xoxoxo e

it’s finally here - my list of (some of) my favorite films ...

2025-12-31T02:42:00.000-05:00

...Not that anyone asked for it. But it’s the end of the year and it seems appropriate to make some sort of list. I divided them by genre, by date, with director and main cast. This is by no means a definitive or even comprehensive list - I’ve seen lots and lots of movies over the years. But it does represent films that have had an impact on me and ones that I have watched more than once and would be happy to watch again - and would of course recommend to others.

This all started probably when my daughter suggested that I only like a certain kind of movie - and I wasn’t sure what she meant, or what that kind of movie that might be. I think the list that I’ve jotted down over the last few days is fairly eclectic - if there are any overall themes detected please let me know. I’m not surprised at the amount of mystery and suspense titles, as that is one of my favorite categories in book and film. But I did surprise myself at the lack of movie musicals, a genre I loved as a kid. Oh well, times and tastes change.

If you ever find yourself at a loss for something to watch, feel free to try one of the films on this list. I know I will. My daughter has already seen a lot of these movies, but I may nudge her in future to try one (or many more) of these, too ...

Horror: Not as many vampires as I expected, but they’re here, as well as some great spooky stuff.

The Bride Of Frankenstein-James Whale 1935 Boris Karloff, Elsa Lanchester
Cat People-Jacques Tourneur 1942 Simone Simon, Kent Smith, Tom Conway
The Uninvited-Lewis Allen 1944 Ray Milland, Ruth Hussey
Curse of the Demon-Jacques Tourneur 1957 Dana Andrews, Peggy Cummins, Niall McGinnis
Village of the Damned-Wolf Rilla 1960 George Sanders, Barbara Shelley, Michael Gwynn
The Innocents-Jack Clayton 1961 Deborah Kerr, Martin Stephens
The Birds-Alfred Hitchcock 1963 Tippi Hedren, Rod Taylor, Suzanne Pleshette
Rosemary’s Baby-Polanski 1968 Mia Farrow, John Cassavetes
Spirts of the Dead (Toby Dammit)-Federico Fellini 1969 Terence Stamp
The Stepford Wives-Bryan Forbes 1975 Katharine Ross, Paula Prentiss
Invasion of the Body Snatchers-Philip Kaufman 1978 Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Jeff Goldblum
The Shining-Stanley Kubrick 1980 Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall, Scatman Crothers
An American Werewolf in London-John Landis 1981 David Naughton, Griffin Dunne, Jenny Agutter
Poltergeist-Tobe Hooper 1982 JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson
The Company of Wolves-Neil Jordan 1984 Angela Lansbury, David Warner, Stephen Rea
Bram Stoker’s Dracula-Francis Ford Coppola 1992 Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins
The Ninth Gate-Polanski 1999 Johnny Depp, Frank Langella
Only Lovers Left Alive-Jim Jarmusch 2013 Tilda Swinton, Tom Hiddleston
Get Out-Jordan Peele 2017 Daniel Kaluuya, Alison Williams, LaKeith Stanfield
Sinners-Ryan Coogler 2025 Michael B. Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Wunmi Mosaku

Comedy: After the Fox was the first movie as a kid that I was allowed to stay up and watch with my dad after my brother had gone to bed. No surprise I became a big fan of Peter Sellers and absurdist humor after that.

Bringing Up Baby-Howard Hawks 1938 Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn
Ball of Fire-Howard Hawks 1941 Barbara Stanwyck, Gary Cooper
The Palm Beach Story-Preston Sturges 1942 Claudette Colbert, Joel McCrea
Arsenic and Old Lace-Frank Capra 1944 Cary Grant Priscilla Lane
Kind Hearts and Coronets-Robert Hamer 1950 Dennis Price, Alec Guiness
The Ladykillers-Alexander Mackendrick 1956 Alec Gunness, Peter Sellers
Some Like it Hot-Billy Wilder 1959 Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon
It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World-Stanley Kramer 1963 Spencer Tracy, Sid Caesar
What’s New Pussycat-Clive Donner 1965 Peter O’Toole, Peter Sellers
The Great Race-Blake Edwards 1965 Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, Natalie Wood
After The Fox-Vittorio de Sica 1966 Peter Sellers, Victor Mature, Britt Ekland
Young Frankenstein-Mel Brooks 1974 Gene Wilder Marty Feldman, Teri Garr, Madeline Kahn
Life of Brian-Terry Jones 1979 The Pythons
SOB-Blake Edwards 1981 Julie Andrews, Robert Preston
Broadway Danny Rose- Woody Allen 1984 Mia Farrow, Woody Allen
Repo Man-Cox 1984 Emilio Estevez, Harry Dean Stanton
Ghostbusters-Ivan Reitman 1984 Bill Murray Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis
After Hours-Scorsese 1985 Griffin Dunne, Rosanna Arquette
Purple Rose of Cairo-Woody Allen-1985 Mia Farrow, Jeff Daniels
Hannah and her Sisters-Woody Allen 1986 Mia Farrow, Barbara Hershey, Michael Caine
She’s Gotta Have it-Spike Lee 1986 Tracy Camilla Johns, Spike Lee
Ferris Beuller’s Day Off-John Hughes 1986 Matthew Broderick, Alan Ruck
Down and Out in Beverly Hills-Paul Mazursky 1986 Nick Nolte, Bette Midler, Richard Dreyfuss
Beetlejuice-Tim Burton 1988 Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Geena Davis
A Fish Called Wanda-Charles Crichton 1988 Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline, Jon Cleese
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels-Frank Oz 1988 Steve Martin, Michael Caine, Glenne Headly
When Harry Met Sally-Rob Reiner 1989 Billy Crystal. Meg Ryan
The Big Picture-Christopher Guest 1989 Kevin Bacon, Martin Short
Housesitter-Frank Oz 1992 Steve Martin, Goldie Hawn
Wayne’s World-Penelope Spheeris 1992 Mike Myers, Dana Carvey
Ed Wood-Tim Burton 1994 Johnny Depp, Martin Landau
Clueless-Amy Heckerling 1995 Alicia Silverstone, Paul Rudd
The Birdcage-Mike Nichols 1996 Robin Williams, Nathan Lane
The First Wives Club-Hugh Wilson 1996 Diane Keaton, Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler
In and Out-Frank Oz 1997 Kevin Kline, Joan Cusack
Rushmore-Wes Anderson 1998 Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray
The Big Lebowski-The Coen Brothers 1998 Jeff Bridges, Steve Buscemi, John Goodman
Office Space-Mike Judge 1999 Jennifer Aniston, Ron Livingston
Best In Show-Christopher Guest 2000 Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, John Michael Higgins
Bring It On-Peyton Reed 2000 Kirsten Dunst, Eliza Dushku
Zoolander-Ben Stiller 2001 Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson
The Devil Wears Prada-David Frankel 2006 Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci

Musicals: Musicals are big ensemble films, aren’t they? At east the ones I’m drawn to are.

Alexander’s Ragtime Band-Henry King 1938 Tyrone Power, Don Ameche, Alice Faye
The Wizard of Oz-Victor Fleming 1939 Judy Garland, Ray Bolger, Jack Haley
On the Town-Gene Kelly & Stanley Donen 1949 Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Betty Garrett
Singin’ in the Rain-Gene Kelly & Stanley Donen 1952 Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, Debbie Reynolds
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes-Howard Hawks 1953 Marilyn Monroe, Jane Russell, Charles Coburn
Guys and Dolls-Joseph L. Mankiewicz 1955 Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons, Frank Sinatra
Robin and the 7 Hoods-Gordon Douglas 1964 Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Peter Falk
A Hard Day’s Night-Richard Lester 1964 The Beatles
Everyone Says I Love You-Woody Allen 1996 Goldie Hawn, Edward Norton, Drew Barrymore

Animation: Not just beautiful images, but great storytelling.

Gulliver’s Travels-Dave Fleischer 1939
My Neighbor Totoro-Hayao Miyazaki 1988
Who Framed Roger Rabbit-Robert Zemeckis 1988 Bob Hoskins, Kathleen Turner
Grave of the Fireflies-Isao Takahata 1988 - Amazing, but I could only watch it once
Pom Poko-Isao Takahata 1995
Princess Mononoke-Hayao Miyazaki 1999
Shrek-Andrew Adamson & Vicky Jenson 2001 Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, Eddie Murphy
The Cat Returns-Hiroyuki Morita 2002
The Fantastic Mr. Fox-Wes Anderson 2009 George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Schwartzman
Flow-Gints Zilbalodis 2024

Romance: “The course of true love never did run smooth.”

Casablanca-Michael Curtiz 1942 Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid
Orphée (Orpheus)-Jean Cocteau 1950 Jean Marais, Marie Déa, Maria Casarès
Pandora and the Flying Dutchman-Albert Lewin 1951 James Mason, Ava Gardner
Bell, Book and Candle-Richard Quine 1958 Kim Novak, Jimmy Stewart, Jack Lemmon
Shampoo-Hal Ashby 1975 Warren Beatty, Julie Christie, Goldie Hawn
The Last Tycoon-Elia Kazan 1976 Robert DeNiro, Ingrid Boulting, Theresa Russell
Annie Hall-Woody Allen 1977 Diane Keaton, Woody Allen
Purple Rose of Cairo-Woody Allen 1985 Mia Farrow, Jeff Daniels
A Room with a View-James Ivory 1986 Helena Bonham Carter, Julian Sands, Daniel Day Lewis
Wings of Desire-Wim Wenders 1987 Bruno Ganz, Peter Falk, Solveig Dommartin
Moonstruck-Norman Jewison 1987 Cher, Nicholas Cage, Olympia Dukakis
Green Card-Peter Weir 1990 Andie MacDowell, Gérard Depardieu
Joe vs. the Volcano-John Patrick Shanley 1990 Meg Ryan, Tom Hanks
Doc Hollywood-Michael Caton-Jones 1991 Michael J. Fox, Julie Warner, Woody Harrelson
The Age of Innocence-Martin Scorsese 1993 Daniel Day Lewis, Winona Ryder, Michelle Pfeiffer
Groundhog Day-Harold Ramis 1993 Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell
True Romance-Tony Scott 1993 Cristian Slater, Patricia Arquette, Gary Oldman
Reality Bites-Ben Stiller 1994 Winona Ryder, Ethan Hawke, Ben Stiller
Four Weddings and A Funeral-Mike Newell 1994 Hugh Grant, Andie MacDowell, Kristin Scott Thomas
Before Sunrise-Richard Linklater 1995 Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy
Sense and Sensibility-Ang Lee 1995 Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant, Alan Rickman
You’ve Got Mail-Nora Ephron 1998 Meg Ryan, Tom Hanks
Great Expectations-Alfonso Cuarón 1998 Ethan Hawke, Gwyneth Paltrow, Robert DeNiro
Runaway Bride-Garry Marshall 1999 Julia Roberts, Richard Gere, Joan Cusack
Notting Hill-Roger Michell 1999 Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant, Rhys Ifans
Midnight in Paris-Woody Allen 2011 Owen Wilson, Marion Cotillard

Drama: A lot of these could have ended up in other categories, like romance or comedy.

