These are the thoughts and observations of me — a woman of a certain age. (Oh, my, God, I'm 65!) I'm single. I'm successful enough (independent, self supporting). I live just outside Chicago, the best city in the world. I'm an aunt and a friend. I feel that voices like mine are rather underrepresented online or in print. So here I am. If my musings resonate with you, please visit my blog again sometime.
Summer Under the Stars is a special event on TCM. Every day a different great star is featured for 24 hours. That means the actor or actress (or, on rare occasions, director) must have about 11 movies that can be classified as classic, or fascinating, or iconic. The selections should be representative of the performer's whole career. And the actor or actress must be of passionate interest to classic film fans.
I am always hard on the folks at TCM for their choices.* So I want to take a crack at doing this myself. The restrictions I put on myself are that (1) I have to have seen all these movies and (2) I can't repeat anyone on the list for August 2011.† If I don't make myself crazy, I'll do it again next week.
Even then, I'll have only programmed 26 days. So I know going into it that it's not as easy as it looks. But I'm going to have fun trying! These performers are not necessarily my favorites, but they are ones I'm confident would capture the imagination of a variety of classic film lovers, which is what TCM has to do to stay in business.
I have programmed special events for star birthdays and anniversaries, like TCM does. I have tried to put the most popular films in the middle of the list, the way TCM does, so that they would air in prime time.
August 1 -- Paul Newman
Somebody Up There Likes Me
The Long, Hot Summer
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Cool Hand Luke
Hud
Sweet Bird of Youth
Harper
Hombre
The Young Philadelphians
From the Terrace
August 2 -- Doris Day
Calamity Jane
Young at Heart
Love Me or Leave Me
The Man Who Knew Too Much
Pillow Talk
Midnight Lace
Move Over, Darling
That Touch of Mink
The Thrill of It All
With Six You Get Eggroll
Please Don't Eat the Daisies August 3 -- Tony Curtis
Winchester '73
Son of Ali Baba
Houdini
Trapeze
Goodbye, Charlie
Sex and the Single Girl
Sweet Smell of Success
The Defiant Ones
Some Like It Hot
Operation Petticoat
40 lbs of Trouble
August 4 -- Julie Andrews
Torn Curtain
Hawaii
Americanization of Emily
Thoroughly Modern Millie
Mary Poppins (if Disney will give TCM the rights)
The Sound of Music
Victor/Victoria
Star!
10
Little Miss Marker
That's Life!
August 5 -- Richard Burton (on the anniversary of his death)
1984
Equus
Under Milkwood
My Cousin Rachel
Anne of the Thousand Days
The Taming of the Shrew
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold
The Night of the Iguana
The VIPs
The Sandpiper August 6 -- Rock Hudson
Written on the Wind
Magnificent Obsession
All that Heaven Allows
Giant
A Farewell to Arms
Come September
Lover Come Back
Send Me No Flowers
Seconds
Ice Station Zebra
Man's Favorite Sport August 7 -- Clark Gable
Susan Lenox
Red Dust
The Misfits
It Happened One Night
Gone with the Wind
Manhattan Melodrama
Call of the Wild
Mutiny on the Bounty
Mogambo
Teacher's Pet
August 8 -- Dustin Hoffman (on his 75th birthday)
Agatha
Little Big Man
Hero
The Graduate
Midnight Cowboy (if they can run it; I'm not sure their policies allows movies this adult)
All the President's Men
Marathon Man
Kramer vs. Kramer
Tootsie
Rain Man
John and Mary
August 9 -- Mickey Rooney
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Love Finds Andy Hardy
Boys Town
Babes in Arms
Strike Up the Band
Girl Crazy
National Velvet
Words and Music
Requiem for a Heavyweight
The Comic
Pete's Dragon August 10 -- Jane Wyman
Footlight Serenade
The Lost Weekend
Night and Day
The Yearling
Johnny Belinda
The Glass Menagerie
Pollyanna (If Disney will give it up)
Lucy Gallant
So Big
Holiday for Lovers
How to Commit Marriage
August 11 -- Natalie Wood
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir
The Star
Miracle on 34th Street
Rebel Without a Cause
The Searchers
Marjorie Morningstar
Splendor in the Grace
West Side Story
Gypsy
Love with the Proper Stranger
This Property Is Condemned August 12 -- Henry Fonda (on the anniversary of his death)
Yours, Mine and Ours
Madigan
Jezebel
Jesse James
Young Mr. Lincoln
The Grapes of Wrath
The Lady Eve
Mr. Roberts
12 Angry Men
In Harm's Way
Big Hand for the Little Lady
August 13 -- Dean Martin
The Caddy
Artists and Models
Bells Are Ringing
The Young Lions
Some Came Running
Rio Bravo
Oceans 11
The Sons of Katie Elder
Airport
Robin and the 7 Hoods
*This year they devoted one day to Johnny Weismuller and another to James Caan. I mean, REALLY!
