And the best Black and White movie ever is:

[ronmac]

Documentary about Alice Guy-Blache and a few very early movies on TCM tonight. I can't say I know much about her, but this looks interesting:

Pioneering filmmaker Alice Guy-Blache began her career in the late 1800s in France, and directed, wrote or produced over 1,000 films. She founded one of the first film studios in the United States. She created over 150 of the first films with synchronized sound. Yet her importance in the history of cinema has been largely ignored. Contemporary filmmakers and film historians including Catherine Hardwicke, Joan Simon, Kevin Brownlow, Claire Clouzot and Serge Bromberg discuss the significance of her innovations and accomplishments.

Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché (2018)

Falling Leaves (1912)

The Ocean Waif (1916)

The Birth, the Life and the Death of Christ (1906)
The life of Jesus Christ in 25 scenes.

Other movies after the rebroadcast of the doc.

[Jerjo]

Movies for Tough Times - Edgar Wright's list of his 100 favorite comedies (yes, many are in B&W)

https://letterboxd.com/crew/list/edg...rite-comedies/

[ronmac]

Tonight on TCM:

8:00 Million Dollar Legs (1932) 3-1/2 Stars COMEDY

D: Edward Cline. W. C. Fields, Jack Oakie, Susan Fleming, Lyda Roberti, Andy Clyde, Ben Turpin, Dickie Moore, Billy Gilbert, Hugh Herbert. Wacky nonsense with Fields as President of Klopstokia, a nutty country entering the Olympics. Oakie is a young American pursuing W. C.'s daughter (Fleming). Joseph Mankiewicz was one of the writers of this little gem. Title onscreen is MILLION $ LEGS.

I don't think I've ever seen this one.

---

9:15 Dinner at Eight (1933) 4 stars COMEDY

D: George Cukor. Marie Dressler, John Barrymore, Wallace Beery, Jean Harlow, Lionel Barrymore, Lee Tracy, Edmund Lowe, Billie Burke, Madge Evans, Jean Hersholt, Karen Morley, Phillips Holmes, May Robson. Vintage MGM constellation of stars portray various strata of society in N.Y.C., invited to dine and shine; Harlow in fine comedy form, but Dressler as dowager steals focus in filmization of George KaufmanEdna Ferber play. Scripted by three top writers: Herman Mankiewicz, Frances Marion, and Donald Ogden Stewart. Don't miss this one. Remade for cable TV in 1989 with Lauren Bacall.

I've seen this a number of times and it's a hoot.

---

11:30 Manhattan Melodrama (1934) 3 stars CRIME

D: W. S. Van Dyke II. Clark Gable, William Powell, Myrna Loy, Leo Carrillo, Isabel Jewell, Mickey Rooney, Nat Pendleton. Boyhood pals remain adult friends though one is a gangster and the other a D.A. (a plot device reused many times). What might be unbearably corny is top entertainment, thanks to this star trio and a director with gusto. Arthur Caesar's original story won an Oscar. Footnoted in American history as the film John Dillinger saw just before being gunned down at the Biograph Theatre in Chicago. Also shown in computer-colored version.

Another one I've never seen.

[Hal...]

I will definitely see Dinner at Eight. Probably tomorrow.

I'm dubious about Manhattan Melodrama. Boyhood friends, one of whom's a gangster and one a DA. Starring Gable & Powell. Gable would be the obvious choice between the two for the gangster role. But, since he was the bigger star, he'd be the DA and I really can't see William Powell as a gangster.

I looked it up. Gable is the gangster and Powell the DA. That's how I would have casted it, too.

[ronmac]

I will definitely see Dinner at Eight. Probably tomorrow.

I'm dubious about Manhattan Melodrama. Boyhood friends, one of whom's a gangster and one a DA. Starring Gable & Powell. Gable would be the obvious choice between the two for the gangster role. But, since he was the bigger star, he'd be the DA and I really can't see William Powell as a gangster.

I looked it up. Gable is the gangster and Powell the DA. That's how I would have casted it, too.

I'm definitely watching WC Fields. I've seen Dinner at Eight several times, and it's on quite often. I might still watch it, if the wife wants to. I'll pass on Manhattan Melodrama.

