Seven - minus one - days of.. ..Peter Sellers (2)

Today is obviously Thursday.. So this will be a completely having kittens post..

As always this is part of a meme hosted by Michelle @ THE TRUE BOOK ADDICT

My guest today is of course my star of my series "Seven - minus one - days of.. ..Peter Sellers"... 

So - here he is:

The men himself..

Peter Sellers - and two really adorable little friends of his (one is hiding a bit) ..

This picture is from THE WRONG BOX (UK, 1966) by Bryan Forbes which I am yet to see.. 

Well.. speaking of cats and Peter Sellers.. of course you might have guessed that my next film with him I am planning to watch is WHAT'S NEW PUSSYCAT? (France/USA, 1965) by Clive Donner and Richard Talmadge - which I love.. so.. now guess about witch film I will be writing soon.. 

Thank you very much for your visit! 

Irene

Seven - minus one - days of.. ..Peter Sellers

Yes.. and another thing I would like to try out.. Since I am quite obsessive at times and then watch all films of a certain actor/director/theme or something the like in a row it is kind of natural that I will talk mostly about this topic/person then - so.. why not talk here? And to give me a little free space I will give me one day off. Therefor I call it "Seven - minus one - days of.." 

Since you all saw the title of this post it won't be a surprise that my current obsession is (again - though I did not talk about him here yet..) 

Peter Sellers. 

So you will see this face quite a lot on this blog for this week..:

So while I will do a little Peter Sellers marathon I will tell you about the films I watch - and recommend one or two.. - and also post other related stuff..

I started this little Peter Sellers-athon with

  THE WORLD OF HENRY ORIENT (USA, 1964) by George Roy Hill. 

Based on a novel by Nora Johnson it is about two teenagers (Mary Spaeth and Tippy Walker) who start following (well.. nowadays we would call that stalking..) famous pianist and playboy Henry Orient (Peter Sellers) and by that affecting his love life..

One of the ladies is wonderful Paula Prentiss as a prissy lady-love and another my beloved Angela Lansbury wicked and not as shy as Miss Prentiss...

~ mischievous gals .. ~

It is partly one of those early 1960's sex comedies - with not soo much sex.. Uhm.. Maybe "untouched sex comedy" would be the right term.. It's great - and I love all those characters.. and even the small parts are played by very well-known and beloved actors like John Fiedler with his distinctive voice - or Al Lewis who most people will know in full make-up as Grandpa in TV show THE MUNSTERS and who has an appearance here as a shop owner.. 

Also Tom Bosley is in it.. He was Sheriff Amos Tupper in TV series MURDER SHE WROTE which had Angela Lansbury as the leading lady - here Tom Bosley and her are a married couple.. Not actually happily married - though he is one of the cutest and most understanding characters ever. Angela Lansbury is less cute here but really quite nasty - and for sure she knows what she wants.. - or who.. 

~ Peter Sellers - uhm.. no.. - Henry Orient fan club.. ~

Like so very often she has a marvellous scene in which she enters a restaurant - and believe me: If there was a contest for an actress who could do an impressive entrance scene I would always vote for Angela Lansbury!

Paula Prentiss is so unbelievable funny as a woman willing but too nervous to have an actual affair with Peter Sellers' character that I really hope you will check it out.. She gives him for sure what I think in US slang is called "blue balls" - the German term would be meaning "gentleman's pains"..   

~ absolutely gorgeous: Angela Lansbury showing a really low cutted dress.. ~ 

I like this film very much - but have not seen it for years. I remember that I first watched it as a teenager and I never got over this silken pajamas Peter Sellers wore there.. (or over that Zebra skin..) It stuck in my head.. I really could not forget about it..

I think it is remarkable that during filming THE WORLD OF HENRY ORIENT Peter Sellers actually was stalked by an a bit too avid fan..

Actually I am highly in love with Peter Sellers.. Yes.. He is one of the most handsome actors around in my opinion - and before you yell out about it: I am aware of his cosmetic surgeries.. But besides his good looks he was not only funny - but also a very versatile actor - and he was also very bright.. What I find most interesting: He had several darker sides. I am very much interested into those people with problems, the insecure and sad ones - the non-perfect ones.. 

