Can't Help Lovin' That Man: Antonio Moreno

Okay, so I am going to be completely honest and tell you now that my experience with Mr. Moreno is limited to "It", but because of that film I can appreciate how very attractive he is. I do hope to see "The Temptress" and maybe some of his earlier films if I can find them, but the local library has a very limited selection. If any of you have seen other films with him (Other than "The Creature of the Black Lagoon", please) do let me know where you found them and if/what you enjoyed about them.

Now for some eye candy;

Euphonic Earworms: No Strings

On a different note from this post, here's a more positive take on the single life. It's all about attitude!...

...Oh, who am I kidding. I just want to share some more Fred and Ginger.

I can't embed the version from Top Hat that Fred Astaire dances and sings (and you see some gorgeous sleep/lounge wear on Ginger), but if you click on the image (or here) you'll go to it's YouTube page:

And here's a version sung by Ginger - I just love this one!

- Emily

In the (Moving) Pictures...

A couple of months ago Gracie and a few other friends were awesome and helped me do this somewhat last-minute project. I needed to have a small film project to submit as part of an application, and seeing as I had never made a film, I needed to make one while I still had some actors (meaning: friends still in town) available, and before I left for England. So we (Gracie helped much) threw everything together essentially a few days before the shoot, and it was all great except: the location, Gracie and my old high school, could only lend us the classroom we needed to use for three hours on a Saturday morning. Three hours! If any of you have ever done a scripted shoot before, you will understand that this is a VERY small amount of time (especially when you get musical numbers involved), even for a four minute clip. So, it didn't really turn out as we had planned - when we would do takes and there were mistakes or we just wanted to re-shoot, it just kind of had to be pushed through since we had so little time! Also, I had no previous experience, so it was a major learning curve, and in retrospect there is a lot I would do differently. But alas, it is what it is! Even though it doesn't match my ideal, I'm still pleased that we did it, and really grateful to all of our friends who helped out! 

Also, Gracie is ridiculously awesome. She put up with my, ahem, quirks of directing, and I think she did a really fabulous job of acting, especially when you realize she's never been in front of the camera before (acting, that is). And of course, she's easy on the eyes (she'll be majorly embarrassed that I am saying this..) and looks great as usual, so... give it a watch here if you'd like! Any comments, (constructive) criticism, what have you - it's all appreciated!  

- Emily

Lovely Ladies of the Past: Jean Harlow

I honestly really did not like Jean Harlow a whole lot until a few months ago. I think it was because I only knew the sex-symbol she represented and I resent women like that. Then I started watching her films and became sort of smitten. She is a wonderful actress and is SO, so funny! Even when she plays a slutty manipulative hoe (per Red Headed Woman, which was not the ginger-empowering film I had hoped it would be...) I love her. So now I have a huge girl crush on her... Also, not too sound crude, but HER BODY. Oh my god. I had forgotten about that aspect of her intrigue. It's not a sexual thing for me, but an appreciation for fit, yet very curvy actresses. And really she and Alice Faye are the only ones I can think of that are like this (ok, of my top 6 favorites list, they are....) Also she was pretty short, so that always makes me happy. Also, obviously, men loved her and some (of good taste) still do! This makes me infinitely happy (especially when they're... ehem young good looking men). I will never forgive myself for not giving her a chance sooner!

I have now seen a few of her films and am trying to see most all of them, but Netflix is slow here and I am surprisingly busy. One day I will have seen them all, I swear it! 

For now just ogle over some of my favorite images of her. Some are computer colorized (not by me) and some are black and white. There's a good mix of publicity photos and more candid ones. Hopefully you'll see some you haven't seen or even some you have seen and forgot about and how much you love her! And then you'll love her again. And all will be well with the world.

