February 2020 Round-Up
TOTAL FILMS SEEN IN FEBRUARY: 15
(see the film posters at the bottom of the post, arranged in watching order)
NEW-TO-ME: 15
REWATCHES: 0
SEEN ON THE BIG SCREEN: 1
MOST WATCHED ACTOR: Kirk Douglas (10 in total)
MOST WATCHED ACTRESS: Joan Fontaine (3 in total)
Well, the hope to see a staggering amount of films this month (a hope I expressed at the end of last month's round-up) was not fulfilled, only 15 films seen in total, so needless to say I was slightly disappointed. But a slow start of the year in terms of film watching doesn't necessarily mean that this year is going to end with a low film count, we still have 10 months to go!!!
The biggest February news was that Kirk Douglas left the world of the living after a very long and fulfilling life. Most of Hollywood's Golden Age stars have already passed away and the fact that Kirk was one of the last living legends (together with Olivia de Havilland) made his passing all the more sad. It makes one realise that it's really the end of The Golden Age of Hollywood with all the stars dead and buried. Fortunately we still have their films to enjoy.
Kirk Douglas was no minor player. He was well loved and held in high esteem by his peers and film lovers all over the world. I wanted to honour him on this blog and wrote a little post about him (here) and also decided to explore his filmography further. The majority of the 15 films seen this month are Kirk Douglas films, 10 in total to be exact. They are in watching order:
My Dear Secretary (with Laraine Day and Keenan Wynn)
Along the Great Divide (with Virginia Mayo and Walter Brennan)
The Juggler (with Milly Vitale and Paul Stewart)
Man Without a Star (with Jeanne Crain and Claire Trevor)
Top Secret Affair (with Susan Hayward and Paul Stewart)
Act of Love (with Dany Robin)
The Big Trees (with Eve Miller and Patrice Wymore)
The List of Adrian Messenger (with George C. Scott, Dana Wynter and Clive Brook)
The Walls of Jericho (with Linda Darnell, Anne Baxter, Cornel Wilde and Ann Dvorak)
The Last Sunset (with Rock Hudson, Dorothy Malone, Joseph Cotten and Carol Lynley)
I started my Kirk Douglas binge with My Dear Secretary, one of his minor films and a rare comedy among his extensive oeuvre. I've been meaning to see this for a while but I was always under the impression it was a pretty bad film. So I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it was actually okay, even though it took me several times to get into it. Douglas' character is not entirely likeable, his love for Laraine Day comes way too quickly and his jealousy is explosive. Day has the better and nicer part but she sports an awful blond hairdo. The best role is reserved for Keenan Wynn, he's a hoot. Overall pretty enjoyable with a surprise happy ending for Wynn.
MOST WATCHED ACTRESS: Joan Fontaine (3 in total)
Well, the hope to see a staggering amount of films this month (a hope I expressed at the end of last month's round-up) was not fulfilled, only 15 films seen in total, so needless to say I was slightly disappointed. But a slow start of the year in terms of film watching doesn't necessarily mean that this year is going to end with a low film count, we still have 10 months to go!!!
The biggest February news was that Kirk Douglas left the world of the living after a very long and fulfilling life. Most of Hollywood's Golden Age stars have already passed away and the fact that Kirk was one of the last living legends (together with Olivia de Havilland) made his passing all the more sad. It makes one realise that it's really the end of The Golden Age of Hollywood with all the stars dead and buried. Fortunately we still have their films to enjoy.