I think you can see this sadness in Peter Sellers's eyes at times - and I think that makes him very likeable. Well.. for now that should be enough.. I will go on sing my songs about Peter Sellers for some days now..

Thank you all very much for listening!

Yours

Irene 

Good bye, Ernest Borgine!

Good bye to one of my alltime favourites:

Ernest Borgnine

January 14, 1917 - July 8, 2012

- the man who made me cry in MARTY 

and gave me several other emotions in so many other parts he played 

- all with so much talent and at times also with this certain twinkle in his eyes..

Since films are long lasting we will not forget you!

Thanks for all! 

I will smile whenever I think of you!

Irene

Little Calendar Girl.. - International Kissing Day

Yes.. It's true! Today is International Kissing Day! And what a perfect day to start another new series here - this one will feature films set on special dates or films which fit into other themes like which films are set on rainy days etc.. Well.. since you know me and my blog you will be aware that I'll try to stay away from this awful boring lists you can find a billion of all over blogland.. I try to.. maybe one day I'll give in and start to be like everybody else.. So it might be no surprise that I chose International Kissing day for my first post of this series - right?

Here is the icon for this series - well.. one of them.. I think I might use several Calendar girls.. 

- though of course for me is every day a Doris Day..

today I am celebrating one of my favourite holidays..

Let me repeat it: International Kissing Day!

Most people enjoy kissing - I for one did. Yes.. it feels like ages since I kissed for the last time.. *sigh*.. - you can read from many sources that kissing is healthy and stress-reducing.. - Gosh.. I should kiss soon again - I mean: obviously I owe it to my well-being - don't I? -

Of course there are several films you can watch today in which there are kissing scenes.. There are so many of them that it probably would be easier to name films WITHOUT kisses.. - but of course completely wrong for today..

Here I am going to name a few so that you can choose maybe one of those:

Film kisses can be

Schmaltzy and iconic:

~ source: Onscreenkisses.tumblr.com ~

Yes.. Yes.. of course.. My beloved Vivien Leigh and ... well.. Clark Gable in GONE WITH THE WIND (1939). Not my favourite kiss but I think everyone knows this picture.

Uncomfortable and strangely dressed:

That famous scene from SPIDERMAN (2002)- Frankly, I do not get what's so cool about that one.. I like the films but this position won't lead to much more action.. Besides that it is raining and he will be smelling like a wet dog in this suit.. - and very likely also when he got it off.. 

A bit enforced but cute:

I love LADY AND THE TRAMP (1955) - but I have to confess whenever people in film "have" to kiss because she falls into his arms by accident or something the like I call it a Lady and Tramp kiss.. " ooh-ooo.. nooo-hoo! .. what a coincidence.. ..."

Wet and gritty:

I love FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (1953)- but more for several actors and less for this scene.. Yours Irene would not care for doing someone like Burt Lancaster on the beach.. He is too handsome.. That's boring..

French and trashy:

CRY BABY (1990) is one of my favourite films.. I like a little trash at times.. But still this really exhausting kissing scenes are.. uhm.. well.. But Johnny Depp and director John Waters put so much pathos in it that I just think it's funny.. 

Fabulous and sleep depriving: 

 SLEEPING BEAUTY (1959).. Maybe my favourite Disney film.. It for sure has my favourite villainess, a really nice and funny prince and  also a wonderful soundtrack.. 

International and bloody:

SLEEPY HOLLOW (1999) - one of my favourite recent films.. This one forever changed my point of view for kissing a person with sharp teeth.. Christopher Walken as "the Hessian Horseman" and by that obviously German *ahem .. no further comment..* kissed Miranda Richardson in a way that really looked ... painful.. Especially on Big Screen in Cinema.. That very same year I met a guy who used to bite me when we kissed.. - No, he was no Hessian.. 

I could name a few films more - but I am actually a bit tired.. Maybe I will do kind of a "kissing series"... There are so many pictures in my files with people kissing or about to...

