How many Films did Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton Star in Together?

 

How many Films did Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton Star in Together?

Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in Cleopatra

Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor and  as Antony and Cleopatra in Cleopatra (1963, directors Joseph L. Mankiewicz,  Rouben Mamoulian [uncredited] and Darryl F. Zanuck [uncredited])

Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton made ELEVEN films together (ten theatrical films and one TV movie):

  1. The V.I.P.s (1963) On DVD and Instant Video (Warner Bros.)
  2. Cleopatra (1963) On DVD, Blu-Ray and Instant Video (20th Century Fox
  3. The Sandpiper (1965) On DVD (studio n/a) and Instant Video
  4. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) On DVD and Instant Video (Warner Bros.)
  5. The Taming of the Shrew (1967) On DVD  and Instant Video (Sony Pictures)
  6. Doctor Faustus (1967) On DVD and Instant Video (Sony Pictures)
  7. The Comedians (1967) On DVD and Instant Video (Warner Bros.)
  8. Boom! (1968) On DVD (IMPORT)
  9. Under Milk Wood (1972) On DVD (Sundance Channel Home Entertainment)
  10. Hammersmith is Out (1972) (not available on DVD yet)
  11. Divorce His – Divorce Hers (TV Movie 1973) On DVD and Instant Video (Cobra Entertainment)


       

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–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

 

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Silent Chicago: Before there was Hollywood, there was Chicago: The Chicago Silent Era (Part 1)

 

Before there was Hollywood, there was Chicago

AnnabelleDancing Annabelle Whitford

The city of Chicago and the film industry have shared a connection since the days of Thomas Edison. Chicago-based dancer Annabelle Whitford was chosen as one of Edison’s first film subjects, Gloria Swanson and Colleen Moore were born and discovered by Chicago-based studios, and the city was home to three of the biggest studios of the early silent period. During the 1910s, the Windy City itself was a major player in the film world, and was responsible for 20% of the total film output of the US.

Over the next several weeks, we’ll be exploring Chicago’s ties to the film industry and the studios, producers and players that helped make the Midwest a movie hub.  So stay tuned…

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Janelle Vreeland for Classic Movie Hub

Thank you to Janelle for this wonderful Silent Film Series.  You can read more of Janelle’s articles about Silent Film and Chicago history-related topics at Chicago Nitrate or Curtains, or you can follow Janelle on Twitter at @SpookyJanelle .

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Classic Movie Coincidence: Steve McQueen, Norman Fell, Murray Hamilton and Harry Houdini!

A String of Classic Movie Coincidences for March 24…

Murray Hamilton appeared in The Graduate with Norman Fell, who appeared in Bullitt with Steve McQueen, who appeared in the Blob which featured scenes shot at the Colonial Theater in Phoenixville, PA, the same theater where The Great Houdini performed, freeing himself from a burglar-proof safe in front of 300 people.  Murray Hamilton, Norman Fell, Steve McQueen and Harry Houdini were all born today, March 24, in 1923, 1924, 1930 and 1874 respectively.

Steve McQueen, Murray Hamilton, Norman Fell, Harry Houdini, all born on same day March 24

Steve McQueen, Murray Hamilton, Norman Fell, Harry Houdini, all born on same day March 24

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The Blob Theater

The historic Colonial Theater in Phoenixville, PA

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Richard Conte, Normal Feld

Noman Fell and Ricard Conte, again born on the same day

And if that’s not enough, Norman Fell and Richard Conte both appeared in Ocean’s Eleven 1960, and Richard Conte was also born March 24, 14 years before Norman Fell, in 1910.

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–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

 

http://www.classicmoviehub.com/travel-site/blob-theater-pennnsylvania/

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Mini Tribute: Paula Winslowe


Born March 23, 1910 Actress Paula Winslowe

Paula Winslowe appeared in over 30 roles, mostly on TV — including Mrs. Martha Conklin in Our Miss Brooks (radio and TV), Mary Dunkle / Mrs. Peabody on  The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet (TV) and Mrs. Netwick in My Mother the Car (TV). She was also the voice of Greta Gravel on The Flintstones.

