holy crap...

Just last night, I was watching TV Land's show about the top 100 TV catchphrases. I had wanted to see this show because one of my all-time favorite television characters, Frank Barone, was going to have his "catchphrase" profiled. His catchphrase? "Holy crap!" Man, I've been saying that for years. Anyway, there he was, Mr. Peter Boyle, the actor who portrayed Frank Barone on the show Everybody Loves Raymond. It was a show I loved. It was quirky and genuinely funny, and it had Peter Boyle in the cast. I love Peter Boyle. Who can watch Young Frankenstein and not love Peter Boyle? Then today, I learn that he has passed away. I know he had been suffering from heart problems in the last few years. Mr. Boyle died Tuesday evening. He was 71 years old.



I know Peter Boyle was in Taxi Driver and The Candidate, but I loved him in Raymond, Young Frankenstein, Yellowbeard, Johnny Dangerously, and The Dream Team. Even in films I didn't care for he was the bright spot: The Shadow and While You Were Sleeping. You can read more about the story here and his career here. We'll miss you Peter.



I could have eaten a box of Alpha-Bits and crapped a better interview!

another weekly christmas cartoon

Due to last week's hectic schedule, the weekly Christmas cartoon that was going to be posted was delayed too long. Therefore, today's posting will be the first of two cartoon's for this week. Anyone wishing to complain about having two weekly Christmas cartoons in one week can see our customer service manager. How do you get in touch with him? Well, frankly I don't know. That's probably because we don't have one. On with the show! The first Christmas cartoon we posted is a favorite of mine, and this week will be no different. It's another favorite in the form of Fat Albert's Christmas. It popped up on T.V. here and there, but never consistantly and not very often. The story surrounds Fat A. (That 'A' stands for Albert. You should be ashamed of yourselves.) He and the Cosby kids attempt to put together a Christmas show for the neighborhood. As expected, hijinks ensue and Bill Cosby's voice is taxed for 20 minutes or so. All ends well and Fat A. and the gang have a relatively decent time, considering they live in the inner city and hang out in a junkyard. It's time to put on your headphones or crank up the speakers and share with the office. We present for your viewing pleasure the Shelf's weekly Christmas cartoon: Fat Albert's Christmas



Please feel free to comment if need strikes you.


"Hey, Hey, Hey! Let's get underway!"

weekly christmas candy review

I know it may seem like we forgot, but I'm here to prove otherwise. So far this month we've had some pressing issues to handle with the review of TCMs Private Screenings and the release and our review of Forbidden Hollywood, and our review of TCMs Holiday Schedule. With those things accomplished, we will proceed with the much ballyhooed weekly Christmas candy review. On the quest to discover new and exciting confections to present, I came to a sad realization: There is very little new candy out at Christmas. Christmas is the time of the repackage. Though it may be shaped our packaged differently, a snickers is still a snickers. Not withstanding this level of difficulty, your very own Wolf (Flywheel, that is) continued to search. What I found was a different version of an old candy newly packaged for Christmas.

I was browsing the candy aisle at the local big chain pharmacy and saw something squeezed between two display boxes. I pulled it out to see what it was and discovered Jolly Ranchers Double Blasts. There were only three of the Santa Claus themed packages and all were tightly tucked away and almost hidden. When I went to purchase my package, the register would not recognize the item. My pimple-faced attendant called for management who quickly arrived at confusion while looking for the products' shelf space and price. I pointed out the remaining two still crammed into the 1inch gap cleverly crafted by one of the overnight stockers and was soon on my way minus $0.99 cents. The package prominently mentions "sour" powder, but prior to opening I felt hard candy inside. Assuming it to be some type of hard candy/powder mutant, I was proved correct when I opened the container via Santa's Dome.

The package peeled open nicely at the skull area and was easily re-sealed on demand while the adhesive properties lasted. Inside were several pieces of almost tootsie roll shaped Jolly Ranchers. They weren't semi-transparent like normal Jolly Ranchers. They were a solid pink individually wrapped in the standard JR wrapper. For the sake of photographic evidence, I cut one in half to show the sour powder portion. After taking the picture, I took one ofthe halves and popped it into my mouth to begin flavor testing. This proved to be unwise as I had not prepared myself for the sour flavor and the exposed powder was the first thing to smack my tastebuds. Sour was the perfect word for this candy. The strawberry flavored hard candy exterior surrounds a cavity filled with the pucker inducing powder. As you can see, this powder was exposed after cutting and once I got a large sampling of it I was stunned for a moment. The hard candy portion had a good flavor and made me think that Jolly Rancher needs to make it a staple in it's line of fruity candy. The powder was strong, which I liked, but if you're thinking of dropping one or two in a stocking this christmas, make sure the young recipient can handle it, or it won't be enjoyed.

I gave one to Wolf Jr. and his insight was simply a puckered face and a quick "mmph" into the trash-can. Next I tried one the way it was meant to be had. I popped the whole piece in and waited. After a little while of strawberry flavor enjoyment, a cavity wore into the candy like it was one of my teeth and the powder all came out at once. It was strong but good and there was enough of the hard candy portion left to enjoy and recover. I believe Jolly Rancher has recently introduced this line and is selling them online in different flavors. The strawberry flavor, I believe, is specific to the ones packaged for the Christmas season. If you enjoy sour candy, this is a good buy. Well, that's the first installment of our Christmas candy review. Stay tuned for the weekly Christmas cartoon and the bevy of holiday posts to come.

