It wasn't all movies

I socialized quite a bit when I was in Hollywood for the TCM Film Festival. I enjoyed it, and I learned a lot from it.

Spending time at Mel's. This iconic diner, right off Hollywood Blvd., is very convenient to both the festival and my hotel. I had two rather important meals there. 

The first was dinner with my oldest friend's daughter. I held her as a baby and now she's a tall, willowy woman. She's got a good job she enjoys with an LA ophthalmologist and lives with Jose, the 30-something she brought along. I was glad he was there. Her mother is a mess and it was valuable to hear his take, which is more objective than her daughter's or mine. Some of what he told me was legit disturbing – maybe I'll post about it later, maybe I won't – but it was important for me to hear. This situation is bad and my ability to impact it is maddeningly limited. I have to accept that, and try not be sucked into my friend's crazy.

I was happy to see that my friend's daughter and Jose are committed to one another and are really working at their relationship. They have even taken a couples' vacation to Vegas with her dad! I admit I never liked her father, but that's not the point. It's completely natural for her to want to have a relationship with him, and I think it's great that Jose encourages her in this while also supporting efforts to help her troubled mother.

Then there was "the kick-off breakfast." A rather tight group of TCMFF regulars meets on the first morning of the festival to catch up on their lives and compare notes on what they're looking forward to in the festival line-up. Last year I happened upon it rather accidentally. It meant a lot to me that this year I was specifically included. That felt good. Especially because of Doug. He's the husband of Laura, a passionate baseball fan like me only she roots for the Dodgers. I respect her commitment as she does mine and we have a nice time together. Doug has always been another kettle of fish. First of all, he loves John Wayne, Clint Eastwood and all that toxic masculinity. Online, he almost shits a brick when Jane Fonda's name comes up (and it comes up rather often in classic film discussion groups). And, during the first year of the festival after covid, he mocked those of us who wore masks (as per the rules) "sheeple." 

The thing of it is, last year he got such a kick out of listening to his wife and I fan girl over baseball that he actually now looks forward to seeing me. He hugged me every time we ran into each other throughout the festival. He gave me a pin. It's some cowboy actor I couldn't identify but that's not the point, he wanted me to have it. We even had a fun time together in line later, waiting to see Modern Times.  

Do I agree with Doug on just about anything? No. But this turn of events makes me happy. It's better to have someone out there liking me than disliking me.

Gazing upon the fountains.  There's a restaurant called La Piazza at The Grove shopping center in Los Angeles. The Italian food is very good – I had carbonara – and it was nice to dine outdoors. 

My lunch partner was Tina. We worked together a million years ago, back during the Clinton administration. She now lives outside Los Angeles and is happy to see me and get a little dose of Chicago when I come out for TCM.

I'm always surprised and gratified that she enjoys spending time with me. It reminds me of the olden days, when I was the "go-to" girl at the center of every project at the advertising agency. That's how Tina still sees me. She always was and still is gorgeous – thick black hair down her back, great clothes, slim figure. In the looks arena, she always intimidated me. But her career never really took off and after she had her first baby, she left the workforce. She and her husband are still together after all these years – no mean feat – and their two kids are both embarking on careers, so I don't think she regrets her choice at all. Yet she told me that her daughter asked who mom was dining with today and she described me as "super talented" and said she admired me. Wow. And here I thought I was a fat spinster who sold candles at a card shop, while Tina is living the LA lifestyle! 

There's a lesson in there somewhere. 

 

Sunday Stealing

The 2x4 Meme

TWO foods you can't stand

1. Sushi

2. Anything spicy

FOUR foods you love

1. Pizza (deep dish, thin crust – I'm easy)

2. Barbecue (beef, chicken or pork – I'm easy)

3. Crab Rangoon

4. Potatoes (baked, fried, mashed – I'm easy)

TWO places you never want to see again 

1. The little lake in Wisconsin my family visited every year when I was kid. The three hour drive with my dad was always tense and unpleasant. Once we got up there, I was bored and lonely. Reliving those vacations gives me PTSD. 

2. I don't have another one

FOUR places you'd like to revisit

1. New York City

2. Memphis

3. Hot Springs, AR

4. Hollywood, for the TCM Classic Film Festival (and I plan to return in 2026)

TWO musical artists who make you want to change the station 

1. Barry Manilow

2. Madonna

FOUR musical artists you love to listen to

1. The Beatles

2. Bruce Springsteen

3. Barbra Streisand

4. Elvis

TWO moments you'd like to erase

1. Seeing Anthony Rizzo injured in a collision at first base with Fernando Tatis. He got a concussion and, though we didn't know it at the time, it hastened an early end to his career. He is forever my captain and he deserved better, from baseball and from life.

