Posts tagged as:

Biography

Leopards and actors and Cary Grant

by Bill on August 2, 2009

I rewatched for the nth time (I’ve lost track) Howard Hawk’s Bringing Up Baby (1938). Apart from being great fun each time I watch it, this time was a bit different having read Marc Eliot’s book, Cary Grant: A Biography, and having previously watched Cary Grant: A Class Apart (a documentary on the second disc [...]

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Rethinking Jimmy Stewart – Part 1

by Bill on July 14, 2009

I’ve finally finished Marc Eliot’s book, Jimmy Stewart: A Biography. Reading it was an interesting process because, as I did, I re-watched many of the movies Jimmy Stewart appeared in. Between the book and the movies, I’ve re-evaluated my opinion of James Stewart, both the actor and the man. Truthfully, I didn’t really have an [...]

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Two movies, one Jimmy Stewart

by Bill on July 6, 2009

I’ve been watching quite a few Jimmy Stewart movies lately because I’ve been reading his biography by Marc Eliot. It just seems the thing to do … Over the weekend, I wrote up assessments of two of his lighter films, both directed by Henry Koster and both of which I’ve always enjoyed, though one is [...]

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A little something about Jean Arthur

by Bill on June 16, 2009

I watched and wrote a review of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington the other day. After writing and posting the review I discovered that I had already written a review of it back in 2002. And here’s the thing: the first was a helluva lot better than the one I had just written. On the [...]

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Jimmy Stewart rides again

by Bill on June 14, 2009

I’ve just started reading Marc Eliot’s book, Jimmy Stewart: A Biography. Having just begun, I can’t say anything about it’s merits, though I can say I read Eliot’s book from a few years ago, Cary Grant: A Biography and enjoyed it. I’m not sure why, but I like reading biographies of Hollywood’s luminaries of the [...]

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The combustible Ava Gardner – review

by Bill on May 17, 2009

Ava Gardner: ‘Love is Nothing’ (2006) by Lee Server I recently finished reading Ava Gardner: ‘Love is Nothing’ by Lee Server and it’s nothing if not entertaining. Somewhere, he makes mention of her living life “like a rocket.” It’s an apt description but I think I’d say she lived like she drove cars – fast, [...]

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Anastasia (1956)

by Bill on May 15, 2007

Directed by Anatole Litvak It may be true of every century, but it certainly seems as if the 20th century was one of extremes and spectacle. World wars, nuclear bombs, and revolutions. The most riveting of the latter was the Russian Revolution. For the West, there is an air of mystery and barbarism to it [...]

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Cary Grant — who was that guy?

by Bill on May 11, 2005

I’ve been reading the Marc Eliot biography of Cary Grant (titled, appropriately enough, Cary Grant) and it’s interesting to see how Cary (Archie Leach) was an odd fellow while at the same time, in his oddness, a lot like the rest of us. There’s a great deal in the book about Grant’s sexuality – was [...]

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My Wicked, Wicked Ways – review

by Bill on May 1, 2005

The Autobiography of Errol Flynn (1959) by Errol Flynn I just finished reading, and thoroughly enjoyed, My Wicked, Wicked Ways: The Autobiography of Errol Flynn, originally published somewhere around 1959, available now through Cooper Square Press (part of Taylor Trade Publishing group). Heavens, what a helluva good read. Is anything he says true? Well, maybe. [...]

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