Please feel free to comment if the need strikes you.


"Happy, happy Christmas, that can win us back to the delusions of our childish days; that can recall to the old man the pleasures of his youth; that can transport the sailor and the traveller, thousands of miles away, back to his own fire-side and his quiet home! " ~Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers, 1836

profile and review: forbidden hollywood

1920s Hollywood was awash in money…and scandal. While studios were raking in the cash, the newspapers of the era were selling papers by following the stars around and recording their every move. Names such as Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Norma Shearer were not just known across the country they were famous overseas as well. Excess wasn’t just a problem among certain stars, it was almost a lifestyle, a party that didn’t seem to end.

Then the scandals hit the papers. Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle, William Taylor, Mabel Normand, and Wallace Reid were names not just known to audiences for their work on the screen. They were linked to terrible scandals and crimes. Fatty Arbuckle was accused of the rape and murder of Virginia Rappe. Director William Taylor was murdered and Mabel Normand was just one of the suspects (Taylor’s murder was never solved). It was revealed during the investigation that Normand was addicted to drugs. She wasn’t the only one. Other stars were as well. Popular matinee idol Wallace Reid died from a morphine overdose. The public outcry was considerable; some communities formed groups to petition for the government to tone down what they viewed as an industry full of vice. Some theaters refused to book the films of some of the stars involved in scandal. Either way, the studios felt the pressure and sought to head off any type of real oversight and made a move to self-regulate the industry. Thus the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors Association (which was later renamed to the Motion Picture Association of America in 1945) was created to counteract negative publicity and to establish some form of oversight.

Former US Postmaster General William Hays was appointed to lead the MPPDA and he attempted to create a moral code to which the movies should adhere. His censor board would make suggestions to alter scenes and title cards, but studios paid little heed to them. Then two things happened in the late twenties that changed everything: the advent of the talking pictures and the Depression. The transition from silent films to sound was a difficult one. Many stars did not make the transition because their voices just didn’t translate well to sound films. All of the sudden a new generation of stars were emerging and musicals were becoming popular. Sound also created worries for the Hays office. Scripts and dialogue were closely reviewed for anything objectionable. However, studios cooperated somewhat, but still paid little regard to any “suggestions”. When the depression era hit, audiences were staying at home more often listening to that upstart industry, radio. The studios tried many things to keep audiences coming. The grittier dramas, gangster films, comedies and “fallen women” dramas still appealed to audiences jaded by life, so Hollywood pushed the envelope even further.

In 1929 the film, The Divorcee, caused a sensation, packing in audiences. The film starred Norma Shearer as a women who discovers her husband’s infidelity and attempts to settle the score. Piqued by the enormous financial success of the film, other studios began to try and top each other. Alarmed by this, the Hays office adopted a formal written code. The problem was there was still no real way to enforce the code. As movies got racier and included (in some cases) nudity, drug use, overt and open sexuality, and prostitution. By 1933, communities and religious groups, included the newly created Catholic Legion of Decency, clamored for change. Films and theaters were boycotted.

In 1934, the Hayes office created the Production Code Administration which required all films released after July 1, 1934 to obtain a certificate of approval before being released. Studios complied because not only did they prefer self regulation to the threatened government oversight, hefty fines could be imposed on studios and theaters alike that did not abide by the regulations. The PCA remained in place until the late 60s when the studios virtually ignored the MPAA and began circumventing them even more. The code was abandoned in 1968 in favor of a ratings system which still exists today.
That time span from 1929 to 1934 is known as the “Pre-code era” when studios really skated close to the edge (or beyond) what was deemed acceptable. There are many films from the era that haven’t seen release on VHS or DVD, so when a set of Pre-code films hits DVD its both historically important, but its also great for film fans. Although these films seem tame compared to the films of the modern era, they truly had the capacity to shock as well as entertain.

Earlier this year, word was out that some pre-code Hollywood films were going to be collected in a new DVD collection, so classic film fans were eager for this set. Warner Brothers and Turner Classic Movies have released a set of three pre-code films as part of their TCM Archives DVD series: Forbidden Hollywood Collection, Vol. 1.


Forbidden Hollywood Collection Vol.1 includes three films, Red Headed Woman, Waterloo Bridge (1931), and Baby Face (including the pre-release version and the censored release version). In our review we'll take a look at the films, what makes them forbidden, other odd and ends about the films and our final take on the films and the DVD set.

The Films:

Red Headed Woman
Jean Harlow stars in this story as a secretary, Lili "Red" Andrews, who does anything she can to make it into the upper crust society. When she has an opportunity to deliver some papers to her the home of her boss, Bill Legendre Jr., she seduces him. They are caught by his wife, Irene, and she runs out. Even though Bill patches things up with Irene, Lili continues to pursue Bill, and he continues to have an affair with her. Irene divorces him and Bill and Lili get married. Lili finally has money and some of the access it can purchase, but still is unaccepted by the elite social circle Bill is used to running in.