2. January 6, 2021. Everyone involved in that shameful day at the Capitol and the pardons that followed should be ashamed of himself. (Though shame is in short supply in this administration.)

FOUR moments you'd like to relive

1. The day back in 2004 when I realized I was in love. I was on my way home and I couldn't wait to call him and thank him for reminding me to bring my umbrella. I thought, "Wow, just connecting with him over the smallest thing fills me with such anticipation – I guess I'm in love." The idea filled me with wonder.

2. The first time my cat Roy Hobbs got into bed with me to snuggle. He'd been abused and it took him a little while to trust humans again.

3. Seeing Sir Paul from my awesome seat on Wrigley Field. When I got my fantabulous ticket, I was thrilled that I would be that close to my favorite Beatle. When I got to the park and was ushered onto the field, it washed over me that I wasn't far from where the great Greg Maddux actually pitched and it was almost too much happiness.

4. Speaking of the Cubs ... Anthony Rizzo making the final out of the 2016 World Series. I lived to see something my grandparents, my dad, and my uncle missed: The Cubs as World Series champions. At this moment I felt very close to all my clan of Cub fans who had gone before.

  

 

Ssturday 9

Saturday 9: Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now (1987)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Gracie Slick challenges, "Let them say we're crazy!" Tell us about something you're glad you did, even though your friends or family may have advised you against it. Going on vacation alone. Decades ago – back in the 1990s – a friend and I bought a spa package to the Arlington in Hot Springs. Her little boy (now married!) got sick and she cancelled at the last minute when it was too late for us to get a full refund. I went by myself and had double the hot tub soaks and massages. It was bliss! I began taking solo spa trips every spring for years. I was warned it wasn't safe, that I would be lonely, that it would feel awkward. It never was any of those things. I always came back from these trips rejuvenated by the alone time, and with more focus and insight. 

 

2) Slick is the lead singer of Jefferson Starship. This band got its start in 1965 as Jefferson Airplane but updated their name in 1974. Part of their reasoning was that by the 1970s, airplane travel was commonplace. In 2023, an estimated 820 million Americans flew domestically. When was your most recent flight? When is your next one? My last flight was ORD-LAX and back for the TCM Classic Film Festival last month. My next will be to/from Grand Rapids, Michigan. My niece is adopting a baby who will be born in June. I hope to travel up there some time in the early fall to meet my grand niece.🤞

 
3) Songwriter Albert Hammond said the song was inspired by his divorce. After years of legal wrangling, he was finally free to marry his long-time, long-suffering girlfriend. They're still married today. What is something you waited a long time for? Was it worth the wait? Retirement! As with any major life event, it was disruptive, a little scary and took me a long time to get used to. But yes, I love being able to call my days my own for the first time since I was 17.

 

4) Albert Hammond is perhaps best known as the one-hit wonder who sang, "It Never Rains in Southern California." Is rain expected where you are today? No.

 

5) He co-wrote the song with Diane Warren. In January, she lost her home to the Los Angeles fires. When a friend is confronted by heartache or tragedy, what can you say or do for them? What shouldn't you say or do? I tell them they are in my heart and my prayers. I send cards and emails to reinforce that I am here for them. I do not tell them this (whatever it is) was God's will. I am not presumptuous enough to speak for God! Plus everyone's relationship with God is individual and I respect that. BTW, something Joe Biden often said has helped me through a period of grief: "There will come a day, I promise you, that the memory of your loved one will bring a smile to your lips before it brings a tear to your eye." Wise, sensitive and hopeful words.

6) "Nothing's Gonna Stop Us Now" was the love theme to the romantic fantasy Mannequin. In that movie, a department store mannequin comes to life and falls for a struggling artist. While it was a moderate success at the box office, the gritty Vietnam drama Platoon was a much bigger hit. When you sit down to watch a movie, what genre would you prefer (fantasy, romance, comedy, drama, etc.)? I have a hankering to spend time with the Marx Brothers, so my answer must be comedy. (I love watching Groucho dance. The man cracks me up. And Harpo is so adorable.)

 

 
7) In 1987, when this song was popular, Aretha Franklin became the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Aretha was proud of her Detroit roots. Have you been to Michigan? If yes, where did you go? I've been to Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids to visit various family members. I've never been to Detroit. It might be fun to go up there to see the Tigers play.

 

8) In 1987, the Chevy Corvette made news by adding a low tire pressure light to its dashboard. When you're driving and a yellow warning light comes on, do you handle the issue promptly? Or is it something you'll get to when you get around to it? No car. But I did learn, while I was working for a car care client, that drivers often consider yellow or orange warning lights as "low priority." That attitude, while common, is a good way to do real damage to your vehicle. (Listen to the lady who doesn't drive.)

