Midnight Lace (1960)

“Practical jokers have particular talents. Not commendable, but highly special.”

            I do not like films that have to deal with stalkers and someone being psychologically tortured by a stalker. And then of course no one ever believes the person who is being stalked they usually think the person is imagining everything and just going barmy. I hate those kinds of stories to absolutely no end. I do not mind films that are intense but this kind of tension with a stalker and someone being driven to insanity I just do not like. I had no idea that Midnight Lace dealt with a young woman being stalked and driven mad, all I knew about it is that Myrna Loy was in it and if that woman is in a film I have to see it!

            Kit Preston (Doris Day) was walking home from in incredibly thick fog when she hears someone call out to her from behind a statue. The voice is comical yet menacing. It tells her that she does not have long to live. Kit is well frightened but when she gets home her husband Anthony (Rex Harrison) calms her down and the moment is taken out of her mind.

            Unfortunately, the voice comes back and tortures Kit mercilessly. It calls her house constantly to tell her she does not have long to live and other things. Anthony takes her to the police station to speak to a detective. The detective thinks that Kit is just trying to get Anthony’s attention since he is never really home.

            Kit tries desperately for someone to believe her and tell Anthony that they too heard the voice. Her aunt Bea (Myrna Loy) comes into town. For a while Kit is very happy and does not really tell Bea what is going on. Kit has a complete meltdown in front of Anthony and Bea when Bea picks up the phone and the caller just says he was getting back to Kit. Bea knows that Kit is not making this stuff up but Anthony seems like he is taking the side of the detective.

            There are plenty of other players in this mystery of who is stalking Kit and you will not know how the major players are until the very end.

            As I said I watched Midnight Lace for Myrna Loy. I adore this woman so much I will sit through anything she is in, including a Doris Day film. I am not a massive fan of Doris Day there is something about her I cannot get into so there was no way I would have seen this film had Loy not been in it. Of course Loy steals the whole film in my opinion. She was as just as sharp and witty as she was in her most well-known films in the thirties and forties. And I have to say Loy’s red hair and amazingly light blue eyes were a joy to see in color she was so stunning.

            Producer Ross Hunter wanted to work with Myrna Loy. He produced Pillow Talk with Doris Day and Rock Hudson. In Loy’s fantastic autobiography Being and Becoming, Hunter is quoted as saying about Loy:

I had always wanted to work with Myrna, and the part of Doris Day’s worldly aunt in Midnight Lace made it possible. I’ve never worked with anybody who gave so much to a role. She made a good role excellent. And she always looked great… Myrna cares- that’s why she’s a star. It’s rare in this town that a star remains a star so long. She’s a dependable friend, too, which is even rarer.

When Day has exhausted herself from filming Kit’s breakdown scene and had to be sent home Hunter explained, “We would’ve lost a day’s shooting if Myrna hadn’t stepped in unflustered to do an unscheduled scene in one take. She was ready. That’s a star!”

Loy herself said she enjoyed working on the film. At this point in her career she was fifty-five and no longer considered a real leading lady. She said she had spent so long and worked so hard to become a leading lady and at this time she had to learn to step aside. In my opinion, whatever Loy was in, either as a leading lady or a side character, she was always the main attraction. Her sharp wit immediately takes the cake as soon as she starts talking to Day in this film.

Rex Harrison I am not a real huge fan of either. He does not bother but he does not entertain me. He is just kind of there.

Midnight Lace was alright. It took me some time to get through it because I got bored. Plus, I knew who the real stalker was and what the deal was almost as soon as one of the characters was introduced. As I said, I am not a fan of stalker story lines and I am also not a big fan of Doris Day’s so I kind of ignored some of the scenes. Despite my dislike of the story line and the leading actress Midnight Lace is worth watching at least once, especially for Myrna Loy in color. 

Anna and the King of Siam (1946)

“I cannot promise that it will ever be easy for you.”

