Yup

Just settling in for John Dall nite here at the ranch. Something in the Wind, Gun Crazy and a beer or two thrown in for good measure.

"Put on some weight and get more sex"

And now that I have your attention, Movie Morlocks has a great post from Moira Finnie on Robert Young. Read the article . . . you'll get where today's headline came from.

I just want to give a shout out to everyone for their comments on the Bob birthday & TCM marathon posts. Cliff Aliperti asked if I would have substituted anything for the marathon. I would have added Ride the Pink Horse, Another Language, and the film short Starlit Days at the Lido - I can't get over Bob in 1935 color. I ended up recording (and watching) Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Hide-Out, and The First Hundred Years for the umpteenth time. That's fine, I'm ok with that.

Useless history: On this date in 1954, Dial M For Murder opened at the Paramount Theater in NYC. Are you for good or evil Ray Milland?

And finally, I neglected to post on May 26 for the birthday for another of my favorites: John Dall. And no, I really don't think he looks like Ben Affleck - unless you squint at the right angle for a long, long time.

Six & Twelve

Raquelle from Out of the Past blog has tagged me as part of a 12 Movies Meme started by Lazy Eye Theatre. I'm going to follow her pattern for my list: Six days of movies, each day having two films following a theme. Here goes nothing:

Monday
Theme: The Look, The Feel of Cotten
Films: Shadow of a Doubt, Since You Went Away
Reason: Joseph Cotten is way overlooked. Shadow is arguably Hitchcock's best thanks to him and Away, well, the uniform certainly doesn't hurt anything.

Tuesday
Theme: Your Pilot This Evening: John Wayne
Films: The High and the Mighty, Island in the Sky
Reason: These two films were released to DVD in the past few years after being stuck in the John Wayne family vaults. Mighty is beautiful in wide-screen color and is a fun representation of the yesteryears of airline travel. If you get the chance to see it on the big screen, do see it. Island in the Sky takes a look at survival in the arctic after a plane crash and also offers a great character from Andy Devine.

Wednesday
Theme: Flying With Cary
Films: Wings in the Dark, Only Angels Have Wings
Reason: Early Cary Grant is a fav. Early Cary with airplanes is even better. Dark features Myrna Loy who helps Cary's character return to the skies, sans vision. Angels offers a tougher Cary as the boss/pilot and Jean Arthur as the softer side.

Thursday
Theme: What a Dall
Films: Something in the Wind, The Corn is Green
Reason: What can I say, just giving some PR to another of my favorite actors: John Dall.

Friday
Theme: Keep Watching the Skies
Films: The Thing From Another World, The Day the Earth Stood Still
Reason: Everyone loves 50s sci-fi (or should). These films are arguably two of the better that came from that time frame. Klaatu Barata Nikto.

Saturday
Theme: Accent on Montgomery
Films: The Earl of Chicago, Here Comes Mr. Jordan
Reason: Yeah, I had to sneak Bob in here somewhere. For this theme, Bob leaves the eastern, and sometimes British-sounding, accent at home and picks up more of a local flair.

Cocktail Per Un Cadavere

Farley Granger is in town next week to promo his new book. In addition to a book signing, the venue is showing Hitchcock's Rope on the big screen. Since (sadly) I won't be able to make the event and see Philip in action, below is my mini tribute to this often ignored, yet techinically interesting movie. I've come to realize either you love or hate Rope. Me - it's one of my Hitchcock favorites.

Really, I'd might more happy if the evil Brandon appeared at the event...

Classic Coming Attractions

The Digital Bits web site has an updated classic DVD column up. New box sets reviewed include James Cagney, Tyrone Power, and Errol Flynn. Of particular interest on this end is the August 7 release of the William Powell/Myrna Loy Collection (Manhattan Melodrama, Evelyn Prentice, Double Wedding, I Love You Again, and Love Crazy).

And if you've held out all these years from buying To Catch a Thief (like me), it sounds like it's finally safe to buy the latest DVD issue.

Thrill Crazy, Kill Crazy

Gun Crazy is one of my fav. movies - and it just so happens it's featured on Noir of the Week. If you haven't seen it, make sure you rent it.

Classic Coming Attractions

As a lot of you already know, I'm a big fan of TheDigitalBits.com, a web site dedicated to DVD release news. Monthly, they post a new Classic Coming Attractions column which reviews recent classic DVD releases and announcements. It's always a good read.

Their latest column takes a look at:

• The Cecil B. DeMille Collection
• Charlie Chan Collection
• John Wayne DVD-a-palooza (that's my term for it)
• Recent film noir releases by Fox
• And a bunch more

Always of interest is their Upcoming Classic Film Releases on DVD database/document which lists titles, dates and rumors about upcoming DVDs. Of interest on the rumor list: Joan Crawford Collection Volume 2 (no idea what's in it), The Fountainhead, The Corn is Green, James Cagney box set, William Powell/Myrna Loy box set, Frank Capra box set - I could go on.

And no, there's no Robert Montgomery box set on the release list...

From Green Corn to Guns

I'm a John Dall fan. "John who"?

Well, chances are you've seen him. He tried to tame Annie Laurie Star in Gun Crazy. Gave an Oscar nominated performance in The Corn Is Green. Helped commit murder in Rope. Was a Roman army commander in Spartacus.

No one else seems to remember him, so I will.

There's hardly any info out there on him except for the usual IMDB bio. His movies on DVD are harder than hens teeth to find - that and he really didn't make many films.

I picked up the Deana Durbin DVD Sweatheart pack to get Something in the Wind. Naw, I really don't care for the singing numbers. I think Amazon.com now thinks I like musicals. Set also includes Ray Milland & Robert Cummings, so it isn't a total waste.

Just my two cents for another forgotten actor.