#david niven era?

[cressida-jayoungr]

One Dress a Day Challenge

September: Bond Films

Casino Royale / Ursula Andress as Vesper Lynd (007)

I think I saw this movie on TV ages ago, but I had forgotten exactly how incoherent it is. It's at least three different movies in one, with sequences that vary wildly in tone and quality ... but even if it's less than the sum of its parts, some of the parts are pretty fun. And I love that Ursula Andress got to glam up in this crystal-encrusted pale yellow dress, since she didn't really get the chance in Dr. No.

Also, is it just me, or does Ursula Andress look kind of like Natalie Portman in profile? (See below especially.)

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Ronald Colman (Arrowsmith, Random Harvest, Prisoner of Zenda)—"God! Ronnie Colman! Wasn't he marvelous? He had the greatest movie technique I've ever known in my life!" -Vincent Price

James Dean (Rebel Without A Cause, East of Eden)—can i just say that while james dean was horrendously hot, he also had a i-want-to-pick-him-up-and-carry-him-around-in-my-pocket-slash-hoodie-and-feed-him-treats kind of vibe to him? maybe it was because he was only 5'7, or maybe it was because (to me, at least) he constantly looked like a sopping wet poor little meow meow, or maybe it's because his eyebrows looked like they were too big for him. whatever it was, i'm beginning to understand why people still have posters of him in their rooms.

This is round 3 of the bracket. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage man.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut]

James Dean propaganda:

Ronald Colman propaganda:

No one, not even Douglas Fairbanks, could match Ronald Colman's screen close-ups. They were marvellous because he had a beautiful face, and because he had a deep but gentle masculinity: the ideal of the dark Englishman. — Laurence Olivier

Ronnie became not just an actor for me, but a way of life. — Vincent Price

"I wanna give some propaganda for Ronald Colman! His face acting made him a star in the silent era but when the arrival of the talkie brought one megastar after another down to earth he was one of the only ones to become more popular due to his voice, and became the blueprint for the “mellifluous voiced Englishman” type that Laurence Olivier and James Mason would later become known for. And to prove it here he is reading Shakespeare"

"1920s heartthrob to 1930s matinée idol to 1940s silver fox Oscar winner to 1950s comedy radio star, this man could do it ALL. I feel he is unfairly neglected today despite his smile making it into P.G. Wodehouse novels and the knee-melting qualities of his voice making it into a Rodgers & Hammerstein musical. A women's college made him the winner in their hottest celebrity poll in 1942, and I am right there with them. He was by all accounts an absolutely lovely person, as well, but I recognize that this poll is about the hotness and I think that Ronald Colman deserves more recognition for being ridiculously handsome and doing heartbreaking face-acting and having weaponizable quantities of charm. Also he saved David Niven's life (according to the latter's memoir) by shooting a shark once. Very sexy of him."

He was a wonderful friend; steady, true, full of wisdom and humour. He was generous and completely unbitchy unlike so many actors. A great actor, the master of the understated playing, and one many people (including me) tried hard to copy. A glorious speaking voice, dirty great brown 'fan' eyes, a smile that lit up the whole of Beverly Hills, and a man who could give a lame dog or a struggling actor a lift with never a thought of self-congratulation. — David Niven

[frenchcurious]

David Niven et sa Bentley S1 Continental Coupe 1956. - source Cars & Motorbikes Stars of the Golden era.

[chucktaylors]

Learn a bit about me with my top 10s, bc i'm sure we have at least something in common!

MY TOP 10...

• FACTIONS

Bullet Club: Mostly all eras, but especially the BTE era and the War Dogs era

The Elite: AEW version, specifically 2021 era is what im referring to, im not including this with bullet club, but i hold them close to heart

Best Friends: literal comfort group, everything thats going on rn with them is killing me. I talk abt Chuck and Trent more than i do my mother

House of Black: I've loved Malakai since he's started in NXT, and him, along with the whole group, are easily one of the most creative ppl in wrestling rn

Bullet Club Gold: I'm not including them with bullet club either bc this ones a lil diff. Im in love with all of them ...

United Empire: Will, Kyle, Mark, and TJP have my hearts. nothing less, nothing more

The Dark Order: Underrated, funny af, amazing merch, where could u go wrong?

G.o.D: specifically the Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, Hikuleo, ELP era. theyre stupid.

The Bloodline: aka i just like tama tonga and tanga loa

The Judgement Day: Finn and Damien are pretty funny, and everyone likes rhea

• TAG TEAMS

The Young Bucks: number one young bucks defender for life, matt jackson is my legal husband, what else is there to know

Best Friends: yes they are here again but im talking about Chuck Taylor and Trent Beretta. Brain rot.

Aussie Open: Yo mark, tf u at dude?! KYLE AND WILL ARE IN THE CALIS FAMILY FOR GOD SAKES

Golden Lovers: no need to explain.

Lucha Bros: there is nothing not to like about them, im not explaining myself

Private Party: OH MY GOD IS THAT PRIVATE PARTY?!

G.o.D: idiots.

Darby and Sting: Darby was my first AEW love so we gotta rep

Chelsea Green and Piper Niven: they go together so well omg i love them so much. give them those belts back

The OC: i am the only person i know that finds karl anderson hot, so if ur out there and u get it, i understand you.

