Tag: Romance
From the Terrace (1960) starring Paul Newman & Joanne Woodward
Alcoholism, dysfunctional families, romance, infidelity (w/ its gendered double-standards), and America’s obsession w/ money and power are the main themes in this (ahead of it’s time) melodrama. I watched it last night (on Netflix); of course, Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward (who were married for 2 years at that time) were the draw. Wow, if you want to see some HOT onscreen chemistry, check out their scenes together (first half of the film)! As for Newman, he’s the definition of Hollywood’s total package (looks, presence, talent, the ability to be both humorous and serious, etc.)
In 1946, Aflred Eaton (Newman) returns to suburban Philly after serving in the Navy (WWII) to the loving arms of… his household staff. His parents checked out long ago. His father (Leon James) puts all his heart into his steel mill and mourning someone who will never return. His mother (Myrna Loy) has turned to alcohol and another man. A private nurse lives with her- a great shock to Alfred. As his best pal, Alex Porter (a young and dapper George Grizzard), says he “needs to get out of that house” and their expectations. Like many young folks, Alfred heads to NYC.
In a few months time, Alfred falls in love with Mary St. John (platinum-haired Woodward), a blue blood from Delaware. She is engaged to another man and her parents would not approve of Alfred’s “qualifications,” Alex quickly explains. “There are all types of qualifications,” Alfred slyly retorts. After winning Mary’s hand, he starts working with Alex on designing/selling small planes on Long Island, but grows tired of being left out of the decision-making. (The business was financed by the Porter family.) An accident of chance propels Alfred into the society, then business, of one of the wealthiest financiers on the East Coast. Alfred throws himself into his work, repeating his father’s mistake, and neglects Mary (not content to sit at home alone in their fancy Manhattan apartment).
The Catered Affair (1956)
This is a great little movie filled with real life heartache and genuine emotion. Bette Davis gives a strong performance as the matriarch of the family determined to give her only daughter a proper wedding even though the family can’t afford to do so. Ernest Borgnine is perfectly cast as the slovenly, hard working taxi cab driver. In fact, everyone is up to par in this film, but it’s the real life situations that tug at your heart strings. –IMDB review
The trick is not to become somebody else. You become somebody else when you’re in front of a camera or when you’re on stage. There are some people who carry it all the time. That, to me, is not acting. What you’ve gotta do is find out what the writer wrote about and put it into your mind. -Ernest Borgnine on his method of acting
I watched this film, written by Paddy Chayefsky (Marty), last weekend w/ my parents; they had seen it before and really liked it. It took me a FEW minutes to realize that the mother was Bette Davis- LOL! She is totally transformed; they gave her a “make-under,” as we’d say today. Tom (Borgnine) and Agnes Hurley (Davis) are working-class/devout Irish-Catholics living in a small apartment in the Bronx with a daughter, son, and Agnes’ older brother. Tom, a taxi driver, has been saving money for many years to buy a cab and license (medallions don’t come cheap nowadays either). They both become concerned when their eldest child, daughter Jane (Debbie Reynolds in an early role), announces that she’s getting married to her long-time beau, a teacher- Ralph (Rod Taylor).
Jane, who has an office job, insists that she wants a very small wedding and no reception. Agnes thinks that’s not good enough, lamenting to Tom: “We never did anything for that girl!” Agnes knows what she missed out on, and now wants those experiences for her daughter. In no time, Jane’s wedding planning gets out of hand, thanks to the wishes of Agnes and Ralph’s parents (who are more better off financially). Jane tells Ralph she doesn’t want to end up like her parents. We learn more about the Hurleys (strained/seemingly loveless) marriage. Agnes awkwardly tells Jane that marriage is not like dating; there will be sacrifices and compromises (mostly made by women).
Into the Woods (NOW PLAYING)
NOTE: This is a SPOILER-FREE review.
Anything can happen in the woods…
I saw this movie musical last weekend with my parents; they are both big fans of Meryl Streep. We didn’t know what to expect, since we hadn’t seen the play or read up on many details. I just thought it was a reimagining of several fairy tales with songs. It was directed by Rob Marshall (who has an unexpected hit with Chicago).
We were pleasantly surprised to see that Emily Blunt was a key role- she plays The Baker’s Wife. The Baker is played by a likeable Everyman type, James Corden, who is from the theater world. These actors had good chemistry together and made a quite believable couple. They were the center of the story.
Stay a child while you can be a child.
The Wolf (Johnny Depp in a small role) has a song about the deliciousness of Little Red Riding Hood and Granny; this bordered on controversy because of the lyrics. The song was changed from the original version (which was heard by playgoers).
Fans of The Good Wife will get a kick out of seeing Broadway vet Christine Baranski and Tammy Blanchard (who had a recurring roles on the courtroom drama series). I got a kick out of their outlandish hairstyles and clothes. And the trying on the shoe part- well. you’ll see!
Careful the path they take, wishes come true, not free.
