No Place Like Movies at Home: Of Human Bondage

We finally made it to the end of one of my 10 movie collection. I mentioned before that I was going to go in order of what I have on my shelf. However, I ended up rearranging what was on my shelf because of who I am as a person. So. I finished this collection and will be going in a totally different direction for the next while. However, lets talk about the last movie of the first collection I have. Bette Davis and Leslie Howard star in the 1934 picture Of Human Bondage.

Leslie Howard, Phillip, is a Doctor turned Artist turned Doctor again in this film. We first meet him in Paris where he is trying to make it as an artist. He loves the city but his paintings are not selling very well. However, he really doesn't want to leave the place he loves. When he finally comes to terms that he is not going to make as an artist he goes back to plan one. During the transition from artist to doctor he meets a young woman, Mildred (Davis), who is rude and vulgar and yet somehow he falls for her. Phillip eventually proposes and she denies him. Claiming that she is going to marry someone who can really support her and take care of her. After she leaves, Phillips moves on with his studies and end up falling in love again with a woman named Norah. She is supportive and comforting and safe. Everything seems to be wonderful until Mildred shows up again, this time a baby on the way. Claiming to have been abandoned by the baby's father, Phillip sets up house for her and can't help to fall for her again. He plans to marry one once the baby is born. Mildred can't help her wandering eyes has she falls for one of Leslie's best friends and they end up running away together. Phillip is once again forced to pick of the pieces of his life the Mildred left in her escape. The process starts all over again. His studies help, he falls in love with another girl, and once again Mildred shows up with the baby and another sob story. He takes her in again, and tries keep things from getting romantic. However, this time is works better. He doesn't fall in love with her again but sees that it's a possibility again. Mildred's charms are not working as they once used to. She becomes enraged when she learns that he is not totally twisted around her finger again. She gets so made that she destroys his apartment, burns all of his savings and leaves again. Now unable to pay his tuition for school he is forced to drop out. The girl that he had been keen on through all of this, Sally, her family owns a small store that they offer for him to work at. Not long after he finds that his uncle has died and left him some money. Not a lot but enough for him to go back to school. Then, you guessed it, Mildred shows again. This time no baby. Her life went down hill since their last meeting. The baby died, she is sick, and she has no where to go. Phillip takes her to the hospital and says he will visit, but never gets the chance. She dies before he can get back. However, the bond is broken after that and Phillip is able to marry Sally without any more unwanted interruptions.

When my mom asked me what movie I was watching the other day and I told her Of Human Bondage she had no idea what I was talking about. I then told her the plot to Jezebel which is totally the wrong movie. I am not sure how in the world I got the to mixed up but I did.

I do have to say that the was a little bit of an annoying movie to watch. Manly because I can't really stand Leslie Howard. Of the now three movies that I have seen him in he plays the same person! They are all Ashley Wilkes in disguise! However, Bette Davis was phenomenal in this film! I mean if you see her in the last scene of the movie it haunts you a little bit. She looks like she was out in the wild for about 6 week before she was found on the side of the road.

It was interesting for her part but honestly, I am done with the Ashley Wilkes act... I;m just saying.  

Best Picture Challenge: Parasite

It's hard to think that the Academy Awards were only three months ago. There were lots of familiar names, faces, and titles that we have all been very excited about in 2019. Lots of opinions surrounding who should have and not have been nominated, anger about the popular films not making the cut that they thought they were, excitement as to who was going to win. Also... that ever wonderful sense of predictability. 

Over the last few years I have noticed the same thing when it comes to these awards. Nominees for Directors and Best Pictures always go hand in hand. More often then not if you win best Director that film wins best picture. Superhero, actions films, and war pictures get nominations for sound mixing and editing, and they get visual effects, and they also get Cinematography. Disney is always nominated (and 9 times out of 10 wins) Best Animation film. They are also nominated for best from that film that year. There is always a period piece that is nominated for Best Costume. And, as always, unless you are someone who lives at the movies you haven't heard of most of the Best Picture nominations because they are not the big draw ins as some other movies are. 

