I think not. (Obviously I'm talking about the post that follows, not my new blog design...haha!!) *wink*
Thanks for all of the feedback on the new layout, everyone! I'm very excited about giving my little corner of the blogosphere a facelift. :) In case you didn't notice, part of that project included finding a new profile image. Given my love of classic Hollywood (and books, that goes without saying, right?), I started searching for images of my favorite stars reading. Myrna Loy was a top choice, and ultimately the winner:
She also had a good option B:
There were a few runners-up...
Marilyn Monroe
Audrey Hepburn
After these great finds I had to look up some of my favorite guys (this makes sense, right?).
Errol Flynn
Fred Astaire
Frank Sinatra
A post like this just wouldn't be complete without a little Frank. :)
"In Sinatra's time, his fame as a singer spread from his own country to the world. His turbulent personality, often shadowed by notoriety, seemed inseparable from the style and originality of his art and gave him an essential place on the public stage of the American century. Now he is gone, taking with him all his anger, cruelty, generosity, and personal style. The music remains. In times to come, that music will continue to matter, whatever happens to our evolving popular culture....Long after his death, Charlie Parker still plays his version of the urban blues. Billie Holiday still whispers her anguish. Mozart still erupts in joy. Every day, in cities and towns all over the planet, someone discovers them for the first time and finds in their art that mysterious quality that makes the listener more human. In their work all great artists help transcend the solitude of individuals; they relieve the ache of loneliness; they supply a partial response to the urging of writer E. M. Forster: 'Only connect.' In their ultimate triumph over the banality of death, such artists continue to matter. So will Frank Sinatra."
I was so sad to hear about the passing of actor Tony Curtis yesterday. Growing up, he was one of my favorite actors – from the moment my parents got cable, and back when AMC showed real classic movies, I developed a huge crush on him. While he’s best known for films like Some Like It Hot or his Oscar-nominated turn in The Defiant Ones, I wanted to take a moment to shine a spotlight on what are perhaps a few of his lesser-known roles, especially the early gems that led to my ten year old self developing a huge crush on the actor. Curtis excelled at playing “lovable rogues,” and that descriptor is a pretty common theme in my favorite Curtis films.
First up, we have two films Curtis made opposite actress Piper Laurie – The Prince Who Was a Thief and Son of Ali Baba. They are also two films high on my wishlist of classics that have yet to make it to DVD. Curtis and Laurie made a fantastic on-screen couple, and if you like Technicolor adventures with a healthy dose of cheese you’ll be hard-pressed to do better than these two films.
In 13th-century Tangiers, regent Mustapha hires master thief Yussef to murder the baby Prince Hussein so Mustapha can take the throne in the infant's place. Yussef, too kind-hearted to kill the boy, instead adopts him and rears him as a peasant named Julna, with the mark of the rajah tattooed on his arm. Eighteen years later, Julna now reigns as the city's master thief and ladies' man, but becomes smitten by Prince Mustapha's beautiful and cunning daughter, Princess Yasmin.
You can read the rest of the film’s summary at the TCM website.
In medieval Persia, Kashma Baba is a military cadet by day and a roisterer by night. The morning after a rowdy banquet, Kiki, an escaped slave, takes shelter under Kashma's roof. Word comes that the wicked Caliph is looking for her; but Kashma, by this time in love, flees with her to his father's palace. Alas, there's more to Kiki than meets the eye. Will the evil schemers succeed? The sons of the Forty Thieves to the rescue! (Summary from TCM)
This next film is another one of my all-time favorites. Yet another one of my long-time obsessions has been with stories of knights and their chivalrous exploits. The Black Shield of Falworth is a fun, fast-paced, colorful, epic adventure that features Curtis opposite his wife of the time, actress Janet Leigh. Happily, this film is available on DVD through Amazon.
Technicolor & tights. In the days of King Henry IV, stalwart young Myles and his sister Meg have been raised as peasants, without any knowledge of who their father really was. But one day they journey to Macworth castle. There Myles falls in love with the Mackworth's daughter Anne, makes friends and enemies, and learns to be a knight so that, through the planning of Mackworth and his friend, Prince Hal, Myles can regain his true birthright from the evil Albon, and bear the black shield of Falworth. (Summary from TCM)
I first saw Kings Go Forth when TCM celebrated the life of Frank Sinatra by making him the Star of the Month (I guess this was about two years ago). Well, I’m a fanatical Sinatra-phile, so a month devoted to the film work of the Chairman of the Board was a dream come true. I’m long overdue for a re-watch of Kings Go Forth, but it left a deep impression on me as a highly watchable film filled with understated performances and a thought-provoking storyline.
