Susan (Freakin') Hayward

What a dame! This woman is fierce. She is able to be steely, fragile and unflattering. What a broad!!!

I have seen her in so many movies. Here are a few clips of her in action.

clip from: With a Song in My Heart 1952
http://youtube.com/watch?v=3jNHcGP_4o0
Susan played the singer, Jane Froman in the movie. There is a touching scene with Susan and Robert Wagner that always seems to choke me up.

clips from: I'll Cry Tomorrow 1955
http://youtube.com/watch?v=FWFyucH2oCs
http://youtube.com/watch?v=1QpC0leJ-vU
http://youtube.com/watch?v=BNcqUICDpzE
http://youtube.com/watch?v=MEFulD0X36w
http://youtube.com/watch?v=-TOrtH86_Io
This is a movie based on Lillian Roth. What a life. Susan did her own singing. Fierce.

from: I Want to Live 1958

She won the Academy Award for this movie. Her stuff at the end of the movie (not to take away anything from the first half, at all)! That turn of hers, the back and forth...*le whew*

from: Valley of the Dolls 1967

I mean, honestly, who doesn't like a little bit o' camp? This movie is awful! But, a lot of fun (in an AWful way). And, yes. I own it. "Boobies, boobies, boobies!"

"The Counterfeit Traitor"

Lilli Palmer is another one of my all-time favorite actresses. She's got grace, elegance, wit and some mean acting chops! Here are a few scenes from the first film I saw her in (that I'm aware of as my first film of hers...it could have been something else like, "The Pleasure of His Company," but I'm old and I don't remember):

To learn more about Lilli, you should check out her autobiography Change Lobsters---and Dance. You will find her to be candid, witty, charming, intelligent and loving. I got a lot out of it as an actress but mostly as a human being. Lilli was a strong woman. She is the personification of perserverance. Truly. Her book was enlightening, inspiring and motivating. On top of all that, she's one helluva writer. I couldn't put her book down. I finished it in 3 days. One of my favorite books.

http://www.myspace.com/lillimariepeiser

A Long Overdue Birthday Present...

...for Serein---

Musical Stylings with Isabelle Huppert and Françoise Hardy: "Message Personnel"

The first time I ever heard this song was when Isabelle Huppert sang it in, "8 Femmes." She is brilliant. Just watch and you'll witness what I speak of. It's a bit cheesy but she's Very good.

I believe that Françoise Hardy is the originator of the song. Françoise has become one of my favorite French Pop singers. Though her range is limited, she more than makes up for it with her simplicity and her investment in what she sings. She is also a songwriter and was in a couple of movies. She made an appearance at the end of, "What's New, Pussycat?" Yes, I have seen that movie. I own it. Why? Romy's in it.

Born in February...

This was from a bulletin my best friend posted on myspace. I found it fun to comment on! Ha! Plus, I'm feeling super silly.

Abstract thoughts (Sure...?). Loves reality and abstract (I don't know if I love them). Intelligent and clever (I'll take that). Changing personality (For the better, yes. For the crazy, no.). Attractive (I won't go there...my best friend might slap me. Hard.). Sexiest out of everyone (Um...). Temperamental (Sometimes). Quiet, shy and humble (I'll take those...but if I'm with my friends...that's another story!). Honest and loyal (Yes). Determined to reach goals (Yes, again). Loves freedom (Yeah). Rebellious when restricted (Depends). Loves aggressiveness (Yeah. That would be a BIG FAT NO! *EW*). Too sensitive and easily hurt (Yep). Gets angry really easily but does not show it (I show it. Though, not all the time). Dislikes unnecessary things (Yes). Loves making friends but rarely shows it (I don't know how to take that one...). Horny (Oh, God! No. Do urges count? Plus, do I look like a French 60's film star to you?). Daring and stubborn (No and sometimes). Ambitious (Not at this moment). Realizing dreams and hopes (Yes, would love to). Sharp (Oh, yeah. My history teacher called me, "Astute"=). Loves entertainment and leisure (Hello!). Romantic on the inside not outside (Very true). Superstitious and ludicrous (Occassionally and yes). Spendthrift (Mm...sometimes). Tries to learn to show emotions (Hm...I don't have to learn that!!!).

