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Showing posts with label classic movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label classic movies. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 24, 2024

Article Writing Jobs ~ Movies, Music and Books: That's My Entertainment! (UPDATE)

Unfortunately, this writing site shut down.  

The content was republished and the links below are updated or go to the archived web copies of my articles.  

Apologies for the inconvenience.

I enjoy writing and sharing my entertainment articles around the web.  Several articles have been published at Article Writing Jobs.  Here's the links.  Enjoy!



My Top 5 Picks for Contemporary Female Violinists  ✔ 


Five (5)British Mystery TV Series Worth Watching (and Re-watching)   ✔  

NewlywedMoms Should Read Romance Novels   ✔  



Four (4) Recommended Authors of Books Written for Young Adults   ✔  

Music Appreciation: The Harmony of Human Voices   ✔  

Life of Pi - Actor Suraj Sharma   ✔  



My 3 Favorite Cary Grant Movies   ✔  

Come WithMe on My Star Trek Adventures   ✔  



Monday, September 23, 2024

Three (3) Classic Films That Have No Equal or Comparison

Once upon a Xmas, my kids gifted me a Fire TV that allows me to use several streaming services. What I really like is that I can often find some of my favorite old movies to rewatch.

Image credit: AI_Generated Image Created Using DreamUP AI Art Tool plus movie poster found on Wikipedia

There are 3 movies in my lifetime that I have watched that I can rewatch over and over. They are the “gold standard”. All other movies must measure up to them. If you have not watched them I guarantee you that will be at the top of your rewatch list for FOREVER!

πŸ“ΊπŸ“ΊπŸ“Ί

(1) Gladiator (2000)

A gladiator who defied an emperor. This movie had a stellar cast but it would have been nothing without Russell Crowe's portrayal of a gladiator. “My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions and loyal servant to the TRUE emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.”  WATCH TRAILER

(2) Enter the Dragon (1973)

A government intelligence agency recruits Bruce Lee's character to go to a secret island and find a missing operative. He accepts the mission for personal reasons. This film showcased martial arts skills that the world had never seen. Memorable quote: "It is like a finger pointing away to the moon. Don't concentrate on the finger or you will miss all that heavenly glory."  WATCH TRAILER.

(3) The Guns of Navarone (1961)

The military assembles a team of men who have specific skills needed to carry out a special operation. They have to blow up Nazi-held Navarone, a mountain loaded with enemy guns! Can they do it? To borrow a quote from Gregory Peck's character: “With everyone one of us a genius. How can we fail?”  WATCH TRAILER.


Final note: “To Kill a Mockingbird” (1962) is worthy of honorable mention.

List: Quick Reads (Short and Sweet!) | Curated by Treathyl Fox aka cmoneyspinner | Medium

Saturday, September 14, 2024

Korean Movies With Hitchcock Titles: "Vertigo"

In a previous blog post, I shared entertainment trivia about "Spellbound", a Korean movie with the same name as a Hitchcock film. In this post, I will discuss "Vertigo".


Vertigo (2019)

Main Characters:

  • Seo-Young (played by Chun Woo-Hee)

  • Lee Jin-Soo (played by Yoo Teo)

  • Kwon-Woo (played by Jeong Jae-Kwang)

STORYLINE:

All the women at the office fantasize about Lee Jin-Soo, but none of them have ever gotten to first base with him. So they settle for talking about him during their lunch break. The conversation makes Seo-Young feel uncomfortable, so she excuses herself from the lunch group. They don't know why she reacted that way, but they dismiss it and continue talking. Her co-workers did not know that Seo-Young was having a secret affair with her manager, Lee Jin-So. She thought she could have a wonderful life with Lee Jin-So. Except … all of a sudden he ghosted her and she didn't understand why. As if a failed relationship wasn't bad enough, she went to the doctor because of certain physical ailments and learned that she suffered from Vertigo.

Lee Jin-So was fired because the company's CCTV video showed him having sex with one of the employees. But that employee was not Seo-Young, so she didn't get fired. Seo-Young was a little baffled but she didn't dare ask for more information about the manager's termination. Another manager approached her and told her that he had seen the video of her with Lee Jin-So but didn't tell anyone. Then he tried to secure sexual favors from her, in return for keeping it a secret. When she refused, he physically assaulted her.

