Hitchcock Haikus: Movie Haikus #s 8 - 11

I swear these are my very last entires in the Hollywood Haiku contest! I end my obsession with the Hollywood Haikus with a quartet of Hitchcock Haikus.

VERTIGO - #8

Never fall in love

With your mark; One bad step leads

to another. Whoops!

PSYCHO - #9

Never accept a key

At a motel where you are

The night's only guest

NORTH BY NORTHWEST - #10

Dodging Crop Dusters

And fighting on Mt Rushmore

Is hard in a suit.

SHADOW OF A DOUBT - #11

A heart of darkness

Like a worm in an apple

Invades my home town.

This is an entry for the Best For Film Hollywood Haikus blogging competition. Enter now.

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Stars I Must Know More About: #1: Nancy Carroll

While I know quite a bit about the stars (being a veteran Hollywood Star Gazer and Astrologer), there are few in the galaxy who have managed to escape me, but intrigue me. Nancy Carroll is an actress who first caught my eye via still photographs.

Remember those volumes of theme books you could buy through the mail? A bulk of my hard-earned allowance was spent on a series that included (among others), "Classics of the Silent Screen," by Joe Franklin, "The films of Bette Davis," "The Films of James Cagney," "The Films of Jean Harlow," and "All Talking! All Singing! All Dancing" by John Springer. It was there that I first beheld Miss Nancy Carroll and thought, boy, she was just so darn cute!

Being ever curious about someone who was so adorable yet unknown to me, I decided to do a bit of research and see if I could find out anything about this charming lady. Again, it was largely through photos that I came to know about Nancy, but waited patiently for the day when I would have the opportunity to see one of her films. I did read that she was very popular at the beginning of the sound era and, while having a string of hits from the late twenties through the mid-thirties, became labeled as "temperamental" and left Hollywood at the end of the 1930s. But, I find it hard to believe that such a cutie could be difficult. Nope, not buying it.

Who Wouldn't Want to Know More About Her?

Nancy Carroll was a star in that first wave of fascinating and largely forgotten stars when movies started to talk, sing and dance. She came to Hollywood at the end of the silent era, but her Broadway experience in musicals (and her appearance) made her a perfect fit for the musicals of the time. She was a top fan-mail recipient in those early days. Under contract to Paramount Studios, it seems that she was poised to step in for the faltering Clara Bow. Nancy and Clara both appeared  in "Paramount on Parade" in 1930 (Clara singing "True to the Navy" and Nancy dancing out of a giant shoe).

Poster for "Paramount on Parade"

I have managed to see Nancy in "Hot Saturday," with Cary Grant (a very attractive pairing), "The Kiss Before the Mirror," and her greatest dramatic role, "Laughter." She was a very good actress (specialty in tears) and apparently longed for more dramatic parts, but her baby doll face and "cooing little voice" (as John Springer put it) gave her a light presence in heavy drama, a field dominated by such heavy weights as Ruth Chatterton, Bette Davis and Barbara Stanwyck. She seemed made for musicals and comedies, much to her chagrin. With her red hair and blue eyes, she was also made for Technicolor.

Films that I am most longing to see are: 1928's "Shopworn Angel" (if just to hear her sing "A Precious Little Thing Called Love" to Gary Cooper, 1929's "Sweetie," and "Close Harmony," and "Follow Thru," a 1930 golf musical co-starring Charles "Buddy" Rogers (also her co-star in "Abie's Irish Rose," (partially lost) and "Close Harmony").

Nancy Carroll and Gary Cooper
both looking beautiful in "The Shopworn Angel"

Thanks to a fine person at YouTube, here's an excerpt from "Follow Thru." Nancy and Buddy sing "We'd Make a Peach of a Pair" (and they do, too, don't they?). The secondary lovers are Zelma O'Neal and the Tin Man himself, Jack Haley (and they're pretty cute, too).

I'm a sucker for those pre-code 2-strip Technicolor musicals where the singers and dancers weren't always of the best quality (but were of the highest spirits) and the blue skies always seemed more green than blue! And yes, that's the strains of "Button Up Your Overcoat" that you hear after Nancy and Buddy sing their song. This film was based upon a Broadway musical of the same name in which that song was introduced (and was also one of Eleanor Powell's first big breaks - see how the intrigue just keeps growing?).

I have more work to do on Nancy Carroll, but now I might have to a little more research on Buddy Rogers. He sure looks handsome in that clip. I always dismissed him as just Mary Pickford's boy-toy husband after divorcing Douglas Fairbanks, but now a certain something has grabbed my attention.... And, Zelma O'Neal looks interesting, too.......

Sigh..... see why I never get anything done?

