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<\/a><\/p>\nJohn Stahl’s chilling 1946 film Leave Her to Heaven<\/i> starring Gene Tierney, Cornel Wilde, Jeanne Crain and Vincent Price. The complexities are too many to list in a capsule review, but suffice it to say the movie brings up a strong response and I found myself actually getting nervous as I watched the events unfold. Tierney at her most gorgeous, her most mysterious and intense, and Vincent Price is great in his couple of scenes. Beautiful Technicolor, horrifying and yet entertaining plot, with an ambiguous ending. The movie is hard to shake. I want Gene Tierney’s blue bathrobe.<\/p>\n
I had never seen Waterworld<\/i>. I only made it through 20 minutes. I was baffled by Jeanne Tripplehorn’s Les-Miserables “Lovely Ladies” outfit, complete with heaving cleavage and big chunky necklace, perfect attire for a post-apocalyptic universe. You’re trapped on a ramshackle ship in the middle of the globally-warmed ocean, and you dress like you’re a jolly “milady” at a Ren Faire? Also, why were her armpits shaved? I realize I am obsessed with body hair, I have mentioned it before<\/a> (if you’re a tiresome TMI-type, then consider yourself warned). In the midst of end-of-the-world survival, you … what … take the time to scrape your pits with the rusty edge of a garbage can? You have razors on board? Clearly I was not even focusing on the plot, so obsessed was I with her necklace and perfectly smooth armpits in the middle of an apocalyptic universe. Not to mention her daughter’s Mowgli-inspired bikini. Kevin Costner has one moment where he has to grab hold of a tube and swing across to another portion of his boat, and the look on his face as he did that particular action was almost mortified. Like: “Sorry. I have no idea how to be an action hero. Sorry. Doin’ my best here. But not really. I hate swinging. I feel like an asshole.”<\/p>\n A favorite of mine, on TCM’s Carole Lombard day. The lunacy of that movie never fails to strike the perfect chord in my comedically-inclined nature. The mother shouting over and over in the first scene, “I HAVE A GOAT. I HAVE A GOAT. I HAVE A GOAT. I HAVE A GOAT.” The poor father. He is hilarious. Carlo is ridiculous and I love him entirely. He is so morose. I never get sick of watching how once Carole Lombard falls in love with William Powell (because why wouldn’t you?), her face follows him around the room as he moves. Whenever he is in her vicinity, she never once takes her eyes off of him. It is both pathetic and touching. I have often FELT that way about a man but I try to keep it under wraps. Carole Lombard knows no such compunction. I love her for it. William Powell is so sexy. <\/p>\n Things I Read This Week<\/big><\/p>\n Leave Her to Heaven<\/i> conversation: This conversation<\/a> between Kim Morgan and The Self-Styled Siren<\/a> about the aforementioned Leave Her to Heaven<\/i>, which I had never seen and promptly ordered it from Netflix before I even finished reading their fascinating conversation. One of the things I love most about these two brainiac obsessives (Kim and Siren) is that while their skill as writers is beyond compare – the skill does not hide the passion. There is no cloak of words distancing them from what they love (a common problem with a lot of people who write about films). You can feel the passion. They write as experts, yes, but they also write as the ultimate fans<\/i>, and it is why I go back to their sites again and again and again. <\/p>\n Elvis Obituary<\/i>: I became obsessed by Lester Bangs’ famous obituary of Elvis Presley<\/a> this week called “Where Were You When Elvis Died?” It is an extraordinary piece of writing, with a type of power and brute honesty I aspire to. Not only is it an obituary for Presley, but an obituary for an era. I hope someday to be able to write something that even comes close to what Lester Bangs does in that piece. Mind-blowing. <\/p>\n Jaws<\/i>: A feast for a shark lover! Jason Bellamy<\/a> and Ed Howard<\/a> converse about Jaws<\/i> in their latest Conversations feature over at HND<\/a>. I’ve been parsing it out over the week. Definitely go check it out. <\/p>\n Villette<\/a> NY1’s coverage of Irene<\/i>: A really good piece by Tom McGeveran<\/a>, analyzing the role of local news station NY1 in the recent tropical storm and how essential it was for those of us who were here. McGeveran interviews the reporters and anchors at NY1 about how it all went down. I had drinks with McGeveran yesterday, it was only our second time meeting (he’s one of my editors at Capital New York), but within 25 seconds of sitting down with our cans of beer and our shots of Jameson’s, James Joyce had come up. Of course he had. But I had been wanting to highlight McGeveran’s piece anyway, so go check it out.<\/p>\n Take Me To Town<\/i>: The indispensable Marilyn Ferdinand<\/a> on Take Me To Town<\/i>. I always look forward to hearing whatever Marilyn Ferdinand has to say about, well, anything. Check out her observation here:<\/p>\n However, this is Ann Sheridan we\u2019re talking about. Sheridan is one of the most talented actresses to come from mid-century America, infusing clich\u00e9d scripts with nuance and showing a willingness to play against the grain of the story. She\u2019s given exceptionally good dialogue in the smart, full script by Richard Morris (who rather specialized in good-time girls, with The Unsinkable Molly Brown and Thoroughly Modern Millie to his credit). And she makes the most of it, treating the boys\u2019 declaration that they are \u201clooking for a woman\u201d with a little surprise, but a lot of understanding and dignity. She\u2019s a hard taskmaster to the townspeople as she rehearses them like the pro she is for a fundraising theatrical she has organized. When Edna quits, taking her piano with her, Vermillion is venomous to her. While we might understand Vermillion\u2019s emotional outburst based on how she\u2019s been high-hatted and put down by Edna, there\u2019s an edge to Sheridan\u2019s attack that makes it clear she\u2019s got a strong streak of nasty in her that is pushing some good people too far. She\u2019s also a sensualist who dances uninhibitedly and displays her sexual attraction to Will openly. Thus, Sheridan risks alienating our good will toward her character for the sake of a more truthful performance.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Things I Saw This Week John Stahl’s chilling 1946 film Leave Her to Heaven starring Gene Tierney, Cornel Wilde, Jeanne Crain and Vincent Price. The complexities are too many to list in a capsule review, but suffice it to say … Continue reading ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.sheilaomalley.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/09\/waterworld-three.jpeg\" "\\"waterworld-three\\"")
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