†August 1 - Marlon Brando
August 2 - Paulette Goddard
August 3 - Bette Davis
August 4 - Ronald Colman
August 5 - John Garfield
August 6 - Lucille Ball
August 7 - Charles Laughton
August 8 - Orson Welles
August 9 - Ann Dvorak
August 10 - Shirley MacLaine
August 11 - Ben Johnson
August 12 - Claudette Colbert
August 13 - James Stewart
August 14 - Ralph Bellamy
August 15 - Lon Chaney
August 16 - Joanne Woodward
August 17 - Humphrey Bogart
August 18 - Jean Gabin
August 19 - Debbie Reynolds
August 20 - Montgomery Clift
August 21 - Cary Grant
August 22 - Joan Crawford
August 23 - Conrad Veidt
August 24 - Joan Blondell
August 25 - Burt Lancaster
August 26 - Peter Lawford
August 27 - Linda Darnell
August 28 - Carole Lombard
August 29 - Anne Francis
August 30 - Howard Keel
August 31 - Marlene Dietrich
I admit I have a guilty pleasure -- luring RWNJs into silly arguments on Twitter. Yesterday I had this one foaming. She kept calling me names and I just kept saying things like, "We have never met. What other delusional ruminations do you have about my character?" I got her to swear and then I tweaked her for her vulgarity and small vocabulary. The cooler I stayed, the angrier she got.
It was a good way to work through my hostility at my boss. I suppose it was mean, but it did seem to make her happy to call me "morally bankrupt," "full of bullshit," "hypocritical asshole" and "a member of the sisterhood of the bicycling fish."
Still, I really should stop doing this. It's immature and coarsens the discourse and besides, I kinda wonder if this poor woman is all there.
It would be more productive to run on the treadmill at lunch, wouldn't it? I do feel bad now that it's over.
Today's Happiness: vodka. Finally met my theater friend Barb for her birthday dinner (which we have been scheduling and rescheduling since June). This came after stopping for a drink with my coworkers (something I seldom do). It's funny but I really think the booze helped my mood. Or maybe it was being out in harmonious surroundings with people who made me laugh.
First I met the new guy my boss hired. The one he told me will be working on the super secret project that will be the future of marketing as we know it. What my boss didn't tell me is that the new guy would 1) be a director, instead of an associate director like me and 2) he would get his own office, while I share a space with three (!) other people.
As if that wasn't bad enough, and it was bad, today will be memorable because I got to make an appointment for a pap smear and mammogram in front of my three officemates. Why would I want privacy for that? I called the doctor's office when everyone was at lunch, but they called back three hours later, when everyone was just sitting there. I would have asked if I could call back in a few minutes, on my cell from the lobby (another place where one likes to discuss gynecological issues) but it took the office so long to get back to me today that I was afraid if I did that I'd be put back to the end of the queue.
There are three ways that a company can tell an employee she's appreciated: title, office space and salary. A person just in off the street beats me on all three. Earlier this month, my boss was disappointed that I didn't just automatically tell him, "Oh! What a wonderful idea!" when he willfully took us down the wrong path. Now this.
At least I got a lot of support from my account team when we went out for a drink after work. That was satisfying. And the second time they have come through for me during this difficult month at the office.
I realize there's a Recession out there and I'm in an industry that was hit hard. I know I can't just go out and get a new job that pays what this one does. I understand that, at this late stage in my working career, I have to do the smart thing and squirrel away what I can for retirement. And so I will do the mature thing and place one foot in front of the other, continue to do a good job, and keep my eyes open for another position. Hopefully the freelance work I'm doing for my friend Kathleen will lead to something.
