If I Had to Keep 4 | Guest: Sophie

New series, guys:  If I Had to Keep 4. Basically, they are those 4 pieces of memorabilia that are the most special to you, those you would run to save in a fire or an alien attack. Those items you would keep above everything else.

Our first guest is Sophie from the lovely and always entertaining movie blog Waitin' On a Sunny Day. See what she would keep, next:

(Click to enlarge)

1. The first item I would keep is my old VHS of The King and I. My Aunty gave it to me as a Christmas present when I was 5 or 6, just after I had discovered and fallen in love with the film. It's been played hundreds of times and the quality isn't that good any more but this film was my introduction to classic film and Deborah Kerr so I won't ever get rid of it! 

2. The second item I would keep is my signed Greer Garson letter. The signature on photo is a pre-print but the signature on the letter is genuine. In the letter Greer talks about filming Blossoms in the Dust, so it must be from around 1941, and you can really hear her voice when you read it... it's wonderful! I would want keep this because Greer is my absolute favourite actress next to Deborah and I feel so lucky to own something that she sent to a fellow fan, albeit 70 years ago, who probably loved and admired her just as much as I do! 

3. My third item to keep would have to be my framed photograph of Deborah. My brother gave it to me for Christmas 4 years ago (I think) and it's been on my wall ever since. I was so thrilled when I received it that I actually sat and hugged it for a while - don't laugh! ;D I would save this because, besides it being a gorgeous photo of Deborah, my brother gave it to me which makes it all the more special.

4. The last thing I would keep is, you guessed it, another Deborah item. It's a beautiful autographed photo that I was lucky enough to win on eBay last year. It wasn't going for as much as the autographs without specific dedications but that doesn't bother me really; I'm just glad to have it and I will always cherish it!

Thanks a gazillion Sophie for this wonderful guest post! I hope you guys enjoyed this entry as much as I did! If you want to be part of this series, just send me an e-mail to kfercovic [at] gmail [dot] com. Have a great weekend! I love exclamation marks!

PS: Forgot to thank Clarabela & Sophie for helping me to pick the name of the series; and Becky for coming up with the definitive one :)

Julia Misbehaves (1948)...does she?

Last night I saw my third film starring Greer Garson. I liked the previous two, "Mrs. Miniver" and "Random Harvest", but I wouldn't say I'm gonna re-watch this one in the near future (unless someone pays me for that...which is not very probable).

My problem with the movie starts right here, in the second paragraph: the story. Subplots aside, Greer Garson plays a vodevil dancer who was married once to a Rich Guy (Walter Pidgeon) and had a daughter with him. One day (we don't see this but it's remembered during the film) the Rich Guy decides that he doesn't love her anymore (really). So, what does poor Greer do? She sacrifices herself, letting her daughter with the Rich Guy and his mother, because that way she would have a good life.

Told that way it's like "Stella Dallas". But wait, the movie starts when Greer Garson receives an invitation to assist to her daughter's wedding. She accepts. The only problem is that Rich Guy didn't send the invitation, nor his mom. So they try to stop Greer coming down their rich house. Greer manages to see her daughter who is obviously all grown up and all Elizabeth Taylor (there are even some lines about her "violet eyes"). That scene was one of the few memorable things from this movie, very emotive:

Now, the icing of the cake. Rich Guy decides that having poor Greer away from Elizabeth Taylor for seventeen years is not a rotten thing to do, so he suddenly realizes that he really loves Greer and starts to chase her. C'MON!! So, does really Julia Misbehaves?? NO, she doesn't, she has no pride, she has not even a little tiny little desire of revenge.
With a more believable plot Greer Garson would have shined even more. She was very funny and  histrionic: watching her I remembered Barbara Stanwycks' Sugarpuss O'Shea from "Ball of Fire" (only classier). The scenes with Cesar Romero —her acrobatic ultra strong fiancé— are super fun and he is very good in his role.

See? Without that terrible main story, this movie could be hilarious. 

Day 15- An Actor or Actress you’ve been meaning to give a chance, but haven’t gotten around to it yet

Greer Garson. Seems that she is a lovely lady and a great actress. The only movies I've seen from her are "Random Harvest" and "Mrs. Miniver". I liked them. Fell asleep watching "Julius Caesar" so I couldn't tell (I was sleepy that day).

Bob Hope. Because everyone is talking about him these days and I just have seen him in "I love Lucy".

Orson Welles.  I loved him in "The third man" & "The long hot summer". Saw "Citizen Kane" and it was good. I know he was a very creative guy. But for some reason I avoid movies starring him. Maybe because some of his movies were too dark and depressing ("Touch of Evil" and my-god-that-obscure-film "The process"). He was darkish even as a guest in "I love Lucy".

Hedy Lamarr: I've read tons about her beauty AND brains. "Comrade X" is the only movie I saw from her. Any recommendation?

 Stars from silent films. Soundless movies give me the creeps. Someday I'm gonna develop that point. Saw "It", it was good, but silent. Etc.