• MALE WRESTLERS

Will Ospreay: 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

Matt Jackson: he is a sassy drama queen that somehow got access to a mic.

Chuck Taylor: HES ADORABLE!! i hope he gets surgery and returns, i rlly love that man

Trent Beretta: His storyline and character right now is easily my fav current storyline, he is amazing omg

TJP: underrated underrated underrated underrated

Jay White: the way he talks puts me in a trance

David Finlay: i miss his white strip of hair, but he still serves cunt every look

Malakai Black: UNDER.RATED. OH MY GOD HES AMAZING.

ELP: idiot.

Tama Tonga: Idiot.

• WOMAN WRESTLERS

Willow Nightingale: i dont get how u cant love her

Kris Statlander: she is absolutely breathtaking omg and an absolute novice in the ring

Lola Vice: same damn thing i said abt Kris

Lash Legend: shes so funny omg 😭

Becky Lynch: Classic fav

Tiffany Stratton: Her character is amazing i love it

Chelsea Green: Same as Tiffany

Nia Jax: shes grown so much and is absolutely amazing and beautiful and hilarious

Rhea Ripley: Classic fav

Zelina Vega: ive honestly loved her since nxt, absolutely breathtaking

[gracie-bird]

Letter from Princess Grace of Monaco to her friend William "Bill" Allyn dated September 20, 1977, and sent from the Monegasque princely family home in Paris, France (18 Square de L´Avenue Foch. 75116).

Willam Allyn and Princess Grace during the filming of "Once Upon a Time is Now... The Story of Princess Grace" at the Palace of Monaco in 1976.

William Allyn was an actor/producer and friend of Grace’s from her Hollywood days who reconnected with her in the mid-1960s. With her cooperation, he also produced a 1977 NBC documentary on her titled, Once Upon a Time is Now … The Story of Princess Grace. 

Letter transcription below:

Sept. 20th, 1977. Dear Bill It was good to hear from you. Your show on music in the sixties sounds like an overwhelming project but very exciting. I don't really like the idea of changing PATTY-CAKE MAN as it is sort of like trying to let out or take in the seams of a dress. it just never hangs right afterward. I will try to think up an idea on the fashion world with new characters. Incidentally, I recently suggested to Robert Dornhelm a book that I always thought could make an adorable film (in the west of Ireland). He read it and started writing a screen-play which i hope he is finishing in California right now. I asked him to get in touch with you. Unfortunately, I don't know how to get in contact with him just now, but Rupert might. The title is SPANISH GOLD by George A. Birmingham published by Methuen & C. Ltd. London 36 Essex Street, Strand WC2. A delightful tale of searching for a buried Spanish treasure. I naturally have it all cast (in my mind) with Albert Finney, David Niven, and Cryl Cussack. It could be something enchanting. I made the mistake of seeing "Valentino". Poor Rudi Nureyev. He is really quite good but the director should be shot at dawn and hung on the nearest lamppost. No taste, no talent no respect for the era., an outrageous sham which switches from high camp to slapstick and played as if everyone in the audience was deaf. Bitterly dissapointing. Maybe if I took dope I could swallow some of these new directors because they obviously do. I was amused by the car advertisement, particularly as I never owned a Mercedes nor any car in California, I always rented one! The premature announcement of the poetry readings caused the press to exaggerate their importance somewhat, as usual. But It will be a few days in February and the beginning of March, the same kind of thing as in Edinburgh. The article I read made it sound as though I was joining the Royal Shakespeare Co. (as if they'd have me!). If you get to England please give a call. We may get over sometime in October. Some wonderful things going on in the theatre just now. I have yet to see the tapes of our program as our machine was on the blink all summer. Love to you both, Grace.

Excuse my typing.

[desempleadas]

hii I saw you liked 80s/90s sci fi and fantasy do you have recs? I've been getting into it slowly but it's obviously such a vast field I get overwhelmed bc I want to read everything

hi thank you for the question! yes 80s/90s sff was a beautiful era of genre fiction :D this is a list of my personal favorites in no particular order :

the magic casement by dave duncan

parable of the sower by octavia e. butler

a fire upon the deep by vernor vinge

sundiver by david brin

city of bones by martha wells

daggerspell by katherine kerr

equal rites by terry pratchett

enders game by orson scott card

shards of honor by lois mcmaster bujold

the isle of glass by judith tarr

nor crystal tears by alan dean foster

assassin’s apprentice by robin hobb

the eye of the world by robert jordan

the time of dark by barbara hambly

the prince of ill luck by susan dexter

the initiate brother by sean russell

the mote in gods eye by larry niven and jerry pounelle

[kwebtv]

Burke’s Law -  List of Guest Stars

The Special Guest Stars of “Burke’s Law” read like a Who’s Who list of Hollywood of the era.  Many of the appearances, however, were no more than one scene cameos.  This is as complete a list ever compiled of all those who even made the briefest of appearances on the series.  

