Some puppy love.. ..with Janet Leigh

Like every Tuesday today we have a guest who did some nice photographs with dogs..

So please welcome today: Janet Leigh!

Here is my favourite picture of her:

Then we have - for those of you who dream of a more sunnier weather - or more pics of women in bathing costumes.. - these short series:

- adorable, isn't it?

And of course the obligatory Christmas pictures:

Thank you all for listening!

Yours (very well and) truly

Irene

Fresh from cinema.. .. Jane Eyre

I finally watched JANE EYRE (2011) in cinema

- and I love it!

In a tiny nutshell:

Jane Eyre (Mia Wasikowska) works - after a hard childhood - as a governess in Edward Rochester (Michael Fassbender)'s mansion - after (or because of?) some quarrels they fall for each other - but Mr. Rochester has a dark secret..

So if you are a fan of...

... beautiful filmed landscapes

... classic mystery gothic romances

... outstanding casts

please watch this film!

If you prefer classic films - you might like to watch JANE EYRE (1943)

- if you like to: read my review HERE.

I really enjoyed this new version and I love the cast! They all are amazing: I adore Michael Fassbender, who is not only unbelievable handsome but also a very, very talented actor. Mia Wasikowska is wonderful - she was in anything I saw her in yet. We don't have to talk about Judi Dench - who just with looks can say so much - and she shows that in this film very often. Jamie Bell is also an young actor I expect to go on to deliver great work - he certainly does in this film. Imogen Poots - who is in the tough spot of playing Blanche Ingram (Jane Eyre's rival in Mr. Rochester's favour) - does her part very elegantly. And we have my favourite modern actress (after Helena Bonham-Carter that is) in quite a small part: Sally Hawkins. I really, really love this cast!

Just by the way: There are of course some meanderings to the book - the film starts as kind of a retrospect - but I think that worked very fine. Oh - and I am very happy that those scenes which annoyed me so much in the book are shortened:

Adéle (Romy Settbon Moore), the little french girl Jane Eyre has to look after isn't that disagreeable (well - maybe because she is portrayed by a little girl by the name of Romy..) I can't tell about children's acting skills - but Miss Settbon Moore for sure appears quite natural in her part.

Jamie Bell's part as St. John Rivers is also less patronising. Yay for that! Ever had the urgent feeling to slap a book character? (just the feeling..)

And - I know here I might step on some toes.. - after they have some really good verbal fights in the book Rochester starts to whisper sweet nothings - too much for my opinion.. (another one I wished to slap - or at least shake a little.. at some point..) but here this is a little shortened. It's not completely free of emotions - but it's less kitschy. I really like that.

Have a look:

Thank you all for listening!

Yours

Irene

- who also loved the very natural appearances - the make up is quite invisible - if used at all.. -

Some puppy love.. ..with Don Ameche (& some "devotees"..)

... today with

Don Ameche and his little pal:

That does look like fun, doesn't it?

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Don Ameche

* May 31, 1908 (Kenosha, Wisconsin, USA)

† December 6, 1993 (Scottsdale, Arizona, USA)

Don't you just love him? I do. And so do a lot of other ladies around:

Rosalind Russell and Kay Francis

- and Rita Hayworth, too:

(this is maybe my favourite picture of her - and him.. doesn't she just look gorgeous?)

Though my favourite film with Don Ameche is HEAVEN CAN WAIT (1943) - I am going to watch SLEEP, MY LOVE (1948) tonight..

Hope you all are able to watch great films!

Thank you all for listening!

Yours (very well and) truly

Irene

Don't wear a frown.. - ..smile because it happened!

Three who once left us on a December 3rd:

Richard Todd

* June 11, 1919 (Dublin, Ireland)

† December 3, 2009 (Little Humby, Lincolnshire, England ,UK)

Actually he was the first Robin Hood I ever met..

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Glenn Quinn

* May 28, 1970 (Dublin, Ireland)

† December 3, 2002 (Hollywood, California, USA)

I had a little crush on him when I was a teenager..

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Maria Perschy

* September 23, 1938 (Eisenstadt, Burgenland, Austria)

† December 3, 2004 (Vienna, Austria)

For sure one of the most prettiest ladies of the 1960s - and she also had a comical talent..

One of my favourite pictures of her is matching the cold time of the year very well:

Have a lovely weekend - and enjoy your life!

Thank you all for listening!

Yours

Irene

Happy Birthday!

Finally the weekend is near - and some people were born this day...

...like these gentlemen:

Ray Walston

*December 2, 1914 (New Orleans, Louisiana, USA)

† January 1, 2001 (Beverly Hills, California, USA)

I love him most in KISS ME, STUPID (1964) and SOUTH PACIFIC (1958). He was a wonderful actor - who most US followers will probably know best as MY FAVORITE MARTIAN..

~ HE could wear it.. ~

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Brendan Coyle

* December 2, 1963 (Corby, Northamptonshire, England, UK)

I love him. He is very attractive.. He is also an amazing actor. I think most of my female followers will know him from several (magnificent!!) BBC series like NORTH & SOUTH, DOWNTON ABBEY, LARK RISE TO CANDLEFORD ...