They should add, "Extremely dorky." Yes, I know. I am dorky. Especially, for making a silly entry like this. But, admit it, you had a ball reading this post! =PPP

Romy Schneider (tidbits)

While researching about Stéphane Audran, I came across a bit on Romy that was said by Claude Chabrol (which was posted here, previously: http://redshoesonathuuursday.blogspot.com/2007/08/mortelle-randonne-or-when-ugly-is.html):

"There have been some people I’ve found tricky. Dear Romy [Schneider], for example. She cheated me. She said, ‘I warn you, I don’t have an ounce of humor.’ Amazing! A girl who can say such a thing. The trouble was, it was true. It went well. But she spent as much time acting in between takes as in front of the camera. We had a fight at the dub."

I thought of my friend from Europe who has such a wealth of knowledge on Romy (and is also a DJ) and I shared the quote with him. He wrote back that he had never heard that before and started to exchange more tidbits on Romy with me:

*In "César et Rosalie," she didn't want other actresses to get too many scenes. I thought that he meant she was talking about Isabelle Huppert in the movie, but no, she meant Gisela Hahn (yikes!). After a previous version she had them cut out all the scenes. (Eeks!)

*César was getting too much so she changed some parts of the script. (Whoops!)

*Claude Sautet said that it was, "because she is an absolute person." He couldn't say, "No," to her. He loved her. (Who could blame him? Really?)

*She was a diva sometimes; she knew what she wanted; she changed the script if she didn't like it; she was the star

*She had rights in her contract to control the final cut in her films

*In "Max et les ferrailleurs," she wanted to play the small role of the prostitute. She changed that character into a main role. (I have YET to see this movie!!!)

Wow. For some reason, this doesn't rub me the wrong way as today's "actors" bother me. She was the real deal and there are so few that are the true blue thing in our world-society of celebrity. I have YET to see a film of hers in which she disappoints me. She is always exquisite and delicious. She never fails to amaze me.

You must remember, I feel this way because I am UTTERLY bias when it comes to Romy. I'm not necessarily okay with her behavior, nor do I condone it yet in my moonstruck eyes, she can do no wrong. Even though, she was no saint (but, honestly...who is?=P)!!! Ha! I do take her flaws, her weaknesses, &c. There is NO denying that she is Greatness. Try to say otherwise to my face. I dare you. Go on. I DOUBLE dare you. And let's see if your mother will recognize you.

I Love her. I can only imagine if she were alive today what abundance she would produce. It's sad to think that we'll never know.


Currently listening to: The English Patient (Original Soundtrack Recording)

MIKA (Life in Cartoon Motion) on Good Morning America

I have been a fan of MIKA's for some time now. BEFORE ALL THE HYPE (I HAD to put that point across). It's wonderful that he's gained such success and popular appeal especially because he is unique and fun-loving (among many other qualities). His exuberance is contagious and brings me tears of joy because I know what that feels like. It's such a great, refreshing comfort to see that in a performer. True-love in what you say you Love to do. AND an added bonus is that he CAN perform LIVE! (Because y'all know there are some performers out there that SHOULDN'T be doing ANYTHING live. *ugh*)

He was supposed to perform in Bryant Park but the weather decided that they couldn't handle such a unique presence at this time! =PPP And because MIKA felt bad he offered a free show at Manhattan's Highline Ballroom at 1p. What a guy!!!

His band members are also very supreme! Yeah! On guitars and providing backing vocals is Martin Waugh, on bass and providing backing vocals is Michael Choi, on drums is Cherisse Osei, and on keyboards is Luke Juby. I dig how his drummer is a lady!!

MIKA singing: "Love Today"


"Big Girl"


A very short, but sweet, interview. I Love what he has to say.

Get his album NOW.

"Mortelle Randonnée" (or, When Ugly is Beautiful)

There is a little bit (or, for others,--don't want to exclude--a lotta bit) of ugly in all of us. This is not the "philosophical"-ugly dealing with a person's true identity. No. I'm talkin' about the face. Or your visAHge. I am laughing to myself because I keep thinking about why I started this post (or, I'm just plain crazy).

Now, let me start off by saying that I don't think when an actress turns "ugly" for a role that she is the bravest minx out there. No. Please. Get back to me when you find an actress that can do what Romy Schneider did in her career. That's bravery. That's courage. That's an actress. Having said that, I do admire actresses who go to ugly-UGLY. And it truly is mortifying and provides a jolt of shock when one of your favorites (who is ABSOLUTELY gorgeous and you feel NOTHING could make her ugly) is so vile on your screen that you can't help but let out gales of grossed-out, confused, horrified laughter. Case in point, Stéphane Audran in Claude Miller's Mortelle Randonnée (1983).

