Paint your Wagon, Blazing Saddles, Stage Fright and Way out West.

I have to confess until recently the western was not one of my favourite film genres, but, after watching John Wayne, Rock Hudson and others in westerns I have changed my mind. Westerns do not have to be all cowboys and indians they can be funny too.


The plot for Paint your Wagon (1969) is a travelling Mormon with 2 wives decides to get rid of the troublesome one when he passes through a male only camp. Lee Marvin is Ben Rumson who shares a gold claim and cabin with his friend Pardner played by Clint Eastwood. During the course of the film Elizabeth (the bought wife) confesses to loving both men. I really like this film except for the scene with Clint Eastwood singing in the woods which is embarrassing, I know you should not stereotype but I am used to the tough guy; man of few words in a poncho not a pink smocked shirt!

 I have never watched a Laurel and Hardy film but seen lots of their clips including the famous Way out West dance scene (1937).

I am always on the lookout in the TV guide for one of their films even in the early hours, until then these gentlemen will continue to hold my living room door open for me.

I own two Alfred Hitchcock box sets, one of which contains the murder mystery Stage Fright (1950) starring Marlene Dietrich and the wonderful Jane Wyman. Miss Dietrich's character Charlotte Inwood does a rendition of 'I'm the Laziest Gal in Town' on a chaise lounge in a thin one gown. This was the influence for Lili Von Shtupp in Blazing Saddles (1974) played by Madeleine Kahn, She is in black, her song is called 'I'm tired' and it is hilarious!

Edward G Robinson & Chief Wiggum. Andy Devine & Friar Tuck. George Sanders & Shere Khan.

Have you ever watched an old film and thought I recognise that voice? Today any B-Z list celebrity can voice a character in an animated film and it would be hard to distinguish who is who; but the 3 following actors have such wonderful vocal tones that it is not hard to understand why their voices were chosen.

Edward G Robinson did not actually voice Chief Wiggum from The Simpson as he died in 1973 and the cartoon started in 1987 but the character's voice is an Hank Azaria impression of the film noir actor. Wiggum's voice was initially to be David Brinkley an NBC and ABC newsreader but his voice was considered too slow (thanks Wikipedia). In Little Caesar (1931) Robinson plays the hoodlum of the title and rounds up his henchmen with calls of 'Come on Boys' just as Chief Wiggum does in The Simpsons.

I recently watched The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) for the first time and loved it. The scene where John Wayne's corrects James Stewart's holding of a hand gun is great chemistry and very funny. Town Marshall Link Appleyard is played by Andy Devine who also voiced Friar Tuck in Walt Disney's Robin Hood (1973). Devine's raspy with just a touch of cowardliness voice was magnificent. Prior to Liberty Valance I had never heard of Devine but he appeared in over 400 films and has a star on Hollywood Boulevard.

There is a little known film starring Barabara Stanwyck and George Sanders called Witness to Murder (1954). Stanwyck's character Cheryl Draper lives alone and through her bedroom window witness's a woman being strangled in an adjacent apartment, later she learns that the murderer is a charismatic Ex-Nazi. Sanders was Shere Khan in Jungle Book (1967); his hypnotic and menacing voice was perfect for villains and scheming cads.

Veronica Lake, Kim Basinger, L. A Confidential and Crime Wave.

I remember reading somewhere that film costume designer Edith Head had experienced problems dressing stars with figure issues such as Dorothy Lamour's wide hips, Bette Davis refusing to wear a bra and Veronica Lake's long neck. Apparently it was wardrobe staff and the 'studio system' that decided she should disguise it with certain dress necklines and wear her hair long but swept to one side instead of pony tails.

  

Even in work-wear Miss Lake's sexiness is very evident but its the latter hairstyle which made her famous.

In the film The Major and The Minor (1942) there is an hilarious scene when the boys from an academy attend a dance with a local girls school. One boy comes out and warns the other boys that the girls are all Veronica Lake lookalikes. As they enter the dance hall the walls are lined with said girls all with their long hair over the right side of their faces all attempting sexy sultry stares!

During the 1970's Kim Basinger co-starred in a show called Dog and Cat (1977), Miss Basinger was the cat (female police officer) in her first leading role, unfortunately it was cancelled after only 6 episodes. Years later she played Lynn Bracken in L A Confidential (1997). Miss Basinger's character is a prostitute who's hair has been dyed blond to make her resemble Veronica Lake for her starstruck clients. She won an Oscar for the part. 

As you would expect I love the clothes in the film, especially the outfit worn by Miss Bracken when attending the police station. The trench coat, two tone brogue shoes and beret look is a favourite of mine.

I don't know if the writers or producers of L A Confidential had ever seen a film called Crime Wave (1954. A.K.A The City is Dark) but to me the similarity of these two films is striking. Both are set in Los Angeles and have plots which centre around the killing of a police officer; nothing unusual there but the feel of them is like a black & white and a colour vision of the same film with different character names. 

