Barbara Stanwyck

     Have you ever watched a Barbara Stanwyck movie? She was incredible. I have been watching a lot of her movies lately. Titanic; Christmas in Connecticut; Sorry, Wrong Number; Remember the Night; The Lady Eve; and Night Nurse. I have always said that classic films, black and white movies are the best, and she is a huge reason for me saying that. Stanwyck, Katharine Hepburn and Bette Davis always give 100%. Stanwyck also had a very cute husband, you know, Robert Taylor? Even though their relationship ended on horrible terms, they were a very cute couple while it lasted. 

  

     Barbara Stanwyck born as Ruby Stevens on July 16, 1907 in New York.  When Ruby was six years old, her mother, while pregnant, was on a bus with Ruby mind you, and a drunk kicked Ruby's mother in the stomach. After having a miscarriage and after tons of blood loss, Ruby lost her mother to infection. Ruby then turned to many homes for a family. As sad as this sounds, Ruby became Barbara Stanwyck and lived happily in California with amazing work and beauty. 

Whistling in the Dark

Whistling in the Dark
Released Date: August 8, 1941
Director: S. Sylvan Simon
Actors: Red Skelton, Conrad Veidt, Ann Rutherford, Virginia Grey, Rags Ragland, Henry O'Neill, Eve Arden, Paul Stanton, Donald Douglas, Don Costello and William Tannen

     I saw this movie and fell in love with Red Skelton. The fact that Eve Arden is in this movie is what caught my eye, but I loved every second of this film. I also enjoyed it because of the two things this movie is based on. First off it is a black and white movie (that always gets my attention), and second it is about something I have always loved listening to, which is the radio. I have always loved listening to Lux Radio, Lights Out, the Abbott and Costello Radio Show, and The 2000 Year Old Man. But this movie is about a man who performs a crime radio show every week. The man is Wally Benton (Red Skelton), and he is successful. He tunes in every week as the host for the crime show called "The Fox" and along with his fiancee and ex-girlfriend are kidnapped by a killer. The killer is Joseph Jones (Conrad Veidt), and the only reason why he kidnapped this radio show host is because he wants to be written the perfect murder! Does he get what he wants? Watch Red Skelton light up the screen :)

Double Indemnity

Double Indemnity
Released Date: April 24, 1944
Director: Billy Wilder
Actors: Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson, Byron Barr, Porter Hall, Jean Heather, Tom Powers, Richard Gaines, Fortunio Bonanova, and John Philliber

     I have been watching a lot of newer movies, and when I say "new" I mean I just found them. I was watching this movie today and realized that because Barbara Stanwyck is in it, it must be great. And it is. This movie is very fast, but a thriller till the end. One thing that did bother me was Barbara Stanwyck's hair. So I was pleased to read that the director wasn't happy with it either. She wears a wig in this movie and it looks insane, but nobody can deny her great acting ability.

     Phyllis Dietrichson (Barbara Stanwyck) is married and unhappy. You can tell every time you see her around her husband. When Walter Neff (Fred MacMurray) shows up to Mr. and Mrs. Dietrchson's house to sell Mr. Dietrichson a life insurance policy, Phyllis and Walter fall in love. Now what to do? Half of them is already married. Does this mean murder? It does!!! Walter and Phyllis plan out the perfect crime. But like real life, murder is never perfect, and the bad guys always get caught!!! This movie was number 29 of the greatest movies of all time, and you can see why. I have always enjoyed Miss Stanwyck and this is one of my favorites of her's now. 