Kirk Douglas was no minor player. He was well loved and held in high esteem by his peers and film lovers all over the world. I wanted to honour him on this blog and wrote a little post about him (here) and also decided to explore his filmography further. The majority of the 15 films seen this month are Kirk Douglas films, 10 in total to be exact. They are in watching order:
My Dear Secretary (with Laraine Day and Keenan Wynn)
Along the Great Divide (with Virginia Mayo and Walter Brennan)
The Juggler (with Milly Vitale and Paul Stewart)
Man Without a Star (with Jeanne Crain and Claire Trevor)
Top Secret Affair (with Susan Hayward and Paul Stewart)
Act of Love (with Dany Robin)
The Big Trees (with Eve Miller and Patrice Wymore)
The List of Adrian Messenger (with George C. Scott, Dana Wynter and Clive Brook)
The Walls of Jericho (with Linda Darnell, Anne Baxter, Cornel Wilde and Ann Dvorak)
The Last Sunset (with Rock Hudson, Dorothy Malone, Joseph Cotten and Carol Lynley)
I started my Kirk Douglas binge with My Dear Secretary, one of his minor films and a rare comedy among his extensive oeuvre. I've been meaning to see this for a while but I was always under the impression it was a pretty bad film. So I was pleasantly surprised to find out that it was actually okay, even though it took me several times to get into it. Douglas' character is not entirely likeable, his love for Laraine Day comes way too quickly and his jealousy is explosive. Day has the better and nicer part but she sports an awful blond hairdo. The best role is reserved for Keenan Wynn, he's a hoot. Overall pretty enjoyable with a surprise happy ending for Wynn.
Along the Great Divide is Douglas' first western, a genre that suited him very well and he would play the lead in several more westerns to come. This is entertaining, yet it doesn't hold many surprises. I kinda like the romance between Douglas and Virginia Mayo, even though it's a common type of romance and predictable. Walter Brennan is always welcome in any film but he tends to be on the irritating side here, especially when he is singing the song to annoy Douglas. Some nice photography by Sidney Hickox (who also shot White Heat, To Have and Have Not and The Big Sleep). The scenes in the desert with the search for water are reminiscent of Three Godfathers. Best moments are probably the ones where Douglas shows his emotional side.
The Juggler is one of Kirk's lesser-known films but one of the better ones I've seen this month. Its biggest flaw is the overbearing music score by George Antheil. Also, the opening credits are accompanied by an uplifting tune and it doesn't match the dramatic storyline. Kirk plays a juggler who has lost his wife and children in a concentration camp and is traumatised because of it. It's the first Hollywood film to be shot on location in Israel. Douglas has some strong dramatic scenes and also gives credibility to his juggling act by having mastered the skills himself. Some memorable scenes: when Douglas mistakes a woman and her children for his wife and daughters who were killed during the Holocaust; the scene where Douglas runs away from the cop and then violently attacks him (I was a bit in shock because I had not expected this, had not read the synopsis beforehand); the juggling act; the scene in the minefield; the dance sequence. Milly Vitale as Douglas' love interest gives a pretty bland performance, though.
In Man Without a Star Douglas gives a vibrant performance as a drifter working for tough rancher and boss lady Jeanne Crain but eventually choosing sides in favour of the neighbouring settlers. Crain is a bit nasty but Kirk seems to like her that way and they share some sexy scenes. By contrast, Claire Trevor is the likeable woman, the saloon girl with a heart of gold. Douglas ends up with neither of the two women and also bids farewell to the kid William Campbell before he hits the dusty road again. The title song, sung by Frankie Laine, sticks annoyingly in your head long after the film has finished. By the way, Douglas also sings and plays the banjo here (I have no idea whether his voice was dubbed, though). And pay attention to him doing gun tricks. Not one of the best westerns around but surely enjoyable.
Continuing with Top Secret Affair, a romcom which was surprisingly enjoyable, at first. This genre is pretty unfamiliar territory for Douglas and Susan Hayward, two strong and intense actors. I had a good time with Douglas staying at Hayward's estate and love the romantic scene with both of them wearing white bathrobes. They look pretty darn good together — love Susan's hairdo — and they actually make a nice couple. But then towards the end I liked it less. The hearing felt a bit uncomfortable and the chairman is downright irritating. Also, the happy ending scene is terribly rushed. Stanley Cortez' cinematography (DP of The Night of the Hunter and The Magnificent Ambersons) is most noteworthy in the visually great scene at the beginning of the film when they view footage of Douglas in his heroic moments.
I had never heard of the film Act of Love before until I recently decided to check out Douglas' lesser known filmography. This is a bittersweet love story with a rare romantic role for Douglas and he looks quite good this young. I like his love interest Dany Robin, but there's something lacking in the narrative, and I thought it was all a bit unfocused. Still, it's well worth your time but the ending is pretty sad. Also watch out for a young Brigitte Bardot in a small role.