9) Random question: A magic mirror reflects your appearance five years from today. Would you look at it? I don't know. I lost two close friends in 2024 and wonder how I would feel if I looked into the mirror and didn't see anything. (I know, that's a serious answer to a frivolous question. Sorry to be such a bummer.)

 

 

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Georgia on My Mind (1978)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This lyrics refer to "an old sweet song." What old sweet song is a favorite of yours? "More Than You Know" was published in 1929. This is one of my favorite Streisand performances.  

 

 

 

2) Composer Hoagy Carmichael said he was inspired by saxophonist Frankie Trumbauer to write a song about Georgia. In those days, bands traveled by bus and Frankie enjoyed rolling through Georgia. Hoagy recalled that Frankie even volunteered the first two words, "Georgia, Georgia ..." If we were to organize a Saturday 9 bus trip, where would you recommend we go for lovely scenery? Arkansas. I used to take an annual spring spa trip to Hot Springs and there was a courtesy van that would pick me up at the airport in Little Rock and take me to my hotel. The hour-long drive was lovely. Lots of rolling hills and dense green foliage. I love Chicagoland, but it's very flat here and in late March, the trees are still bare, so I really enjoyed that drive.

 

3) This version of "Georgia on My Mind" was controversial before it was even recorded. Willie Nelson's label, Columbia, didn't see the point of their outlaw country star singing an old standard that was associated with Ray Charles and Ella Fitzgerald. Willie had the last laugh. This record was a hit and Willie won a Grammy. Tell us about a time when you were a success despite opposition. Oh, this is an example of why I'm glad to be out of advertising. My client wanted us to save them money by encouraging customers to pay bills online rather than through the mail. I suggested using a simple front/back "buck slip" inserted in their monthly statement. One side would say, "Go Paperless. Save  Trees." and the other side would show how paper – and trees – could be saved annually if just 10% of customers switched to online payment.

 

My boss thought it was a good idea, but that I was "wasting" it on a buck slip. "No one reads those!" he insisted. Why don't we send a letter? It's more likely to be read and we would have more space to do an emotional appeal about saving water and trees and landfill space ... how we'd be helping future generations ... how we could toss in a buck slip but it would show a child planting a seedling on the front ...

 

I was like, "But we'd using more paper to discuss how bad using paper is." After all, his idea would include a separate envelope and an additional 8 1/2 x 11 sheet. As a consumer, that would set off my bullshit meter. Plus it would cost the client more in production and postage. My boss argued, "It will pay for itself."

 

He really didn't like being disagreed with.  At least not by me. He said he would present both concepts to the client and let them decide. HE would present? He never presented! I knew what he would do: he'd say, "you could just do a nice little buck slip ... or an effective, heart-tugging appeal that's certain to change minds and behavior." 

Well, based on the cost of the two concepts, the client chose mine. Every step of the way through execution, my boss bitched and complained. "I can't believe they chose THIS!" he would say as he approved first the copy, then the layout, then the final print. Over and over he made it clear that my idea was deficient and lame.

 

He was the Vice President/Creative Director. He could have killed my idea before the client ever saw it. Instead he presented it, along with his own, just so he could prove me wrong. Put me in my place. What a petty shit he was. We worked for the same agency. Any time the client was happy with us was a win for us. Not in his eyes. 

 

This kind of thing happened all the freaking time. I'm glad to work at the card shop.

 
4) While it's at odds with his "outlaw" image, Willie was a popular and active high school student. He played three sports and was a member of Future Farmers of America. What school activities did you participate in during your teen years? I wasn't big on participation. I'd join a club at the beginning of the year so I could work on and ride the homecoming float, but then drop out before Christmas.

 

5) Willie once worked as a tree trimmer, so clearly he didn't suffer from acrophobia. How about you? Do you have a fear of heights? Nope.

 

6) He wrote the lyrics to one of his biggest hits, "On the Road Again," during a flight, using the airplane barf bag as scrap paper. That was back in 1980. In 2025, do you handwrite onto note paper, or do you make all your "notes to self" digitally? I scribble on lined paper.

7) In 1978, when Willie was singing "Georgia on My Mind," audiences were flocking to see the movie Grease. What's your favorite song from Grease? The first one that comes to mind is "Summer Nights." Wella, wella, wella, ooh, tell me more, tell me more ... 

8) Also in 1978, Karina Smirnoff was born. After spending her early years in the Ukraine, she came to America and found success on Dancing with the Stars. Are you a DWTS fan? I was during the early seasons but I've lost interest.

 

9) Random question: Do you ever carry a backpack? Not often. I switched to a backpack during my vacation at the TCM Classic Film Festival. It holds so much and made it possible for me to not keep running back to my hotel room. But for day to day, the backpack is in the closet.