Beverly Adams, Nick Adams, Stanley Adams, Eddie Albert, Mabel Albertson, Lola Albright, Elizabeth Allen, June Allyson, Don Ameche, Michael Ansara, Army Archerd, Phil Arnold, Mary Astor, Frankie Avalon, Hy Averback, Jim Backus, Betty Barry, Susan Bay, Ed Begley, William Bendix, Joan Bennett, Edgar Bergen, Shelley Berman, Herschel Bernardi, Ken Berry, Lyle Bettger, Robert Bice, Theodore Bikel, Janet Blair, Madge Blake, Joan Blondell, Ann Blyth, Carl Boehm, Peter Bourne, Rosemarie Bowe, Eddie Bracken, Steve Brodie, Jan Brooks, Dorian Brown, Bobby Buntrock, Edd Byrnes, Corinne Calvet, Rory Calhoun, Pepe Callahan, Rod Cameron, Macdonald Carey, Hoagy Carmichael, Richard Carlson, Jack Carter, Steve Carruthers, Marianna Case, Seymour Cassel, John Cassavetes, Tom Cassidy, Joan Caulfield, Barrie Chase, Eduardo Ciannelli, Dane Clark, Dick Clark, Steve Cochran, Hans Conried, Jackie Coogan, Gladys Cooper, Henry Corden, Wendell Corey, Hazel Court, Wally Cox, Jeanne Crain, Susanne Cramer, Les Crane, Broderick Crawford, Suzanne Cupito, Arlene Dahl, Vic Dana, Jane Darwell, Sammy Davis Jr., Linda Darnell, Dennis Day, Laraine Day, Yvonne DeCarlo, Gloria De Haven, William Demarest, Andy Devine, Richard Devon, Billy De Wolfe, Don Diamond, Diana Dors, Joanne Dru, Paul Dubov, Howard Duff, Dan Duryea, Robert Easton, Barbara Eden, John Ericson, Leif Erickson, Tom Ewell, Nanette Fabray, Felicia Farr, Sharon Farrell, Herbie Faye, Fritz Feld, Susan Flannery, James Flavin, Rhonda Fleming, Nina Foch, Steve Forrest, Linda Foster, Byron Foulger, Eddie Foy Jr., Anne Francis, David Fresco, Annette Funicello, Eva Gabor, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Reginald Gardiner, Nancy Gates, Lisa Gaye, Sandra Giles, Mark Goddard, Thomas Gomez, Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez, Sandra Gould, Wilton Graff, Gloria Grahame, Shelby Grant, Jane Greer, Virginia Grey, Tammy Grimes, Richard Hale, Jack Haley, George Hamilton, Ann Harding, Joy Harmon, Phil Harris, Stacy Harris, Dee Hartford, June Havoc, Jill Haworth, Richard Haydn, Louis Hayward, Hugh Hefner, Anne Helm, Percy Helton, Irene Hervey, Joe Higgins, Marianna Hill, Bern Hoffman, Jonathan Hole, Celeste Holm, Charlene Holt, Oscar Homolka, Barbara Horne, Edward Everett Horton, Breena Howard, Rodolfo Hoyos Jr., Arthur Hunnicutt, Tab Hunter, Joan Huntington, Josephine Hutchinson, Betty Hutton, Gunilla Hutton, Martha Hyer, Diana Hyland, Marty Ingels, John Ireland, Mako Iwamatsu, Joyce Jameson, Glynis Johns, I. Stanford Jolley, Carolyn Jones, Dean Jones, Spike Jones, Victor Jory, Jackie Joseph, Stubby Kaye, Monica Keating, Buster Keaton, Cecil Kellaway, Claire Kelly, Patsy Kelly, Kathy Kersh, Eartha Kitt, Nancy Kovack, Fred Krone, Lou Krugman, Frankie Laine, Fernando Lamas, Dorothy Lamour, Elsa Lanchester, Abbe Lane, Charles Lane, Lauren Lane, Harry Lauter, Norman Leavitt, Gypsy Rose Lee, Ruta Lee, Teri Lee, Peter Leeds, Margaret Leighton, Sheldon Leonard, Art Lewis, Buddy Lewis, Dave Loring, Joanne Ludden,  Ida Lupino, Tina Louise, Paul Lynde, Diana Lynn, James MacArthur, Gisele MacKenzie, Diane McBain, Kevin McCarthy, Bill McClean, Stephen McNally, Elizabeth MacRae, Jayne Mansfield, Hal March, Shary Marshall, Dewey Martin, Marlyn Mason, Hedley Mattingly, Marilyn Maxwell, Virginia Mayo, Patricia Medina, Troy Melton, Burgess Meredith, Una Merkel, Dina Merrill, Torben Meyer, Barbara Michaels, Robert Middleton, Vera Miles, Sal Mineo, Mary Ann Mobley, Alan Mowbray, Ricardo Montalbán, Elizabeth Montgomery, Ralph Moody, Alvy Moore, Terry Moore, Agnes Moorehead, Anne Morell, Rita Moreno, Byron Morrow, Jan Murray, Ken Murray, George Nader, J. Carrol Naish, Bek Nelson, Gene Nelson, David Niven, Chris Noel, Kathleen Nolan, Sheree North, Louis Nye, Arthur O'Connell, Quinn O'Hara, Susan Oliver, Debra Paget, Janis Paige, Nestor Paiva, Luciana Paluzzi, Julie Parrish, Fess Parker, Suzy Parker, Bert Parks, Harvey Parry, Hank Patterson, Joan Patrick, Nehemiah Persoff, Walter Pidgeon, Zasu Pitts, Edward Platt, Juliet Prowse, Eddie Quillan, Louis Quinn, Basil Rathbone, Aldo Ray, Martha Raye, Gene Raymond, Peggy Rea, Philip Reed, Carl Reiner, Stafford Repp, Paul Rhone, Paul Richards, Don Rickles, Will Rogers Jr., Ruth Roman, Cesar Romero, Mickey Rooney, Gena Rowlands, Charlie Ruggles, Janice Rule, Soupy Sales, Hugh Sanders, Tura Satana, Telly Savalas, John Saxon, Lizabeth Scott, Lisa Seagram, Pilar Seurat, William Shatner, Karen Sharpe, James Shigeta, Nina Shipman, Susan Silo, Johnny Silver, Nancy Sinatra, The Smothers Brothers, Joanie Sommers, Joan Staley, Jan Sterling, Elaine Stewart, Jill St. John, Dean Stockwell, Gale Storm, Susan Strasberg, Inger Stratton, Amzie Strickland, Gil Stuart, Grady Sutton, Kay Sutton, Gloria Swanson, Russ Tamblyn. Don Taylor, Dub Taylor, Vaughn Taylor, Irene Tedrow, Terry-Thomas, Ginny Tiu, Dan Tobin, Forrest Tucker, Tom Tully, Jim Turley, Lurene Tuttle, Ann Tyrrell, Miyoshi Umeki, Mamie van Doren, Deborah Walley, Sandra Warner, David Wayne, Ray Weaver, Lennie Weinrib, Dawn Wells, Delores Wells, Rebecca Welles, Jack Weston, David White, James Whitmore, Michael Wilding, Annazette Williams, Dave Willock, Chill Wills, Marie Wilson, Nancy Wilson, Sandra Wirth, Ed Wynn, Keenan Wynn, Dana Wynter, Celeste Yarnall, Francine York.

