The Cobalt Club Screening Room

Seamus wrote:Also Space I am enjoying the screening room loving the movies. Watched the Chan movies and Plan 9 LOL

I'm happy that you're enjoyin' at least some of these. We had a crazy weekend this past week, so I'm behind on my weekly installment. We had a martial arts tournament and some stupid Space Cadet decided to go jump out of a perfectly good plane for fun.

But this weeks double feature will be up shortly. I'm thinkin' westerns this week...

Stagecoach - 1939

Starring Claire Trevor, John Wayne, Andy Devine and John Carradine.

The movie that made John Wayne a star.

Santa Fe Trail - 1940

Starring Errol Flynn and Olivia De Haviland.

OK... OK... I'm behind again. But how about some classic Don Knotts silliness as an apology?

The Shakiest Gun In the West - 1968

Starring: Don Knotts and Barbara Rhoades

Before the movie, which so many know and love, Andy Griffith starred in the television version on The United States Steel Hour of:

No Time For Sergeants - 1955

Starring: Andy Griffith.

This one is for an old friend.

Magician: The Astonishing Life and Work of Orson Welles

Just one more little tribute to an old friend. Oh, the conversations we had about this one... And it's just possible, that some of you may have never actually heard this historic broadcast.

Orson Welles - War Of The Worlds - Radio Broadcast 1938 - Complete Broadcast

And finally, because we need to laugh.

The Front Page (1931)

Starring Adolphe Menjou and Pat O'Brien

Well, it's the weekend. And that means we need some entertainment. Tonight's first feature is a personal favorite. One of about fifty or a hundred "comfort" movies. Those favorites I can watch over and over again. This one gives us the timing and chemistry between Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant. A screwball comedy for the ages.

And YES, it's in English.

Bringing Up Baby - 1938

Starring Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn

We need a good shashbuckler. And no one buckles a swash like Tyrone Power. And it's in Technicolor too.


The Black Swan - 1942

Starring Tyrone Power and Maureen O'Hara.

OK, I'm back for another double feature. This week, a couple of Noir goodies starting with:

The Hitch-Hiker (1953)

Starring: Edmond O'Brien and Frank Lovejoy.

Our second feature is:

D.O.A. (1949)

Starring: Edmond O'Brien and Pamela Britton.

DOA was excellent. Much better than the remake with Dennis Quaid. Who is one of my fave underrated actors. Original had more bite.

I agree with Seamus--and these are two fine noir films. I watched *Whirlpool* with Gene Tierney last night. How i got her to come over to the house I'll never know.
Jeff

In my pointy little mind, any great noir film should be in black and white. Yes, I know that there have been some amazin' films done in color, especially by Hitchcock. But monochrome does so much for the tone...


And I suddenly feel the need for a Mel Brooks or Monty Python fix. Now, will it be Young Frankenstein or The Life of Brian?


And the winnah is:

Set the Wayback Machine for 1941, Sherman, and you'll find *The Shanghai Gesture*, controversial as all get-out when it was released (three years before *Laura*).

Directed and written by Josef von Sternberg and earning 32 (count 'em, 32) rejections from the Hays censorship office before its release, this classic pre-noir again stars Gene Tierney (her third film), giving her an opportunity to shine as a sultry, bored rich girl plunged into the degrading world of sin and gambling. Victor Mature, Walter Huston and a gloriously evil Ona Munson sidle through a lush casino with costumes by (one more time) Oleg Cassini. Hot stuff garnering an Oscar nomination for art direction. Hoowah!

Gene Tierney's transformation from condescending aloofness to cloying possessiveness is only one of the surprises here. But, man, she knows how to love the camera. I think I'm in love.

Enjoy.
Jeff

From the early 30's through the mid 50's, there was so much more artistry in movies. And movies were story driven rather than action oriented. Even screwball comedies could be masterpieces on film. Most notably but not limited to The Philadelphia Story and It Happened One Night. There was never a great movie, unless story, dialog and delivery of that dialog were the foundation upon which all else was crafted.

I think that once I get back from the west coast adventure, I'm gonna give the pre-Hayes code period some serious attention. And I think a 30's Barbara Stanwyck film festival is long overdue.

I wouldn't mind hosting a Gene Tierney Festival until you get back, Space. . . if anyone's interested.
Jeff

I am in on GT as I used to call her when we raced across France in my Bugatti Atlantic. Cassini in hot pursuit but not as good a driver. Once in Monte Carlo we alighted my motor launch and off we went. Hughes picked us up out at sea in his Catalina. Soon after we parted ways and I never saw her in person again.

Would like to see The Ghost and Mr's Muir and The Egyptian and yes back then I walked like an Egyptian.

Seamus wrote:...and yes back then I walked like an Egyptian.

Since I hit my late 50's, I kinda walk like an Egyptian... Mummy!

Jeff, you may feel free to add anything you'd like here.

I'm teetering on the edge between not saying anything and saying too much about last night's film, *Shed No Tears* from (1948). It's definitely old noir on a budget. . . so. . .

The Good: It's barely over one hour, June Vincent is a quintessential femme fatale with a heart of lard, and it's got crosses and double-crosses. The Questionable: The early long shot of an apartment fire is hilarious in its (Frank Zappa-coined term) "cheepnis," the likelihood of Vincent's character marrying Wallace Ford is equally ludicrous, and the actors chew the scenery as if they haven't had a decent meal in months. I guess I'd place this one in the Mystery Science Theater 3000 file since it's ripping good fun if you are highly medicated or desperate for a vintage noir.

The story is classic hard-boiled morality: Husband and wife conspire to stage a death by fire to collect insurance money, a whopping $50,000. Of course, the wife also has a boyfriend, so when the deed is done, Wifey double-crosses her heart in a slinky, sultry vamp across the screen. But WAIT! There might be a chance for blackmail and a double-double (quadruple?) cross!
Watch it here, and for God's sake, don't buy the DVD as I did. This one fulfills my Wacky Quota for the week. And I couldn't find decent prints of anything by Gene Tierney!

Enjoy.
Jeff

Well, I'm back from the west coast adventure and it's time for a few laughs. But first I'd like to thank Jeff for keepin' the thread alive in my semi-absence. Lucky me, I get to follow his take on all things film on another anti-social media site. Educational to say the least. And many treasures to explore, along with the occasional stinker for good measure. But let's get the show on the road. Tonight's first feature has Joan Blondell in the role of a gold-digger.

Good Girls Go to Paris (1939)

Starring Melvyn Douglas and Joan Blondell.

Let's keep the Blondell mojo movin' along. This time, to save the reputation of the hotel where they are employed, sisters try to cover up a murder.


Three Girls About Town (1941)

Starring Joan Blondell, John Howard and Binnie Barnes.

And a bonus feature. An episode of Rin-Tin-Tin. The audio's a bit muffled but just turn up the volume.

The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin: Sorrowful Joe

With a tip of the hat and a smack of the forehead to our dear friend Space, I offer a special feature. . . the trailer for. . . wait for it!--*The Lost Skeleton Of Cadavra*!  



SHRIEK in horror at the acting!
TREMBLE with fear at the special effects!
GET THE SCREAMING MIMIS as you watch a Man of Science!
CRINGE in abject furiosity at the almost human alien take-over!
FAINT at the sight of the Lost Skeleton climbing a mountain!

NEVER have Cobaltians been subjected to this level of discomfort!
You're welcome.
Jeff