 

 

 

 

77 movies and 11 panel discussions

Read all about it here

The 2025 TCM Film Festival schedule dropped today! Will and I spent about an hour texting back and forth. Then Karen and I exchanged Facebook messages. We three from our movie group are making the pilgrimage to Hollywood and we've been comparing notes. At times we have 5 movies and a lecture to choose from! Fortunately we each go our own way, so we don't have to agree. Which is a good thing. Because we don't agree. For example, on the first night, Will is excited to see Teacher's Pet with Clark Gable and Doris Day, and nothing could stop me from kicking off the festival with Kate and Liz and Monty in Suddenly, Last Summer.

I'll see Michelle at the screening of the restored Cinderella. We're Facebook friends but since she lives in Colorado Springs, this is the only time we meet in person. I hope I'll run into Trudy again this year. And there's Lisa with the three names. Likewise John who loves Technicolor melodramas and his cat. And very tall Kris. (People bitch about Facebook all the time but I love how it keeps us old movie nerds connected between Fests.)

This is really happening. Three weeks from today. YAY!

 

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Photograph (1973)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here

1) In this song, Ringo stumbles upon a photograph that reminds him of a lost love. Are there any photos displayed in the room you're in right now? Nope.

2) While there are approximately 180 published songs credited to Lennon-McCartney, this is the only song written by Harrison-Starr. When you think of Ringo's old band, the Beatles, what's the first song that comes to mind? "Hey, Jude."

3) George and Ringo wrote this song while on a yacht in the South of France. They, and their wives, had just attended Mick Jagger's wedding to Bianca in Saint Tropez and decided to take a little holiday together. What are your vacation plans for 2025? Within weeks I shall be off to Hollywood. I can't wait!

 

Read all about it here

4) At 5'8, Ringo was the shortest Beatle and the only one with blue eyes. How tall are you? What's your eye color? 5'1, green eyes.

5) Ringo gave his first wife, Maureen, a one-of-a-kind birthday gift. Frank Sinatra recorded "The Lady Is a Tramp" with special lyrics, written just for her. Do you have anything that's personalized? (It could be a monogram on a scarf, it doesn't have to be as cool as a gift from Frank Sinatra.) Just a drawer full of notepads and return address labels from charities.

6) Ringo appeared as Mr. Conductor on Thomas the Tank Engine. He recorded the narration for the entire first season in just a week. Tell us what you did last week. I reset the sale table at the card shop (which I enjoyed because I feel I'm adding value) and got a MMR vaccine (which I didn't enjoy). Remember when we believed measles was eradicated? 

7) As a boy in Liverpool, Ringo loved watching American westerns. Do you like cowboy movies/shows? I like TV westerns better than movie westerns.

 

8) In 1973, when this song was a hit, former President Lyndon Johnson died. Who was President when you were a kid? LBJ in grade school, Nixon in junior high and Nixon and Ford in high school.

 
9) Random question: When you woke up this morning, did you know the day and date (before looking at your phone)? The day? Yes. The date? No.

 

A break from all the ho-ho-ho

Winter hasn't even really kicked in yet and I'm looking forward to spring! Got my hotel room -- I'm staying at the Loews, which is rather high end but right there at the center of everything, so I'll feel safe even after the midnight screenings -- and now I have my pass. 

After the first of year I'll start looking at airfare. Right now ORD-LAX is $561 roundtrip. Frankly that's more than I want to spend. I'm about 6,500 miles short of flying free (darn!). I hate having to fret about the cost of things, but I'm an old lady on a fixed income and that's my new reality. In years gone by, I took at least two vacations a year -- Key West and then some other getaway -- but this will be my only trip in 2025.* 

Facebook is abuzz with my fellow old movie fanatics. We're excited about the films we'll see, and about seeing one another again. 

Baseball and TCMFF! April will deliver two of my favorite things.

*If I do Grand Rapids again next year, I think I'd prefer Amtrak, which would be cheaper than flying. 

November Challenge: Day 28

Find the challenge here

November Challenge: Somewhere you would like to move or visit

Move? No freaking way! First of all, this is where I belong. Yes, it gets cold in December, January (and sometimes February), but I appreciate all four seasons. Plus, I dislike heat way more than cold.

Second, there are advantages of living here. I learned this when my oldest friend decamped to SoCal and Reg and Henry moved to Key West. 

Public transportation. Reg and Henry seldom drove when they lived here but when they got to Key West they had to invest in a second car. My oldest friend found driving in SoCal traffic incredibly stressful. I don't even have a car.

The economy. Reg and Henry were, at one point, working five jobs between them to maintain a middle-class lifestyle. My oldest friend had a much tougher time finding/keeping jobs than she ever had here.