Today's Happiness: a postcard. My aunt/Godmother sent a card from her reunion with my cousin and his family in the Great Smoky Mountains. She was excited to report they saw a bear. I'm tickled that they were thinking of me and besides, it's great to get something other than bills (and there were three in today's mail).
It's a slow day at the office. We had a meeting at about 10:00 and then .... crickets chirping. I got a good workout in and then discovered Hulu has Magnum PI reruns for free! I saw the episode where Lassie's mom was a hooker! My headphones allow me to watch in privacy. Which is good, as I scour Hulu for more guilty pleasures.
Today's Happiness: Second hand books. I bought a copy of the popular biography of Obama's mother, A Singular Woman, for $2 at my local library book sale. I picked it up to put it in my briefcase and a note fell out: Happy belated birthday to Nancy from Dani. Nancy's gift was so late because Dani's life has been "a gerbil wheel," including a vacation to Montreal, business trips to Sengal (!) and Uganda (!) and the purchase of a new condo in DC. Dani's siblings have been busy, too: Mark finally married his girlfriend and now has a teenaged stepdaughter, Suzy and Kris are good and busy with their kids, and Gene had chemo this past spring to treat a small site on his lung. And, like me, Dani has a hard time battling her weight and meeting nice men.
1. You have been awarded the time off from work and an
all-expenses paid week anywhere in the United States. The catch is that it must
be somewhere you have not been before. Where do you choose to visit? Savannah, Georgia. I was fascinated by it when I read Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. That book makes Savannah seem like Mayberry on acid. I'd like to stay there for a while, and stay there in style, so I could take it all in.
2. Name three of your guilty pleasures. Long baths, fast food burgers, and The People's Court.
3. The best kind of Girl Scout Cookie is: Thin Mint.
4. What do you value most in other people? Compassion
5. Be honest. Do you sneak some raw cookie dough when you’re baking cookies? On those rare (very rare) occasions that I bake, yes.
6. Have you ever looked back at your life and realized that something you
thought was a bad thing was actually a blessing in disguise? Ending a relationship. We wouldn't have made one another happy over the long haul, so it was just as well. Though it certainly didn't feel that way at the time.
7. What is the most beautiful place you’ve ever visited? Wrigley Field. The Arc de Triomphe was nice and all, but I still prefer The Friendly Confines.
8. Are you more of a thinker or a feeler?Feeler.
9. Name three things you are thankful for right now. My cats, my friends, and air conditioning.
10. Have you ever participated in a three-legged race? I must have. I just can't recall it specifically right now.
11.
When you are at an event that plays the National Anthem, do you place your hand
over your heart? No. But I always stand.
Second meme:
12. What kind of work do you do? I'm an advertising writer.
13. During the course of your lifetime,
which job or career has been your favorite or most fulfilling? I enjoyed writing about hair care products. It was fun.
14. Do you think it’s necessary in your
life to have a day-to-day “career” that is meaningful and service-oriented or
do you function better in “just a job” with a steady paycheck? The older I get, the more I lean toward the latter.
15. Was there ever a time in your life
when you wanted to stay home with your children instead of working, even if it
meant less money in the household? I don't have any children.
16. Tell us your worst boss story. I once had a boss who was a complete nutjob. She told me that the reason why we clashed so much is reincarnation -- that we have been adversaries in a past life and if we didn't work it through now, we would keep battling for all eternity.
17. Have your ever been the boss? Yes. I hated it.
18. What is your dream occupation?
I think I'd be a good pet sitter.
Today's Happiness: A little rocker. My village had a festival today, devoted to "micro." Microbreweries were featured. "Micro waste" was highlighted, with booths explaining the benefits of recycling and composting. Local restaurants served food on recyclable plates. And there was an oldies band, playing -- or shall I say "recycling?" -- Bob Seger's greatest hits.
A little boy of about 2 or 3 was completely rocking out. Stomping his feet and keeping the beat. He was so excited, so into it, that he kept pulling his shirt up and twisting it in his small fist. It's as though the music transported him. It was a delight to see how happy it made him.
I was having a really good Saturday. Breakfast at my favorite coffee shop, which lately has been so busy on weekends I can't get table. Their breakfast meats are just better than anywhere else's, and I had the Eggs Benedict.
Then I called for a cab for a ride to a salon a couple towns over. My cabbie was a lovely older lady, a grandma, who is a nail tech by trade and a driver on weekends. And a big Elvis fan. She drove slowly and got me there a little late, but what they hey! She was careful and the ride was safe.