The poster for L A Confidential always makes me smile, maybe they didn't think the film would appeal to women so the majority of advertising space is Kim Basinger's breasts!

Jane Russell, her Lambeth baby boy and Gentlemen prefer Blondes.

Since childhood my father (a lifelong Guinness drinker) would tell me that he had an Irish drinking buddy in the 50s/60s who was the father of Jane Russell's adopted son. As a child my response was Jane Who? later in my teen years it was 'Yes, al-right dad I believe you'. Well decades later if I could I would apologise to my Dad because he had been telling the truth.

Jane Russell's adoption of a local boy caused a hue and cry in the London Borough of Lambeth. Member of Parliament Mr. Marcus Lipton raised the issue during members question time as British Law did not allow foreigners to adopt British children.

The pub where the boy's father and my dad drank was located in Brixton and called The Queen. It was demolished recently and a block of flats built but the name remains.

My collection of vintage dress making patterns include a 'Gay Girl' blouse modelled by Miss Russell. The cut is a classic style from the 50s/60s and I love it!

I have a Marilyn Monroe box set (bought from Sainsbury's supermarket) which includes 'Gentlemen Prefer Blondes' (1953). The film has some great fashions; wiggle dresses and evening gowns, but for me it is this wonderful swing jacket/coat worn by Miss Russell that even I'd wear.

Each time I watch the film I shake my head in disbelief at the following scene, how did they get those shorts past the censors?

Maureen O'Hara, Spencer's Mountain, The Waltons and Pan AM.

Prior to seeing Maureen O'Hara in Spencer's Mountain (1963) I had only ever seen her in wife or mother roles as she is in this film. Well this is the mother of all her roles because Mrs Spencer has 9 children but she looks incredibly well turned out in her lovely gingham dresses in the kitchen or hanging out the family washing. Perhaps it had something to do with this O'Hara's soap advert from the 50s/60s.

Spencer's Mountain was the inspiration for the TV show The Waltons which aired between 1972 and 1981. If you ever watch the film you will hear the whole family saying good night to each other when the lights are put out just as they annoying did in the show.

O'Hara had three husbands; one was Pan Am pilot Captain Charlie Blair. Part nostalgia, part OK/Hello generation and part the disappointing TV drama which lacks any drama we have a renewed interest in 91 year old Miss OHara. She married Captain Blair in 1968 and ten years later was a widow when he died in a plane crash which he had piloted.

Most recently I saw her playing Mum (what else?) in Only the Lonely (1991), she co starred with the late John Candy.

I wonder if she will ever appear as a passenger in Pan Am? Please! the show could really do with at least one interesting character!

Oliver Reed, The Triple Echo and Stockwell, South London.

Oliver Reed was well known for his drunken behaviour which sadly overshadowed his great acting ability. A shamefully underrated British actor his most popular role was as Bill Sykes in Oliver (1968) but my favourite was Sergeant in The Triple Echo (1972) with Glenda Jackson and Brian Deacon. The film to purchase is rare and hard to find but is available to watch on the internet.  Jackson plays farmer's wife Alice left alone when her husband is a Japanese POW, Deacon is army deserter Barton who hides at the farm and becomes her lover. Reed's character is in charge of the search for AWOL soldiers, when Alice decides to dress Barton as a female called 'Cathy' to disguise him neither could have guessed that the Sergeant would fancy 'her'.

Reed's loud sweaty overbearing Sergeant makes you fear for the other lead characters and Barton goes too far when he agrees to accompany him to a local dance as Cathy. Up to this point in the film he gets away with his disguise as he has delicate features and is slim, even puny. The Sergeant however is stockily built, a heavy drinker and horny as hell!

Years ago when showing a potential tenant a flat he told me he was reading the book Evil Spirits, The life of Oliver Reed by Cliff Goodwin (Virgin Books Ltd 2000) which had mentioned Reed's Stockwell council flat at Tring House. He was born 13 February 1938 in Wimbledon but during his first marriage to Kate Byrne they had lived at the Lambeth address whilst he was employed as a vacuum cleaner salesman. (imagine him knocking at your door with that bruttish but handsome face, you'd buy anything he was selling).

Some day Tring House may get a blue plaque. 'Oliver Reed, the actor, lived here'.

Radio Days, Carmen Miranda and colourful clothes.

Last Christmas one of my presents was the vinyl soundtrack for the film Radio Days (1987). I have it on display in my home as the cover is great, like the film's poster the record cover is Mia Farrow (Sally White) standing in front of radio dials with a now vintage style microphone. It is set in the 1930s and 40s with writer and director Woody Allen narrating the story of Joe and his friends childhood memories such as their sexy school teacher and the Masked Avenger radio show.