When a business associate and family friend, Charles Gaerste, comes to visit, Lili tells Bill she wants to host a dinner party and invite Gaerste. She believes everyone would come to her event if he attended. Bill tells her Gaerste would not come, because of his affection for Irene. Lili then goes to Gaerste's hotel room to ask him herself. Gaerste declines, but Lili isn't daunted. She seduces him and blackmails him into coming. When the party doesn't provide the acceptance she seeks, she pleads with Bill to go to New York. Upon arriving she tracks down Gaerste and begins an affair with him (and the chauffer!), promising to divorce Bill and marry him. It isn't long before Bill figures things out and shows Gaerste the pictures his private detective has collected. Faced with ruin, Lili attempts to run back to Bill, but things continue to spiral down from there, with an ending that created controversy and upset some audiences.

What makes it Forbidden?
Certainly with themes like marital infidelity, open sexuality of characters and attempted murder, you couldn't expect to get a pass from the Hays office. What really seemed to get to them and to audiences was the unrepentant nature of the character. Or scenes like where Bill slaps Lili hard, and Lili turns back to him and laughs and says "Do it again! I like it!". Alrighty, then.

Odds and Ends:
F. Scott Fitzgerald had written the original script, but producer Irving Thalberg thought it needed a lighter touch. Anita Loos was brought in for the rewrite. Thalberg had many scenes cut, but the movie was still controversial, it was even banned in Britain. The publicity generated by the controversy made the film a hit and Harlow a star.

Loophole's take:
Red Headed Woman was my least favorite film of the bunch, although the story and Harlow's portrayal was excellent. The ending was unexpected for a 1931 film in a Hollywood that tried to place so much emphasis on repentant characters.

Baby Face:
Barbara Stanwyck is Lily Powers, a women born on the wrong side of the tracks living with her dad after losing her mother. Her dad runs a speakeasy, where Lily slings the suds and her father expects her to provide the customers with extra attention when the price is right. Lily's only friends are maid Chico, and an old German cobbler named Cragg. When Lily's father is killed in an explosion, Cragg tells Lily that she needs to leave for the big town in order to survive. Cragg quotes Nietzsche to her and states that, as a woman, Lily has power over men and should use that power to get what she wants.
Lily and Chico leave for the big city, where Lily gets a job in a bank by..."ahem" using her power over men. She sleeps her way to the top granting favors to men in exchange for better jobs in the bank and wealth. Lily's rise continues until two suitors are killed in a murder/suicide in her apartment. When the bank attempts to buy Lily's silence to thwart further scandal, Lily raises her price stating that she just needs to "get away and start over". The new bank president, wealthy playboy Courtland Trenholm, then gets wise to her and instead transfers Lily to the bank's Paris office. Later in Paris, Trenholm and Lily meet again, and begin a relationship. Lily and Trenholm's romance and subsequent marriage create even more scandal for the bank, with almost disastrous results.

What makes it Forbidden?
The Hayes office must have flipped over this one. Baby Face's overt sexuality and highly suggestive shots (plus that Nietzsche didn't help matters) really pushed and tore away the envelope. Today's audiences may not find too much that you wouldn't see on say, Lifetime, but it was very shocking for audiences of the day. The Hayes office recommended many cuts and revisions to the film,(several documents involving Baby Face are seen above) and Warner Brothers cooperated as much as possible, cutting almost 1000 feet of film.

Odds and Ends:
The pre-lease print was thought lost, until rediscovered in a Library of Congress vault in 2004. The print was cleaned and restored and toured several theaters in England and the U.S. Also, a very young John Wayne is one of the men that has a dalliance with Lily.

Loophole's take:
This was the film that was really advertised as the "find" in the set. I liked it a great deal, and it was very interesting to have both versions to compare. The ending was a problem for censors, so filmmakers created a new ending that was tacked on for the released version. It was very artificial and contrived and it seems the filmmakers knew it, but had to get the film out some way. Stanwyck gives a very good performance here in a very early screen role. Stella Dallas would seem to be her real breakthrough, but her performance here makes it easy to see why she may have felt she was offered too many "fallen woman" roles. She's very earthy, very tough and yet sexy. An excellent film.

Waterloo Bridge:
Adapted from Robert Sherwood's stage play, this film is the story of a young American chorus girl, Myra, who finds herself on hard times in WW I London. Myra (excellently played by Mae Clarke) had left a show and hadn't had work in two years, and is surviving by prostitution. When taking shelter during an air raid, Myra meets a young soldier, Roy who is smitten with her. Roy and Myra begin a conflicted romance. Roy is young and naive and completely in love with Myra. Although it is clear that Myra is in love with Roy, she resists her feelings. When she learns that Roy comes from a wealthy family, she knows that their relationship cannot be possible. She attempts to push Roy away and struggles with her own feelings of love, and her attempt to keep Roy from finding out about her situation. Things get further complicated when Roy proposes to her.
Roy, after asking her to meet his family, finally tricks Myra into coming to his family's home in the country. Myra develops a friendly relationship with Roy's family, but has a frank discussion with Roy's mom who politely tells her she disapproves of their union. Myra reveals her past to Roy's mom, who gently tries to tell Myra that although she has nothing against Myra that she should consider Roy's feelings. Myra runs away back to London. Although Roy rushes back and finds her, he is due to leave for the front again. He discovers what Myra has been hiding, but tells her he still loves her and wants to marry her. She agrees to marry him when he returns from the front, and her conflicted soul seems finally at peace. Roy goes off with his unit, and as Myra walks back home along Waterloo Bridge an air raid again begins. This time it ends in tragedy as Myra is killed by a bomb.

