TV and Movies

[Oznell]

12:30 p.m. Eastern--  "Adam's Rib"  Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, David Wayne, Judy Holliday, Tom Ewell, Jean Hagen

One of the most amusing and sophisticated Tracy/Hepburn pairings (on a par with the sparkling "Desk Set").  The couple are married lawyers, who end up on opposite sides of a splashy, battle-of-the sexes attempted murder case.  Lots of silly humor and sight gags, but also witty repartee among the battling lawyers and their fey, funny neighbor (David Wayne), who has an ongoing (mock?) flirtation with Hepburn.....   I adore David Wayne-- his work all through the Fifties as a character actor and second banana is just superb.  He's underrated and irreplaceable.  Love the song he "composes" for Hepburn here, the eminently hummable "Farewell, Amanda".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjYsSWf3eDo 

2:15 p.m. Eastern--  "Pat and Mike"  Katharine Hepburn, Spencer Tracy, Aldo Ray, Jim Backus

Rough-hewn sports promoter Tracy decides he can take natural athlete phys. ed. teacher Hepburn, and turn her into a commercial phenom,  "the greatest female athlete", excelling at golf, tennis, everything.  Their romantic rapport grows along with their sometimes bumpy, and often funny business partnership...

By the way, sublime "star of the month" Greta Garbo is showcased to perfection later on in "Queen Christina", about the enigmatic 17th century Swedish monarch. That's at 1:45 a.m. Eastern.  Followed by Greta Garbo documentary @3:30 a.m. Eastern.

[Witchy Woman]

@Oznell 

Will stop back later and comment on the Hepburn/Tracy movies, but wanted to tell you I watched a very strange Greta G. movie last night ---- Romance.  

Very odd and dated, but....she is so beautiful and graceful.  Really, not of this world!

Her male lead (unknown to me) was a dud...but she was like an angel.

More later

[Oznell]

Oh, good, @Witchy Woman.  Your description is so apt-- "not of this world"....

[spiderw]

Anything Tracy and Hepburn are in is always a winner.  My favorite is Desk Set but the two movies mentioned are excellent and the chemistry between Tracy and Hepburn electric!

I just saw David Wayne in one of my favorite movies, The Tender Trap.  He is not a big name star but always was an asset in any movie he was in, he did the job whatever the role. Wayne and Sinatra had equal billing in The Tender Trap in my opinion.

[drizzellla]

I can't wait for Adam's Rib. So many people that I enjoy watching - Tom Ewell, Judy Holliday, David Wayne and Jean Hagen. What a bunch of characters.

Can't believe I planned it so well. Tomorrow my son's car goes in the shop for inspection. So he will be using my car. So I will be stuck in the house for the day. Glad there will be a good movie to watch.

Thanks Oznell for keeping us well informed.

PS - Yesterday I was spring cleaning. What a mess. We were washing windows. And I decided to wash the sheer drapes in the dining room. The drapes came with built in adjustable plastic hooks. Well, I tried to get the plastic hooks off and of course broke several. Spent the rest of the day looking for drapery hooks that would work with the built in ones. Of course after going to several stores could not find any that I thought would work. So ended up ordering them on line. But of course they won't arrive till next week. So I have drapes half hung. And stuff moved away from the window. I figure I might as well just leave it as it is until I can properly hang the drapes. It looks a mess because it is. So much for spring cleaning.

I would rather watch a movie.

[Witchy Woman]

@Oznell 

I love both of these movies and have seen them multiple times.

They are just magic together.  I never get tired of the dialogue and their interaction.

Why can't we have more stars like that today?

Both of them perfection, and natural in their rolls.  It's so fun and relaxing to watch them!

I have not seen many Greta G. movies, but those that I have are strange and hypnotic in their appeal.   Even though Romance was not that great, I could not stop watching HER.  Something about an opera singer having a love affair with a priest.  But, I don't think he was Catholic, just in the clergy.  I will have to read up on it, but it was Greta G. that held my attention.  Her speaking voice, her beauty....one of a kind!

[Oznell]

Good example, @spiderw  --  David Wayne was excellent in "The Tender Trap".

@drizzellla--  Bummer about your frustrating breaking curtain hook situation!  Yeah, a good movie can make a lot of household annoyances endurable!

@Witchy Woman, interesting.  I find that people either "get" Garbo, as you do, or they don't know what all the fuss was about.  Other than a few of her films, "Anna Karenina",  "Anna Christie",  "Grand Hotel" etc.,  she usually appears in movies that don't necessarily appeal to me, but SHE always does.  It's that indefinable "it" that she has-- ethereal beauty and a soulful quality that intrigues...

[Group 5 minus 1]

I feel the whole Hepburn-Tracy thing is so hypocritical.

Oh and that "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner",why doesn't their daughter have job?

[Witchy Woman]

@Oznell 

I was never a big GG fan, because, like you, the movies she is in do not appeal to me at all.

Watched most of Anna Christie last night -- another strange movie that had a pretty flimsy plot.  But, I found myself drawn in by her words.  She was a bit hard to understand, but...so compelling.  She should have kicked both men to the curb (her father and some sailor she fell in love with), but....the ending found all forgiven. 

Her acting was a bit over the top, but....I think there was something about the early talkies that caused actors to overact.  Nevertheless, it was fun watching her....she is so willowy and always in some emotional turmoil 

Missed Grand Hotel and Anna Karenina, but if they come back around, I'll watch them.  I've seen bits and pieces of Blue Angel....but have never seen it on TCM.