First I had a champagne and strawberries pedi. The pedi itself was pretty workmanlike, but there's something about champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries that can brighten a Saturday afternoon.
Then I had a facial. It, too, was pretty workmanlike, no dermabrasion and just a few extractions on my nose. I'd like to think it's because my complexion is so dewey, but it's because it wasn't a very sophisticated facial. Still, she had a nice touch, the room was fragrant and dark and comforting, and I dozed off. (That never happens during extractions!)
Finally, the massage. Ah! The massage therapist was a young man in his 20s, but he put me at ease. It was a short massage, only 30 minutes, but he did wonders for my shoulders. I haven't worked out much this month, and it felt good to have someone artfully work the kinks out.
Then I went across the street to Dunkin' Donuts to wait for my cab home. And that's when it went to hell.
My cab driver was a Vietnam War veteran who insisted on talking politics with me. INSISTED! He was a rock-ribbed Republican, which is fine, but he was a misinformed one. It was making my teeth hurt. I kept saying, "I'd really like this conversation to end," and "I wish this conversation was over." But I guess he was like Wiley Coyote and he needed the ACME anvil to fall on his head.
"I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS ANYMORE!" I said. "And please stop disrespecting me."
"What?"
"I have been asking you for two miles to end the conversation and you just keep talking and it upsets me."
His response? He laughed.
Clearly, to a man of 70+, my opinion as a mere white chick didn't matter. Never mind that I am his customer.
"And now you're laughing at me. That's insulting."
"I'm not laughing," he chuckled. "Besides, most people like a good debate." Except this wasn't a debate. This was a lecture from a man who thinks the world is flat. And I was held captive in the backseat and paying for this punishment.
"So this is my fault? I ask you to stop talking, you continue and it's my fault?"
"Never bothered anyone else before," he said. I find that hard to believe. My neighborhood couldn't be bluer and his attitude is not within the mainsteam. I think I may just be the first one to ask him to shut up.
"Can't. We. Please. Stop. Talking."
"They say you shouldn't discuss politics and religion."
"I don't want to discuss anything with you!" I carry a book with me at all times for this very reason.
"You don't want to talk?" he asked incredulously. As though it shocked him that anyone wouldn't want to hear him pontificate.
For a local cab driver, I was surprised he didn't know my street was closed for a neighborhood festival. Or maybe he did and was so shocked by my humorlessness that he forgot. So I got to spend even more time with him as he maneuvered his way around street closures and one way signs.
When we finally got to my house I did tip him. I almost didn't -- I was so angry. But then I thought, his job is to get me from hither to yon safely, and he did that, and gas is $4.00/gallon. So I gave him $2.00 over the meter. Even though he did completely harsh my massage zen.
Then I went to the local street fair and drowned my anxiety in mac and cheese with Andouille sausage so spicy I actually sweated.
About 12 years ago, I worked with an account executive (a "Pete Campbell," for all you Mad Men fans out there) who had a mass of unruly curls. I always thought her hair was very pretty and admired her for the way she wore it: loose and free.
There. I've now shared every nice thing I can think of about this woman.
She was a drama queen. She was massively self-centered. For example, once while we were traveling together on business, she was upset because the airline had the audacity to question her for being ticketed under one name (she was a newly wed) while her driver's license bore another (Shuh! With the wedding and honeymoon, who has TIME to change these things and besides, she's WHITE, not some Arab!). She could be a Mean Girl. And, amazingly, she told management she was afraid of ME, little old me, which leads me to believe she was one of the least self-aware bullies I've ever met.
She was either 30 or almost 30 when we worked together and had severe baby lust. She went on to have two in rapid succession. When I found she was pregnant with her first, I got a laugh from those of us who had survived working with her by describing her beating her husband over the head with the sonogram. "I said I wanted a BOY!" I always felt sorry for her kids.
I kept tabs on her professionally because I never, ever want to work with her again. I cannot put too fine a point on how Type A and selfish she is.
She dropped out of advertising over a year ago and, I heard, went back to school full time.
I just found out that she's a .... wait for it .... a counselor. An LPC. A mental health professional!
