Rain, Rain, Rain…With Some Snow, Sleet….

 

My Lexi wonders when warmer weather will come in our neck of the woods. We have been having rain but Toronto got some wet snow and other places had freezing rain. Honestly, I always think rain, at this time of year, is natures’ way of cleaning everything up. This week, at Monday  Music Moves Me, it’s about  Rain and, without further adieu, here are my 3…

1. SINGING IN THE RAIN SUNG BY CLIFF EDWARDS AND  THE BROX SISTERS-1929

This famous song did not start with Gene Kelly dancing with his umbrella, but in this 96 year old film with Ukelele Ike and the Brox Sisters introducing the song along with some of the most famous movie stars of the day. Joan Crawford is in this and she truly thought she could sing and dance…..no, just …no. I like seeing Buster Keaton in this and some of the greats that no one knows today. You can also see Arthur Freed who wrote the lyrics and Nacio Herb Brown who wrote the music. Freed became very famous with the Freed unit, his own production group that did  bring the very famous film, “Singing in the Rain”  to the cinemas.

2. THE RAIN IN SPAIN SUNG BY JULIE ANDREWS, REX HARRISON AND ROBERT COOTE-1956

 Of course, we know the famous film with  Rex Harrison and Audrey Hepburn as Eliza Doolittle who was dubbed by the famous voice, Marni Nixon but the role was originated by Julie Andrews on Broadway. When it came time to cast for the film version of the Lerner and Lowe musical, the studio didn’t want to take a chance on an unknown so they went with Audrey. Julie Andrews, instead, made a little film called, “Mary Poppins” and won the Oscar over…Audrey Hepburn.

3. ISN’T IT A LOVELY DAY TO BE CAUGHT IN THE RAIN SUNG BY FRED ASTAIRE-1935

This Irving Berlin song is sung by Fred Astaire and so wonderfully danced by Fred and Ginger Rogers. This is from their famous film, “Top Hat” that has so many great musical numbers and this is one of those great numbers. They, also, love to dance in the rain.

Any rain songs you can think of?

Thursday Film Picks

 

Richard Chamberlain died 2 days before he would have turned 91 on March 31st. I don’t know why but I just feel so very sad that he died even though he lived a nice long life ( unlike Val Kilmer, who just passed at only 65 from pneumonia but was dealing with Cancer for years although, I think, he was in remission). I think it’s because I had a crush on him when he became the King of the Miniseries back in the early 1980s. Strangely, I never saw him in his iconic TV series, “Dr. Kildare”  when women, all over the U. S. And Canada swooned over the handsome actor, but, one day, I will watch some episodes. I also love him in the Musketeer films that were so much fun and star filled( I consider these Musketeer films the best). I am talking about his miniseries roles and tv movies that I love…

1. SHOGUN-1980

This miniseries made Chamberlain a megastar after his Dr. Kildare series. The miniseries became a force since this show was on regular TV( yes, regular, no cable). He plays the Captain of a ship that became shipwrecked near feudal Japan and becomes embroiled in the war between 2 lords, one played by the legendary Toshiro Mifune,  and does his best to keep the peace while falling in love with a Japanese woman which is just not allowed. It is being remade now and getting huge accolades but this was the first.

2. THE THORNBIRDS-1983

This is an excellent miniseries with the legendary Barbara Stanwyck as a grande dame  who owns a very large sheep ranch. Her brother and his family come to help run the ranch and this is when we meet a very young Maggie who doesn’t get much love from her mom, played by Jean Simmons. Maggie is so happy to meet and become friends with the priest, played by Chamberlain. When, one New Year’s, she comes down the stairs, the priest has some very impure thoughts. Over the years, we see how their love for each other grows and grows culminating on a hot and heavy week on a beach. This mini series created a huge stir over at the Vatican that condemned this series for its depiction of a priest who dares fall in love and have sex with a woman( all altar boys were safe with this priest). It’s such a well acted series and remains faithful to the book which I did read, many moons ago.

3. WALLENBERG: A HERO’S STORY-1985

When I watched this mini-series based on the heroism of this Swedish diplomat and a man with royal lineage, I had no idea who Wallenberg was. After watching this excellent tv movie ( thank God all the different cable channels and streaming didn’t exist) I had to learn more about Raoul Wallenberg and was sad to know that he was 5ake n by the Russians and ended up in one of their prisons. This man, working at the Swedish embassy, was able to save thousands of Jewish people during WW2 only to be treated in such abhorrent manner by the Russian government. The Russians took this man, placed him in prison until he died never admitting they took this hero.

