The 10 scariest scenes from old movies (I've managed to watch)

Boooooooooooo!!!...did I scare you? No? Bummer, this article explained me that I should.

Anyway, these are the 10 creepiest scenes from the somewhat scary movies I've been able to watch. You know I'm a coward.

10. Whatever Happened to Baby Jane: Joan Crawford gets a yummy lunch, made with lots of love from Bette Davis.

9. Suddenly, Last Summer: Elizabeth Taylor tells how her cousin Sebastian really died [sorry, the clip is not complete...but you know what happened to him]

8. Cape Fear (my review): The family is waiting for criminal Robert Mitchum to attack any minute.

[SCENE]

7. The Devil-Doll: Creepy concept, humans transformed in dolls and used to steal and kill...by Lionel Barrymore in drag.

6. Nosferatu: The whole movie is terribly scary, so I just chose the part when Hutter finds out that Orlok sleeps in a freaking coffin!

5. The Innocents: Deborah Kerr plays hide-and-seek with the creepy children she's in charge of...and someone or something appears on a window...

4. The Fly (my review): OMG, this film. I chose the ending, when the doctor is trapped and asks for help with his tiny voice.

3. Psycho: Anthony Perkin's horrible secret is revealed.

2. Wait until dark: Blind Audrey Hepburn thinks the fight with a sadistic criminal is over... (The moment starts at 01.17 in case you want to skip the explanation...oh, and you can check my stop motion version of this moment)

1. The Night of the Hunter: Robert Mitchum appears inside the house where Lillian Gish is protecting the children...and then he escapes screaming like a wild animal. Or a creature from hell.

(There's no video for this exact scene).

BONUS: My 7-year-old self picked this short film from Disney:

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYBODY!

Caught a cold: sick people in classic films

Guys, just a quick post to apologize! The day of THE auction of the century I stayed up late and caught a cold. I was in bed since then, today is the first day I'm feeling a bit better. So, I decided to make a post of classic movies showing sick people...but people that recovers, not dying people like Camille or Beth in Little Women.

Just press play to go to the interesting part!

The Apartment: poor C. C. Baxter caught a cold!



The Shop Around the Corner: Mr. Kralik (James Stewart) visits sick Klara...


The Nun's Story: Audrey has TB and a cute monkey + Peter Finch to take care of her...

Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison: Drunk Mr. Allison scared Sister Angela and now he needs to save her...

I remember mama: One of the kids of a poor Norwegian family is sick and the hospital doesn't allow visitors...Mama Irene Dunne won't take no for an answer...


Sullivan's Travels: Joel McCrea caught a cold and is pissed off...

Which scene featuring sick people do you remember the most?

Three comedies from the 1960s: LOL

It seems that when you get in the mood for a comedy from the 60s, well, you just can't stop watching them. The other day I read over MC's blog about Come September (1961), a movie starring Rock Hudson and Gina Lollobrigida. I must confess something: when people talked about Miss Lollobrigida, I imagined she was a brainless actress, only famous because of her physical attractiveness.

I had never seen her on anything, so it was a great surprise to discover a fine performer with excellent comedy timing. I won't review Come September, you can read MC's post, but I will talk a bit about my second Gina Lollobrigida film. And then I'll review a classic I hadn't seen AND another Mitchumovie.

Buona sera. Mrs Campbell (Melvin Frank, 1968)

I wanted to check another movie from Gina, so I googled and someone mentioned Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell as one of his favorites. I watched it. Now, we're gonna make this post a little more interactive, OK? Guess the movie: a woman in a small European town had a daughter but doesn't know who is the father. There are three possibilities, all American guys, and they show up all at once.

Any idea? You're right, Mamma Mia is based on a musical based on this film. What do you know! Of course that the story has differences, as Mrs. Campbell said to the local people that the father was an American colonel who died; and also made the three guys believe the daughter was theirs, so they supported her; and they travel to Europe with their families; and...whatever. The guys --Telly Savalas, Peter Lawford, Phil Silvers-- are not really attractive like the men in Mamma Mia (well, maybe Peter is), but they're really funny, most of the times.