The Women-George Cukor 1939 Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Paulette Goddard
To Have and Have Not-Howard Hawks 1944 Humphey Bogart, Lauran Bacall, Walter Brennan
Mildred Pierce-Michael Curtiz 1945 Joan Crawford, Ann Blyth, Zachary Scott
The Best Years of Our Lives-William Wyler 1946 Myrna Loy, Frederic March, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright
All About Eve-Joseph L. Mankiewicz 1950 Bette Davis, George Sanders, Celeste Holm, Anne Baxter
Rebel Without A Cause-Nicholas Ray 1955 James Dean, Natalie Wood, Sal Mineo
Dead Ringer-Paul Henreid 1964 Bette Davis Karl Malden, Peter Lawford
Godfather 1 & 2-Francis Ford Coppola 1972,1974 Marlon Brando, Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino
The Sting-George Roy Hill 1973 Robert Redford, Paul Newman, Robert Shaw
Rumblefish-Francis Ford Coppola 1983 Matt Dillon, Mickey Rourke
Big Night-Stanley Tucci & Campbell Scott 1996 Stanley Tucci, Campbell Scott, Tony Shalom, Isabella Rossellini
Jackie Brown-Quentin Tarantino 1997 Pam Grier, Bridget Fonda, Robert Forster, Robert DeNiro, Samuel L. Jackson
The Royal Tenenbaums-Wes Anderson 2001 Owen Wilson, Gene Hackman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Luke Wilson
The Killing of A Sacred Deer-Yorgos Lanthimos 2017 Colin farrekk, Barry Keoghan, Nicole Kidman
Once Upon A Time in Hollywood-Quentin Tarantino 2019 Brad Pitt, Leonardo Dicaprio, Margot Robbie
Parasite-Bong Joon Ho 2019 Cho Yeo-jeong, Song Kang-ho
The Banshees of Inisherin-Martin McDonagh 2022 Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Barry Keoghan

Sci Fi/Action/Adventure: I love some good world-building. And movies set on trains, apparently.

The Ten Commandments-Cecil B. DeMille 1956 Charlton Heston, Anne Baxter, Yul Brynner
Planet of the Apes-Franklin J. Schaffner 1968 Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowell, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans
A Clockwork Orange-Stanley Kubrick 1971 Malcolm McDowell, Patrick Magee
Logan’s Run-Michael Anderson 1976 Michael York, Jenny Agutter, Peter Ustinov, Richard Jordan
Star Wars-George Lucas 1977 Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher
Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind-Steven Spielberg 1977 Richard Dreyfuss, Melinda Dillon Francois Truffaut
Time Bandits-Terry Gilliam 1981 Sean Connery, John Cleese, Michael Palin
Blade Runner-Ridley Scott 1982 Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Daryl Hannah
Brazil-Terry Gilliam 1985 Jonathan Pryce, Robert DeNiro, Michael Palin
Mars Attacks-Tim Burton 1996 Jack Nicholson, Lisa Marie, Sarah Jessica Parker
The Fifth Element-Luc Besson 1997 Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich, Gary Oldman
The Matrix-The Wachowskis 1999 Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Laurence Fishburne, Hugo Weaving
The Mummy-Stephen Sommers 1999 Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz. John Hannah
X-Men-Bryan Singer 2000 Hugh Jackman, Famke Janssen, Patrick Stewart
Lord of the Rings-Peter Jackson 2001 Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Ian McKellen
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban-Alfonso Cuarón 2004 Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Alan Rickman
Mr. & Mrs. Smith-Doug Liman 2005 Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie
The Hunger Games-Gary Ross 2012 Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson, Stanley Tucci
Snowpiercer-Bong Joon Ho 2013 Chris Evans, Tilda Swinton, John Hurt
Guardians of the Galaxy-James Gunn 2014 Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista
John Wick-Chad Stahelski 2014 Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, Lance Reddick
Bullet Train-David Leitch 2022 Brad Pitt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, bad Bunny

Mystery/Suspense/Noir: I could have listed every Hitchcock film, but had to give other auteurs a chance, too.

Rebecca-Alfred Hitchcock 1940 Joan Fontaine, Laurence Olivier, George Sanders
The Maltese Falcon-John Huston 1941 Humphrey Bogart, Peter Lorre, Mary Astor, Sidney Greenstreet
Suspicion-Alfred Hitchcock 1941 Joan Fontaine, Cary Grant, Nigel Bruce
Shadow of a Doubt-Alfred Hitchcock 1943 Teresa Wright, Joseph Cotton, Macdonald Carey
The Seventh Victim-Mark Robson 1943 Kim Hunter, Jean Brooks, Tom Conway
Laura-Otto Preminger 1944 Dana Andrews, Gene Tierney, Clifton Webb
Ministry of Fear-Fritz Lang 1944 Ray Milland, Dan Duryea
Phantom Lady-Robert Siodmak 1944 Ella Raines, Franchot Tone
Dark Passage-Delmer Daves 1947 Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, Agnes Moorehead
The Big Clock-John Farrow 1948 Ray Milland, Charles Laughton, Elsa Lanchester, Maureen O’Sullivan
In A Lonely Place-Nicholas Ray 1950 Humphrey Bogart, Gloria Grahame
Strangers on a Train-Alfred Hitchcock 1951 Farley Granger, Robert Walker
A Place in the Sun-George Stevens 1951 Elizabeth Taylor, Montgomery Clift
Rear Window-Alfred Hitchcock 1954 Jimmy Stewart, Grace Kelly, Thelma Ritter
Diabolique-Henri-Georges Clouzot 1955 Simone Signoret, Véra Clouzot
Witness for the Prosecution-Billy Wilder 1957 Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich, Charles Laughton, Elsa Lanchester
Vertigo-Alfred Hitchcock 1958 James Stewart, Kim Novak
Breathless-Jean-Luc Godard 1961 jean-Paul Belmondo, Jean Seberg
Bunny Lake is Missing-Otto Preminger 1965 Carol Lynley, Keir Dullea, Laurence Olivier
Wait Until Dark-Terence Young 1967 Audrey Hepburn, Alan Arkin, Richard Crenna
The Last of Sheila-Herbert Ross 1973 James Coburn, James Mason, Richard Benjamin
Chinatown-Roman Polanski 1974 Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway
3 Days of the Condor-Sydney Pollack 1975 Robert Redford, Faye Dunaway, Cliff Robertson
All the President’s Men-Alan J. Pakula 1976 Robert Redford, Dustin Hoffman
Death on the Nile-John Guillermin 1978 Mia Farrow, Bette Davis, Maggie Smith, Peter Ustinov
Deathtrap-Sidney Lumet 1982 Michael Caine, Christopher Reeve, Dyan Cannon
Black Widow-Bob Rafelson 1987 Theresa Russell, Debra Winger, Dennis Hopper
The Untouchables-Brian DePalma 1987 Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, Andy Garcia, Robert DeNiro
Frantic-Roman Polanski 1988 Harrison Ford, Emmanuelle Seigner, Betty Buckley
Reservoir Dogs-Quentin Tarantino 1992 Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Harvey Keitel
Thunderheart-Michael Apted 1992 Val Kilmer, Graham Greene, Sam Shepard
Speed-Jan De Bont 1994 Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock, Dennis Hopper
The Talented Mr. Ripley-Anthony Minghella 1999 Matt Damon, Jude law, Gwyneth Paltrow
The Bone Collector-Philip Noyce 1999 Denzel Washington, Angelina Jolie. Queen Latifah
Gosford Park-Robert Altman 2001 Maggie Smith, Kristn Scott Thomas, Michael Gambon
Phone Booth-Joel Schumacher 2003 Colin Farrell, Kiefer Sutherland
The Ghost Writer-Roman Polanski 2010 Ewan McGregor, Pierce Brosnan
Knives Out-Rian Johnson (All 3-2019, 2022, 2025)
See How They Run-Tom George 2022 Sam Rockwell, Saoirse Ronan, Ruth Wilson

Holiday: No real lessons learned, just fun times with fun people at a fun time of year.

Christmas in Connecticut-Peter Godfrey 1945 Barbara Stanwyck, Dennis Morgan
White Christmas-Michael Curtiz 1954 Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, vera Ellen, Rosemary Clooney
We’re No Angels-Michael Curtiz 1955 Humphrey Bogart, Aldo ray, Peter Ustinov
Desk Set-Walter Lang 1957 Katharine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Joan Blondell
Pocketful of Miracles-Frank Capra 1961 Bette Davis, Glenn Ford, Hope Lange
How The Grinch Stole Christmas - 1966 cartoon
Die Hard-John McTiernan 1988 Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman
The Family Stone-Thomas Bezucha 2005 Diane Keaton, Sarah Jessica Parker, Luke Wilson
The Holiday-Nancy Meyers 2006 Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, jack Black, Kate Winslet
Last Holiday-Wayne Wang 2006 Queen Latifah, L.L.Cool J, Gérard Depardieu

As many movies that have made this list, I’m just realizing as I go through it how many movies that I’ve seen that aren’t here - and how many more that I still need to see ...

this mess is pretty neat

2025-09-29T20:12:00.000-04:00

The colorful cover of the book and its glitzy (and ditzy) Hollywood backdrop easily lure the reader in, for a quick beach or travel read. The chapters are set up as vignettes to showcase various Hollywood types and their messy lives – and how heroine Jane, a professional organizer (think a cross between a celebrity assistant and a devotee of lifestyle guru Marie Kondo), can brave the traffic of Los Angeles freeways and twisty/turny roads in the Hollywood Hills to save them all.

