Picture of the Day | Hollywood Yesterday

Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte: Bright Road Lobby Cards

September 22, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Bright Road, With Dorothy Dandridge, Philip Hepburn, and Harry Belafonte

Two of my all-time favorite stars are Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte – so, the fact that they teamed up for a couple of movies feels like a gift that keeps giving for me! Their chemistry was as good as it gets – second to none – and each star’s talent will blow you away. Belafonte has always had a certain dynamic – charisma on steroids, if you will – that makes his every screen presence an especially powerful thing.

If you aren’t familiar with Harry Belafonte as an actor, I hope you’ll see this movie, the wonderful Carmen Jones (I’ll be honest… I’m obsessed with Carmen Jones!), and The World, the Flesh, and the Devil (link to a post where I rave and rave about this one) ASAP, if not sooner.

The essence of my being is to focus on positivity (my family doesn’t call me Mary Poppins for nothing), but some things just have to be said – the fact that stars such as Dorothy Dandridge, Harry Belafonte, Philip Hepburn, Rex Ingram, Lena Horne, Hattie McDaniel, etc… weren’t given more films, more diverse roles, and more of an opportunity to shine isn’t just maddening and infuriating – it’s heart-breaking. Not just for the stars who more than deserved as many opportunities as everyone else, but also for those of us who were robbed of seeing more of their work.

I can’t tell you how often I think about other roles and opportunities Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte should have had! They would have been delicious in a film-noir – either together (my personal dream) or apart.

Again, I am “bent” toward focusing on the positives in life, so I will simply say that I am forever thankful that Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte had a chance to shine in the films they were given. They took their opportunities and absolutely blew everyone away! Philip Hepburn did the same in the extraordinary movie Bright Road. Seeing the three of them in one movie is a very special treat.

I wish there had been more, but I am more grateful than I can say for this film. Like Dorothy Dandridge, it’s a beauty you won’t forget.

You can find Bright Road (link to Amazon) on dvd on Amazon or watch on Prime Video. It’s a very, very special movie with wonderful stars who deserved so much more.

Bright Road, Starring Dorothy Dandridge, Philip Hepburn, and Harry Belafonte

Ava Gardner and David Niven: The Little Hut

September 21, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

David Niven and Ava Gardner

Ava Gardner and David Niven were both so colorful and had such bigger than life personalities, I can’t help but think that 1957 film The Little Hut’s set must have been a blast. Directed by Mark Robson, the movie also starred Stewart Granger.

You can find The Little Hut (link to the dvd) on Amazon. I don’t think it’s on Prime Video, unfortunately.

Lucille Ball and Boris Karloff, Lured (1947)

September 20, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Lucille Ball and Boris Karloff, Lured

Anyone who knows anything about me knows how much I adore Lucille Ball. Always have, always will. Whether it’s one of her hilarious, timeless sitcoms or one of her wonderful movies, this redhead is always, always, always welcome in my den.

Lured (1947, directed by Douglas Sirk) is somewhat of a hidden gem in the world of classic film fans. The only reason it isn’t wildly popular or known is that it isn’t shown on television more often. If it were, it’d be just as known and loved as celebrated film-noirs Indemnity, The Postman Always Rings Twice, and The Killers.

It’s that good.

The cast includes Lucille Ball, George Sanders, Charles Coburn (always wonderful), and Boris Karloff… in a very small but memorable role. He seemed to relish this part and it’s a lot of fun to watch.

Ball and Sanders have an unexpected chemistry and it practically sizzles. I’m not sure why I consider it “unexpected” but it absolutely caught me off guard.

If you’ve never seen this excellent film, I hope you’ll watch it as soon as possible. If you have seen it… see it again. It’s every bit as good when re-watched.

You can find Lured on dvd on Amazon or watch it on Prime Video.

Lucille Ball, Lured

Rita Hayworth: Gilda Promotional Pictures to Start the Weekend Off Right

September 19, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Rita Hayworth, Gilda

Rita Hayworth’s performance in Gilda helped make her a household name – one that is still synonymous with beauty, to this day.

Gee… wonder why???

She and Glenn Ford were wonderful in this excellent film – I could watch it several times a month and never get tired of it.

You can buy Gilda on dvd (Amazon link) or watch the movie on Prime Video.

Rita Hayworth, Gilda

Pictures of the Day: James Caan, John Wayne, Robert Mitchum and Olaf Wieghorst in El Dorado

September 18, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

James Caan, John Wayne, and Olaf Wieghorst

One of my favorite Westerns of all time is El Dorado (1967). Directed by the wonderful Howard Hawks, it often gets overshadowed by Rio Bravo but… make absolutely no mistake about it… El Dorado belongs in no film’s shadow. It’s more than capable of standing on its own.. casting its own huge shadow!

The western stars John Wayne, James Caan, Robert Mitchum, Charlene Holt, Michele Carey, Olaf Wieghorst, and (last but by no means least – he makes the movie what it is), Arthur Hunnicutt as Bull. In the same way there could be no Rio Bravo without Stumpy, there could be no El Dorado without Bull.

You can watch El Dorado on Prime Video or buy the dvd on Amazon.

John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, and Arthur Hunnicutt

Elizabeth Montgomery, Doing All Kinds of Justice to My Favorite Color

September 17, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Elizabeth Montgomery

One of my absolute favorite television actresses of all-time is the beautiful Elizabeth Montgomery…. my favorite color is purple. What happens when the two team up??

Absolute. Magic.

There was just something about this actress, wasn’t there? She was so very talented and had a natural gift for comedy – yet, she was also as beautiful as any actress who ever lived, does live, or will live! Like Lucille Ball and Barbara Eden – she proved that some clowns just happen to be exceptionally lovely.