2020 was no difference. Every movie that had a Director nominated was also in the Best Picture category. The same movie won both of those awards. Superhero, Action, and War movies where all represented in The Sound Mixing, Sound Editing, Visual Effects, and Cinematography (with 1917 taking a nomination in all 4 categories). Disney won for Best Animation with Toy Story 4. Which is odd since Frozen II came out it was not even nominated. However, they did not take home Best Original Song which was interesting seeing that both Frozen II and Toy Story 4 were in the category and neither of them won. Little Woman won for Best Costume. Then 4 out of 9 Nominations for Best Picture were films that most casual viewers of movies have never heard of. 

What was no predictable about these Awards this year is the shock of the biggest award of the night. The movie that took the top prize of Best Picture was also nominated for 5 other categories. it won 3 of those other including being the first time winner of the new renamed International Film (formally known as Foreign Language Film): Parasite.

Not going to lie.... I was shocked! This is not this first time that an International film has been nominated for Best Picture. It's the first time in the History of the Academy Awards that it's won! I think that most of us were shocked at that. There were so many great films that came out in 2019 that Parasite was really under the radar of most the general movie going public. 

I was nervous to watch it. Manly because whoever spliced together the movie clips on TV did in a way that it made it look like it was a horror film. It was not at all that. It's was a surprisingly deep and well thought out movie. It dealt with class, wealth, entitlement, secrecy, lust, love, murder, mystery I mean the list could really go on and on. 

It's really had to tall that plot of the movie without giving the whole film away, but here is a VERY over simplified plot. A lower class family is trying to make ends meet when opportunity strikes. A chance to work for a well off upper class family becomes available by way of a tutoring position. However, the whole family is soon working in the same household through a lot of manipulation and trickery. However, they are soon to find that secrets can only be kept so long.

Like I said if you have seen the movie you will know that this doesn't help. Also, by reading that there is love, lust, and murder as well you think that you can tell what is going to happen without watching the film. That is not the truth at all. You don't not ever begin to guess what is going to happen by just reading this. 

It's been several days since I have watched it and I have told some people that I may never watch this movie again because it wasn't my cup of tea. However, the more time that has passed that more I want to watch it again. It's brilliantly written, and a marvel to watch. The plot sticks to you and comes to your mind when you least expect it. This will go down as one of the most memorable movies that I have ever seen. 

I am just as shocked that I am saying that as you might be reading that.       

No Place Like Movies at Home: Anna Karenina

Vivian Leigh, best know for her role as Scarlet O'Hara in Gone with the Wind, is once again gracing us her her presence in the 1948 drama Anna Karenina.

Anna seems to have everything in life that you could want. Money, a husband, and darling boy who absolutely adores her. She has dresses, diamonds, friends, a great personality, charm, poise, and making living the life she leads look effortless. Everything was going well until fate took her own course. While going to visit her brother and his family, her eyes latch unto unexpected love. She falls for a cavalry officer Count Vronsky, even before she knows his name. They start a passionate love affair that they do very little in trying to cover up. When Anna's husband finally learns of her scandal, he tells her that she needs to stop the affair or he will get a divorce and she will never see her son again. Trying to that, and failing, she continues on and eventually leaves her husband and her beloved son. After she becomes pregnant with Vronsky's child, and almost dies after it is still born, and begs to come back to her husband. He accepts, but not with love and affection by any means, and Vronsky is distraught and tries to kill himself. He fails at this attempt, a benefit to him because not long after Anna comes back to him after leaving her husband and child for good. This attempt is plagued by doubts of his true feelings for her and she pushes him away. Feeling that she has lost everything that has truly mattered to her she makes an attempt on her life as well. Only her attempted doesn't fail as Vronsky's did.

Ms. Leigh is one of those actresses that I always want to see more films of but I always find it hard because she does a lot of dramas. Dramas are not bad, it's just that I am a very easy crier and I don't feel like cry every single time a watch a movie. She is in Gone with the Wind, as I have mentioned before. She is also in A Streetcar Named Desire, and Waterloo Bridge. She is not a whole lot of other films but those are the previous ones that I have seen. However, I do remember those because they made me cry. However, I have to say the one thing that I had to really look over was Ms. Leigh's speaking voice. I know that she is originally from England, and has a British accent, however she does so well speak with the lack of accent in those three previous mentioned movies, that I always seem to forget where she originates from.

Regardless of her accent, I think Vivian Leigh is a wonderful actress and I am glad that I undertook this film. This is one of those times where I probably would have skipped the drama for a musical if I wasn't trying to watch all of the movies I own. It was sad but wonderful. It was an oddly nice way to spend a Monday afternoon.