[haveyoureadthispoll]

In this spectacular saga as radiant, thrilling, and beguiling as Hollywood itself, Adriana Trigiani takes us back to Tinsel Town’s golden age—an era as brutal as it was resplendent—and into the complex and glamorous world of a young actress hungry for fame and success. With meticulous, beautiful detail, Trigiani paints a rich, historical landscape of 1930s Los Angeles, where European and American artisans flocked to pursue the ultimate dream: to tell stories on the silver screen. The movie business is booming in 1935 when twenty-one-year-old Loretta Young meets thirty-four-year-old Clark Gable on the set of The Call of the Wild. Though he’s already married, Gable falls for the stunning and vivacious young actress instantly. Far from the glittering lights of Hollywood, Sister Alda Ducci has been forced to leave her convent and begin a new journey that leads her to Loretta. Becoming Miss Young’s assistant, the innocent and pious young Alda must navigate the wild terrain of Hollywood with fierce determination and a moral code that derives from her Italian roots. Over the course of decades, she and Loretta encounter scandal and adventure, choose love and passion, and forge an enduring bond of love and loyalty that will be put to the test when they eventually face the greatest obstacle of their lives. Anchored by Trigiani’s masterful storytelling that takes you on a worldwide ride of adventure from Hollywood to the shores of southern Italy, this mesmerizing epic is, at its heart, a luminous tale of the most cherished ties that bind. Brimming with larger-than-life characters both real and fictional—including stars Spencer Tracy, Myrna Loy, David Niven, Hattie McDaniel and more—it is it is the unforgettable story of one of cinema’s greatest love affairs during the golden age of American movie making.

[jonfucius]

Great Star Trek Rewatch - The Animated Series S1

Originally posted on Twitter 8 January 2021 - 11 January 2021

Star Trek: The Animated Series Season 1 is up next in my Great Star Trek Rewatch. As with ENT, DSC, STX, and TOS, mini-reviews will document my progress.

Beyond the Farthest Star: Immediately establishing the creative possibilities the animation format affords, this is a solid re-introduction to our live-action heroes. The alien's pleas at the end are truly pitiful and sad. 7/10

Yesteryear: The single best episode of TAS, bar none. Tightly scripted and well acted, it shows how TAS could be more mature and complex than its other cartoon contemporaries. 10/10

One of Our Planets is Missing: A nice callback to TOS with Bob Wesley, this episode is otherwise reminiscent of “The Immunity Syndrome.” Again, the animated format allows for expanded vistas and areas of the Enterprise we never got to see on TOS. 7/10

The Lorelei Signal: Uhura and Chapel get their moment in the proverbial center seat, but this episode is let down by the sexist reinterpretation of the Sirens from Homer’s epic. 5/10

More Tribbles, More Trouble: A direct sequel to a TOS classic, featuring the original Cyrano Jones himself, and the return of Koloth (sadly, not voiced by William Campbell), written by David Gerrold, this is a solid TAS entry with classic TOS energy. 8/10

The Survivor: A poignant love story crossed with Romulan intrigue outweighs the abrupt tonal shift of the tag, and the cliché of having Carter Winston’s fiancée coincidentally aboard the Enterprise. A great vocal performance by Ted Knight adds to the score. 7/10