I hope that, for her sake, she's a more restful soul. Less demanding. Less dramatic. Maybe her own experiences in therapy enriched her life so that she wanted to share with others. I'd like to think that. It's more positive than feeling sorry for her patients.
1. What do you think is the most unique thing about your
generation? That there are so many of us, and that we refuse to leave center stage. (I'm a Boomer.)
2. Do you speak out as often as you should? Yes and no. I'm too noisy about some things and too passive about others. When it comes to this, I'm like Mary Todd Lincoln, who once said, "I do the wrong things well."
3. How often are you tough and unreasonable? "Never," she said, smiling modestly.
4. Do you believe that sometimes you learn more from a
failure than a success? Yes, unpleasant though that is.
5. Do you feel that you always have to win? Clearly not. After all, I'm a lifelong Cub fan.
6. Do you think tradition matters? Yes. I always surprise myself with how sentimental I can be.
7. Do you tend to root for the underdog? Always. After all, I'm a lifelong Cub fan.
8. Have you ever felt that you want to exceed your parents’
successes? I never looked at it that way. My life is so very different than theirs.
9. Of all the cartoon characters that you know of, which is
most like you? Mr. Peabody. I'd love a Wayback Machine.
Today's Happiness: Bliss! The office closes early on Fridays in summer and this was one of the most peaceful afternoons I've enjoyed all season. Stopped at my favorite deli on the way home from the train and picked up my favorite salad -- cold shrimp, cubed ham and hardboiled eggs on a thick bed of crunchy lettuce. Then I parked myself in front of the TV for Katharine Hepburn Day on TCM's Summer Under the Stars. The Great Kate has always been one of my favorites, too!
I'm reminded by how much happier I am today than I was two Fridays ago. It's very important to remember that those dark moods pass and the happy ones take their place.
I couldn't figure out why my check from the 15th looked like it would stretch on and on and on indefinitely. That's because I forgot to subtract for my spending money for the next two weeks. Uh-oh! Gotta undo that deposit into my savings account that made me so happy. What was I thinking?
Twenty months will grind inexorably by until
it brings us to the next shared moment in our sad saga – and when Sam is
released from prison, I’ll be there, waiting at the gate.
Today's Happiness: "Elvis Is Alive" 5K runners.This annual event raises money to combat HIV/AIDS. Tonight, as I left the office, I saw some Elvises (Elvi?) congregating for the "All Elvis Start Corral." I also saw some young children (8 or 9) in official Elviswear, preparing for the run. How can such a sight not make you smile?
Every year I take the August Happiness Challenge. Here's
a brief explanation of the 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."
Here's a look back on August 2011,
and 13 things that brought me joy during last year's challenge.
This little glance into the rearview mirror makes me appreciate my life more.
1) The Puppy Rescue Mission. I discovered this wonderful group last year, thanks to an article in the Chicago Tribune. Their primary mission is "to help bring home the companions to our soldiers serving in a war zone." Our troops fall in love with the dogs and cats they live with on base in Afghanistan, and it breaks their hearts to leave them behind. Now they don't have to! The PRM doesn't just help dogs and cats. The soldiers who have benefited from the program -- from either keeping their animals with them or knowing the critters are safe -- suffer less PTSD. When you think of how much our troops sacrifice for us, giving $1 or two is a small way to say thank you, isn't it? And supporting the PRM makes me feel so good!
2) Ready-made pina coladas. "The rum is in it!"
3) Successful "decluttering." It looked good in here last August. It's gotten away from me again. Time for a refresher! 4) Blue skies. 'Nuff said.
5) Hot dog and fries, outdoors. I took myself on an impromptu picnic and it was gooooood.
6) My cat Joey. A lovely, gentle soul. I'm lucky to have him in my life.
7) My mom. Last summer, when I was having medical issues, took over taking care of me for a few days and I appreciated feeling so loved and nurtured.
8) I Love Lucy. I do. Ricky, Fred and Ethel, too. 9) Breakfast with Bookmama and her family. They're the only bloggers I have ever met, and it was delightful. 10) Something thoughtful my best friend did. 'Nuff said.
11) Peapod. I love having my groceries delivered. 12) Good insurance. Last year, during my health scare, I was grateful I was able to concentrate on getting better because I knew I'd be able to get the care I need. 13) Movies. I referred to them as "a reliable, cheap high," and it's so true.