Winslowe’s Feature Film ‘Claim-to-Fame’ was her Debut Film role as Bambi’s Mother in the 1942 Disney film classic, Bambi.

Paula Winslowe as Bambi's mother in 1942 Disney Film BambiPaula Winslowe as ‘herself’ and as Bambi’s mother in the 1942 Disney Film Bambi

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–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

Visit CMH’s BlogHub for more posts about Paula Winslowe by Veteran and Emerging Classic Movie Bloggers.

 

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Big Stars on the Small Screen Blogathon: Murder She Wrote and Representing the Ladies

 

Murder She Wrote and Representing the Ladies

Like any other child with a busy parent and no babysitter, I spent a lot time getting to know my favorite television and book characters. Unlike most other children, however, my taste was TV-skewed, well, older. That isn’t to say I wasn’t taken in by the world of animation and cartoons; I can still recall the Captain Planet theme song despite not seeing the show for years. But in between episodes of The Rugrats and Arthur, I found myself growing a strong attachment to another television show, Murder, She Wrote.

Murder She Wrote 1And, boy, did she write many.

Yes, six-year old me would spend a couple hours each week watching the trials, tribulations, and, now that I think about it, truly alarming amount of homicides that took place in that little New England town of Cabot Cove. As a child, I probably could not tell you why I enjoyed the show so much. I mean, think about it. Why would a six-year old whose life revolved around getting her hands on pizza bagels and candy be interested in a show about this older retired woman, solving crime in her spare time? It’s not like I had an affinity for sleuth-style televsion. I certainly wasn’t fighting my brother for the remote control to watch Matlock or Law and Order. But now that I’m almost two decades older with the ability to buy my own pizza bagels, candy, and remote control (well, online streaming service), I can say why this show meant so much to me as a little girl. And that reason is the marvelous representation of women in the form Jessica Fletcher.

What I didn’t understand at six years of age was how revolutionary this television show was in terms of women and representation. Throughout film and television history, the detective has always been a staunchly masculine role. Just think of the famed old film-noir detectives: Philip Marlow, Sam Spade, Jeff Bailey, and Mike Hammer. Or even the 70’s detective series such as The Rockford Files or Kojak. All masculine, all cynical, and all more than just a little bit misogynistic in the handling of their cases. But when Fletcher hit the scene in 1984, all of that changed.

Jessica Fletcher 2

I mean this, with dogmatic intensity, when I say this woman is perfection.

Much like her masculine counterparts, Fletcher is above all, a survivor. In her early 50’s she lost her husband and became a childless widow. While an event like that could cause someone to break, Fletcher did the only thing she could do and created a new life for herself. She stayed in her small hometown in Maine, wrote a couple of murder mystery novels and, in the process, became well-respected author. By the age of 60, she was new woman, as spritely and spirited as any 20-year I’ve ever met. And most of this is before the series even started!

With Fletcher, we didn’t get the same old, worn-out private detective just looking to get by in the world. Instead, we got an intelligent, kindly woman looking to do right in this world. When it came to Fletcher’s actual sleuthing, her methods were quite detached from the traditionally masculine methods audiences were used to. She never forced her way into situations with a heavy hand or cruel jape but would instead spark up an innocuous conversation with the police force, witnesses or persons possibly involved with the murder. By doing something as simple as offering a potential witness a lift in taxicab, Fletcher would gain more information in a 12-block car ride than the police could do in a 12-hour interrogation. By using her feminine charms and generally light-hearted attitude, Fletcher was able to gain pertinent information that would have otherwise been lost in the larger scope of a police investigation. Through the strength of her kindness and due diligence, this unassuming 60-year old woman solved murders with more wit, pizzazz, and know-how than her local police department. And in the process, showed a six-year old girl that you can be a woman, act like a woman, and still be as good as any boy.

