Paris55 Reviews

Suddenly, Last Summer (1959)

Trivia Correction (last item in Trivia section)

[7/10 · 6 August 2016]

The trivia sections list one of 4 films to receive two Academy Awards nominations. Actually, it is one of only five films to receive two Academy Award nominations for Best Actress. In this instance, Katharine Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor were so nominated. The other four films were All About Eve (1950) for which Anne Baxter and Bette Davis were nominated, Terms of Endearment (1983) for which Shirley MacLaine and Debra Winger were nominated, Thelma & Louise (1991) for which Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon were nominated and The Turning Point (1977) for which Anne Bancroft and again Shirley MacLaine were nominated. Of the actresses in question, Anne Bancroft had already won an Academy Award for The Miracle Worker (1962) and Shirley MacLaine won the Academy Award for Best Actress for Terms of Endearment.

Harriet Craig (1950)

Harriet Craig is one of Crawford's best roles

[7/10 · 17 July 2012]

I agree with most of the previous reviews on this page re the movie HARRIET CRAIG. I like Joan Crawford as an actress but not too many of her earlier films. I think she hit her stride in 1939 with The Women and in the 1940s and 1950s. I agree with the author 'beyondtheforest' regarding comparing certain stars to their roles and what others have said decades later after they had passed on. Although I believe some of her daughter's account of her mother which coincides with other Hollywood friends and acquaintances of Crawford's (before they passed away) including Harriet Craig's director Vincent Sherman whom Crawford had an affair with. Sherman did say that he had witnessed some of Christina Crawford's accusations which led to Crawford throwing him out of her house the night he spoke up about it.

Harriet Craig, The Women and Possessed (the second movie she made with the same title, and The Damned Don't Cry are my favorite Crawford movies. IMO, Crawford was best in the second Possessed. She, herself said that it took a lot out of her to play that part in Possessed, therefore she never desired to play such intense characters again. People forget that Crawford was a good actress and always played independent women who pick themselves up and move forcefully thru a male dominated world. I enjoy those movies more so than her Mildred Pierce. Although I like the Crawford Mildred Pierce (esp the ending) more so than the recent HBO miniseries featuring Kate Winslet, which was boring yet supposed to be true to the novel.

Author 'beyondtheforest' mentioned that 1950 was was a good year for movies and performances. Crawford could have been nominated for HARRIET CRAIG along with Katherine Hepburn in ADAM'S RIB. The nominees were Bette Davis and Ann Baxter (ALL ABOUT EVE), Gloria Swanson (SUNSET BLVD), Judy Holliday (BORN YESTERDAY), and Eleanor Parker (CAGED). The favorites were Davis and Swanson but the problem was that Ann Baxter insisted that the studio nominate her in the Best Actress category, since she herself said that the movie's title was ALL ABOUT EVE and may have siphoned off votes from Davis. Many people had cautioned Baxter to stop campaigning for the Best Actress category and settle for Best Supporting Actress, where she and Bette Davis surely would have won in both categories. Instead, Judy Holliday won the the Oscar.

At the end of HARRIET CRAIG, Walter should not have said that she could have the house! I would like to think that he did not relinquish his house that he grew up in, when he eventually divorced her.

Believe it or not, there are still a few HARRIET CRAIGS in this year of 2012. I know someone who actually said that she married for PROTECTION; she BARGAINED, since she married late in life, and has since TRAINED her husband into the mode she had always wanted. The word LOVE never came up.

Seance on a Wet Afternoon (1964)

One of the Academy Awards Most Baffling Choices (2)

[7/10 · 13 July 2012]

I agree with the comment provided by author djlink, Alexandria, VA regarding the Oscars. Unfortunately for Kim Stanley in "Seance on a Wet Afternoon" Julie Andrews won the Oscar not for her performance in Mary Poppins BUT for the controversy over Andrews not getting the part in the movie "My Fair Lady". Andrews created the part on Broadway. When the movie was cast, the producers chose Audrey Hepburn, for name recognition. Many in Hollywood industry and the Academy were not thrilled over the slight and thought that was a major mistake, therefore giving Andrews the Oscar for Mary Poppins, no matter who else was nominated and their performance. This happens much too often and in recent years as of 2011. The Oscars are more political now than they were back in the 1960s.