Climate. No, I don't mean weather. I mean politics. While Key West is very welcoming, the State of Florida, as a whole, is not. The Governor actually proclaimed that "Florida is where woke goes to die!" That's some ugly shit, as though diversity, equality and inclusion are somehow bad. Imagine being a tax payer in a state where your elected official dismiss you, as Henry and Reg (as a biracial gay couple) were dismissed by Desantis. I love it that, for all Illinois' faults, my state's vision matches my own.

Stuff to do. There's always a movie or restaurant or program at the library that I can walk to. There's live theater and, of course, the Cubs just a short train ride away. If you're bored here, it's because you're boring.

Ah, but where would I like to visit? I'd like to go back. There are so many places I've been before that I'd love to return to, like the spas in Colonial Williamsburg and Hot Springs, Arkansas. And Graceland! Graceland was great fun. Hawaii was other wordly, I'd like to see that again, too.

 

 Photo by Andreas Rasmussen on Unsplash.

  

Sunday Stealing

More of those 200 Questions

1. What takes up too much of your time? This. I spend way too much time online.

2. What do you wish you knew more about? Oh, so many things! Right now, I'd like to better understand my musculature and how I can overcome the issues with my back, shoulder and knee.

3. What’s the best way to start the day? Cuddling a cat.

4. What mystery do you wish you knew the answer to? What/how do my cats think?

5. What’s your favorite genre of book or movie? Depends on my mood.

6. What’s the farthest you’ve ever been from home? Either Paris or Honolulu. They're both about 4,000 miles away.

7. Where is the most interesting place you’ve been? I love Springfield, IL. It's where Mr. Lincoln went from country lawyer to President. It's such a privilege to walk where he walked.

8. When was the last time you climbed a tree for fun? Junior high. My grandpa's apple tree.

9. What do you consider to be your best find? Hmmm ... I'll go with my cats again for this one. I found them in shelter and they have enriched my life immeasurably.

10. What’s special about the place where you grew up? I really wasn't crazy about the place I grew up. No diversity, no imagination. The best thing I can say about it that it's a 30-minute train ride from Chicago.

11. What age do you wish you could permanently be? 35. I felt womanly, powerful, and sexy.

12. What fictional place would you most like to go? Nero Wolfe's brownstone. Mr. Wolfe is the hero of Rex Stout's mystery series, and I have a mad crush on the series narrator, Archie Goodwin, who lives in the brownstone.

13. Where is the most relaxing place you’ve ever been? Good goobies, it's hard to choose between the spas I've visited! I suppose I give the edge to the spa of Colonial Williamsburg.

The charming walk to my happy place

14. What’s the most interesting piece of art you’ve seen? I enjoy the work of Thomas McKnight.

15. Who has impressed you the most with what they have accomplished? Right now, I'll name my friend Joanna. She's suffered financial and professional setbacks over the past few years and, as she turns 70 this month, it would be easy for her to feel beaten down. But she doesn't give up. She's working on proposals and she's networking and she's focused on resurrecting the consulting business she's built.

August Happiness Challenge -- Day 23

 Today's happiness: AAdvantage E-Shopping

My 2024 Happiness Icon

I love to earn extra miles. Especially since my annual spring flights from ORD to LAX are loooong and expensive. Saving on airfare and/or getting an upgrade does this old miles whore's heart good.

Which is why I'm tickled to have discovered AAdvantage E-Shopping. I get up to 3x the miles on stuff I'd buy anyway! When I'm done with this post, I'm going to order Icy Hot patches from Walgreen's. Who knew buying something that utilitarian would make me this happy? (Sing it with me: California, here I come!)

Happy August Happiness Challenge!

 

Each day in August you are to post about something that makes *you* happy. Pretty simple. And, it doesn't even have to be every day if you don't want it to be. It's a great way to remind ourselves that there are positive things going on in our lives, our communities, and the world.

 

Let's Go to the Movies

12 movies on 6 screens over 4 days. It was glorious!

Day 1. Two films, both in Chinese Multiplex 4.

Only Yesterday (1933). It opens with the Crash of 1929. James Stanton, already depressed about his loveless marriage, has lost everything and is contemplating suicide while his wife entertains New York's elite in the next room. He's literally holding the gun in his hand when he sees an envelope on his desk. It's a thick letter from Mary Lane, a girl with whom he'd had a casual fling before the War. What could she possibly have to say to him? From there the story is told in flashback. I always love pre-code movies because of their natural, healthy approach to sex. Almost forgotten now, it was a big hit in '33 and introduced us to Margaret Sullavan. I guess she's almost forgotten now, too, huh? (New to me)

Grand Hotel (1932). The goings-on in Berlin's plushest hotel. This movie has an all-star cast led by Garbo, who I don't much like, and includes two (!) Barrymores and Joan Crawford. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. Even Garbo, who "vants to be alone." Lionel and John Barrymore steal the show, though. Especially debonair ladies' man John who, alone in his room, literally rolls around with his dog and confesses this good little boy is the only thing he truly loves. C'mon! How can your heart not break for a dog lover? (New to me)

Day 2. Four films, bouncing between the El Capitan, Egyptian, Chinese Multiplex 1 and Chinese Multiplex 4.