Mess, by Michael Chessler

Mess, by author Mike Chessler, does tell that story well – and that could have simply been it. But Mess also delivers a thoughtful, sometimes poignant story of a young woman trying to discover what she really wants in her life – what to keep, what to discard. Including (or not) a lackadaisical (to her tastes) boyfriend. Jane could stand to learn a bit about herself, as she sorts through discarded designer duds – and occasionally decides to slip a piece (or two or three) into her bag to add to her own collection. The prose may seem a little highfalutin on occasion, but that actually suits the ultra-perfectionist protagonist Jane to a T. Do I make her sound a bit of a mess and difficult to like? She definitely is, at times. But Mess isn’t. The book and all its characters are highly enjoyable.

Full disclosure – the author is a friend.

First published on Cannonball Read

the last of sheila: a stylish whodunnit

2021-12-16T13:19:00.005-05:00

Fans of games, puzzles and mysteries will enjoy the 1973 film The Last of Sheila. Written by the dynamic duo of composer Stephen Sondheim and actor Anthony Perkins, the film features an all celebrity cast trying to conceal their most scandalous secrets from one another as they play a high-stakes murder mystery game.

Pre cruise, L-R: Philip (James Mason), Alice (Raquel Welch), Lee (Joan Hackett), Anthony (Ian McShane), Christine (Dyan Cannon) and Tom (Richard Benjamin)

Movie producer Clinton (James Coburn) is well-known for his love of parlor games and his wicked sense of humor. A year after the hit-and-run death of his gossip columnist wife Sheila he invites a selection of friends to join him on his yacht in the South of France to cruise and play games. At least, that's what he tells them. Most of the attendees also happened to be present at a house party on the night of Sheila's death: actress Alice (Raquel Welch) and her manager/husband Anthony (Ian McShane), Director Philip (James Mason), talent agent Christine (Dyan Cannon) and writer Tom (Richard Benjamin) and his heiress wife Lee (Joan Hackett). When they all arrive dockside they are eager to check out the luxuriously appointed yacht and its well-supplied liquor cabinet.

Their enjoyment is short-lived, however. Almost immediately the first game has begun and it's a doozy - a game of secrets. Clinton gives each of his guests a typed index card with a secret ("You are a Shoplifter," "You are a Homosexual," etc). Each night they will embark on a scavenger hunt in some gorgeous port of call to hunt for clues to their assigned secret's identity. The object of the game is to find out what everyone else's secret is, while keeping your own peccadillo hidden. It doesn't take long for the players to figure out that these secrets aren't just made up by Clinton for a random parlor game - they are real. And one of the group will do anything to protect their particular secret, even murder.

Clinton (James Coburn) loves to play games

It is no surprise that the dialogue by Sondheim and Perkins is witty and fun. In the 1960s the pair used to stage their own elaborate scavenger hunts with friends, one of whom was Herbert Ross (The Goodbye Girl, Play it Again, Sam), who directs the film. The French Riviera locations are gorgeous, as are the cast, who look especially great in the cruisewear costumes designed by Joel Schumacher (yes, that Joel Schumacher). As lovely as Raquel Welch always is, it is Dyan Cannon who really steals every scene she is in. She is vibrant and radiant, playing a brassy but lovably irrepressible casting agent. Viewers of The Last of Sheila will not only enjoy the mystery at its core, but the subtle skewering of Hollywood and its denizens that permeates every scene.

Christine (Dyan Cannon)plotting her next move in the game

The Last of Shelia is the granddaddy of classic mystery films like Clue, Deathtrap and most recently, Knives Out. Sondheim and Perkins had planned to do some other mystery films together, but unfortunately none of those projects were ever completed. That's Hollywood.

Specs:

The Last of Shelia is now part of the Warner Brothers archive collection, made from a 4K scan of the original camera negative. The picture is terrific. Sharp and colorful details in foreground and background shots.

1080p High Definition master from 4K scan of the original camera negative.

Color. 16x9. Aspect ratio 1.85:1 (original aspect ratio 1.85:1).

Widescreen.

Sound:

DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono, English. Subtitles, English SDH.

119 minutes. Rated PG.

Extras:

Original trailer

Audio commentary with Richard Benjamin, Dyan Cannon, and Raquel Welch. The audio commentary is actually fun to listen to, with primarily Cannon and Benjamin together reminiscing about their filming experiences as they watch the film. Raquel Welch provides her personal memories as well, but is clearly spliced in from a separate location.

Originally published on Cinema Sentries

matt scudder – nostalgic nyc noir

2021-12-10T16:53:00.004-05:00

My dad was a huge fan of the prolific author Lawrence Block. Block is best known for two series of books, one following ex NYC cop Matthew Scudder and his battles with alcohol and guilt, as well as a light-hearted series about the charming burglar Bernie Rhodenbarr, who always seems to find himself on a job in a fabulous residence that also happens to contain a dead body. Most of the Scudder novels are included with my Audible subscription, so I have been enjoying revisiting a few that I read years ago and discovering some new (to me) ones. But mostly I have enjoyed time-traveling with Scudder to New York City in the 1970s and 1980s, a time before the internet and 24-hour cable news and so many other scourges of our times.

Matthew Scudder has a tragic backstory and spends a good deal of his time in coffee shops, ginmills, and walking the streets of Hell’s Kitchen, as he tries to “do favors” for friends. After he quit the force he started drinking – and also functioning as a quasi private eye. Even under an alcohol haze he can put his considerable talents to helping track down assorted murderers and ne’er-do-wells. Block loves to underline the day-to-day repetitiveness of city life as Matt drops numerous dimes in payphones, hops into cabs or rides subways and mass transit trains all over the boroughs of New York to solve a case – all while hitting his favorite watering holes several times a day to drink his favorite concoction – coffee with a shot of bourbon – it helps him keep his drunk on while also keeping him awake.

When the Sacred Ginmill Closes (1986) by Lawrence Block

What is most interesting about Scudder is his unapologetic manner – he doesn’t pretend or aspire to be a hero. He is dogged, determined, and sometimes enacts his own sense of justice. He is the first to talk of his many flaws. Most of the talk, the dialogue in these books, is first-rate. Block has a way with words, but especially with conversation between characters. This hits its apex in When the Sacred Ginmill Closes, a story the now sober Scudder tells while looking back on his hard-drinking days with his even harder-drinking buddies.

The best audio versions of these books are by readers who really seem to capture the character of Matthew Scudder, as well as being able to act out the other characters convincingly. Strangely, the weakest reader so far has been the author himself, who voices perhaps his best-known Scudder novel, Eight Million Ways to Die. It is a pivotal book in the series, as it chronicles Scudder hitting his lowest point with the booze and taking his first tentative steps towards quitting it and joining Alcoholics Anonymous. Block’s reading of the novel at the beginning is rote – but his delivery does seem to come alive as Matt sobers up. This may have been intentional, but frankly the other books are far more enjoyable for listeners, books where the voice actors can act, not just read.

That minor quibble aside, I am really enjoying my recent foray into nostalgic NYC noir. I’ve listened to the first seven books in the series. There are seventeen novels and numerous short stories featuring this classic detective (even if Matt wouldn’t call himself one). Favorite narrators in the series so far are Alan Sklar and Mark Hammer. There are numerous non-PC attitudes expressed by many characters, as to be expected of NYC low-lifes circa ’70s-’80s, but some readers/listeners might find the racial, homophobic and ethnic slurs offensive. Matt Scudder never projects such views, but runs across or spends time with characters who do.

The Sins of the Fathers (1976) – narrated by Alan Sklar

In the Midst of Death (1976) – narrated by Alan Sklar

Time to Murder and Create (1977) – narrated by Alan Sklar

A Stab in the Dark (1981) – narrated by William Roberts

Eight Million Ways to Die (1982) – narrated by Lawrence Block

When the Sacred Ginmill Closes (1986) – narrated by Mark Hammer

Out on the Cutting Edge (1989) – narrated by Dan Butler

First published on Cannonball Read

poltergeist, circa 1930

2021-10-15T15:46:00.003-04:00

In The Haunting of Alma Fielding English woman Alma Fielding has had a hard life. She has had numerous health issues, is in a dull marriage and struggling financially. The world around her is in chaos, too – war with Germany seems imminent. And to add to all of her stress she seems to have attracted an at first mischievous, at times violent spirit – a poltergeist. Alma’s haunting has attracted the local newspaper, and also the attention of Hungarian emigre Nandor Fodor, a journalist turned psychic phenomena investigator. Fodor has created his own institute of psychic investigation. He is part Ghostbuster, part hopeful spiritualist. He ands colleagues start to study Alma – and to attempt to witness a psychic event as it happens. Some of the “examinations” of Alma and the lengths to which Fodor and his investigators try to prevent or identify any fraud or hocus focus on her part are quite elaborate. And also quite unprofessional. Especially strange is a “field trip” to the seaside where Alma may or may not have been “gifted” a piece of costume jewelry by her spirit.

The Haunting of Alma Fielding by Kate Summerscale

The writings of Sigmund Freud were in fashion at the time, along with spiritualism, and The Haunting of Alma Fielding suggests the effects of trauma and loss on the human psyche can 1. manifest psychic phenomena or 2. manifest a desire for psychic phenomena (?).

Author Kate Summerscale (The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher) has compiled all of Fodor’s records and other documentation of Alma’s case to (re)tell her story. The Haunting of Alma Fielding may not ultimately be very haunting a tale, but Summerscale takes us step by step through the investigation and it is fascinating, if ultimately quite sad. Alma. whether you believe her role in the strange happenings that occur around her or not, was a troubled, lonely soul.

classic swedish noir

2021-10-15T15:26:00.000-04:00

Originally published on Cannonball Read

In 1965 writing partners (and partners in real life) Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö embarked on a quest – to write and publish ten novels in ten years featuring Stockholm’s Martin Beck. The novels, police procedurals, were structured as not only mysteries, but reflections and commentary on modern Swedish society. The duo wore alternating chapters – but since I haven’t read any of their individual works I couldn’t guess who wrote which chapter in any given novel. The books are cohesive and follow policeman Martin Beck as he progresses through the ranks of the Swedish national police.

