Saturday, September 2, 2006
a leg is better than an arm
Palm Beach Story, one of Preston Sturges' masterpieces, is being broadcast on TCM today. This is one of those perfect little movies in which there's not a false move or one line of dialogue out of place. Robert Y. Dudley plays my favorite character, the founder of a line of best-selling sausages, nicknamed the "wienie king". (Dudley studied oral surgery in college, then founded the Troupers Club and became an actor.) Claudette Colbert and Joel McCrea play Tom and Gerry Jeffers, recently married and still very much in love but beset by money troubles because Tom is an inventor and architect with no clients. They are about to be evicted when the wienie king and his wife are shown the apartment. The king adores Gerry so much that he hands her a whole bunch of dough (it was always called dough then) with which she pays their bills and buys a lovely new dress. No surprise, Tom is sure Gerry was alluring, not just an innocent charmer. Gerry decides that if Tom doesn't trust her, their marriage has no chance so she decides to get a divorce and goes to Palm Beach on the recommendation of a taxi driver (played by Frank Faylen, later the cab driver in Wonderful Life and the put-upon father of Dobie Gillis). Tom follows her to Palm Beach, determined not to lose her but inept at winning her back as he is inept and cross, in the most charming possible way, of course. And it's no surprise that quirky characters abound all along the way, from waiters to conductors to Rudy Vallee playing an eccentric millionaire with a man-grabbing sister played by Mary Astor. Hey, the singing dogs on the train to Palm Beach are worth the price of admission all by themselves.
BTW, my post title is from a statement Sturges made, that "a pretty girl is better than a plain one/ A leg is better than an arm/ A bedroom is better than a living room/ An arrival is better than a departure/ A birth is better than a death/ A chase is better than a chat/ A dog is better than a landscape/ A kitten is better than a dog/ A baby is better than a kitten/ A kiss is better than a baby/ A pratfall is better than anything."
BTW, my post title is from a statement Sturges made, that "a pretty girl is better than a plain one/ A leg is better than an arm/ A bedroom is better than a living room/ An arrival is better than a departure/ A birth is better than a death/ A chase is better than a chat/ A dog is better than a landscape/ A kitten is better than a dog/ A baby is better than a kitten/ A kiss is better than a baby/ A pratfall is better than anything."
Permalink | 
| posted by jau at 10:10 AM
jau — at 5:22 PM, September 02, 2006:
Laura — at 9:06 PM, September 02, 2006:
jau — at 11:34 PM, September 02, 2006:
Laura — at 4:33 PM, September 03, 2006:
jau — at 7:57 PM, September 03, 2006:
Laura — at 9:13 PM, September 03, 2006:
jau — at 9:42 AM, September 04, 2006:
Laura — at 8:24 PM, September 04, 2006:
| posted by jau at 10:10 AM
9 more:
jau — at 5:22 PM, September 02, 2006:
Laura, I totally agree with you about Joel McCrea. I even like watching him in Westerns, which are not my favorite kind of movie...unless he's there. That theater showing of Palm Beach Story sounds delightful!
What are you watching this weekend? -Anne
What are you watching this weekend? -Anne
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Laura — at 9:06 PM, September 02, 2006:
My daughter came home from college for a couple nights for the holiday weekend, and we've got several movies stacked up to choose from, including a couple noir-ish movies (THE GLASS KEY and ON DANGEROUS GROUND, both new to us), FOOTLIGHT PARADE, and we also put VERTIGO on the short list. :) So many movies, such little time...
Right now we've got the USC football game on -- we're not football fans but since she's a Trojan we are trying to at least pay attention to her school's games, LOL -- and then we hope to watch our first movie of the weekend!
A few months back I saw a great little Joel McCrea Western for the first time, FOUR FACES WEST, with his wife, Frances Dee. Growing up I was also partial to SADDLE TRAMP which was shown often on local TV.
My fave Joel McCrea movies, other than PALM BEACH, are FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT and THE MORE THE MERRIER (hubba hubba!).
How abouty you, how is your weekend viewing lining up? :)
Best wishes, Laura
Right now we've got the USC football game on -- we're not football fans but since she's a Trojan we are trying to at least pay attention to her school's games, LOL -- and then we hope to watch our first movie of the weekend!
A few months back I saw a great little Joel McCrea Western for the first time, FOUR FACES WEST, with his wife, Frances Dee. Growing up I was also partial to SADDLE TRAMP which was shown often on local TV.
