Dinner, Maybe?

 

Soon it will be the American Thanksgiving and all of us are thinking about....Christmas and that Turkey dinner or whatever you have. I thought of movies that talk about dinner, are having dinner or are trying to get home for that dinner( oh, yeah, and family). So I am choosing 3 films that gather around this table and here are my 3...

1. DINNER AT EIGHT-1933

This is a jammed pack movie filled with many subplot and intrigues with an A1 cast which culminates at a dinner party hosted by the effervescent Billie Burke( Glenda from The Wizard of Oz). She is beyond dizzy and only cares about her dinner party. Their daughter is having an affair with the doctor and the silent screen star has his own demons, played well by John Barrymore who knew his demons. You have Marie Dressler, who gives THE best double take ever, as well as Wallace Beery and Jean Harlow who almost steals the picture. It's quite a good precode film.

2. PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES-1987

I love this movie and can recite so many pieces from this (" Those aren't pillows!). I love the scene above which is just hilarious and you couldn't have a better match than Steve Martin and the late, great John Candy. They are trying to get back home for Thanksgiving but just about every thing bad happens to them. It's a gem!

3. AUGUST, OSAGE COUNTY- 2013

This is not a feel good movie. You have the dad who dies bringing in all the daughters to come back home.  They really don’t want to be there because their mother is a caustic, alcoholic bitch, played by Meryl Streep in a role I don’t mind her in. Julia Roberts plays the oldest daughter with a major chip on her shoulder and you understand why when you meet Mommie dearest. The problem is she has inherited her mom’s acid tongue and, frankly, she reminds me of my brother’s 2nd ex wife. I don’t ever recall her or Julia smiling ( in this movie..my brother’s ex never smiled). I think Julia deserved more accolades for this role but it’s probably because this role is unlikeable. Julia's marriage is disintegrating due to nastiness. Her sisters have other issues. I would like to see this film again because of all the subplots and issues. It culminates during a dinner where everything seems to come out. It’s well acted and a great cast and worth a look.

What Dinner movies can you think of? 

Oh..so the answer to yesterday’s Oscar song is…yup, “Three Coins In The Fountain” won, “Count Your Blessings” was nominated and “Snow, Snow, Snow” got nothing.

Which Song Won The Oscar-1954

 

Honestly, I thought I did this year already but I couldn’t find it but I do believe I mentioned it in who should have won version for my Thursday Movie Picks. Over at Monday Music Moves Me, it’s all about winter themed songs and there are quite a few from my visits to other bloggers in this fun endeavour. So, let’s see if you can pick which won the Oscar, which was nominated, and which got nadda!

1. SNOW, SNOW, SNOW SUNG BY BING, ROSEMARY, DANNY AND TRUDY! POOR VERA-ELLEN

This is a really nice song by Irving Berlin from the film, “White Christmas”. You have Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen thinking about beautiful, snowy Vermont and they start singing about snow. I love how they create a snowy scene using a white napkin. Vera-Ellen was an amazing dancer but she could not sing worth beans, so Trudy Stevens was the singer. This is a Christmas Standard film although this song is about…snow.

2.  COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS SUNG BY BING CROSBY AND ROSEMARY CLOONEY

In White Christmas, when the foursome finally arrive in Vermont, they are having a heatwave! The place where the gals are to perform is owned by the boys’ former army commander who sank all his savings into the Inn. The boys, now famous entertainers, decide to put on a show( without Mickey Rooney) to help their former commander. While doing so, Danny Kaye and Vera-Ellen play matchmakers to Der Bingle and Rosemary Clooney( yup, George Clooney’s aunt). When Bing can’t sleep and neither can Rosemary, they end up in the main area of the Inn and Bing sings this sweet song which is all about trying to fall asleep. It’s really a nice song but I would never hear this song while drinking …buttermilk. Yuck

3. THREE COINS IN THE FOUNTAIN SUNG BY FRANK SINATRA

This song comes from the hit movie of the same name that had an all star cast..well, semi all star cast because it has the wretched Maggie McNamara  who just rubs me the wrong way..I just watch to slap her. 3 women live in Rome and all 3 fall in love with  different men…one is wealthy and acerbic played so well by Clifton Webb, another falls for a poor man and the irritating Maggie falls for a Prince. My favourite story is the Clifton Webb and Dorothy McGuire romance with Dorothy playing a drunken scene with great finesse. This song, written by Jules Styne with Lyrics by Sammy Cahn, became a big hit back in the day but it is not my favourite. I actually dislike the way the music drops down when singing the first few bars. I just…don’t like it. 

