I'm referring to the 70s too, but I remember Jack McCarthy from like 1970 or 71, whereas I watched Little Rascal more mid 70s. Seems to me by the mid 70s that whole thing of people hosting a kids cartoon or shorts show was over.Originally Posted by ronmac
Best or favourite?
The opening post asks which is your favorite. We do go off on some tangents here, but we try to bring it back to B&W movies.
Just occurred to me I meant to watch some Marx Brothers over the holidays but clean forgot. I think my wife hates The Marx Brothers, but I love that kind of b&w wackiness that you can just let wash over you. I watched some of Laurel & Hardy's Babes in Toyland around Christmas, and that's just a great one to sort of zone out to. Kind of like if Sid & Marty Krofft went back in time, dropped acid (which they probably did anyway), and made a movie with Laurel & Hardy.
There are great old comedies on right now on TCM.
"The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"
Turnabaout is one I think I just mentioned recently - on at 9:30pm. A husband and wife switch bodies (but I think they each retain their normal voice). Wacky and a lot of fun.
This certainly sounds familiar to me but can't place it. Yes, The Honeymooners is priceless and I still catch them. We could put in some PA radio stations such as the Pirates with Bob Prince at the mic. What a voice.
The older I get, the better I was.
Bob Prince is before my arrival to Pittsburgh, but yes, he was legendary.
Apparently, he wasn't well-suited for hockey, though. It seems it was too fast for him. The stories I heard is that his play-by-play went something like this:
"One of their guys got it. One of our guys got it. He passes it to another one of our guys. One of their guys blocks it..."
"The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"
Works for me, I can't see the puck half the time anyway.
The older I get, the better I was.
Passport to Pimlico
Marlon Brando four-star triple feature on tonight on TCM.
All evening next Monday on TCM, beginning with the classic short, "The Music Box."
"The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"
On The Waterfront. That says it for me.
The older I get, the better I was.
Disclaimer: I'm not quite as enthralled with older movies as I once was. Partly because the great movies of the modern era (beginning in the 1960s)* are usually simply more realistic. That's not to say that I don't like the great oldies as much as I did, just that I'm not as forgiving of the lesser movies of classic Hollywood that I once was. So, my ratings (1-4 stars, borrowing Leonard Maltin's rating system) for the following movies reflect a more "honest" assessment.
A few movies I've seen sorta recently, all considered film noir.
You Only Live Once (1937). An early noir directed by Fritz Lang that stars Henry Fonda & and the always cute & charming Sylvia Sidney; actually, I think she got top billing. Not a great movie but with an interesting social message.
2 stars.
The Dark Mirror (1946). I wouldn't actually call this noir because of its subject matter, but it is lumped into the genre. Olivia de Havilland stars as twins, one of whom is a murderer, and Lew Ayres is their psychiatrist. There's a bit of twist toward the end that I'm sure surprised viewers of the day but you'll probably see it coming. De Havilland is very good in the role and the times where the twins are on screen together is seamless; very impressive for early split-screen. 2½ stars.
Ida Lupino's The Hitch-Hiker (1953). Two guys pick up a hitchhiker, played by William Talman (the DA on Perry Mason), who turns out to be an escaped con. He's also a multiple murderer. Most of the scenes actually take place during the day so I don't know that I'd call the movie film noir. Regardless, Talman is great in it. Also stars Edmond O'Brien. 2½ stars.
Where the Sidewalk Ends (1950). Directed by Otto Preminger and stars Dana Andrews & Gene Tierney. Andrews plays a mean NYC cop who thinks criminals are scum and often brutalizes them and Tierney is his love interest. The story revolves around him trying to pin a murder on an Italian hood (code for Mafia capo) played by Gary Merrill, who co-starred in All About Eve and ended up marrying Bette Davis. One of Merrill's goons is Neville Brand, who's probably best remembered for his role in Stalag 17 (he was the guy whose face William Holden lit a match on). 3 stars.
The Killers (1946). Based on a Hemingway story, it stars Burt Lancaster, in his film debut, Ava Gardner, and Edmond O'Brien. There's an assortment of character actors in bit roles but one I'm sure you'll recognize: William Conrad (of TV's Cannon fame) as one of the killers. To give you an idea of how good this movie is, Burt Lancaster is killed off 12½ minutes into the movie! See this one if you run across it. 3½ stars.
* Depending on who you read, the modern era of cinema started with The Graduate and Bonnie & Clyde in '67. Some may claim it started in '59 with François Truffaut's New Wave masterpiece, The 400 Blows, and John Cassavetes' first indie, Shadows. I think '67 is too late and Truffaut & Cassavetes too unknown at the time, altho their impact on mainstream filmmakers is noted. I'd argue that given the subject matter and more widespread exposure, Kubrick's Lolita and Lumet's Long Day's Journey into Night started the trend in '62. Interesting that they then followed up with Dr Strangelove and The Pawnbroker, respectively, both in '64.
Re: Laurel & Hardy, they are my favorite comedy guys. More than Buster Keaton, the Marx Bros, Chaplin, anybody. And certainly not least because of this:
Love it! Highly recommended!!!
“The red zone is for immediate loading and unloading of passengers only. There is no stopping in the white zone."
I first saw "The Music Box" in high school at the end of one school year when our gym teacher brought it in to watch. It is truly a classic. I think it may have won an Oscar, too.
