Four Favorite Movies and Nine Favorite Movie Stars

Favorite movie stars very likely starred in your favorite movies. Did you grow up watching television or going to the movies on Saturday afternoon? In this article, I am remembering the movie stars from my childhood who are no longer with us. They made quite an impression on my young mind – in a good way – and I don’t care what the official biographies or the movie critics say! To me, these actors and actresses were larger than life and the films they starred in helped build character. I will speak briefly about each. Very briefly. Even though these movies are old, it is possible you may not have watched them. I would not want to spoil the ending.

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● 1st MOVIE:  Bogart and Bergman in “Casablanca”

• Humphrey DeForest Bogart (Dec 25, 1899 – Jan 14, 1957)
• Ingrid Bergman (Aug 29, 1915 – Aug 29, 1982)

Casablanca (1942): This movie was a love story; and if you don’t remember anything else about this film you will remember these two lines: “Play it again, Sam.” and “Here’s looking at you, kid.”

● 2nd MOVIE:  Marvin, Bronson, and Savalas in “The Dirty Dozen”

• Lee Marvin (Feb 19, 1924 – Aug 29, 1987)
• Charles Bronson (Nov 3, 1921 – Aug 30, 2003)
• Aristotelis “Telly” Savalas (Jan 21, 1922 – Jan 22, 1994)

The Dirty Dozen (1967): This is a movie about redemption. A dozen men, twelve convicts, are given an opportunity by the United States Army to serve their country, just as any law-abiding patriotic soldier would do. All they have to do is carry out a mission behind enemy lines and come back alive! The records of their crimes will be wiped clean and they will be free men. Think they succeeded?

● 3rd MOVIE:  Frank Sinatra in “Von Ryan’s Express”

• Francis Albert “Frank” Sinatra (Dec 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998)

Von Ryan’s Express (1965): This was a war movie. But it was Frank Sinatra like I had never seen him before. He wasn’t singing and dancing and this was no lighthearted film. He was a prisoner of war with a group of other prisoners who planned a daring escape from German-occupied Italy on a freight train. Frank Sinatra was Colonel Ryan.

● 4th MOVIE:  Peck, Quinn, and Niven in “The Guns of Navarone”

• Eldred Gregory Peck (Apr 5, 1916 – Jun 12, 2003)
• Anthony Quinn (Apr 21, 1915 – Jun 3, 2001)
• James David Graham Niven (Mar 1, 1910 – July 29, 1983)

The Guns of Navarone (1961): As this is a British-American film, it was released in both the United States and the United Kingdom. If I were to prepare a Top 5 List of Movies To Watch Over and Over Again, this movie would be on that list. A group of men, a commando unit, handpicked by the military because of their special skills were sent on a mission to destroy a German fortress located on Navarone Island.

The Captain of the team was persuasively played by Gregory Peck. Anthony Quinn was a Colonel who served in the Greek Army. The best way to describe his character is by plucking a line from the movie that he said about himself. He said, “I’m not so easy to kill.” If you’re going on a dangerous mission you want a guy like that on your team. David Niven is the demolitions expert. Though he was reluctant, he had to come along. Without his expertise in the field of explosives, there was no point in even attempting to carry out the mission. Everything about this movie was memorable. The actors, the soundtrack, the scenery! It was spectacular!

Remembering today the late 🇬🇧British actor #DavidNiven #BOTD in 1910 in #London, seen here with co-stars #AnthonyQuinn #StanleyBaker & #GregoryPeck in the 🇺🇸American epic war adventure "THE GUNS OF NAVARONE" (1961) dir. J. Lee Thompson pic.twitter.com/gD66mmzhCk

— Neville F Chamberlain (@NevilleFChambe1) March 1, 2021

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Who are your favorite movie stars who starred in your favorite movies?

Remember When the Language of Romance in Movies was Corny and Sweet!