Kings Go Forth (1958):
Frank Sinatra, Tony Curtis and Natalie Wood star in this searing war drama that packs plenty of explosive excitement and fervent passion. Directed by Delmer Daves (The Badlanders) from Joe David Brown's gripping postwar novel (screenplay by Merle Miller), Kings Go Forth weaves elements of romance, war and miscegenation into a powerful, compelling and riveting film. In WWII France, Corporal Britt Harris (Curtis) is assigned to work alongside war-weary Sgt. Loggins (Sinatra) a man he soon rivals for the affections of the beautiful Monique Blair (Wood), an American who grew up in France. But when the men learn that Monique's parents are racially mixed, it tests the character of each...and provides the powerful thematic framework that shapes Kings Go Forth into a hard-hitting and still timely film. (Amazon product description)
Here's the film's trailer:
I was introduced to the film Captain Newman, M.D. when I received a boxed set of Gregory Peck films one year for Christmas. While Peck is the star of the movie, Curtis’s character is memorable and all of his scenes are quite enjoyable. You can watch this movie on YouTube starting here, or purchase it as part of the Gregory Peck film collection from Amazon.
In 1944, Capt. Josiah J. Newman is the doctor in charge of Ward 7, the neuropsychiatric ward, at an Army Air Corps hospital in Arizona. The hospital is under-resourced and Newman scrounges what he needs with the help of his inventive staff, especially Cpl. Jake Leibowitz. The military in general is only just coming to accept psychiatric disorders as legitimate and Newman generally has 6 weeks to cure them or send them on to another facility. There are many patients in the ward and his latest include Colonel Norville Bliss who has dissociated from his past; Capt. Paul Winston who is nearly catatonic after spending 13 months hiding in a cellar behind enemy lines; and 20 year-old Cpl. Jim Tompkins who is severely traumatized after his aircraft was shot down. Others come and go, including Italian prisoners of war, but Newman and team all realize that their success means the men will return to their units and combat. (Summary from the IMDB)
I can’t remember when I was first introduced to the movie Goodbye Charlie, but it’s been a favorite ever since. It is too funny for words! The film can’t be purchased on DVD, but thankfully it can be rented or purchased through Amazon’s Video On Demand service. You can also watch this movie on YouTube starting here.
Goodbye Charlie (1964):
When a cavorting Hollwood writer is killed by the angry husband of a woman he was having an affair with, he comes back as a spirit in the form of a beautiful woman and moves in with his/her best friend as a base of operation for enacting sweet revenge. (Summary from TCM)
And here's a scene where Tony meets the "new" Charlie (a.k.a. Debbie Reynolds):
If you're a fan of classic romantic comedies like Pillow Talk starring Doris Day and Rock Hudson, I highly recommend my final film in this little "tribute" list, Sex and the Single Girl starring Curtis opposite Natalie Wood. This movie is available on DVD through Amazon, or you can watch it on YouTube starting here.
Sex and the Single Girl (1964):
A womanizing reporter for a sleazy tabloid magazine impersonates his hen-pecked neighbor in order to get an expose on renowned psychologist Helen Gurley Brown. (Summary from the IMDB)
It's dated, sure, but Curtis and Wood have great on-screen chemistry, and Tony Curtis is, frankly, quite adorable by the end of the film. Plus, there's the added fun of seeing Henry Fonda and Lauren Bacall ham it up for the camera as a perpetually bickering married couple that live near Curtis. Here's the film's trailer:
Well...this turned into a post of epic proportions, no? :) If you've made it this far, congratulations. My hope is that this little retrospective of mine might inspire you to seek out some great classic movies. Mr. Curtis - you were a larger than life figure in Hollywood and your presence will be missed. Thanks for the memories.
Swinging on a Star (Weddings by Bella #2) By: Janice Thompson Publisher: Revell ISBN: 978-0-8007-3343-8
About the book:
Bella Rossi’s life is nearing perfection. Not only does she have the perfect guy, but she’s also running a successful wedding-planning business and is about to plan its most ambitious wedding yet – a Renaissance-themed fairy tale come true, complete with period costumes and foods, horse-drawn carriages, and even a castle. There’s only one hitch. The best man just happens to be Hollywood’s hottest and most eligible bachelor, and he’s showing an interest in Bella. Oh, and did we mention he’s staying at her house to avoid the paparazzi?
With all the pressure surrounding this wedding, Bella’s not sure she’s going to make it through. Add her starstruck sister and her feuding aunt and uncle, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster – and a lot of laughs.
