at the movies

[gfrancie]

Awhile back kristenlou sent me some movies to watch since I lead a life where I have the opportunity to watch a fair amount of movies. (I am thinking it is time to break down and get a netflix account for a little bit so I can continue watching movies) There were some real goodies in the bunch. Sunset Blvd, All About Eve among others. (I have been a keen fan of those two movies since I was a kid. Hot cynicism!) Today I put on another movie she sent me. Vogues of 1938. I am surprised that I haven't seen this before. (or if I had I don't remember) It is so much fun and so crazy at times. It has so many familiar themes and it is meshed together into this movie that really owns the definition of "a madcap romp."
The IMDB plot summary describes it as:
The blueblooded Van Kletterings are broke; debutante Wendy, slated to remedy this by marrying rich bore Henry Morgan, instead leaves him at the altar and goes to work as a model for high-fashion clothing designer George Curson, whom she soon falls for. But he's happily married (at least on his side) and going into debt financing a show to please wife Mary's desire for stardom. Vindictive Morgan, jealous of George, hopes to hasten his ruin. Can the House of Curson be saved?

And yes hijinks ensue.

It was done in technicolor but it is obvious they hadn't quite perfected the technology but it does shine well when devoted to all the clothes as done by the House of Curson. It seems like it is one continuous fashion show. But there are also musical numbers! (fashion, musical numbers and snark! Heaven!) The show that Mr. Curson is attempting to finance for his wife involves a roller-skating act that is almost alarming. I kept thinking, "the girl is going to get her dress caught in the skates and it won't be pretty." The movie isn't just fun to look at there is also plenty of snappy, snarky dialogue. (apparently written by the same couple who wrote My Favorite Wife) The casting is interesting (if you watch a lot of old movies) because you are going along and suddenly you see Hedda Hopper in a small part and then there is Alan Mowbray (!?!) as the jilted groom and Joan Bennett with blonde hair and painted on eyebrows. It is such a surprising and satisfying movie to watch. I am going to watch this again.

.....

Yesterday I made another kind of strawberry cake. I shared that with my family and left some for some family friends. Today I made a citrus chiffon cake. I am also making chicken pie for dinner. Senor Onion enjoyed watching me make the cake. He is a kid who knows the entertainment value in seeing me break eggs.

Comments

[kristenlou.livejournal.com]

Heee. I'm glad you liked it. I thought little Joan was cute as a button, the clothes were excellent and talk about a raft of great character actors! And who can resist a film where the opening credits are cut off a ream of cloth by pin curled models? I think I have a screen cap of that somewhere...(The Spewacks also wrote Kiss Me Kate which had some snappy patter as well.)

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

It was just so genuinely zany. The opening credits were a kick. I kept thinking, "Oh I bet Kristen loves the letters." The Spewacks write like they were Nick and Nora Charles.