The Infinite Vulcan: Walter Koenig’s script really takes advantage of the animated format: giant clones, plant-based life forms, etc. I’ve always had a soft spot for this one, from childhood. 7/10

The Magicks of Megas-tu: Besides providing Swear Trek with nigh-limitless material, this episode has a fairly provocative denouement. No other mid-70s animated show would tackle God, the Devil, and Salem in 25 minutes. Magic being real is inconsistent with TOS, however. 6/10

Once Upon a Planet: A sequel to TOS “Shore Leave,” we learn more about the mysterious planet, and Uhura gets some things to do besides operating the communication console. Kirk talks down yet another computer. I’m not a fan of “Shore Leave,” so I’m not high on this outing. 5/10

Mudd’s Passion: Harry Mudd on TOS is a mixed bag: expertly performed (here, once again by the late Roger C. Carmel), but gross and misogynistic. While I applaud bringing Carmel and writer Stephen Kandel back, I don’t like this one, except for its camp value. 5/10

The Terratin Incident: Only in animated format could our heroes be convincingly shrunk. This episode establishes that the transporter can reverse or cure most maladies, something seen again in TAS, and then several more times in the Berman era. 6/10

The Time Trap: Shades of “Day of the Dove,” wherein our heroes must work with the Klingons to get back to our reality. Wisely, the Bonaventure is more or less retconned out in First Contact. The starship graveyard and Elysian Council are great concepts. 7/10

The Ambergris Element: Another planetary disaster story so soon on the heels of “The Terratin Incident” feels repetitive. While it’s fun to see the aquashuttle and the scouter gig, I’m not sure what the point of this one was. At least it embraces the animation format. 4/10

The Slaver Weapon: The only official crossover with another franchise (Larry Niven’s Known Space) in Trek’s long history. A solid script and interesting backstory is only held back by the half-hour runtime. 8/10

The Eye of the Beholder: Shades of “The Cage,” though the unaired pilot did more with the criticism of incarceration than this TAS installment. It’s ultimately forgettable, which is an even worse fate than being memorably awful. 3/10

The Jihad: A problematic title for an episode that most closely resembles the excellent late TNG two-parter “Gambit.” Again, excellent use of the animated format, but constrained by the brief runtime. 5/10

And with that, Season 1 of TAS comes to an end in my Great Star Trek Rewatch. Final score: 6.25/10. Highest score(s): “Yesteryear.” Lowest score(s): “The Eye of the Beholder.”

[allthemusic]

Week ending: 13th June

No comments this week. Just... no comments. You'll see why :(

Around the World - Ronnie Hilton (peaked at Number 4)

Well, Ronnie's back. It's been a little while, hasn't it? Luckily, this is a perfectly pleasant outing, if a little slow and sappy.

It's apparently from the 1956 film Around the World in 80 Days, the David Niven adaptation of Jules Verne's adventure classic. Though the version from the film was instrumental, with lyrics only added later on. So the lyrics don't reflect anything specific from the film, more a general sense of travel and adventure.

It's all about a special someone that Ronnie's been looking for all around the world, hoping to see them again, but not quite sure if or where he's going to find them. Heck, he seems a little confused even where he saw them the first time, noting that It might have been in County Down, / Or in New York, or gay Paree, / Or even London town. It's... not a particularly exotic list of places, honestly. New York is at least far away from the others, but really, the lyric-writer could have leant into the "around the world" idea more.

Either way, it doesn't matter, because Ronnie is done travelling, anyway: No more will I go all around the world / For I have found my world in you. Which is a cute sentiment, but in a film that's about the joy of travelling, it's a little bit of a letdown. Wouldn't it be even cuter if they travelled the world together? I'm nitpicking, though - it's sweet, I guess, and reasonably clever.

Apart from this, Ronnie's version of the song is slow and syrupy, with a waltz rhythm, an rather French-sounding accordion at one point, some very dramatic backing singers, and some strings so thick you could spread them on toast like jam. The overall effect is a bit much, to put it lightly. Thankfully, it dies back a bit while Ronnie's singing, but even then, it's overpowering when it comes back between verses.

Oh well, there are two other songs this week, maybe one of them will be a little more to my taste...

Around the World - Gracie Fields (8)

Oh. Okay. Another version of the song that I didn't love, this time by an artist even more old-fashioned than Ronnie. Lovely. Just what I wanted.

Gracie Fields, to me, feels like she belongs in a completely different era to rock and roll artists like Elvis and Little Richrad. Born in Lancashire in 1898, she was already a film and stage star in the 1930s, and after a breakdown in 1939, she recovered and went on to be a forces' sweetheart-type singer throughout the 1940s with ENSA (the UK's organisation who organised performances for the troops to keep morale up). She's not as iconic as maybe Vera Lynn, who's pretty much synonymous with World War Two, but she feels like a product of the same era, and definitely not somebody you'd expect to see in the charts in the late-ish 1950s!

I guess a lot of people probably had nostalgic memories of her and liked her stuff enough to buy it - we still have artists of the 1980s and 1990s or 2000s hitting the charts nowadays, so it's not actually that wild to think that some people were still Gracie fans at this point. I'd just never really thought about it. I think it helps that the song's also quite an old-fashioned one, a sort of pre-rock and roll ballad that could have been a hit any time from 1952 onwards, and probably considerably before then. The film it's from is set in 1872, so I can see the virtue of using a song that sounds a bit less modern, a bit more familiar and old-fashioned, and even having a slightly older artist covering it. There's a logic to it, it just surprised me, I guess, when I saw Gracie's name?

