Oh, this was inevitable, wasn't it? I am hosting a blogathon dedicated to Alan Ladd! His birthday is September 3, so I thought, what better time to celebrate him than that weekend.
You are hereby invited to participate! Sign up in the comments on this post.
Alan Ladd made many, many movies, but I know from sad experience that quite a few are not yet available on DVD, so I will allow up to two posts about each of his films. But you don't need to limit yourself to movie reviews -- I will totally welcome blog posts about his life, an overview of his career, or whatever cool Alan Ladd-related topic you come up with.
My thanks to Quiggy for suggesting I host this! I know it will be great fun :-)
Please grab one of these buttons for your own blog if you'd like to spread the word about this event!
The List:
Hamlette's Soliloquy -- China (1943), Lucky Jordan (1942), and Top Ten Favorite Alan Ladd Movies
Sidewalk Crossings -- The Iron Mistress (1952)
MaddyLovesHerClassicFilms -- This Gun for Hire (1942)
The Midnite Drive-In -- The Blue Dahlia (1946) and Appointment with Danger (1951)
Coffee, Classics, and Craziness -- The Proud Rebel (1958)
Critica Retro -- The Glass Key (1942)
Phyllis Loves Classic Movies -- Calcutta (1947)
Movies Meet Their Match -- My Favorite Brunette (1947)
Sometimes They Go to Eleven -- The Badlanders (1958)
Can I have This Gun For Hire please? Maddy from Maddylovesherclassicfilms.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely, Maddy! Glad to have you :-)
DeleteNice hair. Just imagine if you combined "Shane" with "Old Yeller," and made it into a single Alan Ladd / Tommy Kirk vehicle. I'm picturing something with the length and majesty of "Gandhi," but with pizzazz!
ReplyDeleteJohn Smith, hee! I'm rather fond of his hair -- it's always so precise.
DeleteHmm. Shane crossed with Old Yeller. I'd need at least one whole box of tissues to get through that!
I have "The Blue Dahlia", but I also noticed another movie on the IMDb website which I don't have, but I can get from my library, which might pair well with the first choice, "Appointment with Danger"
ReplyDeleteQuiggy, oh good! I'm so glad you want to do Appointment with Danger because I was vacillating between that one and China all morning yesterday. I really do like that one! Looking forward to finding out what you think of it. And yes, I think it will pair interestingly with Blue Dahlia. (Also, your library is better than mine. They don't have a single one of his movies, grrrr.)
DeleteMy local library has probably 700 movies, including the children's section. (almost close to what I have personally, although I have only a few movies that could be classed a children friendly...) They have 4 with Ladd. The aforementioned Appointment, "Shane", "This Gun for Hire" and a double feature one of which is "Whispering Smith". (The other on that disc is "Albuquerque", A Randolph Scott picture). So I could have gone with a "Shane"/"Whispering Smith" double feature. But I like mine better.
DeleteQuiggy, I have this semi-secret theory that Shane and Luke Smith are the same character at different points in life.
DeleteI can get any movie or book from our entire county library system... and they still don't have any Alan Ladd films. Library fail. They do have some random eps of radio shows he did, though.
I'd like to write about The Proud Rebel. :)
ReplyDelete~Eva
YAY! ::Hugs you::
DeleteHow cool! If I am able to see one of his movies by then I will participate!
ReplyDeleteMC, sounds good! I hope you can find one -- let me know if you want any recommendations...
DeleteI'm always open to recommendations!
Delete(I am stealing a button...)
Well, do you like old radio shows? Because nobody has signed up to write something about his mystery show "Box 13," and you can listen to GOBS of eps on YouTube.
DeleteFor movies, what are you in the mood for? If you want to watch a western, nobody has signed up for "Shane" yet, which is his most famous movie nowadays, and very very good indeed (IMHO). It's also pretty easy to get a copy of or find at libraries. His western "Whispering Smith" is good too, and very easy to get cheaply on Amazon because it's in a couple different multi-packs of westerns. You can get either of those for under $10.
If you want to watch something noir, I did say I'd accept more than one entry per movie, so you could watch the movie that made him famous, "This Gun for Hire." That's my mom's favorite movie of his, I think. It's also fairly famous and not terribly expensive. You might dig that one.
Or if you want something that's not so genre-fied, "And Now Tomorrow" is a lovely drama where he plays a doctor. It's really good, and I happened to notice that Amazon has lowered the price on it at the moment.
Those are the ones that leap to my mind as things you might like, but you can always read through some of my reviews of his movies by clicking on the "Alan Ladd" label and see if something else strikes your fancy.
And finally, thanks! I look forward to seeing which button you choose :-)
Wow! Thanks for all the suggestions! Maybe one day I'll become a real fan like you! ;) "Whispering Smith" sounds really good!
DeleteOkay, I have searched through my dvd collection and it turns out we do have one of his! Could I do "My Favorite Brunette"? He's in it, but only a cameo appearance. Do you think it would count?
MC, welllllllll... I haven't seen My Favorite Brunette yet, so I'm not sure how much Alan Ladd is in it! I know imdb credits him as having a character name, so I'm guessing he has an extended cameo. I'd say that as long as you mention him in your review, it'll be fine, since you already happen to own it! Adding you to the list...
DeleteYou haven't seen My Favorite Brunette?!? *has mild heart attack*
DeleteIt's basically a noir spoof but with a really good story. It's actually quite stressful. It should be on YouTube.