            Anna and the King of Siam is one of the few of Irene Dunne’s films that was remade at a later date. Dunne was in the 1930s musical version of Showboat, she was in Love Affair which An Affair to Remember is based off of. Most people probably only know the musical version of Anna and the King of Siam called The King and I starring Yul Brenner and Deborah Kerr. This is one of the many reasons why I find remakes not good or completely unfair. Dunne is a classic actress that not many people know and it is mostly because several of her films were remade.

            The year is 1862 when much of the Far East was becoming open to the Western world. A young English widow named Anna Owens (Dunne) has traveled to Siam to be teacher to the king’s children. As soon as she steps off the boat things do not go smoothly with her. The prime minister Kralahome keeps giving her the run around by constantly correcting her and telling her she will have to be patient in meeting the king. Anna’s biggest problem is where she and her son Louis will live. She was promised her own house but the king changed his mind and wants her to live in the palace. Anna refuses to live in the palace she wants her own place that she can take care of and to go to once she is done with teaching. Eventually the king gives in and gives Anna her own very nice place away from the palace.

            After some time Anna finally gets to meet King Mongkut (Rex Harrison). He is a nice intelligent eccentric man. Mongkut has sixty-seven children (holy shit!) and quite a number of wives. He wants Anna to teach all of his children and his wives to speak English. Mongkut is very open to western ideas, in his library he has several English books on various subjects. He wants his country to progress and be modern. He feels that his children should also be part of the progression.

            As time goes on Anna learns to love living in Siam and being in Mongkut’s company even though he can be very demanding. He calls her in the middle of the night just to ask her questions such as her opinion on an Old Testament story or foreign governments. Louis becomes friends with Mongkut’s oldest son and child and Anna becomes close with the son’s mother. The son so wants his father’s attention and to learn and to be noticed. The mother asks Anna to pay some attention to him and listen to what he has to say to which Anna is more than willing to do so.

            One of the king’s newest women Tuptim (Linda Darnell) was caught running away from the palace with another man and was sentenced to death. Anna defends the girl saying that she was young and deserves a second chance. No one will listen to her not even Mongkut. Upset over Tuptim’s death Anna decides to leave Siam and find work elsewhere. Before Anna can leave tragedy strikes. She tells Mongkut that she wants to stay now that she needs to be around the children to make her happy again. Anna winds up staying on for many years.

            I like the story. I like seeing how Anna and Mongkut teach other things and how to be better people (or that is what I got out of it). I really enjoyed the friendly relationship they had. Anna was a great character because she never really backed down to Mongkut like other people did, she never coward when he came around. She told Kalahome that she would bow but not to the ground like everyone else did because it was not proper for her to do with her dress. Mongkut in a way likes that Anna is not like the other people in his life. Even though she is a woman he looks to her as an equal which is probably why he was always asking her opinion on things.

            Irene Dunne was wonderful. I have seen several of her films and I am starting to see the woman never gave a bad performance ever, some of her characters may have been dull but her performances are always incredible. Dunne was perfect for this role because she was always such a lady. Sure she played some comedy but she constantly had this poise to her, she may have been funny but you still respected her characters. I loved her scenes when Mongkut would call her in the middle of the night or just when she was getting into bed after a long day she was so funny and you just felt bad for her. What I really liked seeing Dunne act out was Anna’s toughness. As I said Anna did not back down she chose what she wanted to follow but kept her own western customs. But also again this comes down to Dunne’s acting because you can really believe her no matter what type of woman she plays she was just that good.

            Rex Harrison as King Mongkut was excellent. Besides this film I have only ever seen Harrison in Sidewalks of London with Vivien Leigh which was a great film and he was great in it. I enjoyed his chemistry with Irene Dunne. I really think Harrison did a great job with playing the king who wants to be respected and somewhat feared but also had this good natured understanding side.

            The rest of the cast was excellent too. Linda Darnell had the perfect look for the new younger woman in the king’s life but she was bratty and not satisfied. Gale Sonnergard as the king’s first wife was amazing. She was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress but lost to Anne Baxter for The Razor’s Edge.

            Anna and the King of Siam is a very good film. It is a little long but in the end for the performances and the story it is worth sitting through. Anna and the King of Siam was very well made and very heartfelt

St. Martin's Lane/ Sidewalks of London (1938)



“Everything's luck, see. And good temper. And if you can take a joke. The whole of life's a joke.”