Seo-Young did not know it but she had a secret admirer, Kwon-Woo, who worked as a contract window cleaner. It so happened that Kwon-Woo was cleaning windows and saw what was happening to her. He banged on the glass panes, making loud noises. When the manager realized that someone had witnessed his behavior he left immediately. Seo-Young was grateful for Kwon-Woo's help. But the incident left her distraught and depressed. She wanted to die! But Kwon-Woo really wanted her to live. Could he convince her that life was worth living?

  • GENRE: Secret Romance, Workplace or Office Drama

  • IMDb Rating: 6 out of 10 stars

  • MyDrama List: 7.1 out of 10 stars

  • Letterboxd: 3.2 out of 5 stars


♦♦ Vertigo (1958): (Psychological drama, Thriller and Suspense) James Stewart plays a retired San Francisco police detective John "Scottie" Ferguson. After a traumatic incident on the job, he developed acrophobia (a fear of heights). An old friend confides in him that his wife, Madeleine Elster played by Kim Novak, has begun to act strangely. He hires “Scottie” to follow his wife around, but the detective becomes obsessed with her. His covert investigation reveals a disturbing truth about her identity.



Friday, September 13, 2024

Korean Movies With Hitchcock Titles: "Spellbound"

Alfred Hitchcock earned his reputation as the master of psychological thriller and suspense. While searching for Korean dramas to watch, I stumbled upon 2 films that had the same title as a Hitchcock movie which made me curious. 

However, it seems the only similarity between the Hitchcock movies and the Korean movies is the title. Even so, these K-dramas were interesting to watch. There is a little bit of entertainment trivia about the Hitchcock movies, for contrast and comparison.


Spellbound (2011)

(Also known by the title “Chilling Romance”)

Main Characters:

  • Ma Jo-Goo (played by Lee Min-Ki)

  • Kang Yeo-Ri (played by Son Ye-Jin)

STORYLINE:

Ma Jo-Goo is a talented street magician but his act is going nowhere. While performing for the audience, he noticed a mysterious woman in the crowd. When he finished his show he followed and caught up with her. Her dark and mysterious look had inspired him and he wanted her to be a part of his show. She agreed to work for him and his magic act became a success. It was called Jo-Goo Ma's Horror Illusion. After work, Jo-Goo likes to treat his workers to dinner and drinks, but Kang Yeo-Ri always refuses. She was loaded with excuses. But never told anyone her real reason. The truth was much more frightening.

Kang Yeo-Ri had a secret and that was why she lived alone, could never have a boyfriend, and pretended to be happy. One night her boss insisted she join them for dinner. She had one too many drinks and did something that embarrassed her boss. Strangely though, after that night at the company dinner, Ma Jo-Goo was drawn to her. As he got closer, he learned her secret and it terrified him. However, even though he was scared, he still wanted to be with her. Who says you can't be in love AND be scared to death to be with person you love?

  • GENRE: Romantic, Comedy, Horror

  • IMDb Rating: 6.8 out of 10 stars

  • MyDrama List: 8 out of 10 stars



♦♦ Hitchcock's Spellbound (1945): (Psychological drama, Thriller, and Suspense) Ingrid Bergman plays Dr. Constance Petersen, a psychiatrist who wants to treat her new patient, John Ballantine, played by Gregory Peck. He is suffering from amnesia. When her mental health treatment indicates that he may know details about a murder, she gets help from a fellow psychiatrist. His memory loss is the result of a trauma and the doctors work together to unlock the memories buried in the patient's subconscious mind. The film combines elements of, exploring themes of identity, memory, and mental health, all while incorporating a complex plot twist and a dramatic climax.


Thursday, May 9, 2024

Hollywood Screen Legends and Icons: Elizabeth Taylor (February 27, 1932 ~ March 23, 2011)

In America, the word “icon” is often applied to a person or thing regarded as a representative symbol of society and culture and worthy of honor or great respect. Many celebrities or movie stars are often described as icons. If you were judging them based solely on their public persona, you would approve of them as “representative symbols”. If you were to include details about their private lives as reported, they might not be considered “iconic”.