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Massive Movie Crushes From A-Z: Swooning Through The Alphabet - Part 2

So many crushes, so little time. A while ago I revealed my heart's desires A-F. Most sparks were lit in front of a television, watching a black and white (sometimes color) movie and then dreaming about how it would feel to be Mrs A-Z.  Since space and my attention span is limited, I will attempt to conjure up more of my massive movie crushes - G-M today. Swooners, start your engines, please!

(you look good to me)

Cary Grant

The Blue Ribbon Winner, my Number 1 Crush of all time. For me, he is the perfect man. It started in a movie theater, not on TV. The film was "Charade." And while I was equally bewitched by Audrey Hepburn, I fell there and forever under the magic spell of Cary Grant. It was a short hop to "The Philadelphia Story," "Bringing up Baby," "The Awful Truth," "North By Northwest," "Notorious," and on and on and on. I may have strayed from time to time (see below), but I always came home in the end to Cary. As the song says, "What's the use of trying not to fall? I have no will. You made your kill, 'cause you took advantage of me." And how!

John Garfield

This was one sexy man. The misunderstood bad boy of "The Postman always Rings Twice" and "They Made Me a Criminal," admittedly stirred some baser emotions. He made pretty good love to Joan Crawford in "Humoresque," too. Garfield was tough, but tender. He just needed an understanding woman. Not a big affair, but a very torrid one.

James Garner

A movie crush that morphed into a TV crush. I fervently admired Jimbo in his 2 Doris Day movies, "The Thrill of it All" and "Move Over, Darling," all the while day-dream-dallying with him over such trifles as "The Wheeler Dealers," "The Americanization of Emily," and "The Art of Love." He sort of disappeared for a while from my heart, but a little show called "The Rockford Files" hit the small screen and we picked up where we left off. A real friend with benefits. So much so that many years later my heart still skipped at beat watching him in "Murphy's Romance." I may have invited him over for the night.

Clark Gable

I had to jump on this bandwagon, didn't I? I mean, after all, he was "The King," long before Elvis. And what red-blooded woman could resist that charm, those dimples, that smile? I liked him best pre-and in "Gone With the Wind." I lost a little longing as he aged, but confess that he melted and then broke my heart in "The Misfits." So much had changed in the world from Harlow to Monroe, but The King still had it what it takes and then showed them all how it is done.

(you're so heavenly)

William Holden

Sigh. What is not to love about Bill Holden (we're close, so I can call him Bill)? Such a great actor ("Sunset Boulevard," "Stalag 17,"), but his wit, charisma and downright sexiness in "Sabrina," "Born Yesterday," and "Picnic" really sealed the deal. Since he was a bit of a charmer and since I am fairly fickle, we eventually moved on, but I always retained deep affection and respect for this particular dreamboat. He is just such a decent guy! And look at that smile.

(we're like Jack and Jill)

Louis Jourdan

Oh, Gaston! "Gigi" made me swoon, and the adoration continued through "Letter From an Unknown Woman" and "Madame Bovary." Not as lighthearted as Chevalier, but much more handsome. A tasty French dish, but mainly a desert (an exquisite one, I might add).

(you're so kissable)

Buster Keaton

Buster was beautiful! Physically, he was extremely handsome in is youth. There was a soulfulness about him (as well as a pretty fine athletic form), that just captivated me. Of course, the genius factor is always an aphrodisiac, too! I loved Buster from day 1 (even in "Beach Blanket Bingo" and "How to Stuff a Wild Bikini"), continue to love him and always hook up every chance I get (but, please, don't tell Cary).

Gene Kelly

What can I say? I'm only human. Look at him! I admit this one is purely physical, but I ask you: is that wrong? "Singing in the Rain" - Genius! "An American in Paris" - more genius, but the one that really made me grab the smelling salts was "The Pirate." Gene Kelly was made for Technicolor (nice to have those kind of dreams in living color) and was just so all-man - how could I resist? I'm sure he barely remembers me, but I sure remember him!

( is the lovelight in you eyes)

John Lennon

Okay - a music star - but he was in "A Hard Day's Night," and "Help." Lots of those movie mag pictures of John taped to my wall. He was my Bad Boy Beatle crush and I adored him from beginning to a much to early end. Beatles forever!

( I could go on all day)

Robert Mitchum

Sexy, sexy, sexy. Not one to settle down with, but if I was in the mood for a boat ride up an exotic river or a little smoky after hours noir passion, this was my go-to guy. He kept making those westerns and war movies, so I had to step aside, but give me "Holiday Affair," or "His Kind of Woman, or, best of all, "Out of the Past," and I am ready, willing and available!

Joel McCrea

One thing I could never understand: why doesn't everyone have a crush on Joel McCrea? He was so handsome, so decent, so almost like the boy next door (but better). I admit he is a bit forgettable (probably because he was such a modest guy), but every time I see him I am reminded of my crush (which is kind of nice because it's like falling in love all over again).