Although these books were written decades ago many of the issues and crimes depicted by Sjöwall and Wahlöö sound eerily familiar – violence against women and children, serial killers, terrorism. Their top detective Beck is an interesting character. We follow him through the ten years as his marriage implodes and he becomes more and more disillusioned with the growing militarism of the police and his superiors’ endless bureaucracy (and incompetence). But Beck doesn’t work alone. Equally interesting are his colleagues Lennart Kollberg and Gunvald Larsson and female detective Åsa Torell and Rhea Nielsen. I listened to these books on Audible and was grateful for the reader to pronounce all of the Swedish place names, but also surprised at the pronunciation of some of the characters names. If I had been reading it in paperback or Kindle I never would have guessed that Kollberg is pronounced Kahl-bree-yah in Sweden.

Sjöwall and Wahlöö are considered the origin and of modern Scandi-noir. They have influenced a great many writers, such as Henning Mankell (Wallander), Stieg Larsson (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, etc.) and Jo Nesbø (The Snowman). I enjoyed all of the books and came to care about Beck and his compatriots. Not only was reading the series doable, it satisfied my completist mentality. I really enjoyed a glimpse into the swinging ’60s and ’70s Sweden. Maybe not so free-thinking as I might have thought. My favorites were probably The Man on the Balcony, The Laughing Policeman, The Abominable Man and The Locked Room, although I recommend checking out the entire series. Although I appreciate the authors’ discipline, I wish there were more Beck novels. Apparently there are a ton of movie and television adaptations of the books and the characters, although so far I haven’t found any on any of my streaming services.

Martin Beck detective novels, by Maj Sjöwall and Per Wahlöö

The books, in the order they were published (and how I read them) are as follows:

Roseanna (1965) – In this first novel of the series Martin Beck must determine the identity of the corpse of a young woman found in a canal. The solving of the case requires long-term and meticulous research and sometimes a little luck.

The Man Who Went Up in Smoke (1966) – Beck is sent to Budapest to find a missing journalist. Sixties Eastern Europe is an interesting backdrop and the reader gets to know more an=bout Beck’s home life and his quirks and attitudes.

The Man on the Balcony (1967) – The series takes a dark turn as Beck & Co. try to track down a serial pedophile/murder. Two bumbling cops, Kristiansson and Kvant, are introduced, as well as detective Gunvald Larsson to provide some subtle and wry comic relief.

The Laughing Policeman (1968) Maybe the most well-known of the series, this was adapted into a Hollywood movie starring Walter Matthau (which I haven’t been able to find streaming anywhere) and also won the Edgar Award for Best Novel in 1971. The opening, and the main crime to be investigated is stunning – on a snowy night a gunman, wielding a sub-machine gun, boards a commuter bus and systematically kills everyone aboard and then disappears. One of the passengers happens to be Beck’s young colleague detective Åke Stenström.

The Fire Engine That Disappeared (1969) – Gunvald Larsson is about to replace a fellow cop on a routine surveillance assignment when the building they are observing goes up in flames. He singlehandedly rescues many of the residents, but Beck must determine the cause and more importantly, the why of the conflagration.

Murder at the Savoy (1970) – During a fancy banquet at Stockholm’s Savoy Hotel a gunman walks in, shoots a man in the head and walks out. No one in the crowded room can offer much information on his identity. How will Beck track him down?

The Abominable Man (1971) – A former policeman is killed while in the hospital. Beck must not only track down the culprit but the motive. One of the most exciting books of the series, this involves a city-wide manhunt and a crazed sniper holding the city hostage.

The Locked Room (1972) – This book involves two separate crime investigations – a series of bank robberies (which was apparently a big problem in Sweden in the ’70s) and Beck trying to solve a classic locked room mystery.

Cop Killer (1974) – This book has a callback to first novel Roseanna as Beck investigates the disappearance of a young woman in southern Sweden.

The Terrorists (1975) – Beck and his team are tasked to protect a very unpopular U.S. senator on his visit to Sweden. The novel follows Beck and his team as well as the terrorist cell that is planning to disrupt the visit.

kindle enthusiasm

2021-05-10T13:31:00.004-04:00

This pandemic has made everything hard, including reading. Something that I love to do, but somehow didn’t want to concentrate that hard to do … until I got a Kindle. This is not an ad. But the times we are living in have encouraged a few bigger-than usual purchases. Since I haven’t been spending my money elsewhere (or anywhere), one of those purchases was a Kindle. It has seemed easier for me to read some titles on this device for a few reasons. First, I am not clogging my already overstuffed bookshelves, or adding to my seemingly endless to-read stack. Only I know how many unread titles I have on the Kindle. Second, I can buy more pulpy, fun reads with zero guilt, as their pop-lit covers won’t mar the afore-mentioned shelves. Third, if I like the title I have just read I can immediately download the next in the series or another book by the author. Instant gratification.

Once Is Not Enough by Jacqueline Susann – A girl’s best friend is her father

A friend was reminiscing on Facebook recently about Jacqueline Susann novels. I remembered seeing two of the so-bad-they’re-good movies on cable years ago, but had I ever read the novels? Well, thanks to Kindle I can. I read her three most famous novels in reverse chronological order, starting with Once Is Not Enough. I vaguely remembered the movie starring Deborah Raffin as the heroine January (!) She was a young woman with daddy issues who has a Freudian affair with an older man, played by David Janssen – with zero chemistry and sex appeal. Maybe he read the book and didn’t like the author’s emasculating take on his character. Susann piles on the drama, with January overcoming a terrible motorcycle accident that takes her years to recover from, drug addiction, and even virginity. The most sympathetic and interesting character in the book is Karla, a lesbian (maybe actually bi) famous movie actress. Susann tells her story in flashbacks, from WW2 atrocities to fame and fortune in Hollywood. Karla is loosely based on Greta Garbo. Part of the charm and fun of Susann’s books are her thinly disguised characters based on larger-than-life celebrities. Once Is Not Enough ends in a strange and perplexing way that I wasn’t prepared for – the movie completely skipped Susann’s crazy plot turns and stayed with the January as triumphant city gal narrative.

From Electra complex to Narcissus. My next read was The Love Machine. Here Susann tries to tell the story (sort of) from a man’s point of view, although a few of his main squeezes get to chime in with chapters of their own. The Love Machine is a mess. The hero, Robin Stone, is a total jerk. Every woman he meets and even every man is overly impressed by him. But the dude has absolutely no personality and is rude and downright mean to all of the above. If there weren’t the chapters featuring the ladies I would have quit on this one. Another implausible and unearned ending here, too. But it was a fast read and I did enjoy the Mad Men-esque depiction of the sixties world of television in Manhattan.

Valley of the Dolls – L-R: Anne, Jennifer and Neely

I saved the most well-known book for last, Valley of the Dolls. The movie with Patty Duke, Sharon Tate and Barbara Parkins is so indelible that it is hard to imagine Susann’s trio as anyone else while reading the book. As much as it was a fast and fun read, it really wasn’t as good as Once Is Not Enough. Susann puts Neely, Jennifer and Anne though all the racy topics of the day – plastic surgery, lesbianism, terminal disease, drug addiction. Again, the male objects of their affection are pretty boring or just unpleasant dudes, but Susann’s heroines are constantly obsessing about getting, keeping, losing their men. In fact, after plowing through these three books I was struck by the schizophrenic nature of Susann’s characters. On the one hand she writes openly about subjects that had to be extremely taboo for their day – homosexuality, drugs, women with careers. She even has a trans character in The Love Machine. But on the other hand Susann seems pretty conservative. Her heroines all pine for their men, putting up with tons of bad behavior. They stay in bad relationships just because the guy is rich or so they can dine at “21” every night. Without a man in their lives their careers go downhill. What started out as escapist fun, reading Susann’s bestsellers, ended as a sad peek into lives that were only glamorous on the surface. The girls ended up being as boring and empty as their men.

Review on Cannonball Read 13

little grey cell comfort food

2021-05-10T13:29:00.003-04:00

When I can’t think of anything else to read, or just want something comforting and familiar, there is always Agatha Christie. And although I have read (I think) most of her books by now, I am still drawn most frequently to the ones featuring the inimitable Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot. He of the meticulous ways and fantastic mustaches. With his obsession with detail and as Ben Franklin says, “a place for everything, everything in its place,” he has to be a Virgo, like me. And probably a little bit OCD.

“There was only one thing about his own appearance which really pleased Hercule Poirot, and that was the profusion of his moustaches, and the way they responded to grooming and treatment and trimming. They were magnificent. He knew of nobody else who had any moustache half as good.” ― Agatha Christie, Hallowe’en Party

I downloaded some Poirot-centric titles on Kindle and was not disappointed. The first, Hercule Poirot and the Greenshore Folly, is a shorter, novella-length version of what became her novel Dead Man’s Folly. The plot is similar to the novel, but there are a few changes and twists to the story. Christie was well-known for reusing plots and motifs and then changing around settings and even murderers for a completely different result. It is fun to read Christie’s description of the main house where the murder takes place, as she based it on her own house in Devon.

Hallowe’en Party by Agatha Christie

The next Christie I read is a longtime favorite, Hallowe’en Party. This is a particularly diabolical mystery, as the victim and even some of the suspects are children. Agatha Christie never shied away from the concept of evil, or its being able to take root at an early age. Poirot has to tread lightly as he tries to solve a brutal drowning – in a tub full of apples – as he questions a seemingly nice community of nice people. The ultimate solution has to feature one of her most interesting motives, too.

The next Christie was a new collection of short stories, featuring Poirot and Christie’s other detectives: Miss Marple, Tommy and Tuppence, Parker Pyne, etc. Along with a reminiscence about one of her childhood Christmas holidays, the featured stories include: “Christmas at Abney Hall,” “Three Blind Mice,” “The Chocolate Box,” “A Christmas Tragedy,” “The Coming of Mr. Quin,” “The Clergyman’s Daughter/The Rose House,” “The Plymouth Express,” “Problem at Pollensa Bay,” “Sanctuary,” “The Mystery of Hunters Lodge,” “The World’s End,” “The Manhood of Edward Robinson,” and “Christmas Adventure.” Christie fans will recognize that “Three Blind Mice” is the novella version of her long-running play “The Mousetrap.” These are all good stories and the winter’s theme makes them feel especially cozy.