Not On My List

Any list I make ignores the private lives of the celebrities. Have you ever made your own list of iconic female celebrities? Madonna, BeyoncΓ©, and Lady Gaga might be on your list. Not on my list. I’m old school. Many of the glamorous movie stars from back in my day (“my day” meaning the 50s, 60s, and 70s) are no longer with us. A few years ago, at one of my blogs, I published my unofficial top ten list of female celebrities that in my humble opinion were “iconic”. My Top 10 List of Iconic Female Celebrities

If you review my list (referenced above) you will note that my favorite movie star, Elizabeth Taylor, is not on my list. That's because I think she is iconic; legendary, and deserves her own spotlight.  So I published a separate blog post.



Call her “Elizabeth” or “Liz”. For those who wish to treat her as if she is almost royalty, call her Dame Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor, DBE. (DBE = Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire). She is American, but she was born in England so the Brits love her too! Queen Elizabeth officially acknowledged her as a “Lady”.





My Favorite Elizabeth Taylor Films

Numerous documentaries have been aired on television or via the Internet about Ms. Taylor’s life and film career and I have watched too many of them to count. In discussing her significant films, one of the documentaries failed to mention ALL of my favorite Taylor movies. I have 3 favorite films and 2 out of the 3 movies on my faves list were not even mentioned. No matter. I’ll mention them now.

Below are the three motion pictures which starred Elizabeth Taylor that made a lasting impression on me, along with the memorable quotes. They are classic or vintage movies now, and they are worthy of being included in America’s cinematic history and legacy.





National Velvet (1944)
This was the story of a young girl who believed in her dream. She loved her horse named “Pi” and she believed that she and Pi could compete in a horse race for professionals. She was an unqualified jockey with no experience or training, and Pi had not been tested. It didn’t matter. She knew in her heart that they could and would win!


“ … by knowing the Pi can win and telling him so!”

Oh mother! Were we the best that we could be?”


Giant (1956)

This movie is a love story. A girl from the east married an oil millionaire from Texas. She had to make adjustments to her new lifestyle and married life had its difficulties. She loved her husband and he loved her back like vinegar on greens.


“Well, we Texans like a little bit of vinegar in our greens. It gives them flavor.” {NOTE: This is what Jordan Benedict (played by Rock Hudson) said to his wife, Leslie Benedict (Elizabeth Taylor’s character). It’s the line etched in my memory.}

Cleopatra (1963)

The title is the name of the famous Egyptian queen who loved two powerful men, the Roman emperor Julius Caesar and a Roman politician and general, Mark Antony. These romantic liaisons were for love and for lust. She desired power. The rest of her story is history.


How DARE you and the rest of your barbarians set fire to my library? Play conqueror all you want, Mighty Caesar! Rape, murder, pillage thousands, even millions of human beings! But neither you nor any other barbarian has the right to destroy one human thought!”

In Memory Of: Elizabeth Taylor (1932 -2011)

Is Elizabeth Taylor on your list of favorite actresses and do you have a favorite Liz Taylor film?



* * *

(Original Source: RationalMind.club)

♦ How to watch and stream Elizabeth Taylor movies

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Vintage Romantic-Comedy: Three Coins in a Fountain (1954)

If you are physically unable to travel, you can always watch a movie that will take you to your dream destination. Italy has always been on my travel bucket list. And who wouldn't want to go to Rome, Italy?

When I was a kid, I watched a romantic movie called “Three Coins in a Fountain” (1954). There were numerous wonderful scenes of various sites in Italy. But I will never forget the scene where they were throwing coins in the Trevi Fountain.

The movie is about 3 American secretaries who are visiting Rome and their love affairs. The movie's memorable theme song was sung by none other than Old Blue-Eyes, Frank Sinatra.

Rotten Tomatoes gave this movie a rating of 3 out of 5 stars. That's probably because the reviewers don't know how to appreciate a vintage classic film. In my humble opinion, this movie earned 3 stars just filming on location in Rome, Venice, and Merano; and the other 2 stars for the acting. That's 5 out of 5 stars. LOL. ☺

Anyway! Ted Turner certainly appreciated it and that's why he preserved it in his TCM collection (Turner Classic Movies).