Please Murder Me! (1956)

Love this movie! There is a 2012 connection.

[6/10 · 30 June 2012]

I bought this movie in a DVD collection called "Dangerous Dames" (6 movies on two DVDs). I agree with most of the previous comments provided re Please Murder Me. What I want to share is that Raymond Burr played this part as a possible audition for him to play Perry Mason the following year. I must admit that Burr and Angela Lansbury were great in this forgotten film noir. Interesting 2012 trivia - in early 2012, the Hallmark Channel HD has brought back Perry Mason in its chronological episode order. After two hours of the Perry Mason episodes, his Please Murder Me co-star, Angela Lanbury stars in two episodes of Murder She Wrote. I was not born when Mason was originally on the air and watched it in re-runs much later as a young teen when we only had 5-6 channels. Now I am thankful that they brought the Mason series back. Great channel programming and I wonder if Hallmark knows of this movie connection between the Burr and Lansbury.

Bunny Lake Is Missing (1965)

GLAD they are not remaking Bunny Lake is Missing

[6/10 · 23 March 2012]

I agree with many reviewers that the storyline had holes in it but remember, Bunny Lake is Missing was made in 1965. The 1960s provided good films and bad films. This movie was made 45 years ago, and in a way, a warning to us in the decades that followed. In the 70s and 80s, I could not watch this movie on TV. It's about a subject that always scared and tore me apart. Missing children. I finally watched the entire film on Turner Classic Movies today. I am glad they are NOT remaking this movie as of this date. From what I understand the project fell through and we of course hear of missing kids all the time on the news. I can't watch films like this. They should, instead of making films, use the $$ to donate to the technology and resources in finding missing kids.

The Other Side of Midnight (1977)

The Other Side of Midnight can now be remade as a mini-series

[7/10 · 26 June 2011]

I agree with most of the reviews written. My comment is that since they are remaking every movie these days that are not even 15 years old, why not try this one. The Other Side of Midnight would make a perfect mini-series on HBO, Showtime, etc. The time is right. The story can be told in full detail. Many scenes can be shot with no editing. With a good cast and good director, this book can be made into a good soap. Regardless of what some people are saying now, soaps are needed now more than ever. I would rather engross myself in a good soap opera rather than the reality show nonsense they are cramming down our throats.

Valley of the Dolls (1967)

Drive-in Camp Pleasure

[7/10 · 30 April 2011]

I am a movie junkie. Watched and collected movies from the late 1920s to now. I actually saw Valley of the Dolls at the drive in theater in 1968 at age 10. Why my parents took my siblings and I to this particular movie could only be coughed up as not being able to get a babysitter for 5 kids. Anyway, at age 10 I thought the Dolls in the title were about the women. Had no idea it was about pills until years later. Also, I had no idea that the actual book spanned a number of years earlier than the 1960s, which made the movie a bit confusing. The fashions and the characters hair and makeup did not change although the 1960s were the change decade and the produces may have not wanted to deviate fm this period. I did think Patty Duke was great in her break out adult role. I had no idea that she could sing. She may have played it over the top but she provided a wide acting range in this movie. She is a bit more subdued in later films. I liked Barbara Parkins, very beautiful, given top billing due to her TV role in Peyton Place. In the modeling shots in the movie, she looked a bit puffed up. I would have loved to have seen her in later movies. Sharon Tate was good but the movie is hard to watch when she is on the screen - for me - knowing what happened to her in real life. Judy Garland would have been great as Helen Lawson but Susan Hayward, another actress that I admired earlier in her career did an adequate job. Lee Grant was good, a comeback of sorts after her blacklist years. The male characters were OK but Paul Burke was a very attractive man. I watch this movie as a guilty pleasure periodically. I had no idea that the book was completely different from the subsequent film due to the restrictions at the time. This is why I think that VOTDs and The Other Side of Midnight are two movies that could be remade today according to the actual books. Unfortunately, they just did that with Mildred Pierce on HBO with Kate Winslet. I hated the serial update. Loved the original and the original's ending. Overall, I love the classic films but there is nothing wrong with watching a melodramatic soap opera. Contrary to what anyone says now, soap operas will always be around and would make a big comeback after everyone is tired of the Reality TV nightmares. Rather watch a good continuing soap opera over Reality TV anytime.