Jessica Fletcher 3Jessica Fletcher being boss

Looking back, it’s so obvious. Although I most certainly didn’t realize it at the time, I wasn’t watching Murder, She Wrote for its sheer entertainment value or its intricately plotted stories. No, I was watching it because I needed a role model in my life and who better than Jessica Fletcher.

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Minoo Allen for Classic Movie Hub

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Sleuthathon: A Classic Mystery Blogathon – A Shot in the Dark’s Inspector Clouseau

“I believe everything and I believe nothing.
I suspect everyone and I suspect no one. I gather the facts, examine the clues, and before you know it, the case is solved.”

– Inspector Jacques Clouseau

Inspector Clouseau A Shot in the Dark

The original Inspector Clouseau played by the inimitable Peter Sellers, of course!

So, why did I pick Inspector Jacques Clouseau of the French Sûreté as my Sleuthathon sleuth??? He’s certainly not brilliantly astute like ‘master-of-deduction’ Sherlock Holmes; he’s certainly not calm, cool and collected like hard-boiled detective Sam Spade; and he’s certainly not a great legal mind like defense attorney Perry Mason. As a matter of fact, he’s quite the opposite — incompetent, clumsy, inept — and he pretty much causes chaos and confusion wherever he goes.  So, again, why did I pick him?  Well, despite all of his flaws and shortcomings, he’s sincere about his work, passionate about the law, unflinchingly determined, and although seemingly clueless, always shows great instinct for solving crimes (in spite of himself!). But, enough of all this silly rhetoric and rationalization. In all honesty, I really picked him because he makes me laugh…and I like to laugh 🙂

Inspector Clouseau cartoon from A Shot in the Dark

Inspector Clouseau in the opening credits

I can’t even count how many times I’ve seen A Shot in the Dark, and yet I still looked forward to watching it again in preparation for this Sleuthathon. And, as always, from the moment the fabulous opening credits appeared on the screen (complete with iconic cartoon and marvelous Henry Mancini score), I sat in eager anticipation of watching poor, bumbling Inspector Clouseau bungle his way through murder, mystery and mayhem, in his attempt to prove that beautiful housemaid Maria Gambrelli (Elke Sommer) is innocent of the murder of chauffeur Miguel (and incidentally her lover).

For me, what’s truly funny about this film is Seller’s incredible straight-man seriousness and inimitable slapstick timing.

So, that said, let’s celebrate Inspector Clouseau, with a mix of videos, pictures and quotes from the film…

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It was difficult to find videos of some of his funniest moments, but I did find a few good ones…

Movie Trailer: My favorite scenes are about 42 seconds in (when Clouseau gets his hand caught in the globe), followed by about 1:20 in (when he attempts to break down a door)….

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A ‘buemp in the head’ clip:  Some good all-around clumsiness here…

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And, now, for lack of more videos, I will have to try to capture Clouseau’s sleuthy-ness via photos and quotes…

Inspector Clouseau, Peter Sellers, with Maria Gambrelli, Elke Sommer, coat on fireHe helps damsels in distress… Inspector Clouseau explains his methodology to Maria Gambrelli (Elke Sommer)… (I won’t tell you what that smoke is in the background) 🙂

“First we presume, after, we find out. That is the way we work, we always work that way because if we work the other way, you see… is it stuffy in here?” 

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Inspector Clouseau, Peter Sellers, with  Kato, Burt Kwouk, A Shot in the Dark

His hands are lethal weapons… Inspector Clouseau ‘spars’ with man-servant, Kato (Burt Kwouk)…

“You must learn to attack me whenever and wherever I least expect it. And you, you must give no quarter.”

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Inspector Clouseau, Peter Sellers, with Hercule LaJoy, Graham Stark, A Shot in the Dark, Just the facts scene

He’s a firm believer in sticking to the facts, just the facts… Inspector Clouseau gives assistant Hercule LaJoy (Graham Stark) a lesson in sleuthing…

“Facts, Hercule, facts! Nothing matters but the facts. Without them the science of criminal investigation is nothing more than a guessing game.”