Image credit:  IMDb

* * *

MOVIE TRIVIA:

  1. This movie is known by alternate titles “There's No Place Like Rome” and “We Believe in Love”.

  2. The film is based on the novel by the same name written by John H. Secondari (Philadelphia, 1952).

  3. It was nominated in 3 different categories for the 1955 Oscar Awards: Best Picture, Best Cinematography, and Best Song.

  4. Even though the film title mentions 3 coins in the title, in that Trevi Fountain scene, only 2 coins were thrown into the fountain.


 


Original Source  

Wednesday, July 5, 2023

My Pick for a Classic Warren Beatty Film: "Splendor in the Grass" (1961)

Thought the Clutter is an entertainment blog that published a List of 28 Warren Beatty Movies, Ranked Best to Worst.  I have never been a huge fan of Warren Beatty.  There is no denying he was tall, dark, and handsome.  But frankly, I really admired his sister; the enormously talented actress Shirley MacLane.  However, giving credit where credit is due:

"Warren Beatty is an American actor and filmmaker who is the second person to be nominated for 'Academy Awards' for acting in, directing, writing, and producing the same film – which he achieved twice for the fantasy-comedy film 'Heaven Can Wait' (1978) and for the historical epic 'Reds' (1981). Of his total 14 'Oscar' nominations, he won the award for 'Best Director' for 'Reds' (1981)."

Warren Beatty

Posterazzi Splendor In The Grass Warren Beatty 1961 Photo Poster Print, (16 x 20)

That quote/fact was lifted from the TTC article list mentioned above.  Kudos to Mr. Beatty for his achievements.  Even so ... his movies never made it to my 'Oh I'm dying to watch or re-watch this list!"  However, if I were going to pick a classic film starring Warren Beatty, it would have to be Splendor in the Grass (1961).   Yes, the fact that Natalie Wood was the leading lady had a lot to do with it.








Friday, May 26, 2023

Hollywood Screen Legends and Icons: Sophia Loren (September 20, 1934 - )

 I love Sophia Loren and have been watching her movies since I was a little girl. She received the Academy Award for Best Actress in the 1960 film “Two Women”. As a matter of record, this was the first Oscar ever given for a performance in a “foreign-language” film. My memory of her performance in this film is that of a heroic performance, worthy of this kind of recognition. Since I watched so many of her movies, I thought I had seen them all. But “Sunflower” (1970) is one of her movies I did not discover until I was an adult and it is a gem! It’s another war movie and her co-star is Marcello Mastroianni. Those two always made a great onscreen couple. Her performance in this film is also memorable. Did you know that in the Soviet Union, they planted a sunflower for each fallen Italian soldier that the Germans forced to dig their own graves? I learned that watching this movie. Gold Derby published a list of her 15 greatest films, ranked from worst to best. Hey! Even in her “worst” films, her acting was still good! She made all of her leading men look good too! 



Two more movies for your watch list are “Arabesque” (1966), her co-star was Gregory Peck; and “Houseboat” (1958), her co-star was Cary Grant. They are not war movies but rather delightful romantic comedies. Her acting skills are versatile. She could be very serious and dramatic OR lighthearted and funny!



Where to watch and stream Sophia Loren movies

Sunday, May 21, 2023

Two (2) Awesome Classic Movies For Your Watch List

These two films were made 20 years apart. But are two of the greatest movies in cinematic history. “Johnny Belinda” (1948) and “Wait Until Dark” (1967). 

There is no need to write a detailed blog post.  Trust this recommendation.  Not only watch them but re-watch them. :)  



What to Watch - Johnny Belinda 



Saturday, May 20, 2023

War Movie Classics: The Dirty Dozen

If you are making a list of greatest war movies, The Dirty Dozen (1967) has to go on that list.  All-star cast. All-star action!  “The Dirty Dozen” is a war movie classic. 

Image credit.

This is my movie review.


Traditionally, in the United States, around Independence Day (4th of July), Memorial Day (celebrated the last Monday in May), Veterans Day (November 11), etc. television stations air military movies that are supposed to foster American patriotism. At one time FoxNews.com published a list of “The 30 Greatest War Movies of All Time”. Some of the movies I picked were on their list. Some were not. But they're still on my list for great war movies.

The Dirty Dozen (1967) is one of them. 

