Father of the Bride (1950)

#83 on Laughs
After spending a long day shoveling the massive amounts of snow we got, watching a film from the list seemed like  a good idea. And this was a cute one.
Father of the Bride, stars Spencer Tracy, and Elizabeth Taylor.  I know, you were probably picturing this when you saw the film title: 

What up, Steve Martin?

Well, here is a surprise. That was a remake.  It was interesting to see the differences and similarities between the remake and the original.  The father still misses important events on the wedding day, the bride still has a fight with the groom, the presents still pile up.  I will say, I like the way they updated the old fashioned bits from the original for the remake.  It was also interesting to see how some scenes were exact repeats of the original/remake.

It was kind of odd to see Spencer Tracy running around a house, trying not to miss things, not fitting into a tux, etc. I’m use to him being so much more…serious.  Even though I know he has been in plenty of comedies. 

And of course the bride to be, Elizabeth Taylor, is gorgeous. As always her acting was excellent. 

Not sure how I feel about her dress though....

Some of my favorite actors show up in this, but briefly.  Billie Burke is Elizabeth Taylor's mother in law (but she isn't nagging anyone!!!) and Russ Tamblyn is the younger brother, but he doesn't do much in this film.  A shame really, because he is excellent (You probably know him from West Side Story.)

I think my favorite thing in the film was Spencer Tracy complaining about having to pay $3.75 a head for the reception. I used a conversion site, and figured out how much that would have been in today dollars.  The number amount he is bellyaching about? $35 a head .  $35!!!  All I could think was how happy people would be if they could throw a wedding reception for that amount…

Movies where weddings are a main plot point always make me think of the weddings I've been to/been involved in.  The ups, the downs, the stress, the excitement.  Sometimes I think people miss the point of the day, worrying about the money or making sure everything is perfect.  And then like in the movie, one person walks down the aisle, eyes locked on the other, and all is right in the world....at least for a little while.

/being sappy

Favorite Quote:
Stanley Banks: I always used to think that marriages were a simple affair. Boy meets girl. Fall in love. They get married. Have babies. Eventually the babies grow up and meet other babies. They fall in love. Get married. Have babies. And so on and on and on. Looked at that way, it's not only simple, it's downright monotonous. But I was wrong. I figured without the wedding.

Topper (1937)

#60 on Laughs

When a move opens with Cary Grant driving a car with his feet, (whilst singing) you know it is going to be good.

Seriously. With his feet. In a tux!

Cosmo Topper (Roland Young) is the president of a bank. George Kerby (Grant) is the largest shareholder in the bank.  The two could not lead more different lives.  Kerby and his wife are carefree, party goers.  Topper's life is micromanaged by his wife down to the second. Mrs. Topper is played by Billie Burke, who most of you know as Glinda from The Wizard of Oz.  

{I wonder if she always plays bossy people?  Topper don't run, Topper eat this for breakfast. Follow the Yellow Brick road. Figure out your problems for yourself, Dorothy. Nag nag nag.}

Topper takes a strange turn early in the film (no spoilers, so I'm not telling you what the turn is. If you really want to know, you can Google it).  The film is basically the story of how the Kerby's teach Topper to relax.

I feel like this is the definition of screwball comedy.  Because I see most of these wonderful films on TCM, Robert Osborne told me that this was Cary Grant’s first foray into screwball comedy. I'm so happy he continued in them after this, because he made some great ones. So if you are looking for a fun, slightly bizarre, film to watch, Topper is an excellent choice.


