TV and Movies

[Oznell]

6:00 p.m. Eastern, Wednesday --    "All the King's Men".   Broderick Crawford, Mercedes McCambridge, John Ireland, Joanne Dru, John Derek, Shepperd Strudwick, Anne Seymour, Ralph Dumke

Love everything about this-- the genius casting, the luminous cinematography, the direction by the explosive talent, screenwriter and director Robert Rossen ( "Body and Soul", "The Hustler",  "Lilith")

Based on the life of Louisiana's scandalous, rags-to-riches politician Huey Long.   In the film he's "Willie Stark".   Broderick Crawford plays him brilliantly,  mining the ambiguity and "grey areas" of this complex, often reprehensible man. 

Broderick Crawford, Mercedes McCambridge, John Ireland

Mercedes McCambridge has to have the juicy role of her lifetime, playing his political aide and lover, who watches the married Stark's various other, illicit romantic liaisons, and seethes.

Love the dashing, perennially underrated John Ireland, as a reporter who, like so many others, gets pulled into the all-consuming orbit of larger-than-life Willie Stark.

Lovely Joanne Dru and "sensitive" John Ireland, sigh.

  

The art direction, the lighting, the late Forties' sets and costumes are striking.

Oscar wins:   1949 Best Picture   

                       Best Actor (Broderick Crawford). 

                       Best Supporting Actress  (Mercedes McCambridge)

John Ireland was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

Rossen also won a Golden Globe for Best Director.  

[Mz iMac]

@Oznell   In the first pic is that Mercedes McCambridge in the background?  The lady wearing an unformal white collar dress?

I don't think I've ever seen this movie.  Thanks for the heads up.

[skatting44]

  Yes, remember seeing this 1949  movie  sometime in the 1970's on TV . Also saw the remake  ( 2006) with Sean Pen ,  Jude Law and Kate Winslet

[shoesnbags]

Thanks for the heads up @Oznell .  I'm going to set this to record.

[STYLE]

OZELL:  GREAT WORK!  THANKS.

[Oznell]

That's right, ever-alert @Mz iMac !   There's Mercedes McCambridge in her street clothes at that fancy affair, watching and brooding.... 

Edited to add--  you might be interested to spot, long before all the hoopla and his involvement with "Bo",   the very young, John Derek in this. 

[Judaline]

@Oznell Looking at your pictures I just said to myself, 'is that John Derek?' hahaha

John Ireland and JoAnne Dru were married, right? She's the sister of Peter Marshall of tv game show fame. He'd talk about her now and then.

[Oznell]

I didn't realize that Ireland and Dru were married, @Judaline !   They have a nice chemistry onscreen too.

John Ireland had a "colorful" life, and was also the half-brother of Tommy Noonan (the guy who played Marilyn's rich-boy fiancee in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes").   AND, I think I read that Tommy Noonan had a comedy act with the young Peter Marshall, before Marshall became a game show host!   How's that for entangled.

Peter Marshall seemed to adore his older sister Joanne, which is sweet.  

[Judaline]

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@Oznell wrote:

I didn't realize that Ireland and Dru were married, @Judaline !   They have a nice chemistry onscreen too.

John Ireland had a "colorful" life, and was also the half-brother of Tommy Noonan (the guy who played Marilyn's rich-boy fiancee in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes").   AND, I think I read that Tommy Noonan had a comedy act with the young Peter Marshall, before Marshall became a game show host!   How's that for entangled.

Peter Marshall seemed to adore his older sister Joanne, which is sweet.  

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I know who Tommy Noonan is-big eyes as I recall. Yeah, PM was kinda proud of his sis. Handsome couple-wait, that doesn't sound right, lol.

[drizzellla]

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@Judaline wrote:

@Oznell Looking at your pictures I just said to myself, 'is that John Derek?' hahaha

John Ireland and JoAnne Dru were married, right? She's the sister of Peter Marshall of tv game show fame. He'd talk about her now and then.

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All I remember about Joanne Dru was that she was married to ****** Haymes. I read his biography. So there was stories about her.