Tuesday, June 18, 2019

The #ClassicMovieTag


I spotted this delightful tag on both The Films in My Life and Coffee, Classics, and Craziness, and I can't help myself -- I'm doing it too!  It seems to have originated at Out of the Past.

What’s one classic movie that you recommend to people over and over and over again?

The Best Years of Our Lives (1946).  It's truly an important film, taking an honest, deep look at what it's like to return from war and try to figure out how to fit into the civilian world.  Even people who don't like "old" movies or black-and-white movies should watch it once.


What was the last classic film you saw and what were your thoughts about it?

My kids and I watched Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) in our van on the way to meet some family in St. Louis last week.  I really love that movie, especially Margaret O'Brien's character Tootie.


Name a classic movie genre you love and one you dislike.

I love westerns.  I don't care much for screwball comedies.


Name a classic movie star with whom you share a birthday or a hometown.

I share my birthday with Shirley Temple and Sandra Dee :-)


Give a shout out to a friend or family member who shares your love of classic movies.

My dearest friend, DKoren!  Our mutual love of classic film is a huge part of why we became friends, actually.  I dream that someday we could attend a TCM movie festival together.  Never know!  It could happen.

Name a classic movie star who makes your heart skip a beat or whom you admire greatly.

Y'all KNOW who my answer for this is.

(Look at that sunshiney smile!)

Alan.  Walbridge.  Ladd.  Mine, all mine.

Describe one memorable experience watching a classic movie.

This past spring, Cowboy and I took our kids to see Ben-Hur (1959) on the big screen.  I'd dreamed for years of seeing that particular film in the theater, and thanks to TCM Fathom Events, it finally happened.  Oh my word, it was so amazing.  The colors were so vivid!  The sets were so detailed, down to little sewers in the streets of Jerusalem.  The costumes were so much more rich and exquisite than on my TV screen.  I was agog.  I would go again in a heartbeat if it ever came around again, but even if it doesn't, I'll cherish the memory of how wonderful it was.


What’s something classic-movie-related that you love to collect?

I'm guessing "DVDs" is too obvious an answer?

I have quite a few vintage photos.  You know, publicity shots, head shots, stuff studios sent to newspapers.  I buy them on ebay and Etsy now and then, if they're an actor or actress or movie I like.  I've got quite a few, mostly of Alan Ladd and John Wayne and Dana Andrews, but a few of other people too.


I also have these three little postcard-sized pictures with a facsimile of Alan Ladd's signature on them that were sent to members of his fan club in the 1940s and '50s.  They were only like $5 each on ebay, as they're quite common, but I like them so much, I framed them all together and hung them on the wall.

What’s your favorite way to share your passion for classic movies?

By blogging, of course!

There are no formal rules for this tag, so I'm not going to tag anyone in particular.  If this looks like fun to you, have at it!

32 comments:

  1. Okay, okay, I'll TRY to watch "The Best Years Of Our Lives." Soon. xD

    Wow, seeing "Ben-Hur" on the big screen must've been fantastic!!! There are so many movies I wish I could see on the big screen because it just adds an extra layer of drama and FUN, you know?

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    1. Come visit me sometime and I'll tie you up and plunk you in front of the TV for it.

      Yes, Ben-Hur on the big screen was fantabulous. I have been just so absolutely in love with TCM Fathom Events and the Alamo Drafthouse because I get to see amazing stuff on the big screen that for years was only a wishful hope. Reveling in it, bigtime.

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    2. Haha! Well, Charity just got me to watch 6 Harry Potter movies in a row, so maybe there's hope through that method. ;-)

      That is wonderful. <3

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    3. #Sorry #NotSorry ;)

      After you left, I watched 2 more. I was kinda glad you weren't there to see it, since I cried. Big time. More than once. Crying in front of people -- as in actual snot-crying -- is not cool. ;)

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    4. Don't be sorry. ;-) It was a truly delightful experience.

      Yah, I feel the same way, actually . . . I always sort of unconsciously Don't Cry in front of other people, even when I Want to let my emotions out, because THIS IS PRIVATE OKAY?????

      Lol. We're funny, aren't we?

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    5. It's nice that you can stop yourself from crying in front of people. I can't. :P

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    6. I was doing it while we were at the animal sanctuary, actually. "Must Not Cry . . . Must Not Cry . . ."

      *sighs @self*

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    7. If it makes you feel any better... Same. ;) That's why I didn't read much of the Sanctuary booklet, since I knew I'd get mad and then tear up. :P

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  2. I've heard of The Best Years Of Our Lives, but have never had the opportunity to see it. As soon as I do, I'll watch it! Same goes for Ben-Hur.

    Oh, I love Meet Me In St. Louis! Such a fun and sweet movie!!

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    1. MC, ohhhhh, I hope you can watch Ben-Hur soon! I think you would really enjoy it. TBYOOL is wonderful, but also a slow simmer, so if you watch it, give it time to suck you in.

      Yes, MMISL is all of that!

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    2. Okay, I'll keep that in mind. Thanks! It's also super neat that you share a birthday with Shirley Temple!!