Besides it has more room for a more realistic and human point of view of this difficult situation, without losing the comedy aspect, for example, the fear of being criticized by the local society is one of Gina's character motives for hiding the truth; the daughter suffers and confronts her mother when she founds out; one of the dads thinks of her Italian daughter as his proof of not being infertile, so the end is really emotive in this character's case. Gina is fun to watch and the script was perfect for her, because it allows her to show her Italian power in the comedy parts, combining it with sensibility in the most dramatic scenes. A fun little movie.

The great race (Blake Edwards, 1965)

I won't talk much about this Blake Edwards film, I guess most of you have seen it. This movie is constructed based on stereotypes. First, the characters: the hero (Tony Curtis), the feminist independent woman (Natalie Wood), the bad guy (Jack Lemmon), the bad guy's assistant, etc. Then, the different stages of the car race around the world are a parody of the movie genres: adventure, comedy (including slapstick), musical (loved the "karaoke" scene and the song), swashbuckler, romance, epic, etc. The result is a very entertaining, well-acted film, with music by Henry Mancini, in which you just have to enjoy the ride without asking questions.

What a way to go! (J. Lee Thompson, 1964)

I'll develop a point here. I know there are early parody films, like comedies starring Abbot and Costello, Bob Hope, etc, but seems like in the 60s the movie industry started parodying the movie industry using super stars. The great race is a (very elaborated) example. Paris when it sizzles (1964; Richard Quine), one of the...how should I say it?...less appreciated movies from Audrey Hepburn and William Holden, is another. If you don't take them for what they are you're gonna probably hate them. But, if you watch them considering this point, you might enjoy watching legends laughing at themselves, laughing at the way the industry works, laughing at how the movies are constructed and how they try to appeal to the public, etc. Watch Paris when it sizzles again, it's a great parody film IMO (yeah, I'm like the only person in the world who likes this movie).

What a way to go! is an even more obvious parody film. Shirley Maclaine is so lucky! She worked with Dick Van Dyke, Dean Martin, Gene Kelly,  Robert Mitchum AND Paul Newman speaking French...I mean, c'mon! (watch the behind scenes with super interesting material). Shirley starts remembering the life with her different husbands and it seems that every time she married a guy he got rich and then died.That's the plot. Really.

The cool thing about this movie is that each memory correspond to a type of film: silent, musical (with splendid music and choreography by Gene), French cinema (my gosh, a very tongue-in-cheek hot sequence with...Paul Newman), glamorous Hollywood movies (you have to see this sequence, you get tired of watching Shirley with a different amazing Edith Head dress in every take).

Maybe the plot is pretty weak, maybe some of the parodies are not very elaborated, but it was a fun film with an all-star cast to watch once.

Note: I wanted to post this entry last Friday, but a Coca-Cola truck cut the telephone wire and just today I got it repaired. "Open Happiness" my @·#.

Holiday Affair (1949): a super nice Mitchumovie

I finally started reading Baby I don't care, Robert Mitchum's ultra recommended biography. That means that from now on I'll start to spam with Mitchumovies, just like I did with Maureen O'Hara last week. You've been warned.

I just reached page...25, but I had a Mitchumovie I hadn't seen and sounded great: Holiday Affair (1949; Don Hartman) with Janet Leigh, so I decided to watch that one. It was so cute!

The plot told in a very confuse way: Janet Leigh is a widow and has one ultra adorable kid, Timmy, to support. They seem to manage very well together, their relationship is so warm and natural  AND they call each other Mr. and Mrs. Ennis...aww. But there are some problems: Janet works as a "comparison shopper", so she has to go from store to store buying certain products to check them and compare the competition.

She doesn't earn too much money and things get complicated when, just before Christmas, a handsome salesman (Mitchum, obviously) discovers her tricks. The guy understands her motives and gets fired for covering her. Besides, Janet has a fiance (Wendell Corey) who wants to marry her since the beginning of time, but she's completely unsure. And the adorable kid hates the guy. And then loves Mitchum, obviously.