4. THE BOURNE IDENTITY-1988

Who thought Matt Damon played the first Jason Bourne? Well, you are incorrect because Richard Chamberlain played him first and, I think, he does a really good job as the amnesiac assassin who is trying to find out who he is with the help of the beautiful Jacklyn Smith. Of course, the Damon films have a much bigger budget with great effects not to mention, car chases but this is an under-rated gem, in my humble opinion which held my attention all the way through.

Any Chamberlain films you can think of? What about Val Kilmer? 

Dieter's Dance Party

 

The 1980s was a fun time for me, with many bars and Discos laid waste to my vodka and OJ drunken escapades. It was fun dancing the night away and I got a kick out of the many German songs that made it big during this decade.  Some were good but some are just ...dumb  as dumb can be. It's freebie week over at Monday Music Moves Me  and I movin' to German songs baby..

1. DA, DA, DA BY TRIO-1981

I first heard this song when I was in Austria in 1982 and just thought it was the stupidest song I ever heard. That assessment has not changed. It took a while to make it here...still dumb as fu#$&. There was a commercial that used this song and it was funny.

2. 99 LUFT BALLOONS BY NENA-1983

This is a pretty cool song that still gets airplay in both the German and English language. What I find funny is how many guys found her sexy only to have their illusion shattered when she lifted her arms over her shoulders showing her hairy armpits. I don't know what it's like now, but the European gals never thought of shaving ...anything. I'll leave you with that. 

3. ROCK ME, AMADEUS SUNG BY FALCO-1985

This was a big hit for Falco who was inspired to write a song about this great composer after he saw the film about Mozart that starred Tom Hulce as Mozart and F. Murray Abraham as the jealous Salieri. I just recall dancing to it more than once. The Simpsons did a great parody of a musical Planet of the Apes with the words, “ Rock me, Dr. Zaius.”

What fun music did you rock to that came from  another country?

April Star of the Month- Melvyn Douglas

 

MELVYN DOUGLAS

BIRTH: April 5, 1901

DEATH: August 4, 1981

AGED: 80 years

DIED FROM: pneumonia and cardiac issues

REAL NAME: Melvyn Edouard Hesselberg

MARRIED: Twice-1st to Rosalind Hightower. 2nd to Helen Gahagan, an actress and the physical inspiration for the Evil Queen in Disney’s Snow White.  She became a 3 time Congresswoman(D)

CHILDREN: 3 kids. 1 from the first and 2 with his 2nd wife

GRANDKID: Illiana Douglas- check her out, you know her

FRIENDS: FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt 

OSCAR NOMINATIONS: “I Never Sang  For My Father”

OSCAR WINS: “ Hud” and “ Being There”

KNOWN FOR: winning trifecta in awards- Oscar, Emmys and Tony Awards

This man is a solid actor who had no illusions about age, stood up against tyranny, faithful to his wife and loved being an actor. His mom, came from high Southern family and  had her direct roots to the Mayflower while his dad was an immigrant from Latvia who was a Concert Pianist and composer and taught piano. Melvyn had no idea his dad was Jewish until he turned 14 years old and learned about his heritage from his aunts who were proud to tell him. He loved his Jewish ancestry and never hid from it where most people did in Hollywood, like all the studio heads. Melvyn never finished high school but signed up for WW1 and, after that, ended up on the theatre stage….his first love. He married twice, the first to  an artist and had one son with her who, in turn, had a daughter, Iliana Douglas, who made a name in her own right as an actress on film and TV. His 2nd wife was his big love and, together, they were a force, often fighting for injustice. When they visited Europe after they got married, in 1931, and saw first hand, the anti-Semitism in Germany and France, were appalled and fought fascism for the rest of their lives. After the 2nd World War, which he signed up and was head of  an Entertainment unit in Burma rising to Major, he and his 2nd wife started being called leftist sympathizers which caused a delay in his film career. I love that his wife became a 3 time congresswoman who went up against Nixon in 1950. Nixon fought dirty ( and won) calling her a Pinko and said he wouldn’t be surprised if her undies were even pink. She was the one that coined the term, “Tricky Dick”..I think I love her! When he returned to the big screen, he looked much older, probably due to his heart issues. Sadly, his wife died of cancer in 1980 and Melvyn was left bereft. He did make one more film, “Ghost Story” but sadly died before his scenes were done. The director worked around those scenes and it became his last film. A rare gentleman in Hollywood.