      I tagged you. No pressure, only play if you want to!
      https://moviesmeetmatch.blogspot.com/2019/06/i-saw-it-in-movies-tag.html

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    3. Thanks for the tag, MC! I'll check it out :-)

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  3. Funny, I’m the exact opposite when it comes to westerns and romcoms.

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    1. Rich, I don't object to romcoms. I really enjoy many of them, in fact. But screwball comedy is a whole other ball of nonsensical, frustrating wax, imho.

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  4. TBYOOL was my grandmother's favorite movie. I remember watching it way back when on her old VHS tape that had grown thin because she watched it over and over. She had a ton of old movies, and that's mostly what I watched as a kid. Clark Gable, Jimmy Stewart, and Cary Grant were her favorites, so she stocked up on those. Funnily enough, I never saw Gone With the Wind at her house, though I recall we had an argument about it one time. ;)

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    1. Charity, your grandmother had delightful taste :-)

      GWTW arguments happened in my family too, lol.

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    2. Isn't there... a guy with a hook for an arm or something in it? That's pretty much all I remember about it, if that is even the right movie. And it seems like it was quite long?

      This particular argument was Grandma telling me they filmed things that didn't make it into the movie, like Scarlett having more than one child, and me informing her actually that was in the book, was never filmed. ;)

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    3. Charity, yup! He's played by double-amputee Harold Russell who lost both hands in an explosives accident during WWII. And yeah, it's just under 3 hours.

      Aha! THAT sort of argument.

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    4. Yeah, I do remember that now (that he had both arms missing). He was afraid his girlfriend wouldn't want him, right? But she decided to stay with / marry him anyway?

      Oh, the things that come back to me after 20+ years...

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    5. Charity, yes! Very good memory all around there :-)

      I'd love to hear what you think of it if you rewatch it as an adult. Since you're a student of human nature, I think you'd find it fascinating.

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    6. Yeah, I should rewatch some older movies. Got kind of in the mood reading a book about Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, which led me to thinking about Cary Grant, Carole Lombard, and many others. ;)

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  5. Im a fan of ALAN LADD. Did you see his last movie THE CARPETBAGGERS? It had an actress that Im also a fan of-CARROLL BAKER. I liked GEORGE PEPPARD in it too. Do you know the work of STEVE FORREST? He was the younger brother of DANA ANDREWS. I know him from DALLAS where he played two characters-first BEN STIVERS and then WES PARMALEE who at first thought he was JOCK EWING who was deceased. I really liked him on two episodes of MURDER, SHE WROTE-one as a preacher who has a TV show and one as a sheriff. He was a good actor. I really like his voice and he was a very attractive man. He was a hunk! Classic TV Fan

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    1. Classic TV Fan, nope, I haven't seen The Carpetbaggers and don't really intend to. Although I adore Alan Ladd and like Carroll Baker okay, the movie is overall has so sleazy a reputation that I don't want to have it connected in my mind with Alan Ladd.

      I do know Steve Forrest from a few things, like The Longest Day. I really liked him in Flaming Star with Elvis.

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  6. Did you see Carroll Baker in the movie HARLOW which is highly fictional? It doesn't have a good reputation either but the cast played their parts well. It has ANGELA LANSBURY that Im a big fan of. She plays the mother to Carroll and later Carroll did a MURDER, SHE WROTE ep that starred Angela. Carroll played a romance novelist married to a younger man(WILLIAM KATT). PETER LAWFORD was also in HARLOW. Do you know the work of Lawford? He was definitely crush-worthy! Classic TV Fan

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    1. Nope, haven't seen Harlow. I do enjoy Angela Lansbury! And Peter Lawford.

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  7. What are your favorite movies of ANGELA LANSBURY? What about PETER LAWFORD? Did you see LITTLE WOMEN(1949)? It had Peter as Laurie and one of the girls is MARGARET OBRIEN (pictured on this page)as Beth. Classic TV Fan

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    1. Probably my favorite Angela Lansbury movie is probably Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris. I really enjoyed her in many other movies, but that one is just sooooo darling.

      For Peter Lawford, hmmmmmm. He's so delicious in many things. Maybe Royal Wedding.

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  8. SANDRA DEE! She was good in comedy and drama. Some of the movies Ive seen her in are TAMMY TELL ME TRUE and TAMMY AND THE DOCTOR. They both had BEULAH BONDI as MRS. CALL. Sandra was the original GIDGET. (The next two were DEBORAH WALLEY and CINDY CAROL. They were the 3 that did a theatrical movie as Gidget-the next 4 did TV adaptations.) I saw DEBORAH first then SANDRA. I liked them both in the role. I also know Sandra in IMITATION OF LIFE, A SUMMER PLACE and ROSIE! The last one I mentioned starred ROSALIND RUSSELL and Sandra played her granddaughter. It also had JAMES FARENTINO and LESLIE NIELSEN.

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    1. Classic TV Fan, I know, Sandra Dee was such a cutie. I especially love her pairings with her husband Bobby Darin! Come September and That Funny Feeling are especially fun.

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  9. I forgot to put Classic TV Fan.

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  10. I need to watch more classics.

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    1. Skye, me too :-) I watch a lot of them, but there are so many I haven't seen yet! And so many I want to rewatch!

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