Besides the lovely performance by Janet and the kid, I loved Mitchum's character, a man that is saving money to buy a boat and go to South America (so cool) and likes to go to the Central Park and eat in front of a seal and feed a squirrel. He has great chemistry with Janet, so great that they make you forget the fact that the fiancé was a really good, supportive, caring guy, that only wanted to have a family with Janet and her son, but after two years was left for Mitchum's coolness.

I also liked the fact that every character, even when they're minor (like the judge, Janet's parents, the owner of a big store, etc), seem to have a background which makes everything more believable. And it's so entertaining when movies show different aspects of the life in the cities where they're located (like people riding in a crowded bus, or the Park, or people buying in the stores, or how neighbor kids accompanied each other while their parents worked, etc).

So, what's my awesome conclusion? Well, there are terrific Mitchumovies in which Robert plays creepy characters that want to kill boys and nice Mitchum movies in which his characters are great with kids. Like this one. You should see it. 

• TCM.com has some clips of this movie (I couldn't embed them). 
• My previous reviews of two Mitchumovies: Cape Fear (1962) & Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison (1957)

The ten most handsome men from Classic Movies

...according to moi, of course. OK, here's the thing: some stars like Marlon Brando and James Dean are beautiful, obviously, but there's something about them that doesn't appeal to me. Maybe is the "rebel label", I don't know. To me, Robert Mitchum is more handsome because I feel that he attitude is more natural and real, not staged. I also tried to add some lesser known actors, just because they looked drop dead gorgeous in the one film I saw from them. Oh, I had to leave out people like Clark Gable and Laurence Olivier, sorry.

 Well, enjoy:

10. Robert Mitchum. He was just neat.

9. Gregory Peck.  A kind man.

8. John Justin. Looked gorgeous in The Thief of Bagdad. 

7. Burt Lancaster.  Great acting and physical skills.

6. William Holden. Beautiful man, great actor.

5. Jeffrey Hunter (The Searchers). Just saw him in 1 movie, never forgot him.

4. Cary Grant. A combination of looks and attitude.

3. Errol Flynn. The most beautiful rascal ever.

2. Paul Newman. For those who think he was mostly eyes.

1. Gary Cooper. Could he be more gorgeous?

What do you think? Oh, do you want more beautiful pics? Check Gary Cooper: Mercy or Good Genes.

 More lists :

Top 25 favorite classic actors
10 types of annoying people to watch a movie with
My Top 10 Billy Wilder movies
12 favorite things from It's a wonderful life including the board game

Have yourself a merry little Christmas, people!

I know, it's a bit too fast, but you can see the 56 pictures as many times as you want:

Hugs from Chile, hope you all have a wonderful time!

Heaven knows, Mr. Allison (1957): Mitchum & Kerr are terrific

Via: acertaincinema

Today I re-watched this great film directed by John Huston with my parents. If you, for some weird reason, haven't seen it yet, well, you should. Based on a novel by Charles Shaw, it's basically about the days that a marine (Robert Mitchum) and a nun (Deborah Kerr) spent together in a deserted island, only visited by a bunch of Japanese soldiers during the II World War. 

Why is it great? First of all, because of the large ensemble cast:

Well, maybe it's not large, but it's incredibly talented. Both were solid and believable players, that worked great together. Mitchum plays "Mr. Allison" in a way that you completely understand his honest affection for Sister Angela. You can see that he is a good man whose life hasn't been great but he has all the intentions to be nice and never complain about anything. And Deborah, as the nun, lets you see the girl behind her habit, a kind and full of life young woman that believes in what she's doing and thinks is ready to take her final bows.

This movie could have ended up being like Black Narcissus (1947), a melodrama that includes a "hey ya chick" macho character and nuns catfighting for him (yeah, I don't like this film). But here, the encounter of these special people is really well-managed on the screenplay and directionally speaking, showing it in a measured way, measured in terms of what they say with words to each other (he wants to marry her, for example) or what they say with their face expressions to the audience (she's kind of disappointed because he regretted declaring his love). 

That's why the scene in which he gets drunk is so powerful, because he completely speaks from his heart (why she has to be a beautiful nun?) and she runs away from the truth (if they're gonna stay there for so long, there's no point of staying a nun).