Poirot and Me, by David Suchet

Not quite ready to quit Christie, but not in the mood for a re-read, I stumbled across Poirot and Me, by David Suchet. This is a charming book by the actor most well-known as the definitive Poirot (sorry Kenneth Branagh). Suchet outlines his entire acting career in this memoir, which includes a lot of award-winning theater and films and television. But a great bulk of his career and life has been spent playing Christie’s most famous detective. He is proud to share that journey and how Poirot has affected his career and life. He may have initially taken the role thinking it would be a short-term thing, as many British series are, but he grew to love the character and become a champion for filming every Christie novel and short story featuring Poirot. This was a monumental project, completed over the course of many years and different production companies. The decision to keep the time frame in the 1930s gave the series an impeccable feel and design. But he was finally able to realize his dream and the Agatha Christie’s Poirot series is one of television’s best classic mystery series.

And this concludes my adventures with Poirot. Until the next re-read.

Reviews on Cannonball Read 13

some great, some not so, some not even suspense

2021-05-10T13:26:00.005-04:00

A Century of Great Suspense Stories

I got this one to listen to on drives more than thirty minutes. You can basically hear one short story each way. It is a mixed bag, both in quality and presentation. It should be noted that the audible version of this book only includes seventeen stories, the first half of the book. The rest of the book’s nineteen tales are missing. Maybe the second half is also available as a book on tape. Maybe I’ll check.

The stories have been gathered by author Jeffrey Deaver (The Bone Collector). Many of the stories were previously published in Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine. A lot of the stories have that twist ending reminiscent of The Twilight Zone, Alfred Hitchcock Presents and similar anthology shows. Deaver includes one of his own short stories, “The Weekender,” which also happens to be one of the best ones. Other highlights include “Missing: Page Thirteen” by Anna Katharine Green and “The Gentleman in the Lake,” by Robert Barnard. The absolute highlight of the collection is “Quitters Inc.” by Stephen King, which rounds out the collection.

A Century of Great Suspense Stories, edited by Jeffrey Deaver (warning, a lot of the authors listed here aren’t in this truncated collection)

What is especially difficult is the inability to search through the collection as you’re listening to find a story or skip a story. You can fast forward, but it is a very clunky presentation. The readers of each story were mostly good. Some of the more detective noir-ish readings were a bit much, maybe, but that could have been the stories, too. I found the classic American detective stories to be the most dated. The Erle Stanley Gardner was especially tough going.

It took a lot of hunting online, as there is no complete list of authors and stories with the book on tape, but here is the complete list of the contents:

“Gentleman in the Lake” Robert Barnard
“Life in Our Time” Robert Bloch
“Batman’s Helpers” Lawrence Block
“Girl Who Married a Monster” Anthony Boucher
“Wench is Dead” Fredric Brown
“Cigarette Girl” James M. Cain
“Matter of Principal” Max Allan Collins
“The Weekender” Jeffery Deaver
“Reasons Unknown” Stanley Ellin
“Killing Bernstein” Harlan Ellison
“Leg Man” Erle Stanley Gardner
“One of Those Days, One of Those Nights” Ed Gorman
“Missing: Page Thirteen” Anna Katharine Green
“Voir Dire” Jeremaih Healy
“Chee’s Witch” Tony Hillerman
“Interpol: The Case of the Modern Medusa” Edward D. Hoch
“Quitters, Inc.” Stephen King

Review on Cannonball Read 13

strangers on a train - stranger and strangerer

2021-05-10T13:24:00.000-04:00

Every once in a while I get a yen to read the source novel for one of my favorite classic movies. My most recent read (actually listen) is Strangers On A Train, by Patricia Highsmith. I have seen the classic Alfred Hitchcock film, featuring Robert Walker and Farley Granger, many times. There are some indelible, memorable scenes in that movie – the two men crossing legs and crossing lives on the train, the gold lighter which incriminates and absolves, the final deadly and hair-raising sequence on the merry-go-round at the amusement park. Apart from their initial meeting on the train, Hitchcock fans should know that none of those set pieces are in the book.

Strangers On A Train, directed by Alfred Hitchcock, with Farley Granger and Robert Walker.

That doesn’t mean that the book isn’t interesting, however. It was Highsmith’s first novel, published five years before her successful The Talented Mr. Ripley. It could be viewed as a precursor of some of the themes that appear in that novel, like the doubling effect of two male protagonists. Charles Bruno is a charming sociopath. He wants to “trade murders” with a random man he meets on a train, Guy Haines, an up-and-coming architect (Hitch made him a tennis pro). Guy doesn’t take Bruno seriously, but he doesn’t condemn him that forcefully, either. Guy’s got his own problems. His estranged wife Miriam is now pregnant by her new boyfriend and he’s hoping she will agree to a divorce so that he can marry his (very rich) sweetheart Anne. But Miriam is not known for being agreeable.

Strangers On A Train is a psychological thriller. Highsmith is most interested in Guy’s mental journey and collapse as Bruno continually pressures him to hold up his end of the bargain. Written in 1950, the undercurrents of homosexuality between the two men must have seemed shocking. Highsmith isn’t exactly sympathetic to the almost perpetually drunken Bruno, but she lets his character grow through his actions and how people react to him, which makes him more interesting than broody Guy. In fact, “hero” Guy becomes more and more unlikable as the story progresses. Highsmith does not do a very good job with her lone female character, Anne, who seems to only exist to be devoted to Guy, but we are never given a reason why she likes the increasingly unpleasant fellow. The story is told at times from both Guy’s and Bruno’s perspectives. The book would have definitely benefited if we had more of Anne’s perspective, too.

Strangers On A Train, written by Patricia Highsmith, read by Bronson Pinchot

Ultimately Strangers On A Train is an interesting read, but I prefer how Alfred Hitchcock streamlined some of the action and themes and certainly brought his visual flair to Highsmith’s clever plot idea. I “read” the audible version of this book, read by Bronson Pinchot.

Featured on Cannonball Read Instagram and on Cannonball Read

Marcel Duchamp: The Art of the Possible.

2021-05-10T13:06:00.004-04:00

Available on iTunes and Amazon on March 10, 2020, comes a new documentary film from Electrolift Creative Productions, Marcel Duchamp: The Art of the Possible. Directed by Matthew Taylor and produced by Michelle Taylor, the 90-minute film mixes biography and opinion to create an intriguing portrait of artist Marcel Duchamp.

Marcel Duchamp was born in Normandy, France in 1887. The film begins with family photos and a quick introduction to Duchamp's youth and then, like the artist himself, quickly sets off for Paris and the art world. Duchamp's primary artistic mentors were his older brothers, artists Raymond Villon and Jacques Villon. The brothers studied Impressionism, post-Impressionism and sold cartoons to make money while attending classes at the Académie Julian. Duchamp made his first big splash at the Salons des Independents exhibition in Paris in 1909 with Nude Descending a Staircase No. 2. The organizers of the show considered the title too provocative and Duchamp, refusing to change the title, even at the advice of his brothers, withdrew the piece from the exhibition.

Fountain 1917, photograph by Alfred Stieglitz

Duchamp never worked well in groups and left Paris for Munich, and then America, where he landed in New York. The famous Armory Show of 1913 accepted Nude Descending a Staircase No. 2. It was the sensation of the show, receiving tons of press coverage, mostly negative, yet propelling Duchamp to art star status. He met art patrons Louise and Walter Arensberg, who agreed to pay his studio rent in return for acquiring his work, especially The Large Glass (The Bride Stripped Bare by her Bachelors, Even), which took him twelve years to complete.

Marcel Duchamp: The Art of the Possible poses the question: what would modern art be like without Duchamp? Duchamp shirked traditional art-making techniques. His way of making art was cerebral. He believed that language could transport you to another world. His artistic output is comprised as much of his notes and ideas for artwork as it is his actual art pieces, many of which currently reside in the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Duchamp believed in a new way of making art. He used chance to create pieces, and believed that art should be an open, experimental activity. Creativity itself, his ideas, was the art. He often said that art is made by an artist but doesn't achieve its final purpose until it is seen by the viewer. This idea may have been most clearly embodied in his ready-mades - pieces of sculpture made from common everyday objects such as a shovel (In Advance of the Broken Arm, 1915), bottle rack, (Bottle Rack, 1914), bicycle wheel (Bicycle Wheel, 1913), and urinal (Fountain, 1917). Always a provacateur, Duchamp's sculptures shocked (and sometimes still continue to shock) art audiences. They challenge what we think of art, what art can be.

Duchamp wanted to expand the definitions of art. It is undeniable the readymades had a huge effect on artists of subsequent generations, most notably Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns, and Andy Warhol. Entire modern art movements and genres like Fluxus, happenings, body art, performance art, pop art, conceptual art, and 80s appropriation art all owe a debt to Duchamp. Although he may have had a profound influence on many art movements, Duchamp never wanted to associate his own work with the movents of his day, such as Surrealism or Dada. Marcel Duchamp: The Art of the Possible helps make the case that he helped shift the focus of the art world from Paris to New York.

Marcel Duchamp: The Art of the Possible uses film and stills of Duchamp's artwork as well as his own recorded words.

"Art or anti-art was the question I asked."

Filling in the blanks and helping tell his story are artist interviews and film clips of Joseph Kosuth, Ed Ruscha, Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg, Jeff Koons, Carolee Schneeman, David Bowie, Marina Abramovic, and others. Interviewed art world experts include Michel Gondry, Paul Matisse, Francis M. Naumann, Calvin Tomkins, Carlos Gerard Malanga, and many more.

Marcel Duchamp: The Art of the Possible is a fascinating feature-length documentary film that highlights an innovative and influential artist who can truly be called the father of modern art.

how is it almost september?

2020-08-27T15:22:00.003-04:00

Catching up with Cannonball Read ...