No Place Like Movies at Home: Eternally Yours

Eternally Yours sounded like it was going to be one of those movies where one person in love with another, and they stumble around for 2 hours until they realize they are in love with each other.

Well, it kinda is. During Antia's, Loretta Young, wedding shower she decides she is going to the magic show of The Great Arturo, David Niven. When she gets there she get the chance to meet them on stage and fall in love. They get married shortly after they meet and Anita becomes his assistant in his act. After almost nearly two years on the road Anita wants to settle down and have kids and not travel the world anymore. She secret builds a house in the country and wants to surprise Tony with it. However, about the same time she is going to break the news to him, Tony gets drunk and tells a reporter that he is going to jump 15,000 feet out of an airplane, with a parachute and his hands handcuffed together for his next big trick. He goes through with the trick against Anita's wishes. After doing the trick several times, Anita tells him if he continues to do the trick she is going to leave him. Not believing she would actually leave he does the trick again and she walks out and goes to Reno to get a divorce. While on vacation, Anita runs into her first fiance and decides to get married on a whim on the ship they are on. Now on the impromptu honeymoon, when they get to shore and go to the show they find Tony doing his act at the club they show up to. During the time they spend together Anita finds that the divorce she got was not actually legal. Will she get the divorce to stick again or will she end up staying with Tony after all?

I have to say that this is another 1939 classic. It's really a funny and cute movie. David Niven has been really wonderful in the movies that I have seen him in. This one was no exception. It's a simple feel good movie that doesn't drag your emotions through the trenches. Some movies you want the high and lows of all emotion and others you don't need that. You just need a little while to escape. This is one of the latter. Sweet movies like these are rare fun find but they are wonderful none the less.   

No Place Like Movies at Home: Easter Parade

I know that I was in the middle of incredible romances when I was last here. I know that I have also stated that I wanted to watch all of my movies in the order I had them on my shelf. Well, I didn't follow my rules. To be honest I make the rules so I can change them if I want. I had the choice to watch Easter Parade as tradition on Easter or wait for the 24 other movies that I had to get to before watching this one. I choose to stick with tradition. The thought of watching it today and then watching it again later also occurred, but I didn't wan't to take two days to watch it rather than just one.

So here we are from 1948, Easter Parade.

If you haven't seen this film then you are missing a real treat. The movie stars Judy Garland as Hannah Brown, a girl that was dancing in a bar when "discovered" by Fred Astaire as Don Hewes. Don was just left by his dancing partner, Ann Miller as Nadine Hale, for bigger gigs. He is hurt and tries to get her back by making her jealous. He ends up falling in love with Hannah instead. However, he is not the only one who has fallen for her. Jonathan, Peter Lawford, is pursuing her while he is being pursued by Nadine. All of this is set to memorable song and dance, that you will want to watch more than just during Easter.

This is one of the very first movies that I have gotten in my collection. It's the movie that made me fall in love with Fred Astaire and it's the movie that I did my opening paragraph to the Judy Garland paper in English class of my Sophomore year. That was a paper that changed by life cause it's the one that had me research movie about Ms. Garland and introduced me to the movies she did with Mickey Rooney. It was following Mr. Rooney's movies that made me go further into classic films. It's made me where I have the love for them now.

Easter Parade is one of those movies that you can't help to fall in love with. The music is wonderful and fun. The dancing is always on perfection when Mr. Astaire comes on the screen. Ms. Garland has perfect comedic time that she never truly gets accredited for in her lifeworks. She can also sing a song like only few can. Her voice will always be up there with the likes of Frank Sinatra.

The other great add to this movie is that part of the waiter, who makes the memorable salad, is played by Jules Munshin, I do believe this is he debut role. He goes one to play with Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra in a great movie the next year is 1949. We will get to that movie soon enough I do own that one too.

Easter Parade will always be the movie I watch for Easter. I will make my kids, if I have any, watch it too. If I don't then I shall make Alaina's children watch it instead. There really aren't that many feel good movies these days. I am glad to have some of these classic that can do what modern movies can't.

No Place Like Movies at Home: Outpost in Morocco

Well, today's movie was the the reaction that I was going to have. That movie was Outpost in Morocco.