There's a beautiful trick in this movie. If the mentioned scene was the climax, what happens right after should be the ending: Sister Angela starts realizing that she would like to stay in the island with her "Mr. Allison". But they met by chance and so the unpredictable events in life decide whether they continue together or not. Besides all this, the movie contains great and tense action scenes, especially the one in which Mr. Allison enters in the Japanese base to steal food.

Fun stuff? Ok. I still haven't got Baby I don't care, Mitchum's biography, but here is what Youtube user SeleneBowie commented/quoted :

There are many other great stories in that book regarding Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison, including one where the crew get together to mislead the Catholic Legion of Decency who were checking that Deborah's nun was entirely respectable. "Bob and Deborah spoke their lines, then moved closer together, Mitchum sliding his hand under nun Kerr's breasts while she cupped his buttocks and they began to kiss with open-mouthed abandon."

"One time she [Kerr] was rowing a raft in open water during the tortouse-chasing scene, Huston constantly shouting, "Faster! Row faster!" The wooden oars split in half in her hands, and Kerr, in her damp nun's habit, screamed in fury , "Is that f---ing fast enough?" Mitchum, floating nearby, swallowed a gallon of saltwater laughing." 

Plus, Robert Mitchum found a new passion while filming in Tobago, as Youtube user BearfamilyRecords explains:

"In 1956, at the height of the short-lived calypso craze that saw Harry Belafonte top the charts worldwide, Robert Mitchum filmed two movies in the British West Indies, 'Fire Down Below' and 'Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison'. Calypso originated in Trinidad, and Mitchum filmed 'Mr. Allison' in Trinidad's sister island, Tobago. As his co-star, Deborah Kerr, remembered, "He possessed enormous musical knowledge and sense of rhythm. He'd mastered the West Indian songs with their complicated rhythms before a week was up in Tobago." By the time they'd finished filming 'Fire Down Below', Mitchum was singing calypsos at local clubs, and he continued to do so after he returned to the United States. Someone from Capitol Records heard him sing at the Polo Lounge in Beverly Hills, and signed him up. Over the course of several nights in the Spring of 1957, Mitchum recorded his classic calypso LP, 'Calypso - Is Like So...' Using his droll sense of humor, he made up new calypsos from older numbers he'd heard in the islands. The result? A lounge classic. We've revisited that LP, complete with its fabulous 'white man gone to ruin in the tropics' cover. "

Here's an interesting behind the scenes documentary clip (there are more parts available to see):

So, what are you waiting for?
----
 More on Kerr, Mitchum & Huston :

• The proud and the profane (1956) in My Top 10 Average|Bad Movies with Terrific Actors
• Psst..need Classic Hollywood jewelry?
• Cape Fear (1962): Robert Mitchum you're scary!
• Day 18- Actor or Actress who should have won an Oscar
• Annas and the Kings (part 2) 
• Saw "The night of the iguana" on the big screen last night

Cape Fear (1962): Robert Mitchum you're scary!

After watching "The Night of the Hunter" (1955; Charles Laughton) I thought that Robert Mitchum could never scare me that way again. How wrong I was! This afternoon I saw Cape Fear (1962; J. Lee Thompson) and I was like "oh, no, not again".  

Even when his character from the only movie directed by Laughton was creepy as...I don't know, he was so creepy that I don't have a comparison, I mean he was trying to kill two innocent kiddies...the one from "Cape Fear", Max Cady, is almost as scary, because his evilness is spreading in an environment that feels real, without songs in the middle or a dark fantasy touch and he's just as unstoppable. He wants to take revenge of Gregory Peck, a counselor that testified against him and finally led him to be 8 years in prison. 

Now free, Mitchum starts stalking Gregory. He let him know that he's going to hurt his wife and young daughter. He beats and abuses a random woman just to prove what he's capable of.  At that point you're at the edge of your seat, biting your nails. Or covered with a blanket like me. What in the name of Cinema is he going to do next?