What makes this Forbidden?:
Prostitution was seriously verboten by the Hayes office, and because it was central to the story, Waterloo Bridge was pushing things a bit. Also in the opening sequence we are back stage with the chorus girls. While there is no nudity, the girls do show quite a bit more than 1931 audiences were used to.

Odds and Ends:
James Whale, who directed this film, also directed Frankenstein with Mae Clarke. The film also features Bette Davis in an early screen appearance. Waterloo Bridge was also remade in 1940 with Robert Taylor and Vivian Leigh, and again in 1956 with Leslie Caron and John Kerr and renamed Gaby.

Loophole's take:
This film was the gem of the set. It was the last film that I watched, and the story and, in particular, Mae Clarke's performance easily made it the best film on the set. Mae Clarke portrayal of Myra and her inner conflict and feelings should have propelled her to a much greater career than she enjoyed. She would have been known more than as the girl smashed in the face with a grapefruit by James Cagney (Public Enemy). Her inner conflict is portrayed mostly by her eyes and her acting, with very little or no dialogue. What was it that Barbara Stanwyck said the Frank Capra taught her? The eyes- it's all about the eyes. Mae Clarke's very modern and amazing performance should a revelation to modern actresses... especially the talkative ones.

The set

Extras:
The set is nicely packaged with few extras. Robert Osbourne has an introduction in which he explains the context of the Pre-Code years and discusses the films a bit. The only other extra included is the trailer for Baby Face, which was interesting to see how the marketed the film. I think the DVD set could have really benefited from a documentary on Pre-Code Hollywood, but since this is Volume One, perhaps that will be forthcoming in a later Volume. There are a lot more Pre-Code films out there, so one can hope.

Sound and Prints:
I had no issues with sound on any of the films, although the audio on Waterloo Bridge seemed low at certain times. I am no tech geek when it comes to DVDs, but the prints seem to be in excellent condition, especially the Pre-Code Baby Face. In fact, the released version has quite a few scratches and spots, which made the pre-release version all the more enjoyable.

Overall:
The films are great, although to me, Red Headed Woman was the weaker of the set. It may seem a bit odd to audiences today that these films were censored, but placed in context of the time in which they were made, it is easy to see where they really pushed toward the creation of the PCA. The quality is excellent for the most part and although, I felt like a featurette that could have placed "Pre-Code" further in context was warranted, it should not deter anyone from picking up this great set. Perhaps that will come in a later volume. We recommend these films for the serious as well as casual classic film fan, or anyone interested in the history of Hollywood. Forbidden Hollywood Collection Vol. 1 definitely goes on The Shelf.

Forbidden Hollywood Collection, Vol. 1 is available from The TCM store, Barnes and Noble, Amazon and other retailers.

The documents pictured above are courtesy of the Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and Warner Home Video.

Some Resources for further reading:
Books: Pre-Code Hollywood by Thomas Doherty
Sin in Soft Focus: Pre-Code Hollywood by Mark A. Vieira
Complicated Women: Sex and Power in Pre-Code Hollywood by Mick LaSalle
Dangerous Men: Pre-Code Hollywood and the Birth of the Modern Man by Mick LaSalle

Internet: Wikipedia, Production Code
Filmsite.org, Film History of the Twenties





Strange interlude, nothing! When I kiss 'em, they stay kissed for a long time.

preview: private screenings with stanley donen

When I was about 15 years old I first saw Singin' in the Rain. I had been active in theater since I was 11 and had been in a few musicals, but this was something else altogether. Donald O'Conner was hilarious and amazing. Gene Kelly was one of the most talented human beings I'd ever seen. Debbie Reynolds was adorable and Cyd Charisse was, in a word, h-o-t. I loved it. I bought a VHS copy and wore it out. I gave no thought to who had directed this movie that I loved.

Then when I was twenty and I was in the southern part of Brazil (you know- a looonnggg way away?) and I had just had minor surgery on my back. I was out of commission for a week and a fellow American brought me a tape one day to relieve my boredom. He knew I had been (in his words) a "theater and movie kid" and thought I would enjoy something he had brought from home. It was a copy of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. I was enthralled. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that I hadn't even seen a movie for a year or the medication- but it was great. I wish I had a deep, rich voice like Howard Keel (still one of my all time favorite musical stars) and thought that not only did Jane Powell have an amazing voice she also had equally amazingly beautiful eyes. The sequences were incredible - the barn raising dance, the lonesome polecat routine- all of it was just great. (I got a copy when I came back to the US and yes- it was the movie, not the medication)

When you keep "discovering" great movies, it makes you want to really delve into who made them, how they were made, and the stories behind them. I was intrigued when I discovered that director Stanley Donen was the common thread in these two films. I began to find his other films and they became favorites as well; Royal Wedding, On the Town, Charade and more. I was even surprised to learn that Donen was from my own hometown, Columbia, SC. Very cool. Imagine that a director of some of the best musicals in American cinema grew up in my very own town.