Here is my film for today - and please keep in mind: When it first was released people found it a scandal and called it pornography.. It's just a few seconds of film: THE KISS (1896):

I do not know about you - but I prefer to kiss in private (by that I might be very 1896-ish)  since I can be very avid.. (by that I a might not be that 1896-ish..) .. ahem.. ... yes... ... where was I?-

Do you have favourite kissing scenes? 

Actors or actresses you dream of kissing? 

Or some stars you would never kiss -  like Clark Gable for me.. 

(reportedly his breath wasn't the sweetest in Hollywood.. - but even if.. uhm.. no.. thank you very much..)

Well.. where and who ever you like to kiss - and in case you have some one to do so:

Please, enjoy this wonderful day and some sweet kisses..

If you do not have a person to kiss...

wait..

I'll blow you one kiss..

Thank you very much for.. ..kissing!

Irene

- the girl who maybe never will get kissed again 

*insert melodramatic music*

"I always treat men with respect - then they treat me with respect."

Some of you might remember that I challenged myself with writing at least two film reviews a month - one of them about an European film.. Well.. Little time is left for me - since next week June will be over.. So - after I did a review of a German film MENSCHEN AM SONNTAG/PEOPLE ON SUNDAY (1930) I had to choose another film.. Frankly, I had troubles to do so.. So I asked some friends to tell me what to write about - and Monty of ALL GOOD THINGS just said: "Marilyn Monroe." Simple as that! I loved that because I had enough space to do my own decissions - this just led to me thinking about which film of hers to choose and by that still having a bit of a surprise on stock for him, too.. Yesterday morning I thought - ok, why not writing about THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOWBUSINESS (USA, 1954)? But well.. It simply didn't feel right at that moment.. But: today I found the film I will write about:

 HOME TOWN STORY (USA, 1951)

written and directed by Arthur Pierson.

Have some posters first:

In a nut-shell:

After not being re-elected ex-senator Blake Washburn (Jeffrey Lynn) returns to his little home town where he will work again as an editor for the Herald - a local news paper. Blake sees his chance to become re-elected when he starts a campaign against a near-by company which is owned by John MacFarland (Donald Crisp) - who is actually a very social man but - what a coincidence! - father of Blake's rival who won the election.. When on a school excursion Blake's little sister Katie (Melinda Plowman) is trapped in an old mine Blake has to learn that big companies also can be helpful..

~ Jeffrey Lynn, Donald Crisp and Alan Hale, jr. ~

Watch out for:

Wonderful Marjorie Reynolds as Blake's longtime fiancée and Barbara Brown - a very busy actress in small parts from 1941 to 1955.. here in this film she plays Blake's mother.

~ Marjorie Reynolds ~

And of course watch out for Alan Hale, jr. who plays a reporter and Marilyn Monroe who has a small part as Iris, a secretary. She and Alan Hale, jr. have a few scenes together which are merely dealing with him trying to flirt with her and her rejecting him. I like that she in some scenes sports a little ironical smile. Her part her is quite a severe one though..

~ Jeffrey Lynn and Alan Hale, jr. ~

Schmooze:

• This film happens to be a promotion film for General Motors. Please, keep that in mind when you watch it!

~ saving lives with modern equipment ~

Perfectly peachy:

Like many others not-yet-stars Marilyn Monroe had to bring her costumes by herself when it was a film set in "daily life plots". Since that you can spot her wearing one of her favourite dresses in this film 

- which she also wore in 

THE FIREBALL (1950) 

and in 

 ALL ABOUT EVE (1950).

Claws and Paws:

Blake presents a little beagle to his little sister Katie when he returns home - and what a cute dog that is! There is a special charme about Beagles - and yes, when this little fella gets burried in the mine together with Katie I am a tiny bit more worried about him..

Let's face the music..

The score was written by Louis Forbes who was e.g.  assistant musical director for GONE WITH THE WIND (1939) and music associate for REBECCA (1940)..

A rose by any other name..:

This film is also known as HEADLINE STORY. 