This is a great movie about 12 convicts being given a second chance to start life over if they serve their country on a military mission and of course if they survive. I still enjoy it every time I watch it. These two lines are the ones I still remember. 

*** (Background for the scene: There was an obvious commotion coming from the room; the definite sound of men fighting, or rather … settling their differences in the only way men know how.)
- Sergeant Clyde Bowren: [as Major Reisman exits the room ] : Whats going on, sir?
- Major John Reisman: Oh, the gentleman from the South had a question about the dining arrangements. He and his comrades are discussing place settings now.

***
Cracked up (laughed) when the major said that. Some say the movie Inglorious Basterds was inspired by this movie. Well it may have been inspired but it was nowhere near as good as this classic starring some of my favorite actors: Lee Marvin, Charles Bronson, Telly Savalas and Jim Brown, to name a few. They tried to do sequels but they are not as good as the original. 



No argument that it's a classic.  But some say the movie “Inglourious Basterds ” was inspired by this movie. Inspired?  Perhaps.  Better than?  Not even close!!  Have no doubt Quentin Tarantino, the Director of "Inglorious Basterds", would say "Amen!" to my comparison.  This classic film starred some of my favorite actors: Lee Marvin, Charles Bronson, Telly Savalas and Jim Brown, to name a few.



 * * * * * * * * IN MEMORY OF * * * * * * * * 

Remembering the stars who are no longer with us. 

* Lee Marvin (February 19, 1924 – August 29, 1987) 

* Charles Bronson (November 3, 1921 – August 30, 2003) 

* Aristotelis “Telly” Savalas (January 21, 1922 – January 22, 1994) 

* Jim Brown  (February 17, 1936 – May 18, 2023)

***





Tuesday, May 9, 2023

Hollywood Screen Legends and Icons: Barbara Stanwyck (July 16, 1907 - January 20, 1990)

I got to know “Miss Barbara Stanwyck” by being a loyal viewer of the Western TV series, “The Big Valley” (1965–1969). She was the matriarch of the Barkley family, mother of 3 sons and one daughter. My big sister said that because they called her “Miss”, it meant that she was worthy of respect and honor. So I had to start working backward from the television series to discover what roles she had played that had earned her so much respect and honor. I can honestly say that I have never watched a Barbara Stanwyck movie that I did not enjoy. Her professional career spanned 60 years. Gold Derby published a list of her 20 greatest films, ranked from worst to best.

Ruby Catherine Stevens aka Barbara Stanwyck: 
Unknown photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Most fans remember her for her role in the movie “Double Indemnity” (1944); her co-star was Fred MacMurray. It is a film noir and she played the part of a seductive, manipulative, and villainous femme fatale. Hey! She only talks the guy into a murder plot. Also included in the Gold Derby list is “Meet John Doe” (1941); her co-star is Gary Cooper. It is one of those “feel good” movies that end in romance. There is a third Barbara Stanwyck movie that I recommend which is not on the Gold Derby list. The title is “Always Goodbye” (1938). In this vintage film, she plays an unwed mother who gives up her child and makes a promise to never see or speak to him. But when she meets the young child accidentally, her maternal instinct kicks in and she has to decide whether or not she will keep her promise not to tell her child that she is his real mother. What do you think she decided to do? Excellent movie!



How to watch and stream Barbara Stanwyck movies


Tuesday, May 2, 2023

Hollywood Screen Legends and Icons: Audrey Hepburn (May 4, 1929 ~ January 20, 1993)

I love Audrey Hepburn and consider her to be “iconic”. There is not a movie that she has starred in that I did not like. However, if I were going to pick a Top 10 Favorites List, the 1953 movie “Roman Holiday” would be on my list. She played a princess who just wanted to know what it was like to be an “ordinary person” and not have the heavy burden of duties and responsibilities of a monarch. Her leading man was Gregory Peck (1916–2003). If you like old classic movies, you will love this movie! 

Also on my favorites list would be “Wait Until Dark” (1967). She was a blind woman with a loving husband (played by Efrem Zimbalist Jr.) who encouraged her to be independent, even though she could not see. Someone was smuggling contraband into the country and placed a doll in her bag. Since she was blind she was not aware of this and brought the doll home. Three really bad guys, who were desperate to retrieve the doll, show up at her home. She is home alone and when she becomes aware of their evil intentions, the worst of the 3 bad guys (played by Alan Arkin) is in her home with her. He is determined to retrieve the doll, even if he has to kill her. She is determined to do whatever it takes to survive! Suspenseful and intense!!

