Recently, my 14 year old daughter asked me if we could watch some of my old movies together (she has taken a real shine to Audrey Hepurn lately.) Last week, we watched "Rebecca" and "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane."

She liked "Rebecca", although she lost interest during the part toward the end where Rebecca's body is discovered, long, dull, police inquiry, etc.

She luuuuuuved "Baby Jane" She was glued to the tv the entire time it was on. She was nervous in all the right places, and caught all the humor, too (there's actually a few funny scenes in this movie!)

I am very pleased that she is showing an interest in older films, and I hope that we will watch many more together. This next week, we are going to watch "All About Eve" and "Sabrina."

I really love older movies, and I think they just don't make 'em like they used to!

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Oh, well nubka, your little girl needs to see FROM THE TERRACE, WOMAN'S WORLD, HARRIET CRAIG, QUEEN BEE, TEN NORTH FREDERICK, BUTTERFIELD 8, MADAME X, PEYTON PLACE, THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL, HUMORESQUE, THE ROMAN SPRING OF MRS. STONE, and a number of others. HUD, included. You'll have the smartest young lady, in town!
I learned more from those movies, than from all my years in college, believe you me! My mother was GREAT with old movies. She loved them. I would listen to her explain the ins and outs of some of these old potboilers, and relish watching them, alongside her. Some of my fondest memories. Savor these times, nubka. They vanish, way too fast . . .

Great viewing list, nubka! Don't forget the original The Women and Roman Holiday!

Would she like Bringing Up Baby? My son liked that one a lot.

I have The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone and Butterfield 8. I bought The Women (on eBay,) and I'm still waiting for it to arrive.

I've really been on a "All About Eve" kick lately. This month, I've watched it at least nine times. One thing about that movie, though (even though it's trivial,) I absolutely hate Celeste Holm's hair in it. Everytime she is in a scene, I want to grab a brush and go after her. On the other hand, Bette's hair is gorgeous...

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It sounds like fun! I am so envious! When I am able to persuade my daughter to watch old movies with me (once or twice a year) she can hardly stay awake for the first scene. Twenty minutes later she is completely lost and either falls asleep or complains loudly over my choice of "entertainment".

That's really great, nubka...your daughter has good taste!

My daughter and I watched The Women once on TCM and she absolutely loved it as well. Also, the Fred and Ginger musicals and Singin in the Rain.

nubs, I too love 'Eve.' But, there's just one thing, and this tends to be the case, in all Mankiewicz productions: the dialogue strikes me as mechanical. Many of the characters in his films, talk the same way: high brow, literate, witty and acerbic. After a while, it gets to me . . . especially since I'm used to that, right here, at home. LOL. As for Ms. Holm's hair . . . yes, it was tightly set. I've felt that way about Queen Elizabeth's coiffes, too . . . loosen it up a little. But, alas . . . she never has.

I love old movies, but I have a terrible time getting DH to watch them with me. He'll buy me DVD's and videos as gifts, but he just won't sit through them. I think my all-time favorite oldie is Laura. Gotta be one of the most beautiful B&W movies ever made.

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BG, LAURA is one of my favorites, too. Have you ever seen, LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN??? You must. Gene Tierney received an Oscar nomination, but lost to Joan Crawford, for Mildred Pierce. 'Heaven,' is a mesmerizing, disturbing tale. See it, when you can.

Beauty and the Beast (1946 Jean Cocteau version).

The Miracle Worker (the Anne Bancroft/Patty Duke version).

The Grapes of Wrath.

These are three movies my daughter and I have greatly enjoyed viewing together. There are many more, but these three are absolute "must-see"s,

Adore a lot of the flick suggestions said here. I'm big time Old Hollywood movie buff too. I love the silents as well.

Great that your daughter is having an appreciation for a bygone era and some really good acting and campy acting too in some of them. But there were some greats done last century that warrant repeated viewings always.

Get her to see "The Bad Seed"!!!!! I love this flick! It's so good. She may enjoy this one too.

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Look! There's a bottle of Sortilege on the table!