FILMS

1. Theodora Goes Wild-1936  ( my favourite)

2. Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream Home-1948

3. I Never Sang For My Father-1970

4. Hud-1963

5. Ninotchka-1939

6. Ghost Story-1981

7. Being There-1980

8. As You Desire Me-1932

9. That Gorgeous Hussey-1936

10. That Uncertain Feeling-1941

The Last 3 and others not mentioned, I have yet to see. I tried to placed the first 7 in order of my favourites…Ninotchka should be higher..just so darn hard.

 

The Mighty Beaver

 

Get your heads out of the gutter because I am talking about Canada’s emblem, the mighty beaver, that has turned 50 years old on March 24th. To be honest, I thought our beaver was older than that since l was 11 years old when the Beaver got the royal treatment. In honour of this  mighty rodent with the ever growing teeth and flat tail, I found 3 movies that has the beaver as the highlight.

1. THE BEAVER VALLEY-1950

I saw this when The Wonderful World of Disney was a staple at 7pm on Sundays with Walt Disney hosting (from beyond the grave) the hour long program. I know I watched this back then and was totally enthralled at how exciting Disney created this short documentary which won an Oscar! The male does all he can to protect his family from the elements, fun loving otters and predators. I always loved watching animal shows from Disney to Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom.

2. GREY OWL-1999

This film is quite a good movie that is directed by Sir Richard Attenborough and stars Pierce Brosnan as Archie Grey Owl who was a Canadian fur trapper who became involved with a young Iroquois woman. She is disgusted how animals slowly die in the traps and when, a beaver mom is trapped, the woman saves her 2 kits and rears them. The little beaver kits get under the skin of Archie and, with her help, he begins to see how wrong it is to trap animals especially the beaver that, in the 1930s, was endangered due to all the killing for its fur. He writes a book and is an early environmentalist becoming famous lecturing on the problem of over hunting and fishing especially the beaver. He even spoke in front of the British Royalty but it soon comes out that he is not Native to Canada at all. This is based on a true story which I never knew about until I watched this film. If you ever get a chance, you should see this film especially for the cute little beaver kits.

3. THE BEAVER-2011

Yes, this is one strange movie and one that was supposed to bring Mel Gibson back after his out of control downward spiral. Jodie Foster directed this movie and stars as Mel’s unhappy wife. He is the owner of a toy company ready to go tits up, his wife is leaving him and his son hates him( Anton Yelchin who, sadly died, in 2016). Mel finds this beaver sock puppet in the trash and starts wearing it and speaking only through the beaver puppet. It’s a bit odd but I can see how Jodie created this character and film for her friend, Mel Gibson. I’m not sure I would see it again but it was ok to see it, at least, once.

What rodent films have you seen?

I still miss Leslie Nielsen..

Spring is Here...Somewhere

 

Like Harley, I'm waiting for Spring. Well, Harley would love more snow and we may get more on Wednesday...today. Let's think more about spring the theme, this week, over at Monday Music Moves Me. 

1. SPRING, SPRING, SPRING SUNG BY CAST OF BROTHERS AND BRIDES-1954

I love this movie which is, somewhat, based on the Rape of the Sabine Women. The uncouth brothers, taught manners by the bride( Jane Powell) of the oldest brother( Howard Keel), decide to find brides of their own. They take their brides from the town and due to a major avalanche, the townsfolk can’t get the girls back. The girls are aok, more than actually,  and by Springtime, are very happy as indicated in this song with music composed by Gene De Paul and lyrics by Johnny Mercer. Spring is always about love or lust…interchangeable.

2.  SUDDENLY, IT’S SPRING SUNG BY HILDEGARDE-1944

This came from the film “Lady in the Dark”, a film I dislike that stars Ginger Rogers as a successful business woman but is unhappy because she doesn’t have a man..blecchhh. I should watch it again since I haven’t seen it since I was 20 but this song is nice, with music by Jimmy Van Heusen and lyrics by Johnny Burke.

3. I LOVE PARIS IN THE SPRINGTIME SUNG BY ELLA FITZGERALD-1956

This song was written by the great Cole Porter and was introduced by the singer Lilo in the Broadway hit Can Can which was later made into a movie starring Shirley MacLaine and Frank Sinatra. I had to go with the wonderful Ella Fitzgerald who is just exceptional.