Gold Derby published a list of her 15 greatest films, ranked from worst to best. Both of the movies I suggested are on their list.

Audrey Hepburn

  • List of Audrey Hepburn films — Data Thistle

  • How to watch and stream Audrey Hepburn movies 


    Original source

    Saturday, February 11, 2023

    Disney Animated Classic: The Aristocats (1970)

    Growing up during the 50s and the 60s was the best of the times! We did not have cable TV or online streaming back then, but most of the local stations always showed cartoons on Saturday from early morning until around noon. My siblings and I would watch them together. My youngest daughter is an adult now but when she was little, we often watched animated movies on Saturday mornings. It was “our time”. I would go to the local library and check out videos. They had a great collection of animated videos for kids.

    One Saturday morning I was really tired. I went into her bedroom, popped the tape into the VCR, laid down on her bed, and fell back to sleep! When I woke back up my daughter was singing “Everybody … everybody … everybody wants to be a cat!” LOL. That movie had her full attention. She did not even notice that I had fallen asleep. Later on, I watched the movie by myself. I was curious because my baby girl clearly enjoyed it. After I watched it I knew why.

    A one-word description for this Walt Disney film? Adorable!

    Also, it's a great movie for jazz music lovers!

    • "Scat Cat: Everybody wants to be a cat / Because a cat's the only cat who knows where it's at. 

    Image credit:  * Happy 50th Anniversary, The Aristocats! by RichTheVoiceTrumpet: deviantart.com

    The voice actors were well-known entertainers from my generation that I have always loved; such as Eva Gabor (“Duchess”), Scatman Crothers (“Scat Cat”), and especially Sterling Holloway (“Roquefort the Mouse”). I would recognize his voice anywhere! His voice was used in the “Wizard of Oz”, “Winnie the Pooh” and so many other animated films I watched as a child. His voice is memorable!

    PLOT: The butler did it! A wealthy retired opera singer leaves her money to her cats. But the woman's butler drugs the cats and abandons them in the countryside so that he can inherit the fortune himself. The pampered cats meet up with a street smart easygoing alley cat who decides, with the help of his other cat friends, to help them return to their rightful home in Paris.

    If you want to watch a delightful animated film with your child or children, I highly recommend The Aristocats (1970).

    * * *

    Related Links:

    The Aristocats (1970) - IMDb

    'The Aristocats' Live-Action Remake in the Works at Disney

    The Aristocats | Disney Wiki | Fandom

    Everybody Wants To Be A Cat (from The Aristocats) – YouTube


    Original source





    Tuesday, November 29, 2022

    Best 3 Cary Grant Movies Ever!

    One of my favorite leading male actors when I was growing up was Cary Grant (1904 – 1986). Why did I like him? He reminded me of my father. No he didn’t look like my dad at all. But he dressed like my father. Always neat, well groomed, and very dapper! Grant was much like my father in that the suits he wore fit him perfectly. He was always well-dressed, even when his clothing was supposed to be “casual”, i.e. not a suit and necktie.

    Admirers or fans have described Cary Grant as “debonaire”, “sophisticated” and “funny”! But before being described that way, when he was an unknown, he must have had enough confidence in himself to believe that he would be a “survivor”. Born and raised in Bristol, England, he did not have a very happy home life as a child. He was expelled from school at the age of 14, and so he had to go to work and fend for himself. His mother had been committed to a mental hospital and he and his father did not have much of a relationship. He went to work in a theater in his hometown. That introduced him to the world of entertainment and that put him on the path to Hollywood stardom.

    He came to America at the age of 16. He was traveling with a group of entertainers from England. His first stop in the USA? New York City. When the people he came with went back home, he decided to stay in New York. When he grew into manhood he was quite a dashing figure. His handsomeness was attention-grabbing! Yet he did not get his first Hollywood acting contract until he was age 27; using the name Cary Grant.