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Inspector Clouseau, Peter Sellers, A Shot in the Dark

He is confident… no doubt about it…

“I will apprehend this culprit within 24 hours”

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Inspector Clouseau, Peter Sellers, master of disguise, balloons

He’s a master of disguise… Inspector Clouseau goes ‘undercover’…

Policeman: “Do you have a license to sell these balloons?”

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Inspector Clouseau, Peter Sellers, with Benjamin Ballon, George Sanders, A Shot in the Dark

He’s determined and passionate about solving crime… Inspector Clouseau accuses Benjamin Ballon (George Sanders) of the hideous crime…

“And I submit, Inspector Ballon, that you arrived home, found Miguel with Maria Gambrelli, and killed him in a rit of fealous jage!”

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Inspector Clouseau, Peter Sellers, Nudist ColonyHe always has a keen eye for detail… Inspector Clouseau stumbles upon Camp Sunshine and makes a sleuthy deduction 🙂

“Can I ask you something? Have you been…swimming???” 

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 Inspector Clouseau, Peter Sellers, with Charles Dreyfus, Herbert Lom, in A Shot in the Dark

He fights for what he believes in, even the lost causes… Inspector Clouseau getting kicked off the case by boss, Commissioner Dreyfus (Herbert Lom)…

“But that is not fair. I was only doing my duty. And I am right, you will see. Maria Gambrelli is not a murderer!”

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Inspector Clouseau, Peter Sellers, A Shot in the Dark, dodging bullet

He lives in constant danger… Clouseau is back on the case, dodging bullets like any good sleuth…

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Inspector Clouseau ending, Peter Sellers

And, like all good detectives, he reveals the killer in one dramatic moment of truth… Clouseau reveals his suspicions, but not without some surprises that I won’t reveal…

“Now, I will tell you why I called you all here tonight… One of you is a murderer.”

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So, although Inspector Clouseau is your ‘typical’ sleuth, he certainly does his share of ‘smart’ sleuthing, albeit in his own clumsy, quirky and clueless way… and, in A Shot in the Dark, he even gets the girl in the end 🙂

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A Shot in the Dark: just the facts…

  • Directed by Blake Edwards.
  • Tthe second installment in The Pink Panther series, the first being The Pink Panther starring David Niven, also directed by Blake Edwards.
  • The first film where Sellers used his exaggerated French accent
  • Introduced Herbert Lom as Clouseau’s ‘driven-to-madness’ boss Commissioner Dreyfus
  • Introduced Burt Kwouk as Clouseau’s long-suffering servant, Kato (later Cato)
  • The film was based on the stage play by Harry Kurnitz which was adapted from the French play L’Idiote by Marcel Achard
  • The film did not originally include the character of Clouseau. Clouseau was written in later by Blake Edwards and William Peter Blatty (who incidentally wrote the novel and the screen play for The Exorcist).
  • The film was released only about three months after The Pink Panther (June 23 and March 20, respectively)
  • Sellers said in interviews that the secret of Clouseau’s character was his tremendous ego, making his klutziness funnier because of his quest to remain elegant and refined while causing chaos everywhere he turned.
  • The role of Maria Gambrelli was originally given to Sophia Loren but she became ill and couldn’t do it.
  • The play, A Shot in the Dark, ran for 389 performances at the Booth Theater from October 18, 1961 to September 22, 1962. The original cast included Walter Matthau (Tony Award 1962 for Best Featured Actor), Julie Harris, William Shatner and Gene Saks.

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This was the perfect excuse to watch A Shot in the Dark again (like I really needed an excuse?).  A Big Thank You to the marvelous Movies Silently for hosting this very special Sleuthathon event!

—Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

 

 

 

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How many Alfred Hitchcock Films did James Stewart star in?

How many Alfred Hitchcock Films did
James Stewart star in?

