Fresh from cinema.. ..Modern Times

As you might remember I now and then have the chance to watch classics in Cinema in Hannover. Yes.. I am very, very grateful for that..

So last week I had the opportunity to see

MODERN TIMES (USA, 1936)

by Charles Chaplin.

In a nut-shell:

A factory worker (Charles Chaplin) struggles with modern machinery, the police, a feeding machine, co-prisoners and many other things and persons while hoping for a peaceful life with with a pretty gamin (Paulette Goddard).

~ a very cute couple: Mr. and Mrs. Charles Chaplin ~

Though I am not really a fan of slapstick - and even less when it contains food - I enjoy Charles Chaplin's films. And to see this one on big screen with a small but very enthusiastic audience of maybe 15-20 people was really great. Paulette Goddard for sure looked very pretty - and I wished my fingernails would look that terrific when I was collecting wood all day long, too.. Luckily I haven't had to collect wood for some time now.. though.. it might do my fingernails good.. strange that Cosmo magazine never tells about that.. 

~ really, Paulette Goddard, REALLY??? ~

About the film itself was talked that much before - though I just noticed I never mentioned Charles Chaplin here before.. - I think I spare you the well-known stories about him pouring water over Miss Goddard's head and declare that to be her costume. (Love at first splash - no doubt..) Yes.. it was the last silent film Charles Chaplin did - yes it contains the wonderful song SMILE which by then was just "THEME OF MODERN TIMES" and which was written by Mr. Chaplin. I love that song.. There are several other pieces of music in this film - and actually I am working on a post about the soundtrack of this film.. 

I have to confess that I like Charles Chaplin most because of his ability to arouse my pity for his character. Over all I am since like forever more a Buster Keaton girl. 

~ rather Keaton than Chaplin?? Excuse me???? ...
- yes.. it is true.. but I like them both.. ~

Still - I very much enjoyed seeing this film in cinema. This Wednesday I will watch another classic there - and I am looking very much forward for that.. 

~ now this is really the image of a sweet home.. ~

Though I was quite often in cinema this year there are several films I have not written about in my Fresh from cinema series - like there were e.g. PARANORMAN (which was ok - but which I do not have to see again..) and THE FIVE-YEAR ENGAGEMENT (which was rubbish) and to be honest I do not know whether I am going to write about them at all.. We will see.. 

~ mhmmm.. Now I want a banana, too..
I cannot believe how much Miss Goddard eats in this film..~

For now: thank you very much for listening!

Irene

"Most of my friends exit horizontally"

Clare Booth Luce is reported to have heard some gossip-loaded talk at a powderroom in a nightclub and got the inspiration to write a play, which became a Broadway-hit: The Women.

In 1939 it was adapted to screen. George Cukor was director and Anita Loos wrote together with Jane Murfin the screenplay.

In a nutshell:

Mary Haines (Norma Shearer) considers her life as perfect. She is happily married and has a daughter, who she loves a lot. Then - with a little help from her friends, esp. her cousin Sylvia (Rosalind Russell) - she finds out, that her husband Stephen has an affair with Chrystal Allen (Joan Crawford) - a femme fatale selling perfume. Eventually Mary goes to Reno, gets a divorce and new friends.

Two years go by and Chrystal Allen is now good friends with Sylvia and married to Stephen Haines, whom she betrays with a singin' cowboy. Mary figures that out and finally gets her man back.

Watch out for:

Butterfly McQueen (her film debut!), Virginia Grey, Ruth Hussey, Hedda Hopper, Hattie McDaniel and Dorothy Sebastian in bit parts.

Schmooze:

Margaret Dumont played a Mrs. Wagstaff (probably the wife of Prof. Quincy Adams Wagstaff of "Horsefeathers" - a Dumont-free Marx Bros. movie?? Wouldn't that be great?!) but her scene were deleted.

In the fightscene Rosalind Russell bites Paulette Goddard (Mrs. Charles Chaplin at that time). Miss Goddard maintained a scar from that bite. Anyway they remained friends.

Allegedly there are (in addition to an all female cast) only female animals in this movie. Even art, books etc. are penned by women.

Joan Crawford, Norma Shearer and Rosalind Russell are rumoured to have a quarrel till George Cukor stepped in.

Joan Fontaine is the only cast member who is still alive.

My favourite feature:

"Sydneys" - the beauty parlour! It is just marvellous! I love the opening scene when these women are chatting and running through that awesome setting. "Sydneys" was named after Sydney Guilaroff - MGMs chief hairstylist.

Wishlist:

I'd like to get that perfume flakon for "Summer Rain"!! Or some of the dresses from the Adrian fashion show (the only part in this film in Technicolor.)

This film is one of my alltime favourite - it would be among my top ten. I love the opening credits when all the bigger parts are presented with a picture of an animal and a portrait of the actrice. Although the end scene is way to corny. (Norma Shearer, what's that supposed to mean? Do you never ever went out of a picture that way! That's so Norma Desmond!), this picture contains all I love about comedies: Pretty ladies, opulent settings and decor, marvellous costumes (Rosalind Russells' hats!!) and hairstyles and most important of all: a witty script. I really love these tartly ladies of "The Women" (1939)!

If you don't want to see the whole film watch Rosalind Russell doing her excersises or.. or.. *er*. No, you've got to watch that movie!

There were two remakes: one of 1956 ("The Opposite Sex"), which I will review some day and a 2008 version (also called "The Women") which I avoid to see - so somebody out there has to do that review.

And here the most famous quote out of "The Women" (1939):

"I've had two years to grow claws, mother! Jungle red!"

Good bye! I got to go and watch another movie! So:

"Get me a bromide - and put some gin in it!"