The Juggler is one of Kirk's lesser-known films but one of the better ones I've seen this month. Its biggest flaw is the overbearing music score by George Antheil. Also, the opening credits are accompanied by an uplifting tune and it doesn't match the dramatic storyline. Kirk plays a juggler who has lost his wife and children in a concentration camp and is traumatised because of it. It's the first Hollywood film to be shot on location in Israel. Douglas has some strong dramatic scenes and also gives credibility to his juggling act by having mastered the skills himself. Some memorable scenes: when Douglas mistakes a woman and her children for his wife and daughters who were killed during the Holocaust; the scene where Douglas runs away from the cop and then violently attacks him (I was a bit in shock because I had not expected this, had not read the synopsis beforehand); the juggling act; the scene in the minefield; the dance sequence. Milly Vitale as Douglas' love interest gives a pretty bland performance, though.
In Man Without a Star Douglas gives a vibrant performance as a drifter working for tough rancher and boss lady Jeanne Crain but eventually choosing sides in favour of the neighbouring settlers. Crain is a bit nasty but Kirk seems to like her that way and they share some sexy scenes. By contrast, Claire Trevor is the likeable woman, the saloon girl with a heart of gold. Douglas ends up with neither of the two women and also bids farewell to the kid William Campbell before he hits the dusty road again. The title song, sung by Frankie Laine, sticks annoyingly in your head long after the film has finished. By the way, Douglas also sings and plays the banjo here (I have no idea whether his voice was dubbed, though). And pay attention to him doing gun tricks. Not one of the best westerns around but surely enjoyable.
Continuing with Top Secret Affair, a romcom which was surprisingly enjoyable, at first. This genre is pretty unfamiliar territory for Douglas and Susan Hayward, two strong and intense actors. I had a good time with Douglas staying at Hayward's estate and love the romantic scene with both of them wearing white bathrobes. They look pretty darn good together — love Susan's hairdo — and they actually make a nice couple. But then towards the end I liked it less. The hearing felt a bit uncomfortable and the chairman is downright irritating. Also, the happy ending scene is terribly rushed. Stanley Cortez' cinematography (DP of The Night of the Hunter and The Magnificent Ambersons) is most noteworthy in the visually great scene at the beginning of the film when they view footage of Douglas in his heroic moments.
I had never heard of the film Act of Love before until I recently decided to check out Douglas' lesser known filmography. This is a bittersweet love story with a rare romantic role for Douglas and he looks quite good this young. I like his love interest Dany Robin, but there's something lacking in the narrative, and I thought it was all a bit unfocused. Still, it's well worth your time but the ending is pretty sad. Also watch out for a young Brigitte Bardot in a small role.
The Big Trees I saw on an early plane ride from Barcelona to Amsterdam and I was fortunately awake enough. Douglas' character is unscrupulous and not likeable at first so you are waiting for him to grow a conscience. Which he does with the help of Eve Miller. This western is nothing special, but fortunately more enjoyable than I thought it would be, and the big trees are beautiful to look at. Reportedly Douglas thought this was a bad movie, in fact he made it for free in order to end his contract with Warner Bros.
The List of Adrian Messenger I watched on the return plane ride from Amsterdam to Barcelona and unfortunately I was sleepy and didn't pay full attention. It's a fairly entertaining watch, this mystery film with big names (cameos for Tony Curtis, Burt Lancaster, Robert Mitchum and Frank Sinatra), but I have to say, as I'm writing this, that my recollection of the film's proceedings is minimal. I do remember Douglas having a substantial part. Also, I had been wondering if I had missed the appearances of the other big actors, but then at the end they revealed themselves and that was a fun bit.
Two more Kirk Douglas films: The Walls of Jericho and The Last Sunset.
The List of Adrian Messenger I watched on the return plane ride from Amsterdam to Barcelona and unfortunately I was sleepy and didn't pay full attention. It's a fairly entertaining watch, this mystery film with big names (cameos for Tony Curtis, Burt Lancaster, Robert Mitchum and Frank Sinatra), but I have to say, as I'm writing this, that my recollection of the film's proceedings is minimal. I do remember Douglas having a substantial part. Also, I had been wondering if I had missed the appearances of the other big actors, but then at the end they revealed themselves and that was a fun bit.
Two more Kirk Douglas films: The Walls of Jericho and The Last Sunset.