Captain Gerard is in charge to escorting the daughter of a powerful man back home. During the journey they fall in love.

I know that this is not what I thought it was going to be. I really didn't find any interest in it at all. I really wanted to read my book more than watch the movie. I think that this is going to have to be a movie that I one day try to watch again. I really don't know what else to say other than that. 

You like some and you don't sometimes.  

Jack of All Trades: March

Talk about life throwing you a curve ball! After a few years of all of my projects going as planned, the whole world gets grounded! No going anywhere, no doing anything, no activities, and basically nothing to volunteer for! I mean seriously this is crazy!

It has not stopped me!

Yes, I can not go out and volunteer, and all things I had planned to do this month were canceled in a blink of an eye. However, all it has done is make me to start thinking outside the box. 

Me, like many other people, went through the stages of anger and fear. I am still bitter that I can't do much but me being the outgoing person that I am will be a little bitter about that until we get some stuff back opened again! Here is a great chart to make the rest of my point clear.

I feel that I am currently in between the Learning Zone and the Growth Zone. Like I am getting excited about some things like I can focus on like reading more books, and trying new things. I have basically blocked all news sources on my facebook page, and I don't have tv stations or cable so I don't watch the news. That has helped with my anger and anxiety. I look for good outlets to watch and participate in like we did our small group via Zoom this Wednesday. Oh, and watched the first episode of John Krasinski's new youtube channel Some Good News! This has really helped to get out of the "I can't believe all the stuff I want to do I can't do" part of it all. I am slowly trying to figure out how to Volunteer, or do some good in the world by helping. 

March was weird because we were open to do things here in Knoxville, then we weren't. Then we thought we would be back to normal by the end of the month, then we weren't. Now, that we know we are basically like this until further notice, I have accepted it.... somewhat. So, there has been a lot of talk supporting local, and eating local to go, and shopping local. I want to, and trust me I have with the food, but I don't have that kind of money to do it all the time. So, when I have gone to eat I have ordered it on a delivery app, to help those who are driving keep their jobs and get money in, and trying to do local food. 

The one thing that I found too was not only supporting local food and shopping but local artists! I have never really realized how something like this would effect those who are musicians, painters, photographers, and all other people who fall under this category. That is until Stacy Mitchhart started doing a lot of live events on his facebook page. 

I think I have mentioned him once before way back, but Stacy is one of the regular headliners at the Bourbon Street Blues and Boogie Bar in Nashville. My dad has been friends with him for like 20+ years. My dad was there when Stacy did his first album recording at Bourbon Street Blues. I saw Stacy a few years back when he did a solo concert out in Knoxville, and I saw him again last year when mom and dad took me. It was the first time I went to Bourbon Street Blues and it was ridiculously fun!

Anyways, Stacy has been going live on his facebook page and set up virtual tip jars. This is a guy who for the last few decades has been making his live by doing live shows almost every night. He is established enough to have a following but I don't think he is making millions of dollars off of sales and stuff like that. So, he had to get creative and found a way to put on shows, while still following the CDC guidelines. So, I have been doing what I can. I tipped him some money on his virtual tip jar but I have watched every live show that he has put on in the last week and a half. I know that it's not a whole lot but really it helps. It show that I am watching and sharing, and Stacy still works, and gets paid, but he also give us something to look forward to. I know it's not the same as seeing him live, or going out but I love watching his concerts! He is getting creative on where he is doing his solo sets too. He did one the other night in the back of his Cadillac and the other on his tour bus. He has done a few on his patio and he has a show tonight where some of his band mates are going to be with him tonight! The fun thing is I am going to do laundry at my parents house tonight and we are going to watch the stream together. Hopefully, we will see Stacy in person soon! 

As for the month of April, I have a few ideas to be helpful, and still follow guidelines. Trust me, this is not how I wanted to spend this year. This is not how I wanted to be of help to my fellow man this year. However, it's funny how much my ideas of projects seem to fall when they really needed me to. Last year, I had to study for a lot of things I didn't know I would have to study for, and reading really got my butt in gear for that. Now, we need some good, we need some help, and I am excited to do that where I can. It may not have been what I have planned, but I guess sometimes it's just about the anticipation, and everything else falls into place. 