            St. Martin’s Lane better known outside the UK as Sidewalks of London is about a group of buskers or street performers. Buskers were people who would perform outside of London theaters entertaining the crowds as they wait on line to see a show. Charles Stagger (Charles Laughton) is one of many buskers making their living entertaining this way. One day as he is performing a young woman sneaks up and steals his sixpence. She runs away before he can get her but eventually they meet again at a coffee stand. The young woman’s name is Liberty (Vivien Leigh), Libby for short. Also at the coffee stand just happens to be a famous songwriter named Harley Prentiss (Rex Harrison). Libby sees that Prentiss has put down his gold cigarette case without realizing it and she steals the case.

            Charlie sees Libby take the case and he runs after her. He follows her to an abandoned home where Libby seems to be squatting. Libby starts to dance around the large open room. Charlie sees her dance and is taken by her. He blackmails Libby into coming with him so he can turn her in to the police for stealing the case. Charlie takes her back to his place for the night.

            After that night Charlie and Libby become friends. They create a little act along with Charlie’s friends Arthur and Gentry. He never does turn Libby in for the cigarette case but he does have Prentiss come to pick up the case. Prentiss likes what he hears as the busker group practices a new routine. He asks them to perform at a party he will be hosting. On the night of the party Charlie and Libby get into a heated argument over how foolish busking is. Libby goes to Prentiss’s party alone and there that night is a theatrical manager who promises Libby a stage career.

            Charlie waits up all night for Libby. When she comes home he is angry with her but he professes his love for her even going so far as to ask her to marry him. She becomes afraid and once everyone in the house hears her screaming in embarrassment he walks out.

            Liberty becomes the newest West End sensation. Charlie becomes so depressed he turns to drink. He gets thrown in jail for four months after hitting a police officer when he calls to Libby outside a stage door theater and creates a ruckus.

            Libby sees Charlie four months later. She treats him like the dear friend he was to her. She tries to do something good for him by getting him a small audition on a real stage in front of her manager and his people. As Charlie repeats his monologue people keep interrupting. He walks out with Libby chasing after him. She is truly upset that he was not given a proper chance because he is a good actor.

            At the end of the film Charlie realizes that he belongs to the streets. The only place in the world where he belongs is being a busker out on St. Martin’s Lane.

            The performances by Laughton, Leigh, and Harrison are excellent. Laughton I am not really a fan of, I have seen him in other films and was not really impressed. Some of his scenes in this film were way too over the top and theatrical. Vivien Leigh was incredible. You can clearly see she had a great screen presence that the following year would become internationally known. She made Liberty a spunky, feisty, driven character. I loved her cockney accent in some scenes; I just love her British accent in general. The scenes where Leigh was dancing especially the first scene she dances in she was fantastic she was so graceful and beautiful. There was one scene I thought was interesting: Prentiss gets a call from someone saying they want Libby to come to Hollywood. The following year Leigh would be in Hollywood and she would create one of film’s most iconic characters. Rex Harrison all I can say about him is how handsome he was. I am so used to seeing him as the cranky old man from My Fair Lady and The Ghost and Mrs. Muir that seeing him young and not cranky was nice.

            Sidewalks of London is a very good film. I liked the story it was different since I never heard or knew of buskers before this. Each actor right down to the extras give fantastic performances. This is definitely a film to see especially if you are a fan of Vivien Leigh this is one proof that she is much more than Scarlett O’Hara. As of right now Sidewalks of London is available to view on youtube. Take advantage of this available viewing before the film is taken off the site.

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947)



“My dear, since Eve picked the apple, no woman has ever been taken entirely unawares.”

            The Ghost and Mrs. Muir is a love story but not your typical love story. Yes, like all happy gooey romantic films the two main characters do wind up together in the end. But there is one obstacle that keeps Lucy Muir and Captain Gregg apart- he’s a ghost!

            Lucy Muir (Gene Tierney) is a young widowed woman with a free spirit personality which is uncommon in the early 1900s. After the death of her husband the previous year she wants to move away from her in-laws in a stuffy home in London to the sea with her daughter.