Millions Like Us (1943)

Currently, I am taking a preservation technology course at school. This class is, essentially, free manual labor on the house we are working on the restoration for. Not that I am complaining, believe me, it is totally awesome. However, because I dress kind of fancy I draw a lot of unwanted attention, especially in this class. For instance the first day of actual work I wore a skirt and heels (ok yes I wore a blouse too, but that is nothing special)... and let me just say that was awkward. It's not even that I feel physically uncomfortable in that sort of attire (I have gotten so used to it that it really makes no difference from trousers and flats,) but everyone kept looking at me like "Did she not get the memo that this is a messy class?" So, the next class I played down my fancy and wore some cream linen slacks I made a couple of springs ago, a button up from goodwill, my (too) well worn oxfords and my hair UNCURLED (not that it made much of a difference to anyone else since I have naturally curly/wavy hair.) I still was questioned about my apparel, but the interactions were a bit more amicable. 

The reason I feel the need to share all of this is because in my quest to put together good labor-wise outfits I remembered I had taken tons of screen shots of "Millions Like Us" for the lovely attire these factory girls wore. Upon reexamination I realized most of the shots were of Patricia Roc's or Anne Crawford's glorious hair styles, which I sadly will never be able to accomplish since my hair is not naturally silky-smooth and will never be such. There are also several shots of out-of-factory outfits. Clearly the reason I am doing this post is not at all about the quality of the film (sorry if you came here for a review) and all about the quality of the styling. I adore all of these looks. I just cannot help it. These women look so incredibly pretty whilst slaving away in a factory (ok on a movie set made to look like a factory, but same thing, right?) and in their down time, despite the limited supply. I guess my point is this; if any of you lot have trouble thinking up outfit/style ideas for when you have to do dirty tasks or feel like being less posh just take a gander at these. Hopefully they will induce some sort of inspiration and you'll be able to put something together!

Patricia Roc being gloomy with such a very pretty hair style.

Side note: Miss Roc is supposed to be the plain girl in this movie, but I cannot figure out how anyone thought she could pass for anything less than stunning. Also, I love her coat.

Carefree (1938)

A few weeks ago, during my reunion with Gracie, I saw Carefree for the first time! Gee had already seen it before, but she gladly re-watched it as one really never tires of Ginger and Fred. 

The movie is actually strange for a Rogers-Astaire pairing in that there are only four songs (five musical numbers, one is a lyrical and then an instrumental version). The small bit of music there was, however, I really enjoyed. And I liked the storyline, it was interesting to see Fred as a psychiatrist/psychologist instead of a professional hoofer! 

I just had to share my favorite bits, for the few of you out there who haven't yet seen it, and for those who have, I'm sure a re-watch would brighten up your day if you're in a rainy part of the world, as I am now!

"I Used to Be Colorblind" - Words cannot express how much I love this number. Definitely in my top favorite F&G numbers! The lyrics are fine, but the part that sets me sighing is the beautiful orchestration and slow-motion dance bit. They are both such beautiful people. And Ginger's dress is perfect for the slo-mo!

"Change Partners" - This is another one I adore. The orchestration gets me again, and Fred's voice! How could Ginger  resist? What's hypnotism to the powers of Fred's charm? Not much, apparently, since she's still under the spell...

"Change Partners (Instrumental)" - My goodness. I must have a thing for dream/hypnotism-induced dancing between this pair, because this one is a really close tie with "Colorblind". The orchestration for this one again (that's not really a thing with me, this movie was just really excellent, more so then usual, in that regard!) and the dancing is just as hypnotic to watch, as it appears to be for Ginger to dance. 

It (1927)

Hi hi hi!