    He established himself as a comedic actor. His humor was really clean too! You don’t mind watching all of his movies, where he played comedy roles, with young children around. It was said that he only accepted roles that he thought portrayed him as a good moral character. He wanted anybody including children to be able to watch him on screen. That was the public image he always wanted to maintain and he did. The movies he starred in for the first half of his career were wholesome clean comedy. But when he teamed up with the great director Alfred Hitchcock, he proved that he could also play dramatic roles quite convincingly. Whether comedy or drama, he maintained that image of being a decent and upstanding gentleman.

    Grant became an American citizen in 1942 and the naturalization process allowed him to legally change his name from Archibald Alexander Leach to “Cary Grant”. He made 70+ films over three (3) decades (1930s – 1960s), but it was easy for me to narrow down my 3 favorite films (listed below) because, in addition to being a huge Cary Grant fan during my youth, I was also a huge Alfred Hitchcock fan. Hitchcock is known as the “Master of Suspense”; and his films and his television show were extremely popular back in my day. One may wonder however since comedy was not really Hitchcock’s specialty, why he would even approach a comedic actor to star in his films. But isn’t the answer obvious? Cary Grant made a very attractive leading man and if you paired him with an equally attractive leading lady, how could your movie not be a hit? Of course, I don’t know if that was in Mr. Hitchcock’s mind, but that’s what I would have been my thinking.

    1. Notorious (1946), leading lady, Ingrid Bergman
    2. To Catch a Thief (1955), leading lady, Grace Kelly
    3. North by Northwest (1959), leading lady, Eva Marie Saint

    All of the women chosen to star in the films with Mr. Grant were just as popular as he was; and onscreen they made the perfect pair.

    Notorious (1946), leading lady, Ingrid Bergman

    This movie is a Hitchcock classic that will not disappoint anyone who loves old movies about espionage. Most of the action in this film takes place in Brazil, but the opening scene is Miami, Florida, the city where I was born and raised. For that reason only, the movie instantly captured my attention. Ingrid Bergman plays the daughter of a man who was convicted as a Nazi spy. She is as American as apple pie and there is no reason why she should be punished for the sins of her father. Cary Grant works for the United States government as an agent and he persuades Ingrid Bergman to accept an assignment because it is her patriotic duty. They caught her father and convicted him but they need to catch another bad guy. Grant and Bergman fall in love almost immediately and that makes her carrying out the assignment “complicated”.

    To Catch a Thief (1955), leading lady, Grace Kelly

    Cary Grant was a professional thief and he was a very good one known as “The Cat”. But he retired to the quiet life of a bachelor in a gorgeous villa where he grew beautiful flowers. Unfortunately, there is a copycat cat going around committing burglaries and stealing people’s jewels. Naturally, he becomes the prime suspect. He needs to catch the real thief to prove his innocence. While trying to find the victims, i.e. jewelry owners, that the copycat thief is likely to rob, he meets Grace Kelly, the daughter of one of the victims, and falls in love. She helps him catch the thief and she steals his heart as well.

    North by Northwest (1959), leading lady, Eva Marie Saint

    I have often heard people say that everybody in the world has a “twin”. I don’t really know if that it’s true, but in my own life experience, I have had people mistake me for being someone else. The person’s name was Julie. I never met her but people have approached me or waved at me from a distance calling out the name Julie. That’s not my name! Nevertheless being mistaken for someone else didn’t really disrupt or interrupt my life. In this movie, Cary Grant is mistaken for someone else and his life is turned upside down! There’s a lot of spying going and one of the spies is a woman. No worries. She’s one of the good guys. He’s no experienced secret agent but he decides to help her accomplish her mission. The two most memorable scenes in this movie? The one where the couple is on Mount Rushmore and the scene where Grant is running, and trying to avoid being run over by an airplane!

    ♦ These are my top 3 picks for favorite Cary Grant movies. My favorite leading lady was Ingrid Bergman. Agree or Disagree.



    Original Soucre




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    Work-at-home professional since 2007.

    Treathyl Fox aka Cmoneyspinner – Home Business Entrepreneur.  Think. Dream. Focus. Believe in yourself? Hire yourself! Be your own boss! Do it! Self-employed and loving it!   ♦ DISCLOSURE: In compliance with FTC rules and guidelines, be advised that some links shared via this websites might contain affiliate referral links which means commissions might be earned if product sales resulted from your click-through to the vendor’s website.


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