James Stewart & Alfred Hitchcock
James Stewart and Alfred Hitchcock

All we need is you. –James Stewart to Alfred Hitchcock
at the AFI Life Achievement Award (1979)

James Stewart starred in FOUR films directed by Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock:

  1. Rope (1948), also starring John Dall and Farley Granger, on DVD, Blu-Ray and Prime Video
  2. Rear Window (1954), opposite Grace Kelly, on DVD, Blu-Ray and Prime Video
  3. The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), opposite Doris Day, on DVD, Blu-Ray and Prime Video
  4. Vertigo (1958), opposite Kim Novak, on DVD and Blu-Ray

My Favorites? The Man Who Knew Too Much and Rear Window. What are yours?

james stewart doris day the man who knew too much 2
Doris Day and James Stewart in The Man Who Knew Too Much
James Stewart Rear Window
James Stewart in Rear Window

James Stewart speaks at the 1979 AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Alfred Hitchcock:

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–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

Read more “How Many Films Did They Star In” blog articles here.

In all their glory:

           
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Classic Movie Coincidence: Barry Fitzgerald and Richard Haydn

Barry Fitzgerald and Richard Haydn share a birthday and a film:

Both Barry Fitzgerald and Richard Haydn appeared in And Then There Were None — and both were born today March 10 (17 yrs apart!).

Richard Hayden and Barry Fitzgerald in And Then There Were None

Richard Haydn as butler Thomas Rogers and Barry Fitzgerald as Judge Francis J. Quinncannon in Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None (1945, director René Clair).  Hayden was born George Richard Haydon on in Camberwell, London, England and Fitzgerald was born William Joseph Shields on in Dublin, Ireland.

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–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

 

 

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Classic Movie Hub’s Top Ten Film Noir Picks

Classic Movie Hub’s 10 Must-See Films for a Better Understanding of Film Noir.

 

The Original: The Maltese Falcon

Widely considered by critics and historians to be the first film noir, this 1941 classic set the standards for the genre. With this film, we were introduced to a seedy world full of  moral ambiguity, femme fatales, high contrast photography and the realities of living in post World World II.

The Villain: The Night of the Hunter

In a world so full of moral ambiguity as film noir, it only makes sense that Robert Mitchum’s Harry Powell would use the duality of love and hate, of black and white, of sinner and saint, to cover his own sins. The beauty of this villain is his subversion of the genre itself, the understanding that in a world so full of grey, a man can cover his blackest of sins under the disguise of a white knight.

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third manThe Look: The Third Man

Film noir is a collective reaction to World War II, the films being darker and more ambiguous. Filmed on location in post-WWII Vienna, the rut and rubble seen here on screen are real. This alone adds dimensions to the film not seen in other film noirs because, instead of seeing the symbolic distraction that mirrors the physical destruction of Europe, we actually see the destruction itself and in that destruction, we further see the collective psychology of Europe while filmed in beautiful chiaroscuro style.

The Femme Fatale: Gilda

Film noir ushered in a new type of leading lady: The Femme Fatale. Trending on the mysterious and seductive side, she typically used her irresistible charm to lure men into her web of ambition or desires. In Gilda, Rita Hayworth takes the archetype, and adds layers of ambiguity and vulnerability, to create the quintessential femme fatale.

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The Corruption/The Doom: Sweet Smell of Success

To me, film noir is a doomed genre: by that I mean that someone, or perhaps everyone, in the film is doomed. In a world so full of dark grays, moralities of convenience, and downright corruption, it is inevitable. In this film, the very atmosphere itself stinks of corruption and power; you learn that all power is corrupt and, to gain power, you undoubtedly doom others or worse, doom yourself.  The film is as fatalistic as the genre, which itself is meant to represent the world.