All this to avoid saying much about her version of this particular song, because honestly... at the end of the day, it's not that different to Ronnie's. Gracie's performance is a little more mannered, her pronunciation of "Paree" sounds a little more French, the strings are a little smoother and more polished, the backing singers have really ramped things up, plus there's now a prominent chiming sound going on throughout, but there's not much else to say that hasn't already been said, and certainly nothing that's actually interesting.

Oh well, at least we've got a third song. Maybe it'll be a little more... oh, you're kidding! Really?!

Around the World (In Eighty Days) - Bing Crosby (5)

From one slightly old-fashioned artist to another. Bing also feels like an artist who's had his henyday. He's not quite a relic in the way that Gracie feels like a relic, but he's still an artist who I imagine at his best in the 1940s, not the 50s.

That said, I quite like this version. Unlike Ronnie and Gracie, Bing plays it quite cool throughout, with instrumentation that, if not minimal, is at least a lot less intense than either of the other versions'. We start with a piano instroduction that's almost jazzy, and then a little flute line before Bing comes in, and the slightly jazzy vibes only continue throughout. There are strings, still - what's a 1950s film soundtrack without strings? - but they're kept thankfully to a minimum. Plus we briefly get a piano solo in the middle that's accompanied by these rather lovely runs of tumbling strings and clarinets going up and down along with it. It's serene, and again, just the slightest hint of jazz in one key chord. It also breaks the song up nicely, so there's that.

Bing's voice, when it comes in, is soft, and deeper than Ronnie's, and the vibe, with his singing, is pretty mellow. He sounds relaxed, like a man who's finally found the person he's travelled the world looking for should sound. There's something appealingly conversational about the way he sings, much less mannered than either Ronnie or Gracie. Or maybe it's just the American accent smoothing things over, making him sound smoother than he is. Either way, it's an improvement.

I don't know if this is actually a good song in isolation, or if this version just feels like it in contrast to the other ones I've heard. I suspect the latter, honestly. I'm drifting off a bit to it. Time to go listen to other songs, methinks.

Hard to tell if it's Bing's voice, his choice of instruments or just his general American glitz that makes it work, but it's definitely the best version of this song. Not that I dislike any of them too much. They're fine, but Bing's version definitely stands out, just in terms of pure quality and listenability.

Favourite song of the bunch: Around the World (In Eighty Days)

[mayamidnightmelody]

Sharon Tate: A Life and Legacy Cut Short

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Sharon Marie Tate was born on January 24, 1943, in Dallas, Texas. She was the eldest of three daughters to Paul James Tate, a United States Army officer, and Doris Gwendolyn Willett. Her father's military career required the family to move frequently, which led to Sharon spending parts of her childhood in various cities across the United States and Europe. Despite the instability, Tate's striking beauty and charismatic presence were evident from a young age, and she began participating in beauty pageants, winning her first title at the age of six months.

Rise to Stardom

Tate's entry into the world of entertainment began with small television roles in the early 1960s. She appeared in shows such as "The Beverly Hillbillies" and "Mister Ed," which showcased her talent and helped her gain recognition in Hollywood. Her big break came in 1966 when she was cast in the film "Eye of the Devil," where she starred alongside David Niven and Deborah Kerr. This role marked the beginning of her rise in the film industry.

In 1967, Tate's performance in "Valley of the Dolls" brought her widespread attention. The film, based on Jacqueline Susann's best-selling novel, was a commercial success, and Tate's portrayal of the doomed actress Jennifer North earned her critical acclaim. Despite mixed reviews for the film itself, Tate's talent and screen presence were undeniable, establishing her as a rising star.

Personal Life and Marriage

Sharon Tate's personal life was as captivating as her career. In 1968, she married the controversial and avant-garde film director Roman Polanski. The couple met while working on the film "The Fearless Vampire Killers" in 1966 and quickly fell in love. Their marriage was a high-profile event, celebrated by Hollywood insiders and covered extensively by the media. Tate and Polanski were considered one of the most glamorous couples of the 1960s, epitomizing the era's free-spirited and creative ethos.

The Manson Family Murders

Tragically, Sharon Tate's life was cut short in one of the most infamous and brutal crimes of the 20th century. On August 8, 1969, while heavily pregnant with her first child, Tate was murdered by members of the Manson Family, a cult led by Charles Manson. The Manson Family's attack on Tate's home in Benedict Canyon, Los Angeles, resulted in the deaths of Tate and four others: Jay Sebring, Abigail Folger, Wojciech Frykowski, and Steven Parent.

The murders shocked the world and marked the end of the 1960s' era of innocence and optimism. The gruesome details of the crime and the subsequent trial captivated the media and the public, with Sharon Tate becoming a symbol of lost potential and senseless violence.

Legacy

Despite her brief career, Sharon Tate left an indelible mark on Hollywood and popular culture. She is remembered not only for her beauty and talent but also for the tragic and senseless nature of her death. In the years following her murder, Tate's legacy has been kept alive through various tributes and retrospectives. Her life and career have been the subject of numerous documentaries, books, and films, ensuring that her memory endures.