The Walls of Jericho is a soap-opera drama set at the turn of the 20th century. It's enjoyable to watch but never gets really exciting (I had expected more conflict between the friends Cornel Wilde and Douglas) and it all stays pretty meek. Linda Darnell (with a pretty awful blond hairdo) has the most interesting role here. She is unlikeable and manipulative but still charming. I was glad she didn't get her way with Wilde and that he turned her down and there was no affair. Douglas as Darnell's husband is likeable yet kind of dull, something we are not used to from Douglas (who mostly played strong characters), but fortunately at the end he stands up to Darnell. I liked Anne Baxter in a feminist role as the female attorney, getting to make a closing argument for the jury. Always great to see Ann Dvorak play, here she's the alcoholic wife of Wilde.
In The Last Sunset Rock Hudson has first billing but Kirk Douglas clearly owns this western. Even though Rock's quiet persona is a nice contrast with Kirk's intense and violent character (oh, the scene with the dog!), Rock is no match for Kirk and it somehow seems strange to see Rock play a lawman having to bring in Kirk (Kirk looks like he could easily eat Hudson for breakfast despite his size). It's also clear that next to Kirk and Joseph Cotten Rock has the lesser acting papers (he looks really good, though). His relationship with Dorothy Malone is definitely the weakest of the film's relationships. The way he suddenly decides he loves Malone and wants to marry her without any preamble is pretty ridiculous. Good that Hudson and Malone made two films together prior to this one, so it kind of feels they already know one another, haha. Kirk has by far the most interesting character and is not entirely likeable but you don't hate him either. He is really good in depicting nuanced characters. There is a great twist at the end of the film which probably was predictable but I hadn't seen it coming. Fave scene: where Joseph Cotten gets harassed and Douglas and Hudson come to his aid. Cotten is great in that scene. Fine photography by Ernest Laszlo, especially during the sand storm. This was my last Douglas film this month and it was nice to see him dance and sing and speak Spanish. And he looks good in his tight black trousers and shirt. Hopefully the Filmoteca will program some new-to-me Douglas films very soon. Fingers crossed!
So now onto the five other films seen this February. I had started the month with Darling, How Could You! starring Joan Fontaine, John Lund and Mona Freeman, and had actually a Fontaine binge in mind. But then Kirk's passing got in the way and I ended up watching only 3 Fontaine films, which still makes her my most watched actress of the month. The other 2 films are The Constant Nymph (with Charles Boyer and Alexis Smith) and Kiss the Blood Off My Hands (with Burt Lancaster).
Darling, How Could You! is an enjoyable Mitchell Leisen film based on a play, which is evident because it feels very stagy. John Lund and Joan Fontaine have okay chemistry, though Lund seems a bit uncomfortable in his role. I think Fontaine isn't bad at comedy at all (love her facial expressions) but I could think of other actresses who would have been better suited (think Irene Dunne!). But Mona Freeman is pretty delightful here. I couldn't really find anything online about Leisen and Lund but it's a fact that they made 5 films together (To Each His Own, Bride of Vengeance, No Man of Her Own, The Mating Season and Darling, How Could You!) so there must have been something in Lund that appealed to Leisen to have him cast Lund multiple times as his leading man. I've never been a fan of John Lund but I start to like him more and more.
In The Constant Nymph (a film that's been high on my watchlist) Joan Fontaine — at age 26 playing a 14-year-old teenager — gives a strong and convincing performance. I love her this girly, lanky, a bit awkward, skipping around and full of energy. She's really the star of the show and deservedly got an Oscar nomination for her role. Alexis Smith in comparison is all woman and looks very tall, whereas in real life she was younger in age than Fontaine (22 years in this film). The story of a 14-year old in love with a musician friend of the family, played by Charles Boyer, feels in part uncomfortable, but this love (which is reciprocated) is never acted upon or being depicted in a distasteful way. It's actually romantic, dramatic and sad and Fontaine has a couple of really good scenes. Also Boyer and Smith have their strong moments. This film has a cast of other well-known actors like Brenda Marshall, Charles Coburn, Dame May Whitty, Peter Lorre and Jean Muir. Also well-known crew members: cinematography by Tony Gaudio, music score by Erich Wolfgang Korngold (who also scored The Adventures of Robin Hood) and costumes by Orry-Kelly.
