In the surprise ending to Whatever Happened To Baby Jane? Baby Jane Hudson (Bette Davis) realizes that all the time she was tormenting her sister, it was for the wrong reason, and they could've been friends.
I finished watching Whatever happened To Baby Jane? last night and found myself watching it gripped with morbid fascination! I also realized about halfway through that I was rooting for Baby Jane (Bette Davis) to kill Blanche Hudson (Joan Crawford) rather that wanting her to escape! I loved how Bette sung "I've Written A Letter To Daddy".
I admire the fact that if there was a note she couldn't hit, she just shrieked and hoped for the best.
The DVD came with the documentary All About Bette which me and my Mum watched this morning which was really good, and hosted by Jodie Foster. But today I'm going to compare The Philadelphia Story and High Society, both based of the same play, the latter was made 16 years later.
High Society
Cast:
The epitome of the rich society girl, Tracy Lord (Grace Kelly) has been divorced to the successful jazz musician Dexter Haven (the seedy Bing Crosby) for a few years. She is about to re-marry when Dexter arrives with his jazz gang and tries to win her back. Meanwhile the gossipy magazine "Spy" has planted a reporter (Frank Sinatra) and photographer (Celeste Holm, grrrrrr) to cover Tracy's wedding. The family has agreed to this so that the magazine will not publish a distasteful article about Tracy's estranged father and a chorus girl. She ends up falling for not only the reporter, but Dexter too.
Review:
The highlights of the film are the fact that the leader of Bing's band is Louis Armstrong, and the fantastic music that was written by Cole Porter. Grace Kelly gives a surprisingly unemotional performance. It may be unknown to you that I can't stand Bing Crosby. Well I can't. He is seedy and dodgy, and completely unbelievable as Dexter. Plus, he looks old enough to be Grace's father. But despite all of that negativity, this film did get me to sleep on insomniac nights until I was 9.
Now for the good bit.
the Philadelphia Story
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Cast:
The rich and intelligent (note the change in description) socialite, Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn) is about to marry the also rich George Kipperidge. But when her ex-husband, Dexter Haven (Cary Grant) turns up with a reporter (James Stewart *swoon*) and a photographer (Ruth Hussey, whoever she may be). She decides to go on with the marriage even though the presence of her ex-husband distracts her. After a bit too much champagne at a party the night before her wedding, she has a brief romance (lasting only about 2 hours) with the reporter. The next day, her fiancée sends her a not saying that her behaviour was unacceptable for a wife-to-be and that he would like to call it a day. As it has been obvious from the beginning that she would get back together with Dexter (who wouldn't want to go back with Cary Grant? But then again, who would want to leave Jimmy Stewart?) and they marry.
The Review:
I loved this film for all of its rich and emotional thought, and I think that Katharine Hepburn's portrayal was very sweet and understanding. The direction from George Cukor is great. Did you know that Bette Davis and Miriam Hopkins were both in his repertory company before they all shot to stardom? James Stewart looks about 12 in it! The performances generally work extremely well, and I am always finding it hard to work out whether I want her to go with James Stewart or Cary Grant!
THE LOWDOWN!!!!!
Preferred Film:
The Philadelphia Story definitely because I prefer the story without constant sing-song, and the direction is better in this.
Preferred Portrayals:
Tracy Lord: Katharine Hepburn
Dexter Haven: Cary Grant by miles
Elizabeth Imbrie (photographer): Celest Holm (as much as it pains me to say it) tied with Ruth Hussey
Macaulay Connor (reporter): Jimmy Stewart. Please don't feel rejected Fankie, it was a pretty close call.
Musical/Non-Musical?
Non-musical.
Which do you prefer?
~Bette
P.S. I found a gorgeous little vintagey 40sish shop in town today, and fell in love with a blue and cream stripy nipped-in-at-the-waist dress which was, as my mum stated about several items in the shop "sooooooo Bette Davis!", a pair of brown jodhpury trousers like the ones she wears in The Great Lie, and a little purse that looked like an old envelope. There are no pictures of these because, being typical me, I forgot the name of the shop. Watch this space!