Undercurrent

Undercurrent
Released Date: November 28, 1946
Director: Vincent Minnelli
Actors: Katharine Hepburn, Robert Taylor, Robert Mitchum, Edmund Gwenn, Majorie Main, Jayne Meadows, Clinton Sundberg, Dan Tobin, Kathryn Card, Leigh Whipper, Charles Trowbridge, James Westerfield and Billy McClain

     Post war movies are always fun to watch. For this reason alone, the actors that came back from the war to go on with their acting career. James Stewart was one of them, and so is Robert Taylor. He was in the military service in World War II. And after returning, this was his first picture. Robert Mitchum plays Robert Taylor's brother in this movie, and Katharine Hepburn plays Taylor's wife. Although still young, Katharine Hepburn plays a spinster, well almost spinster, she is saved from that single old age by her husband. Did you know that Katharine Hepburn and Robert Mitchum did not get along while filming? You may never see it, that is the beauty of acting. But Hepburn apparently told Mitchum this: "You know you can't act, and if you hadn't been good looking you would never have got a picture at all. I'm tired of working with people like you who have nothing to offer!" Harsh words, huh? I have always enjoyed Mitchum movies and am sad by that remark. I have always been and will be a Katharine Hepburn fan, though strong headed, she was not too far from the truth. Mitchum did in fact have better looks than acting range, but he always made fun pictures. But so did Katharine Hepburn!

     Ann Hamilton (Katharine Hepburn) grew up with a loving family in the country. The picture is beautiful, with the country feel, snow up to your knees, snow covering the old time cars and a fireplace. A scene I have dreamed about all my life. The good looking Alan Garroway (Robert Taylor) comes to her house and they end up falling in love. Hamilton's father, Professor Hamilton (Edmund Gwenn (a great actor)) tells her that she will end up marrying Garroway. The Professor can see his daughter falling in love. After a whirlwind wedding, Mr and Mrs. Garroway head to Alan's home, in my hometown, of Washington D.C. Ann is a country girl at heart, always will be. Her clothes spell country, and she feels different from all of the D.C. women she meets. Alan throws a few parties, and Ann feels like the loan sheep. Alan seems perfect, tons of money, very good looking, friendly and all around happy. But he has a demon, his brother. Michael Garroway (Robert Mitchum) seems to have hurt his brother pretty badly. But while all stories unravel, Ann has doubts about her new husband. And so do we, the audience. I said this before, but Katharine Hepburn makes masterpieces, and this is a great movie. Found on accident, I taped it on TCM, and enjoyed every minute. I taped because of Katharine Hepburn!!! You will love this new find of mine just as much as I have :)

House Of Wax

House of Wax
Released Date: April 25, 1953
Director: Andre De Toth
Actors: Vincent Price, Frank Lovejoy, Phyllis Kirk, Carolyn Jones, Paul Picerni, Roy Roberts, Angela Clarke, Paul Cavanagh, Dabbs Greer, Charles Bronson, and Reggie Rymal

     Halloween is near, which means Vincent Price is here!!! What a great movie to start your Halloween night with, while waiting for kids to arrive, put this movie in your DVD player and eat some of the chocolate you have waiting in your Halloween bowl. I would love to see this movie in 3-D, which is how the director first filmed this amazing movie. Even in 2-D, this movie pops with excitement. I enjoyed the one hour and thirty minute horror film very much, and I think you will too.

     Professor Henry Jarrod (Vincent Price) is the creator of wax art. And is super talented. He makes sculptures that will leave you shocked. He makes a great replica of the night President Lincoln was murdered at Fords Theater. The Professor even threw in John Wilkes Booth, Mrs. Lincoln, and Lincoln's box guests. You will also see Joan of Arc and Marie Antoinette. Prof. Jarrod seems very happy and enjoying his creations, but when his business partner, Matthew Burke (Roy Roberts), decides to set fire to the wax museum, Jarrod loses everything. Including, or so everyone thinks, his life!!! The fire sequence is very cool though, you can see all of the wax figures melt due to the flames.

     Time goes on, Matthew Burke is now a rich man, and dating a young woman, who appears too young. Her name is Cathy Gray (Carolyn Jones). After Burke dies by hanging himself, weird things really start to happen. Cathy then dies too, and she is found dead in bed. And her best friend, Sue Allen (Phyllis Kirk) is the one that finds her. Cathy has obviously been murdered, and while Sue is looking at her friend, she spots the killer behind the drapes, after giving out a loud scream, Sue takes off running. But the scary part about this killer, he has no face!!! More time goes on, and all of a sudden Professor Jarrod is back in business. He somehow lived through the fire, and has now opened up a new museum. The House of Wax!!! Sue and her beau, Scott Andrews (Paul Picerni) attend the opening. Sue notices something very very strange about one of the figures. It strangely looks like Cathy!!! WHAT???? Find out the intense ending, with magic wax and the magic that Vincent Price brings to his films, you'll enjoy this as much as I did!!!