Oh yes, we have seen this one, a great movie (I used to have the video...why did I give it away??) Rhoda is soooooooo evil !!

Demetrue, I see the SORTILEGE!!!! Used to LOVE, that fragrance . . . never noticed that, before!! Eisai thavma, kori mou . . .

Sortilege Le Galion used to be given away at the Stork Club I think(?) I read somewhere, it was one of their promos they gave to their high end clientele. Cool. I would've loved to smell the real deal. I've only smelled the degraded version of it after years of just being in a bottle unused. Had a big bottle sold it on Ebay long time ago.

Is that, so?? Never knew that! I know that in this scene, the 'Eve' sophisticates, were sitting inside THE CUB ROOM . . . 'where the elite, meet . . . '



Sortilege was a haunting, old fashioned smell . . . centering on wild hyacinth.

Mietros, I wore Sortilege when I was nineteen.

Oh, Boxwood . . . I'm sure it suited you! A bewitching fragrance, that I miss very much. I remember the ship, on the Le Galion, label . . .

Nubka, get your daughter on to Doris Day. My daughter "lived" her movies. Ana is in her 30's and still watches them. I love the camp "Midnight Lace" . Clam jane is a classic!

That's interesting, because the dialogue is what I love about this movie. Verbal sparring from begining to end! I'll have to check out some more Mankiewicz productions...

Aramis, did you ever get the chance to check out Bette Davis singing on Youtube?? She was on the Andy Williams Show, singing just for you...how can you pass up such talent and sweetness all rolled up into one middle aged woman?? (No, she is not singning "Letter to Daddy", but rather an upbeat tune that asks the timeless question "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?")

It is not to be missed, and besides, I know that Bette's close, personal, dear, friend, Joan would want you too...

"Yes, that's right darling, I would..." Click to view attachment
Nag, nag, nag...

nubs, my computer has been super slow, lately . . . I wasn't able to get into that video, but I shall try, again. Nubka, have you seen THE BAREFOOT CONTESSA?? That's a Mankiewicz, movie . . . stingers, throughout: 'Where are you, Maria?'



'Half in the dirt, and half out . . . ' LOVE THAT LINE.

I haven't seen that, but I'll attempt to rent it (my video store doesn't stock a lot of "classic" films.) Hmmm...it might be time for me to go back to Netflix.

I started watching old movies when I was around 12. It's most of what I watch now. I can think of a few that would be great for a 14 year old:

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes - Marilyn Monroe - really cute, great songs.
Breakfast at Tiffany's - Audrey Hepburn
Mildred Pearce - Joan Crawdord
Gone with the Wind - Clark Gables and Armanis's favorite actress of all time ;-)
Desk Set - Katherine Hepburn
Laura - Gene Terney(sp?)
Gilda - Rita Hayworth
and ofcourse The Women, my all time favorite.


It's great that she's taken an interest in old movies!!!

I love Desk Set, too! Isn't that a great movie? My daughter loves the part where Hepburn is tipsy at the office Christmas Party, swing her scarf and singing "Night and Day!"

I have to tell you Nubka that I'm not really a fan of Katherine, but I simply love her in this movie. I also liked her alot in Lion in Winter.

Me, neither! I've seen her in "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner", and "On Golden Pond" and that's about it. Audrey is my "Hepburn" of choice...LOL!

"All About Eve" is my positively all-time fave...what style, what class, what dialogue! Nubs, if you want a VHS tape of "Barefoot Contessa, send me an e...I'm happy to send it along to you for your collection.

Thank you, Sus! I'd love to see that movie. I'll send you my address...

nubs . . . THE BAREFOOT CONTESSA, is among my top five, faves. It's a love it or hate it, film . . . a vitriolic, Mankiewiecz indictment of Hollywood and stardom, in general. Based on Rita Hayworth. Recently, I watched THE LOVES OF CARMEN, with Rita Hayworth . . . many flashes, back to CONTESSA. One thing, is certain: Ava has NEVER been more beautiful, or more ravishingly presented, than in TBC! Her Mohawk number, to Mario Nascimbene's haunting, deeply sensual them from the movie . . . is just too much.

