped into my head and it is a brilliant film that does not age. It does not involve 20 something, beautiful kids but middle aged, real people in real situations. Celia Johnson is in a happy marriage but she feels a bit stifled, like she’s missing something. At the train station, she gets something in her eye and a kindly doctor, played by Trevor Howard, helps get that speck of dirt out of her eye. They talk and, instantly, they feel a strong attraction. Over time, they continue to meet at the train station and fall in love. They decide to consummate their love but her guilt takes control. It’s brilliantly acted, the storyline is perfect because it happens today. She’s in a good marriage, married to a kind man but we can’t control emotions. It’s a must see film.

AN AMERICAN IN PARIS-1951

This film, arguably, won the Best Picture Oscar and it’s a worthy contender even if I don’t think it should have won. This film musical is famous for the 20 minute ballet set to Gershwin music with impressionist paintings as backdrops. It’s original and inventive even for today. Gene Kelly is an American trying to make it as a painter, in Gay Paris, along with his piano composer friend, Oscar Levant ( he always brings great sarcasm to the screen). At a nearby Cafe, they meet up with their famous cabaret friend who talks about his love for a girl who is perfect in every way. At a party, Gene meets a girl, Leslie Caron, and wants to know her even more. After some misunderstandings, they meet under the bridge along the Seine and have a loving rendezvous. He soon learns that she is his friend’s girlfriend and is devastated. The climatic ballet is one you can watch all on its own and it is brilliant, but I always loved this simple scene of the 2 who meet and dance under the bridge,

3. SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE-1993

I’m finally talking about this film which is a remake of  the Cary Grant/Deborah Kerr film, “an Affair To Remember” which is a remake of “Love Affair” that starred Gene Arthur and Charles Boyer. This is a sweet film that stars Tom Hanks as a bereaved widower who is still dealing with the loss of his wife. He has a precocious son who feels his dad needs to find a new woman to fall in love with. The boy calls onto a radio show and Tom ends up on the radio talking about his wife whom he loves. Now, every woman wants to meet this man including news woman, Meg Ryan. As she looks into this story she becomes more enamoured with Tom Hanks. The kid believes they need to meet on top of the Empire State Building like in the Grant/Kerr film and makes sure this will happen. It’s a wonderful romance comedy which was a big theme in the 1990s and often did star Meg Ryan. This is one of her better films.

So what films makes you think of rendezvous?

Rendezvous

 

Lexi, aka the little tyrant, wants to be friends with Kaspar and, here, our Harley and it works …at first until the the brat attacks their tails or smacks them with her paw…she’s crazy but she just makes my day…just like my Harley. Over at Curious As A Cathy, she has the Monday Music Moves Me, with this week’s theme being about Rendezvous and I decided on 3 songs that have Rendezvous in the title. Here they are…

1. RENDEZ-VOUS A PARIS SUNG BY MAURICE CHEVALIER-1954

I knew Maurice Chevalier had to have sung a song about meeting up with some gal. This song was written by Chevalier and Fred Freed. It’s just…so Chevalier.

2. GARDEN RENDEZVOUS FROM THE KING AND I-1956

This is a song written by Rogers and Hammerstein when the illicit lovers Tuptim and this Lun Tha fall in love and meet in the garden to sing “We Kiss In a Shadow”. Tuptim is betrothed to The King of Siam to be his 24th or whatever wife, she doesn’t want to be with him at all but this is not a choice. It’s a sad subplot to the famous musical and one  that sticks with you.

3. AT THE CAFE RENDEZVOUS SUNG BY DORIS DAY-1951

I knew Doris Day before she was a virgin. I’m not sure who coined this joke but this song seems to fit considering how well she sings this. It was written by Sammy Cahn and it works well for good ole Doris.

What Rendezvous songs can you think of?

Star of The Month-Donald Sutherland

 

DONALD SUTHERLAND

BORN: July 17, 1935

DIED: June 20, 2024

AGED: 88 years old

DIED FROM: a long illness

MARRIED: 3 times- the first to a teacher, Lois Hardwick 1959-1966,; 2nd to an actress, Shirley Douglas 1966-1970 and, lastly, to Francine Racette-1972- his death

AFFAIRS: had a few when first married including with his soon to be 2nd wife who gave birth to twins not quite 9 months later. Jame Fonda..a 2 yr love affair.

CHILDREN: 5 children most in some form of film business with Kiefer Sutherland being the most famous.

OSCAR NOMINATIONS: None!

TAKENT: sculpture and art

KNOWN FOR: his unique voice, tall, lanky frame and his love of the Montreal Expos

This Canadian icon just died, sadly and, even though he was 88, he just seemed to keep going and so it was, therefore, a shock. He was born and grew up in New Brunswick, Canada loving all things Canadian, especially, of course, Hockey. He was a life long Montreal Expos fan and delayed a film shoot so he could attend their games since they were close to the play offs( they finished 3rd). He actually suffered rheumatic fever, hepatitis and polio when he was a kid and, thankfully, didn’t suffer any side effects from these horrible diseases. Later on, when filming “Kelly’s Heroes” he contracted spinal meningitis and, almost died. In fact, the doctor said his heart did stop and he was not surprised as he claimed he had an out of body experience. 

He appeared in some early flicks like “Die, Die, My Darling”  and a Roger Corman film but he also appeared in an “Avengers” episode and 2 episodes of  “The Saint”. He asked Roger Moore, start of The Saint, if he could take a piece from this episode he was in for  a role he was hoping to get and he did get the role..in “The Dirty Dozen”. In his early days, he seemed to play a lot of “simpletons”  due to his look and height of 6’4”. Sorry if this is a politically incorrect word but, I just don’t know what else to say and, frankly, don’t care right now.:). Ok, he became quite well respected because he could play comedy, heroes and really despicable villains plus he was known as quite amiable and loved a good joke. Despite many good roles he was never nominated for an Oscar and only received the honourary Oscar in 2017.

He was also known for his strong anti Vietnam leanings which he shared with Jane, “Hanoi Jane”, Fonda( the idiot) making 2 anti Vietnam films with her. I’m certain he was on Nixon’s list of bad people, which, like Gregory Peck, I would take as an honour. He was at the opening Olympic Games in Vancouver, in 2010,  doing the voice over narration describing Canadian history as well as being a flag bearer. In 2019, he received the companion of the Order of Canada which he loved to receive.

A unique individual with a great voice and talent, he will be sorely missed.

FILMS ( MY FAVOURITES)

1.  Start The Revolution Without Me-1970

2.  MASH-1970

3. The Dirty Dozen-1967

4. Kelly’s Heroes-1970

5.  The Great Train Robbery-1978

6.  Murder By Decree-1979

7. Eye Of The Needle-1981

8. Space Cowboys-2000

9. Bear Island-1979

10. Invasion Of The Body Snatchers-1978

I still need to see 

1. Don’t Look Now-1973

2. Day Of The Locust-1975

3. Ordinary People-1980

4. The Hunger Games Series-2012 etc..

There’s more! Some I have seen and some I haven’t but that’s what I can recall. 

By the way, last week Oscars…Working Girl won, Bagdad Cafe was nominated and Kokomo got nadda.