Ok, there you have it…can you guess which one won, which was nominated and which was forgotten?

Who Should Have Won The Best Actor Oscar -2019

 

In 2019, you had some unusual films like Parasite ( ughh) and The Lighthouse along with many standard films that were talked about. Now, I can only go by the films I have seen so I can’t say how Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson were in the critical darling, “The Lighthouse” but I bet they were good. Willem Dafoe needs to win an Oscar and should have for “Shadow of the Vampire” but that’s for another day. This year was all about Joaquin Phoenix, who, I think, is just on the other side of nuts. Let’s see if you agree or choose another actor.

1. JOKER

This film stars Joaquin Phoenix as the troubled creep who dreams about being a famous comedian but he’s a clown for kids’ parties, from what I remember. You see his mental deterioration take hold while he becomes  famous for his misdeeds. Phoenix won the Oscar for this role and I was praying he wouldn’t because I found him insufferable and really wanted to slap him upside the head. At no point did I think I was watching this character, like I did when Heath Ledger played this character in the 2nd Batman film with Christian Bale. I was watching him act and I had a hard time watching this movie because  it was an over-hyped flick. I never would have given him the Oscar.

2. THE MARRIAGE STORY

Adam Driver and Scarlett Johannson play a married couple going through a major change in their marriage and you don’t really know if this marriage will work. It’s a realistic look at a marriage at the crossroads and you buy into it. Both leads act this out well and you are invested in their lives. I found Adam’s acting superb and much, much better than Juaquin’s over the top creep show. If you haven’t seen this film, you should check it out.

3. ROCKETMAN

Taron Egerton deserved the Oscar this year and he was not even nominated which many considered an oversight and I agree. Taron portrays Elton John and you just fall for the whole way Taron acts out Sir Elton. I always felt I was watching Elton John not Taron portraying Elton. This is a good biopic from the early times when Elton was trying to make a name for himself to when he is a huge musician. Loved the music, obviously, but this film could not have been done without Taron’s  acting prowess. He should have been nominated and he would have been my choice by far. He rules the entire film and it was a crime that he got snubbed by Oscar but he is  in good company since Cary Grant, Deborah Kerr and Alfred Hitchcock never won.

So…do you agree or would you choose someone else?

For My Dad

 

Since we gave prayers and honours to the veterans this past Monday, November 11th, I thought I would showcase 3 songs my dad liked during the war years. My dad was part of the Stormont, Dundas, Glengarry Regiment complete with kilt! He went over to the British in 1943 and finally saw battle in 1944. I know he was part of the liberation of Holland, fought in the Rhine and, near the end of the war, was part of the battle of the Reischwald Forest. He was a scout, with 2 others, to get an idea where the enemy were. When the 2 others were cut down, my dad got shot in the chest and then another bullet hit his magazin with the bullets popping every which way. He tore off the magazin with his shirt and dropped to the ground. He crawled backwards to his group because he didn’t want to get shot by his own men! He told the ambulance men to take others as he wasn’t too bad but when the doctor saw hi , he was shocked that he was not one of the first to go in the ambulance as the bullet was close to his heart. The drs could not get the whole bullet out because it was too close to his heart so they left part of it in. Over the years it moved towards his shoulder and, every once in a while, his shoulder would give him issues. He died with that bullet still in him. 

My dad loved the big bands and he loved the 2 singers from that era so I am joining in with the Monday Music Moves Me and here are my 3…

1. WE’LL MEET AGAIN DUET WITH DAME VERA LYNN AND KATHERINE JENKINS-2020

I love Katherine Jenkins, who had the chance to meet and become friends with Dame Vera Lynn before Lynn died in 2020 at the age of 103. They created a duet of Dame Vera’s famous recording of this song that was a big hit back in 40s because, well, listen to the words…

2. SING, SING, SING BY BENNY GOODMAN ORCHESTRA-1937

This came out before the war but became a big hit during it when all the guys swung their gals all over the place. Apparently, my Uncle Ambrose and his wife, Auntie Irene could really cut a rug to this song. The drum solo was by Gene Krupa which my dad always said we were related to. I’d love to find this out one day.