[Vic2012]

I'm watching a Cary Grant movie.......His Girl Friday...1940. It's black and white.

[ronmac]

I'm watching a Cary Grant movie.......His Girl Friday...1940. It's black and white.

That's a classic!

[ronmac]

I'm definitely watching WC Fields. I've seen Dinner at Eight several times, and it's on quite often. I might still watch it, if the wife wants to. I'll pass on Manhattan Melodrama.

Watched WC Fields. No way is that movie 3-1/2 stars. Anything with Fields automatically gets 3 stars in my book. And any scene of this movie with fields (of which there weren't enough) was 4 stars. But, the rest of the movie was lame. Jack Oakie was courting his daughter and their scenes together were utterly awful. I never heard of Jack Oakie, but he is nowhere near the caliber of Fields.

Three stars all the way. Without Fields, it would have barely been two.

[ronmac]

"Citizen Kane" and "Pride of the Yankees" are on TCM tonight.

A historic silent doc, "Nanook of the North" (1922) is on after those. I had that on tape, but never got around to watching it. It's a major film of its time.

[Hal...]

I came to be in possession of my father's DVD collection a few years ago. I got in the mood for Shane and so I looked through those DVDs and found it (I own but on VHS). Man, what an excellent movie.

Also watched Audie Murphy in No Name on the Bullet. Murphy was a touch stiff but I thought it was pretty good.

I also found a "classic westerns" collection:

Destry Rides Again
Winchester '73
Bend of the River
The Far Country
Night Passage
The Rare Breed

In case you're wondering, they're all Jimmy Stewart movies. I've said before I wasn't a big fan of Stewart in westerns but what the hell. I'm bored.

[Staun]

I came to be in possession of my father's DVD collection a few years ago. I got in the mood for Shane and so I looked through those DVDs and found it (I own but on VHS). Man, what an excellent movie.

Also watched Audie Murphy in No Name on the Bullet. Murphy was a touch stiff but I thought it was pretty good.

I also found a "classic westerns" collection:

Destry Rides Again
Winchester '73
Bend of the River
The Far Country
Night Passage
The Rare Breed

In case you're wondering, they're all Jimmy Stewart movies. I've said before I wasn't a big fan of Stewart in westerns but what the hell. I'm bored.

That's a good collection Hal. Bend of the River is excellent along with '73. Don't care much for Night Passage though. The best Murphy film for me is, Kansas Raiders.

[nycsteve]

Due to lack of sh*t to keep myself occupied , like others , Im watching more TV. I cant seem to get into the continuing story shows, like Westworld. I did get through the 1st season around its first release. Ive been trying to get through season 2 in prep for the upcoming season 3 release but I just don't have the attention span. Its good , I like it , but its to much.
So instead I've been watching cable, with the many one and done traditional movies. The western channel is featuring Audie Murphy this month. Yes he is a stiff actor. Most of his movies aren't quite A movies but not really Bs either. I mostly enjoy them. Some I havnt seen. They can draw you in. Posse from Hell , or To Hell , whatever , actually had me totally involved the other day. Its nice to find some new to me material at a time such as this. Bizzare times , these.

[Hal...]

I've been watching a lot of movies lately. Currently, I'm working through those western DVDs I found that were my dad's. So far I've seen Shane, No Name on the Bullet, Destry Rides Again, Winchester '73, and Bend of the River. I always used to tease my dad and tell him that "good western" was a contradiction in terms. After musicals and dramas/melodramas, it's my least favorite genre. But I have to admit, these have all been good movies. Which has surprised me because after seeing The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, years ago, I really felt Stewart was miscast in westerns. So ordinarily I wouldn't have given these the time of day. Well, all but Shane, of course; it's been my favorite western for a really long time (followed by The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly). As for the rest, I enjoyed Winchester '73 the most. And as soon as I get off here, I'm going to go watch Night Passage with Jimmy Stewart & Audie Murphy. After that is Rare Breed, which finishes the J Stewart/western DVD box set (it also includes The Far Country which I saw on TCM last week).

I've also got a nice Bogey box set with The Maltese Falcon, The Big Sleep, To Have and Have Not, and Key Largo, all of which I've seen but it's been a while so I may revisit them.