Too Much and Never Enough by Mary Trump

Winners Take All by Anand Giridharadas

Crime In Progress by Glenn Simpson & Peter Fritsch

Burglars Can't Be Choosers by Lawrence Block

The Burglar Who Painted Like Mondrian by Lawrence Block

The Burglar Who Like to Quote Kipling by Lawrence Block

Seinfeldia: How A Show About Nothing Changed Everything by Jennifer Keishin Armstrong

I'll Have What She's Having: My Adventures in Celebrity Dieting by Rebecca Harrington

Heartburn by Nora Ephron

Making Rumours: The Inside Story of the Classic Fleetwood Mac Album by Ken Caillat and Steve Stiefel

O.K., I admit it, I have not posted any reviews lately. It’s just been a weird and for too many, sad time, hasn’t it? But I have managed to do a little reading. These may just be capsule reviews, but that’s just about all I can handle at the moment. There have been some good books and not so good books, but it’s 2020, so that’s par for the course. Looking at this list I realize that I have been drawn to books to help me cope with the current state of the world. My three go-tos seem to be books about politics, old favorites, or humor. Here’s what I’ve been reading to date:

Old Favorites:

Ken Caillat and Steve Stiefel – Making Rumours: The Inside Story of the Classic Fleetwood Mac Album

I have always loved this album and was intrigued by the reported behind-the-scenes personal drama that went into making its iconic songs. This book started off interestingly enough, but then petered out. Although Caillat (father of pop star Colby, that he likes to frequently remind the reader) was definitely on the spot and seems to know his stuff about sound engineering, there is a whole lot of the technical (how to splice multiple tracks together, circa 1978) and not so much personal (Lindsey Buckingham was a jerk to women). He slips in side-eye remarks about Stevie Nicks without ever getting specific. She reportedly once said a rude thing about his dog – is that the origin of his grudge? But he also has to grudgingly admit that she became the biggest solo star of the bunch. He also occasionally critiques the band for the copious amounts of drugs and alcohol that were consumed during the making of the album, but brushes off the fact that he was right there, indulging as well. Rumours was lightning in a bottle and no one can really properly capture that.

It was the 70s, man

Lawrence Block/Bernie Rhodenbarr series – Burglars Can’t Be Choosers, The Burglar Who Painted Like Mondrian, The Burglar Who Like to Quote Kipling

Lawrence Block has a few crime book series, and this is his most lighthearted. The main character, Bernie Rhodenbarr, is a gentleman burglar who lives on the upper east side of Manhattan and is as ready with a quip as he is with a light finger. The books are a little dated – there is always a luscious babe to throw themselves into his arms and his best pal Carolyn is a hard drinking lesbian who manages to leave her Greenwich Village dog washing shop to help Bernie whenever he is mistakenly accused of a murder after pulling a heist, which is often. But it is fun hearing Bernie wax poetic about what he plans to steal. He fancies himself a quasi Robin Hood, robbing from the rich to give to poor little old him. He also runs an old used bookstore in the Village, which is not just a front – he really loves 0ld books. What’s not to love about that?

Humor:

Jennifer Keishin Armstrong – Seinfeldia: How A Show About Nothing Changed Everything

This is a definite summer read, if one was having a definite summer … but it is fun to get a behind-the-scenes peek at how Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David put together the “show about nothing” and all the other elements that helped make it the classic that it has become, including casting (especially Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and the many writers who have contributed bits along the way.

Nora Ephron – Heartburn

This book is a thinly-veiled take on the break-up of Ephron’s marriage to Carl Bernstein. It is a funny collection of scenes from a marriage, mixed in with recipes. Originally written in 1983, it might seem a little hard to believe how her heroine has let herself be so easily deceived by her husband, but it is clear that she was pretty distracted by moving from NY to DC and then being pregnant multiple times. How easy it is to look the other way …

(p.s. the movie based on the book is not as fun – this article about making the movie is actually better than the movie)

Heartburn, by Nora Ephron

Rebecca Harrington – I’ll Have What She’s Having: My Adventures in Celebrity Dieting

This sounds like a fun by the pool read, and I guess it could be for some, but not me. It reads more like the author researched a bunch of celebs on the internet (Gwyneth Paltrow, Jackie O, Beyonce) and whips out some very lightweight essays on each, all framed by the absurd side/challenge that she will eat that way, too, although most of her “diets” don’t last a week. This book is practically a meme.

Politics:

Mary Trump – Too Much and Never Enough

With all of the endless reporting on the current occupant of the White House I realize that this book may seem too much for a lot of people, but I am really glad that I read it. There are insights into 45’s personality, but I think most of us knew who he was and is already. What is really interesting is her description of her grandparents, especially Fred Trump Sr., and how he made his fortune from sub-par housing in Brooklyn – he was always willing to “work with” local politicians for the best deals. Her descriptions of her father, who just couldn’t hack the expectations of Sr. and his addictive personality is also instructive.

Anand Giridharadas – Winners Take All

I first became aware of Anand Giridharadas on MSNBC from his appearances on shows with Lawrence O’Donnell and Rachel Maddow. He is whip smart and unrelenting in his insistence that we see beneath and beyond the “philanthropy” of the ruling class to maintain their status quo. This book is his manifesto and a fascinating read.

Glenn Simpson & Peter Fritsch – Crime in Progress

I read this around the time of the impeachment hearings to gain a better understanding of Fusion GPS (the authors own the firm), the Steele dossier and the investigations into the Trump campaign and its ties to Russia. The book is presented in a very reporterly, clear and concise style. Although the topic is politics, it steers clear of partisanship – notedly Fusion was asked by Republicans and Democrats to look into the Trump campaign’s alleged ties to Russia. The only frustrating thing about this book is that so many still don’t seem to see beyond the repetitive sound bytes. This book goes far in trying to clear up the confusion.

book to film: the talented mr. ripley

2019-12-17T13:10:00.000-05:00

Patricia Highsmith wrote The Talented Mr. Ripley in in 1955. She based it loosely on Henry James’s The Ambassadors (which I now have to add to my to-read list). The lead character, Tom Ripley, proved so popular, that she brought him back for four more novels.

When the reader first meets Tom he is living close to the bone in New York City, subsisting on his “friends,” or running various schemes, including mail fraud. But Tom isn’t really great at his schemes, and he doesn’t like people, and he doesn’t have any true friends, just people he can sponge on. Tom’s prospects begin to look up when he runs into the rich Mr. Greenleaf, the father of an acquaintance, Dickie Greenleaf. Mr. Greenleaf wants his son, who he believes is frittering away his life in Italy by dabbling in painting, to come home, get serious, and work at the family shipping business. Tom exaggerates his friendship with Dickie, and agrees to track him down in the (fictional) Italian seaside port of Mongibello – staked with cash from Mr. Greenleaf.

Tom Ripley, (Matt Damon), Dickie Greenleaf (Jude Law), and Marge Sherwood (Gwyneth Paltrow) in the 1999 film The Talented Mr. Ripley

Tom doesn’t seem to have any real desire to fulfill his quest and bring home the prodigal son, but he does head to Mongibello and soon meets Dickie and his friend Marge Sherwood. Marge and Tom take an immediate dislike to each other as Tom tries to ingratiate himself with the open and (initially) clueless Dickie. Tom’s motives aren’t clear, to himself or the reader. His strongest motivating factor seems to be survival and acquiring money. He comes from nothing and is determined to not only be able to live, but live well. Dickie enjoys palling around with Tom at first, as a way to avoid Marge’s not-so-subtle attempts to take their relationship to the next level. In the meantime, Tom has been studying Dickie, to the point of copying his mannerisms and attire. One day Dickie walks into his bedroom to find Tom in his clothes – it is from that moment that their newfound friendship begins to sour. Dickie may not be the brightest bulb on the tree, but he can sense that Tom is not the real deal, not from his side of the tracks.

There is definitely an undercurrent of sexuality to Tom’s obsession with Dickie, which was made more blatant in the 1999 film version, directed by Anthony Minghella, starring Matt Damon (Tom), Jude Law (Dickie), and Gwyneth Paltrow (Marge). I had seen the film years ago and didn’t love it. I will say that Jude Law has never looked better on film. It’s a first-class production, with Philip Seymour Hoffman, Cate Blanchett, and Jack Davenport in supporting roles. I just didn’t find Damon to be very compelling. Ripley may be a cipher, but I felt Damon just played him as a blank space. I rewatched it recently, and it’s better than I remember, but Damon is definitely still its weakest link. There is also apparently a French version of the story, Plein Soleil (Purple Noon), filmed in 1960, directed by René Clément and starring Alain Delon that might be fun to track down sometime.

But back to the book . . . even though Tom bristles at memories of being called a “sissie” and is repulsed by Marge, he seems less attracted to Dickie the man than to Dickie’s lifestyle and all its trappings. Tom is first and foremost a parasite. His love of fine clothes and having money to spend will lead to murder and mayhem as he travels across Italy to escape his past and past identity. Tom Ripley is an anti-hero and sociopath who at times may put off the reader, who may find many of his crimes brutal and unnecessary, but Highsmith is such a gifted writer that she effortlessly pulls us into his thoughts and his fears. Will he avoid capture? Do we want him to? I can’t say I liked Tom Ripley much, but I am looking forward to checking out his further adventures.

p.s. Fleabag’s “Hot Priest” Andrew Scott will be portraying Tom Ripley in a new series, Ripley, on Showtime in 2020. So I have to start subscribing to that channel now?

This post first appeared on Cannonball Read 11

ronan farrow’s catch and kill

2019-12-17T13:05:00.000-05:00

Ronan Farrow’s Catch and Kill reads like a spy novel. The full title is Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators. And Farrow lays out quite a conspiracy. He takes the reader inside the world of investigative reporting – in his case for NBC News. Not only does NBC prove to ultimately be hostile towards allowing Farrow to tell the full story of his investigation into allegation of sexual abuse by Harvey Weinstein, but it is also a hotbed of abuse culture, including its main asset at the time, Matt Lauer.

“Catch and Kill” is a term used to describe a media outlet purchasing a controversial story and then burying it. It is standard practice with tabloids, as Farrow recounts how it had been used frequently by the National Enquirer over the years to protect well-known, powerful figures like Weinstein, Donald Trump, and others from salacious stories about them.

Ronan Farrow, author of Catch and Kill

The bulk of Catch and Kill is about Farrow’s unrelenting quest to give voice to the victims of Hollywood mogul and alleged serial sexual predator Harvey Weinstein. This is the real core of the book and it is fascinating. Farrow writes very engagingly, and the reader feels his urgency as he not only faces opposition from the higher-ups at NBC to tell the stories of Rose MacGowan and other women who have come forward to relate their experiences with Weinstein, but how he was also under surveillance from Weinstein’s minions, including an Israeli intelligence service dubbed Black Cube. Creepy stuff. Interestingly, it is print journalism that comes to the rescue, as Farrow, fed up and shut out from NBC, takes his findings to the New Yorker, where his story is ultimately published, helping to give a bigger voice to the #MeToo movement.

