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Cool. Compact. Blonde. Gorgeous. That was Alan Ladd and Veronica Lake. This visually appealing couple appeared in a total of seven films together – This Gun for Hire (1942), The Glass Key  (1942), Star Spangled Rhythm (1942), Duffy’s Tavern (1945), The Blue Dahlia (1946), Variety Girl (1947), and read more

While working earlier this year on the post for my pre-Code pick for February – Grand Hotel – I checked out one of the extras on the DVD, which depicted the film’s premiere at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre on April 29, 1932. This thoroughly enjoyable glimpse into old Hollywood showed a variety of read more

Rogue Cop (MGM, 1954) tells the story of Chris Kelvaney (Robert Taylor), a corrupt cop who turns on his mob cronies when they threaten the life of his straight-laced police officer brother, Eddie (Steve Forrest).  The story also includes mob boss Dan Beaumonte (George Raft); his alcoholic moll, Nanc read more

What’s your best-remembered Isabel Jewell performance? Is it the ill-fated Laury Palmer, who meets her end in Born to Kill (1947) at the hands of her psychotic boyfriend? Or the seamstress who is condemned to die in A Tale of Two Cities (1935)?  Maybe it’s Gloria in Lost Horizon (1937), the read more

To borrow (and tweak) a line from Annie Johnson in Imitation of Life — our wedding day and our blogiversary are the great events of life. It’s hard to believe that two whole years have passed since I wrote my first post for Shadows and Satin — and yet it seems like it was just yesterday. read more

Edward Doheny and his only granddaughter, Lucy. This past April, during my maiden jaunt to the Turner Classic Movies Film Festival in Los Angeles, I took a brief break from movie watching (and celebrity gazing) to take a guided tour of the city. The tour covered Mulholland Drive (which was a scarily read more

(Photo by Jim Ferreira) TCM is lousy with film noir in the month of June. (And that’s a GOOD thing!) With more than 30 shadowy features airing throughout the month, TCM is serving up a diverse assortment of first-rate films that are guaranteed to satisfy even the most discriminating cinematic appeti read more

I recently tweeted that I just love it when I make a purchase on eBay and then completely forget that I’ve done so. When the item arrives, it’s like Christmas! I can’t say that this happens to me often, but it certainly does from time to time, and it did a couple of weeks ago when I opened a box read more

ATTENTION, PRE-CODE LOVERS. If you have a VCR or DVR, feel a sniffle coming on, or have some extra vacation days you don’t know what to do with, plan on tuning in to TCM on Thursday, May 23rd, ‘cause it’s going to be a Pre-Code-A-Go-Go!!! From the wee morning hours until after the sun goes down, read more

On April 25-28, 2013, I did something that, in the not too distant past, I never really believed I’d ever do – I attended the Turner Classic Movie Festival in Los Angeles, California. Now in its fourth year, this year’s classic film event featured more than 80 films, including silents, documentaries read more

I didn’t know what to expect from Behind Office Doors. I bought it on the cheap, years ago, when I was on a desperate search for any pre-Codes I could get my hands on. (On which I could get my hands?) For some reason, though, I never watched it. So when the Mary Astor Blogathon was announced (and read more

Hang on to your fedoras, noir lovers – ‘cause on Tuesday, April 30th, TCM is serving up a quartet of quintessential noir features that are sure to satisfy even the most finicky of film fanatics. Each of the films rank among the best that the noir era has to offer. You can’t go wrong with any one read more

When I saw that TCM was airing Lilly Turner (1933) this month, I knew that I’d have no problem deciding on my pre-Code pick for April. This little-seen feature stars Ruth Chatteron in what is, for my money, one of her juiciest roles. If you’re a Chatterton fan, it’s a must-see, and if you’re read more

Before I began working on this post, I’d seen Lady Killer (1933) only once – many years ago. And in all this time, one scene stuck with me. It was because of my memory of that scene that I selected this film for the James Cagney Blogathon. But I’ll get to that a little later. In Lady Killer, Cagney read more

My favorite actress is, and has always been, Bette Davis. She had an awesome talent, an unbreakable will, a razor-sharp tongue, and an invincible spirit. She starred in some of my favorite films – from Marked Woman to All About Eve – and, for my money, was one of the greatest performers ever to read more

I am on cloud nine, tickled pink, and pleased as punch to share with y’all that I have been presented with a Liebster Award by Aurora of Once Upon a Screen. Aurora is a true film aficionado and an all-around great gal, and it’s truly an honor to be recognized by her in this way! As a recipient read more

I’m barely squeaking in under the wire this time – but I couldn’t pass up the chance to offer up my pre-Code pick of the month for March – Red-Headed Woman (1932). One of the first pre-Codes I ever saw, and one of the most scandalous, Red-Headed Woman airs on TCM on the morning of Monday, March read more

Bang, bang — I love you. Gun Crazy (1950) depicts a kind of noirish Bonnie and Clyde story. For me, the heart of this feature is the relationship between Bart Tare and Annie Laurie Starr – here’s a peek inside the connection between this dysfunctional duo. It was love – or something read more

Don’t mess with this tough dame. There are lots of ways to define the word “tough.” Strong and resilient. Physically hardy.  Hard to cut or chew!  But in the film noir realm, the “tough” description takes on a whole ‘nother meaning, giving us characters who are ruthlessly determined, read more

Whenever I think of quintessential noirs, those features that offer the purest representations of the era, Criss Cross (1949) is one that comes immediately to mind. It’s got it all – urban setting, flashbacks, voiceover. Ever-present atmosphere of doom. Unforgettably fatal femme, fittingly gullible read more