"The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"
I couldn't wait and just watched it on YouTube. I'd never seen it. That was painful! And hilarious. They make the Three Stooges look smart.
Of the “full length” Laurel & Hardy films on TCM on Monday, which do you guys think are best?
Well, according to Maltin, it's "Sons of the Desert," which I've never seen, but will try to catch. I have seen "Way Out West," and you can't go wrong with that one.
"The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"
I just rewatched for the umpteenth time L&H's The March Of The Wooden Soldiers. As good as the rest of their work is , I've always gotten a kick out of this one.
" Me and the toymaker are just like That !"
"Big cheese catches Big Rat"
I caught some of it recently, and have seen it a few times before. It's a bizarre movie, and L&H are great in it. I try to see some of it every Christmas.
I've only seen 2 or 3 of their features so I can't say. I think they worked better in the short format, anyway.
“The red zone is for immediate loading and unloading of passengers only. There is no stopping in the white zone."
I agree with that and almost posted the same comment.
"The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"
I have to say, for features, I gotta hand it to the Marx Bros & Chaplin. Whoever wrote their screenplays did a pretty good job. But it seems to me 30-40 minutes is about the max that guys like L&H, Lloyd, Langdon could maintain a certain level of quality. I've seen shorts or bits with W. C. Fields that I thought were really funny but I don't think there's a single Fields movie I enjoyed. Just look at The Little Rascals. How many shorts did they make? There was some TV show I used to watch after school every day that showed Little Rascals & Our Gang shorts. Not all of them were good but most were. And I really doubt they could carry a whole movie. I feel the same about Abbot & Costello & the Three Stooges. Altho, there was one Stooges movie I actually enjoyed. Can't remember the title but it's the one where Curly, I think, was a wrestler; could have been Curly Joe but it definitely wasn't Shemp.
But why L&H are my faves is because while all of those other guys are amusing, L&H actually make me laugh out loud (the Stooges do as well, but they're different). Even beyond that, they're just a joy to watch; the way they work together and work off each other is brilliant, I think. Some things I love about them are Oliver's dead pan reactions to the camera after Stan does something goofy or stupid. Oliver always acting like he's smarter than Stan and yet often does some pretty stupid things. And then, of course, Stan getting the better of Ollie is the just the best (when I was a kid, I didn't really like Ollie but I grew to appreciate him when I got older and think he's funny, too).
I don't know how many people realize this, but Stan Laurel was the brains behind that duo. His character had such an unusual way of thinking and looking at the world which lead him to do - and say - some really funny things. He could also be insightful. He was actually quite childlike in the way that he looked at the world and there's an innocence to Stan you don't see in the others. As much as I've come to like Ollie, I think you could have replaced him with just about anyone and "Laurel & Whoever" would still shine. Stan Laurel is by far my favorite old time, B&W comedian.
But that joy of watching L&H I don't get that from any of the others... other than Keaton, in a way. But he rarely makes me laugh consistently. Of course, he's in a class by himself. He was more like an artist rather than a comedian, even tho much of his stuff can make you laugh. The General is a perfect example of what I mean. I don't think there's a single bit in that movie that made me laugh, but it is such a good movie! Most of them were, but sometimes his inventiveness seemed to take center stage. That's why I love Seven Chances. It's inventive with some awesome bits but is also downright funny. And one thing you have to give Keaton credit for: not only did his movies not rely on sound, they often didn't need intertitles. To me, Keaton's like prime rib or crab: totally wonderful, but only once in a while.
“The red zone is for immediate loading and unloading of passengers only. There is no stopping in the white zone."
Great post.
I do think Lloyd showed he could carry a feature-length film. But, they tended to be showcases of his amazing abilities more than a compelling storyline.
I used to watch the Little Rascals all the time and have the complete box set. Regretfully, I have had no time to watch more than a couple of shorts. But, any of the later ones when Spanky got older (Alfalfa, Darla and the reprehensible Mickey) do nothing for me. They're just too candy-assed and not rascals.
Like you stated, Keaton was one of a kind. And, one of the few who could keep his career going into the talkies. "The General" is often regarded as the last great comedy of the silent era. I believe they also benefited from some first-hand Civil War consultants on that one, too. I've never seen Seven Chances.
Format didn't seem to affect Chaplin at all. His genius was just so transcendent. I'm a big fan of "The Gold Rush," but LOVE the shorts. "The Rink" is a personal favorite. Another one of whom I have a multiple-volume set of shorts, but have yet to watch much.
I'll have to differ on WC Fields, though. I love his movies. But, he also had great supporting casts. Many consider him to be the funniest person who ever lived.
"The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"
Saw this years ago when IFC was playing lots of B&W, Zaitochi (The BlindSwords man series) was one of my favorites. I'd like to get the boxed DVD set one day.
Fast Eddie: You know, I got a hunch, fat man. I got a hunch it's me from here on in. One ball, corner pocket. I mean, that ever happen to you? You know, all of a sudden you feel like you can't miss? 'Cause I dreamed about this game, fat man. I dreamed about this game every night on the road. Five ball. You know, this is my table, man. I own it.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054997/quotes/qt0385704
The Hustler YT movie clips: http://j.mp/1IBqlHU
"A Face in the Crowd" is on Wed @ 11 PM EST on TCM.
If you've never seen it, I highly recommend it. Andy Griffith's performance is epic.
"The White Zone is for loading and unloading only. If you got to load or unload go to the White Zone!"
Some relevant modern day parallels with this one.
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