The third and last Fontaine film seen this month is Kiss the Blood Off My Hands, an atmospheric noir that benefits from the moody black-and-white photography by Russell Metty. Burt Lancaster and Fontaine may not have the best of chemistry but the way their love story unfolds is quite believable. With a short running time this film has enough suspenseful moments and there's also a surprise twist. The ending is a bit of a cop-out but I didn't mind so much.
There are two more films seen this month that don't star Kirk Douglas or Joan Fontaine.
In The Last Sunset Rock Hudson has first billing but Kirk Douglas clearly owns this western. Even though Rock's quiet persona is a nice contrast with Kirk's intense and violent character (oh, the scene with the dog!), Rock is no match for Kirk and it somehow seems strange to see Rock play a lawman having to bring in Kirk (Kirk looks like he could easily eat Hudson for breakfast despite his size). It's also clear that next to Kirk and Joseph Cotten Rock has the lesser acting papers (he looks really good, though). His relationship with Dorothy Malone is definitely the weakest of the film's relationships. The way he suddenly decides he loves Malone and wants to marry her without any preamble is pretty ridiculous. Good that Hudson and Malone made two films together prior to this one, so it kind of feels they already know one another, haha. Kirk has by far the most interesting character and is not entirely likeable but you don't hate him either. He is really good in depicting nuanced characters. There is a great twist at the end of the film which probably was predictable but I hadn't seen it coming. Fave scene: where Joseph Cotten gets harassed and Douglas and Hudson come to his aid. Cotten is great in that scene. Fine photography by Ernest Laszlo, especially during the sand storm. This was my last Douglas film this month and it was nice to see him dance and sing and speak Spanish. And he looks good in his tight black trousers and shirt. Hopefully the Filmoteca will program some new-to-me Douglas films very soon. Fingers crossed!
So now onto the five other films seen this February. I had started the month with Darling, How Could You! starring Joan Fontaine, John Lund and Mona Freeman, and had actually a Fontaine binge in mind. But then Kirk's passing got in the way and I ended up watching only 3 Fontaine films, which still makes her my most watched actress of the month. The other 2 films are The Constant Nymph (with Charles Boyer and Alexis Smith) and Kiss the Blood Off My Hands (with Burt Lancaster).
Darling, How Could You! is an enjoyable Mitchell Leisen film based on a play, which is evident because it feels very stagy. John Lund and Joan Fontaine have okay chemistry, though Lund seems a bit uncomfortable in his role. I think Fontaine isn't bad at comedy at all (love her facial expressions) but I could think of other actresses who would have been better suited (think Irene Dunne!). But Mona Freeman is pretty delightful here. I couldn't really find anything online about Leisen and Lund but it's a fact that they made 5 films together (To Each His Own, Bride of Vengeance, No Man of Her Own, The Mating Season and Darling, How Could You!) so there must have been something in Lund that appealed to Leisen to have him cast Lund multiple times as his leading man. I've never been a fan of John Lund but I start to like him more and more.
In The Constant Nymph (a film that's been high on my watchlist) Joan Fontaine — at age 26 playing a 14-year-old teenager — gives a strong and convincing performance. I love her this girly, lanky, a bit awkward, skipping around and full of energy. She's really the star of the show and deservedly got an Oscar nomination for her role. Alexis Smith in comparison is all woman and looks very tall, whereas in real life she was younger in age than Fontaine (22 years in this film). The story of a 14-year old in love with a musician friend of the family, played by Charles Boyer, feels in part uncomfortable, but this love (which is reciprocated) is never acted upon or being depicted in a distasteful way. It's actually romantic, dramatic and sad and Fontaine has a couple of really good scenes. Also Boyer and Smith have their strong moments. This film has a cast of other well-known actors like Brenda Marshall, Charles Coburn, Dame May Whitty, Peter Lorre and Jean Muir. Also well-known crew members: cinematography by Tony Gaudio, music score by Erich Wolfgang Korngold (who also scored The Adventures of Robin Hood) and costumes by Orry-Kelly.
