Filmland Follies

                 A few days ago, on July 16, Ginger Rogers would have been 112 years old. A regular kid who turned dance champion then Broadway star then Hollywood sensation, Ginger inspired generations of movie audiences. She fought for fair pay for female actresses, spoke out about the man's world that was - and still is - Hollywood, and showcased a rare combination of comedic timing and musical talent. Ginger's onscreen characters are a magic blend of clever, witty, emotional, and genuine - and it's hard to find a more classic Ginger character than Top Hat 's Dale Tremont.               Dale's first appearance is in a gloriously ruffly nightgown, rising from her palatial hotel bed to the sound of tap dancing. In normal circumstances, she'd probably be tap dancing too, but right now she's trying to sleep. Fred Astaire giving himself a solo in the room upstairs isn't helping. She marches upst...

              "Hello, friends and enemies." Oh, The Philadelphia Story . One of the best romantic comedies out there, Old Hollywood or not. With a cast of familiar favorites, filled with one-liners and Oscar-winning acting and Jimmy Stewart singing "Over the Rainbow," it's hard not to love this movie.             After Top Hat , this was the second classic film I watched, and the one that I've rewatched the most. It also has one of the most compelling backstories. Katharine Hepburn, spurred by a late 1930s lull in her popularity (which included a feature on 1938's list of "Box Office Poison" actors), had made her way to New York City to return to her Broadway roots. In 1939, she was starring in Philip Barry's play The Philadelphia Story, which he had written specifically for her. The show was a smash hit, and completely reversed the Great Kate's negative publicity - the only remaining question was,...

              Katharine Hepburn and Laurence Olivier in a romantic period drama directed by George Cukor - sounds like a dream come true, right? Well, maybe if it was made in 1945. Here we are 30 years later, and while both actors are still undeniable stars, a lot of their talent gets lost in a muddled script and a strange plot. It's rare that I review a movie I didn't genuinely enjoy, but I found myself disagreeing with the glowing reviews of Love Among the Ruins .                  The movie begins in a rainstorm, as a wig-clad lawyer races from the courtroom to his office. He's late, but thankfully his client is later, and he spends the first ten minutes of the movie rushing around and shouting in preparation. This is our introduction to Sir Arthur Granville-Jones (Laurence Olivier), apparently the best lawyer in the business, but also the most erratic. It's clear the client he's wait...

              One of the commonly-heard questions about Old Hollywood actresses tends to be, "Wait, how many husbands did she have?" And while this question is problematic in itself - she was a powerhouse actress in a Hollywood run by men, who cares how many times she was married - it does tend to linger in your mind. What was the deal with all the Hollywood husbands?             Perhaps Bette Davis, known for her one-liners both on- and off-screen, summed it up best: "None of my husbands was ever man enough to become Mr. Bette Davis." The imbalance of power created by Hollywood stardom was simply too much for many men who felt threatened by their wife's acclaim, influence, and earnings. Sadly for dozens of actresses, this resulted in a string of divorces that were amplified by their prominent press coverage.             Ginger Rogers was married five times and s...

                 It has come to my attention that I haven't posted on my blog in four months (despicable, I know). Sometimes life, especially high school life, is like that. But I'm still around and watching movies, and I promise you can expect plenty of posts from now on!               Recently I've been in a comfort-movie mood. So far this month I've watched five movies, all with Old Hollywood connections of some sort (and two with Anne Hathaway). The first one was               Malcolm & Marie (2021)                  This was a random Netflix pick that I watched entirely for Zendaya. The movie takes place over the course of one night and is essentially a two-hour argument between Malcolm and Marie as they storm in and out of rooms around their beautiful mid-century-modern house. Malcolm...

              It's cold and gloomy, at least where I am, and the perfect weather for some film escapism. Think bright colors, shiny costumes, sweeping landscapes, and a beloved storyline with even more beloved stars - in short, The Adventures of Robin Hood .               At this point in their careers, Olivia de Havilland and Errol Flynn were quickly-rising stars. This was their third movie together after the successive hits Captain Blood and The Charge of The Light Brigade . Olivia was 22 years old, making $500 a week (equal to $10,000 now), and gaining control over her on-screen persona. Robin Hood was a chance for her trademark witty heroine to shine through, helped along by her best screen partner Errol Flynn.                The movie follows the classic story of Robin Hood as he swordfights his way across Sherwood Forest, takes down the tyrannica...

              Doesn't that poster just say it all? Pre-Code murder mysteries are a special kind of madness - the usual formula includes a sassy reporter trying to make her way in a man's world, inevitably stumbling into a murder (and a romance). She's your everyday career girl but somehow dresses like a model, isn't afraid to confront creepy guys lurking in basements, and cracks cases as easily as one-liners.             A Shriek in the Night followed this well-loved storyline, proving the biggest hit that independent "Poverty Row" studio Allied Pictures would ever release. Its success was mostly due to Ginger Rogers, fresh out of 42nd Street and Gold Diggers of 1933 and about to become a worldwide sensation in Flying Down to Rio . Despite her undeniable screen presence and comedic timing, A Shriek in the Night doesn't make full use of Ginger's talents - it's more of a preview for what's to come.  ...