3. ILL BE SEEING YOU SUNG BY KATE SMITH -1959

My dad loved this gal with the huge voice who was known as the  First Lady of Radio and  the Songbird of the South.  She had a very large body but her head was so small to me, yeah, no reason for saying it except, I had to. I agreed with my dad and thought her voice was great. She deserves to be better known today because she was so well loved especially during the war years.

What songs did your parents love?

Thursday Film Picks-Prisoner of War

 

Remembrance Day, the 11th month of the 11th day of the 11th hour is very special to me as is to many Canadians because it is to honour the men and women who fought in the wars. Canadians came into their own during World War 1 defeating the Germans at Vimy Ridge when the British could not. I thought I would choose films that took place in prisoner of war camps  and there are many! I chose these 3…

1. LE GRANDE ILLUSION-1937

I love this French film that takes place in a Prisoner of war camp in some German castle during World War 1. You have the elite, French officer, played by Pierre Fresnay with the workman, played by the great Jean Gabin who are transferred to this high security fortress run by the Erich Von Stroheim who becomes friends with Fresnay. Of course, the prisoners must find a way to escape. It’s an excellent film, superbly directed by Jean Renoir, yes, the son of the famous painter, Auguste Renoir. It’s as much a character study as an adventure and war film that also brings up the class struggle. It is worth seeing.

2.  THREE CAME HOME-1950

This is one of my favourite films that is not well known but should be. It stars Claudette Colbert as the famous writer, Agnes Newton Keith, who lives on the island of Borneo with her husband and young son. When the Japanese take charge of the island, they imprison the people but separate the men from the women and their children. We see how brutal the Japanese guards are to the prisoners making it very difficult to maintain morale when you are dealing in some wretched conditions. This is based on a true story on the writings of Agnes Keith who endured torture, starvation and so much more while interred in a camp with her son. Sessue Hayakawa is, once again, brilliant as the commander of the camp just like he did in, “The Bridge on the River Kwai.”

3. STALAG 17-1953

If you want to know where Hogan’s Heroes come from, watch this film. It takes place in a World War 2 camp with a bevy of male stars who all work together to make a great film. William Holden is the bitter, sarcastic prisoner who is not well liked by the men but he is tolerated. You meet some of the other guys including Robert Strauss and Harvey Lembeck who play the comic foils in this film. Robert Strauss nabbed an Oscar nomination for the role of a sex starved best friend to Harvey Lembeck whom we know from the many Avalon and Funicello surfer films where he played the head leader of an inept motorcycle gang. Getting back to this film, we see how the men turn against Holden think he is a rat fink which is not the case but, who is? It’s a good movie that makes you wonder who is the traitor.

So, what prisoner of war movies can you think o?

Songs About Your Country/ National Pride

 

I am avoiding my sick pit of a stomach that a person I never, ever liked, may be President again.  He’s a vile, nasty human being which I saw, many, many years ago before he was on The Apprentice. Shaking my head from this sad state, I am looking at Canada and am scared that Pierre Poilievre could win which would be sad because he is all for wanting to privatize our wonderful healthcare that is free to all people! We can just show our card and get treated costing us  nothing. Do we pay more in taxes? Sure, but I would take that and have my free health care over having to pay money each time I see a doctor or go to the hospital.  I’m proud to be a Canadian because we have accomplished so much and became a true nation during World War 1. We have made headway in music, science, film…you name it, plus we even burned down the White House! Lol. Ok, here are my picks and hope you enjoy…

1. BRINGING BUDDY HOME SUNG BY JOHN MCDERMOTT-2009

We came into our own as a nation during the First World War showing our metal during the battle at Vimy Ridge in 1917. John McDermott is a Canadian icon who truly loves the soldier and what we stand for. He sings this so beautifully.