The third and last Fontaine film seen this month is Kiss the Blood Off My Hands, an atmospheric noir that benefits from the moody black-and-white photography by Russell Metty. Burt Lancaster and Fontaine may not have the best of chemistry but the way their love story unfolds is quite believable. With a short running time this film has enough suspenseful moments and there's also a surprise twist. The ending is a bit of a cop-out but I didn't mind so much.
There are two more films seen this month that don't star Kirk Douglas or Joan Fontaine.
Have a Heart I watched at the beginning of the month before Kirk's passing and I stumbled upon it online and immediately set out to watch it because of the appealing story and cast. This obscure little film, where sweet and handicapped Jean Parker falls for ice cream salesman James Dunn, turns from comedy to drama with some suspense thrown in and benefits from the natural chemistry between the leads. And fortunately there's Una Merkel who makes every film a fun watch with her sparkling personality and wisecracking.
Ending this post with the only film I've seen at the Filmoteca on the big screen: Romola with the Gish sisters (Lillian and Dorothy) and William Powell and Ronald Colman. Since this was new to me and I normally don't rewatch films at home, there were no rewatches this month. The film itself is not one of Lillian Gish' best work but I still wanted to seize the opportunity to watch it on the big screen and it was accompanied by live piano music so that's always an extra incentive to see a silent film. And I love the photos of Gish wearing the beautiful costume and head adornment so having seen this film gives me the chance to post these photos.
The film was shown in a clear tinted print (mostly sepia, at times blue), the UCLA restored version of 149 minutes. I had seen the running time on the Filmoteca program but assumed it was a mistake because Letterboxd says 106 minutes and IMDB 1 hour and 42 minutes (a search online for the 149 minutes version didn't produce any result). But when I thought the film was nearly over and an Intermission title card was shown, I knew the running time of 149 minutes was no mistake. Despite its length the film was surprisingly enjoyable. I definitely would have enjoyed it less if I hadn't seen it on the big screen, accompanied by beautiful live piano music performed by Anahit Simonian. In spite of some unfavourable reviews I wanted to see this film because of the actors: the Gish sisters, William Powell and Ronald Colman. I love the scenes with the sisters. At first I was a bit disappointed with Lillian's role — she didn't have much to do — and Dorothy's character had more screen time in the beginning and was more lively and interesting. Fortunately Lillian has a couple of strong scenes later on in the film. As for the men ... Ronald Colman plays a likeable character but has a relatively small role. The bigger part is reserved for William Powell. But oh my! He looks plain ridiculous in these tights. The way he meets his death underwater is really well done and looks creepy. The men have ugly hairdos but Lillian Gish looks beautiful with her long hair and head ornament. I also love her dresses. Sister Dorothy looks also nice with her cap and poncho. Now I really want to see The White Sister with Lillian Gish and Colman, their better collaboration.
With Romola I've come to the end of February's round-up. I said it before and I will say it again: hopefully I can see a lot more films in the coming month. But as things are, my life here in Barcelona is a bit restless at the moment, job-wise and apartment-wise. So I won't get my hopes up too much regarding the amount of films I can watch in March. In any case, the Filmoteca has a couple of really nice classics programmed for March which I all intend to see. They are: Pursued, The Big Sleep, Touch of Evil, The Birds, The Fountainhead, The Graduate and All About Eve. So seeya with the next round-up!
PHOTOS/GIFS IN THIS POST FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:
Ending this post with the only film I've seen at the Filmoteca on the big screen: Romola with the Gish sisters (Lillian and Dorothy) and William Powell and Ronald Colman. Since this was new to me and I normally don't rewatch films at home, there were no rewatches this month. The film itself is not one of Lillian Gish' best work but I still wanted to seize the opportunity to watch it on the big screen and it was accompanied by live piano music so that's always an extra incentive to see a silent film. And I love the photos of Gish wearing the beautiful costume and head adornment so having seen this film gives me the chance to post these photos.
