How To Marry A Millionaire

How To Marry A Millionaire 
Released Date: November 5, 1953
Director: Jean Negulesco
Actors: Betty Grable, Marilyn Monroe, Lauren Bacall, David Wayne, Rory Calhoun, Cameron Mitchell, Alexander D' Arcy, Fred Clark, William Powell, Robert Adler, Merry Anders, Jan Arvvan, and Charlotte Austin

     By the time this movie was made, Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart were married. Lauren Bacall's character says in this movie "I've always liked older men... Look at that old fellow what's - his - name in "The African Queen". Absolutely crazy about him." Lauren Bacall, before becoming a Hollywood star, was a model for a lot of her teenage years. And in this movie, she is also a model. Betty Grable was a huge star and was very famous with her legs, this movie will show you her legs as they are, a huge hit. Betty Grable, and Marilyn Monroe became great friends, and Betty Grable told Monroe "Honey, I've had mine. Go get yours." It is time to pour a glass of wine, and watch this amazing movie with three amazing stars.

     We follow three New York models who live together in a hotel. They are three single ladies, looking for some fun. We have Shatze (Lauren Bacall), Pola (Marilyn Monroe) and Loco (Betty Grable). When Loco comes home with a man that looks a little poor, they decide to hell with men without money. The three woman decide the best thing to do is to find and marry three millionaires. They go to a party where there is suppose to be men in the oil business, and that means money. When they meet the three millionaires, there is one problem... They are all married. When it comes right down to it, is money worth it? To be unhappy but own millions? Hopefully they find true love. This movie is really fun and classy. 

All Mine To Give

All Mine To Give
Released Year: 1957
Director: Allen Reisner
Actors: Glynis Johns, Cameron Mitchell, Rex Thompson, Patty McCormack, Ernest Truex, Hope Emerson, Alan Hale Jr., Sylvia Field, Royal Dano, Reta Shaw, Stephen Wootton, Butch Bernard, Yolanda White, Rita Johnson, Ellen Corby, and Rosalyn Boulter

     This movie, although sad is a holiday movie. The movie is cute, sweet and at times funny. But the ending is rather surprising. You will see the actress the that plays the evil daughter in The Bad Seed, Patty McCormack. Which I keep imagining her turning into an evil little girl and killing everyone in sight, but I promise, that isn't the tragic end's story.

     When Robert (Cameron Mitchell) and Jo (Glynis Johns) Eunson move from Scotland to Wisconsin, they get a warm welcome in their new home of Eureka. They become friends with the whole town, and Robert starts his own boat building business. The couple start a family, and end up with not one, not two but six kids. Life is great in the Eunson's household. Till diphtheria hits the family. First one of their son's gets hit of the disease and recovers. But sadly the father gets it and dies. Next the mother dies of typhoid, but on her deathbed, Jo asks her eldest son, Robbie (Rex Thompson), to take care of the family. Now Robbie must find what to do on Christmas day so his siblings will get a good meal and a happy ending. Will Robbie be able to do so after the tragic end of his parents? Or will the family end up alone in the house they grew up in?

Send Me No Flowers

Send Me No Flowers
Released Date: October 14, 1964
Director: Norman Jewison
Actors: Rock Hudson, Doris Day, Tony Randall, Paul Lynde, Hal March, Edward Andrews, Patricia Barry, Clint Walker, Clive Clerk, Dave Willock, Arline Towne, and Helene Winston

     We have a team in this movie. Staring Rock Hudson, Doris Day AND Tony Randall. The trio played in three movies together. And this happens to be their last film together. Rock and Day were a couple in all three movies, and Tony Randall always played a friend of theirs. The other two movies were Pillow Talk and Lover, Come Back. This movie happens to be my favorite of the trios. And also happens to be the funniest. It is said that Rock always called Day, Eunice, and the reason he gave was because when he thought of her with that name, it made him laugh. Pretty funny, huh? Makes you want to call Doris Day that and see if it makes you laugh too. Rock Hudson was a very handsome man, and very muscular. Which makes sense, because he also happened to work out often. He passed away in 1985 from aids which left him weak. Doris Day had said after his passing that she did not know he was homosexual, which was asked of her since she worked often with him.