Stanley Donen was a kid in Columbia, SC who loved movies and loved dancing. He first saw his idol, Fred Astaire, in the movies and really was fascinated by the whole thing. While still a teenager he approached his parents about going to New York. They gave him a little money, knowing he was going to go no matter what, and Donen hit the great white way at the age of 17. Within a short time of arriving in New York, he got a job as a chorus boy in a Broadway musical. It was in one of those musicals, Pal Joey, that he met the man that would help lead him to Hollywood and become his most important collaborator: Gene Kelly.

Gene and Arthur Freed at MGM convinced Donen to come to Hollywood as a choreographer. Soon Donen was creating stunning sequences for Gene Kelly and his talent for visual pacing, camera work and telling a story with dancing became apparent. Donen became a co-director with Gene Kelly, on the beloved film, On the Town. Then Donen got a chance to direct his boyhood idol, Fred Astaire, in the film Royal Wedding. That film included perhaps Astaire's most imaginative and memorable sequence of dancing on the walls and ceiling of a room. Donen devised a way to really show how effortless and unrestrained Fred could be while dancing by creating a rotating room with a fixed camera. Donen and Kelly collaborated again as director's in the famous film Singin' in the Rain. Donen's visual style and theater background helped to create so many incredible sequences in those films and many others throughout his career. He has worked with some of Hollywood's greatest stars and earned their respect, friendship and admiration. Stars like Kelly, Astaire, Jane Powell, Debbie Reynolds, Frank Sinatra, Audrey Hepburn, Doris Day, and many more worked with and starred in Donen's films. Cary Grant sought him out as a producing partner, a relationship that led to another great film Charade. Donen continued directing films through the 70s and 80s, including the film version of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's classic book, The Little Prince, and directing Michael Caine in Blame it on Rio. Donen also directed in television, including an episode of Moonlighting. He also directed, appropriately enough, the musica video to Lionel Richie's Dancing on the Ceiling. In 1998, Donen recieved and Honorary Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement. Upon accepting the award, Donen broke out into song singing and dancing to "Cheek to Cheek."

Wednesday night on Turner Classic Movies, Robert Osbourne will be interviewing filmmaker Stanley Donen in an installment of their original series, Private Screenings. Wolf and I recently sat down and watched the episode and really enjoyed it. I have written quite a bit here, but let us give you both of our takes on the interview.

Wolf's take:
TCM has a reputation for continuously recognizing our country's greatest film makers. In this installment of TCM's Private Screenings they once again go straight for the good stuff. Stanley Donen is interviewed by TCM's own Robert Osborne and he discusses his career from his train ride to N.Y. as a 16-year-old hopefull to becoming one of the most innovative and successfull film makers of all time. How was he innovative? How about his inventing the method used to film Gene Kelly dancing with himself, in Covergirl, or even a cartoon mouse, in Anchors Aweigh? Don't remember that? Well, maybe you remember Fred Astaire dancing up the walls and onto the ceiling in Royal Wedding. That was his too. How was he successful? Charade. Seven Brides For Seven Brothers. Royal Wedding. Funny Face. On the Town. That's just to name a few. There's also a little film he directed that you might remember called Singin' in the Rain.

Mr. Donen was extremely candid in this interview giving the lowdown on the things I've mentioned and more. He was frank with Mr. Osborne telling him at one point after a question about his work that the bottom line was always that "It was a job". That's how he approached his work. No pre-madonna delusions or power trips. That attitude towards film making along with the desire to be good at his "job" made Mr. Donen the great film maker that he is. A fan of movies and movie stars himself, a most profound answer drawn from Mr. Donen by TCM's Robert Osborne was about his idol Fred Astaire. In reference to the 'spinning room' scene in Royal Wedding, Mr. Osborne basically asked him why he chose to do that with Mr. Astaire. Mr. Donen replied with a matter-of-fact look on his face, "In all the world , to me, Fred Astaire seems the least affected by gravity". TCM did it again with this one. They bring the world of classic movies to your home with intelligence and class through this wonderfull interview. While all the other channels give you the flash in the pan film makers of the moment, TCM gives you the American classics which helped build the exstensive catalog of top rate movies that our country is proud to call her own. My advice to you Shelfers is to settle in on the evening of Wednesday December 6th at 8Pm. Grab a seat by the set, dim the lights, and prepare to be entertained. With Stanley Donen on Private Screenings, TCM will do just that.

Loophole's take:
It's a great interview and Donen talks about his career, many of his films and some of the actors and actresses that he has worked with over the years. I really enjoyed Donen's down to earth attitude about the work of making films and about his career and the nature of working in show business. Osbourne got quite in depth with him at certain points and Donen's responses and stories were very matter of fact and down to earth. It was refreshing to hear a producer-director not talk with so much self-importance. He wasn't there to talk about how great it was to be the director of this or that, or about his private life. Donen discussed the work, the movies, the studios and the stars. What was even more interesting was to hear him state that he had led a fortunate life and it seems he has never taken it, or what he has learned, for granted. This installment of Private Screenings is highly recommended.



Private Screenings with Stanley Donen is hosted by Robert Osbourne and premieres this Wednesday night, December 6th at 8pm est. Every Wednesday in December will feature some of Donen's films and December 13th features Donen's collaborations with Gene Kelly. Don't miss the interview and catch those films.




