Burton and Taylor Excerpt...

Married and divorced twice, Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor were in love with one another until the end of their days but could not make their marriage work. Burton once compared their love to an "exciting volcano".


In November 1968, Burton wrote: "I have been inordinately lucky all my life but the greatest luck of all has been Elizabeth. She has turned me into a model man but not a prig, she is a wildly exciting lover-mistress, she is shy and witty, she is nobody's fool. She is a brilliant actress, she is beautiful beyond the dreams of pornography, she can be arrogant and willful, she is clement and loving. She is Sunday's child, she can tolerate my impossibilities and my drunkenness, she is an ache in the stomach when I am away from her and she loves me. She is prospectus that can never be entirely catalogued, an almanac for poor Richard. And I shall love her forever."

wow...

"Yours is a capricious nature..."

How to Steal a Million (1966) is one of those movies that I watch all the time, at least once a month, if not once a week. I wouldn't say it's the best movie ever made, but it's one of my favorites all the same. It's one of those films that reminds me just how girly I can be. This is my film equivalent of a box of chocolates or a spoon in a carton of ice cream. It's my indulgence, and every bite is perfectly decadent.

This movie is generally categorized as a Heist picture. It's about a girl who hires a guy to help her steal a forged statue before it can be examined and exposed as a fake. The statue was made by her grandfather (her father is also a forger, but his specialty is painting) and she is desperately trying to save her family's reputation before it can be ruined. She believes the man she hired is an experienced society burglar when in reality he is only posing as one because he is attracted to her.

There is so much about this movie that I absolutely adore...The actors, the chemistry, the style and the humor, overall...it's sheer bliss...

Audrey Hepburn is absolutely delightful as Nicole, the honest, determined heroine and Peter O'Toole is
dashing and charismatic as the reluctant thief. You can tell that they had fun making this picture because their on screen chemistry is so carefree and easy. My favorite scene is at the beginning of the film when Hepburn catches O'Toole with one of her father's forged paintings. She believes he is in the act of stealing it and accidentally shoots him with an old pistol. Their exchange is priceless:

Nicole Bonnet: Your arm is much better.

Simon Dermott: Oh no no, it hurts, it hurts.

Nicole Bonnet: It's the other arm.

Simon Dermott: The infection is spreading.

I recently read Peter O'Toole's first autobiography, Loitering with Intent: The Child, and I will admit, I have a huge crush on that lanky Brit. He was the perfect mix of poet, devil, proper English gentleman, and absolute scoundrel. They just don't make men like that anymore. His dry sense of humor permeates Million and his cavalier approach to wooing Hepburn is enough to make any girl go weak in the knees. I even love that he breaks into Hepburn's house wearing a tuxedo...not many men can make a suit and bow tie look that sophisticated and natural all at the same time!


"I will not be a common man, I will stir the smooth sands of montony. I do not crave security. I wish to hazard my soul to opportunity."- Peter O'Toole's notebook, age 18.

An Honorable mention goes to the late great Eli Wallach as the american playboy Leland Davis. Most people my age will only recognize this amazing talent as Kate Winslet's geriatric friend in The Holiday... but this man was a Hollywood Renaissance front runner! He usually played gritty bad guys and was a surprising choice for the overly self-assured American millionaire... but he is absolutely perfect!

I also have to take a moment to recognize the other star of this movie... The Fashion! White fish net stockings, an epic pair of white sunglasses and that lace black eye mask... I mean... come on! What girl can watch this movie and not drool a puddle... you have to hand it to Hepburn, the girl knew how to wear clothes (even in just a pink nightie and black rain boots... the lady had style!).

Ginvenchy... Ah! Be still my heart!!

The movie has a carefree feeling...a "romp"-esque theme. It's just pure fun. It's hard to explain because so much of the joy can only be found by watching the film. The dialogue is best appreciated when heard. You can't over think it, or look too hard to find gaping holes in the plot, that's like checking the calorie count before eating a Hershey's bar. It totally ruins the experience. Every girl has their 'go-to' "I've had a bad day and need a pick me up" movie... How to Steal a Million is mine!

Simon Dermott: [about the Cellini Venus] Oh! She's fine. She's wrapped up in one of my old shirts, just as snug as could be. I rocked her to sleep in my arms last night. It's the first time I ever did that with a grandmother. 

Running into Myself

I'm going to be very honest and start out by saying that I never cared for Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961). Frankly, it intimidated me. A film with so much history wrapped up in it is a hard thing to tackle. Preconceived ideas are almost impossible to set aside when the entirety of feminine culture has been effected by the legend of Holly Golightly. Even my generation 40+ years later feels the ripple effect. The little black dress, the pearls, the name Tiffany's still translates as the epitome of class. And while it's true that Holly is a breathtaking character... she is anything but a role model.

