31 Days of Oscar on TCM

[mmk123]

This year, I said I was going to try to see some classic Oscar nominated and winning movies that I have never seen before. Well, I still have this weekend but so far I have seen these 2

 

Breakfast at Tiffany's-if Audrey Hepburn ever looked more beautiful than she did in that movie I do not know when. Such a lovely film

 

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie-Maggie Smith was (as usual) excellent. It was actually a very sad movie when you realize how lonely the lead character is, despite the facade she shows.

[foxy]

Audrey Hepburn was always gorgeous in all her films. My favorite is still Two For The Road but they were all good.

[+ Oliver]

Audrey Hepburn was always gorgeous in all her films ...

 

​Ah yes - "How to Steal a Million" with Peter O'Toole.

[MrMiniver]

This year, I said I was going to try to see some classic Oscar nominated and winning movies that I have never seen before. Well, I still have this weekend but so far I have seen these 2

 

Breakfast at Tiffany's-if Audrey Hepburn ever looked more beautiful than she did in that movie I do not know when. Such a lovely film

 

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie-Maggie Smith was (as usual) excellent. It was actually a very sad movie when you realize how lonely the lead character is, despite the facade she shows.

 

I envy you being able to see those films for the first time. I'd love to be able to do that again!

This is actually my least favorite month on TCM since not only have I seen all of these films many times, I actually have almost all of them in my collection!

[actor61]

I envy you being able to see those films for the first time. I'd love to be able to do that again!

This is actually my least favorite month on TCM since not only have I seen all of these films many times, I actually have almost all of them in my collection!

 

I hardly ever watch TCM anymore simply because I've seen almost all of the movies, some of them several times. What I love, though, is how during the 31 days of Oscar, they put films into various categories. For example, last night they had all of the Best Actress nominees from 1931 and even though I've seen it, I watched Helen Hayes's winning performance in "The Sin of Madelon Claudet". I doubt anyone even remembers who Helen Hayes was but when you watch that movie, you understand why she was considered one of the best American actresses of the 20th century and "The First Lady of the American Theatre". Even in a syrupy melodrama such as "Claudet", she brings a freshness and a spontaneity to some of the scenes that would be perfect in a movie today. In other scenes, she's unbearable but I think that had to do with writing and direction more than inept acting on her part. And it was lovely to see a very young Robert Young in one of his first important movie roles. His scenes with Hayes at the end of the film are just wonderful. It was fun also to see Lynne Fontanne in "The Guardsman". It's a shame she didn't make more movies. I've always regretted that I'm too young to have seen Fontanne, Cornell, Laurette Taylor, Ina Claire, Jeanne Engels, Ethel Barrymore or Gertrude Lawrence during their heyday on Broadway. An elderly friend of mine saw Hayes on B'way in "A Touch of the Poet" with Richard Burton and said she was heartbreaking and astonishing. He also saw Shirley Booth in "Come Back, Little Sheba" and believes it was the best performance he has ever witnessed. I saw Julie Andrews and Richard Burton in "Camelot", Mary Martin in "The Sound of Music" and Merman in the last months of "Hello Dolly" and the memory of those performances is indelible. Those days of star performances are really a thing of the past. There truly was a Golden Age.

[MrMiniver]

Sadly, I think if Helen Hayes is remembered today (and I think she is by people over 50) it is for her later in life appearances on TV and in films like Airport where she played those funny old lady characters. A role now filled by Betty White. Theater is so ephemeral. One day, you're the biggest star around. Then you're off the stage for a few years and forgotten and there's no physical record.

[jgoo]

I envy you being able to see those films for the first time. I'd love to be able to do that again!

This is actually my least favorite month on TCM since not only have I seen all of these films many times, I actually have almost all of them in my collection!

 

Interesting how people view things differently as this is one of my most favorite months on TCM. While I have seen all the films many times also, I really enjoy revisiting them especially on those days when they show all the contenders for best picture in a specific year in a row. Last night was 1967: In the Heat of the Night, Bonnie and Clyde, Doctor Dolittle, The Graduate, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. I also enjoy the tidbits of information that the host, Robert Osborne, provides about each of the entries. Fun to second guess the results but in this case, imho, they got it right but definitely a year full of great choices

[MrMiniver]

Interesting how people view things differently as this is one of my most favorite months on TCM. While I have seen all the films many times also, I really enjoy revisiting them especially on those days when they show all the contenders for best picture in a specific year in a row. Last night was 1967: In the Heat of the Night, Bonnie and Clyde, Doctor Dolittle, The Graduate, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. I also enjoy the tidbits of information that the host, Robert Osborne, provides about each of the entries. Fun to second guess the results but in this case, imho, they got it right but definitely a year full of great choices

 

That's true but, for me, I like the option of just pulling out a film when I want to see it, when I'm in that mood. I've found over the past few years I no longer want to march to the beat of a TV schedule or watching things at a specific time. It's why I love binge-watching and Netflix stuff like House of Cards and Orange is the New Black. I can watch when I want. I think it's going to be the new business model.

 

I think I know one person -- retired -- who still checks the TV Guide for "her shows" and sits down and watches thing like NCIS when they are actually one, commercials and all. I can't imagine doing that anymore.

[JT Brooklyn]

Audrey Hepburn has been resurrected in a current TV Commercial..It took a lot of Makeup but the Girl they used pulls it off well!

[Boink]

I'm pretty sure they hauled out old film clips of Hepburn and blended them with CGI 'face replacement' into some shots. The latest Hollywood VFX technology.