     Send Me No Flowers is a great comedy. And one that will keep you in stitches. We follow a hypochondriac, George Kimball (Rock Hudson) as he goes to visit Dr. Morrissey (Edward Andrews). He has been having pain in his chest. You'll laugh at all the worries George is having, especially when the Dr. says there is nothing wrong but tells him to take a pill anyway and at the office. When the Dr. says go ahead and take the pill now, George wide eyed says "you make it sound so urgent." Which makes you appreciate your doctors that have to deal with the hypochondriacs in the world. But we also feel for his wife Judy (Doris Day) for having to calm him down everyday. While George is taking the pill, Dr. Morrissey gets a phone call about another patient. This patient happens to be dying and when George overhears the conversation, only from the Doctor's point of view, he believes it is him that is dying. On his way home on the train, George tells his best friend and neighbor Arnold (Tony Randall) the horrible news. Arnold proceeds to drink and by the time they get to their stop, he is drunk. George does not want to tell his wife because she is so concerned about his health and it would worry and upset her. Sure the upset part, but we know it is his worries that he speaks of. Arnold is trying to write a eulogy while George is trying to find his wife a new husband. But when Judy catches her husband being kissed by another woman, she gets mad and forces her husband to tell her the news. Dr. Morrissey goes over to the Kimball's home with fish that he catched on his vacation, and Judy finds out that George is not dying. Mrs. Kimball believes that his "death" was a cover up and he really is cheating. Will they end up staying together, or will they end up divorcing. Or worse, will their break up end up actually killing George? Find out and watch this hilarious film featuring a great cast.

The Lady Vanishes

The Lady Vanishes
Released Date: November 1, 1938
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Actors: Margaret Lockwood, Michael Redgrave, Paul Lukas, Dame May Whitty, Cecil Parker, Linden Travers, Naunton Wayne, and Basil Radford

     When watching this movie, keep an eye out for the director. Hitchcock can be seen near the end, at Victoria Station, wearing a black coat and he will be smoking a cigarette (not his normal cigar). Also notice that the movie is suppose to be set far and wide, but the actual set was only ninety feet long, crazy huh? Once again proving Hitchcock a great director. This movie was so popular that the famous Orson Welles watched this movie eleven times! And also Francois Truffaut said that this was Hitchcock's best picture and is Hitch at his best. Another neat piece of trivia, Vivien Leigh tested for the role that Margaret Lockwood won.

     When a avalanche traps a group of train travelers in the mountains, luckily a small village next to the tracks which also holds a hotel for the passengers. You will notice the guests are two British men, Caldicott (Naunton Wayne) and Charters (Basil Radford), the two happen to be more upset over a cricket match. And then also a group of young woman, three ladies, one of which is Iris Henderson (Margaret Lockwood), she happened to take a "holiday" with the other two ladies and now is going home to get married. You will also see Miss Froy (May Whitty) who is an elderly woman that worked abroad as a music teacher and also a governess. And also a few others as well. They all spend the night at the hotel, and in the morning it is time to board the train and head home. Miss Froy asks Iris for help in finding her suitcases. They end up talking more, they also end up eating lunch together. Miss Froy, during the lunch annoys the two English men. After the meal, Iris goes for a nap, when she awakens, Miss Froy is no longer around. She vanished. Into thin air? She can't be a ghost, can she? Or did Caldicott and Charters have anything to do with the woman's disappearance? Or how about the other people that stayed at the hotel that night? This movie is really good, and is a great Hitchcock movie. The best? That for you to decide. However, anything Hitch touched turns into gold.

The Andrew Sisters

The Andrew Sisters

     The Andrew Sisters clan consists of La Verne, Maxene and Patty. La Verne Sophie was born on July 6, 1911, Maxene Angelyn was born on January 3, 1916 and Patricia Marie was born on February 16, 1918. Their father, Peter Andreos was an ice cream maker, and changed his name from Andreos to Andrews when he moved from Greece to America. Their mother's name is Olga Sollie, whom was born a Norwegian. The sisters started out young, in April of 1931 during their school time off for Easter. The sisters were always very close, and as Maxene has once said "The wonderful thing was that we were together for so many years. We dressed together, we slept together, we ate together, we roomed together, we went shopping together and, of course, we rehearsed together. We were never separated."

     The Sisters were not only a huge hit in the early 1900s, but they also toured for our troops and had so many top billboard hits, and are played still, everyday. They had such hits as: "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy", "Pistol Packin' Mama" (With Bing Crosby), "Aurora," "Civilization", and "Rum And Coca Cola." Along with many others. Patty played the lead vocals in which has been noted as a wide range of tones. She was lead, but also needed the support of her Sisters, La Verne and Maxene. La Verne was the only of her sisters that could read music. Often teaching her sisters range and what key to sing in. But Patty was always very talented and could sing in range with the notes to the music. The trio also stared in movies, most noted for their movies with Abbott and Costello including In The Navy, and Hold That Ghost. At one point during the girls career, they had a fight, and needed to be separated. Sadly, La Verne died shortly after the girls were reunited from Cancer. But Maxene and Patty stayed together and kept on singing, they even had a replacement for her after her death.

