-
Recent Posts
- “Music, at its essence, is what gives us memories. And the longer a song has existed in our lives, the more memories we have of it.” — Stevie Wonder
- “I was a sinister child, lazy and cynical.” — Eve Babitz
- “Everyone thought I was bold and fearless and even arrogant, but inside I was always quaking … I don’t care how afraid I may be inside — I do what I think I should.”– Katharine Hepburn
- “My dear child, I’m sure we shall be allowed to laugh in Heaven!” — Edward Lear
- “And that’s the other thing about [Green], by acknowledging that these feelings exist I feel like then you see it, and you recognize that in yourself.” –Sophia Takal
- “I know that for myself, what is deeper than I understand is often the most pertinent to me and the most lasting.” — Lorine Niedecker
- Substack: on All I’ve Got & Then Some (2024)
- Review: Force of Nature: The Dry 2 (2024)
- Natasha Richardson as Sally Bowles
- “To me, Martha Graham is one of America’s few authentic geniuses.” – Bette Davis
Recent Comments
- Johnny on Alain Delon: Eyes So Deep There’s No Bottom
- sheila on “I put my soul through the ink.” — Proof
- Jayme on “I put my soul through the ink.” — Proof
- sheila on R.I.P. Steve Albini
- sheila on R.I.P. Steve Albini
- Scott Abraham on R.I.P. Steve Albini
- sheila on R.I.P. Steve Albini
- sheila on R.I.P. Steve Albini
- Scott Abraham on R.I.P. Steve Albini
- sheila on News about Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof
- mutecypher on News about Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof
- sheila on “I would rather take a photograph than be one.” — Lee Miller
- Kelly C Sedinger on “I would rather take a photograph than be one.” — Lee Miller
- sheila on The Books: The Making of The Misfits, by James Goode
- sheila on “My films are about ideals that clash with the world. Every time it’s a man in the lead, they have forgotten about the ideals. And every time it’s a woman in the lead, they take the ideals all the way.” — Lars von Trier
- sheila on Photo of the Day
- Jincy Willett on “My films are about ideals that clash with the world. Every time it’s a man in the lead, they have forgotten about the ideals. And every time it’s a woman in the lead, they take the ideals all the way.” — Lars von Trier
- Nino on Photo of the Day
- Owen O'Neill on The Books: The Making of The Misfits, by James Goode
- art puff on Cagney’s Death Scenes: “He used to be a big shot.”
Categories
Archives
-
Tag Archives: Joan Crawford
“If you want to see the girl next door, go next door.” – Joan Crawford
Today is Joan Crawford’s birthday. Some links first: World-Class Acting: On Joan Crawford and Sudden Fear Here are the re-caps of Feud: Bette and Joan I did for The New York Times. Lots of discussions of Joan Crawford’s career and … Continue reading
Posted in Actors, Movies, On This Day
Tagged Clark Gable, Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Crawford, Johnny Guitar, Otto Preminger, Sudden Fear, Vincente Minnelli
10 Comments
“My philosophy is that to be a director you cannot be subject to anyone, even the head of the studio. I threatened to quit each time I didn’t get my way, but no one ever let me walk out.” — Dorothy Arzner
It’s her birthday today. I have written quite a bit about her films here, mainly one of my favorites, Merrily We Go to Hell, a superb drama about a marriage gone terribly wrong, starring Sylvia Sidney and Fredric March in … Continue reading
Posted in Directors, Movies, On This Day
Tagged Clara Bow, Dorothy Arzner, Joan Crawford, Katharine Hepburn, Lucille Ball, Maureen O'Hara, Rosalind Russell, women directors
4 Comments
September/October 2023 Viewing Diary
I moved in late September. Again. I found a little cozy apartment, the second floor of a little house, with slanted ceilings, little cubbyhole-eaves everywhere, and a big yard. It’s a 10 minute walk to the beach. I found it … Continue reading
Posted in Monthly Viewing Diary, Movies
Tagged Bette Davis, biopic, comedy, Costa-Gavras, Dana Andrews, documentary, drama, Eli Wallach, England, Ewan McGregor, France, Fritz Lang, George Cukor, George Sanders, Germany, Gloria Grahame, Hal Wallis, historical drama, Ireland, Joan Crawford, Joan Fontaine, Judy Blume, Kate Lyn Sheil, Lana Turner, Lee Marvin, Leonardo DiCaprio, Martin Scorsese, Miriam Hopkins, noir, Norma Shearer, Otto Preminger, Paul Schrader, Rachel McAdams, River Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Roman Polanski, Rosalind Russell, Sidney Lumet, Spain, Supernatural, Vincente Minnelli, women directors, WWII
29 Comments
Happy Birthday, Claude Rains
For Claude Rains’ birthday: a conversation some years back, where Mitchell and I discuss the superb actor. I asked Mitchell to describe him in one word, and we took it from there. We both love Rains so much, it was … Continue reading
Posted in Actors, Movies, On This Day
Tagged Bette Davis, Cary Grant, Claude Rains, Joan Crawford, Meryl Streep
10 Comments
“I hope I’ll die on stage at the age at 105, playing Peter Pan.” — Joan Fontaine
A re-post of the tribute I wrote about Joan Fontaine when she died in December of 2013. She almost made it to her goal. She was 96 years old. It’s her birthday today. While filming “The Women”, in 1939, Joan … Continue reading
Posted in Actors, Movies, On This Day
Tagged Joan Crawford, Joan Fontaine, Laurence Olivier, Olivia de Havilland, Rosalind Russell
25 Comments
An Acting Lesson: John Wayne and the “Reality of the Doing”
In one lengthy scene in Hondo, filmed in one almost unbroken take, Wayne makes horseshoes in the little outdoor smith in the yard. Geraldine Page hovers nearby. He talks to her about the Apaches, and what they are up to. … Continue reading
I’m not sure, but I think Jean-Luc Godard loves Johnny Guitar
Pierrot le Fou (1965) La Chinoise (1967) Weekend (1967) And what’s not to love, really. Been on a Godard kick this month. The December viewing diary may be rather monotonous because of it, but it’s been super fun – even … Continue reading
Posted in Movies
Tagged France, Jean-Luc Godard, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Joan Crawford, Johnny Guitar, Nicholas Ray
Leave a comment