Bewitched premiered on this date in 1964 and, remarkably, it is just as hilarious today as it was then. The writing, directing, and certainly the acting are all beautifully timeless.

BOTD in 1924, the Wonderful Lauren Bacall

September 16, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Lauren Bacall

Lauren Bacall was born Betty Joan Perske on September 16, 1924, in New York City. Little did anyone know the legendary actress Betty Joan would one day become!

While I love all of Lauren Bacall’s movies (she has a very rich filmography… as rich and distinctive as her voice), my favorites are Key Largo, Dark Passage, The Big Sleep, How to Marry a Millionaire, and To Have and Have Not.

When Humphrey Bogart was on the screen, there was magic. When Lauren Bacall was on the screen, there was magic. When they were on the screen together…. the word hasn’t been invented for the magic they generated together.

Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall, Key Largo

Death on the Nile Photos in Honor of Agatha Christie’s Birthday

September 15, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

David Niven, Peter Ustinov, and Bette Davis in Death on the Nile

I love books. There you have it – an understatement to end all understatements! I love them so much, I collect many different types, so they’re always near me. In fact, it occurred to me recently that (when home) three things are always within my reach…

Raspberry Tea
Coffee
Chocolate
At least one cat
At least one book

Even as I type this out, I have raspberry tea and a cup of coffee to my left, two cats to my right, and Mary Astor’s wonderful autobiography right in front of me. What can I say, I get antsy if any of these four life sources are out of my reach.

Hmmm… maybe that’s why I’m such a homebody. I can take my tea, chocolate, and coffee with me but not my cats and book collections.

One of my favorite authors (tying with Emily Dickinson and my daughter Emily, named in her honor) is the wonderful Agatha Christie. I collect her books and read them again and again. True story: seven or eight years ago, I was making out my New Year’s resolutions and I must have been in a cheeky mood because I wrote down… “Always be in the middle of an Agatha Christie mystery” AND “Eat chocolate every single day.”

I guess I just wanted to MAKE CERTAIN at least two of the resolutions were kept? They were… to the tune of that year and every year since.

Cheeky Kentuckian.

{Continued Below…}

Agatha Christie Books

There have been numerous films made from Agatha Christie mysteries. While I’ve never seen one that was quite as good as the book, itself, they are always entertaining – especially when they have a cast like Death on the Nile had! Peter Ustinov (as Hercule Poirot), Bette Davis, David Niven, George Kennedy, Maggie Smith, Angela Lansbury, Jack Warden, Simon MacCorkindale, Lois Chiles… outstanding cast and a darn good movie.

How impressive IS this cast? Seven of the cast members account for a total of twenty-eight acting Oscar nominations with eight wins!

Death on the Nile Cast

Death on the Nile marked the first of Sir Peter Ustinov’s six performances as Hercule Poirot.

This film was the first, of three, produced screenplays from novels by Dame Agatha Christie, written by Anthony Shaffer. The others were Evil Under the Sun (1982) and Appointment with Death (1988).

As I said, the books are better, but that’s to be expected… Agatha Christie was a mad genius!… but the movies are always extremely entertaining, especially with this cast.

You can find Death on the Nile (link leads to the dvd on Amazon) on Amazon. I’m not sure which Agatha Christie adaptations are available on Prime, it’d certainly be worth checking for this one… or any of them.

Maggie Smith and Bette Davis in Death on the Nile

Maggie Smith and Bette Davis, Death on the Nile

James Stewart and Shelley Winters, Winchester ’73

September 14, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

James Stewart and Shelley Winters Winchester ’73

If you’re one of those people who forget the magnetism Shelley Winters had on the big screen, I have a homework assignment for you – watch her in Winchester ’73 (pictured here) and in Executive Suite (1954). She’s one of the highlights from both films, which is absolutely saying something since James Stewart stars in one and William Holden, Frederic March, and Barbara Stanwyck star in the other!

Don’t get it twisted, the other stars are extraordinary, too (as always) but there’s just a little something extra about Shelley Winters’ screen presence. A little somethin’ somethin’ if you will.

If you haven’t seen Winchester ’73 or you’ve never seen it, I hope you’ll watch it soon. Each time I do, I ask the same questions…

Shelley Winters was exceptional – why wasn’t she used even more and why isn’t she mentioned more alongside Ava Gabor, Marilyn Monroe, Lana Turner and the rest??
Why do I not ALWAYS name this movie when listing my favorite Westerns?
I wonder if James Stewart knew just how great an actor he was?

You can find Winchester ’73 on Amazon (link to the dvd on Amazon) or watch it on Prime.

Claudette Colbert: Born on this Date in 1903

September 13, 2020 By Joi Leave a Comment

Claudette Colbert, Cleopatra

One of the most extraordinary actresses of all time was born on this date in Saint Mandé, France in 1903. This is an actress with a filmography that’s so remarkable – not just in quantity but quality as well.

Below are my… as of now… personal favorite Claudette Colbert movies (each link leads to the film on Amazon Prime or dvd). I know, as I watch more of her films, I’ll pick up new favorites to add along the way.

It Happened One Night (1934, directed by Frank Capra), co-starring Clark Gable. This film is so popular for a very good reason – it’s outstanding and the humor stands the test of time. It Happened One Night is also available on dvd.
Cleopatra (1934, directed by Cecil B DeMille), co-starring Warren William as Julius Caesar and Henry Wilcoxon as Marc Antony. Visually stunning and the acting is superb.
I Met Him in Paris (1937, directed by Wesley Ruggles), co-starring two of my favorite actors – Melvyn Douglas and Robert Young. They (like Claudette, herself) are wonderful in everything!
The Sign of the Cross (1932, directed by Cecil B. DeMille), co-starring Fredric March and Charles Laughton. Beautiful and lush, as you’d always expect from Cecil B. DeMille.