Classic films appreciation thread - come and join us!

[PrivateParkin]

Following on from the recent thread about favourite actors from old films, @FatBallsAndSunflowerSeeds had the fab idea of an old movies appreciation thread... So here it is! If you like old films and actors of any kind, come and join us.

old thread

We thought we'd look out for any classic films being shown on TV, post them on this thread and then discuss them afterwards... But if you want to post about any of your favourite old films and actors at any time, that would also be fab. Basically, this is just a place to chat about old films - please come and join us!

I'm off to check the TV schedules for any potential gems coming up - I will post again with anything that looks good.

Meantime, here's James Cagney tap dancing down the stairs in Yankee Doodle Dandy - happy bank holiday everyone
m.youtube.com/watch?v=xlvB4xk4LNQ

Ooh like the sound of Since You Went Away, will add that to my growing stockpile of recorded gems.just need to find the time to watch them!

I have just done a stock-take of my recorded oldies, and I've got 16 unwatched films recorded!! I need a full but I can't bring myself to delete any of them. Definitely watching something tonight but not sure what I'm in the mood for... maybe To Catch a Thief, which I've never seen, but I'm thinking The Ladykillers or Mrs Miniver, both of which I've seen loads of times! Decisions, decisions....

cull, not full!

I've got The Searchers and She Wore A Yellow Ribbon recorded. It's strange, I can't help liking John Wayne on screen even though he wasn't the nicest person off it and often I find it difficult to put the thought of an actor or singer's politics aside if they're fairly repugnant.

I treated myself yesterday and sat down and watched Since You Went Away. It's really long! - almost 3 hours. Rather glutinous in places, as you'd expect of an American 'home front' film made in wartime, but I enjoyed it a lot. Jennifer Jones, as one of Claudette Colbert's daughters, was well into her 20's at the time (actually she'd already starred in The Song of Bernadette ) and plays a teen who falls for a young enlisted soldier, played by Robert Walker. Interestingly, IMDB tells me, they were married but it seems were separated by the time this film was made....which must have been a tad awkward, surely...
But it's nice to see Hattie McDaniel given a decent-ish role that isn't too cringe-makingly stereotyped (yes, she's the family 'help' but is treated on equal terms).

I agree Milly, I do like John Wayne in some of his films, but his politics were awful, like Gene Kelly, wonderful dancer, but now knowing he was an IRA supporter who sent money to help them makes him me watch him with new eyes.

If you read Barry Norman’s autobiography he had a “ interesting” heated meeting with John Wayne.

I'm no fan of that flag-waving, macho, right-wing kind of politics either. But to be honest, it wouldn't usually stop me watching/enjoying a film with an actor whose personality/politics I'd dislike if I knew them in real life! I'm massively interested in all their affairs and general gossip and goings-on etc, but unless it was something really awful or despicable, it wouldn't stop me watching. They all have feet of clay anyway, so as a rule I just prefer to separate the actor from the reality. Pretty shallow eh?!

Having said that, is that true about Gene Kelly??

Since You Went Away sounds good Halsall. Especially the Hattie McDaniel role. I like the sideline of the estranged Jennifer Jones and Robert Walker playing an on-screen couple as well! I've recorded it, so will have to find the time to watch. We've been bingeing on Sherlock Holmes this weekend (Rathbone and Bruce) as my DS enjoys them, otherwise I'd never get away with it!

Oh and Desk Set - Hepburn and Tracy ("Make the office a wonderful place to love in!" ) is on Talking Pictures tomorrow at 2.30pm.

If you read Barry Norman’s autobiography he had a “ interesting” heated meeting with John Wayne.

I seem to remember that apparently Wayne was a bit drunk and Norman, who was left-wing in his views, did something like laugh and say 'you can't be serious?' when Wayne said that Senator McCarthy was one of the greatest Americans who ever lived. Wayne was an active supporter of the McCarthy era anti-Communist witch hunts. I think it ended with Wayne looking like he was going to get up and a few of the others in the room advising Norman to leave for his own safety. Norman said afterwards that he genuinely thought Wayne was going to hit him.

Just popping back on with a little appreciation for Desk Set, which I watched last night. I bet most people have seen this but I just wanted to mention it because I love it

Katharine Hepburn heads an all-female team of tv station researchers, whose jobs are at risk when "efficiency expert" Spencer Tracy arrives. He installs a giant computer (also a girl - Miss Emmy!) which is supposed to automate all the research they do. Meantime, Kate's already in a relationship with the boss's son, but that's going nowhere.

Predictable maybe, but there are some classic Hepburn/Tracy moments, and the supporting cast is great. But the best thing for me is how it looks: the colour palette, the outfits, the sets (especially of festive Manhattan). A gem!

