At the Movies -- Day Two

 

The TCM Classic Film Festival began at 9:00 AM, but I admit, I was still in bed. When I finally rolled down to the lobby for my free continental breakfast -- newly reinstated after covid! -- the crowd was finishing their bagels. I recognized a familiar voice. KAREN! She and I have been spending one night a week together for over a year with our Zoom movie meetups, but we have never met! Here we were, 2000 miles from home, and we were finally able to hug. She was there with her charming 20-something daughter, who snapped pictures. Bob, a rabid Beatle fan who also belongs to our movie group, was there, too. After all the video contact, it was good to finally see one another 3-D.

My first movie of the day was at 10:30. The Group (1966). I saw it on TV when I was a teenager and to be honest, I didn't understand it. Based on Mary McCarthy's very adult best-seller, it follows 8 co-eds into their lives after graduation. There was adultery and abortion and breast vs. bottle and careers and date rape and lesbianism and dependent, aging parents. What was ground-breaking and artistic in 1966 seems overwrought and overstuffed now. Still, I'm glad I saw it. Candice Bergen at 20 years old was so beautiful it's ridiculous. She also wasn't very good. We know from Murphy Brown that comedy is her forte, and there are precious few laughs in The Group.

The film was introduced by actress Diane Baker. She compared The Group to her own film, The Best of Everything, and said this one was better. I disagree. The Best of Everything was great, soapy fun while The Group was heavy going.

Then it was time for more Doris. Will, Guy and I saw The Pajama Game (1957).

Another new-to-me movie, another movie that isn't shown very often. We were completely charmed. I also liked the message. As TCM host Eddie Muller pointed out in his introduction, there aren't many musicals focused on the importance of labor unions.

From there it was off to the BIG theater. The Chinese Theater. 916 seats. The perfect place to see the restored print of Giant. This was, after all, the theater were it originally premiered in 1956, where Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson left their hand/footprints in the forecourt.

I love this movie. Always have. Now I remember it especially fondly because my late mother loved it. I was also excited to see Steven Spielberg in person. He was one of the moving forces behind the restoration of this film. He spoke of it in terms of film making (dissolves and long shots) and story telling (racial tensions and feminism).

It's also a great popcorn movie. Rock Hudson and Elizabeth Taylor were both still in their 20s and both staggeringly beautiful. They're as gorgeous as the panoramic shots of wide open spaces.