Today's Happiness: Forgiving myself. I have not watched my diet, nor have I exercised much, this summer. This unnatural, hideous heat has lent an unreality to life that somehow made blowing off things like calorie counting and cardio seem OK. During my monthly call with my health adviser (provided by my health insurance in conjunction with WebMd), she said, "What's done is done. Face forward. Start again Monday."
That's true! Just because I messed up before doesn't mean I have to let it hold me back in the future. This made me feel very hopeful
Frank Sinatra appeared in more than 50 screen roles, was nominated for two Oscars and won one. Yet when we remember him, we think of a seminal recording artist. Conversely, Judy Garland simply belongs on screen. Never mind that she made highly-regarded records for both Decca and Capitol. Unlike Sinatra, Garland's CDs aren't often played at weddings or as background music for diners in Italian restaurants. Judy's a movie star. Elvis Presley is harder to categorize. Thirty-five years after his death, his music is still very much with us. And so are his movies. While they are unarguably nowhere near as good as Garland's or Sinatra's, they are more intrinsically tied to his music and his persona.
It was designed that way. Col. Tom Parker and producer Hal Wallis saw Elvis' movies as a fast way to easy money through soundtrack sales. Parker and Wallis are the villains of the Elvis saga, because when Elvis entered the film business, he aspired to be a serious actor. After signing with Wallis, he confessed to friends that he wanted to be like Sinatra or Bing Crosby -- singers who became respected film stars and eventually earned Oscars to display along with their gold records. But neither of the men in charge of his career would allow him the time it would take to learn the craft. What if Elvis was a fad? They had to make their money as quickly as possible. It's sad that the man referred to as The King allowed himself to be exploited like a pawn. As it is, his movies are regarded as the father of today's music videos. He would have preferred them to have been considered the heirs to the great MGM musicals.
Because Elvis wanted to be an actor as well as a star, I'm happy that he's included in TCM's Summer Under the Stars, along with John Wayne starring in The Flying Leathernecks, one of the movies Elvis saw time and again when he was an usher at The Lowe's Palace in Memphis.
That teenage job at Lowe's had an impact because Elvis believed in movie magic. "I saw movies and I was the hero," he said. After seeing Tony Curtis time and again in Son of Ali Baba, Elvis began dying his naturally light hair jet black. Even though he was fired for (shades of Vince Everett) fighting, he retained his sentimental attachment to The Lowe's Palace and that's where Jailhouse Rock premiered in 1957.
The story. Vince Everett is a blue collar kid with a heart of gold. He happens upon a drunk harassing a lady and he intervenes on her behalf. A fight ensues and Vince accidentally kills the bum with a lethal punch. Convicted of manslaughter, he has a hard time conforming to life behind bars. The other prisoners don't accept him and the guards … well, at one point Vince is stripped to the waist and flogged. Soon the sweet kid disappears and a hardened cynic takes his place.
Vince's cellmate is Hunk Houghton (Mickey Shaughnessy), a larcenous old country western singer. Hunk shows Vince the ropes and helps him adapt to the jailhouse culture. And, when local good Samaritans very (very!) improbably decide it would improve morale if the prison talent show is telecast, Hunk persuades Vince to pick up a guitar.
Vince is a hit and receives a ton of fanmail. Savvy old dog that he is, Hunk intercepts the mail before Vince can see it. Then he encourages his protegee to stick with music and -- key plot point here -- persuades him to sign a contract that provides Hunk with 50% of Vince's show business earnings.
Vince is paroled after 20 months behind bars. He's thoroughly corrupted by his experience with the justice system and prepared to do whatever it takes to be a success.While doing the rounds, he meets Peggy Van Alden (Judy Tyler). She's slightly older, a highly professional record promoter and, in her way, just as determined as Vince. She sees potential in Vince, telling him, "I like how you swing a guitar." They join forces to make him a star.
The attraction between Vince and Peggy is immediate and -- no longer the chivalrous boy -- he acts on it. In one of the best scenes, he grabs her and tries to press his advantage. Peggy is shocked. "How DARE you think such cheap tactics would work with me?" He sneers, "Them ain't tactics, honey. That's just the beast in me."