The weakest part of the book is actually the Matt Lauer section. Although it must have seemed like a good idea to include it, with Lauer’s link to NBC and the underlining of seemingly sanctioned toxic behavior by powerful men in the entertainment industry, I think it would have worked better as a New Yorker article or another book. The Weinstein story is huge and the Lauer chapter seems like a digression from the main plot. But that quibble aside, I can still highly recommend Catch and Kill.

Farrow is clearly dedicated to championing the vulnerable and bringing their stories to light. It is shocking and discouraging to read how deep the conspiracy was to silence all of Weinstein’s accusers, particularly Rose MacGowan. Hopefully Farrow’s book can help to not only corroborate her story but ultimately bring her some sense of peace and justice. Farrow (sometimes working with Jane Mayer) has reported on predatory behavior by Les Moonves at CBS, New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, and Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. He also exposed the link between the MIT Media Lab and Jeffrey Epstein. And this top researcher never stops researching. Farrow has a Catch and Kill podcast with expanded reporting on the topics covered in the book. I can’t wait to read about where he sets his sights next.

This story first appeared on Cannonball Read 11

demi moore, inside out

2019-12-17T13:02:00.000-05:00

Reading Demi Moore’s memoir Inside Out is like having a seat in the room while she is undergoing therapy. And yoga. And flirting with Bruce Willis. And being abused by her parents. And, strangest of all, not spending much time in Hollywood. But you do get a pretty good picture of her home and life in Hailey, Idaho, which she clearly loves, an oasis she has created for her family and herself.

Demi Moore, Inside Out: A Memoir

Inside Out flows, but it is not exactly an easy book to read. Real pain and trauma is spread throughout its pages. Moore had an extremely difficult childhood, raised by parents (mostly her mother) who at best ignored her, at worst practically pimped her out as a young girl. It is amazing to think how far she has come, considering her rough start. Moore is unflinchingly honest in her revelations and discoveries about her family’s and her own weaknesses. She tends to downplay her own achievements, certainly as an actress, so it is hard for the reader who might want to learn some more details behind how she got her role in Ghost as much as how Joel Schumacher helped her kick her booze and cocaine habit during the filming of St. Elmo’s Fire. She was successful at both, and stayed sober for years. Her substance abuse issues would crop up again later in her life, in her 40s, when she was married to Ashton Kutcher, who apparently enabled bad choices and then chose to look away when things got to be too much for her to handle.

Where Moore allows herself to feel proud of herself and crow a bit are when she talks about her love of being pregnant, a mother, and her love for her daughters. She also toots her own horn a little when she discusses her iconic Vanity Fair (August 1991) cover shoot by Annie Liebovitz, taken when she was seven months pregnant. The cover was quite controversial at the time, and paved the way for women to celebrate their “baby bumps” – wearing more form-conscious fashion, something we take for granted now. Moore also was one of the first actresses to earn $10 million for a single film in Hollywood. She starred in numerous blockbusters in the 90s: Ghost, A Few Good Men, Indecent Proposal, Disclosure, as well as producing If These Walls Could Talk and the Austin Powers movies.

“Demi’s Birthday Suit” Vanity Fair, August 1992

She appeared nude again for Vanity Fair, photographed by Liebovitz, covered in body paint, a year later. The photo was a testament to bouncing back from pregnancy weight as well as highlighting Moore’s intense workout regimen, which was highlighted throughout her movie career, most notably in G.I. Jane and Striptease. Moore describes herself as an obsessive personality, who has not just battled drugs and an eating disorder, but also working out too much, to the point of making herself ill. It is hard to determine how much Hollywood’s fixation with women’s bodies and her own trauma from childhood sexual abuse played a part in her feelings about herself and her body. But she is not afraid to ask the question or try to find the answer.

What might have been the most gossipy part of the book – her relationships with high-profile men like Emilio Estevez, Bruce Willis, and Ashton Kutcher – are less about fun times than highlighting her or their inability to connect. At the end of Inside Out I don’t feel sorry for Moore, but I do feel empathy. And maybe a little hope, as she continues on her path to self-discovery.

This review first appeared on Cannonball Read 11

books to film: pal joey and BUtterfield 8

2019-09-24T13:38:00.001-04:00

After recently reading Truman Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's, I decided that I not only wanted to continue with my book-to-film theme, but keep it centered in New York City, too. That led me to John O'Hara's Pal Joey and BUtterfield 8.

John O'Hara - Four Novels of the 1930s

I had heard for years that the 1957 film version of Pal Joey was nothing like the 1940 Rodgers and Hart Broadway musical - Gene Kelly apparently portrayed him as a genuine no-good crumb (as Joey would say). In the film Frank Sinatra isn't exactly an angel, but he has enough of the proverbial heart of gold to win the love of sweet Kim Novak. Not only does the original O'Hara text outline Joey's not-so-nice persona, but it is an epistolary novel, including a series of Joey Evans' missives to his "dear pal Ted." Down on his luck nightclub MC and singer Joey Evans is always trying to get his more successful friend Ted to help him get a job in New York, where Ted seems to be doing very well in his own musical career, but clearly Ted isn't biting. The novel started as a story that O'Hara submitted to The New Yorker, first published in 1938. It was so popular he wrote more and more, until they were compiled published as a novel in 1940. To the delight of the reader, your pal Joey writes like he talks, which, a la Derek Zoolander, is not too good:

Dear Friend Ted
That is if I can call you friend after the last two weeks for it is a hard thing to do considering. I do not know if you realize what has happen to me oweing to your lack of consideration. Maybe it is not lack of consideration. Maybe it is on purpose. Well if it is on purpose all I have to say is maybe you are the one that will be the loser and not me as I was going to do certan things for you but now it does not look like I will be able to do them.

From the 1957 film, Frank Sinatra as your pal Joey with mice Kim Novak and Rita Hayworth

Pal Joey is a mostly funny read. Joey is grasping, but mostly clueless. He does seem to have a pretty good talent for the music and jazz of the time, but his human relations skills are less than zero, especially with the "mice" (Joey's slang for girls) that he encounters along the way. Joey doesn't seem to be doing much better with his career by the end of the novel than he did when it started, which adds to the realism, and even humor of the piece. Joey may have been a heel, but his persona has lived on entertainingly in print, stage, and screen.

1935's BUtterfield 8 was made into a successful film in 1960, starring Elizabeth Taylor (who won the Oscar for Best Actress) and then-husband Eddie Fisher, right before she went on to make the blockbuster Cleopatra. The story centers on Gloria Wandrous, a young woman who lives her life freely - sleeping with men that she likes, while searching for a meaningful life. Gloria is a complicated person. It is revealed, midway through the novel, that she was a victim of child sexual abuse. She is quite frank and flirtatious with her closest friend, commercial artist Eddie, who seems to be her only true friend. Gloria is getting tired of her itinerant life and believes that she has fallen in love with her latest lover, married man Weston Liggett. But will she be able to get past her malaise and open herself to love and a life with Liggett?

From the 1960 film, Elizabeth Taylor in her Oscar-winning turn as Gloria Wandrous in BUtterfield 8

“On this Sunday morning in May, this girl who later was to be the cause of a sensation in New York, awoke much too early for her night before. One minute she was asleep, the next she was completely awake and dumped into despair. It was the kind of despair that she had known perhaps two thousand times before, there being 365 mornings in a calendar year.”

The book, although interesting to read and progressive for its time, has problems. Gloria is racist and abusive to her mother's black maid as a matter of course. She is the recipient of sexist behavior, which is not surprising, considering the time the story takes place, but that same sexism is also ultimately worked into the plot. Why is Gloria made to "pay" for her choices and behavior while her partner, Liggett, seems to get off scot free? That can happen frequently in life, but did the reader in 1935 accept her fate as unjust or inevitable? Events in the 1960 film may have been depicted as tragic, but seemed equally cliché. BUtterfield 8 seems a precursor, almost a companion story to Breakfast at Tiffany's. The authors each presented interesting, free-spirited women as their protagonists, but in the end, don't seem to know what to do with them.

This post also appears on Cannonball Read 11

free spirit holly golightly, forever a cipher

2019-09-23T13:57:00.003-04:00

Breakfast at Tiffany's the book shares a lot of the same traits as Breakfast at Tiffany's the film: charming in places, predictable in others, with some questionable and unnecessary ethnic and racist slurs. Truman Capote wrote it in 1958, but the story is set in 1943 as a young, unnamed writer (Capote's stand-in) moves into a brownstone on the upper east side of Manhattan. He soon encounters his 19 year-old enigmatic neighbor, Holly Golightly. She proceeds to charm and repel him at intervals, while remaining oblivious to his roller coaster-like reactions to her.

Holly (Audrey Hepburn) and Paul (George Peppard) spend a day in Manhattan in Breakfast At Tiffany's

Holly is definitely the most interesting character in the story, although she ultimately remains a cipher. What makes the book truly delightful is Capote's way with words. His descriptions of Holly and her antics are a joy to read, even if his humble narrator doesn't seem to ever really grasp her true character or what motivates her.

She was still hugging the cat. "Poor slob," she said, tickling his head, "Poor slob without a name. It's a little inconvenient, his not having a name. But I haven't any right to give him one: he'll have to wait until he belongs to somebody. We just sort of took up by the river one day, we don't belong to each other: he's an independent, and so am I. I don't want to own anything until I know I've found the place where me and things belong together. I'm not quite sure where that is just yet. But I know what it's like." She smiled, and let the cat drop to the floor. "It's like Tiffany's . . . nothing very bad could happen to you there, not with those kind men in their nice suits, and that lovely smell of silver and alligator wallets. If I could find a real-life place that made me feel like Tiffany's, then I'd buy some furniture and give the cat a name.”

Breakfast At Tiffany's, by Truman Capote

As fun and quick a read as it is, Breakfast at Tiffany's shows a dark side of New York, whether that was Capote's intention or not. Holly has been around - since a very young age. She may be mature beyond her years, but she is still a teenager who is being fawned over by a series of much older men, the narrator included. All these men want something from Holly - to love her, sleep with her, tame her. But she manages to evade their grasp. A young woman living independently, on her own terms, in 1940s New York was an anomaly. Holly as a character makes for interesting reading, but in the end Capote has her leave New York, leave the country, with no explanation, no resolution. Maybe he just didn't know how to deal with such a free spirit. She eluded him, too.