There are some great clothes in the film, Jeffrey Kurland won a Bafta for Best Costume Design. My favourite is the multicoloured striped jacket worn by Sally for her part in a radio drama, try as I might I could not find a picture of it on the internet.

As you would expect from a film about radio, music is important; in fact there are so many tunes during the film that many are omitted from the record. One song not included is Carmen Miranda's 'South American Way' which  I now have on the CD Brazilian Bombshell's 25 Hits, I recognised a couple of the songs but unfortunately I only speak English so the lyrics of the others are a mystery but it's all good.

 'The Brazilian Bombshell' was born in Portugal 1909, her father loved opera music but did not approve of show business for his second daughter Maria do Carmo Miranda da Cunda. (Thanks Wikipedia). Like many people I associate fruit on the head and colourful long dresses with Carmen Miranda, her trademark outfit is favoured for fancy dress parties and by drag artists. I collect vintage dress making patterns and one I would love to find is McCall's Chiquita Banana Costume which I saw in a book. (Page 41. Laboissonniere, Wade. Blueprints of Fashion Home Sewing Patterns of the 1950's. Schiffer Publications Ltd. 1999).

Radio Days is fun, nostalgic and a delightful film, one scene has cousin Ruthie in exotic blouse, towel as a turban and colourful bangles doing 'South American Way' her way, arms and legs everywhere in this lovely clip. 

Britain, Battersea, Bishops and This Happy Breed.

This Happy Breed (1944) is a story of a Battersea based family between the war years; 1919 to 1939. Its a David Lean masterpiece written by Noel Coward and stars John Mills and Robert Newton.  Mum, Dad, Gran, one aunt and three grown up children; Reg, Vi and Queenie all live under one roof.  Daughter Queenie is a 'all fur coat and no knickers' social climber who thinks she is to good for suburbia. There are deaths, a couple of weddings and war babies born.

When the family move to Stonhouse Street in Clapham the removal company is Bishops & Sons Depositories. The company now trades under the name Bishops Removals and still has a branch in Battersea.

The films' era has great clothes; the men wore suits to work, when resting and even to the seaside. The women's fashions change from flapper dresses to lovely tea dresses (lots of dressmaking in the home) and wrap over coat/jackets like this one:

This Happy Breeds' great characters and real locations is a wonderful showcase for the then British working class way of life.

Outer space, Capricorn One and Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

Almost all adults can name where they were for an important event. For me it was Mr Obama winning the election, unfortunately I was asleep or Princess Diana's death, again I was in bed asleep! So it is no surprise that the US moon landing in 1969 is an important historical event; except I don't believe it ever happened.

In 1977 a film was released called Capricorn One. I remember seeing a cardboard cut out of an astronaut advertising the film in Selfridges department store. I was attending secondary school so at the weekend went to see the film at our local fleapit. At long last here was an explaination for how they could have done it, because of the great plot and Telly Salvalas' excellent acting in a cameo role as a grumpy crop duster this has remained one of my favourite films.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind was also released in 1977 and again is one of my favourite films. Unlike the moon landing I do believe in the possiblity of aliens (Sylvester Stallone and his mum? surely, come on!). I am not sure if I have spotted a movie mistake at the end of the film. When the people in red boiler suits are lining up to board the space craft the white haired lady is in front of the black guy but when the camera turns a different angle she has swapped places and is behind him. Well I don't blame her, I would want to be last on before the door closes too, the first glimpse of aliens doing any human probbing and I would turn on my heels and get the hell out of there!

(This clip is 30 minutes long but the 'mistake' is 23.30 to 23.50 mins in, so just fast forward).

Celluloid Brixton, criminality and Black Joy.

As a virgin blogger I though I’d write my first post about what I know; old films and Brixton.

I love Brixton, but unfortunately it seems long before the 80s riots the area had an infamous association with criminality, however thankfully others feel the same as I do; this was a recent display in Windrush Square.

My VPlus is always set for something old on TCM and recently I watched for the first time a film called Victim (1961) starring Dirk Bogarde. Set in London’s swinging 60s it tells the story of a group of men being blackmailed because they are homosexuals; which was not legalised until 1967. In the film one of the men (who are described in derogatory terms by their local pub landlord and a policeman) receives an envelope containing a blackmail letter; his address is 9 Rosebank Road SW9 which is Brixton.

(Yes I Goggled it, there is only a Rosebank Road in E17).

TCM also has been repeating Dial M for Murder (1954). Cheating wife Margo’s husband wants her killed to claim the life insurance. Margo’s lover tells her that the blackmail letter in his hand was posted in Brixton. The film is then played out in their lovely flat in Mayfair.

If you want a real slice of celluloid Brixton life try the 1977 film Black Joy. It starred Norman Beattie who later played the barber in the TV show Desmonds.