I also inherited a bunch of John Wayne war and western DVDs. I doubt I'll delve into those, tho. I have mixed feelings about him.

[ronmac]

Me, too, about Stewart being cast in Westerns. I always though Henry Fonda was another odd choice until I saw "Once Upon a Time on the West."

[Hal...]

Me, too, about Stewart being cast in Westerns. I always though Henry Fonda was another odd choice until I saw "Once Upon a Time on the West."

Absolutely brilliant in that movie. I never had an issue with Fonda in westerns, tho. He's also excellent in The Ox-Bow Incident, which is probably my third favorite western.

[Hal...]

Speaking of Fonda & Stewart, I recall they did a comedy-western in the '60s, iirc. Anyone know what it was? I haven't seen it since I was a kid and can't seem to think of the title. I also can't remember if it was any good or not.

[nycsteve]

Absolutely brilliant in that movie. I never had an issue with Fonda in westerns, tho. He's also excellent in The Ox-Bow Incident, which is probably my third favorite western.

Your rating system for westerns is useless if you ignore the elephant in the room.
John Wayne .
No critic of westerns is complete without considering the Wayne cannon.

On Edit; I was actually referring to Hal's "
"I also inherited a bunch of John Wayne war and western DVDs. I doubt I'll delve into those, tho. I have mixed feelings about him. "

[Staun]

Speaking of Fonda & Stewart, I recall they did a comedy-western in the '60s, iirc. Anyone know what it was? I haven't seen it since I was a kid and can't seem to think of the title. I also can't remember if it was any good or not.

That's right, Stewart inherits a cat house. They both leave the cattle range to see what it's all about but like you, I can't remember the name. But the best Fonda Stewart western is, Firecreek. You and Ron should see this one if you can. A little unsettling, raw and highly recommended.

[Jerjo]

[ronmac]

Winchester 73 is on tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 EST. I might just watch it. But that time of day might not work.

Next Tuesday, TCM is showing a bunch of '50s sci-fi flicks. Too many to list

http://www.tcm.com/schedule/index.ht...ate=2020-04-07

[Staun]

That be it.

[Staun]

Winchester 73 is on tomorrow afternoon at 3:00 EST. I might just watch it. But that time of day might not work.

Next Tuesday, TCM is showing a bunch of '50s sci-fi flicks. Too many to list

http://www.tcm.com/schedule/index.ht...ate=2020-04-07

Those are the standards. The best ones aren't on the list.

[ronmac]

Those are the standards. The best ones aren't on the list.

Yep, I wouldn't call many of them classics. To me, they are more about the memories of watching them as a kid on Saturday afternoons and nights.

[Hal...]

Night Passage. Not bad is the most I can say for it. This is one of those movies Stewart is miscast in.

The Rare Breed. Turned it off less than a ½ hour into it. I could tell I wouldn't like it. Stewart is too old and the humor is lame.

Watched Klute last night. Second time I've seen it and the first for at least 30 years. Excellent movie!

Your rating system for westerns is useless if you ignore the elephant in the room.

My rating system for westerns is useless because, as I said before, the western is one of my least favorite genres.

On Edit; I was actually referring to Hal's "I also inherited a bunch of John Wayne war and western DVDs. I doubt I'll delve into those, tho. I have mixed feelings about him. "

I've seen a ton of Wayne movies and most of them I've found wanting. I can only think of two of his movies I'd watch again if I got in the mood: Tall in the Saddle and True Grit.

In fact, one of my all time favorite scenes in a western is this one from Tall in the Saddle:



I never get tired of that scene.

[Hal...]

Check out what I just discovered on TCM. If you click on the link for a movie you are taken to the page with the synopsis and the listing of cast and crew. If you click on a person's name, you're taken to the "overview" page of that person. This is what I just discovered: immediately beneath their name, it shows you the upcoming movies on TCM. Also look to the far right because you may see the word "More" and possibly an arrow. Click the arrow and it will scroll through the upcoming movies that person appears in. For example, I clicked Grant Mitchell. Dinner at Eight airs April 5th, Laura the 14th and the 20th, Juarez on May 5th, etc.

It works for directors, editors, cinematographers, and other crew members, too.

It's something to keep in mind if you're ever in the mood for a movie with one of your fave actors or directors.