                                                                        LaVerne Andrew

High Society

High Society
Released Date: July 17, 1956
Director: Charles Walters
Actors: Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Grace Kelly, Celeste Holm, John Lund, Louis Calhern, Sidney Blackmer, Louis Armstrong and his Band, Margalo Gillmore, and Lydia Reed

     Just like Katharine Hepburn, Grace Kelly played the part of Tracy Lord in the stage play of The Philadelphia Story. And then replayed the part on the big screen. Only this time, under a different name, High Society. The musical version has Bing Crosby as C.K. Dexter-Haven who was played by Cary Grant in The Philadelphia Story. Tracy Lord is played by Grace Kelly, Katharine Hepburn was in the standard version. Frank Sinatra plays Mike Connor, the wonderful James Stewart in the standard. And then we have Liz Imbrie who is played by Celeste Holm in the musical but then Ruth Hussey is in the standard version. Which do I prefer? Grace Kelly is my all time favorite actress, but I love Katharine Hepburn too. James Stewart is my all time favorite actor and I love Cary Grant. I'm not a huge fan of musicals but I do love High Society. Both are great and both deserve to be recognized. It is the same thing only in High Society there is singing. Otherwise it is the same movie. I love it!!! And I hope you rent both versions, or buy, whichever, you won't be disappointed.

     High Society starts off with a four minute overture with very fast and fun music. Letting you, the viewer know that you are in for a fast and fun ride throughout the entire movie. We then get to see the famous MGM lion and his famous roar too. I can tell from the start that I would love this film, I love Grace Kelly, the music is fun and happy, my favorite co-star from All About Eve, Celeste Holm's is in this, and the colorful background makes for a fun watch as well. Which is not surprising as the words, "Color by Technicolor" flash through the screen. Then the real beginning happens, with Louis Armstrong, playing himself, sings in his happy go lucky smile with his band on a bus. Singing the title of this movie "High Society." After the song ends, Mr. Armstrong says "end of song, beginning of story." We then see what is believed to be dejevu when you realize once again that this is the musical version of a movie you have seen before. With Tracy Lord (Grace Kelly) running about the house getting ready for her wedding with George Kittredge (John Lund). Tracy's sister, Caroline Lord (Lydia Reed) is again upset about Tracy's new choice for a husband, for she still thinks C.K. Dexter Haven (Bing Crosby) is the one for Tracy. You then realize that nothing could be more true when you meet Kittredge and see how serious he is. Tracy Lord is obviously a happy girl, full of life and wants nothing more than to get herself dirty outside. Riding horses or swimming, or falling to the ground in a playful manner. Mike Connor (Frank Sinatra) and Liz Imbrie (Celeste Holm) are in for a treat when Tracy and Caroline meet them for the first time. Mike and Liz are from a magazine, known as Spy Magazine, and want nothing more than some juicy gossip for their boss. But is the gossip worth the money they will recieve, or the fact that they get to stay with the magazine that Mike clearly is not happy with? Find out in this musical version of The Philadelphia Story. Is it as good as the original? I was happy by the end of it!!! 

The Letter

The Letter 
Released Date: November 23, 1940
Director: William Wyler
Actors: Bette Davis, Herbert Marshall, James Stephenson, Frieda Inescort, Gale Sondergaard, Bruce Lester, Elizabeth Inglis, Cecil Kellaway, and Victor Sen Yung

     Lux Radio Theather presented in a sixty minute adaptation of The Letter. Reprising their movie rolls, is Bette Davis and Herbert Marshall. I'll tell you, it is always fun listening to the Lux programs. Even now. And being a huge old movie fan, the Lux Radio is my favorite. Have you ever listened to Lights Out? My second favorite radio program. It is always relaxing listening to a program before bed, or while laying in bed for the night. I especially love how the Radio was able to take a two hour, or more or less, movie and fit it into either a one hour or half hour program. But it's double awesome when the same actors play their parts again. I think it would be really cool to see the radio bring back the oldies. When I brought up Lights Out earlier, I wonder if that was the radio program coming on the night Grace Kelly's character was to be killed in Dial M For Murder. The Letter is a very fun and suspenseful film. Bette Davis is great at playing the "Bad Guy" and you can tell she has fun doing it! She is such a great actress that anything she did turned into gold. She even played a great Queen.

     Leslie Crosbie (Bette Davis) was at home one evening while her husband Robert (Herbert Marshall) was working. While she was alone, she claims that the man she shot and killed tried to make a pass at her. So the murder was in self defense. Now Leslie and Robert need to visit Singapore where they face the Attorney General who will make the final call of the trial. Leslie's solicitor, Howard Joyce (James Stephenson) finds out that there was a letter sent to the man who was murdered the day of his death. The letter contained a piece of vital information that will set the trials ending. Although Leslie's husband forgives her, the widow of the deceased  however has different feelings.