            She takes her daughter Anna and her maid Martha to a small seaside town called Whitecliff. Lucy goes to a realtor named Mr. Coomb. He sits with her picking out houses she can afford. One house he dismisses and Lucy sees this so she takes a look at the paper herself. She sees that the house is perfect for her and demands that Mr. Coomb takes her there.

            The realtor is skittish when they pull up to the house. He tries everything he can to persuade Lucy not to buy it but she loves the house as soon as she sees it. Once inside her love for the home grows. The master bedroom has a wonderful window with a telescope facing the sea. All the sudden an evil sounding disembodied laugh can be heard. Mr. Coomb is so frightened he shuts the door with Lucy in the room and runs out the front door. Once outside the realtor tells Lucy that the house is haunted. This makes Lucy only want the house even more.

            A few days later, Lucy comes face to face with the ghost of Captain Gregg. He does not frighten Lucy, she just has to get used to him and him being a ghost. Both human and ghost are just as stubborn as the other. Gregg wants Lucy out of the house  like he has wanted so many other before and she desperately wants to stay in the house she has fallen in love with it. Gregg see that Lucy’s feelings for his home are genuine and he allows her to stay as long as his portrait from the living room can be hung in her room and she allows him to stick around as along he does not bother Anna since she is young.

            Lucy and Gregg become fond of each other. She loves hearing about how he lived such an adventurous life. He likes how innocent and kind she is. One day her in laws make a surprise visit. The sister-in law still thinks she’s a fool for moving to the seaside and the mother- in law is still a weepy pain. They tell her her husbands money has run out she now has nothing to live that now she should give up the house and move back with them.  On top of everything Gregg is still around and he keeps talking to Lucy and she talks backs making it look like she is talking to herself. Her in laws think she is cracking up talking to herself. Gregg tells Lucy to tell them to “shove off” and she does. Gregg then nicely escorts them out the front door.

            With no money left Lucy falls behind with the rent. Gregg says he can help he suggests that she writes a book about his life with him dictating. For a few weeks ghost and human work day and night on Blood and Swash. When the book is done Lucy takes the manuscript to publishers in London. There she meets children’s author Miles Fairley. At first she is repelled by his charm but after a while she falls for him.

            Gregg can see that Lucy is in love with Fairley. He feels he is holding her back from finding real love. At night when Lucy is sleeping he tells her the whole year had been a dream he was never there she was the one who wrote the book and came up with the story. With these parting words he leaves Lucy.

            Lucy has fallen head over heels in love with Fairley. She falls down harder that she wanted when she finds out Fairley is not the man she thought he was.

            I love this film. I have nothing awful to say about it. Gene Tierney was wonderful as Lucy Muir she was perfect. She was not playing a femme fatale or a gorgeous longing woman she was a widow who wanted to live, she wanted excitement in her life. Tierney excellently banters and matches wit with Rex Harrison as Captain Gregg. Never for one moment does she lose that spark of independence, yes she has a moment of weakness when it came to Fairley but other than that she was capable of getting by on her own. Tierney makes Lucy Muir warm and personable.

            Rex Harrison was also prefect in his role as Captain Gregg. The kind of evil laugh he did to scare people was so good it actually does give you shivers. You can really believe Harrison could have been an old cranky sea captain in real life.

            George Sanders in the films I have seen in him just has a knack for playing the slimy guys who are never up to any good. But I must say I probably would have fallen in love with him if I were Lucy, he was such a good smooth talker and that accent with that voice (ok that was weird but hey he was a guy with an English accent what can I say accents make everything sound nice).

            Bernard Herrmann the genius composer behind the Psycho score wrote the score for this film. Herrmann said that this was his favorite film score he had ever made. The score is so beautiful and emotional. You can almost feel the emotion of the music moving you and the emotions of the characters and the sea.

            The Ghost and Mrs. Muir is a great love story. It is a different kind of love story that will keep your attention and adoration. The ending is so beautiful; it is the only ending that every time I see I still blub like a baby. This is a film that will leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside and so happy and pleased to have watched.