101 Dalmatians (1961). "Cruella deVille, Cruella deVille, if she doesn't scare you, no evil thing will." It's the songs in Disney movies that always stick with me. This film was introduced by a Disney animator from the olden days who explained how being able to Xerox the backgrounds revolutionized the creative process and enabled Disney Studios to keep making "cartoons," which (surprisingly to me) cost so much more than the Hayley Mills movies and Mickey Mouse Club TV Show they'd been cranking out.

That's Entertainment (1974). A compilation of MGM's greatest hits. I saw it back when I was in high school and it was the gateway drug to my classic film addiction, so it seemed fitting to watch it again here.

Lady Sings the Blues (1972). Introduced by Billy Dee Williams, this was a highlight for me. Not just because I have always enjoyed the film, but because my late friend John was such a massive Diana Ross fan. Last time I saw it on the big screen, I was sitting beside him. So this was very emotional, almost like my own personal memorial for my dear old friend. But I'm so angry at him for dying so I couldn't tell him all about Billy Dee and the crowd.

Jailhouse Rock (1957). This is a great movie musical. Yes, I truly believe that. Yes, I will die on this hill. I am so used to people mocking Elvis' movies, and many of them deserve to be mocked, but not this one and watching it at night, on the big screen in a theater filled with the faithful, was a delight. I learned something new: the script was originally written for Gene Kelly! MGM didn't want to make it in 1953 because the screenwriter was blacklisted and by 1957 they felt Kelly was too old. With a few tweaks -- the old con Vince shares a cell with was changed from a vaudevillian to a country singer, and instead of opening a New York supper club, Vince starts his own record label -- and, naturally, a complete new soundtrack, Untitled Musical became Jailhouse Rock.

Day 3. Three films at the Egyptian and the TCL IMAX.

The Mad Miss Manton (1938). OK, this is kind of a stupid movie. But I enjoyed seeing it with my Chicago movie group moderator because Will loves Stanwyck and I'm often in love with young Henry Fonda. (Or maybe I'm in love with young Jimmy Stewart, depends on who I've seen most recently). 

Westward the Women (1952). Remember the 1970s TV Show, Here Come the Brides? This is a grittier black and white movie version. Robert Taylor leads 150 women from Chicago over the Rockies to the California Valley, where they will become wives. The thing I liked best about it was that, after the girls face some genuinely grueling and terrifying shit, they get to the Valley and let the men know they will choose who they marry, not the other way around. Enduring all that gave them, in new millennium parlance, agency. PS The dog does NOT die! (New to me)

On the Waterfront (1954). A nearly perfect movie, with a beautiful performance by Marlon Brando. The older I get, the more conflicted I am about how/why it was made, since it was Elia Kazan's cinematic excuse for naming names during The Blacklist. How to separate what's on the screen -- which is breathtaking -- from the motivation of the filmmaker -- which was cowardly and compromised? Maybe I don't have to. On the big screen, it was wrenching. PS The pigeons DO die!

Day 4. 3.5 films at Chinese Multiplex 1, Chinese Multiplex 6, Chinese Multiplex 4, and the Chinese IMAX. 

My gift from Liz

National Velvet (1944). Velvet Brown loves The Pie, a gorgeous but wild stallion. Velvet's mother loves her and encourages her to run the horse in The Grand National. This is the beautiful technicolor fairytale that made Elizabeth Taylor a star. Introduced by Tim Mendelson, Liz' executive assistant for the last 20 years of her life, trustee of her estate and now an officer of the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation. He had lovely stories about her and gave each of us a little swag as we left the theater. Again, I'm so pissed at my friend John for being dead, because he would have loved hearing about this. (New to me)

The Big Heat (1953). Remember Violet, Bedford Falls' blonde bad girl in It's a Wonderful Life? She is fucking awesome in this film noir. She is the blissfully happy girlfriend of a bad guy on the rise, until he does something genuinely awful to her. (<<< I won't tell you what.) That was a mistake, because Girlfriend knows how to exact revenge. I'm making her part sound bigger than it was, because I thought she was equally authentic as daffy and dangerous. Loved her! (New to me)

Prisoner of Shark Island (1936). This is the story of Dr. Samuel Mudd's time in prison in the Dry Tortugas. I've been to Fort Jefferson and it was more accurately recreated than it needed to be, which I appreciated. It was thrilling, even though I already knew the bare bones of the story. John Carradine played a very bad bad man. His son, Keith, said his father's movies gave him nightmares as a kid. He'd dream he was on his trike, pedaling to get away from his dad, who was chasing him while wearing a red cape. Like I said, a very bad bad man! (New to me)

Spaceballs (1987). I don't care for Star Wars or sci-fi and I thought this was stupid, so I didn't stay for the whole thing. But I'm glad I went because it was introduced by Mel Brooks and damn, he's funny. Quick and irreverent and strangely obsessed with sour cream (don't ask). The man is a treasure. This is the first time I've seen him since learning that the character of Buddy on The Dick Van Dyke Show was based on him. How I would have loved to hang around with Mel and Carl Reiner. (New to me)

Loved my hotel. Loved the festival. Loved being among the TCM movie nerds once again. Here's hoping I can return in 2025.