What do they think I am? Dumb or something? Why, I make more money than - than - than Calvin Coolidge! Put together!

tcm for the holidays

If you would’ve told me when I was younger that there would be channels solely devoted to one genre, one type of entertainment, one thing, I would have called you a liar. And not just any liar, but a dirty one. And when I was really young I might have even made up a rhyme about what kind of liar you were and recited it in a sing-song voice. Fortunately we know better now. Cable and satellite television has afforded us the opportunity to be able to zero in on an interest like say, travel, and watch a bunch of shows about travel. Classic film fans have few such channels to choose from, but to me one channel is the “go-to” channel for classic films: Turner Classic Movies. I really enjoy TCM and the fact that they appreciate that casual and serious classic film fans can appreciate the history, depth and meaning of these films as well as enjoy the stories, the glamour, the humor and the characters. Series such as Cartoon Alley, Private Screenings, The Essentials and Festival of Shorts in addition to running great classic films, shorts, cartoons, and first rate work by host Robert Osborne make TCM a haven for the classic film fan.

Christmas time is no exception. In fact this whole month, TCM has a bunch of great offerings in the holiday spirit. And since we normally offer our TCM picks every week, we though we would present our guide to Turner Classic Movies for this month so you can be aware of the great films that you can enjoy with your family (or by yourself in the middle of the night with that Christmas fudge you made for everyone at the office. It's OK- we won't tell, besides isn't everyone looking a little pudgy anyway? Oh sure, go ahead and justify your actions. Oh, how the mighty have fallen! Hand me a piece of that fudge.) At the end of the guide we've included our picks for Holiday movies that you must see, but aren't in the TCM line up this year.

We’ll provide a look at each film and the airtimes and dates during the month of December. We’ll also provide a Christmas Quotient for each film:
Total Christmas: This is the total package. It’s all about Christmas.
Romantic Christmas: A romance set during Christmas. Could be a romantic comedy or it could be about discovering or rediscovering love amplified by the spirit of Christmas.
Christmas as Backdrop: Sometimes a film is not overtly about Christmas, but is set during Christmas time and the spirit of Christmas affects some of the characters.
The Redemptive Power of Christmas: The true meaning of Christmas has the power to heal, to redeem and to renew. Some films just really illustrate this idea.
Consider this an early gift from The Shelf- our one stop guide to TCM for the holidays!

The films: (all times are EST, check local listings)


White Christmas- Airs: Dec. 1, 8pm; Dec.26: 6am
This is the one of the most famous, and best loved of Christmas films. It kind of forms a "Christmas Trifecta" with Miracle on 34th Street and It's a Wonderful Life. I grew up watching it every year. I have to say that as far as films go, Holiday Inn is a better film, but this one has sentimental and emotional stuff going for it that make it a holiday must. The soundtrack is superb and hearing Bing, Danny and Rosemary is a real Christmas treat. True Confessions: I think when I saw it, when I was about 9, was when I first feel in love with Rosemary Clooney. OK- confession time over.
Christmas Quotient: Total Christmas. Um...it's White Christmas. What more do you need?

Holiday Affair- Airs: Dec 2, 8:30pm; Dec 8, 8pm, Dec 24, 4:30am
This film is a 1949 romantic comedy starring Robert Mitchum and Janet Leigh. I have to admit that I have never seen it, but it's one that is on my list to see this year. Mitchum plays a recently hired shop clerk who lets a single mother return her son’s train set that she can’t afford, and loses his job as a result. Sheesh, apparently Returns Department policies have always been strict. Mitchum turns around and buys the train set and gives it to her, resulting in romantic stuff.
Christmas Quotient: Romantic Christmas

The Shop around the Corner- Airs: Dec 10, 12pm; Dec 22, 8pm
This is the original film with James Stewart on which the Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan starrer You’ve Got Mail was based. It’s a sweet comedy and as a similar premise. Two store employees who can’t seem to get along, have unknowingly fallen in love with each other through their secret pen pal relationship. Stewart figures it out and at first is disappointed, but soon realizes his feelings are very real. His problem is how to reveal himself to her, without her animosity for him ruining their chances together. The movie takes place during the Christmas season, and the wonderful characters in the store have their own problems and stories. Eventually love and the true Christmas spirit prevails not just in the couples relationship, but also problems that have affected the store and its staff.
Christmas Quotient: Romantic Christmas. This is a delightful little film and a wonderful performance from Frank Morgan who plays the Shop owner and from James Stewart. If you’ve seen You’ve Got Mail, you owe it to yourself to see this one. (Trivia: It was also made into a summertime musical called, In the Good Old Summertime starring Van Johnson and Judy Garland)

Meet Me in St. Louis- Airs: Dec 11, 6pm; Dec 23, 12am; Dec 25, 2:30pm
Judy Garland and a very talented cast stars in this musical film from the famous Arthur Freed unit at MGM. Directed by Vincent Minnelli, Meet Me in St. Louis is about a family at the turn of the 20th century faced with the prospect of having to leave their beloved home when the father is offered a job in New York City. Set against the backdrop of the 1904 St. Louis world fair, this film really conveys the small town feel of that time, and the importance of family sticking together no matter what.
Christmas Quotient: Christmas as Backdrop. Judy Garland originates the classic Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas in the film.