American movies and even TV shows these days no longer have innocence. By that I mean … I remember when there was once something called “censorship” and the entertainment industry was bound by certain rules that required all who were involved in writing script for movies and television shows to keep the dialogue “clean” and nudity was not just discouraged but forbidden! If in the movie, an actor and an actress were dating or pursuing a relationship, it was not necessary for them to appear in bed together for the viewing audience to understand that they were interested in each other. 

Where I Find Old Movies to Watch

I love my Pluto.tv subscription because they have lots of old movie channels. These channels show movies that were made when censorship rules were deemed important to strengthen the moral fabric of our citizenry. I love old movies. I especially love old movies which star Elvis Presley.

Entertainment Trivia About Elvis Presley

Just a little trivia I picked up a while back. I heard that Elvis did not like the fact that his fellow countrymen were going off to serve their country in the military and he was back home making silly movies. So finally he was approached by the military, asked to join, and his service to the country would be entertaining the troops. Elvis didn’t like the idea at first because that wasn’t his idea of serving his country. But the military officials convinced him that his performing for the troops would do wonders for their morale. So Elvis agreed and joined the military. He did not see combat but he did do wonders for lifting the spirits of the troops.

For you Elvis buffs, if that’s not a true story, feel free to call me out on it!

Back to the point of this article.

Delightfully Wholesome Sweet Talk in “G.I. Blues”

Thanks to the wonders of the remote control, one never has to linger on any one channel for an extended period of time. You would think a person has A.D.D. (Attention Deficit Disorder) when they get a remote control in their hands. So I’m clicking through channels searching for something to keep me entertained and landed on one of the channels for old movies and immediately stopped when I saw Elvis Presley dressed in a military uniform.

The name of the film is “G.I. Blues” (1960). I didn’t watch the entire movie but I stayed on the channel long enough to catch this exchange between the leading man (Elvis Presley) and the leading lady (Juliet Prowse). These are probably not exact quotes but it’s close enough to the exact dialogue.

In this scene, Elvis Presley gets into a cable car with the lovely Juliet Prowse so that it can take them up into the sky and they can have a picturesque view of the mountains, etc.

Ms. Prowse gets in first. Mr. Presley follows behind and the door is closed. Before they take off Elvis asked Ms. Prowse if the cars ever get stuck when they get up high and the occupants just have to wait for a long time until someone comes to rescue them.

Ms. Prowse responds something to the effect: “Oh that seldom happens. So you needn’t worry. These cars are quite safe.”

To which Mr. Presley responds: “Oh I wasn’t worried. I was just kind of … hoping!”

 Don’t you just love delightfully wholesome sweet talk like that? 

Have you ever seen the movie “G.I. Blues”?

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Elvis Presley and Juliet Prowse in “G.I. Blues” https://t.co/QvFQZmgIdO #oldmovies #classicmovies #musicals #lovestories #oldflicks #entertainmenthistory @ElvisPresley pic.twitter.com/wizSzWrKak

— Treathyl Fox (aka cmoneyspinner) ~ #Freelancer (@cmoneyspinner) November 23, 2019

Fun Facts About the History of Halloween And Its Superstitions

The History (and My History) of Halloween

I attended Catholic school and can remember that one of my teachers was very adamant about NOT celebrating the Halloween holiday. She insisted that it supported pagan practices and traditions and it was a work of the devil. I did not want to be disrespectful so I did what most well-mannered and well-behaved children did when their teachers said things they did not believe or agree with. I ignored her. Hey! I just wanted a pumpkin full of candy! LOL.

But as an adult, I was a little curious about the history of Halloween. It turns out my teacher was right. It was derived from pagan customs. More specifically, it is a modification of activities associated with an ancient Celtic ritual of Samhain, which was a festival that celebrated the changing of the seasons from summer to winter. Uumm? That doesn’t exactly sound devilish.

Amanda Pagan wrote a post titled “A Brief History of Halloween”, which was published in the official blog for the New York Public Library. Her explanation of the holiday’s history is very colorful. As it is a library blog, she also provided a list of a dozen books as recommended reading if you want to know more. Halloween may have had religious import or application in the beginning but as of today, for most people (including me), the day no religious significance at all. It’s just a day set aside for apple-bobbing, eating tricks and treats, visiting haunted houses that simultaneously frighten you and make you laugh, dressing up in funny costumes, and maybe binge-watching some scary movies. Nothing more.