The past few days have been fantastically busy with the reuniting of The Cats and the Berries. Literally. Well, not literally, for as much as I call her a kitten, CJ is still a dog, but we have had lots of berries lately.  Anyway, the cats and berries to which I refer are myself and Emily, respectively. Last Wednesday was the first time we had seen each other in four and a half months! As you can imagine, we have been a bit too thrilled about getting to watch movies together, eat together, see other friends, shop, swim, and sing like there is no tomorrow to think about posting stuff. To make myself feel a little bit better I decided I ought to share with you my new found love of "It". I honestly think it is one of the most enjoyable things I have watch recently (not that I haven't enjoyed the other films I've seen as of late). I thank Netflix for recently adding a ton of silent films I've been dying to see (mostly Mr. Keaton's work) to instant watch! It worked out quite well that I discovered this the other night after dear Emily got violently ill and I was forbidden from her bed (which normally we share ... not in a weird way, mind you).  So I ended up alone in the guest room with no chatter nor ludicrous stories to entertain me and I took full advantage of finally having a bedroom with internet. Of course Netflix was where I went first because I abuse it like a crack whore abuses... well, crack, I expect. Anyway I ADORED "It", and Clara Bow, despite her horrendous hair do's in this film (no offense if you like them, I just find them odd and unflattering). Oh and super-mega-hot-man Antonio Moreno, who plays her love interest. I mean this man is my type (physically), plain and simple. Even though he has a mustache, I can overlook that. Very, very easily. I hope if you haven't seen this film and hope to that you do soon, and if you have seen it I hope you liked it as much as I.

Just so you know what "it" is.

hunk

A Wonderful Weekend & Down Argentine Way

Hello all!

This past weekend was grand, with lots of vintage-related goodness packed in and some merrymaking (that involved lots of yummy food, always a plus) with friends last night. 

Saturday I had a shoot that was somewhat hastily planned with a girl I know from work - me taking the pictures, of course (I say this because if you know me, you know how I get extremely uncomfortable in front of the camera - behind it, however, is where I love to be). I just had this urge to play dress up with somebody, and Emily (yes, we have the same name, but that's not too exciting since it's the most popular girl's name for people born in the 90's) is pretty and has this really long wavy hair I was dying to vintage-ify, so I thought, hey, lets do a little vintage inspired shoot! It's been ages since I took pictures so I was a bit nervous that my "technique" would be rusty, and it was, but practice makes perfect, right? I went over to her place the night before and pin-curled her hair, then came over on Saturday and did her hair, makeup, and brought some clothing, and away we went! She was actually really great, even though she'd never done a shoot before - no awkwardness, really relaxed, so that was great. I'll try and edit some soon... I need to get Photoshop but for now I'll have to make do with Gimp.

On Sunday I got up early and headed out to the SoWa Open Market that happens every Sunday in Boston, because it's located right by Bobby's and the market also has a market-within-a-market vintage section, and it's been weeks since I last went. And boy, did I hit the jackpot (and my wallet... really hard. Meh.)! More on that in a later post. 

Then I came home, took a cold shower (something I have to do all the time here, it being so hot and humid and my apartment with no A/C), and hunkered down with baking for a friend's dinner party that night, where everyone was supposed to bring a little food/drink to contribute. I made a cheese & croissants recipe I learned from Gee, and then made chocolate croissants too, but those were an utter flop as the chocolate I used was wayyyy to bitter. Not bittersweet. Just plain bitter.

But the party was a blast, lots of good food, good people, good times. 

Anyway, if you haven't dozed off by now, I'll leave you with some pictures from Down Argentine Way (1940) with Betty Grable and Don Ameche, which I watched a few days ago, and really loved, not that I'm surprised! There was some marvelous fashion in this film, and Technicolor never fails to dazzle me!

First up: there was some really cute sportswear and equestrian clothing in this film!

Betty Grable at the races. 

Can't Help Lovin' That Man: James Stewart

Greetings all!

Here begins a new series, on the men Gee & I adore from afar - across time and space and TV screens. Mostly actors and musicians from the eras we love most, we'll share a bit about why we love them, and add plenty of pictures to give you the visual evidence to convince you that you should like them too!

College Swing

Okay, so I often add movies to my netflix queue solely because actors I love are in very minor parts in them and I enjoy seeing stars pre-stardom. This is why I added College Swing (1938) to my queue. It has a not yet famous Betty Grable and John Payne so I just had to see it. And ohmygod. I loved it. Bits of it where a little too slapstick-y for my normal taste, but all in all it was really enjoyable. I hadn't realized how much I love Bob Hope until I saw it, too. The film is on the same DVD as The Big Broadcast of 1938 so here are some shots I got of each (but mostly College Swing.) If you like comedies, adorable people and dramatic irony I highly recommend this movie. The Big Broadcast however.. meh it was okay. I'd say watch it just because you can, I guess.