Cosmo Topper: My wife objects to drinking.
George Kerby: Then she shouldn't drink.
Cosmo Topper: She doesn't.
George Kerby: What's her objection?

~~~

O.M.G. A blog post!  I know it has been a while….a long while.  I apologize to the few readers I have if they are still around.  I got busy with work stuff, and to be honest I haven’t been watching movies from The List that often.  But now I am in the mad dash to meet my movie watching goal for the year, because I failed so spectacularly in the first 11 months of the year.   December is usually my annual “I need to watch films from the list because I was a slacker all year” time.  It is becoming sort of a tradition. 

Either way.  This (hopefully) means more blog posts, and more consistency here, at least for a little while.

Singin' in the Rain (1952)

#10 on Original, #5 on Anniversary, #16 on Laughs, #1 on Musicals, #16 on Passions

Recently thanks to TCM and Fathom Events, I was able to see this film on the big screen.  There is something so amazing about seeing a movie you love, in a theater full of people who also love that film.  I always forget how funny this film is. I’ve seen it so many times, that I know all the punch lines…and the dialogue….and some of the movements the actors make. Whatever. Don’t judge me.

 But being in the movie theater setting, I really paid attention to the dialogue, and little things, like props and the looks on some of the actors faces. It was like direct injecting the funny back into watching it. I hope never to lose it again, because the film is so enjoyable.

Plot recap if you don’t know:  Set in the late 1920s, a new menace is coming to Hollywood: talking pictures.  Will the silent film stars Lockwood and Lamont be able to make the transition successfully? 

The casting in this film is right on. Gene Kelly has a great balance of arrogance at the start of the film, and he can play humble by the end just as well; Jean Hagan is great as the dumb blond starlet; Donald O'Connor pulls off funnyman sidekick, without venturing off into goofy unbelievability. And Debbie Reynolds has a perfect amount of wide eyed innocence, while still being clever when she needs to be.

I think the only bad thing about this film is the editing. There are some really obvious cuts where the scene does not line up, or it repeats from a close up.  And in the middle of a gorgeous dance number, that annoys me every time.  Other than that? It is just an all around great film. 

I think this musical made so many lists, but particularly #1 on the Musicals list, because it is so accessible throughout the entire thing (and awesome).   “An American in Paris” (which is #9 on the musicals list, and often I hear from people could be #1) is fantastic, but the ballet at the end, I find, can turn people off.  But Singin in the Rain is so much easier for anyone to enjoy and understand, even if you don’t usually like musicals and dance.  There are places where you feel more like you are watching a comedy, or a romance, not a musical. And then the musical numbers come, and Bam! You can’t help but be in awe of strength and grace of Gene Kelly, or the commanding presence when Cyd Charisse comes on the screen for one dance number.  Or the ball of energy that is Donald O’Connor. How could a viewer not smile and enjoy it? 

(I  could do a whole post on just the musical numbers alone. I think I will. So, enjoy the overview post!)

Favorite Quote

Lina Lamont: What do they think I am? Dumb or something? Why, I make more money than - than - than Calvin Coolidge! Put together!

[Also, I had a really hard time picking a favorite quote for this one, there are too many great lines!]

City Slickers (1991)

#86 on Laughs

This movie was not what I expected.  I expected a full out comedy. Something my dad likes.  And it turned out to be a nice mix of comedy and inspiration.   When you feel like you are at a dead end, or in a dead end, or trapped, or going nowhere, you have to remind yourself of what really matters in life.  You have to find the one thing (not your finger) that means the most to you, and it will be different for every person. No one person knows the single right answer for everyone else because there isn’t one single answer that is right for everyone.

That being said, this movie was pretty damn funny.  All the little smart aleck, wise cracks that Billy Crystal makes really fit.  Plus on one level, it is really kind of a ridiculous premise. City folk go to the wild west to participate in a cattle drive from New Mexico to Colorado. But city folk going out to the county to have a wacky adventure is a common story telling device. Almost as common as a country mouse visiting the big city to see more of the world.   I guess the point of both would be that when you are a fish out of water, you can be reminded of what you love about your pond.  Sometimes it takes doing something completely opposite of what you are use to, to make you realize how good your life really is.  And maybe you will find a home away from home while being in such a different environment.  And maybe you will get a new pet.....

Random:  Jake Gyllenhaal’s film debut.  I had no inkling that it was him until my brother walked in the room and said something about it.

Favorite Quote:

Mitch Robbins: Did you see how leathery he was? He was like a saddlebag with eyes!

The Thin Man (1934)

#32 on Laughs

Right off the bat readers should know, that I don’t always check to see what list(s) a movie is on before I watch it. I just know that it is in my Netflix queue because it is on The List.   Usually I do not read a synopsis before viewing either.  Some films I have a basic knowledge of before hand, or who is starring in it.  I try to go into every movie as freshly as I can. 

That being said, I expected The Thin Man to be a really dark, film noir type of murder mystery.   Even the image on the dvd gave me that impression. So imagine my surprise when it turned out to be funny!  I actually stopped the movie about 15 minutes in to see what list it was on.   I was pleasantly surprised by how witty it was.  As Nick and Nora Charles, William Powell and Myrna Loy had some great moments of banter.  Even if Nick did keep Nora from being involved in a lot of the detective work, they still had great chemistry on screen. I’m wondering if the characters were ever sober in the film, because they always seemed to be having a martini (or five).

Either way it was really awesome, and I didn’t quite see the twist of who the killer was coming. 

               
(Random Trivia: The main characters in the film/book “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist” by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn were named after Nick and Norah Charles.  Whilst I am a fan of the book, and the movie is something I will put in for background noise a lot, they are not nearly as fun as their namesakes.)

               
The Thin Man was the 200^th film I’ve seen from The List, and I have to say I’m glad it was such a good film to mark that milestone.   I’m open to suggestions on what the LAST film I watch from The List should be …

Favorite Quote:  

Reporter: Well, can't you tell us anything about the case?
Nick Charles: Yes, it's putting me way behind in my drinking.