Roman Polanski, devastated by the loss of his wife and unborn child, dedicated his film "Tess" (1979) to Tate. The film, an adaptation of Thomas Hardy's novel "Tess of the d'Urbervilles," was one that Tate had been passionate about adapting for the screen. Polanski's dedication was a poignant tribute to his late wife and her dreams.

Influence on Modern Culture

Sharon Tate's influence extends beyond her time, impacting contemporary culture and the film industry. Quentin Tarantino's 2019 film "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" offers a fictionalized portrayal of Tate, played by Margot Robbie, and explores the Hollywood of the late 1960s. The film serves as a homage to Tate and a reimagining of the events surrounding her life, allowing audiences to remember her not just for her tragic death but for her vibrant spirit and contributions to cinema.

Tate's story also continues to raise discussions about the darker side of fame and the vulnerabilities of public figures. Her life and death have become cautionary tales, reminding us of the fragility of life and the sometimes perilous intersection of celebrity and real-world dangers.

[hotvintagepoll]

Propaganda

Dolores del Río (Flying Down to Rio, Flor silvestre)—to begin with, dolores is so RADIANTLY BEAUTIFUL, even more so in action then in images, its like she emits a literal glow. marlene dietrich (a close friend and rumored lover) considered her "the most beautiful woman who ever set foot in hollywood". she was the first mexican actress to become a major success in hollywood, rising to fame in the silent era and becoming an influential icon of beauty and glamor in the art deco age, though she was not thrilled with the exoticizing parts often pushed on her. in the mid 1940s having tired of the controlling hollywood studio system she returned to mexico, saying "I wish to choose my own stories, my own director and cameraman. I can accomplish this better in mexico", and proceeded to become a pivotal figure in the golden age of mexican cinema, making a string of masterpieces with directir emilio fernández and cinematographer gabriel figueroa. i love this anecdote about the insane art deco mansion she and her then-husband cedric gibbons lived in in the 30s, as related by david niven: "Dolores had a large sunny room on the first floor containing a huge and inviting bed. Gibbons lived in comparative squalor in a small room immediately below. The only connection between these rooms was by way of a stepladder, which could be lowered only when a trapdoor in the floor of Dolores room had been raised. There was a long stick with which, we conjectured, he signaled his intention or hopes by rapping out signals on the floor of his wife’s bedchamber." heres a pinterest album with a billion hot pictures of her

Fay Wray (King Kong)— the original scream queen!! she started acting in silent comedies as a teenager and got her first big break when erich von stroheim cast her as the lead in the wedding march. her career started to take off starring in silent movies at paramount, and she survived the transition to sound smoothly - josef von sternberg’s weird proto-noir thunderbolt was one of her first sound films. she began to make horror movies in the early 1930s, such as doctor x and mystery of the wax museum, both filmed in beautiful two-strip technicolor (which looked like this if you're curious. i just think it's neat!), as well as the vampire bat, the most dangerous game, and of course the boy himself, king kong. a little on how she worked with her most famous costar: “Although Kong appeared huge, the full figure was a model covered with rabbit hair, standing only 18 inches tall, that was filmed one frame at a time by stop-motion photography artist Willis O'Brien and his crew. The 5ft 3in Wray only knew one part of the ape's body when she was grasped in an articulated 8ft long hand. Hence the title of her 1989 autobiography, On The Other Hand. ‘I would stand on the floor,’ she recalled, ‘and they would bring this arm down and cinch it around my waist, then pull me up in the air. Every time I moved, one of the fingers would loosen, so it would look like I was trying to get away. Actually, I was trying not to slip through his hand.’” (link)

This is round 2 of the tournament. All other polls in this bracket can be found here. Please reblog with further support of your beloved hot sexy vintage woman.

[additional propaganda submitted under the cut.]

Dolores del Rio:

There's so much! She started in Silent films and successfully transitioned to sound, She is the first woman to wear a two piece swimsuit on screen & popularized the bikini!, She transitioned back to Mexican Cinema in the late 1940s and was a leading lady of the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema including staring in Maria Candelaria--the first Mexican film to win the palm d'Or at Cannes. She was literally studied for her beauty & was considered a beauty ideal in both the USA & Mexico--there's a whole section on her Wikipedia page about how beautiful everyone thinks she was. She never actually had a feud with any of the female stars she was rumored to feud with despite the fact that press & Hollywood culture attempted to pain them in competition... She remained a leader in Mexican theater & Cinema through her own production company. Mexican painter Diego Rivera: "The most beautiful, the most gorgeous of the west, east, north and south. I'm in love with her as 40 million Mexicans and 120 million Americans who can't be wrong" (quote source: Wikipedia)

*fan self* Leading actress in silents and early Hollywood. Lover of Orson Welles until she got fed up with him, friend of Diego Rivera and Frieda Kahlo. When she got tired of Hollywood executives typecasting her as a stereotypical spitfire (and trying to force her to feud with Lupe Velez as a publicity stunt), she ditched Hollywood and became a major star of Mexican cinema, where she got to play rounded characters

Had a career in American cinema in the 20s and 30s and considered one of the most important figures in the Golden Age of Mexican cinema (30s to 50s).