If you are interested in Stacy Mitchhart's music, or his live events coming up, check out his facebook page and website here!

https://www.facebook.com/stacymitchhartband/

https://www.stacymitchhart.com/

No Place Like Movies at Home: Love Affair

Finally! We are at the end of the mini marathon of movies I did last weekend! I don't think this feeling is going to last long because we are on the cusp of another weekend, and while I have some plans, I don't have enough to keep me from watching movies.

In a previous post I mentioned that 1939 was one of the best years for movies. That still holds up with another movie from 1939 Love Affair.

Most of the time when movies talk of love affairs, they are usually showing the starring couple breaking up toward the beginning of the movie. Through the movie you watch as one person falls then thrives after the person having the affair leaves. Then the person who did the leaving thrives and then falls. This story is a little bit different. Our starring couple, Charles Boyer and Irene Dunne, are both actually the people who leave. While you really can't say any "real" cheating happened, this is a 30's film mind you, they did agree to leave the people they were going to marry to be with each other. While sailing across the ocean to be with their loves, Dunne and Boyer meet and all in the love on the ship. However, they are unsure if they really are in love with each other or in love with the idea of leaving the people they supposedly love. They agree to go home like normal, break up with their significant others, and then work on the dreams they shared with each other. After six months have passed they would meet on top of the Empire State Building and start their lives together.

Now whether or not they actually do this I am not going to say. That is where you need to watch the movie for yourself. I will say that it makes some interesting turns and you meet some interesting people. I will also say that this is not a cookie cutter movie. What I mean is the end may end up where you thought but the journey there is a bit different. However, if you are looking to watch a movie that is sweet and will pull at your heartstrings a little, this would be the one to watch.

No Place Like Movies at Home: Penny Serenade

If you are looking for a happy, lovely, lighthearted film, this is not it. Penny Serenade is a beautiful film about love and tragedy.

Release in 1941, this movie stars Cary Grant and Irene Dunne as a married couple. They had different ideas about how they wanted to live their life, they ended falling for each other despite what they thought what they originally wanted. When they find out that they are expecting tragedy strikes in more ways than one. Not only did they loose their baby they also lost the ability to have more on their own. When they decide to adopt a baby they learn it wasn't want they wanted but just what they needed. However, they learn that life is still full of surprises.

So, the order that I have chosen to watch these movies in is basically the order they are in on my shelf. So, I didn't realize that I was going to get to this movie as soon as I did. The reason I wanted to hold off on this movie is because it is a really sad movie. It's hard to watch them go through the stresses of life, and the utter tragedies. Yet, it's so full of love and hope as well. I forgot how much of that was in the movie. When I see movies for the first time I really remember the big moments, good and bad, the finer details come later on a repeat viewing. This is one that needed a repeat viewing to see how much love was put into the film.

I think that it was also a good film to watch and mull over for a few days. This is the second time that I have seen this movie and right after the first time I watched it I was mad at it. Over time it became one that I remembered fondly. Not one that I wanted to watch every day, but one that I would recommend to others. Even now thinking about this movie I see it in a different light. Yes, it's sad and hard to watch, but it really does show how resilient we are as humans. To go through all of the hardships that life throws at us and it still comes out in a beautiful way.

No Place Like Movies at Home: Heartbeat

As you can see I still have some writing to do. The movies that I watched back to back over the weekend I can't seem to write about as fast. I am going to have to learn to pace myself, especially if we are going to be in this situation for a while.

This wonderful movie from 1946 is called Heartbeat and it stars the ever wonderful Ginger Rogers. The films is based around Ms. Rogers as a petty thief learning the trade. When she ends up stealing from the wrong person it may become the steal of a lifetime.

I have seen this movie once before. It's a really sweet love story. As unconventional as it may come about. I was on a huge Ginger Rogers kick when I bought this collection. At the time there are a few other names that on the list that I knew that convinced me to buy this collection. It was manly Ms. Rogers as to the reason that I bought it.

Ginger Rogers is as charming as eve in this film. She can look innocent as a lamb but can change to  the devil the second no one is looking. Yet, by chance of the movie gods, she find love through it all. Now, out of the other films that I watched over the weekend I seem to have found some deeper meaning that I have not recognized before and that is not the case here. I didn't find anything more than a sweet and funny film to break up the monotony of day. I have a feeling more of these types of movie will pop up as I go on. I will love them just the same. Sometimes we just have to have things that make us smile.