Perhaps it’s the way Margaret Sullavan suggests Herbert Marshall would look better without a beard. Because I’m a sucker for a good makeover scene. Or that in a film about the seduction of innocence, the sofa in the hotel room gave the censors grief. But it’s probably more about the fact that during filming, and…
Category: Comedy
The Bishop’s Wife 1947 Christmas in Classic Hollywood
The Bishop’s Wife has never been on my regular watchlist, I am ashamed to say. Truthfully, I think I was rather preoccupied with its remake with Whitney Houston and Denzel Washington, The Preacher’s Wife (1992), and felt that did the job just fine. So, despite its all-star cast, and some of my absolute favorite actors,…
“He’s sending me a sailor for Christmas” Christmas in Connecticut 1945
Every year, Christmas in Connecticut ( 1945) runs on repeat throughout the holiday season. With a storyline, I know by heart and a penchant for recognizing it in a variety of Hallmark, Lifetime, and Netflix Christmas Rom-Coms, nothing beats the original. With an unsuspecting Barbara Stanwyck, making her way as an independent woman, and a…
Love is a Ball 1963
Love is a Ball is one of those 1960’s romantic comedies that combines the gorgeous scenery of the French Riviera with some Classic Hollywood actors. It stars Charles Boyer, Glenn Ford alongside real-life girlfriend Hope Lange, and Ricardo Montalbon.
TRUE CONFESSION
Helen Bartlett has a problem; she likes to tell those little white lies, then when she tells the truth no one believes her. Carole Lombard plays Helen Bartlett in this truth is stranger than fiction screwball comedy. Fred MacMurray plays the ‘can’t stand liars’ husband that keeps trying to break her of the terrible habit….
They All Kissed the Bride
Joan Crawford tends to be a little strong for my taste. Thankfully, Melvyn Douglas softens her up a bit in They All Kissed the Bride. But then maybe “soften” isn’t necessarily the word for it.
Government Girl 1943
There’s nothing like a good drunk scene to really put the cherry on top of a great movie.
Holiday (1938)
When I saw that Holiday (1938) was included in the TCM Film Festival lineup I was convinced that this would be the Bringing Up Baby comedy of the lot. Also directed by George Cukor this film with Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn had the promise of a laugh out loud fun romance with a twist…
Bombshell Jean Harlow
By the time Jean Harlow starred in Bombshell she had already been in 12 movies within the last 4 years. Among them Red Dust, The Public Enemy, Platinum Blonde and Red Headed Woman. She had crafted herself as a siren starlet, reckless, oversexed, and yet somehow…very enduring. Like any good actress in the 30’s she…
Personal Property
Personal Property with bombshell Jean Harlow and heartthrob Robert Taylor is slapstick comedy at its best. Enter a jealous fiancee, a slew of money troubles, a girl with a plan and a man who is got a wild card up his sleeve.
Patriotic Films from Classic Hollywood For Fourth of July
If you’re looking for a few old films to remind you of why you should be truly, truly grateful that you live in a free country this Independence Day, check out the films below. Happy Fourth of July. Pollyanna- Hayley Mills Yankee Doodle Dandee- James Cagney Pride of the Yankees Drums along the Mohawk- Henry…
Happy Fathers Day
To all of those Dad’s out there that go the extra mile (I’m sure those British Dad’s are now thanking Queen Elizabeth for putting the kibosh on the Debutante seasons after 1958) like Rex did for his American daughter in The Reluctant Debutante. Thank goodness Sandra Dee had John Saxon to save her from her…
Pillow to Post
A special Birthday shout out for Willie Best one of my favorite character actors. In the 1945 Warner Bros. Romantic Comedy Pillow to Post the world is at war and on the home front in this movie everything is topsy turvy. Ida Lupino’s character Jean Howard wants to help the war effort but has been…
Heartbeat: Ginger Rogers as a Pick Pocket
If you haven’t gotten a chance to peruse the classic movies on Amazon Prime, I highly recommend it! Hidden there you will find quite a few gems you’ve never seen before,
Scandalous Comedies of the 1960’s
Follow our blog with Bloglovin Perhaps its the winter weather, but I’ve been really into these old movies that simply reek of scandal with a side of social awareness..and a little fun. The Great Race is a classic 1960’s flick following the familiar storyline found in the classier Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines, and…
That Darn Cat
If you haven’t watched the classic The Darn Cat (1965) lately, it’s about time you did that. It’s summery, fun and has lines that will make you miss the well written movies of old. In my search for all things beachy, I remembered that this flick had some lovely surfer references thanks to our clueless…