 

Before I start with the movies ...

I'm back from my trip to Hollywood and the TCM Classic Film Festival. I had a wonderful time and it was great to get away.*

But before I dove into 4 days of movies on six screens, I spent a little time with civilians. You know, non-movie nerds.

Wednesday night, my first dinner in Hollywood was at Mel's, "America's Most Iconic Diner." My companion was my oldest friend's 27-year-old daughter. I can't get over how delightful she was! I remember when she was a teenager and nothing but trouble. But she has a job she loves -- a tech at an ophthalmologist's office -- and a boyfriend named Jose and a black mutt named Mia Rose. I loved hearing about her life now, and she wanted to hear about her parents way-back-when. They divorced when she was in Kindergarten and have nothing good to say about one another, so she was fascinated by my memories of when they first met. I told her I never thought they should marry -- they were just hot for one another but they didn't seem to have anything in common -- but if they hadn't, I wouldn't be sitting here, drinking with her, so I'm glad they did. She confessed she feels a little guilty for liking her stepmom. I reiterated that I don't think her parents would have made it, even if her dad had never met "The Other Woman." I hope I helped. I'm really glad I got to see her and if I return next year, she wants to do it again.

Thursday I had lunch at The Grove. It's a high-end shopping mall in LA. It's pretty and it's got some great stores, but we have Charlotte Tilbury, Coach and Nordstrom here, so that was kind of a yawn. What we don't have here is outdoor seating almost 12 months a year, so I enjoyed dining outside -- in April! -- while gazing upon a gorgeous fountain.

My companion was Tina. We worked together back when Bill Clinton was President. Before the turn of the century. I was surprised she wanted to see me. We weren't that tight in the olden days but we've stayed connected via social media. She moved to Redondo Beach early in 2023 and, when she saw my TCMFF photos on Facebook last year, made me promise to let her know if I return, so ...

I had a surprisingly good time. She's been a stay-at-home mom, raising two kids now in their 20's. I don't know many women with that profile, so I found this glimpse into her life interesting. It was nice to hear how she remembered working with me. My boss in those days led me to believe I was difficult. I was glad to hear that isn't how Tina experienced me. Plus, it was flattering that she thinks of me so fondly. I've had a rough month or so, and I'll take all the positive reinforcement I can get!

 I hope now you're ready for some movies, because that's what the following posts are gonna be.

*Thank you, Country Dew, for thinking of me. Much appreciated. ❤

22,362 days later ...

On August 4-5, 1962, my family went on a trip to Springfield to see where Abraham Lincoln lived. I was just 4 years old and remember little of it except for two things: 1) it was the first time I had apple butter, which I loved and 2) Marilyn Monroe died.

It was really hot and I've never done well in heat, even as a little girl. We were touring New Salem, the small town outside of Springfield where Lincoln lived when he first arrived in Illinois. Because I was so short, I got to be in the front when we looked into the log cabins. The railings were smooth and cool and I rested my cheek on one. A young man behind us -- I never saw his face -- held a transistor radio over his head and blasted some news. I didn't really hear it but I recall thinking a radio didn't belong here because Abe wouldn't have had a radio. 

Anyway, it turns out it was an early news report that Marilyn had died. I didn't know who she was, but my mom did and was upset. My dad was upset with my mom for being upset. I was hot and the railing was cool. That's the moment I remember with great clarity.

Over the decades I've been back to Springfield countless times. I love Abraham Lincoln and I never tire of immersing myself in his world. As an adult, I've gone down either solo or with friends, usually by train. It's a lovely, scenic Amtrak trip and I enjoy it, but that means we're without a car. New Salem is about 20 minutes away from Springfield and so it's just never been part of our itinerary.

Until now. According to the "days between dates" calculator I found, it took me 22,362 days or 61 years and 2 months and 21 days to return, but I did.

My friend Elaine got a new Mazda CR-something and wanted to take a road trip. Also, since she's newly retired and eager to fill every moment,* she was up for it. 

First on the agenda: apple butter! Our hotel shared a parking lot with Cracker Barrel and so I got to indulge in that.