Halloween Superstitions

Black cats, witches, and pumpkins? Oh my! Where do all of these superstitions come from? Obviously, since the holiday is derived from a Celtic ritual, the superstitions that are prevalent to this day have Celtic roots. I personally don’t believe these superstitions, especially not the one about black cats being bad luck. Some believed black cats were witches in disguise or witches reborn or they were just witch-helpers. If you do the research you will find a lot of information pertaining to all of the folklore about black cats. You’ll find everything except the name of the person who started it!

There are numerous superstitions linked to this holiday. If you are interested in an explanation of the various beliefs about everything from bats and black cats to ghosts and spirits to spiders and trick or treat, check out this “Guide to Halloween Superstitions”.

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Original Source

Fun Links of Interest:

• Halloween History – How Halloween Has Traveled the Globe | SAPIENS

• The History of Halloween: A timeline through the centuries | Make It Grateful

• Samhain Folklore, Superstitions and Legends | Learn Religions

• 12 (Mostly) Spooky Halloween Superstitions | Mental Floss

Houdini and Doyle Were Best Buds; But Not Forever

Houdini and Doyle. When those two names are mentioned together, there is an expectation of something spectacular! The first episode of a television series titled “Houdini and Doyle” aired May 2, 2016, on the Fox broadcasting network at 8 pm CST. I had hoped it would not only be entertaining but chocked full of titillating biographical facts about these two real-life people that have always intrigued me.

Who Were Houdini and Doyle?

By way of a very brief introduction:

Harry Houdini (1874 – 1926), was a famous master of illusion, a magician who performed tricks that defied the imagination.

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859 – 1930), became famous for his creation of the fictional detective named Sherlock Holmes, whose character was so believable that it seemed like he could be a cunning and shrewd detective for real.

Houdini and Doyle Deserved Better

My impression of the 1^st episode of the TV series about these two men? Uuuuhhh … can you spell disappointing?

The first episode was so dull and boring I didn't bother to watch any more. Yes indeed. I am a very harsh critic. But can you blame me? These two gentlemen are larger than life and excelled in their occupation. When somebody says they are going to make a movie or a television series about these real-life people … there is an expectation of greatness! These two men deserved better.

At any rate, since I am not an “official” respected reviewer, I searched the Internet for feedback and opinions about this TV series just to see if I had it all wrong! But guess what? I was right! I found a review published by IGN Entertainment which pretty much expresses my first impression of the first episode as well. IGN reviews movies, TV shows, video games and practically anything deemed “entertainment”. They have over 200 million fans and publish content in over 100 countries.

To sum up the IGN review, in my words?

Eh! Some entertainment value, but shallow characters.

• Houdini and Doyle: "The Maggie's Redress" Review – IGN

IGN gave the series a 6.3.rating. In my humble opinion, that was far too generous. My rating would have been 3.6.

Ah well! If you can't find joy in watching perhaps you can find joy in reading. Here is a fascinating article published by Skeptoid Media that will not disappoint. It tells the story of how the friendship between Houdini and Doyle dissolved. Oh yeah! Harry and Arthur had a falling out that ended their friendship. From BFFs (Best Friends Forever!) to NGS2UA (Never going to speak to you again!)

• Harry Houdini and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

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On a Related Note:

As if the TV show wasn't disappointing enough, I was really excited when I heard that Ian McKellen (he played the wizard “Gandalf” in the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy) was going to be cast to play an elderly Sherlock Holmes. Unfortunately, there was a lot of brew ha ha and it seems that the Doyle Estate initiated a lawsuit over copyright violations.

◊ ‘ Mr. Holmes’ Lawsuit: Arthur Conan Doyle Estate Sues Bill Condon & Distributors | deadline.com

◊ Mr Holmes and the strange case of the alleged copyright infringement | guardian.com

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• Harry Houdini died on Halloween at the age of 52. Since that time, many people hold Houdini Séances every year on Halloween. He promised his wife that he would reach out to her from the grave if it was possible. His wife tried for 10 years to contact him beyond the grave. Her attempts were futile.