A Christmas Story- Airs: Dec 15, 8pm; Dec 17, 4pm
I would have to say this film is perhaps my personal favorite Christmas film. That is saying a lot from someone who loves Christmas films. Director Bob Clark worked closely with author and monologists Jean Shepherd (who also narrates) to really capture the essence of Christmas in all it’s nostalgia, cynicism, complexities and it’s potential for magic for a kid. It’s become a perennial favorite and with good reason. It somehow manages to be warm, funny, cynical, and wonderful all without being cheesy. Pretty much enshrined “You’ll shoot your eye out” as the most quoted line heard during Christmas time. One of my most favorite scenes: The ending at the Chinese restaurant. I know it’s not PC, but I don’t care. Hearing Chinese waiters sing “Deck the Halls” is hilarious. Read our take on it from last year.
Christmas Quotient: Total Christmas. Even though it was set several decades before my time as a kid, it still conveys all the excitement, manipulation, planning, disappointment, horrors and highs that go along with being a kid at Christmas.

Little Women- Airs: Dec 15, 9:45pm; Dec 23, 8pm; Dec 24, 6pm; Dec 25, 12:15pm
The version of Little Women starring June Allyson, Margaret O’Brien, Elizabeth Taylor and Janet Leigh airs on Dec. 15th. The Katherine Hepburn/Joan Bennett airs Dec. 23rd and 24th. Set during the Civil War years, a woman and her daughters keep the homefires burning while the father is at war. The story really is one of young women growing up, finding love and finding their place in the world.
Christmas Quotient: Christmas as Backdrop.

Remember the Nigh- Airs: Dec 17, 8pm
Our friend Sallie over at OTR Experience recommend this film, which I have never seen before. Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray star in this film about a prosecutor, John Sargent (MacMurray), who is assigned the trial of a women, Lee Leander (Stanwyck),who is accused of shoplifting. Since it is right before Christmas, John fears his chances of getting a conviction around the holidays, so he postpones the trial. Then he feels sorry for Lee and arranges to have her spend the holiday at his home, where (of course) they fall in love.
Christmas Quotient: It seems to me we have a Romantic Christmas theme kinda going here, coupled with the Redemptive Power of Christmas theme.

Love Finds Andy Hardy- Airs: Dec 23, 10pm
Andy Hardy’s girlfriend has gone to visit her grandmother for Christmas, which puts a damper on his plans to take her to the country club Christmas party. Meanwhile Andy’s buddy, Beezy, has asked him to escort his girlfriend while he’s away for Christmas. Beezy’s girlfriend soon falls for Andy. Typical Hardy complications.
Christmas Quotient: Christmas as Backdrop and Christmas Romance.



Christmas in Connecticut- Airs: Dec 9, 12pm; Dec 24, 10:30pm
Barbara Stanwyck stars in this romantic comedy as a popular Martha Stewart-esque writer, but who really needs help even boiling water. Little does she know that her publisher has invited himself and a recently returned war veteran over to her Connecticut home for Christmas. Also features Sydney Greenstreet as her publisher and Dennis Morgan as the war vet, who is decidedly a big fan. I first saw this film a couple of years ago on TCM and I picked it up as part of the Warner's Classic Holiday Collection Box Set.
Being a Barbara Stanwyck fan, it’s understandable that I would love this film, but my unbiased opinion is that it is a very warm, funny film besides.
Christmas Quotient: Romantic Christmas. Sleigh rides, hostess over her head in preparing for Christmas guests… we can all relate to that.

A Christmas Carol- Airs: Dec 23, 2pm; Dec 25, 6:15am
I think A Christmas Carol has been made, remade, and reimagined more than any other story. This is the 1938 version with Reginald Owen and Gene and Katherine Lockhart. Though perhaps not as loved as the 1951 Allistair Sims version, this an excellent film and Reginald Owen does a great job as Scrooge. Tiny Tim is a little overbearing though, but that’s just me. Tiny Tim is one of those characters that can’t be done with too much melodrama or saccharine sweetness. I have to admit I’ve always liked the Muppets Christmas Carol as well. That’s the great thing about A Christmas Carol, there are plenty to choose from.
Christmas Quotient: Total Christmas and the Redemptive Power of Christmas. This is the original Christmas tale of redemption and the power that the real meaning of Christmas has to change us all for the better.

The Man Who Came to Dinner- Airs: Dec 23, 2am; Dec 25, 9am
Sheridan Whiteside, an eccentric and acid-tongued radio lecturer, slips on the ice on his way into the home of a prominent Ohio family. As is confined to a wheelchair and to their home he tries to solve what he perceives to be their many problems.
Christmas Quotient: Christmas as Backdrop

Boys Town- Airs: Dec 24, 9:15am
Father Flanagan starts "Boys' Town" after hearing a convict's story about his terrible childhood. Believing he can make a difference he takes in boys who otherwise would stay on the street and head towards a life of crime. Included in this bunch of boys is Whitey Marsh (Mickey Rooney) who seems the toughest nut that Father Flanagan will have to crack.
Christmas Quotient: Christmas as Backdrop.