The first time I watched this movie, I was still in high school... and not only did I not like it, I don't even think I finished it. I was going through my Audrey phase, watching anything and everything I could get my hands on, driving the poor video rental store owners crazy. Tiffany's was last in a long succession of Hepburn films and if you've ever sat and watched this movie, you know how different it is from the rest of her body of work. 

A very brief synopsis: A writer, Paul Varjak, (who is sleeping with a married woman for money) moves into an apartment above an odd New York socialite, Holly Golightly  (who is using men for money). These two emotionally crippled people slowly fall in love.

Audrey Hepburn does generate a certain kind of magic in her portrayal. Holly is probably one of the most relate-able female characters to have ever graced the big screen. It has nothing to do with her impeccable fashion sense, her socialite hobbies or her habit of eating breakfast while staring into a window at Tiffany's... but because she is a woman deeply jaded and heart broken. She becomes a mirror and all of our insecurities are suddenly displayed in Technicolor. That's what has always scared me... and something I couldn't grasp as a teenager. I hadn't lived enough yet to know what it means to build a cage around your heart. 

Paul: You know what's wrong with you, Miss Whoever-you-are? You're chicken, you've got no guts. You're afraid to stick out your chin and say, "Okay, life's a fact, people do fall in love, people do belong to each other, because that's the only chance anybody's got for real happiness." You call yourself a free spirit, a "wild thing," and you're terrified somebody's gonna stick you in a cage. Well baby, you're already in that cage. You built it yourself. And it's not bounded in the west by Tulip, Texas, or in the east by Somali-land. It's wherever you go. Because no matter where you run, you just end up running into yourself.

I finished the film the second time I watched it. I was about to be finished with college and had suffered a major emotional blow. I didn't like it this time either. I resented Paul and Holly's relationship. I had opened myself up to love and been burned for it... It seemed to me that Holly's method of survival didn't seem so bad. You do what you have to to live. In my opinion, this movie had it all wrong... Who was this gigolo to tell me that guarding my heart was such a bad thing? 

Holly Golightly: You know those days when you get the mean reds?
Paul Varjak: The mean reds, you mean like the blues?
Holly Golightly: No. The blues are because you're getting fat and maybe it's been raining too long, you're just sad that's all. The mean reds are horrible. Suddenly you're afraid and you don't know what you're afraid of. Do you ever get that feeling?
Paul Varjak: Sure.
Holly Golightly: Well, when I get it the only thing that does any good is to jump in a cab and go to Tiffany's. Calms me down right away. The quietness and the proud look of it; nothing very bad could happen to you there. If I could find a real-life place that'd make me feel like Tiffany's, then - then I'd buy some furniture and give the cat a name! 

I've seen this movie a few times since then... and while it isn't one of my favorite Audrey films, I have discovered a deep affection for Holly... because I feel like her some days. It's a fear that every girl has hiding within her heart... those mean reds. Its the panic that wakes you up at 3 am for no reason. The whispers when your trying to go to sleep reminding you of everything in your life you can't control. It's the small voice that plants seeds of doubt that you'll ever find the safety of another person. 

We find solace in our little black dresses and our ability to look fabulous in spite our inner chaos. I love how Holly refuses to hear the bad news of a breakup letter until after she's applied her lipstick... because that's exactly how women approach impending heartache... with our shield (in this case a mask of makeup) securely in place. 

I think it's why after so many years, you still find Breakfast at Tiffany's posters on dorm room walls... because every girl can still find a small part of herself in Holly Golightly. For me, it's a reflection I don't always like being reminded of. I like my walls right where they are and I'm not done running yet. 

So here's to the mean reds and the Tiffany blues, the Givenchy dresses and every rich man under 50!

Future reading... If I can get my hands on them:

Politely Greener

How do the English deal with infidelity? Well, according to The Grass is Greener, they handle things with mild wit and polite decorum. Maybe that's why after first seeing this film a few years ago, I put it back on the shelf and haven't picked it up since. Maybe back then it just didn't meet my expectations. I mean, it has all the characteristics of a movie I typically would drool over: Cary Grant, Robert Mitchum, Music by Noel Coward, directed by the always brilliant Stanley Donen... there was no reason why this film shouldn't rank among my top ten just given the credentials. However I found it at the time to be completely forgettable.

I've recently been revisiting my Robert Mitchum movies (of which I have very few) and decided to give this one another shot. Ultimately, I'm glad I did. It still doesn't rank among my top 10, or probably top 20 for that matter, but I was able to find parts of this film that I really enjoyed.

The first surprise was finding how much I adored Jean Simmons' performance. She has never been one of my favorite actresses. I have never found her to be very engaging. She always did what she did well, it just was never quite my style. But in Greener, she was a breath of much needed fresh air. She balanced out what could have been a very dry love triangle and her presence honestly stole the show. She was quirky, honest and lovable. While the other three were busy tiptoeing around one another, Simmons was bursting at the seems with fun. Without her, the movie would have fallen cardboard flat.

