I must be quite a guy

Note: You may recognize this post from a few weeks ago. That was the same time that I was doing a whole bunch of housecleaning and posting up a whole bunch of old posts that never got published and were just collecting dust in my list of posts. I was rather excited about this particular post so I rescheduled it on a less crowded day.

Today I'm going to highlight 3 videos. Woohoo! The theme is: roller skates! I feel as if everyone knows about Gene Kelly's fantastic dance scene on roller skates in It's Always Fair Weather. The dance is truly marvelous, but I always get a little irritated because Fred and Ginger did it first in Shall We Dance.



Of course, that's not to say that Gene wasn't absolutely brilliant when he did it several years later. And, I will admit, he carried the whole idea further, I think.



Then, I discovered yet another dancer doing this just the other day. One of my favorites, Donald O'Connor, dances in skates as well! So, here is Donald in I Love Melvin. The dancing portion begins around the 2 minute mark:

to show that I was dancin' by...

This photo, I'm pretty sure, can't quite handle all of the awesome it contains. Or maybe I can't. Can you imagine being a fly on the wall for this conversation?

New fish. Same hook.

So, I thought of an idea for a new segment today. I'm not sure how well it will work. And, to be honest, I'm not sure how often I'll do it, but it's worth a shot, right?

I was got the idea from listening to Marilyn Monroe's rendition of "Lazy" in There's No Business Like Show Business. Whenever I think of that song, I automatically think of Bing Crosby's rendition in Holiday Inn. I think it's kind of funny how the same song can be presented in so many different ways. Even when it's presented in a similar way, it can have a different effect. So, I thought I'd start a new series (that will be just as sporadic as my other series) that will compare songs covered by different performers. The trouble with this new segment is that I already have some songs in mind and two of them (today's included) involve a Marilyn Monroe song, which is pretty difficult to compare to anyone else because she kind of automatically makes everything sexy and that's hard to compare. And then I have a lot of Bing Crosby (today's included) which is also hard because he had a very particular style. But then, that's kind of the point. So, onward.

Today, I'll be showcasing two renditions of "Lazy" by Irving Berlin. The first, sung by Bing Crosby in Holiday Inn. This one is done in Bing's crooning style and is given an ironic, comedic twist. I never realized, listening to this version, how beautiful the tune is because I was too busy laughing at (and feeling sorry for) him in this montage. Just the same, this is a great version because this is one of the first scenes I think of when I think of this movie.

Bing, being lazy.

Marilyn, being lazy.

The second, sung by Marilyn Monroe in "There's No Business Like Show Business." I don't really understand why they threw the Donald O'Connor and Mitzi Gaynor into the mix, but since I like them together so much, I don't mind. Marilyn's delivery of this song is, obviously, very different. The way she draws out every word and every note makes the song much sexier and also, in my opinion, showcases the tune a bit more. While we are distracted by the way she's lounging on that couch, it fits so well with what's she's singing that I notice the song itself a bit more. But what I find funny about this version is that this song isn't necessarily sexy but Marilyn manages to make it so. P.S. I wish I could pull of Marilyn's outfit.



Both pictures were found on Doctor Macro.

It's a lovely day today

Now, for my shorter list of dancers, the dancing teams that were paired but once - either for one film or for one number. I fear I must apologize for being inconsistent. You see, I put John Brascia and Vera Ellen in the longer list because they were in about 3 dances together and I figured that was enough. However, when I came back to look at this list later, I realized that Ann Miller and Tommy Rall and Fred Astaire and Jane Powell have also met that criteria. What do you think? Should I rearrange my list so tha John Brascia and Vera Ellen are moved to the shorter list? Or does it really matter? I suppose in the grand scheme of things it doesn't matter too much, but I'd like to be consistent. I'll think about it. In the meantime, the list in no particular order:

Cyd Charisse and John Brascia
Favorite dance: "Frankie and Johnny" from Meet Me In Las Vegas

