Ciggies....

I don't like cigarettes. There's the smell, the yellow teeth, the old women with deep, course voices and wrinkles surrounding their mouths. It's never been something I've wanted to do however, I must admit, some guys really know how to use a cancer stick to their advantage... Case in Point:

Take Michael Caine here for instance.... He's just begging you for a lighter. Just don't get an open flame too close to those bedroom eyes... your liable to set the whole room on fire!

Then you have a man like good ol' Mr. Cooper! His ciggies always looked like an extension of his body. They look so natural between his lips, as if they were molded to fit him.

For others, it added style and class. Montgomery doesn't need much in the way of charisma... in my opinion, he had it in spades... but I have to admit... the cigarette smoke really makes this picture. Talk about smolder!

I think James Dean was a major influence in making cigarettes cool in the 50s. He made smoking playful and nonchalant. As if it were as natural as breathing. Dean really made it look good....

Oh the parted lip cig hold... Peter O'Toole knew how to make a girl go weak in the knees! Pinch yourself honey, you just got wooed! 

And finally.... some men just made smoking look so dang sexy. A very wise older woman once told me that you can always tell how a man touches a woman by the way he holds his cigarette.... Long drags, short puffs, it's all in-sight into a man's subconsciousness. - I'm not quite sure about that... but if Brando's hold on that cigarette is any kind of evidence towards his other *skills*, its no wonder he was such a lady's man!

I am in no way advocating smoking...instead...I am encouraging photo appreciation ;) So go ahead, light up (a candle) and appreciate!

I really wished I like you.....

So..... Jean Simmons is the star of the month on TCM... and I really wished I liked her. I watched two movies with her the other night... just to give her a fair chance, but alas... I am still not a Simmons fan.
It started off with her in a movie with the adorable Dirk Bogarde called So Long at the Fair  followed by Adam and Evelalyn. Her performances weren't bad or anything. In fact I find her acting honest and quite believable... my issue lies in the tenor of her voice... The woman has the most annoying, nasal, 5 year old girl voice. I just have such a hard time getting past it.

I know... totally shallow of me. I feel almost guilty about that assessment. I can't help it. I re watched Guys and Dolls later, another Simmons staple. I have always loved G&D, the ensemble works so well. Brando and Sinatra might not have been the best of buds, but the two of them in the same movie is absolute perfection for me. Brando has such wonderful suave and Sinatra is always so charming. Simmons is okay. I love her songs (not her voice) but her character is so sweet and well played. I was sitting there watching and wishing that Simmon's just sounded different some how.

She was a great actress, a sweet woman and from everything I've seen, a real down to Earth individual. But for the sake of my sanity... I will have to keep watching her films to a minimum.

** On the up side... that Dirk Bogarde is so cute! **

Happy Birthday Robert Montgomery!!!

Saturated in Ameche

I must admit that I never knew who Don Ameche was until last week. I had heard the name and seen the face, but never put 1 and 2 together. Thanks to Netflix, the movie Midnight with Claudette Colbert, Don Ameche and John Barrymore arrived in my mailbox on Monday. I put it in the player and was introduced to my first (knowingly) Ameche movie. So cute!

The movie follows penniless but determined Colbert in her pursuit of a wealthy life. Sound familiar? The story line isn't anything new... but the humor in this movie more than makes up for the often-done plot. Colbert first meets a charming taxi driver... Ameche. He drives her around while she unsuccessfully auditions for nightclub singing acts. Through the course of the evening, Ameche becomes smitten with the ever witty Colbert, but the feeling isn't mutual. She is determined to marry wealthy (or acquire wealth somehow). A taxi driver, however cute, just isn't in her plans. She ditches him while he pumps gas and wanders into a high class private party. She meets and plays cards with rich so and sos and loses quite a bit of money in friendly betting. Barrymore, after careful snooping, discovers that Colbert is not in fact a member of the Paris elite, but sneaks the money to cover her bets into her purse.

Barrymore then offers her cash to woo a rich playboy away from Barrymore's wandering wife. Colbert agrees and begins her mission. Ameche, meanwhile organizes a taxi-man hunt to look for Colbert. He finds her, poses as her Baron husband and begins to win over her affection.

The movie is so very entertaining, its funny, romantic and proves that, no matter his age, Barrymore was always a class act! I found Colbert delightful and I am now a full-fledged Ameche fan. I quickly rummaged through my "too watch" movie pile and pulled out Love is News. Ameche was only a supporting player... but oh so handsome!

The movie centers around Tyrone and the always lovely Loretta Young. To get back at a scheming reporter (Power) a rich heiress (Young) fabricates a story that the two are engaged, turning the reporter into front page news. Ameche plays Power's boss. He feels duped by his employee due to their paper being the only one in town without the breaking story. This movie is positively adorable. Well casted, great tempo and such a sweet story. Can't wait to get my hands on more Ameche!   

When I am not here... I am....

Okay... so I've been experimenting with a second blog. It has little to nothing to do with classic movies... but I thought it might be nice to have another outlet. If you want to follow it, I would be delighted, but because it will not be classics related (those posts will be reserved for this blog only!) I will not be offended if you choose to ignore it. Again, it is mainly just me rambling on about randomness... thus its name: Rambler.