Bonus…

SPRINGTIME FOR HITLER SUNG BY CAST-1968

Don’t get your tethers in a bunch as this was written by Mel Brooks who is Jewish. This is from his excellent film called, “The Producers” starring Zero Mostel and Gene Wilder who figure out how to become rich by making the worst musical ever. Mel Brooks, who fought in WW2 and saw the horrific events of the war and the starving Jewish people who had just left those camps vowed that the best way to get back at those murderous a-holes was to make fun of them. He knew that they would not appreciate  how he made fun of their thought process. I think it’s brilliant. 

Happy!

 

I think, today, is National Happy/Happiness Day so I decided to pick 3 films that have always made me laugh no matter how many times I have watched it. It is more special because I  watched these films with my dad who taught me to love movies. In all 3 of these films, I can recall when he started to laugh with tears streaming down his face, at the films we watched together. So here are the 3 films, I chose, that make me laugh ( there are so many more)…

1. ARSENIC AND OLD LACE-1944

Some people don’t care for this film because of Cary Grant’s manic acting but I think it perfectly fits with the feel of this classic comedy. Grant plays Mortimer Brewster, a famous author about how marriage should never be. Well, he is getting married to the very pretty, Pricilla Lane who was/is the girl next door. When they get back to their homes, she runs to her home to pack and he goes to his to do the same and tell his sweet aunts that he got married. The problem is that those sweet old Aunts are serial killers who give unsuspecting older men, they deem lonely, elderberry wine laced with arsenic. Their brother, who thinks he is Teddy Roosevelt, believe the men are just another victim of yellow fever and must bury them in the basement. Mortimer finds this all out shortly after getting married and now must find a way to get his lovely aunts to stop killing men. Enter Mortimer’s evil brother, played with great relish by Raymond Massey, who along with a doctor, played by Peter Lorre, come home and wish to hide a body,  Massey’s latest victim, but has to deal with the nuttiness in the home. It’s so very funny especially when Massey reacts about looking like Boris Karloff( who played this character on stage). That reaction just made my dad laugh and laugh…and laugh. It’s a very funny film that I can watch over and over again.

2.  IT’S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD, WORLD-1963

This is an all star cast headed by Spencer Tracy as a cop who asks his Dept. To watch over a bunch of people trying to reach this park after they find out money is hidden under the “Big W”.  You have many of the big comedians of that time all in this one film from Buddy Hackett, Sid Caesar, Milton Berle, Jonathan Winters to the great Terry-Thomas, Phil Silvers, and the very funny Dick Shawn as “Sylvester”. I can’t start on the plot but they are in a race to get to that park not realizing the cops are watching their every move. My friend Loretta (in the top pic with moi) and I have watched this film more than once and we just yell, “Sylvester!” In our best Ethel Merman impersonation making each other laugh. Dick Shawn’s stoned girlfriend, Barrie Chase (still alive) only dances in the film and I made my friend laugh when I got up and started to twist like Barrie….my dad was just crying from laughing when a bunch of the men end up on a whacked out fireman’s ladder. In fact, years later, my mom was just laughing so hard that I went upstairs to see what she was laughing about only to see the same scene. I sat down and we laughed together.

3. WHAT’S UP, DOC-1972

Every time this film came on TV, I had to watch it and it has never gotten old. It is a classic screwball comedy that stars Barbra Streisand as a madcap gal who ends up at this hotel when she sees Ryan O’Neil as Howard Bannister, a professor with his igneous rocks. You also see a crazy lady in hot pants who brings her jewels with her and a man with classified documents. Judy (Streisand), Howard, the lady and the man with the documents all own the same bag which creates confusion and mayhem resulting in one of the best car chases ever filmed. This film introduced Madeline Kahn as Eunice, Howard’s fiancée. The one scene, when she is dropped off at the address, she was told, the party would be, was so funny that, once again, my dad was laughing so hard that tears fell down his face. In fact thinking of her slowly going up those rickety stairs while she gently whines makes me laugh and I am not watching the movie as I write this. If you need to have a good laugh, this is another gem.

What films make you happy?

By the way, Christopher Cross won for Athur's theme, Sheena Easton was nominated  for Your Eyes Only and Neil got Nadda for America.