They agree to keep the relationship strictly professional and despite some setbacks along the way, their hard work pays off. It's a combination of Vince's talent and Peggy's dedication; she walks the record around town to music stores and radio stations, using her connections to make sure Vince is heard by anyone who can influence sales. When DJ Teddy Talbot (Dean Jones) asks Peggy out, and she actually goes, Vince is despondent. He realizes he's in love with her, but he's too proud. and too afraid of rejection, to show it.
Just as Vince is getting ready to premiere his new song, "Jailhouse Rock," on a major TV spectacular, Hunk shows up. Fresh out of prison, Hunk insists Vince help him jumpstart his own music career. When told there's no place for cornpone country on Vince's show, Hunk decides to hold Vince to the contract he signed long ago. By now Vince has good legal representation (Vaughn Taylor as an unlikely looking, but very deadly, "shark") and Hunk is advised that the contract is not valid -- in part because Hunk kept Vince's fanmail from him and signed him under false pretenses. Still, remembering how Hunk helped him out in the bad old days, Vince agrees to keep him around. But not as a partner, as (literally) his dog walker. This is not as altruistic as it sounds, for Vince enjoys bringing Hunk to heel more than he does the dogs.
Naturally "Jailhouse Rock" is a huge hit and Vince very happily lets success go to his head. He buys a house in Beverly Hills and fills it with hangers on and starlets. He also makes plans to buy Peggy out -- at a very fair price -- which breaks her heart. For while "keeping it professional" was originally her idea, she's fallen for Vince despite herself, and their business relationship is her only way of staying in his life.
Hunk has a hard time watching this. Here's Vince enjoying the career Hunk wants to have, spurning the affections of the kind of classy woman Hunk wishes he could have, and treating everyone like dirt. Tensions rise and Hunk's temper erupts and he attacks Vince. Even though we know from that first bar fight that Vince can do real damage with his fists, he refuses to hit back. Even after Hunk punches him in the throat.
Doctors warn that Vince may never sing again. Peggy is shattered. Not because Vince's singing has been her source of income, but because she finally saw his decent side. Hunk is beside himself, afraid that his temper may have silenced a great talent. Peggy and Hunk stay at Vince's side throughout his convalescence.
Their steadfast loyalty in these tough times softens Vince. At last the doctors tell him it's safe to give his voice a tentative try. When, still in his bathrobe, he wraps an arm around Peggy and begins to sing "Young and Beautiful," we know everyone is going to live happily ever after.
The production number. Has anyone not seen this iconic dance number?
Elvis gets the lion's share of the credit for its success, and he should. Veteran choreographer Alex Romero took a crack at staging it. Elvis said he was "unconvinced" with Romero's initial efforts, feeling the dance was more exuberant Gene Kelly than sullen Vince Everett. Uncharacteristically, he took the reins, adding moves and attitude from his stage show. If only Elvis had inserted himself this forcefully in his movie career more often!
As it is, this number is so impressive and indelible that The National Film Registry deemed Jailhouse Rock "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and worthy of preservation, right along with The Wizard of Oz and An American in Paris.
The "Jailhouse Rock" number is unique, arrogant and sexy -- elements sorely missing in the mediocre-to-crappy movies Elvis made after returning from the Army in 1960. Over the decade we saw him play a wholesome race car driver, a happy carnival worker, a romantic photographer, etc., as he serenaded beach bunnies, grandmothers and babies. But he was never again as unapologetically surly, ambitious and carnal as Vince Everett in Jailhouse Rock. It's as if the Col. and Wallis foresaw the cultural tsunami of the 1960s and consciously chose to position Elvis as a conventional All-American Boy, ceding the controversial, bad boy role to Brits like John Lennon and Mick Jagger.
It's too bad, because in his pre-Army movies, Elvis showed an innate ability to fuse his personal charisma with a character to create a real screen presence. It's not impossible to imagine Elvis having a career like Burt Reynolds', playing charming good ol' boys who face challenges and are redeemed by the attention of a mentor or the love of a good woman. (Elvis fans often play "what if" about A Star Is Born, because The King was Streisand's first choice for Kris Kristofferson's role. Not me. I wonder what kind of gentle magic he could have made with Dolly Parton in Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.) But instead of waiting for decent scripts, Elvis was lazily used in an amazing number -- 27 in 9 years! -- of uninspiring films.
The songs. Since the movie was originally made to sell the songs, let's take a look at each number.
• "I Want to Be Free" is the song Vince sings in the prison talent show. By Leiber and Stoller, it's a straightforward and forgettable little ballad.