Phyl, better yet, it's on Amazon Prime Instant Video!!! I'm so trying to find time to watch it this weekend.
DeleteI can't wait for you to watch this one! My Favorite Brunette was a huge favorite of ours growing up. We had it on video and watched it all the time. So much fun! And really good. I had forgotten Alan Ladd was in it, but the minute his name was mentioned, I remembered who he was in it.
DeleteNow there was a thought I didn't have. I was inspired to listen to the series "Box 13" on OTR based on a comment you made last year. I doubt I could do justice to n overview though, I'd have to pick one or two episodes. Just a passing comment though, I'm not going to change my pick.
DeleteMC -- there's definitely enough Alan Ladd in My Favorite Brunette for it to count! Even though he disappears around 8 minutes in and never returns, he gets a nice little scene.
DeleteDKoren and Phyl -- thanks for insisting I watch it! Totally dug it, and want to see it again. And not just for Alan! Though he was adorable. Perfect cameo role for him.
Quiggy, maybe sometime we oughtta host a Classic Radio Show blogathon, huh? That could be a neat change of pace!
I'm not sure about how much interest there would be in a classic radio blogathon...Might be only two entries. But OTR website has a wealth of shows. I listen to them while I'm updating my games on Its Your Turn.
Deletehttps://archive.org/details/oldtimeradio
I'm pretty sure there would be 3 entries, as I know another blogger who likes OTR as much as I do. Maybe this winter I'll host one!
DeleteHi, Hamlette! Thanks for inviting me. I'd like to write about The Glass Key (1942).
ReplyDeleteKisses!
Le from Critica Retro
Le, oh, great choice! Such a delicious bit of noir. I'm adding you to the list :-)
DeleteJust looked at what I can get through my library. I'll take The Deep Six (1958).
ReplyDeletePhyl, oh boy!!! I haven't seen that one yet. Lucky you!
DeleteSo I wasn't able to get The Deep Six from my library after all. When I tried to put it on hold it said it was unavailable to my library. Can I do Calcutta (1947) instead?
DeletePhyl, sure! I'll switch you out for Calcutta instead :-)
DeleteI just found "My Favorite Brunette" on DVD at the used book store for $2 today and I am basically over the moon. I NEVER find Alan movies used, much less one I really really really want!
I just watched "My Favorite Brunette" and it was pretty good! And all the cameos were so great! Alan did a good job, even if he didn't have a long part. You got it for such a cheap price, lucky you!!
DeleteI'm so glad you got a copy!! It really is one of my favorite movies (I tend to forget about it though).
DeleteMC, glad you liked it! I was impressed by how well it works as a mystery -- not all spoofs work quite right and rely on humor to carry them through.
DeleteAnd yeah, Alan's so perfectly wonderful in his part, all cool seriousness and unflappability. Cracks me up.
Phyl, me too! Because I'd been watching it on Amazon's Instant Video thing, which is notorious for just yanking things with no warning. Now I KNOW I can watch it any time I like.
APPOINTMENT WITH DANGER 1951 rings my bell. Sign me up.
ReplyDeleteGord
Opps. I see someone already has taken APPOINTMENT WITH DANGER. I'll take a look through my stuff for something else and get back to you.
ReplyDeleteGord
Gord, I said people could do duplicate entries since it can be tough to get your hands on some of Alan's movies, so if you'd like to do Appointment with Danger, you can! Only one other person is writing about it, and I will allow two entries on the same film. Up to you!
DeleteWhat is your blog address?
This is new to me. I do not have a blog. Is that a needed item? Let me know.
DeleteCHINA 1943 I could do.
Gord
Gord, ordinarily yes, you'd need a blog. However, in the past I've occasionally put a "guest post" on my own blog from a blog-reading friend with no blog of their own who wants to participate in an event.
DeleteIf you'd like, I could do that for you. A review of China would be awesome! You could email it to me a week or so before the event (or earlier, if you have it done earlier), and I'll take a few screencaps to go with it (I own China on DVD already) and post it as a "guest post by Gord."
What do you think?
Noticed in his Imdb, he played Jay Gatsby in a version of The Great Gatsby, so got a wee idea to run past you.. can I compare that trailer to that of the Leonardo film remake and will bring in the 1974 Robert Redford trailer too? From Gill at Realweegiemidget Reviews, https://weegiemidget.wordpress.com/
ReplyDeleteGill, that sound like a fun post! Adding you to the roster now.
Delete(I believe the trailer for the original silent film is also available on YouTube, so if you wanted to toss that in as well, you could. Just a thought!)
Thanks for the tip will look into it x
DeleteSorry but in won't be able to do this blogathon. From Gill at Realweegiemidget Reviews
DeleteAww, Gill, that's a bummer! I was looking forward to those comparisons. Thanks for letting me know!
DeleteHi Hamlette,
ReplyDeleteI'd love to review Alan Ladd in The Badlanders
Sometimes They Go To Eleven
sometimeseleven.com
Giles
Sounds good, Giles! I'll add you to the list :-)
DeleteHi Rachel. Here is my entry. https://maddylovesherclassicfilms.wordpress.com/2017/09/01/the-alan-ladd-blogathon-this-gun-for-hire-1942/
ReplyDeleteMaddy
Thanks, Maddy! You actually beat me! So you get to be first on the list :-)
Delete