Anna Kendrick seemed to be miscast as Cinderella; she even admitted that she thought she’d be cast as Red. The two princes have a hilarious duet along a waterfall (Agony)! Chris Pine, who actually looks good with a bit of a beard (unlike many men), said he did a Captain Kirk (William Shatner) impression at one point in the number. (I’m sure the Trekkies out there will notice it.) Pine did a good job with the material, I was surprised to see!
Aside from Streep, Blunt, and Corden, young Daniel Huttlestone does a good job. You may remember him from the latest Les Miserables film, where he also sang. Tracey Ullman provided some bits of comedy as Jack’s irritable/critical mother.
One reviewer (IMDB) commented: “I think that the later half of the movie, after the ‘happily ever after’ scene, was not given the same attention as the first half of the movie. It felt like someone stepped in at the last moment and said: Hey, movies shouldn’t be allowed to have a happy fairy tale ending anymore. Let’s add some grim to it.” In response, a theatergoer said: “The stage show has a two act structure that works a lot better. The first act is the fairy tale happy ever after. The second, which takes place roughly a year later, is what happens when you get your wish but are still unsatisfied and want for more. The second act is really a metaphor for greed and looking a gift horse in the mouth.” If you want more analysis of the film, check out this podcast ep!
Being Mary Jane (Season 1)
SPOILERS: Don’t read this review if you have not yet seen or don’t want to know details from Season 1 of the BET drama series Being Mary Jane.
I discovered this fabulous TV show 2 weeks ago (thanks to Netflix), and binged watch the pilot movie and 1st season over 3 days! Being Mary Jane is set in Atlanta and centers on an ambitious, gorgeous, and very complicated (therefore relateable) TV talk show host named Mary Jane Paul (Gabrielle Union). She’s in her mid-30s, black, and has never been married- VERY common in the U.S in our modern times. Women of color will be (especially) able to relate to this show.
Hey, it’s not ALL about glitz and guys (as may seem from the ads). Aside from two loves- the fallen family man, Andre (Omari Hardwick) and IT entrepreneur, David (Stephen Bishop), Mary Jane (real name: Pauletta Patterson) has to juggle a complicated (extended) family, close girlfriends, a closeted gay pal, among others. The supporting characters add flavor to this multifaceted drama.
In the movie pilot, Mary Jane discovers that the man she’s been seeing for the last several months (and fallen in love with) is already married when she steps on his wedding band while retrieving his clothes- how awful! She promptly kicks Andre out of her house and turns the water hose on him- kinda funny. This sets the tone of the show- you rarely get what you expect.
At work, Mary Jane has a strong alliance with her executive producer, Kara (Lisa Vidal), a powerful Latina in her 40s. Her time-consuming job has taken a toll on her marriage, causing much regret. These BFFs talk about everything, no matter how uncomfortable! They have a long-term plan to gain more power, so that they can present stories they feel are more socially relevant. Kara is tough because she has to be, but when it comes to her two sons, she can get emotional. In one ep, she admits that her ex-husband, John, is the better parent.
Mary Jane has been a positive role model to the teenaged Niecy (Raven Goodwin), the eldest daughter of her older brother, Patrick (Richard Brooks). However, Niecy has a serious self-esteem problem (considers herself to be ugly) and pregnant with her second child. When she confesses that the father is her Filipino-American boyfriend, Dante, Patrick comments how these [immigrant] boys are “trying so hard to be thugs” to fit in with the black kids.
Mary Jane gets Niecy an appointment with her close/long-time friend, Dr. Lisa Hudson (Latarsha Rose), a sought-after OB-GYN (ironically celibate). Lisa has a tendency toward depressive moods, though she’s religious (referring to God and The Bible on several occasions). Like Mary Jane, she’s also single and has a lovely house all to herself.
Patrick (a recovering cocaine addict), his white/much younger girlfriend Tracy, and their young kids have been living in the family home for the last three years. He helps his mother keep track of all her meds. Patrick, a rather stoic man who once managed the hottest club in town, even provides some relationship advice to Mary Jane.
The “baby” (and future hope) of the family is Mary Jane’s younger brother, Paul Jr, a cute, smart and charming college student in his mid-20s. It boggles the mind that he is selling drugs on the side, until he explains wanting pay back his parents for the tuition, room, and board they’ve provided. In on ep, he gets legal help via Andre, who’s old pals with a cop.
Aside from her neighbor/co-worker, Mark (Aaron D. Spears), Mary Jane has another male supporter- her father Paul, Sr. (veteran actor Richard Roundtree). He was in the armed forces, then a commercial pilot, and eventually the first black board member on an airline company.
In one poignant scene, Paul, Sr. softly admits to his daughter “sometimes, I wish she’d just die” about his fading wife, Helen (Margaret Avery from The Color Purple). He adds: “I hope you get to experience love like that someday.” Wow… It turns out that Helen suffers from lupus. Later on in the series, Helen laments the loss of her looks to Mary Jane (which she had so much pride in). I’ve NEVER seen any series, focusing on a single woman, that rings this true-to-life emotionally (not unlike SATC and Girls).
Knightleyemma 