Ann Miller and Tommy Rall
Favorite dance: "Why Can't You Behave?" from Kiss Me Kate
(which is, unfortunately, unavailable)

Fred Astaire and Jane Powell
Favorite dance: "How Could You Believe Me?" but since that one is not available, here is my second favorite which is also from Royal Wedding

Gene Kelly and Rita Hayworth
Favorite dance: "Put Me To The Test" from Cover Girl

Donald O'Connor and Vera Ellen
Favorite dance: "Something to Dance About" from Call Me Madam

So please be sweet, my chickadee

So, I've been ridiculously negligent lately. It's mostly due to a busy schedule and being quite exhausted when I come home from work. I think that it also has to do with the fact that I've been kind of burning myself out a bit with this whole posting every day thing. Hopefully this brief break has gotten me back to normal. We'll see.

I'd like to thank everyone who has entered my giveaway so far. I'm incredibly excited! Don't forget - you can still enter!

Now, continuing on this month's list of dancing couples...

9. Donald O'Connor and Mitzi Gaynor



Favorite dance: "It's Delovely" from Anything Goes



This number is so cute! I do like them as a pair. I think they're adorable together. My favorite part is when they're doing the soft shoe shuffle type bit on top of that platform thing. It's so cute and kind of intimate. I like their relationship. They always seem kind of pal-ish, both in this one where they're a romantic pair and in There's No Business Like Show Business where they're siblings.

I hope this post will put me back into gear. I've kind of missed blogging.
Which brings me to a quick question. I've been thinking about opening up an etsy shop with my photography. I have a lot of photos, some better than others of course. I was thinking of testing some of the photos out on a blog and people could comment on whether or not they like them and then I'd know which ones are marketable. Good idea? What do you think?

What kind of an Irish lad is it who can sit here...

...while the fiddlers are fiddlin', the pipers are pipin', and the cottagers smilin' as if it were their weddin' night!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!! Order of business for today: I'm going to discuss one of my favorite dancers (#7!) and then list some of my favorite Irish-inspired songs in movie history.

7. Donald O'Connor
Favorite dance: "Make 'Em Laugh" from Singin' in the Rain



I was very happy to see that Mr. O'Connor was up next on the list, just in time for St. Patrick's Day - how perfect is that? I love Donald O'Connor. He had a genius blend of class and humor to his dancing. I could go on and on about Donald O'Connor, but I already have relatively recently. You can read the post here. I'll also link to my favorite of his dances (I tried to embed it but was unable to). Most of you have seen it already but it's always worth a rewatch. You can view it here.

To make up for not being able to embed Mr. O'Connor's video, I'll post another cool photo of him.



Unfortunately, I'm working most of the day and I'm going to have to work hard to fit some green into my outfit so as to avoid being pinched. To make up for it, I'm going to celebrate the holiday with wonderful scenes that will, hopefully, put us all in a fine, Irish mood!


"The Hat My Father Wore"

this song makes me feel happy and emotional (and Irish!) all at the same time!

"Fortuosity" (I get this song stuck in my head all the time!)

"Fortuitious little happy happenstances" - only the Sherman brothers! I love them!


and I would be horribly remiss to not include a couple of Quiet Man scenes, but they won't let me embed, so here they are:
Cottage kiss
Maureen O'Hara speaking in Irish

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Push the button, Max!

I have a few items to address today:

First things first, thank you to all who voted in last week's poll! In the Great Race poll, 6 people voted. 4 voted Professor Fate as their favorite Jack Lemmon character in the film and 2 voted for Prince Hapnik. So yay! Thank you for voting!


Second things second, thank you to all who guessed in the quote of the week! Everyone who guessed was correct - the quote was from Singin' in the Rain, spoken by Cosmo Brown to Don Lockwood regarding Lena Lamont. So, congratulations to Wendymoon, Emma, and Amanda for guessing correctly! I'm very excited about the quote of the week segment and I'm very encouraged by the response to the first one. Hooray!