Marcello Mastroianni
Ah, Marcello, my favorite Italian. Is it because you are so sexy, so handsome, so continental? Is it because nobody smokes a cigarette like you? Is it because you could charm the birds from the trees? Is it the accent? Is it the eyes? Is it all of the above? YES!

This has been quite draining. I must now take to my fainting couch and rest up a bit before I tackle crushes N-W.

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Haiku #7: Some Like it Hot

A Movie Haiku for one of my most 

favorite comedies ever: 

Some Like it Hot

Two guys on the lam;

Testosterone in falsies.

Nobody's perfect!

This is an entry for the Best For Film Hollywood Haikus blogging competition. Enter now.

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Haiku #6: Butterfield 8

A Movie Haiku in memory of Elizabeth Taylor:

Butterfield Eight

Gin in the a.m.,

the easy woman's mouthwash.

Where the hell am I?

This is an entry for the Best For Film Hollywood Haikus blogging competition. Enter now.

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Jane Russell: Nobody's Cupcake

Sixth in a series about strong women in film. Strong women are independent, beautiful, sexy, feminine and just want everything in life that a man wants and believe that they have every right to have it!

Why does everyone underestimate me?

If a person is seemingly without ego, can he or she be strong?

Physically, Jane Russell was one powerful woman. Tall, sexy and voluptuous, she was a florid beauty in a sea of pale-toned sex bombs. Her physical presence was overwhelming, dwarfing even such a monumental presence as the potently pastel Marilyn Monroe.

Derided by the way her fame was achieved, she was initially viewed as a bit of a joke (although a fetching joke, to be sure). Since Howard Hughes made her bosom the advertising focus of "The Outlaw," and pummeled the public with publicity photos of Jane, always sullen, with off the shoulder plunging blouses and such, she became known chiefly as a pin-up and manufactured star. A subject fit for mocking, Bob Hope famously called her, "the two and only Jane Russell".

Well, it is hard to ignore this....

But Jane was much more than her parts (besides the breasts, there was a sexy voice and legs that went on forever). Her no-nonsense, no-frills personality made her a perfect fit for westerns. Her monumental all-American beauty seemed well placed in the larger-than-life American west. Like so many sexy women (Jean Harlow, Marilyn Monroe), she was funny. But, where Harlow was hard-boiled and shrewd, and Monroe the not-so-dumb blonde, Jane was a very common-sense woman who  - barely - tolerated the nonsense that seemed to go on around her. She was the master of the deadpan, self-mocking tone of a totally secure individual. Her perfect male comic foil was cowardly Bob Hope in both "The Paleface" (she was Calamity Jane) and "Son of Paleface" (with Jane as  Mike 'the Torch' Delroy).

Here's Jane and Bob (with a little help from Roy Rogers) in a scene from "Son of Paleface." She is in her element: out west and funny with music.

Jane was also a capable dramatic actress, and while not quite Bette Davis, she had a kind of aloof allure that found its perfect counterpoint in co-star Robert Mitchum. They were strong in the same way. Both were cynics who had been around the block a few times, but had good hearts. They just wanted to fly under the radar and go unnoticed (stealing diamonds, running form the law, etc.), but how could they? They were simply too beautiful. The thing that no one suspected was that they were smart. What everyone could see was that, together, they were hot. Their two films, "His Kind of Woman," and "Macao" are wonderfully entertaining and they are about as a romantic a noir couple as you could find in the 1950s.

Jane Russell and Robert Mitchum: sexy cynicism

Jane's lack of ego made her the perfect co-star for those who, by their very nature, needed to burn a little brighter on camera (like Hope and Mitchum). One star who lit up the screen and left scorched earth in her wake to anyone who dared compete was Marilyn Monroe. So, although physically more imposing than Marilyn, Jane proved the perfect co-star for her in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes." As the brunette buddy, Dorothy, her performance really stands the test of time and she more than holds her own against the century's reigning sex symbol. In fact, I dare say there are those who prefer Jane's down to earth sex appeal to Marilyn's more starlit version.

Jane holding her own in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes"

Jane Russel is never mentioned in the top echelon of actresses, but as I researched her I kept marveling at how much better in everything she was than I had originally thought. If you read the reviews of her films at the time they came out (usually not so good) and read more current reviews (much more appreciative), you will see that Jane Russell got a bit of a bum rap in her day. Jane's lack of ego probably kept her from tooting her own horn, so I will join those who toot it for her: she was FANTASTIC! She could act, do comedy and was a fine singer to  boot. Add her overpowering physical beauty to all of that and we can see why Howard Hughes thought he had hit the jackpot. Jane Russell: strong, sexy and secure. Can't get enough of her!

One jazzy woman: both hot and cool



dedicated to DB

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Haiku #5 - City Lights

Chaplin could inspire anyone to poetry!

City Lights

Flowers in my mouth

Taste of sacrifice and love.

I can see. Can you?


This is an entry for the Best For Film Hollywood Haikus blogging competition. Enter now.

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