Review:
With the success of her first themed wedding – a country-western extravaganza – Bella Rossi has taken on an even bigger challenge. She must plan an elaborate, authentic, Renaissance style wedding, complete with a castle and moat. As if installing a temporary castle wasn’t enough, the wedding party happens to feature one of Hollywood’s hottest stars, Brock Benson, as the best man. In an attempt to remain anonymous so the paparazzi can’t crash the ceremony, Brock takes up residence with Bella’s family, and she struggles to keep that secret while reassuring her adorable, cowboy-boyfriend D.J. that the presence of a Hollywood star in her home won’t threaten their developing romance. If she can pull off the Renaissance fairy tale, it could be Bella’s highest profile, most successful event yet. But when wedding and Hollywood drama collide with family drama – in particular, her Aunt Rosa’s debut on the Food Network – the distractions test Bella’s faith and confidence. With the legendary Rossi family antics under the glare of a national spotlight, and a tropical storm en route, Bella must pull out all the stops to stay on track and prevent her biggest wedding yet from turning into a paparazzi photo-op.
Swinging on a Star picks up shortly after the conclusion of Fools Rush In, and I highly recommend reading that volume first in order to be properly introduced to Bella’s whacky and lovable family. Though the series bears Bella’s name, Thompson has created a true ensemble cast and one grows to care about the misadventures of each member of Bella’s circle of family and friends. Star serves up a second helping of all the elements that I loved in the first book, starting with Thompson’s clear appreciation of classic pop standards. Each chapter bears a song title, and since I’m a big fan of the Great American Songbook and Rossi family-favorite vocalists Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, I loved seeing how the title and lyrics of the songs relate to the events of each chapter. I also appreciated the Rossi family’s love of good cuisine, and how it’s poised to go national with Aunt Rosa’s pending appearance on the Food Network. Thankfully, Thompson chose to incorporate real hosts and shows into the novel, which adds a dash of pop culture realism to storyline.
I have to admit, it took me a bit longer to get into Stars than it did with Fools Rush In. Bella’s tendency to worry and overanalyze came off a bit overdone, but as the story delves more deeply into the wedding preparations and the family drama that turns around. Bella is taken to the edge, culminating with an overnight stint in jail, and back again as she learns about relinquishing control and placing her trust and faith in a never-changing God. Thompson also tackles the misleading nature of appearances, with Brock being a prime example, his Hollywood polish hiding a broken life in need of purpose. Bella’s mostly innocent tendency to “prejudge” people and circumstances is beautifully turned around when the people she wouldn’t necessarily expect are the ones who rally ‘round to spring her from jail. Star also satisfies my desire from its predecessor to get more of an insider glimpse into what it takes to create a themed wedding. I loved seeing Bella pull off the Renaissance fairy tale for her clients – the descriptions were so vivid I felt like I was part of the party. And the way D.J. and Bella’s relationship develops over the course of this wedding adventure is a treat – D.J. is the perfect embodiment of “everyday” heroism, and by the end of the book he manages to pull out all the stops in wooing Bella in a truly swoon-worthy fashion.
Filled with humor, heart, and very flawed people just trying their best to live out their faith, Swinging On a Star is a sweet, frothy confection of a read sure to leave you craving some of Rosa’s legendary Italian cooking. Book three, It Had to Be You, releases in May.
Fools Rush In (Weddings by Bella #1) By: Janice Thompson Publisher: Revell ISBN: 978-0-8007-3342-1
About the book:
Bella Rossi’s life is just starting to get interesting. When her Italian-turned-Texan parents hand over the family wedding-planning business, Bella quickly books a Boot-Scootin’ wedding that would make any Texan proud. There’s only one catch – she doesn’t know a thing about country music. Where will she find a deejay on such short notice who knows his Alan Jackson from his George Strait? And will Bella ever get to plan her own wedding?
Fun, fresh, and full of surprises, this flavorful combination of Italian and Tex-Mex highlights the hilarity that ensues when cultures clash.
Review:
When Bella Rossi was a child, her very Italian, New Jersey-based family relocated to Texas – Galveston to be exact – where her uncle opened an authentic pizzeria and her parents opened a wedding planning facility, named after her. Now she finds herself running the family business and attempting to expand the customer base by offering exclusive, elaborately themed weddings. Only with her first big booking for a “boot-scootin’ wedding,” Bella may have gotten in way over her head. Coming from a family rich with an appreciation for Italian cuisine and fanatical about the music of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Andrea Bocelli, country music and Texas-style barbeque are outside the realm of her expertise, to say the least. Bella’s salvation comes from an unexpected quarter – a gorgeous, blue-eyed, very country cowboy named D.J. who, after a comic misunderstanding involving his name, finds himself knee-deep in Rossi family shenanigans and Bella’s attempts to prove she’s a capable businesswoman.