Betty Grable being amazing and beautiful.

Just change that last name and this could very well belong to me.

Gracie and Bob 

Whatcha Gonna Do Now?

Here's a cute and funny musical number from the short film Service With a Smile (1934), which I watched in it's entirety on YouTube a few months ago, but can't find anymore. This little song clip, which I suppose is called "Whatcha Gonna Do Now?" is not only charming and a bit intentionally silly, but it features some really cute outfits on the ladies! And one fella wears a cheerful mint green suit and tie.

Once again, blogger wouldn't let me embed the video! So click on the picture to watch it on YouTube. Or click here, in case it doesn't link properly.

- Emily

Imitation(s) of Life: 1934 & 1959

A few months ago I watched both versions of Imitation of Life. At the time they were both available on Netflix Instant (now only the 1959 version is). Since this story/both movies are very famous, I won't tell you too much about it plot-wise, but here's my little review: I do highly recommend both films. Neither are very politically correct, which isn't surprising considering the subject matter and the eras in which they were dealing with it, but they are both entertaining and tell an interesting story if you keep in mind the times and are able to separate the medium from the message (as Lauren so perfectly put it when describing watching The Sheik). I watched the 1934 version first, and the next day, I was still thinking about the story, so I sat down and watched the 1959 version. What I noticed in terms of distribution of offensiveness, was that the 1934 version was more racist, and the 1959 version was more sexist (though both films have plenty of both).
Now to talk about some of the good points of the films:

Imitation of Life (1934), starring Claudette Colbert.
I've got a major girl-crush on Claudette Colbert, so in my opinion her presence alone gives this version major points. And of course she was great as usual. In general this film was engaging, and the characters pull you in enough to snag tears and laughs from you more than a few times.
Louise Beavers, playing the black maid Delilah Johnson opposite Colbert's Beatrice Pullman, was widely praised at the time of the film's release for a fine performance, but I can't say I loved it - not because she was necessarily a bad actress, but because despite the fact that her character was relatively developed compared to other roles for black actors at the time, the character is still a racist caricature (this wasn't her fault - of course she would've been directed to act this way).
Fredi Washington, who plays Delilah's daughter Peola, was absolutely gorgeous and portrayed the terrible anxiety and anger of her character very affectingly. Washington actually has a very interesting life story: She had a very rocky relationship with Hollywood, since she proudly defined herself as a black woman despite the fact that most people thought she looked white. She arguably lost chances at stardom due to racism and her refusal to pretend to be white, saying that success and fame wasn't worth the insult of having to deny one's identity/heritage. Her bravery in the face of racism and strong sense of self in general is admirable, but it's a shame she didn't get to do more pictures.
The last of the four main women, Rochelle Hudson as Jessie Pullman, was probably the least affecting, but mainly because her character is so unsympathetic. But Hudson plays it off well enough that you don't hate her, you just find her kind of annoying and naive (for falling in love with her mother's boyfriend). Also, she is delightfully adorable and wears a few cute outfits, which always helps!

Now for a few pictures from this film, mainly of pretty close-ups and cute outfits (though the clothing was not really a main feature, as you can see by the lack of full-length "look at the the pretty clothing" shots):

Lovely Claudette.

Artist Feature: John Miehle

I didn't learn John Miehle's name until recently, but I've known many of his images for awhile (and I'm sure lots of you will recognize some of them too). He was a still photographer for a ton of movies in the 30s and 40s, but according to his IMDb page, he was uncredited for almost all of them! I can't figure out why this was - perhaps this has to do with the different style of crediting in older films, and it didn't become standard to mention a film's still photographer until later? Anyway, he did the stills/publicity shots for a lot of really well-known and awesome films - Top Hat, Flying Down to Rio, Kitty Foyle, Stage Door, Swing Time, Follow the Fleet, Bachelor Mother, Vivacious Lady - and to point out a very obvious trend, was apparently attached by the hip to Ginger Rogers, career-wise! Seriously, go take a look at his IMDb page, and you'll see almost every movie Ginger did in the 30s, he was a still photographer for! Was she personally employing him? Anybody who can explain this, or who can say with certainty that it was purely coincidence or that they happened to work well together, let me know! Again the internet is pretty sparse with info on him.