• "Don't Leave Me Now" is a bluesy number by Schroeder and Weisman. We see Vince sing it in the recording studio and watch his disappointment as he listens to the playback. Peggy encourages him to "sing it like you feel it." Inspired, he does it again, his way. "Burn me up this time," he tells the musicians. "Let's see if we can get a little fire in it."
• "Treat Me Nice" is Vince's first hit. Performed in the studio with his band, Vince is far more confident in front of the mic and his clothes and moves are more sophisticated and provocative. Also by Lieber/Stoller, "Treat Me Nice" was the B-side of "Jailhouse Rock." Today it's familiar to a new generation of theater goers because it's showcased in Smokey Joe's Cafe.
• "(You're So Square) Baby, I Don't Care" is an infectious rocker, sung by the pool of Vince's new Beverly Hills home. Vince is unrepentant in this scene, reveling in his success and power, and that decadence seeps into his performance. This Leiber/Stoller number was a fan favorite throughout Elvis' career and has since been performed by a dizzying array of artists from Buddy Holly to Joni Mitchell to Led Zeppelin.
• "Young and Beautiful" is a saccharine ballad by Schroeder and Weisman. At the end of the movie, it's the song Vince warbles to Peggy to try out his voice and offer his heart. It's programmed to make young girls swoon.
• "Jailhouse Rock." #1 in the US for seven weeks (including the day I was born, perhaps that's why I feel such an affinity for it). It also hit #1 in the UK and, improbably, on the C&W charts, too. Rolling Stone ranked it #67 on their list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
The tragedy of Judy Tyler. After languishing on The Howdy Doody TV Show, things finally took off for Judy Tyler in 1955 when she landed a featured role in Rodgers and Hammerstein's Pipe Dream. The show only had a short run, but she got great notices, a Tony award nomination, and a Life cover -- along with Jayne Mansfield,* Diane Cilento, Lois Smith and Susan Strasberg.
That brought her to the attention of film producers. She began 1957 by playing the title role in Bop Girl Goes Calypso. She took a few weeks off to get married in Miami before returning to Hollywood for Jailhouse Rock.
Tragically, she was dead before either movie premiered. Just weeks after completing Jailhouse Rock, Judy and her husband got into a 1957 Chevy and headed for their apartment in New York. As they drove through Wyoming, he smashed head on into another car. The collision was so powerful that the other car actually penetrated the Chevy. Judy and the driver of the other car were killed instantly. Her new husband died a few hours later.
Elvis may or may not have had on on-set relationship with Judy Tyler. He used to say that he'd slept with all his leading ladies (except Mary Tyler Moore from Change of Habit). Yet members of Elvis' inner circle doubt they were romantically involved since Judy was so newly married. At any rate, he was shattered by her violent death. "All of us boys really loved that girl," he said, referring to the Jailhouse Rock crew. He could not bring himself to attend her funeral or watch the premiere of Jailhouse Rock. He posed for publicity photos at his beloved Lowe's Palace in Memphis, even accepting an honorary usher's cap from his old boss, but he left before the movie started. He couldn't bear to watch Judy Tyler.
*With whom she would share a grisly fate. Mansfield died in a car crash in 1967.
Today's Happiness: A fan in the window! It's been such a hideously hot summer that I haven't been able to enjoy the soft whirring of the fan and the gentle infusion of fresh air ... until tonight!
My theater buddy, Barb, makes a great deal more money than I do. Consequently, the prices of things aren't as important to her as they are to me. She ordered our fall/winter theater tickets and, when I asked her how much they were, she responded, "I don't remember exactly. $645?" So I set aside $650 from my freelance job so I could give her cash next time I saw her.
The thing of it is, she transposed the numbers. I just learned that actually owe Barb $465! That's $200! Pin money for her, perhaps, but real money for me.
As luck would have it, Barbra Streisand tickets went on sale at 10:00 AM yesterday, and some nosebleed seats are still available. And so now I can afford to go!
I know I should put that money toward paying bills, or putting cash away for retirement. But I also deserve to see Babs. She's been part of my life for decades, speaking to me and for me. She's 70 now, and I want to celebrate that. She's still happy, still looks good, and is still in good voice. She's outlived the other divas, from Garland to Houston. That deserves a cheer.