You start freaking out each time one of the women is left alone. And Mitchum, playing his character just like the animal some secondary characters call him, shows his shiny, tanned and worked torso in several scenes...a display of his strength and the wild menace he is. The police can do anything before something happens, Gregory is practically left alone trying to keep his family safe. 

This movie is obviously a successful psychological thriller. The family starts to succumb little by little. The final part of the movie, oh my gosh, is so tense that I had to scream in several parts just to release some of the contained emotions. Mitchum had done it again. 

Amanda's Cinema Survey

Amanda from A noodle in a haystack created a new movie survey. Here are my answers (but before, remember to vote for your favorite director, I'm closing the poll this week). OK, now:

1. What is your favorite movie starring William Powell and Myrna Loy, excluding all of The Thin Man films?

"Libeled Lady" (1936).

2. Name a screen team that appeared in only one film together but are still noteworthy for how well they complimented each other.

Cary Grant & Carole Lombard. I LOVE "In name only" (1939).

3. Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers' best film together?

"Shall we dance" (1937) is probably my favorite.

4. Your favorite actor named "Robert"?

Robert Mitchum. Solid player.

5. An actor/actress who, when you see one of their movies, you always wish that someone else was in his/her role?

Stewart Granger. ZZZZ. "King Solomon's Mines" would have been even better with another leading man.

6. An actor/actress that someone close to you really loves that you can't stand or vice versa?

Uhm, my parents couldn't stand Barbara Stanwyck, but I showed them some of my favorite movies from her and they are changing their opinion.

7. An actor/actress that you both agree on completely?

We agree pretty much on every great actors and actresses. Ingrid Bergman, Burt Lancaster, Gregory Peck, Bette Davis, Deborah Kerr, William Holden, etc, etc...

8. Complete this sentence: Virginia O'Brien is to Ethel Merman as...

I'm really ignorant: I don't get the comparison. I'd appreciate if someone explains it to me. 

Image from disseminateklei

9. What is your favorite film starring Ray Milland?

"Dial M for Murder" (1945).

10. You had to have seen this one coming: what is your favorite movie of the 1960s?

Do you really want me to pick just one of these titles:  "The night of the iguana" (1964), "Breakfast at Tiffany's" (1961), "The sound of music" (1965), "Two for the road" (1967),  "Les demoiselles de Rochefort" (1967), "The Umbrellas of Cherbourg" (1964), "The birds" (1963), "Doctor Zhivago" (1965), "Charade" (1963), "Cool Hand Luke" (1967), "The apartment" (1960). REALLY?

11. An actor/actress that you would take out of one film and put into a different movie that was released the same year?

I can't think of any.

12. Who was your favorite of Robert Montgomery's leading ladies?

I haven't seen much from Robert, but I vote for Carole Lombard in "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" (1941)

13. You think it would have been a disaster if what movie starred the actor/actress who was originally asked to star in it?

Tough one, but maybe Doris Day as Maria Von Trapp in "The sound of music". 

14. An actor/actress who you will watch in any or almost any movie?

Cary Grant. Audrey Hepburn.  

15. Your favorite Leslie Howard film and role?

Uhm, I just have seen him in "Gone with the wind". And I don't like Ashley very much.

Annie Oakley picture from starz.com

16. You have been asked to host a marathon of four Barbara Stanwyck films. Which ones do you choose?

As a hostess, I would start by saying: "people, I just could pick 4 movies because life is mean. We could sit here and watch movies from Miss Stanwyck the whole week, but you probably have jobs and other boring stuff to do. Anyway, I've picked 4 rare titles that you probably haven't seen, because you can watch her most iconic movies anywhere else"

An "early" one: "Annie Oakley" (1935)

Comedy: "Christmas in Connecticut" (1945)

Drama: "The furies" (1950)

Another drama: "Clash by night" (1952)

Gif from fuckyeahcinema

17. What is, in your mind, the nearest to perfect comedy you have ever seen? Why?

"His Girl Friday" (1940). Reasons: a) Cary Grant & Rosalind Russell b) The dialog.

18. You will brook no criticism of what film?

"The sound of music" (1965) :)

19. Who is your favorite Irish actress?

Maureen O'Hara.