I apologize for not being able to provide a photo of her for you to see exactly what I am talking about. I couldn't find one. I know, I know, I know. *BOO*

Onward. Stéphane plays, La dame en gris (The lady in grey). She is not the main character. The story is of a young, pretty thing (Isabelle Adjani) that kills her many suitors that possess lots of money. She disguises herself and changes her name with each new suitor. One of her suitors ends up being a woman, and, I should add that along the way, she picks up a hitch-hiker that tries to swindle her but the plan backfires and they end up working together. They rob a bank but it turns awry and the hitch-hiker gets killed. She's not very wise with money, though. By the end of the film, she has no more cash because she has wasted it all away. Stupid, I know. There IS a man that I believe she was truly in love with (played by Sami Frey) but he gets "accidentally" killed by a detective (Michel Serrault) that was hired by the first suitor's parents. They wanted the detective to gather the girl's background. The detective has a story of his own. He has never met his one and only daughter. He doesn't know what she looks like. Through the course of the movie, he transfers his feelings for his real daughter onto Adjani's character. So, instead of turning her into the po-po's, he tries to protect her. Mm.

WELL...Stéphane enters the film right after Frey's character is killed. Her appearance! She was UUG-LEE. LOL! Very. Really. For true. C'est la vérité. I was stunned. I had read that her appearance in the movie was rather startingly ugly but I couldn't imagine it. And then, I saw her and I am still laughing! She really did look like she was somebody else. Well, maybe not somebody else, but close to it. Or maybe, I should say, she looked like a relative that would be locked in the basement if the family were obscenely cruel. (Isn't that a movie somewhere???) She looked like all the color from her face had drained away. Her eyes seemed very beady, with a bit of red and an outer circle of yellow. And I'm pretty sure that the top part of her teeth were not hers, they were disgustingly yellow and looked like they were decaying (a dentist's dream!). She was SO very funny in the movie. Funny and tragic. Maybe "tragic" is too strong of a word. I'll go with, ill-fated. Unfortuante. Wretched. Dreadful. Atrocious. Eh...

There are two scenes in which I defy you not to laugh. The first is when she comes back to the detective in a café after being locked out of her room by her co-hort. You feel so bad for her but you want to laugh (I'm still laughing). And you will. It may seem cruel to but you will. The lines Serrault throws at her are plain mean and cutting. At one point he says, "You might be less hideous with bangs," and he motions to right at his eyebrows indicating that's where her bangs should be. But, a split second after that action he lowers his hand to his mouth!!! LOL! Mean. The second scene is in the car and the both of them are outside the hotel where her co-hort is staying. The detective tells her a bunch of lies about what ensued between him and the co-hort and she goes off! Again, very funny. Serrault and Audran really played well off of each other. Their timing was impeccable.

Stéphane is so intelligent. She knows how to inject humor. It's very subtle and it can be very broad. That's part of what makes her so golden. Humor. Irony. Dry.

This brings to mind an interview that I read with Claude Chabrol. He spoke about Romy Schneider and humor: "There have been some people I’ve found tricky. Dear Romy [Schneider], for example. She cheated me. She said, ‘I warn you, I don’t have an ounce of humor.’ Amazing! A girl who can say such a thing. The trouble was, it was true. It went well. But she spent as much time acting in between takes as in front of the camera. We had a fight at the dub."

I don't think she lacked humor, though. I thought she was funny. It was very dark. She had a great sense of irony. Sardonic irony, dry wit, what you will. She wasn't a laugh-out-loud funny. She was an u*h!-what?!-yikes-WHOOPS funny.

Currently watching: Le Trio Infernale

"Les Demoiselles de Rochefort"

This musical from 1967 was directed by Jacques Demy (the restoration of it was looked over by Agnès Varda--Demy's wife--in 1996). The music was composed by Michel Legrand. It is pure fun with cheesy-corniness and I adore it! It also has such a first-rate cast: Catherine Deneuve, Françoise Dorléac, Michel Piccoli, Danielle Darrieux, George Chakiris, Gene Kelly, among others... (Yes, you read the last two names right!!! HA!)

I mean, if this doesn't make you feel good...well...I just don't know!

It's really dorky. You will most likely roll your eyes, and you may even look down on me and question my taste. But, it's fun. You see, I'm into kitsch, as well=PPP

Dynamic Duo: Audran et Huppert

from Claude Chabrol's Violette Nozière (1978)

Violette Nozière

from Bertrand Tavernier's Coup de Torchon (1980)

I await for these 2 to get together once again. They are absolutely explosive together on the screen. In an interview with Tavernier, he said that he only had to do one or two takes when he was filming them. They were so good and on top of their game (no surprise). It was very easy for him.