I absolutely love pop standards, so when I heard about a novel named after one of the classics by Johnny Mercer, I was immediately intrigued. Of course in my view, Frank Sinatra’s version is the winner – so I found myself STRONGLY identifying with Bella’s Aunt Rosa in regards to her fanatical Sinatra appreciation. Bella and her family’s love for classic pop singers is just one of the novel’s charming points; in fact, each chapter bears the name of a classic song, and seeing how the title ties to the chapter content is quite fun. Fools also features one of the quirkiest, most likable casts of characters you’d care to meet – think My Big Fat Greek Wedding’s family dynamics with a healthy dose of Return to Me’s Italian flavor. There’s one aspect of Bella’s life that I’d love to see better drawn in subsequent books. Having read one or two other wedding-themed novels in recent months, I went into this book expecting greater detail about the “nuts and bolts” aspect of Bella’s wedding planning business. I had a little trouble buying the fact that Bella was basically planning her first “make it or break it” event in about two weeks time. So professionally speaking she comes across as a little, um, slapdash, though well-meaning. However, given the offbeat, quirky tone of the book I was able to ultimately set aside that qualm relatively quickly.
With her first “Weddings by Bella” novel, Thompson has delivered a fast-paced, breezy read that’s quite simply one of the most enjoyable books I’ve read in recent memory. I can’t remember the last time I’ve smiled so much when reading a book! After all, it’s a rare thing to come across a novel where the characters are as fanatical about Sinatra and pop standards as I am. The spiritual thread is also very well integrated into the storyline. Faith is such a natural extension of these characters’ lives that it never comes across as heavy-handed or too preachy. And D.J. – well, he’s one of the most adorable, swoon-worthy heroes EVER. Witnessing his Texas-country meets Italian culture shock is hilarious, but he handles it like a pro (I love cowboys…I just felt the need to throw that out there ;-)). I’m definitely looking forward to reading Bella and D.J.’s further adventures…if they ever get around to planning their own wedding, I can only imagine the Texas-Italian hilarity that will ensue! Book #2, Swinging On a Star, releases in January 2010.
Side note: Kudos to the cover design team and publisher for finding the perfect character images for Bella and D.J. D.J. in particular exactly matches my mental image of him from reading the book - they absolutely nailed it!
It is no great secret that I love and adore old movies. Turner Classic Movies is currently in the middle of their Summer Under the Stars film festival, where every day in August they spotlight the films of one star. This year, TCM created fantastic new posters to celebrate Summer Under the Stars - one newly redesigned poster per day, though some films also have "teaser" posters. If you visit the Summer Under the Stars website you can download your favorite posters or the entire collection for free. I love these so much I just had to spotlight a few of them here.
First up is a new poster for Gilda, from 1946, featuring star Glenn Ford. I love the way Ford's face is half illuminated by the red neon glow from Gilda's name. The image perfectly captures the dark, smoldering ambience of the film - it's a classic definitely worth checking out if you haven't seen it!
Next up is High Society from 1956, featuring Frank Sinatra and Grace Kelly. I absolutely love this image, it's a very classy "romantic comedy" look. Very, very classy! High Society is one of my favorite musicals - it's based on the play/film The Philadelphia Story, so it's hilarious, it's got great Cole Porter songs, and Frank Sinatra's in his prime. *swoon* :)
This poster for The Letter from 1940, starring Bette Davis, quite simply rocks. It's quite arresting, no? The opening sequence of this movie is absolutely unforgettable, and Bette Davis is at her manipulative best throughout. The quote on the poster reads "With all my heart I still love the man I killed."
I got this from my friend Kaye (who picked Dean Martin).
Using only song names from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions. Pass it on to a gazillion people and include me. Try not to repeat a song title. It's harder than you think...
Artist: Frank Sinatra
Are you male or female: The Lady is a Tramp (I thought about using The Girl Next Door or The Girl from Ipanema, but really Tramp trounces them all - though Luck Be a Lady was a strong 2nd choice.) :)
Describe yourself: Angel Eyes
How do you feel about yourself: Too Marvelous for Words (LOL!!!)
Describe where you currently live: Street of Dreams
If you could go anywhere, where would you go: London By Night
Your best friend is: Mack the Knife (Yeah watch out people...)
Your favorite color is: Blue Moon
What's the weather like: Come Rain Or Come Shine
If your life was a TV show, what would it be called: I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter
What is life to you: I’ve Got the World On a String
What is the best advice you have to give: The Best is Yet to Come
If you could change your name, what would it be: Adelaide (I'm not particularly fond of the name, but the song is fantastic.)
Your favorite food is: The Coffee Song (Some people might argue that coffee is a beverage and not a food, but I beg to differ...)
Posts