20. Your favorite 1940s movie starring Ginger Rogers?

"Kitty Foyle" (1940)

21. Do you enjoy silent movies?

I'm in a crusade of doing so. I started positively with Marion Davies' silent films (read about it here and here).

22. What is your favorite Bette Davis film?

Probably "All about Eve" (1950). 

Gif from stardustmelody

23. Your favorite onscreen Hollywood couple?

William Powell & Myrna Loy.

24. This one is for the girls, but, of course, the guys are welcome (and encouraged) to answer, too: who is your favorite Hollywood costume designer?

Edith Head.

25. To even things out about, here's something the boys will enjoy: what is your favorite tough action film?

Tough action? I don't know, "Ben Hur"?

26. You are currently gaining a greater appreciation for which actor(s)/actress(es)? 

Marion Davies.

27. Franchot Tone: yes or no?

I had to googled him, so I guess no for now.

28. Which actors and/or actresses do you think are underrated?

I think people don't give enough credit to Veronica Lake's acting skills (see here and this review of my fave movie from her)

29. Which actors and/or actresses do you think are overrated?

I would say Stewart Granger, but I haven't heard much praises about him.

30. Favorite actor?

Cary Grant.

31. Favorite actress?

Audrey Hepburn.

32. Of those listed, who is the coolest: Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Steve McQueen, or Patrick Stewart?

Paul Newman. He was cool in the movies and out of them.

Image from movieoftheday

33. What is your favorite movie from each of these genres:

Comedy: "His girl Friday" (1940) 

Swashbuckler: "Captain Blood" (1935) 

Film noir: "Laura" (1944) 

Musical: "The sound of music" (1965) 

Holiday: "It's a wonderful life" (1946) 

Hitchcock: "Rear Window" (1954)

Day 18- Actor or Actress who should have won an Oscar

Uhm, before I start rambling about the many Oscar injustices, let me say that I finished my internship and I'm officially a journalist. So, I'm officially a journalist.

Ok, now let's see...

People who should have won a real non-Honorary-Oscar but sadly didn't because life generally isn't fair...or because their contenders were too good 

(The titles below the pictures correspond to the best movies I've seen of each actor and it doesn't necessarily mean that they are Oscar-nominated roles.)

CLAUDE RAINS: Hello? Mommy's boy in "Notorious", the cop from "Casablanca"?

WILLIAM POWELL AND MYRNA LOY: Together: The Thin Man? Libeled Lady? Separated:  The Best Years of Our Lives? My Man Godfrey?

EDWARD G. ROBINSON: Key Largo? The Whole Town's Talking? Double Indemnity?

GLORIA SWANSON: Sunset Boulevard???

IRENE DUNNE: I remember mama??? The Awful Truth? Show Boat? My favorite wife? Penny Serenade?

JEAN ARTHUR: Mr. Deeds Goes to Town? The more the merrier? History Is Made at Night?

MARLENE DIETRICH: Witness for the Prosecution?? Morocco? Shanghai Express? Der blaue Engel? Blonde Venus??

CARY GRANT: WHAT?????

GRETA GARBO: Camille? Anna Christie? Ninotchka?

ROSALIND RUSSELL: His girl Friday? Auntie Mame? Picnic?

BARBARA STANWYCK: WHAT?????????????

CAROLE LOMBARD: My Man Godfrey? In Name Only? Nothing Sacred? To Be or Not to Be?

ORSON WELLES: Citizen Kane? The Third Man? Touch of Evil?

ROBERT MITCHUM: The Night of the Hunter??? Out of the Past? Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison? The Sundowners? 

MAUREEN O'HARA: The quiet man? How Green Was My Valley? 

MONTGOMERY CLIFT: A Place in the Sun?? From Here to Eternity? Suddenly, Last Summer? The Heiress??

DEBORAH KERR: SIX nominations and NO Oscar??

AVA GARDNER: The Barefoot Contessa? The Night of the Iguana?

LAUREN BACALL: To have and have not?

OMAR SHARIF: Doctor Zhivago? Funny Girl?