Every February Turner Classic Movie has its annual 31 DAYS OF OSCAR (http://www.tcm.com/schedule/month/). Pure heaven for movie lovers, what better way to spend the rest of winter than watching classic movies from Hollywood's heydey.
I can't wait for this Saturday, they'll be showing a favorite, It Happened One Night. A screwball comedy of the 1930's directed by Frank Capra, written by Robert Riskin with brilliant dialogue and impeccable timing. The touch of Frank Capra can be seen everywhere; he was a master at using the familiar - eating, verbal slang, snoring, washing, dressing - to produce cinematic magic.
The intelligent dialogue sparks where Claudette Colbert and Glark Gable have a donut dunking lesson. Another wonderful vignette is where Colbert and Gable have a hitchhiking scene. When none of Gable's showy hitchhiking thumb signals is successful, he laughs at Colbert's offer to stop a car. She steps forward to prove her own technique and says, “I have a system all my own.”
One of the most pleasurable aspects of watching these films is lord and host Robert Osborne. As a film historian he gives a behind the scenes look that went into the production.
On Valentine's day I was out for the evening but returned to catch Casablanca. He called it the best “accidental masterpiece” Hollywood ever created. Apparently there was no finished script for the film when shooting began, the story kept changing, pages were given to the actors just prior to the cameras rolling, and some scenes were improvised on the spot. The stars were miserable—none of them wanted to be in it because of the chaos and disorganization. And yet, against all odds, the ingredients added up to one of the greatest screen classics ever made. Has there ever been a more natural beauty than Ingrid Bergman’s Ilsa? And what movie has more memorable quotes? “Here’s looking at you, kid.” “Louie, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” “Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine.” “We’ll always have Paris.”
This Saturday I'll be watching and feel like Cinderella in my living room. I'll put on a long, bias-cut pale pink dress that flaunts a soft grey and white lily print. To it, I'll add, a thin black choker, and slip on high heels like a drama queen watching —and visiting another era. My consolation prize for not seeing them at the red carpet event– a dozen films down, six to go!
