Tag Archives: Mervyn LeRoy

For Busby Berkeley’s birthday: Remember My Forgotten Man and Sucker Punch

Posted on November 29, 2024 by sheila

I wrote a piece originally for the Musings blog at Oscilloscope (it was included in a book!), and now lives on my site (since it’s off the Musings blog). It’s about the similarities between Busby Berkeley’s Gold Diggers of 1933 … Continue reading →

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“In the 20s, you were a face. And that was enough. In the 30s, you also had to be a voice. And your voice had to match your face, if you can imagine that.” — Joan Blondell

Posted on August 30, 2024 by sheila

It’s Joan Blondell’s birthday today. I am sure I saw Joan Blondell in her 1930s movies when I was a kid, although maybe not the Pre-Codes. That would come later. My real introduction to her, though, came through her performance … Continue reading →

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“The trouble with Hollywood is everybody is crazy for money.” — Ann Dvorak

Posted on August 2, 2024 by sheila

Anna McKim chose “Ann Dvorak” as her stage name. She chose a challenging name to pronounce (for American audiences, that is) over her easily-pronounceable real name. Who does that?? Well, she does. It says a lot. It’s mischievous. I love … Continue reading →

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February 2023 Viewing Diary

Posted on March 6, 2023 by sheila

Reboot (2022) Allison and I watched it together when I was in New York for the first half of this month. I adore this series and am so bummed it wasn’t picked up for Season 2. We had a blast … Continue reading →

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August 2021 Viewing Diary

Posted on September 3, 2021 by sheila

Pig (2021; d. Michael Sarnoski) I wish I could write at length about some of these. I just don’t have the time these days. I absolutely loved Pig, about an isolated woodsman-truffle-hunter (Nicolas Cage) whose beloved truffle pig is stolen. … Continue reading →

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July 2021 Viewing Diary

Posted on August 3, 2021 by sheila

Sally, Mary and Irene (1925; d. Edmund Goulding) For some reason, I forgot to include this gem in my June viewing diary. Considered lost forever, it is one of Joan Crawford’s earliest films – and one where she is actually … Continue reading →

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Remember My Forgotten Women: The Dire Worlds of Sucker Punch and Gold Diggers of 1933

Posted on March 25, 2021 by sheila

This piece appeared first on Oscilloscope Laboratories “Musings” blog, and then was published in Volume Two of their series of books, compiling many of the pieces from that blog. I had been wanting to write this piece for literally years … Continue reading →

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September 2020 Viewing Diary

Posted on October 3, 2020 by sheila

September was the longest month of my life. I started out putting my cat to sleep. I was in Rhode Island and had been so for a month. I came home, and everything had changed. And everything will keep changing. … Continue reading →

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April 2018 Viewing Diary

Posted on May 1, 2018 by sheila

Elvis Presley: The Searcher (2018; d. Thom Zimny) New 2-part HBO doc about Elvis. Grateful it exists now. Long overdue artistic redress. I reviewed for Ebert. Morvern Callar (2002; d. Lynne Ramsay) Re-watched in preparation for her latest, You Were … Continue reading →

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A Perfect Double Bill: Sucker Punch (2011) and The Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933)

Posted on March 27, 2018 by sheila

I have been wanting to write this essay for 7 years (ever since I saw Sucker Punch, basically). Why didn’t I? Because I was busy writing reviews and getting writing jobs and taking assignments. I do have a little folder … Continue reading →

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