My fave Joel McCrea movies, other than PALM BEACH, are FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT and THE MORE THE MERRIER (hubba hubba!).
How abouty you, how is your weekend viewing lining up? :)
Best wishes, Laura
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jau — at 11:34 PM, September 02, 2006:
Well, I just watched a Scottish film called "On a Clear Day". It's one of those "small" films described factually correctly but completely misrepresented. It's about a mid-fifties steel worker who loses his job; he apparently loves swimming so decides to beat off depression by swimming the English Channel. I can't say one more word lest I spoil anything. What a gem. (I have 3 more lined up including "Bread and Tulips" which someone on the train recommended and that one of yours that intrigued me.)
Your weekend sounds wonderful. How wonderful to share movies with your daughter! I remember watching "The Counterfeit Traitor" with my father and sobbing through it but loving every minute.
I love "Foreign Correspondent" too but don't know "The More the Merrier". What's the name of the one with Veronica Lake? I don't know "The Glass Key" or "Dangerous Ground", or at least I don't recognize the titles. Tell me what you think!!
Well, must go back to the TV! Let's compare notes again! Give my best to your lucky daughter.
-Anne
Your weekend sounds wonderful. How wonderful to share movies with your daughter! I remember watching "The Counterfeit Traitor" with my father and sobbing through it but loving every minute.
I love "Foreign Correspondent" too but don't know "The More the Merrier". What's the name of the one with Veronica Lake? I don't know "The Glass Key" or "Dangerous Ground", or at least I don't recognize the titles. Tell me what you think!!
Well, must go back to the TV! Let's compare notes again! Give my best to your lucky daughter.
-Anne
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Laura — at 4:33 PM, September 03, 2006:
The movie with Veronica Lake is SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS. I haven't seen it yet, I really should! (That's one of the great things about movies -- no matter how many one has seen, there are always more to discover! I'm not familiar with the movies you mentioned; will save the titles to check out later.)
THE MORE THE MERRIER is wonderful; if you're a McCrea fan you'll love it. Jean Arthur sublets her apartment to Charles Coburn during the WWII housing shortage in D.C., and he (playing matchmaker) sublets to Joel McCrea. Great fun!
We are definitely a movie-loving family...my children are the third generation of film buffs. That was one of the first reasons my husband and I hit it off. :) My father and I ship movies back and forth on a regular basis.
We ended up running out of time to watch a movie last night, but are midway through what is hopefully just the first of today's viewing. :) Something funny is that this afternoon my daughter chose a film from a stack of Fox Film Noir DVDs my father recently lent us -- PANIC IN THE STREETS. I didn't realize until it started that the leading lady was...you guessed it! :) Have you seen it? I've not been especially interested in film noir in the past, but it's beginning to grow on me.
Happy Sunday, Laura
THE MORE THE MERRIER is wonderful; if you're a McCrea fan you'll love it. Jean Arthur sublets her apartment to Charles Coburn during the WWII housing shortage in D.C., and he (playing matchmaker) sublets to Joel McCrea. Great fun!
We are definitely a movie-loving family...my children are the third generation of film buffs. That was one of the first reasons my husband and I hit it off. :) My father and I ship movies back and forth on a regular basis.
We ended up running out of time to watch a movie last night, but are midway through what is hopefully just the first of today's viewing. :) Something funny is that this afternoon my daughter chose a film from a stack of Fox Film Noir DVDs my father recently lent us -- PANIC IN THE STREETS. I didn't realize until it started that the leading lady was...you guessed it! :) Have you seen it? I've not been especially interested in film noir in the past, but it's beginning to grow on me.
Happy Sunday, Laura
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jau — at 7:57 PM, September 03, 2006:
When I saw 'Panic in the Streets' I started to chuckle. You're on quite the BBG retrospective. There's one with her, 'Caught', with James Mason, which is sort of ultra-noir, if you can rank noir-ness!
Where does your father live, that you have to ship movies? Maybe we should get him involved in this discussion! (Maybe we should consider a separate blog just about exchanging movie ideas and reviews. Well, maybe not.)
I'm off to watch 'Who Am I This Time?' now....
Where does your father live, that you have to ship movies? Maybe we should get him involved in this discussion! (Maybe we should consider a separate blog just about exchanging movie ideas and reviews. Well, maybe not.)
