I want to be Myrna Loy when I grow up

I’ve been thinking about Myrna Loy in Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer.   It’s one of my favorite Myrna Loy movies because I identify with her.  She’s a lawyer and is serious about serious things, but underneath that, she has a dry sense of humor.  I also like her clothes.

Cropped screenshot of Myrna Loy from the trailer for the film Libeled Lady (1936). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

But the best part of the movie is watching her become befuddled and bemused by Cary Grant.  I love the entire scene where they go out to eat at a restaurant that has a dance floor.  That scene has it all:  romance and subtle humor that slides into farce.  I love it.

Which makes me wonder why I don’t go to restaurants that have dance floors.  Do they even exist?

It would be worth going back in time just to be able to eat an elegant dinner and go dancing in a lovely dress with someone who knew a few dance steps and could lead.

Now that’s romantic.

And why the Fred Astaire / Ginger Rogers films are so popular.

They made dancing together look so effortless, beautiful, and sexy, too.  I believe that Ginger’s acting — looking like she was falling in love while she danced — was one of the reasons Fred Astaire’s film career took off.  She made us see that skinny talented guy in a new  light.

 

Here’s a lovely still from Roberta.

An RKO publicity still of Astaire and Rogers dancing to “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes” in Roberta (1935) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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Romantic Christmas Movies – part two

It’s rare when I like a remake more than the original — especially when the original stars Cary Grant.  However, I like The Preacher’s Wife better than The Bishop’s Wife.  Why?

Cover of The Preacher’s Wife

I think Whitney Houston’s husband is more sympathetic than Loretta Young‘s .  Normally I enjoy David Niven, but he is a little too fussy and focused on making money (although for the church) in The Bishop’s Wife.   So at the end of The Bishop’s Wife, I feel sorry for Loretta because she has to stay with her reformed, but still fuddy duddy husband.  In contrast, Whitney gets to stay with her husband, who was always a great guy, just overworked and overwhelmed.  Through the visit from the angel, both Whitney and her husband learn to appreciate each other.

Perhaps I also prefer the smart-mouthed, modern American setting to the subtle, reserved English setting, which is also rare for me.  My favorite character in The Preacher’s Wife is Whitney’s mother played by Jenifer Lewis.   She has such a great attitude.  And the scene where she shakes Denzel Washington‘s hand and decides to quit smoking is very moving.

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Watching a man shave

I had a conversation about shaving today, and I wondered why such a normal part of a man’s life isn’t included in more films — as far as I’ve noticed.

The shaving bits I remember best involve Cary Grant.

English: RKO publicity still from Suspicion (1941) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House, Cary Grant and Myrna Loy have a hilarious morning routine, and I believe that Cary Grant has to share a bathroom with his teenage daughter.  He finds the scheduling of getting shaved very difficult.

In Walk Don’t Run, Cary Grant has another scheduling problem with the beautiful Samantha Eggar sharing the same bathroom, and he can’t remember if he’s supposed to shave first or shower first.  Very funny.

Walk Don’t Run is a remake of The More the Merrier, which I also love, but I can’t remember if Joel McCrea actually shaves.   I remember him taking a shower and barking like a seal.  I’ll have to watch it again and take notes.

Even Shakespeare recognized the significance of shaving, making Benedict shave before he begins to woo Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing, but I’m trying to remember if Sam Waterston or Kenneth Branagh actually shave on screen . . .  I sense a future film festival topic.

Oh, and Howard Keel shaves before he goes to marry Jane Powell in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.  That’s a great moment, which always made me a little sad because  Howard Keel had such a great beard.

In my book The M Word, shaving provides two plot turning points.

Are there any other films in which shaving is an important part of the story?

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