What ever happened to... 

...Melinda Plowman? 

She was born in Abilene, Texas on May 13, 1941 and until 1968 she would act in several TV shows - mostly in small parts though. Her first appearance she had in LITTLE WOMEN (1949) as one of the children of the Hummel family.. She would also play in another of Marilyn Monroe's early films:  MONKEY BUSINESS (1952).
The last film she did was BILLY THE KID VS. DRACULA (1966) - and I confess I would love to watch that film - just because of that title!
Since Melinda Plowman was a young woman when she quitted acting in front of cameras I would guess that she married and lived happily ever after - or maybe she found something else that filled her life. Anyway: I hope she is happy.

My favourite scenes of hers is when she brings a list of names of her classmates (of whom she collected 10 cents each) to have their names printed in the news paper.. (after she is questioned about she tells she is going to give it to the Red Cross..)

~ Melinda Plowman in an episode of PERRY MASON in 1962 ~

Quotes corner:

"People really believe what they read." 

This is what Blake's uncle Cliff (Griff Barnett) tells him when Blake takes over the news paper. Cliff tells Blake also that this old joke of "All I know is what I read in the papers." is actually the truth. It means nothing less but that the written word has to be used carefully - and in my opinion at least as much has the spoken word.

When it comes to the dialogues I think Alan Hale, jr. has the best lines - he is kind of a comic relief here and I happen to like the little scenes between him and Marilyn Monroe very much - besides she does a great example of how to turn a man down like a lady.. The quote which became the title of this post is actually spoken by Miss Monroe in this film - towards Mr. Hale.

Have a look:

Here is the whole film.. there are several versions on youtube - but I think this one has the best quality..

When I first watched this film I have to confess, I was very disappointed. Mainly because I was not aware that it was a promotion film - and I also expected much more scenes and maybe a more "giggling" part of Marilyn Monroe. I learned to like that film which is not as bad as one might think. Well.. on the other hand: Why believe me when you know that I love Alan Hale jr.'s laughter as much as I love the one of his father, that I adore Donald Crisp and that Marilyn Monroe is one of my heroines.. Yes, I am biased. I do want to like it. And though it might be none of my favourite films ever nor one of my favourite Marilyn Monroe films - I will never trash my DVD of it. (even though its quality is poor - which is apparently based in the fact the copyrights were not renewed - so this film is by now public domain..).

This are 61 minutes of film which at least could teach two things: never be biased - no matter if you try to be the editor of a news paper nor when you watch a film just because of a person who just was in the start of her/his career.. and: be careful with things you write or say - there might be people out there who believe it..

Thank you very much for listening!

Irene

Fresh from Cinema.. ..W.E.

So - I just returned home from cinema where I watched

W.E. (USA, 2011) by Madonna.

In a nut-shell:

New York, 1998: The estate of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor is about to be auctionated. Since they caused a great scandal in 1930's when King Edward VIII. forgo the throne of Great Britain to live with the twice divorced American Wallis Simpson.

Especially Wally Winthrop (Abbie Cornish) is fascinated by their love story - no wonder since she is named after Wallis Simpson. Wally's husband William (Richard Coyle) - a very successful psychiatrist with almost no time for his wife - has absolutely no understanding for her - neither for her wish to have a child.

While Wally is spending more and more time at Sotheby's where Russian security man Evgeni (Oscar Isaac) finds great interest in her - we will parallel see some scenes of the romance of Edward (James D'Arcy) and Wallis (Andrea Riseborough). By that we actually watch two love stories - and two women struggling with their lifes - and changing them.

~ Wally meets Wallis - yes.. Wally sees Wallis now and then.. ~

Where from could one know...

... Abbie Cornish? - She was in BRIGHT STAR (UK/AUSTRALIA/FRANCE, 2009) and in SUCKER PUNCH (USA/CANADA, 2011)

... Richard Coyle? - He might be best known as Jeff from UK Telly show COUPLING (2000-2002)

... James D'Arcy? - Maybe you also know him from an UK Telly show - he was in SECRET DIARY OF A CALL GIRL (2010)

... Oscar Isaac? He was also in SUCKER PUNCH (2011).. - and just by the way: Apparently he has not at all connections to Russia..