I'm off to watch 'Who Am I This Time?' now....
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Laura — at 9:13 PM, September 03, 2006:
My dad and his wife retired to Western North Carolina a couple years ago. (He had worked in NC for a few months in the '90s and they decided to return as it made for a much more affordable retirement. There are times the idea of selling our home here and buying a less expensive home somewhere like NC has great appeal -- if only my husband could get a job there with "CA" pay!) We discovered flat rate boxes a few months ago -- that sure helped our mailing budgets, LOL.
I was just "reading up" on Robert Ryan a few weeks ago -- he is the star of ON DANGEROUS GROUND -- and the plot of CAUGHT grabbed my eye. Have never seen it. In fact, I think until BLOOD ON THE MOON I'd never seen a Bel Geddes film other than I REMEMBER MAMA so I'm starting to catch up a bit. :) I did see her in the TV production of OUR TOWN -- I liked it so much our family owned it on video disc (the short-lived and unreliable predecessor to laser discs). It's fun how catching up on some of my "watch soon" pile coincided with our discussion of her -- serendipity!
It would be fun to have a "film board" of some kind for more movie talk. Or at least we should try to keep it going regularly on our existing blogs! :)
Hope you enjoy WHO AM I THIS TIME? -- you picked it up quickly! Best wishes, Laura
I was just "reading up" on Robert Ryan a few weeks ago -- he is the star of ON DANGEROUS GROUND -- and the plot of CAUGHT grabbed my eye. Have never seen it. In fact, I think until BLOOD ON THE MOON I'd never seen a Bel Geddes film other than I REMEMBER MAMA so I'm starting to catch up a bit. :) I did see her in the TV production of OUR TOWN -- I liked it so much our family owned it on video disc (the short-lived and unreliable predecessor to laser discs). It's fun how catching up on some of my "watch soon" pile coincided with our discussion of her -- serendipity!
It would be fun to have a "film board" of some kind for more movie talk. Or at least we should try to keep it going regularly on our existing blogs! :)
Hope you enjoy WHO AM I THIS TIME? -- you picked it up quickly! Best wishes, Laura
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jau — at 9:42 AM, September 04, 2006:
Absolutely loved 'Who am I this time'! I expected to be charmed by Walken because when he isn't being terrifying, he always charms me. I wasn't sure what to expect from Susan S. but she charmed me too. It's just a lovely film. Vonnegut sure can really put a story together and mix very simple with utterly complex.
I also watched 'Nanny McPhee' which I rented because of Colin Firth. It's surprisingly good although I wish it wasn't quite so thoroughly over the top sometimes. I watched it with French subtitles which cut the sugar when the sugar needed cutting.
Today, as a reward for car looking, I'll watch 'Bread and Tulips'. If I hate it, I'll re-watch 'On a Clear Day.'
What about you? Hope you have a good last day of the holiday.
I also watched 'Nanny McPhee' which I rented because of Colin Firth. It's surprisingly good although I wish it wasn't quite so thoroughly over the top sometimes. I watched it with French subtitles which cut the sugar when the sugar needed cutting.
Today, as a reward for car looking, I'll watch 'Bread and Tulips'. If I hate it, I'll re-watch 'On a Clear Day.'
What about you? Hope you have a good last day of the holiday.
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Laura — at 8:24 PM, September 04, 2006:
So glad you enjoyed WHO AM I THIS TIME? too. :) Besides the great lead performances, I thought it captured the "feel" of a small town so well.
I haven't seen NANNY MCPHEE yet...I love the actors but was a little put off by how ugly Emma Thompson looked when I saw a trailer, LOL! Sounds like I should give it a chance at some point.
We had a FRASIER marathon late last night. :) Have had to slip in a little work today but hope to catch another movie this evening. Good luck car hunting, I don't enjoy doing that either!
Best wishes, Laura
I haven't seen NANNY MCPHEE yet...I love the actors but was a little put off by how ugly Emma Thompson looked when I saw a trailer, LOL! Sounds like I should give it a chance at some point.
We had a FRASIER marathon late last night. :) Have had to slip in a little work today but hope to catch another movie this evening. Good luck car hunting, I don't enjoy doing that either!
Best wishes, Laura
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It's such a crazy movie. I once was fortunate to see it in a packed theater at an L.A. museum screening -- the laughter of the crowd really added to the experience as we watched all the nutty antics unfold.
Have a great weekend! Laura
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