I also liked seeing Mitchum and Grant together. That was the pairing I really wanted to see. The two of them represented two sides of the same coin using their suave and charming personas to keep you falling in love with both throughout the film. Grant pulls on his like-able, genteel, easy-going self playing the quintessential English husband while Mitchum personifies the perfect American playboy. I particularly like how Mitchum didn't cheapen what could have been a very unlikable character. Instead, he was almost sweet and came across sincere in his love for Deborah Kerr. Mitchum and Grant's scenes together I found to be very engaging and fun to watch.

As much as I adore Cary Grant, I would have liked to have seen Rex Harrison (who was originally cast but bowed out for personal reasons) in the role. I think his character needed to have a little more edge or some kind of dynamic to make him more interesting. He was almost too sympathetic. I found myself pitying him more that rooting for him. I think Harrison would have been able to capture that balance of likability and arrogance that the character needed.

Coming away from Greener, I found it still lacked whatever it needs to make it rise above the rest for me personally however I was able to find some redeeming qualities. Would I recommend it to a new classic movie watcher? No, probably not. I wouldn't want that to be their first introduction to classic film humor. It's better suited for those of us with prior actor investment. Here's to another shelving... but maybe I won't wait so long to re-watch it again in the future.

"Hang on Lads"

The 1969 original production of The Italian Job is probably one of my favorite films from the '60s. I will admit that my film history rhetoric becomes severely lacking after about 1961, but the absence of background information has never impacted my ability to enjoy Michael Caine's cheeky wit.

I attended the TCM Film Festival screening of the picture right on the heels of my Harold Lloyd high. I trekked back to the standby line following Why Worry? and took my place among the rest of the TCM rejects. I came to the conclusion that we represented a special class of old movie fan. Standing in the cold, huddled together, avoiding glances from puzzled tourists all for the chance at seeing a TCM presentation. There was no guarantee that any of us would be allowed in, but there we stood anyway hoping against hope... and much to our collective joy, we all were ushered back into the Egyptian.

I hustled for a seat and was fortunate enough to get to sit by a very interesting man. He knew quite a bit about The Italian Job and very little about Harold Lloyd, so we spent some time before the movie began trading classic film information. This is one of the things I love about going to film screenings: meeting fellow fans and feeling a sense of camaraderie right off the cuff just because of a shared interest. Then Ben Mankiewicz walked in. I've never seen him so close before (well, beyond the close ups on the TV...) and seeing him live was a pretty awesome experience for this little film nerd. I didn't think it could get much better when, to my life-made delight, Mankiewicz introduced his guest for the discussion prior to the film: Quincy Jones.

QUINCY JONES! I mean, come on! This guy is a living legend! He's produced and written music beyond successfully for decades. He knows everybody and had such amazing stories to tell. He wrote the music for The Italian Job not to mention dozens of other famous films (In the Heat of the Night, anyone?!) He answered Mankiewicz's questions in round a bout ways while inserting crazy awesome stories in the process. He was wearing a ring left to him by Frank Sinatra, has the same birth date (down to the hour, same year, same day) as Michael Caine and has 6 daughters ranging in age from 21-60. This guy has lived one crazy amazing life and he's still going. Listening to him was overwhelmingly wonderful. As they were starting to escort him out, he gestured to an empty chair and took a seat... Quincy Jones wasn't lying when he said he enjoyed this movie, he even stayed and watched it with us. I loved that about him.

This movie is a wonderful romp of a film. It doesn't take itself too seriously and keeps a casual, very British feel from beginning to end. A very brief synopsis: ex-convict and crew attempt to rob gold from the Italian government using traffic jams and mini-coopers. The real reason to watch this movie though is for '60s era Michael Caine. If you are from my generation, Caine means Alfred from Batman. He is the quintessential British older gentlemen... but let me tell you, this guy had quite a persona before embracing his current status. He was a womanizer on screen, the epitome of British sexy and the most intellectual cockney you have ever seen. The man dated Natalie Wood for goodness sake! In this movie he is constantly surrounded and bedded by beautiful women and has no problem  schmoozing whomever he needs to to get what he's after.

I will say the bigger the screen the better if you ever decide to watch this movie. The scenes around the Italian countryside with the camera falling over sharp ledges will make you cringe! I jumped a few times making the guy next to me laugh. "I thought you'd seen this before,"... I looked over at him and replied, "I have but never like this!" That's what's so special about seeing older movies in theaters. They were made for big screens, for music pounding, they were made to pull you in and push you off cliffs.

I might not have been able to financially embrace everything that TCM had to offer during it's film festival, but Why Worry? and The Italian Job were definitely heart warming experiences. They reminded me why I had moved to Los Angeles in the first place... because California is where things grow, and I fully intend on growing and embracing as much as I can while I'm here.

Thank you TCM for a wonderful evening!