Tag Archives: Carroll Baker

“Only the bad directors tell you how to read a line, how to define your character. The good ones let you do your job.” — Carroll Baker

It’s her birthday today. When you look back on your life – especially once you’re, how you say, OLD – it’s sometimes interesting to try to untangle some of the strands, the things that happened that made you who you … Continue reading

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Diane Arbus at the movies

Carroll Baker on screen in Baby Doll with passing silhouette, N.Y.C. (1956; Diane Arbus)

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Series: Stars Wearing Big Sweaters

Greta Garbo James Dean Carroll Baker A mostly-forgotten one-hit wonder Marilyn Monroe Elizabeth Taylor To be continued …

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Recommended Books: Memoirs

More recommendations: Recommended Fiction Recommended Non-Fiction MEMOIRS The Fervent Years: The Group Theatre And The Thirties, by Harold Clurman Probably the most famous of all the Group Theatre-related books. Harold Clurman writes his memories of that time and what those … Continue reading

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March 2017 Viewing Diary

The Goddess (1958; d. John Cromwell) Written by Paddy Chayevsky. Starring Kim Stanley and Lloyd Bridges. Stanley plays a character clearly based on Marilyn Monroe, rather extraordinary when you consider Monroe was still alive. It’s a brutal movie about stardom … Continue reading

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Tonight: The Core Club: Screening of Something Wild (1961)

I’m honored to moderate a QA session tonight at the Core Club with director Jack Garfein after a screening of his long-forgotten (but not anymore) masterpiece Something Wild, starring Carroll Baker and Ralph Meeker (with Mildred Dunnock in a small … Continue reading

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The Criterion Collection: the release of Something Wild (1961)

At long last, Something Wild, a nearly-unknown film from 1961, and a masterpiece, is available to purchase on Criterion. I was honored to be asked to write the essay, which is now up on Criterion’s site: Something Wild: Last Chances. … Continue reading

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Year in Review: Shooting My Mouth Off in 2016

I look at this and I wonder why I always feel like I haven’t done jack-squat. Or, at the very least, I could do more. Well, I always can do more. Regardless, here are links to some of the things … Continue reading

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Announcement: Something Wild (1961): Criterion Collection DVD-Blu-Ray release, January 17, 2017

So honored to have been asked to write the essay for Criterion’s release of Jack Garfein’s forgotten 1961 masterpiece, Something Wild. Developed independently, using Actors Studio people in the lead roles (Carroll Baker, Ralph Meeker, and Mildred Dunnock), Something Wild … Continue reading

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Giant (1956): 60th Anniversary Screening at Film Forum

September 30, 2016: QA with George Stevens Jr. – the son of the director – and Carroll Baker before the film, moderated by historian and writer Foster Hirsch Foster Hirsch: We are very lucky to have with us the son … Continue reading

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