Finally, I have a question. I watched Ball of Fire last night for the first time. Loved it! Gary Cooper was adorable and absolutely endearing, Barbara Stanwyck was sexy and amazing, and the professors were so much fun to watch! I'd been wanting to watch another Stanwyck film after seeing her in Christmas in Connecticut and this one was just as enjoyable as I hoped it would be! Now, my question regards Dana Andrews. I've seen him in State Fair but my experience with his acting is very limited. After seeing him in this movie... let's just say, I'm in love. (don't worry, I won't try to steal him away from anyone) As I mentioned in my last bid for advice, the one regarding James Cagney, I really do prefer light movies. Are there any Dana Andrews movies that are light or at least have happy endings that you could recommend? I'd be ever so grateful!

Top 20 Actors (aka Merry Christmas Ladies)

Kate Gabrielle at Silents and Talkies did a post the other day on her top 20 actors. She kindly opened the invitation to anyone who wanted to join in the fun. Well, I definitely want to join in the fun! So here are my top twenty favorite actors. The list is comprised of actors with whom I'm completely in love, the ones who are so great that they can do no wrong and character actors. I have a couple of explanations before I begin: the trend seems to be to list the actors along with your favorite roles they played - I simply couldn't decide with some of the actors and listed two movies (those are usually the ones who can do no wrong). Oh, and I too tag anyone who is interested. From my understanding, this meme has been going on for a while, which may mean I'm late in the game. Just the same, if anyone hasn't done this list yet and would like to then feel free to consider yourself tagged by me!

#1 Cary Grant
Philadelphia Story and Bringing Up Baby



#2 Fred Astaire
The Gay Divorcee and Swing Time



#3 Errol Flynn
The Adventures of Robin Hood and Captain Blood



#4 Gene Kelly
Singin' In the Rain and Summer Stock



#5 Danny Kaye
White Christmas and Court Jester



#6 William Powell
The Thin Man and I Love You Again



#7 Ricardo Montalban
Neptune's Daughter



#8 Rudolph Valentino
The Sheik


#9 Gary Cooper
Mr. Deeds Goes To Town



#10 James Stewart
The Philadelphia Story



#11 William Holden
Born Yesterday



#12 Donald O'Connor
Singin' in the Rain



#13 Frank Sinatra
On the Town


#14 Robert Redford
Barefoot in the Park



#15 Yul Brynner
The King and I



#16 Howard Keel *
Kiss Me Kate




#17 Peter Lawford
Easter Parade



#18 Bobby Darin
That Funny Feeling



#19 Charlie Chaplin
The Kid

(I'm a little obsessed with photos of Charlie Chaplin when he's not The Little Tramp. I think they're fascinating and very hard to find)

#20 Tony Curtis
Paris When It Sizzles



Wow! That was fun! Just out of curiosity, has anyone done a list of top 20 actresses or top 20 dancers?

Oh, and I'm going to take this opportunity for a little shameless self-promotion. Another one of my favorite hobbies is video editing. I actually considered pursuing editing as a career but realized I'd have to watch movies I don't like so I've been sticking to it as a hobby. Anyway, I made a movie a little while ago about who I think are the sexiest actors (most of them are on this list) and I thought I'd share it with you. The music is performed and written by a wonderful musician, Emma Wallace, who has a blog of her own.



I hope you like the video and the list! All comments are welcome! Thanks for reading!


* I originally had Edward Everett Horton because he is my favorite character actor. But then I thought about it and realized that I'd titled my entry "Merry Christmas Ladies" and Mr. Horton, though fantastic, is not exactly dreamy. I had just happened to watch Calamity Jane the other day and remembered how much I love Howard Keel, so I decided to name him instead.

First you put your two knees close up tight...

Generally speaking, I post on Tuesdays and Thursdays but today I decided to make an impromptu posting. I have often wondered what I've done without YouTube for so many years and it's times like these that make wonder...