Next up: fall colors! Like I said, I have never liked heat. It was lovely to wander through the reconstructed town on a 60º-something day when the trees were putting on a show.

And, of course, Abe. I love Mr. Lincoln. This cabin is a reconstruction of the Onstot Cabin. Abe never owned a home in New Salem, he boarded with different families. He never lived with Henry and Susannah Onstot but he hung out at their place in the evenings. He needed light so he could study his law books in the evenings and the people he lived with were not so agreeable. The Onstots welcomed him at night.

New Salem has about 20 of these cabins in all. Including the Rutledge Tavern, where he stayed for a while and met -- and maybe fell in love with -- their daughter, Ann. Historians disagree about whether or not they were in love, but I grew up on the tale of his doomed romance with Ann and I'm reluctant to let it go. I'm apparently not alone. Elaine asked if I wanted to visit her gravesite and when I said yes, we were surprised by how easy it was to find.

*Not me; I'm lazy as shit.

Saturday 9

Saturday 9: Goodbye, Cruel World (1961)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

 

1) This week's song has a circus theme. Have you ever been to a circus? If yes, did you enjoy it? Yes, when I was very little (pre-school? Kindergarten?). No, I didn't enjoy it. It was an old-school three-ring circus and it was too much for me, I didn't know what to focus on and it upset me. Also, the candy vendor only had those marshmallow peanuts. I remember thinking they were yucky. Everything was yucky. I realize the problem wasn't the circus, it was that I was too young.

They didn't taste like peanuts at all!

2) James Darren sings that he's running away to join the circus. When you were a kid, did you ever run away from home? Yes. I was a little older than I was when we went to the  circus, but not by much. I packed underpants, a jar of peanut butter and a spoon in a tote bag. I told my parents I'd taken the peanut butter and the spoon and explained my intent. They told me they understood, and that I was welcome to come back home anytime. Then my plush Lassie dog and I were off. I made it about two houses away, realized it was dark and scary, and came back. I told my parents I planned to take off again in the morning. Of course I did not. I know this story so well because my parents loved it and retold it countless times. Apparently it was hard for them not to laugh at how earnest I was that I was not stealing the peanut butter. My favorite part of the story is that, unbeknownst to me, my dad was outside in the bushes watching me, ready to stop me if I headed toward the busy street. He was not a very hands-on father, and the thought of him crouching among those pine shrubs touches me.

 

3) While he understands intellectually that this girl is no good for him, he tells us his heart is stubborn. Do you have a stubborn streak? Yes. My two biggest faults are that I am stubborn and lazy. Not an attractive combination and I'm working on it.

4) Though he had three top 20 singles, including this one, James Darren found more consistent success as an actor. Between 1959 and 1963, he played surfer Jeff Matthews, aka "Moondoggie," in three Gidget movies. Have you seen any Gidget movies? What about the TV show, starring Sally Field? Yes. Enjoyed them all in their time, though I don't watch them now.

5) "Moondoggie" got his unique nickname because he enjoyed surfing in the moonlight. Looking back on Summer 2023, did you visit the beach (by moonlight or otherwise)? Not in the summer. But in March I went to Tampa to visit my Cousin Rose. She took me to John's Pass, which is touristy but delightful (after all, I was a tourist!) and I wiggled my toes in the sand and then we took a boat ride.

 

Greetings from the Gulf of Mexico

6) While he was playing Gidget's teen dream, he was a married man. He wed Danish beauty queen Evy Norlund in 1960. They met when she came to Los Angeles to pursue a career and they were both working at Columbia Studios. More than 60 years later, they're still together. Tell us about the longest-married couple you know. I guess that would be Mindy and Alan. They were married in (I believe) 1987. I remember when they met on a blind date set up by a woman Mindy met at a photography class. They have been through a great deal together -- infertility and health problems, financial setbacks -- but they have seemed happy with each other throughout.

7) James Darren also played Officer James Corrigan on ABC's police drama, TJ Hooker. Have you ever considered a career in law enforcement? Nope. I'm too chicken.

 

8) In 1961, when this song was on the radio, matching his & hers mohair sweaters were on trend. Do you have a favorite sweater? Yes. It's very loose and long and blue. I got it from Goodwill! I went through the store after I dropped off a box of my own gently-used items. I wanted to see the prices in the store so I could accurately value my donation at tax time. Anyway, I saw it hanging on the end cap and I fell in love. I've had it so long that I've had to mend it, but I don't care. It's forever my fave.

9) Random question -- They say we're all young at heart. In what ways are you childlike? I believe I do good in the world. I know my contributions are not mighty or noteworthy (sending postcards for candidates/causes I believe in, writing Letters Against Isolation) but I believe if we all do what we can we make the world a better place. I know how corny that sounds, but I have believed it since I was a little girl and first heard, "Ask not what your country can do for you ..."