Friday, February 10, 2012

Classic Film Survey

I got this from survey the Girl with the White Parasol, who found it at Frankly My Dear. If you play along, let me know so I can check out your answers. (And if you love old movies, I recommend you visit those ladies' impressive blogs.)

Now I have answered these without checking out anyone else's answers. For the record, I define "classic" as anything before 1970 (making it 40 or more years old).

1. Favorite classic Disney? Mary Poppins. First of all, because it was the first movie I ever saw in the theater. I remember everything about it … once the coming attractions ended, the heavy red curtains closed, then reopened, and there they were, the rooftops of London! Magic! I have loved going to the movies ever since. Secondly, because for once, old Walt wasn't a sadist. I'll never forgive him for Bambi's mother, or Simba cuddling up to a dead Mufasa, or worst of all, that poor Old Yeller Dog. There's no tragedy in Mary Poppins. And lastly, she really was Practically Perfect in Every Way.

2. Favorite film from the year 1939? I wish I could honestly say Dark Victory or Love Affair, because naming those under-appreciated jewels would help establish my bona fides as a serious film buff. But in truth, my favorite is Gone with the Wind. Which, I guess, just makes me a movie fan.

3. Favorite Carole Lombard Screwball role? I loved her. So beautiful, so elegant, so freakin' funny. I have seen My Man Godfrey most often, but I'm gonna go with Nothing Sacred because I loved her overwhelming hunger to get out of that small town and never, ever go back. Also because the whole movie is so refreshingly irreverent.

4. Favorite off screen couple? (It’s ok if it ended in divorce.) Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. I loved the idea of their off screen life together more than I enjoyed any of their onscreen pairings.


5. Favorite pair of best friends? (i.e: Barbara Stanwyck and Joan Crawford) I didn't know Stanwyck and Crawford were friends! But I have always thought the lifelong friendship of Elizabeth Taylor and Roddy McDowell was adorable.

6. Favorite actor with a mustache? Gable. Because he looks like he knows what I would look like without my shimmy.

7. Favorite blonde actress? Marilyn Monroe.

8. Favorite pre-code? Sorry. I got nothin'.

9. Which studio would you have liked to join? MGM. More stars than heaven! I love the stories like how, on Gable's birthday, young Judy Garland came to sing "You Made Me Love You" directly to him. Of course, since I lean to pudgy, Mr. Mayer would probably limit me to chicken soup in the commissary like he did poor Judy.

10. Favorite common on screen pairing that SHOULD have gotten married? Myrna Loy and William Powell.

11. Favorite I Love Lucy episode? When Lucy and Ethel can't stand Ricky and Fred anymore and escape from Hollywood for a weekend in Palm Springs and end up sharing their troubles with Rock Hudson. Aside from the unintended humor that comes from the girls getting marital advice from the screen's ultimate "confirmed bachelor,"  I love Rock's sweet sincerity and tuneless whistle.



12.  Out of these actresses which one do you like best: Lucille Ball, Ingrid Bergman, Natalie Wood, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Greer Garson, Grace Kelly, or Katharine Hepburn? Lately I am appreciating Natalie Wood more and more, but no one can ever approach the Great Kate in my book.



13. Shadowy film noir from the 1940’s or splashy colorful musicals from the 1950’s? All singing! All dancing! All color for this gal.



14. Actor or actress with the best autograph (photo preferred). Judy Garland, because you can make out every single letter. For a woman with such a chaotic life, she had a remarkably controlled signature.


 


15. A baby (or childhood or teenage) photo of either your favorite actress or actor (or both if you'd like.) Here's the Sundance Kid's graduation photo.


5 comments:

  1. Thanks for the kind words, Gal. I'm inclined to agree with you that I find offscreen Newman/Woodward far more fascinating than onscreen. As a side note, here's a link to them being utterly adorable on What's My Line. Thanks for the pic of Garland's lovely signature. And I agree with you that Elizabeth Taylor and Roddy McDowell were the best and loyalest type of friends.

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  2. Oh Newman and Woodward, I know what you mean! While I was watching The Long, Hot Summer I kept thinking about the two of them together in real life! I wish there were more interviews with them. And Judy's signature is gorgeous, how neat and sophisticated, I love it!

    btw, I noticed your book list, have you ever tried goodreads?

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  3. I enjoy reading your insights on movies. I don't remember them well enough to be able to do these memes.

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  4. Thank you for taking this survey! I'm very glad you find my blog impressive, I rather have enjoyed visiting yours! :)

    I enjoyed reading your answers! I can't blame you for answer to number 2 (obviously, what with the title of my blog and all ;D) - it's hard to beat Gone With the Wind! A lot of people chose Paul and Joanne, and it's no wonder. They're adorable. I'm just getting into Paul Newman's films, but I already like him a lot.

    Once again, thanks for taking this! :)

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  5. I finally played along with this. Thanks for posting it!
    http://greggdigressions.blogspot.com/2012/02/classic-movie-quiz.html

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