Ohh that looks so good! Will watch out for Desk Set from now on.

I watched the old Joan Crawford movie Rain yesterday. It was tough going actually, and the colonialism doesn't bear up well in the modern age. Interesting as it's clearly a transition movie - lots more f silent era acting and mannerism on display.

Damn, forgot to record Desk Set. Set up a search for it so hopefully they'll show it again sometime.

Rain sounds interesting Creme. I haven't seen many pre-code films (The Public Enemy is the only one that springs to mind tbh) so it would be interesting to see how things were changing from the silent era to the talkies.

They do seem to repeat things on Talking Pics so hopefully Desk Set will be on again soon...

Oh darn it, I missed Desk Set too

Errol Flynn was born otd in 1909 - mixed feelings about him as there are so many contradictory stories and takes on his life, but it's still a good excuse to mention The Adventures of Robin Hood, another one of my all-time favourites. God knows how many times I've seen that film (a lot).

He's perfect as the "impudent, reckless rogue", and the stunts are amazing (eg the scene when Robin jumps from the gallows, with his hands tied behind his back, onto the back of a horse and gallops off... those stunt-men earned their money...), the costumes, the Technicolor and most of all the sword-fights! The duel between Robin and Gisborne, where you can just see their shadows on the castle walls (as athletic and powerful as Flynn was, it always looks as though Rathbone could have cut him to ribbons, although maybe Flynn was more accomplished than he gets credit for). Such a great film. I'm tempted to watch it again now...

"You speak treason"
"Fluently"

Sigh. Old films make me happy.

I just spent a highly enjoyable hour few minutes looking at pictures of duelling Flynn and Rathbone. Apparently they lost about 7lbs each in training for the Robin Hood swordfight...

It definitely pays to ignore the real lives of loads of actors, otherwise there would be no films left to enjoy!
That sword fighting scene is brilliant, love the colours and those beautiful (clean) clothes!

Spencer Tracey was one of the finest film actors ever imo

Yes my thoughts exactly Carrie - best to ignore!

Going back a bit, I can't believe anyone would want to hit Barry Norman!! He seems like the most mild-mannered guy ever!

Too hot and sunny here to stay inside and watch movies this weekend - am trying to channel Rita Hayworth as seen in this Vanity Fair photo, and failing miserably
Has anyone seen anything good lately?

BBC Radio London is my local radio station & today historian Dr Louise Raw told a very interesting story about Constance Babington-Smith, incredibly stylish lady (from photos) who was head of MI4 and helped enormously in the war effort, interpreting aerial reconnaissance photos. Apparently men swarmed around her as she wowed all with her scent of Guerlain and fabulous hats!

Someone said Sylvia Sims has played CB-S in a film. Operation Crossbow, 1965.

Wow - thanks Bagel, she looks amazing! Operation Crossbow seems like one to look out for - good cast. It sounds like Talking Pictures fare doesn't it? Will have to look out for it.

Roger Livesey was born otd in 1906 - there was loads of love for him on the old actors thread, and no surprise really. Apart from his "luxurious mop of chestnut hair and deep voice", he was in: A Matter of Life and Death, I Know Where I'm Going, and The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, a pretty stellar filmography.

He had a fairly amazing family tree as well. This is from Wikipedia:

Brothers Joseph and Sam Livesey married the Edwards sisters. Sam married Margaret Ann in 1900 and Joseph married Mary Catherine in 1905. Sam and Margaret Ann had two sons, Jack (1901) and Barrie Livesey (1905). Joseph and Mary Catherine had two children, Roger (1906) and Maggie (1911).

After Joseph died in 1911 and Margaret Ann died in 1913, Sam married Mary Catherine in 1913.They then brought up the children as one large family, having another child of their own, Stella in 1915.

Hello all. Without meaning to, I fell off the thread but am now thinking of you all as I watch a not very funny comedy called It's Great To Be Young on Talking Pictures.

Hi *Monica (waves)! Yay for Talking Pics - even if it is a bit hit and miss at times. Who was in It's Great to be Young, I don't think I've seen it.

I've been watching Arsenic and Old Lace tonight, because I was looking up birthdays earlier (my new favourite pastime) and noticed it would have been Peter Lorre's birthday today... so I was prompted to watch one of his films. It was as great as ever.

I (sadly) follow TCM on twitter and today they tweeted about a great-sounding film Bells Are Ringing - but annoyingly it was not showing on TCM in the UK. It sounds fab, has anyone ever seen it?
"Ella Peterson (Judy Holliday) is an operator for an answering service run by her cousin, Sue (Jean Stapleton). Lacking excitement in her personal life, Ella starts becoming involved in the lives of the service's clients, including a struggling playwright, Jeffrey Moss (Dean Martin."
I really want to see this now!