Pawsome Pet Pictures: Lillian Gish.

Personal Quote: I never approved of talkies. Silent movies were well on their way to developing an entirely new art form. It was not just pantomine, but something wonderfully expressive.

288. The Comedians

288. (25 Nov) The Comedians (1967, Peter Glenville) 29



The Comedians is of two minds, establishing the complicated political climate of Haiti and acknowledging its poverty and oppression while focusing on rich white outsiders whose drama remains at the forefront. By no means is The Comedians guilty of something countless great works aren't as well, but it's harder to forgive considering the film's bloated runtime and general ineptitude. Despite a small ensemble, most of this narrative is incoherent and uninteresting.

Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton at least offer an intensity that makes their scenes together irresistible. As obsessed, unfaithful lovers, this surely wasn't a stretch for them to play. They have a palpable sexual energy that transcends the mediocre film it's trapped within. Burton handily gives the best performance here, overshadowing Taylor with her inconsistent accent. The supporting cast ranges from serviceable (Alec Guinness, Peter Ustinov) to dreadful (Paul Ford, Lillian Gish).

Broken Blossoms(1919).

Broken Blossoms or The Yellow Man and the Girl is a 1919 silent film directed by D.W. Griffith. Cast: Lillian Gish, Richard Barthelmess and Donald Crisp. It is based on Thomas Burke's short story "The Chink and the Child" from the 1916 collection Limehouse Nights.

With high hopes in changing Westerners' violent ways Chang, with his Buddhist believes moves to England. Many years later, working as a shopkeeper in London's Lime-house district, Chang watches Lucy Burrows, out his window. Even though he sees that she is underfed and wearing ragged clothes. Chang, thinks that she is beautiful and falls in love with her from afar. Then one day he comes to her aide when another Oriental attacks her.

After Burrows whips Lucy, almost to death after she spills soup on his hand, she walks the streets and falls unconscious in front of Chang's shop, he then takes her in and dresses her as a princess in beautiful silks. They become fast friends. Lucy gives Chang the respect he needs and he gives Lucy the only gentleness she has ever known.

After a friend of Burrows, finds Lucy staying with Chang,  he then goes to inform her father. More than angry, Burrows finds her and drags her home. Will Chang get there in time to save Lucy from another beating?

Video:
Full length movie.

Fun Facts:

Lillian Gish did not want to make the picture and D.W. Griffith had to work hard to persuade her to do it. She later said she was glad she consented.

Filming took 18 days and nights. Donald Crisp's scenes were filmed at night because he was directing another film during the day.

D.W. Griffith saw Lillian Gish using her smile gesture with her fingers and decided to incorporate it into the filming.

The only makeup Richard Barthelmess used in order to appear Oriental was a very tight rubber band stretched around his forehead, pulling his facial features slightly upward. The rubber band was cleverly concealed beneath his cap.

The film was produced by D.W. Griffith for Adolph Zukor's Artcraft company, a subsidiary of Paramount Pictures. But when Griffith delivered the final print of the film to Zukor, the producer was outraged. "How dare you deliver such a terrible film to me!" Zukor raged. "Everybody in the picture dies!" Infuriated, Griffith left Zukor's office and returned the next day with $250,000 in cash, which he threw on Zukor's desk. "Here," Griffith shouted, "If you don't want the picture, I'll buy it back from you." Zukor accepted the offer, thus making this the first film released by United Artists, the production company formed in 1919 by Mary Pickford, Charles Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, and Griffith. It was a remarkably successful film, both critically and at the box office.

The film's premiere engagement included a live prologue featuring a dance routine performed by actress Carol Dempster. During Dempster's dance the stage was illuminated by blue and gold footlights. Later, during the screening of the film, a stagehand accidentally switched on those footlights and the movie screen tinted the film in an unusual way. D.W. Griffith, standing in the rear of the auditorium, was so surprised and delighted at the blue and gold-tinted effect that he ordered all copies of the film to be tinted in those colors during certain key sequences.