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The Confusion: The Big Sleep

One thing about film noir is that it can get confusing. The plot builds as the number of characters grow, and as the number of characters grow, well, some of them die. Howard Hawke’s The Big Sleep is the epitome of viewer confusion. At one point the director didn’t even know who killed the chauffeur. However, with this film at least, none of that really matters as long you pay attention to the white-hot chemistry between Bogie and Bacall.

The Influence: Gun Crazy

Although when initially released this film didn’t receive much fanfare, much like film noir itself, it is in retrospect that the influence of this film is seen. Loosely based on the exploits of Bonnie and Clyde, this B-picture had a sense of rawness and urgency that had yet to be seen in the mainstream. Brash and lusty, the film perfectly demonstrates the disillusionment of a postwar generation, for not even innocent love exists without violence. It should come as no surprise that the writers of the 1967 version of Bonnie and Clyde cite Gun Crazy as a huge influence on their script.

The Quintessential: Double Indemnity

Morally ambiguous heroine? Check! Femme Fatale? Check? Ominous voice-over? Check! Corrupt atmosphere? Check! More double entendre than you can catch in one viewing? Check! If you want to understand film noir, its mechanics, its characters, its atmosphere and its morality, watch this film. It’s like it exists as a “how to film-noir,” while remaining one of the greatest films of all time.

The Warning: Kiss Me Deadly

Because film noir is a reactionary genre, as I’ve mentioned before, there is an underlining sense of doom. What is this doom, exactly? Well, if you watch Kiss Me Deadly, it’s Pandora’s box – all of the unthinkable evils that woman has the power to stop but instead, runs into headfirst. With the Cold War in full swing, many believe this story to be a caustic tale of the dangers of nuclear war. Yeah, pretty much as fatal as you can get.

The Final: Touch of Evil

I use the term “final” caustically. Sure, you have films like Cape Fear that show up later but this is the last of the Hollywood films that take the genre beyond its tropes. The film skillfully asks the question of whether the ends justify the means, of whether a good act can wash away a bad act, all without giving you an answer, and in the process, it sums up the confused desperation of the post-war generation.

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Minoo Allen for Classic Movie Hub

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TCM Star of the Month: Mary Astor

 

TCM Star of the Month

Mary Astortop

This month Turner Classic Movies is celebrating Mary Astor as its Star of the Month. Although with someone like Astor, I’m not quite sure I would call her a star. Instead, I would use the term actress. And just to clarify, I mean no disrespect by this. You see, and this is only my opinion, but to be a star means having amassed such a level of popularity that the movie-going public no longer sees the actor as playing a part but rather sees the star playing the part. By becoming a genuine Hollywood movie star, an actor’s screen persona becomes almost more paramount than the part they are playing. When I sit down to watch a Cary Grant movie, it’s because I want to see Cary Grant. With Astor, however, it is different. I rarely ever think, “Man, I just want to watch a Mary Astor movie, today.” However, when I watch a film that features Mary Astor, I am never left disappointed in her performance. And more importantly, every time I see her, she is different.

This is what I mean by saying I don’t necessary see Astor as a star. I never crave her screen persona because she simply doesn’t have one. She is an actress, constantly changing her appearance, her persona, and her parts, elevating each film to its highest level of quality. Heck, even the clunkers she appeared in were somehow better because of her. And now that I think about it, perhaps that is her key to stardom. No matter what type or level of film she appeared in over her 45-year, 156-role career, she always shined. So, to celebrate this star, do yourself a favor and watch the following films airing Wednesdays on Turner Classic Movies.

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Dodsworth-011Mary Astor with Walter Huston in Dodsworth (1936, William Wyler director) airing March 5th at 8:00PM on TCM.

….Annex - Bogart, Humphrey (Maltese Falcon, The)_16

Mary Astor with Humphrey Bogart in The Maltese Falcon ( 1941, John Huston director) airing Marth 12th at 8:00Pm on TCM

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meet me in st louisMary Astor with Judy Garland in Meet Me in St. Louis (1944, Vincente Minnelli director) airing March 26th at 10:15PM on TCM

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Minoo Allen for Classic Movie Hub

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