This post also appears on Cannonball Read 11

i loved laura, except for . . .

2019-09-23T12:51:00.002-04:00

Another book from my personal challenge of reading the source material for favorite classic movies: Laura, by Vera Caspary. This book is a detective noir, as hard-boiled and cynical as any of the genre, but written by a woman. It was originally published, a la Dickens, as a serial, "Ring Twice for Laura," in Colliers Magazine in 1942/43. The classic film noir, starring Gene Tierney as Laura and Dana Andrews as a detective who finds himself falling in love with a dead woman as he investigates her murder, came out a year later—so Hollywood was right on this as the perfect tale for a hit movie.

Detective Mark MacPherson (Dana Andrews) contemplates a portrait of Laura Hunt (Gene Tierney)

The story is told from the viewpoint of several main characters, including Detective Mark MacPherson, esthete and friend of the deceased Waldo Lydecker, and Laura's unfaithful fiancé Shelby Carpenter. It is up to the reader to piece together the stories about this fascinating woman and race along with Mark to solve the crime. The murder is actually a quite brutal one—ostensibly Laura went to answer her doorbell and was killed with a shotgun blast to the face. The method of the crime is in stark contrast to the glamorous New York City apartments and surroundings of Laura's life as an advertising executive, an impressive job for a young woman in 1942. We learn quite a bit about Mark, Waldo, and Shelby, too. Laura, a romantic thriller, is a great book with great characters, and I loved it - with one major caveat. Spoiler alert—read no further if you haven't seen the movie . . .

Laura, by Vera Caspary

SPOILER:

It is discovered more than halfway through the book that the body of the murdered woman in Laura's apartment was not Laura, so the reader finally gets to meet her and see if other's descriptions of her square with the genuine article. And at first, she does, beautifully. She is honest, earnest and even shows some interest in Mark, so things seem to be going quite smoothly to a romantic finish—as long as Laura isn't the murderer. But the real problem for me is that Caspary has Laura casually drop the "N" word in conversation and it completely soured my interest in her character. I understand that such casual racism was probably quite common in the 1940s, but . . . yuk.

I did a little research on the author, who led a quite interesting life, but found no clues as to her thoughts about race. She dabbled in Socialism and Communism, even going so far as visiting Russia to see if the country lived up to her expectations. She lived openly with her married British lover for years before finally marrying in 1948. She led an unusual life, like her protagonist, for a woman of the time.

Apparently the publisher of this reprint series, actually subtitled Femmes Fatales, and published by The Feminist Press at CUNY, didn't see any reason to add an editor's note about Laura's outburst. It's a single, strange event that happens and never occurs again in the text, by her or any other character.
Sigh. It's best to be honest about our past to go forward into the future. This is not the only instance of racist language that I have encountered in my recent book-to-film adventures. So far the 40s and 50s American popular literature is proving quite problematic.

This post also appears on Cannonball Read 11

the uninvited: ghosts like us

2019-09-22T19:41:00.003-04:00

I love old black and white movies, especially mysteries and horror movies. I was watching one of my all-time favorites, The Uninvited, a ghost story starring Ray Milland recently (it's a really superior film - I highly recommend it if you've never seen it) and I started to wonder where the idea for the movie had come from. Was it an original screenplay? A short story? A novel? A quick internet search revealed that the film, directed by English director Lewis Allen was based on a 1941 novel written by Irish author Dorothy Macardle. If I had these idle thoughts a few years ago I would have been out of luck, as the book had long been out of print. But luckily The Uninvited, or as it was originally titled in Britain, Uneasy Freehold, is now available in a reprint paperback, and even luckier, it is also a great ghost story in print.

Siblings Pamela and Roddy Fitzgerald (Ruth Hussey and Ray Milland) suspect they might not be alone in their new home

Brother and sister Roderick (Roddy, played by Ray Milland in the film) and Pamela Fitzgerald (played by Rich Hussey in the film) are on their way back to London from Devon (Cornwall in the film) when they are drawn to an old, abandoned house on the side of a cliff. The house is in great condition and unbelievably inexpensive. The pair decide to buy it and leave the city for the country. They soon discover the reason why it's a bargain. The house, called "Cliff's End," has a reputation for strange sounds and occurrences. The siblings try to unravel the history of the house and soon discover it may be centered around their lovely neighbor, Stella Meredith (Gail Russell in the film).

Trying to contact their uninvited guest

The film version definitely streamlined some of the characters (most notably, Dr. Scott), but it is as subtle and full of dread as its source. What struck me the most was how people talked to one another. People were just so much more polite and refined in their language. There is nothing stuffy about how these characters speak, they come across as very real people, they're just . . . more willing to listen to one another? The book is good at presenting how the average person might deal with a supernatural experience, and what it might really mean when you've sunk all your savings into a haunted house.
The Uninvitedhas compassion for its protagonists and even its ghosts. A great read.

This post also appears on Cannonball Read 11

fire & blood: blah, blah, blah, blah, blah…

2019-09-22T17:03:00.000-04:00

I loved Game of Thrones from its very first episode. I was as shocked as any non-reader of the series at its Psycho-like twist in its penultimate first season episode. As soon as I could I grabbed a copy of the first novel. I read the rest and watched the series rush to its inevitable conclusion. I wasn’t as put off as some folks by plot turns that I felt I had seen coming, or at least had been hinted at as very possible outcomes. During the course of the show I probably even thought that some background of the dragon-loving Targaryan clan might be interesting to read. Boy, was I wrong about that. Fire & Blood, George R.R. Martin’s “history” of the Targaryan clan is a long, long, long read, and not a very good one. And to top it off, in typical GRRM fashion, this doorstop of a tome doesn’t even take us to the era of the television Targaryans. There’s another book to come, I fear. Or maybe even more than one. But they won’t be read by me.

To be fair, there were a few episodes, mainly about female Targaryans, in Fire & Blood that were fun stories, engaging the reader in classic GoT form. But they are surrounded by so, so many lists of characters with funky names and genealogies that even the invested GoT enthusiast can’t be expected to remember or care about any of them. After slogging through this mess of a book I’m not sure anymore what GRRM is up to. Does he have an editor? Does he want to even finish his unfinished GoT book series? Does it even matter? With an HBO prequel and teased additional GoT universe adaptations in the works maybe he has lost interest. I would suggest that he pick up a copy of Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur and do a re-read. I’m sure that tale of King Arthur and his knights and their ladies was one of his original inspirations for GoT. It is an entertaining, at times sexy and bloody medieval saga. It has everything that the first GoT novel had, with no filler. It is not a boring history, like Fire & Blood, either.

Fire & Blood’s best feature are illustrations by Doug Wheatley

This post also appears on Cannonball Read 11

quick questions with a cannonballer: xoxoxoe

2019-03-25T16:34:00.000-04:00

Check out my author interview on Cannonball Read!

favorite movie #120 - holiday edition: when harry met sally ...

2018-12-25T11:00:00.000-05:00

Favorite movies that have had an impact on me - #120 - When Harry Met Sally ... (1989) - This movie is so much more than the famous Katz's Deli scene. Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan are perfectly matched as two people who wonder if men and women can ever really just be friends. Helping them find the answer are Carrie Fisher and Bruno Kirby. Ryan's "high-maintenance" Sally may always ask for everything "on the side," but don't we all want things the way we want them? The movie culminates in a great New York New Year's Eve scene.

Harry Burns (Billy Crystal): There are two kinds of women: high maintenance and low maintenance.

Sally Albright (Meg Ryan): Which one am I?

Harry: You're the worst kind; you're high maintenance but you think you're low maintenance.

Sally: I don't see that.

Harry: You don't see that? Waiter, I'll begin with a house salad, but I don't want the regular dressing. I'll have the balsamic vinegar and oil, but on the side. And then the salmon with the mustard sauce, but I want the mustard sauce on the side. "On the side" is a very big thing for you.

Sally: Well, I just want it the way I want it.

Harry: I know; high maintenance.

Merry Christmas!

favorite movie #119 - holiday edition: follow the fleet

2018-12-24T11:00:00.000-05:00

Favorite movies that have had an impact on me - #119 - Follow the Fleet (1936) - The New Year's holiday was always synonymous with Astaire/Rogers films on television when I was growing up in the New Jersey/New York area. All of their films are good, but this film is my favorite, because it includes the uber-romantic and melancholy dance number, "Let's Face the Music and Dance."

Fun fact: "Let's Face the Music and Dance" is filmed in one continuous take, lasting two minutes and fifty seconds.

favorite movie #118 - holiday edition: christmas in connecticut

2018-12-23T11:00:00.000-05:00

Favorite movies that have had an impact on me - #118 - Christmas in Connecticut (1945) - Barbara Stanwyck makes this cornball romance about a single food writer who falls in love with one of her biggest fans a joy to watch. Nobody could mix corny and sassy like Stanwyck. Along for the ride are Dennis Morgan, Sydney Greenstreet, S.Z. Sakall, and Una O'Connor.

favorite movie #117 - holiday edition: peter’s friends

2018-12-22T11:00:00.000-05:00

Favorite movies that have had an impact on me - #117 - Peter’s Friends (1992) - This film, about the getting together around the New Year's holiday by a bunch of old college friends, feels mostly improvisational, and probably for good reason — most of the cast are old college friends or frequent collaborators. Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry, Emma Thompson, Tony Slattery, and screenwriter Martin Bergman attended Cambridge University together and were members of the Cambridge Footlights. Director Kenneth Branagh was married to Emma Thompson at the time of filming, and Bregman is married to co-writer Rita Rudner. Hugh Laurie was a former comedy partner of Stephen Fry, and Imelda Staunton has appeared in numerous projects with all of the cast. Called a British Big Chill, the film is less about a generation as it is about the nature of friendship. Some of the plotting and situations seem familiar, but the fun comes from watching this talented cast interact with one another. And I am happy for any chance to see one of my favorite British comedians, Tony Slattery, apply his zany energy to anything.

Stephen Fry

Tony Slattery