King of Kings- Airs: Dec 24, 3pm
Maybe you watch this film at Easter, I don’t know. But for me it’s hard to have a list of Christmas movies without a movie about the King of kings.
Christmas Quotient: Do you really need to ask?


The Bishop’s Wife- Airs: Dec 25, 8pm
This is a true Christmas classic, and in many ways truly touches upon the Christmas spirit, the importance of family and love more than most other films. Cary Grant is an angel assigned to help a young Bishop realize his most important dream, which the Bishop believes is to build a grand church. However, the Bishop, in his quest, has forgotten his roots and has neglected his family. Although the angel has discovered he has feelings for the Bishop’s wife, he helps the Bishop truly see what is really important- not just to him, but to his family and to God. We reviewed this film last Christmas season, which you can read by clicking here.
Christmas Quotient: Total Christmas. More than you know.

A few more Christmas as Backdrop flicks
I Remember Mama Airs: Dec. 24: 8pm
Bachelor Mother: Airs: Dec. 25, 7:30am
Tenth Avenue Angel- Airs: Dec.25, 11am
Susan Slept Here- Airs: Dec. 25, 4:30pm
Bundle of Joy- Airs: Dec. 25, 6:15pm

These films aren't on the TCM lineup this December, but are available on DVD, so you must go out and get them and watch them! We demand it. OK, maybe demand is too strong. Pretty please....
Holiday Inn (You can read more about the Special Edition in a recent roundup)
Miracle on 34th Street (AMC -many times. Also a look at the recent Special Edition DVD from a recent roundup and from friend Laura at Miscellaneous Musings.)
March of the Wooden Soldiers
Going My Way
The Bells of St. Marys (AMC- Dec. 12)
Its a Wonderful Life (NBC- Dec. 16th) Read Wolf's classic take on this film from last year.
Christmas Vacation (Sorry I know it's more of a modern classic, but classic nonetheless)

Enjoy some great Christmas classics this Holiday season. We hope this guide helps.
And stay tuned for some great stuff coming up next week including:
A review of the upcoming Forbidden Hollywood, Vol. 1 DVD set from Warner's and TCM. Trust me, it's a great set- it will make a perfect gift for the serious classic film fan.
A profile and a review of an upcoming interview with legendary filmmaker, Stanley Donen.
A Christmas Animated classics guide (much like this TCM guide)
All this and our regular Weekly fan favorites like the Media Roundup, Christmas cartoon and the premiere of the weekly Christmas Candy review.
See you then!




What a Christmas! Ho, ho, what a Christmas!

putting the special in special presentation

One of my favorite things about Christmas is the many great animated specials and Christmas movies that the season has to offer. I remember certain presents that Santa brought, or special gifts from my family that meant a lot, but when I think of Christmas the memories of watching Rudolph or White Christmas with my family is what comes flooding back. I remember sitting in front of the television with my brother and sisters, watching some Christmas special while Dad or Mom brought us hot chocolate to drink. When I was really young, there was no VCR- so when Charlie Brown or even Miracle on 34th Street came on, it was on and that was it until next year. We got to stay up to watch them and it was always like a special event. Even the commercials were different somehow; maybe seeing kids open up the same thing you wanted for Christmas had some sort of vicarious thrill effect. Heck, McDonalds even seemed better even though they were selling the same stuff. It was Christmas…at McDonalds.

By the way kids, here’s a tip: when your Dad asks the following question: “Do you want to go by McDonald’s?” with a smirk on his face, do not trust him. You will go by McDonald’s – in fact you will drive right by it as your Dad laughs and says, “I told you we would go by McDonald’s.” Trust me. I speak from years of bitter experience.

In those prehistoric days before the VCR, no one in kid-Dom could really foretell that years in the future you could own copies of these specials and watch them year around if you wished. Phrases like “DVD”, “Special Features”, or “Bonus Cartoon” were never uttered on the playground. Well, maybe “special features”, but never about a DVD. Today my kids don’t comprehend just how good they’ve got it. I know every generation says that about the upcoming generation, but it is true. My nephew has demanded to see The Easter Bunny is Coming to Town continuously since Easter. Now that is one lucky kid who is blessed not to know of a pre-DVD time, and knows good stuff when he sees it. Either that or he has an unhealthy obsession with the Easter Bunny. Or both.

Either way, in this day of everything on demand, a bit of the magic surrounding these specials and movies has been somewhat lost: the magic of anticipation. Sure, most of us put away those movies and shows until the holiday season comes round again. But when the holidays are here, I’ll bet you’ve seen at least one of them several times. If you have small kids you can ratchet that up a few notches. (Hey, at least it’s a bit of a break from Dora or Elmo.)

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining. I would much rather be able to own these movies and specials on DVD, so I can really enjoy them with my family. All I’m really saying is, how about instead of plopping the progeny in front of the DVD of the Grinch, how about sit down with them, make a batch of cookies and hot chocolate and really enjoy them together as a family. They will remember those times that you celebrated the season together for the rest of their lives. And they’ll try and do the same with their kids. Enjoy the Christmas season together as a family and you will see that they will carry the warmth of those memories long after they’ve grown up. I know- I have.



When what's left of you gets around to what's left to be gotten, what's left to be gotten won't be worth getting, whatever it is you've got left.