• Sir Arthur Conan Doyle died in his own home garden in 1930, at the age of 71. He spoke these final words to his wife: "You are wonderful." Doyle's wife claimed to have the ability to reach beyond the grave, but it does not look as though she tried to reach her deceased husband.

Don't you find these two men fascinating?

Featured Image credit: Wikimedia Commons

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You Can Have Fun With English Words

English words are fun! Don't you think so? Even if English is not your native tongue. When I was in elementary school as a method of enriching our vocabulary and improving our word skills, the teacher would send us home with a list of about 10 words. The homework assignment was to look up the definition of the words in the dictionary, write down the word and the definition, and write a sentence we made up using the word. Thinking back on it, I realize that it was a very good exercise. 

What I Learned Watching Korean Drama

Several years back I watched a historical period Korean drama about a king who had a dream. He dreamed of a nation where everyone could read and write. Even poor people! It was a radical move! The nobles and scholars vehemently opposed him. They were willing to kill people over this! Can you imagine? To say that others disagreed with his ambitious endeavor would be the understatement of the century. Nevertheless, because he was fiercely determined, he accomplished his goal. He devised a system of 28 alphabets and from those letters, all words could be created. Sounds marvelous, doesn’t it? Watching that series really made me appreciate the ability to speak, read, and write in my native tongue, i.e. English.

• Tree With Deep Roots (2011 K-Drama TV series)

Tree With Deep Roots (2011 K-Drama TV series) https://t.co/trTbFKYlyC #kdrama #historicalperioddramas #tvseries #readingandwritingliteracy #koreandrama #entertainment pic.twitter.com/b9H7Ytmrpu

— Joie de Vivre Magazine (formerly My Fox Nooze) (@FoxMarks_ATX) December 24, 2019

What I Learned When I Had No Internet Access

What do you do when you don’t have the Internet? Oh! I don’t know! Clean your house? Read a book or a magazine? How about … learn some new words? Where’s my dictionary? (Actually I don't have a dictionary. I have a lexicon.)

Unlike the Korean alphabet, our American English alphabet is 26 letters. Our words are derived from the languages of various civilizations: French, Latin, Greek, languages of the Native Americans, etc. The creation of most of the words we speak rest on 5 of the 26 letters, which we call vowels. A – E – I – O – U. Sometimes the letter Y is considered a vowel. But for purposes of this discussion, we will count it as a consonant.

Entertainment and Education

I started out entertaining myself by scanning pages of my old lexicon and honing in on words I didn’t know. Then I thought to myself, many members of online social communities where I am an active member, are non-English speaking. Why not share my treasure finds with them? There are also some members who speak “the real English”. Per my late husband, there’s real English and then there is the English that Americans speak. Those community members who speak “the real English” might enjoy my findings as well.

So I’ve published this series of short posts. Why isn’t the series longer? Well because I got my Internet back. LOL.  I looked up the meanings of “5 English words” for each vowel. The pattern if you can’t detect it is the first vowel in the alphabet paired with the first consonant in the alphabet; second vowel with the second consonant; third vowel with the third consonant, etc. Similar to my homework assignment from elementary school, wrote down the word and the definition. I did not, however, use the words in a sentence. Why? Like I said, I got my Internet back! LOL. 

Anyway … as I only wrote down the word and the definition in the posts, maybe the reader can go the extra step and use it in a sentence.

One last note. Keep in mind that some of the words I found, you probably won’t use in casual everyday conversation. But if you love to play word games like Scrabble, they might come in really handy!

• Post Series: Having Fun With English Words

Having Fun with English Words https://t.co/iWkT6Rww96 via @cmoneyspinner #learnEnglish #improvevocabulary #wordgames pic.twitter.com/nsph7jJO5F

— Joie de Vivre Magazine (formerly My Fox Nooze) (@FoxMarks_ATX) December 24, 2019

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