Speaking of Sandra Dee…
We love Sandra Dee movies but I surely will not miss watching another Tammy movie. We much prefer her rom coms alongside hubby Bobby Darin to the hillbilly lifestyle. Tammy and the Doctor (the third and last Tammy movie) finds Grandpaw is still in jail doing time and preaching to the other prisoners. Pete and…
Teen Beach Movie & West Side Story
Disney Channel brings us more old movie magic thanks to the success of Teen Beach Movie ( a mashup of Frankie & Annette , West Side Story, and Grease ) with Teen Beach Movie 2 and the Wet Side Story characters entering the real world this summer. Its a great time to intro the little ones in your life to…
Teen Beach Movie & Grease
As Teen Beach Move 2 gets ready to premiere on Disney Channel June 26th at 8pm, I can’t help feel a bit glowy ( yes , that’s a word glow-y). Mainly because Disney is bringing a critical set of Classic Hollywood Smart Kid Essentials to a whole new generation via these revivals. We saw this with…
Tammy Tell Me True
Sandra Dee the new Tammy still at the big house waiting for Pete to finish his schooling. And Pete…well Pete didn’t answer Tammy’s letters, never returned her phone calls just left her wondering what an ‘unlearned shanty boat girl’ would do next. Never one to sit back and feel sorry for herself Tammy hitchhikes back…
Tammy and the Bachelor
Tammy and the Bachelor a 1957 Summer Release starring Debbie Reynolds is the ultimate bully movie. Seventeen year old Tammy raised down on the river by her bible preaching, moonshiner grandpaw witness a plane crash on the river. Hoping to find saleable salvage from the plane crash down river at the whirlpool they fish out…
Muscle Beach Party
“You know if there wasn’t music here, this place would be raided!” Muscle Beach Party follows an Italian Contessa to the Body Builder Stables that pop up on Frankie and Annette’s beach, only to realize that the muscle bound man she had followed there couldn’t hold a candle to the yellow-leather clad Frankie singing in…
Pineapple Princess
In the spirit of Beachy Movies, I couldn’t help but sharing this catchy song…(also on the Lilo & Stich Island Favorites CD– a must have for beachy fun). Enjoy! More Frankie & Annette movie reviews on the way!
Palm Springs Weekend
As Spring Break time winds down throughout the country we reflect on the 1963 West Coast version of fun in the sun with the Troy Donahue, Stephanie Powers Warner Brothers film Palm Springs Weekend. The 1963 movie Palm Springs Weekend starred some of the last of the Warner Brothers contract players. Most were popular television…
Spring Break
Nothing says Spring Break like Elvis and random girls in bikinis. If you’ve been snowed in too long and can’t wait to escape to the sunshine Girl Happy can help you get through the next few weeks. This is my favorite Spring Break movie and my favorite Elvis flick. The Location: Ft. Lauderdale, The Songs:…
Love and Taxes
The Mating Game “If you want anything of mine, don’t ask for it, just take it- that’s what neighbors are for.” Unfortunately Pop Larkin’s snobby neighbors don’t quite feel the same, and decide to report him to the tax man- surely he must have some indiscretion that could lose him the farm! In fact Pop…
It Happened One Night
1934 was the first year to choose pictures for eligibility for Academy Awards within a calendar year: January 1st thru December 31st. It was the first year all of the major awards were swept away by one single movie, It Happened One Night. Talk about your sour grapes these awards were received by Columbia Studios…
Caught in the Draft
Another Bob Hope classic, Caught in the Draft includes Eddie Bracken and Dorothy Lamour. Bob Hope plays Don Bolton, movie star, reluctant to enter the Draft-as required of all those men 18-32. Just 32, he concocts a plan to woo Tony( Dorothy Lamour) and get married, thus releasing him from having to join the army….
The Ghost Breakers
I’m not one for scary movies— at all. Annstj will tell you that straight out. I don’t really love tragedies, sad things, war, amputated limbs, anything that shows the “dark side” of humanity or anything with blood(unless there is a cute doctor involved).So needless to say when a Bob Hope film starts with talk of…
The Cat and the Canary
This is what I like about The Cat and the Canary. -A creepy old mansion on the Bayou, with hidden paths and passages -A 10 year delay in the reading of a WILL -A hidden necklace that was presumed stolen -Spirits that warn you of imminent danger -Paulette Goddard playing the wide eyed heroine, and…
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