Tonight one of the best screwball comedies ever made is on TCM.
I have watched every screwball comedy classified from the AFI and other lists, and I know whereof I speak, having made the 'Golden Age of Hollywood' something of a passion.
One of my bucket-list dreams is attending the TCM Film Festival in LA some day soon.
Not only does The Lady Eve star Henry Fonda and Barbara Stanwyck, but it features a solid cast of character actors who, if you don't recognize the names here, you probably will when you see their faces: Charles Coburn, Eugene Pallette, and William Demarest. All they needed was Edward Everett Horton to make my viewing complete (he was probably tied up in a Fred Astair-Ginger Rogers vehicle).
Directed by the brilliant Preston Sturges, the one-time white-hot director who burned out too quickly, (his best movies beside this one being Sullivan's Travels and The Palm Beach Story, two other must-sees),this 1941 film has Stanwyck doing what she does best - playing a smart woman several steps ahead of everyone else - in this case, she's a con artist who tries to hoodwink - and then of course falls for - wealthy Fonda, a slightly dim-witted, affable guy who is looked after by his 'right hand man' Demarest (Uncle Charlie for those of you who grew up watching My Three Sons).
Watch it for the witty repartee, the gorgeous gowns, and the old passage-liner crossings. They really don't make them like this any more, and more's the pity.
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11 comments:
You like classic Hollywood like I like French and other European cinema.
I hope you and Excy and the animals are doing well.
Love TCM and I love anything with Barbara Stanwyk in it....so many movies, so little time!
I love vintage Hollywood- Jimmy Stewart, David Niven--sophisticated comedies--the fabulous character actors. No, they don't make them like that anymore.
These older movies are so cool to see. Man, has hollywood every changed eh.
I'll have to check my netflicks and see if I can order them
That is the only way we see things around here.
Looking forward to watching this flick. I've been so into older movies lately. None of today's films seem very interesting anymore. I just watched "Beat the Devil" Cute fun with Humphrey Bogart and others.
I'm totally with you on the old films ... it's been said already but they really don't make them like that anymore.
My in-laws have been collecting classic movies and we have seen some great stuff--I'll have to remember these, they sound great.
oh what is better than a 40's movie.
Or as my hubby calls them Hat Movies. He says every time he walks into the room and I am watching one of "my" movies they are wearing hats.
Gee, nothing blows up, no creatures, no blood and violence just dialogue and good story. Go figure!
I'm *gasp* not much into older movies - although my husband is a big buff and is always having me order DVDs of vintage TV shows,
but since you used the words "witty repartee" it may be hard for me to resist checking it out!
Yeah - I've been accused of watching movies 'where people drink tea and nothing happens.' PLENTY happens. Just not the shoot 'em up car-chase type things...which I watch if it advances the plot but do get tired of...
I love TCM as well and they really don't make 'em like they used to. I look forward to checking The Lady Eve out. I just recently watched Kiss Me Kate for the first time and wondered, what took me so long. Especially since I love Taming Of The Shrew.
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