O.k., my daughter and I watched another old movie last night (actually, it was from the mid 60's...does that count as old?) Anyway, we watched the Bette Davis thriller, "Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte." While we both liked it, my daughter likes "What Ever Happened to Baby Jane" better. I liked it, but not well enough to want to buy it.

It was great fun to see Olivia DeHaviland in a "mean" roll (I'm so used to thinking of her as "Sweet Miss Melanie from GWTW.") Jospeh Cotton was convincing (in a creepy way) as "Drew", but ugh, I'd rather end up with the guy who got his head and hand chopped off, than end up with Drew, LOL!! (Sorry, but Joseph Cotton just doesn't appeal to me at all!)

I luuuuuv the scene at the end where cousin Miriam and Drew are out on the veranda yucking it up and making fun of Charlotte (DeHaviland was a hoot in that scene.) It totally suprised us, when Charlotte pushed that huge, heavy flower urn on them both! I wasn't expecting that at all (I thought that Charlotte would spill the beans on them the next day, in front of the sanitarium people that were coming at 10:30...)

You know, now that I'm really thinking about it, I just might have to buy this movie after all...

My favorite part in 'Charlotte,' is when Miss D. says: 'Public relations. Sounds pretty dirty, to me . . . '

I suppose blackmale could be considered a "public relations" job...LOL!!

Nubka wrote: "Recently, my 14 year old daughter asked me if we could watch some of my old movies together (she has taken a real shine to Audrey Hepurn lately.) Last week, we watched "Rebecca" and "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane."

She liked "Rebecca", although she lost interest during the part toward the end where Rebecca's body is discovered, long, dull, police inquiry, etc.

She luuuuuuved "Baby Jane" She was glued to the tv the entire time it was on. She was nervous in all the right places, and caught all the humor, too (there's actually a few funny scenes in this movie!)

I am very pleased that she is showing an interest in older films, and I hope that we will watch many more together. This next week, we are going to watch "All About Eve" and "Sabrina."

I really love older movies, and I think they just don't make 'em like they used to! "

Nubka, I totally agree that the best movies are vintage. When I was your daughter's age I'm not sure how much I would have appreciated that particular group of films. I did like the 'thrillers' (WHTBJ), but I had to reach 20 and over to catch the subtleties of "Rebecca" and "All About Eve". I recall liking "The Birds" and "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane". Have you played "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" and "Bringing Up Baby" for your daughter? Those I liked as a teenager.

Mort, I loved Gentlemen Prefer Blondes! Who could forget that big number starring the great, MM?

She and Jane Russell played so well, off each other! Great team . . .



Morticia, have you ever seen TEN NORTH FREDERICK? Oh . . . you've got to see this one. Gary Cooper, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Suzy Parker . . . centers on an aristocratic Pennsylvania family, whose 'darling daughter,' played by Diane Varsi . . . gets into trouble, ruining her father's chances for the Presidency. Much more . . . a real potboiler. I can't find this movie, anywhere . . . lent it to rasputin. He loved it, too! So wish it weren't so difficult to procure.



An idiotic dalliance that I love, is THE V.I.P.'S, with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. LOLOL!



photo: Ten North Frederick, from John O'Hara's steamy novel . . . part of my college education: age 10.

10 North Frederick doesn't ring a bell for me, Armanis. I'll look for it on Netflix. I do know that there is something about Marilyn which appeals to both young women and young men. I wish her movies were on TV more often. Do you think one has to have passed the big 4o to 'get' "The Misfits"? (I never understood it until this year, even though I'm an animal lover.)

The Misfits, is a difficult film. On all levels, I suspect. Truly I don't think children would enjoy it. I know, I didn't . . . and I enjoyed BUTTERFIELD 8, at age 12!! 'Let's face it, Momma . . . I was the slut of all time!' LOLOLOL.

Susan once said that MM is the only star she can think of, who was loved equally by women, and by men. I think that's true.