P.P.S. Today is the 60th anniversary of All About Eve (my favourite film evah) being released.
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| "I've written a letter to Daddy. His address is heaven above!" |
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|
High Society
- Bing Crosby as C.K. Dexter-Haven
- Grace Kelly as Tracy Samantha Lord
- Frank Sinatra as Mike Connor
- Celeste Holm as Liz Imbrie
The epitome of the rich society girl, Tracy Lord (Grace Kelly) has been divorced to the successful jazz musician Dexter Haven (the seedy Bing Crosby) for a few years. She is about to re-marry when Dexter arrives with his jazz gang and tries to win her back. Meanwhile the gossipy magazine "Spy" has planted a reporter (Frank Sinatra) and photographer (Celeste Holm, grrrrrr) to cover Tracy's wedding. The family has agreed to this so that the magazine will not publish a distasteful article about Tracy's estranged father and a chorus girl. She ends up falling for not only the reporter, but Dexter too.
 |
| Well... did you evah? |
The highlights of the film are the fact that the leader of Bing's band is Louis Armstrong, and the fantastic music that was written by Cole Porter. Grace Kelly gives a surprisingly unemotional performance. It may be unknown to you that I can't stand Bing Crosby. Well I can't. He is seedy and dodgy, and completely unbelievable as Dexter. Plus, he looks old enough to be Grace's father. But despite all of that negativity, this film did get me to sleep on insomniac nights until I was 9.
Now for the good bit.
the Philadelphia Story
.jpg)
- Cary Grant as C. K. Dexter Haven
- Katharine Hepburn as Tracy Lord
- James Stewart as Macaulay Connor
- Ruth Hussey as Elizabeth Imbrie
The rich and intelligent (note the change in description) socialite, Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn) is about to marry the also rich George Kipperidge. But when her ex-husband, Dexter Haven (Cary Grant) turns up with a reporter (James Stewart *swoon*) and a photographer (Ruth Hussey, whoever she may be). She decides to go on with the marriage even though the presence of her ex-husband distracts her. After a bit too much champagne at a party the night before her wedding, she has a brief romance (lasting only about 2 hours) with the reporter. The next day, her fiancée sends her a not saying that her behaviour was unacceptable for a wife-to-be and that he would like to call it a day. As it has been obvious from the beginning that she would get back together with Dexter (who wouldn't want to go back with Cary Grant? But then again, who would want to leave Jimmy Stewart?) and they marry.
The Review:
I loved this film for all of its rich and emotional thought, and I think that Katharine Hepburn's portrayal was very sweet and understanding. The direction from George Cukor is great. Did you know that Bette Davis and Miriam Hopkins were both in his repertory company before they all shot to stardom? James Stewart looks about 12 in it! The performances generally work extremely well, and I am always finding it hard to work out whether I want her to go with James Stewart or Cary Grant!
THE LOWDOWN!!!!!
Preferred Film:
The Philadelphia Story definitely because I prefer the story without constant sing-song, and the direction is better in this.
Preferred Portrayals:
Tracy Lord: Katharine Hepburn
Dexter Haven: Cary Grant by miles
Elizabeth Imbrie (photographer): Celest Holm (as much as it pains me to say it) tied with Ruth Hussey
Macaulay Connor (reporter): Jimmy Stewart. Please don't feel rejected Fankie, it was a pretty close call.
Musical/Non-Musical?
Non-musical.
Which do you prefer?
~Bette
P.S. I found a gorgeous little vintagey 40sish shop in town today, and fell in love with a blue and cream stripy nipped-in-at-the-waist dress which was, as my mum stated about several items in the shop "sooooooo Bette Davis!", a pair of brown jodhpury trousers like the ones she wears in The Great Lie, and a little purse that looked like an old envelope. There are no pictures of these because, being typical me, I forgot the name of the shop. Watch this space!
P.P.S. Today is the 60th anniversary of All About Eve (my favourite film evah) being released.
“Bill’s thirty-two. He looks thirty-two. He looked it five years ago, he’ll look it twenty years from now. I hate men.”
— Margo Channing (All About Eve)
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