Anyway, he did work on non-Ginger films - Rain, with Joan Crawford (some images from this displayed here), and Rope with Jimmy Stewart, for example. I've only included images of his that I saw were explicitly described as being his own, since I don't know if perhaps more than one still photographer was employed in the aforementioned films. Let me know if I've credited something incorrectly.

And now for his lovely images of beautiful people. Enjoy!

Stunning portrait. I don't normally think Joan Crawford is super beautiful, but this image is something else. 

Ziegfeld Girl (1941)

I haven't got much time to lurk around the blogoverse over the next few days as I've got my final coming up and need to get crackin' on my final project. But, here's a photo-heavy post (seriously... a lot of photos) with some camera-taken captures of Ziegfeld Girl, from 1941.

I watched this movie months ago, and I love it. It's absolutely in my Top 5 Favorite Movies. It has a great, talented, super-beautiful-even-for-Hollywood cast (Lana Turner, Judy Garland, Jimmy Stewart, Hedy Lamarr, to name the most famous faces), and the story is fast paced and busy, following the lives of three women who become Ziegfeld Girls, played by Turner, Garland, and Lamarr. Lana Turner's character gets the most screen time, but Judy's story is also pretty well detailed. During a pep talk before all three girls' debut in a Ziegfeld show, they are told that there are many fates of a Ziegfeld Girl. I can't remember exactly what was said, but the jist was: some will make good and become a huge success; some will find they'd rather sacrifice the theatre and success for love; and some will let their fame go to their head and quickly burn out. As it turns out, each girl plays out one of these three scenarios.

Though it was meant to be set in the 1920s, the costuming was totally inaccurate, but it didn't bother me since it was still full of beautiful styles appropriate to 1941. Click on the images to enlarge... Enjoy!

Jimmy Stewart, my favorite actor, and Lana Turner, looking dramatic. 

State Fair (1945)

Gracie here (finally)! I rented State Fair (1945) from Netflix a few weeks ago not expecting a whole lot since I added it to my queue on a whim, but I ended up really enjoying it! Though I could have done without the oddly prolonged hog-love subplot. Here are some shots I got of it with my camera since Macs don't allow screenshots for DVDs.

If you're wondering, she's not punching him in the face. I just liked her top a lot. 

All of the peasant tops in this film just made me love them more. 

Going Hollywood (1933)

Due to the wonders of TiVo, a few weeks ago I watched Going Hollywood (1933) on TCM, starring the beautiful Marion Davies and Bing Crosby. 

Davies and Crosby - a still from one of the musical numbers. This one isn't mine - I found it on Google. 

It was light, cute, annoying in parts (why does she like Bing’s character? He’s a bit of a jerk! But you have to allow some suspension of disbelief in order for the inevitable reunion in the end to be bearable), but overall a fun movie – Patsy Kelly was great as usual as Davies’ wise-cracking friend. What especially did it for me was the costuming – there were some real stunners in this movie. I wasn’t able to get a good shot of the nightgown Davies was wearing at the beginning (sometimes you really just have to see something in motion to get a good feel for how it looks), but I tried to take a snap with my camera anytime something beautiful caught my eye – be it an outfit, face, whatever. I’ve actually got a few movies I’ve done this with – used my camera to photograph the screen during pretty scenes, which I will share over the next few weeks. Anyway, please excuse the weird look of a photographed TV screen – it’s the only way I know how to get an image off of my TV or computer when I can’t take a screen shot. As always, click on the image to get the highest resolution.