One of the films listed in "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die", edited by Steven Jay Schneider.

"Broken Blossoms" is the story about two abused people who find comfort and strength in one another. This is one of the most heartbreaking silent movies ever filmed.

Portrait of Jennie (1948).

Portrait of Jennie(1948). Romantic/Fantasy film based on the novel by Robert Nathan. The film was directed by William Dieterle and produced by David O. Selznick. Cast: Jennifer Jones, Ethel Barrymore, Lillian Gish  and Joseph Cotten.

The film begins, when not a very well known painter Eben Adams, is having a hard time selling his paintings. Although, things begin to look up for Adams after a chance meeting with a young girl named Jennie Appleton, while sitting on a bench in Central Park. He notices that Jennie's clothing seems dated.



He makes a sketch of Jennie from memory, which impresses art dealer Miss Spinney, who suggest he paint a "Portrait Of Jennie".

Each time they meet she is older and Adams becomes more confused by her comments and realizes that, if what she says about her past are true, she should be 20 years older.

As time passes Adams tries to find out the truth about Jennie's past and the last time Adams, sees Jennie, is on a rocky seashore during a violent storm, which is absolutely beautiful and tragic. One of the greatest stories of true love ever filmed. The entire film is in black and white, the tidal wave sequence towards the end is shown in green tint, and the final shot of the completed portrait of Jennie is in color.

Florence Bates (April 15, 1888 – January 31, 1954). In 1939 she was introduced to Alfred Hitchcock, who cast her in her first major screen role, Mrs. Van Hopper, in Rebecca. Among her other credits: Kitty Foyle, The Moon and Sixpence, Mr. Lucky, Heaven Can Wait, Mister Big, Since You Went Away, Kismet, Saratoga Trunk, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Winter Meeting, I Remember Mama, Portrait of Jennie, A Letter to Three Wives, On the Town, and Les Misérables. Bates had a regular role on The Hank McCune Show and made guest appearances on I Love Lucy, My Little Margie, and Our Miss Brooks.

For the Boys Blogathon

Participating blogs:
As Time Goes By
Backlots
Bette’s Classic Movie Blog
Blame Mame
Comet Over Hollywood
Dear Mr. Gable
Frankly, My Dear
Hollywood Revue, The
Jeremy Gurto
lilliangish.net
Most Beautiful Fraud in the World, The
Noir and Chick Flicks
Pussy Goes Grr
Sinamatic Salve-ation
Sittin’ on a Backyard Fence
Tales of the Easily Distracted
True Classics
Undy a Hundy

What I think men most like about the western/film noir actor Robert Mitchum, is how he swaggered through the wildness of his youth and became very independent man. Without a doubt, one of Mr. Mitchum's best films is also his favorite performance, The Night of the Hunter (1955). His performance as Reverend Harry Powell, is considered by many to be one of the most suspenseful of his career.

The film begins when family man Ben Harper, is sentenced to hang for his part in a robbery in which two men were killed. Before he is caught he hides the stolen money, telling only his son John, where the money is.

Reverend Harry Powell, a serial killer and posing as preacher with the two words "LOVE" and "HATE" tattooed across his knuckles, shares a prison cell with Harper. While Harper sleeping, Powell over hears him say: "And a little child shall lead them."

Powell, now believes that Harper's children, are the only ones who know the secret of where the money is and to win their trust, marries their mother, Willa. Powell, asks the children about the money and John becomes suspicious of Powell and does not trust him. Willa, overhears her new husband questioning the children and now that she knows the truth, he kills her.

After Powell dumps her body, you see a beautiful/horrific under water scene of her sitting in the car at the bottom of the pond. He learns where the money is and the children escape down the river with the money. The river scene is one of many moments of pure beauty and the music keeps you drifting along.



 They find safety with an eccentric old woman named, Rachel Cooper. Powell, eventually catches up with them, but Rachel knows that he is evil and takes matters into her own hands.

The cat and mouse game, between Reverend Harry Powell and young John, will keep you sitting on the edge of your seat.