I'd love to hear from their own mouths what it was like to work with one another. I really hope that they didn't hate each other. That would leave me disheartened because I adore them both.

Shakespeare Rules instilled in The Dench by Michael Benthall and Peter Hall

1. Remember it's a play, not reality.
2. Obey the metre.
3. Start scenes.
4. Earn a pause.
5. Don't separate.
6. Drive through the speech.
7. Antithesis, pauses, up at the end of lines.
8. Economy, simplicity, and negotiate with humour.
9. You don't have to carry the message, the play does it for you.
10. Trust the play, and your casting.

The Dench says that #8 is the greatest of all.

And, yes. It is.

John Stride and The Dench in ROMEO AND JULIET

10 Principal Shortcomings of Lilli Palmer (as named by Elsa Schreiber)

1. Remember: you have no charm
2. Don't act adjectives. No need to illustrate what you're saying.
3. Iron out those abrupt, hasty gestures.
4. Take your time. Then no one will be bored.
5. Don't mumble.
6. Listen to your fellow actors. That will make you interesting.
7. Stay dry. Sentimentality is Mortal Sin Number One.
8. Don't stand with your feet apart. Keep them together. You're not in the gym.
9. Stay vital. Monotony is Mortal Sin Number Two.
10. Courage--above all, courage!

*Elsa Schreiber was Lilli's acting teacher/coach. A woman with a great talent who shared her knowledge and helped her students blossom and bloom.

Lilli as Cleopatra (duh) in Shaw's CAESAR AND CLEOPATRA

I'm in love with Lee Marvin

Yes. You read the title correctly. I just finished watching Samuel Fuller's 1980 war film The Big Red One. It's the restored/reconstructed version.

I remember first watching Lee Marvin in one of my 8th grade elective classes. The movie was Cat Ballou. I also saw him in The Dirty Dozen. I think that's it. I wanna say that I've seen Paint Your Wagon. But, I may be lying.

Anywah...Yes. I am in love with him. There was just something about him in The Big Red One that got me goin' on him.


The film is moving, daunting and funny. Two scenes that are full of tenderness involved children. One with an Sicilian girl and the other with a Jewish boy. A scene of buoyancy involved these Sicilian women and children freed from German soldiers' hold on them in their village. There was much food, song and laughter. A scene of duality had the guys capture this Nazi boy who kept heil-ing to Hitler and the Sargeant forcing one of his men to shoot the kid. None of them would so the boy got a spankin' and his heil-ing to Hitler changed to him calling out for his papa. A hilarious scene had the guys helping to give birth to a Frenchwoman's child. The "qualified" of the group needed the woman to push but he didn't know the French for the word. The Sargeant said that it was, "pousser." Yep. They had fun with that word! There was a great scene of observation at a dinner table while all the men were eating and the French cook was eyeing and comparing how every one was eating. She caught the infiltrator. Whoops!

Now, there is an asylum scene. The star of that segment would be ... wait for it ... Stéphane Audran. She's a killer (named Walloon) that works for the underground and kills in silence, all the while acting insane in front of the Nazis. Yikes! If you blink, you'll miss her. That's how much time she has in the film. Well, maybe if you blink a few more times than once! She also has this tender, yet extremely carnal and desirous, scene with Robert Carradine. *le whew*

Another scene that took my breath away (and for a different reason than above) had this Nazi in a ward speaking to an injured Lee Marvin and kissing him. Mm. There's was the kiss on the cheek, the kiss on the lips, another on the lips, and then *whoops* here comes the hand of Lee's to the throat of the Nazi.

I thought the rest of the cast (Mark Hamill, Bobby Di Cicco, Kelly Ward) were first-rate. I'm not a war film kind of a gal but I think this one's a great one. The camaraderie of the men! There are many battle sequences but not much on the gore and blood, which I was VERY fine with. I mean, Samuel Fuller could have gone gore-out on the sequence in which Stéphane slashes away at the Nazis but he doesn't. I do understand about making things believeable but it's very difficult for me to watch and I usually don't. If I had a choice between gratuitious violence or gratuitious sex. If I HAD to choose... Well, it wouldn't be violence. But, gratuitous sex can also make me sick. So, I choose... Can I choose neither? Hey! Wait a second! This is my blog. I don't have to answer anything!

The sound on the following clip is a tish out of sync. *boo*