2. I HOPE THEY REMEMBER ME SUNG BY VIC MACINA-2020

You can’t be any prouder, as a Canadian, than to honour this hero, Terry Fox. Terry was 18 when he was diagnosed with cancer and lost his leg to it, but this just lit the fire in this young man to raise awareness to Cancer by running across Canada starting in Newfoundland to little notice but this changed. He gained major notice running with one artificial leg a marathon each day. By the time he came to Ontario, the nation was enthralled by this 22 yr old man with a humble heart who wanted cancer eradicated. Before long, people were running with him and he was raising thousands of dollars but, before he could leave Ontario, he had to stop because the cancer spread and he died a month before his 23rd birthday on June 28, 1981. I remember crying when I heard he died and I wasn’t the only one. From the moment he had to stop, Canadians across the land started the Terry Fox run to raise awareness for Cancer and to honour this heroic man cut down too young.

3. IM A LUMBERJACK SUNG BY MONTY PYTHON-1975

Oh, I had to go a fun way as we all need something to laugh at today. What better way to laugh than with the gret Monty Python who made a lot of fun of the Canadian Lumberjack. My dad was a lumberman and I’m not sure if he would have found this funny but, I did and think this is just perfect.

One last thing….

Star of the Month-Claude Rains

 

BORN: November 10, 1889

DEATH: May 30, 1967

AGED: 77 years

DIED FROM: abdominal hemorrhage from cirrhosis of the liver brought on by acute alcoholism 

REAL NAME: William Claude Rains

MARRIED: 6 times! Isabel Jeans( famous actress on to her own), Marie Hemingway, Beatrix Thomson, France’s Propper, Agi Jambor, Rosemary Schrode ( her death)

AFFAIRS: one place I read said Bette Davis but I highly doubt that

CHILDREN: 1 daughter

OSCAR NOMINATIONS: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington(1939), Casablanca(1943), Mr. Skeffington (1944), Notorious (1946)

OSCAR WINS: not one time!!!

TALENT: aside from acting, he loved to farm and owned one which was his refuge

KNOWN FOR: His mellifluous voice which could be sinister and soothing. His piercing eyes. 

Claude Rains is one of my favourite actors who has appeared in many great films that are too numerous to mention here but are so good that, even a poor film, is better just for Claude Rains being in it. That he never won an Oscar, is a crime but he is in  good company with Cary Grant, Thelma Ritter, Rosalind Russell, and Barbara Stanwyck also in this club. His dad was an actor and his son wanted to be one from early on. He had a thick Cockney accent and a speech impediment but that didn’t stop him although WW1 did delay his fame. rains was at Vimy when he was injured in a gas attack losing 90% of his right eye and it affected his vocal chords. After the war, he met Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, the founder of RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts) who discovered Claude and could see the potential but not before paying for elocution lessons to have Claude lose the Cockney accent and the speech impediment. Claude Rains was so good that he became a teacher at RADA and had Sir John Gielgud and Charles Laughton as his students. 

When Claude Rains moved to the States, his voice was heard and was perfect for the role as the Invisible Man and became famous. From that moment, Rains appeared in many great films ( and some not so great ones) gaining a reputation as a stellar actor. He not only learned his own lines but he learned the who script! Many enjoyed working with him like Bette Davis who counted him as her favourite actor. He was not tall at all but he had unusual good looks which seemed to attract many a female and he married 6 of them with 5 ending in divorce. He was not known for playing around or being mean but seemed to pick the wrong type..at least a couple of times. 2 of his wives had affairs on him and the one, Frances Propper, had a daughter with him. When she was a tween, Frances came to her and told she was leaving her dad and to come with her but her daughter refused. 

In the Late 40s and 50s, he owned a farm that he thoroughly enjoyed working on and had a knack for. It was his refuge. He was known for his wit and elegant style. He played Prince John as a gay man and revelled in it, apparently, because it got away from the censors. I don’t know why he drank so much but would love to read his biography and learn more about this man. I will end this with what Rains wanted, and got, on his headstone, “All things once, are things forever, Soul, once living, lives forever.”

FILMS( My Favs…too hard)

1. Casablanca-1943

2. Mr. Smith Goes To Washington-1939

3. Caesar and Cleopatra-1945

4. Here Comes Mr. Jordan-1941

5. Notorious-1946

6. Now, Voyager-1942

7. The Invisible Man-1933

8. The Adventures of Robin Hood-1938

9. They Made Me A Criminal-1939

10. Phantom of the Opera-1943

11. The Wolf Man-1941

There are so many more that I have yet to see but you can add to these, of course.