I found this video the other day that made me completely crazy with joy. It's a video of Gene Kelly doing what is probably the sexiest version of "Ballin' the Jack" and then he and Donald O'Conner do a delightful dance afterward. Enjoy!




A couple other good finds I've found are:
this one with Julie Andrews and Gene Kelly: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1dmKyj9kN0&feature=related
and another Gene and Donald one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8q7JBNtoLE&feature=related

I hope you enjoy the clip as much as I do!

The world is full of a number of things. I'm sure we should all be as happy as...

I have a confession to make: I have a dreadful habit when I watch movies: I skim. Actually, I skim in general. I skim movies, I skim books, I even skim music sometimes. This doesn't mean, of course, that I don't like movies. I love them! I think movies are a fantastic art form and that they are a wonderful source for entertainment. However, I uphold a philosophy that if something is supposed to be enjoyable and isn't, then what's the point? That's why I skim. If I'm watching a movie and it gets depressing, disgusting, unpleasantly tense, or creepy, then I skim to a part that seems better.

Because of this, 2 hour movies can be watched in about 30-40 minutes, the way I watch them. My brother once made a joke that I should get through AFI's top 100 movies list and if I did it the way I watch movies, then I'd get through it in less than a month. I actually seriously considered taking up his joke, but I'm unsure. I've looked through the list and some of the movies simply don't seem like my cup of tea. That doesn't mean they're not good movies. I've watched movies that I didn't enjoy and I still call them good movies.

But I decided recently to make my own list of top 100 movies. And I've decided today to post up one movie a week - sort of like another segment but it won't go into the segment schedule. These movies won't be in any particular order. I think I'll have to decide that when I finish the list. Besides, I'm terrible at decisions; I'd probably flip-flop over #1 for ages.

So, in no particular order. I shall begin the list today. And, for the sake of keeping count, let's say this one is number one. I would give a little blurb as to why I've picked it... maybe I will in movies that are less obvious. I'm just afraid I'll end up saying the same things over and over again. These films are my favorites, my top 100. If you disagree, you are more than welcome to say so. Now without further ado....

#1 Singin' in the Rain (1952)

I'm glad you showed up. We've been looking inside every cake in town.

Today, instead of reviewing a movie or comparing a few movies, I want to celebrate a birthday:

Happy Birthday Donald O'Connor!!


He was born on August 28th, 1925. Most people know or remember him for his performance in Singin' in the Rain (1952) as the hilarious Cosmo Brown. I have been fortunate enough to see him other roles but I haven't seen as many of his films as I would like. However, from the ones I have seen - Call Me Madam (1953), There's No Business Like Show Business (1954), and That Funny Feeling (1965) - I still like Singin' in the Rain the best. Now, to be fair, Singin' in the Rain is hard to beat (it's an indisputable classic) and I really have not seen many of his movies, much to my shame and disappointment. If you are looking for a little more Donald O'Connor, I can offer my suggestions from my meager experience with his films. Call Me Madam is my favorite of the three films that I have seen (concerning him, that is). I'm not an Ethel Merman fan but the parts with Vera-Ellen and Donald O'Connor are very cute. The plot is cute and the songs are wonderful (they include "It's A Lovely Day Today" and "You're Just In Love" - two of my favorites). With There's No Business Like Show Business, you have to get through Ethel Merman's singing again, but you get some Marilyn Monroe to compensate. Finally, That Funny Feeling is a delightful Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin film but Donald O'Connor, while great, is not the witty and wacky side-kick, or the charming and clever lead, but the luckless, abused best friend (not my favorite role for him).

In any role, Donald O'Connor shines through as a brilliant performer. I highly encourage checking out his other films. And, to encourage a wee bit of dialogue on this blog and to celebrate his birthday, can everyone please comment with
a) your favorite Donald O'Connor movie
b) and/or your favorite Cosmo quote (there are so many good ones!)

To conclude, here is a classic O'Connor number. Enjoy!