Finishing School

Finishing School
Released Date: May 4, 1934
Director: George Nichols Jr., and Wanda Tuchock
Actors: Frances Dee, Billie Burke, Ginger Rogers, Bruce Cabot, John Halliday, Beulah Bondi, Sara Haden, Helen Freeman, Majorie Lytell, Adalyn Doyle, Anne Shirley, Irene Franklin, Ann Cameron, Rose Coghlan, and Caroline Rankin

     Can you imagine, this movie was condemned by the Catholic Church's? Now for some of you, maybe most of you, you probably have never seen this. But believe me, considering what movies are showing now, this is hardly traumatizing. I enjoyed this movie a lot, however, and I would recommend it to anyone.

     We begin this movie following a young girl. Virginia Radcliff (Frances Dee), and her mother Mrs. Helen Crawford Radcliff (Billie Burke) into an all girls school. They have ridiculous rules and a very difficult woman running the private school. Miss Van Alstyne (Beulah Bondi) asks all students not to smoke, drink, not to wear lipstick, and must conduct yourself like a young lady. But when Miss Alstyne decides to bunk Virginia with Cecilia Ferris (Ginger Rogers), all the trouble begins. Cecilia, or Pony, as her friends call her, loves to get into trouble. Miss Alstyne makes sure that every weekend, all of the girls can either stay at school or go home to their families. But Cecilia has other plans for this weekend. Can you guess what they are? Well, if you guessed going out with her family, you're wrong, if you guessed hanging out with men, then you hit it right on the nose. When you here of young students going to college and finding themselves, then this movie will make you realize this fact. Maybe Virginia is a great girl, with good intentions, or maybe she's curious. You'll find out in time... If you watch this great picture, with some great actresses. :)

Gaslight

Gaslight
Release Date: May 11, 1944
Director: George Cukor
Actors: Charles Boyer, Ingrid Bergman, Joseph Cotten, Dame May Whitty, Angela Lansbury, Barbara Everest, Emil Rameau, Edmund Breon, Halliwell Hobbes, Tom Stevenson, Heather Thatcher, Lawrence Grossmith, and Jakob Gimpel

     Angela Lansbury's birthday was not too long ago, so I thought I would write about her first movie, and one of my favorites! She was only 17, and today, at 88, she is still going strong. Ingrid Bergman is amazing in this as well, and even went to a mental institution for inspiration, pretty neat huh? Ingrid Bergman won Best Actress in a Leading role at the Oscars the following year, in 1945, this movie also won the Oscar the same year for Best Art Direction (Interior Decoration, Black and White). Nominated was Best Picture, Best Supporting Actress (Angela Lansbury), Best Writing (Screenplay), and Best Cinematography too. They sure did make a great movie!!

     Paula Alquist's (Ingrid Bergman) aunt was murdered in the house she grew up in. Paula never wanted to go back to that house, the memories, she was afraid, would forever haunt her. But when her new husband, Gregory Anton (Charles Boyer) wants to move into the house, Paula caves, and decides to go ahead and move back. Paula's fears proved correct, memories were all around, she was afraid. And to make matters worse, she starts losing her mind!!! Her husband is worried that she is ending up like her mother, who was hospitalized for mental issues many years before. But someone is watching over Paula, and it is not her loved ones that have passed. It is Brian Cameron (Joseph Cotten), who believes that it is not Paula that is mad, but her husband Gregory, that is up to no good. Is Brian correct? Their house maid, Nancy (Angela Lansbury) believes she is nuts as well. It is hard to go on with the story without giving away the ending. But I would highly recommend this classic treasure. :) enjoy!!!