The film was shown in a clear tinted print (mostly sepia, at times blue), the UCLA restored version of 149 minutes. I had seen the running time on the Filmoteca program but assumed it was a mistake because Letterboxd says 106 minutes and IMDB 1 hour and 42 minutes (a search online for the 149 minutes version didn't produce any result). But when I thought the film was nearly over and an Intermission title card was shown, I knew the running time of 149 minutes was no mistake. Despite its length the film was surprisingly enjoyable. I definitely would have enjoyed it less if I hadn't seen it on the big screen, accompanied by beautiful live piano music performed by Anahit Simonian. In spite of some unfavourable reviews I wanted to see this film because of the actors: the Gish sisters, William Powell and Ronald Colman. I love the scenes with the sisters. At first I was a bit disappointed with Lillian's role — she didn't have much to do — and Dorothy's character had more screen time in the beginning and was more lively and interesting. Fortunately Lillian has a couple of strong scenes later on in the film. As for the men ... Ronald Colman plays a likeable character but has a relatively small role. The bigger part is reserved for William Powell. But oh my! He looks plain ridiculous in these tights. The way he meets his death underwater is really well done and looks creepy. The men have ugly hairdos but Lillian Gish looks beautiful with her long hair and head ornament. I also love her dresses. Sister Dorothy looks also nice with her cap and poncho. Now I really want to see The White Sister with Lillian Gish and Colman, their better collaboration.
With Romola I've come to the end of February's round-up. I said it before and I will say it again: hopefully I can see a lot more films in the coming month. But as things are, my life here in Barcelona is a bit restless at the moment, job-wise and apartment-wise. So I won't get my hopes up too much regarding the amount of films I can watch in March. In any case, the Filmoteca has a couple of really nice classics programmed for March which I all intend to see. They are: Pursued, The Big Sleep, Touch of Evil, The Birds, The Fountainhead, The Graduate and All About Eve. So seeya with the next round-up!
PHOTOS/GIFS IN THIS POST FROM TOP TO BOTTOM:
*Man Without a Star (1955) with Kirk Douglas and Jeanne Crain; (gif by me)
*Kirk Douglas;
*My Dear Secretary (1948) with Laraine Day and Kirk Douglas;
*Along the Great Divide (1951) with Kirk Douglas and Virginia Mayo;
*The Juggler (1953) with Kirk Douglas and Milly Vitale;
*The Juggler (1953) with Kirk Douglas;
*Man Without a Star (1955) with Claire Trevor and Kirk Douglas;
*Top Secret Affair (1957) with Kirk Douglas and Susan Hayward; (3 screenshots by me)
*Top Secret Affair (1957) with Kirk Douglas and Susan Hayward;
*Act of Love (1953) with Kirk Douglas and Dany Robin;
*The Big Trees (1952) with Kirk Douglas and Eve Miller;
*Kirk Douglas with his sons Michael and Joe on the set of The Big Trees (1952);
*The Big Trees (1952) with Kirk Douglas;
*The List of Adrian Messenger (1963) with Kirk Douglas and George C. Scott;
*The Walls of Jericho (1948) with writer-producer Lamar Trotti sharing a laugh with Linda Darnell and Kirk Douglas on set;
*Ann Dvorak and Kirk Douglas having lunch in the 20th Century-Fox Commissary during production of The Walls of Jericho (1948);
*The Walls of Jericho (1948) with Anne Baxter and Linda Darnell;
*The Last Sunset (1961) with Kirk Douglas and Dorothy Malone; (screenshot by me)
*The Last Sunset (1961) with Rock Hudson; (screenshot by me)
*Joan Fontaine;
*Darling, How Could You! (1951) with Joan Fontaine, John Lund and Mona Freeman;
*The Constant Nymph (1943) with Joan Fontaine; (screenshot by me)
*The Constant Nymph (1943) with Charles Boyer and Joan Fontaine; (gif by me)
*The Constant Nymph (1943) with Charles Boyer and Joan Fontaine;
*Kiss the Blood Off My Hands (1948) with Joan Fontaine and Burt Lancaster;
*Kiss the Blood Off My Hands (1948) with Joan Fontaine and Burt Lancaster;
*Have a Heart (1934) with James Dunn and Jean Parker;
*Have a Heart (1934) with Una Merkel, Jean Parker and Stuart Erwin on set;
*Romola (1924) with Lillian Gish; (2 photos)
*Romola (1924) with Ronald Colman and Lillian Gish;
*Romola (1924) with William Powell and Dorothy Gish;
*Romola (1924) with Lillian Gish and director Henry King on set.