... Andrea Riseborough? She was in two of my favourite recent films: HAPPY-GO-LUCKY (UK, 2008) and MADE IN DAGENHAM (UK, 2010) - and yes.. I happen to like her very, very much..

If you happen to like...

... costumes and styles of 1930's - but not only then...

... the romance of Wallis and Edward...

... films set in several times and decades - not necessarily in the chronological order...

... one actress I grow fonder and fonder of: Andrea Riseborough...


... James Fox and his son Laurence Fox playing the parts of father and son also ON screen as King George V. and Prince Albert/ King George VI. ...

... several dogs in bit parts...

... you might give this film a try.

~ quite a lot dogs in this films..
actually Wallis and Edward a due for a Dogs Tuesday on this blog. ~

Again the most awful parts first: Under no circumstances I can pardon any person kicking a pregnant woman into the stomach - no matter if she is your wife and you are hungry or not. Yes - that's actually one of the first scenes of Wallis Simpson - and the cause for her loosing her unborn child and apparently afterwards not being able to give birth anymore. Speaking of that: kicking any person in the stomach is unbearably.

~ Evgeni (Oscar Isaac) and Wally (Abbie Cornish) - start of a romance.. ~

To be honest I could have lived without the part set in 1998. It is nice and really nothing which would keep me off from liking this film - but I really am more interested into the story of Wallis and Edward.. That Wally and Evgeni also had the same initials as Wallis and Edward I found a bit too much of a coincidence. Nevertheless: I liked this 1998 - but I would not have missed it when it wasn't there..

~ William (Richard Coyle) not at all talking to his wife.. ~

I was highly impressed by Richard Coyle - who is really a versatile actor which he showed several times before but does here again - his character in this film is really not very likeable in the end. And I am as much enthusiastic about the performance of Andrea Riseborough - though you by now have noticed that I might be a bit prejudiced when it comes to her.. 

Also I was very pleased to see Laurence Fox as the stuttering Prince "Bertie". I like him a lot - and he did quite a good job in this part which by now might be in several heads the part of Colin Firth. Laurence Fox and James D'Arcy really made a great couple of brothers in this film. I think it would do a great double feature night togehter with THE KING'S SPEECH (UK, 2010) - and maybe one could later on add THE QUEEN (UK/France/Italy, 2006)..

~ The real Wallis Simpson and Edward VIII. ~

As a matter of fact: in one of the last scenes I became a bit teary eyed: In 1972 Wallis - by then an elderly lady - dances for Edward who by then is bedridden - it's not too long before his death.. The film does not make clear where Edward and Wallis actually stood politically and their connection to Nazi-Germany are just kind of a side note - but after all this film deals more with their relationship. I also would have loved to learn more about Wallis' second husband Ernest (David Habour) who was so kind to let her go. 

~ Ernest - in an awful situation as his beloved wife turns towards another man
- who is no one else but the crown prince..  ~

For sure it shows that trough such a situation no one can go with an eternal smile - and maybe this film might help to form a new and less partial view of Wallis Simpson as a person. I don't think that she was the icy lady who caught herself a king and went over death bodies and a starving nation to do so - all with a malicious little smile.. but I am also sure it was no real fairytale either..

The costumes are exquisit - and as far as I could see on first sight very true to the decade - even the nail polish is done in a 1930's manner.. 

When it comes to the score purists might be a bit put off when in 1930's Wallis dances to some music which to me sounded very much like the Sex Pistols.. - but that was just this scene - and I think it worked since in the 1930's music we find utterly old-fashioned these days was just all the rage and partly very provoking at those times.. 

Have a look:

If you are willing to watch a film which feels like paging through an issue of Vogue magazine with a large part of a vintage Vogue like pages - you maybe should consider to spent 119 minutes of your life watching this really gorgeous looking film.

~ this is one of the film stills by Anthony Suoza.. ~ 

Thank you very much for listening

Irene