~ at this point I might warn you: Every december I fall in a completely BBC mania - so prepare for at least one review.. ~

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And here some German ladies:

Sybille Schmitz

* December 2, 1909 (Düren, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany)

† April 13, 1955 (Munich, Bavaria, Germany)

Very fascinating, glamourous actress - she was very successful during the 3rd Reich in various dramas - her most popular films might be TITANIC (1943) and the horror film VAMPYR (1932) (-> the US titles for that film are THE VAMPIRE (actually "Vampyr" is a dated way to write "Vampir" = engl. "vampire"), CASTLE OF DOOM and NOT AGAINST THE FLESH.)

Sadly she was kind of a self destructive persona who suffered from depression, alcoholism and drug abuse. After several attempts she took her life with an overdose of sleeping pills. - For those of you who are fond of such bits of information: Her last character in a film also died due to suicide..

The film VERONIKA VOSS (1982) by Rainer Werner Fassbinder is (loosely) based on her life.

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Rita Paul

*December 2, 1928 (Berlin, Germany)

She was more a singer than an actress - she appeared in about two US films: UNDER FIRE (1957) and FRÄULEIN (1958). I love her voice - and though you might not understand her - you could listen (if you like):

She is singing a song named DAS IST NICHTS FÜR KLEINE MÄDCHEN (= "That's not for little girls") - in this song her mother doesn't allow her to kiss/love boys .. the male voice is Bully Buhlan - he is singing that his mother forbid him to play with dolls and told him to be nice to girls - though he didn't like them.. ... well - you may take this song as you please..

I fell for Rita Paul's voice when I was about ten years old - back then I had no idea how she might look.. I was certain that she had to be very, very pretty.. and even if she would look like a barrel filled with porcupines I would love her. (..stubborn little me.. ... oh - and I like porcupines..) Well - look (and decide) for your own:

Here she is with Bully Buhlan - with whom she sang several songs during the 1950s - it's one of my favourite pictures..:

~ Mission of the day: give someone you like a hug! ~

Well.. that's about it for today.. Enough of obscure German actresses..

This obscure little German girl says:

Thank you all for listening!

Yours (very well and) truly

Irene

Completely having kittens.. ..with Romy Schneider - and christmas with Alain Delon

Again some cat pictures..

And this time I wrote a lot more..

oh - and christmas has a big part, too!!

This is part of a meme hosted by Michelle @ THE TRUE BOOK ADDICT

Because christmas is near Michelle asked us to post some christmas cat pictures - but I hope it's alright to post a mix of star with cat(s) and same star in christmas setting pictures..

My star of this week is one of my favourites - who I believe not so many of my US followers will know - for she worked mostly in European films with some rare visits to Hollywood.. She is one of my favourites - my ideal and I love her with all my heart:

Romy Schneider

This is from BOCCACCIO '70 (1962) - to be specific the segment by Luchino Visconti:

~ this is how I love to write, too: lying on the floor one (or two) cat(s) very close to me- and everything else I need in reach - skip the cigarette - I ceased smoking when I started living with my two girls.. ~

Here she is with the director and some kitten:

~ beautiful, hm? ~

There is a series of pictures of her with a cat that I adore:

In my opinion Romy Schneider was one the (if not THE) most beautiful women in the world - especially her eyes were amazing.. This is my favourite picture of this photo series:

and now:

The christmas part:

When Romy Schneider and Alain Delon were engaged to be married they did a series of pictures together showing a quite normal christmas time:

In Austria and Germany (I am not sure about other countries..) one important part of getting ready for christmas is christmas baking - biscuits are really essential..

I think it looks like they had quite a good time..

In "my" part of the world the christmas tree won't be established until the 24th of December. Triming the tree is sometimes a good cause to argue -

I guess making a "perfect holiday" means very often frayed nerves..:

- but it also can mean lots of fun:

Oh - and then christmas eve! The presents!

Of course you have to say "thank you" properly..

- It is after all as we say in Germany "Das Fest der Liebe" = "The Holiday of Love"...

Thank you very much for listening!

Yours

Irene

Happy Birthday!

He was one of Preston Sturges' stock company actors - in about 10 of 13 films directed by Sturges he appeared - his face you might know - though you might be not aware of his name - - today is his birthday:

Torben Meyer

* December 1, 1884 (Århus, Denmark)

†May 22, 1975 (Hollywood, USA)

I think he is best know as Werner Lampe in JUDGMENT IN NUREMBERG (1961)

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He is turning 50 today - and he is one of my all-time crushes:

Jeremy Northam

*December 1, 1961 (Cambridge, UK)

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She is turning 40 today - an actress, who I adore and about whom I talked lately with one of my best friends:

Emily Mortimer

*December 1, 1971 (London, UK)

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He was sometimes a bit over the top - and though he had bit parts in so many classics - and in some he had even bigger parts.. I wasn't able to find a proper picture - so here you'll get a trailer for a film I haven't seen yet - but it'll give you at least his face..

William Tracy

*December 1, 1917 (Pittsburgh, USA)

† June 18, 1967 (Hollywood, USA)

Thank you all for listening!

Yours

Irene