Marlene Dietrich said Dolores was the most beautiful woman to set foot in Hollywood

Joan Crawford: "Dolores became, and remains, as one of the most beautiful stars in the world."

One of the few Latin American women working in the Hollywood industry to make it big not just in hre home country but internationally. In 1931, Photoplay magazine declared that Mexican film actress Dolores del Rio had the "best figure in Hollywood." (which I know not necessarily a good barometer) but! it shows that many people looked at her for her beauty and sought to emulate her. Famous for her years-long love affair with actor and director Orson Welles, who was 10 years her junior if that's anything.

We need more hispanic representation in this!! Del Río is one of the most important actresses of her time as she was one of the first Mexican movie stars to break through to Hollywood! She’s unbelievably sexy and an absolute icon. Thank you :)

Fay Wray:

Actress prominently known for starring in horror, she was one of cinema's original "scream queens". She knocks it out of the park whenever she's with the horror genre, bringing a depth and likability to characters that would other be flat and boring characters.

An early scream queen, name me another woman who could look so beautiful while so disheveled and scared for her life

She was name-dropped not once but TWICE in the Rocky Horror Picture Show. She's arguably the original Scream Queen.

[frenchcurious]

La Bentley S1 Continental Coupé de 1956 de David Niven. - source Cars & Motorbikes Stars of the Golden era.

[illustraction]

DUEL IN THE SUN (1946) - GREGORY PECK MOVIE POSTERS (Part 1/10)

This 10 part Blog honors the legendary Hollywood actor, GREGORY PECK who during 58 movies shot between 1943 and 1998, embodied and portrayed US heroism and nobility. Peck was nominated for 4 Oscars and won in 1961 for his role as Atticus Finch in To Kill A Mockingbird. Yet it is his action movies (Western, War, thrillers) which defined him as one of the greatest actors of the Hollywood era.

The Blog focuses on those and we start with his best Western and one of the most visually amazing cinematography in the epic 1946 Western co-starring Jennifer Jones and Joseph Cotten.

Above are various rare original posters from Italy, Japan and Sweden (click on each poster for detail)

Director: J. Lee Thompson Actors: Gregory Peck, Stanley Baker, James Darren, David Niven, Irene Papas, Anthony Quinn

All our Gregory Peck posters are here

If you like this entry, check the other 9 parts of this week’s Blog as well as our Blog Archives

All our NEW POSTERS are here

All our ON SALE posters are here

The posters above courtesy of ILLUSTRACTION GALLERY

[postersdecinema]

Mãezinha à Força

EUA, 1939

Garson Kanin

8/10

Era uma vez

Bachelor Mother é uma daquelas comédias românticas, escrita na boa tradição da farsa, que fizeram a delícia das audiências das décadas de 30 e 40 do século passado e ainda fazem.

Pode não ser a mais dinâmica, a mais hilariante, a mais loucamente romântica das screwball comedies dos thirties, mas está bem escrita, bem dirigida pelo argumentista/realizador Garston Kanin e bem interpretada pela sempre carismática Ginger Rogers, o simpático galã David Niven e o incontornável Charles Coburn, presença habitual e quase imprescindível destas obras que preenchem o imaginário coletivo de sucessivas gerações de cinéfilos.

Altamente recomendável.

Once upon a time

Bachelor Mother is one of those romantic comedies, written in the good tradition of farce, that delighted audiences in the 30s and 40s of the last century, and still do.

It may not be the most dynamic, the most hilarious, the most wildly romantic of the thirties' screwball comedies, but it is well written, well directed by screenwriter/director Garston Kanin and well acted by the always charismatic Ginger Rogers, the friendly heartthrob David Niven and the unavoidable Charles Coburn, a habitual and almost essential presence in these works that fill the collective imagination of successive generations of cinephiles.

Highly recommended.

[angelariasdominguez]

§ 3.115. El otro amor (André De Toth, 1947)

 

Melodrama clásico de un director luego experimentado rodador de Western. Novela de Eric María Remarque, que desconocía que tuviera un relato de este tipo, casi melodramático.

Clásico triángulo amoroso en el que el vértice es la mujer. Bien tratado, bien narrado, un melodrama ortodoxo lleno de emocionalidad y energía.

Ver a Bárbara Stanwych es toda una delicia, una mujer guapa de verdad, con esa belleza clásica pero atrevida, grande ante las cámaras como ninguna otra, con una sonrisa de fuego, angelical pero peligrosa. Está soberbia, frágil y vulnerable pero de un encanto arrollador.

David Niven tiene esa galanura de hombre maduro con un pasado lleno de vida, de experiencias. Incluso joven parecía un hombre pasado de años, con experiencias vitales y siempre con un pasado dolorosa en las relaciones amorosas. Le tengo por el galán al que la chica deja plantado por otra mejor opción, como sucede en esta película.

Richard Conte en su papel de siempre, viviendo al límite, en el filo de la vida, Don Juan arrebatador, racial y con una fisicidad muy peculiar, no es musculoso, ni siquiera estaba fuerte o era grande. Ni siquiera era alto, pero tenía una magia especial con la cámara.