The Postman Always Rings Twice

The Postman Always Rings Twice
Released Date: May 2, 1946
Director: Tay Garnett
Actors: Lana Turner, John Garfield, Cecil Kellaway, Hume Cronyn, Leon Ames, Audrey Totter, Alan Reed, and Jeff York

     This is a MGM movie and a Film Noir. This movie was considered a shock because most movies in that time only did closed mouth kissing. Usually the kisses lasted a few seconds. In this movie, it wasn't a normal Hollywood kiss. They french kissed! Which is not that surprising as the novel for this film was considered explicit. This movie was a lot like the Little Women book, as it was turned into a movie, a lot. This was actually the third movie made from the book. And then The Screen Guild Theater made a 30 minute radio version on June 16, 1947. Along with the Lana Turner and John Garfield redoing their roles. This was Lana Turner's favorite role. Another neat note, you will notice that Lana Turner only wears white in this movie. Make note of that while you are watching. Pretty cool huh? It is said that because of how dark this picture is, they wanted to make her wear a light color throughout. You will notice two men in this movie, from two very hit classics. One is Cecil Kellaway, who played a Doctor in the Jimmy Stewart classic Harvey. The other man is not by his face, but by his voice, Alan Reed. Who's voice happens to be Fred Flinstone's from the cartoon, The Flinstones. There is also another favorite of mine, Hume Cronyn, who was in Alfred Hitchcock movies, Shadow Of A Doubt, Lifeboat, and he was seen in Alfred Hitchcock Presents. He also wrote for Hitchcock's Rope and Under Capricorn. 

     Nick Smith (Cecil Kellaway) hires a free as a bird hitch-hiker, Frank Chambers (John Garfield). Frank begins to help around the house and restaurant  In the middle of all of the helping, Frank falls for Nick's wife, Cora Smith (Lana Turner). They kiss, dance, go to the beach, and discuss why Cora ending up marrying Nick in the first place. He's older, and not very good looking. Which raises questions, since Cora is so beautiful.  But when Cora realizes that she feels the same for Frank, the two decide to run away together. But since Frank's money is coming from Cora's husband, they go back. It almost seems insane that they do, since both seem so unhappy. Even Frank goes as far as to say that he hopes that Nick gets into some freak accident and dies. When later on the two realize that death is an option for them. Murder is a great option in fact. The plan? To electrocute. When Nick ends up in the hospital, Cora ends up riddled with guilt. Which is understandable, she's the one that threw a iron into Nick's bath water with him in it. Ending up electrocuting Nick, burning all the lights out in the house, and killing a cat. Nick thankfully survived. I guess Frank and Cora were not ready for murder. Both excited he lived, but will this movie end with Nick dead? I mean, even though they ended up wanting him alive, they still wanted him dead before. I don't want to give away the ending, but I'll tell you one thing!!! They do "try" again. I mean they always say "If at first you don't suceed, try, try again." I'll also say this, it involves a car, a shoe, alcohol, a mountain side and trees, and a great lawyer, Arthur Keats (Hume Cronyn). Enjoy!!!!

Meet Me In St. Louis

Meet Me In St. Louis
Released Year: 1944
Director: Vincente Minnelli
Actors: Judy Garland, Margaret O'Brien, Mary Astor, Lucille Bremer, Leon Ames, Tom Drake, Marjorie Main, Harry Davenport, June Lockhart, Henry H. Daniels Jr., Joan Carroll, Hugh Marlowe, and Robert Sully

     You notice Vincente Minnelli and Judy Garland are both a part of this picture? Well this movie is where they met, fell in love and soon after, they married. Judy Garland played a teenager in this film but was 21 when filming began. Miss. Garland was not a fan of playing parts of people she was not close to in age, or at least she said she was not happy about playing a teenager while being 20 and above. This movie has the song "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas". But did you know that before Judy Garland made the writers change the lyrics around, the song went like this: "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, it may be your last?" But because Judy Garland refused to sing that line to Margaret O'Brien, they changed it. Which the newer version is way better.

     This well loved musical is based around the Smith Family in St. Louis around the famous world wide fair. The first part of this movie is based around summer, a year before the big fair. All is well, with Tootie Smith (Margaret O'Brien) on the ice truck with her dear old friend and one of her sick dolls, who is about to die of four fatal diseases. While at home Esther (Judy Garland) is convinced that her sister Rose (Lucille Bremer) is about to get a call long distance from New York to get proposed to. Which makes Esther ask the family maid Katie (Marjorie Main) to serve dinner an hour earlier. Rose, sadly, does not get asked in her hand of marriage, and because Mr. Smith refused to eat dinner early, the whole family was sitting at the dinner table listening to the whole conversation. Esther finds herself falling for the boy next door too, after meeting at a party thrown by the Smith kids, John Truett (Tom Drake), whom is the boy next door, also finds himself falling for Esther too. Mr. Smith comes home one day and tells the family that his work is going to move him to New York. Around Christmas which also means that they will not be living in St. Louis for the fair. Everyone is so distraught and nobody wants to move except the father. The movie takes us through Halloween, and unto Christmas. Will the family move? Will Esther and John stay together? Will Rose get proposed to by the end of this picture? Find out by watching this famous movie. And one you will not soon forget.