The Money Trap (1965).

The Money Trap (1965). Film Noir. Cast: Glenn Ford, Elke Sommer and Rita Hayworth. Directed by Burt Kennedy.

When a burglar is reported shot and killed at the home of a doctor and during the investigation, Cop Joe Baron, gets to know the dead burglar's alcoholic wife, Rosalie and they begin a romantic affair.

It is not long before Baron, learns that the doctor, Horace Van Tilden, is the head of an illegal drug ring. He and his partner, Pete Delanos, conspire to rob Van Tilden's safe. The doctor, meantime, worried about Rosalie ratting him out, pushes her to her death.

While stealing a million dollars and two bags of heroin from the safe, the cops are surprised by Van Tilden and Delanos is shot. Baron, wants to make a deal with the doctor, if he will get help for seriously wounded Delanos.

But..after his partner dies, Baron kills the doctor. Wounded himself, he makes it home to Lisa, he knows that  his fellow officers are on their way to put him behind bars.

Rita Hayworth

In this film Rita Hayworth, gives a wonderful performance as the widow of the dead burglar. She looks a little beat up as her character should, but.. she's still a beautiful woman with true chemistry with Ford. This is a must see movie for all Rita Hayworth fans.

 

Elke Sommers

Argentina Brunetti (August 31, 1907 – December 20, 2005) was an actress and writer. Brunetti, began her show business career at the age of three with a walk on role in the opera, Cavalleria Rusticana and followed Mimi Aguglia, her famous mother's footsteps in the theater performing supporting roles on stages throughout Europe and South America.

 In 1937, she was placed under contract to MGM pictures and began dubbing the voices of Jeanette MacDonald and Norma Shearer in Italian. Next she became a narrator for the Voice of America, interviewing American movie stars for broadcast in Italy. At the same time she had her movie debut in the classic, It's a Wonderful Life (1946), as Mrs. Martini.

Throughout her career she has also written and performed in daily radio shows, became a member of the 'Hollywood Foreign Press Association', writing articles on Hollywood personalities, authored books, written music and acted in over 57 television programs and 68 movies in which she mainly played multi-ethnic roles.

She hosted a weekly weblog on the Internet, called Argentina Brunetti's Hollywood Stories, which her son plans to continue running, and has written a biographical novel called In Sicilian Company. She continued to act well into her 90s, most notably as a relative from the Old World who visits and stays with the Barone family on Everybody Loves Raymond.

She moved to Rome in 2004 to be with her family. She died there from natural causes on December 20, 2005, at the age of 98.

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.

Since You Went Away(1944).

Since You Went Away(1944). Directed by John Cromwell. Produced by David O. Selznick from the novel Since You Went Away: Letters to a Soldier from His Wife by Margaret Buell Wilder. The music score was by Max Steiner and the cinematography by Stanley Cortez, Lee Garmes, George Barnes (uncredited) and Robert Bruce (uncredited). Cast: Claudette Colbert, Jennifer Jones, Shirley Temple and Joseph Cotten with Monty Woolley, Robert Walker, Lionel Barrymore, Hattie McDaniel, Agnes Moorehead, Guy Madison, Craig Stevens, Janelle Johnson, Keenan Wynn, Florence Bates, and Alla Nazimova.

Fun Fact:
At the time, the longest and most expensive Hollywood film since David O. Selznick's, Gone with the Wind (1939).

The story begins on January 12, 1943, when Anne questions her husband's decision to leave his family and his well paying job to fight in the war. Anne has to let Fidelia, the family's housekeeper go, as she can no longer afford to pay her wages.

Because of the housing shortage they decide to take in a border by the name, Col. William G. Smollett, a retired army officer.

Soon after, Fidelia asks to move back into the house, offering her housekeeping services as rent. To complicate matters even more, is the romance between Anne's daughter Jane and the Colonel's grandson.

This film captures perfectly the worry of those who with loved ones fighting in the war. Watch for the unforgettable scene when Mr. Mahoney leaves the movie theater. Also, one of my favorite Jennifer Jones performances. You will need a box of Kleenex for this film.

Robert Walker(October 13, 1918 – August 28, 1951). While attending the AADA, Walker met aspiring actress Phylis Isley, who later became the film star, Jennifer Jones.

The couple were married in Tulsa, Oklahoma on January 2, 1939 and moved to Hollywood to find work in films.

Unfortunately, things did not go as planned and they moved to New York. Walker soon found work in radio while Phylis stayed home and gave birth to two sons, actor Robert Walker, Jr., born April 15, 1940, and Michael Walker, born March 13, 1941.

Soon after, Phylis was discovered in 1941 by producer David O. Selznick, who changed her name to Jennifer Jones.

She landed the role in the film, The Song of Bernadette (1943).

The couple returned to Hollywood, where Walker started work on the war drama, Bataan (1943). Walker's charming demeanor won him roles as the "boy-next-door in films: See Here, Private Hargrove (1944) and Her Highness and the Bellboy (1945).

He also appeared in the film, Since You Went Away (1944) in which he and his wife portrayed doomed young lovers. In real life, they divorced shortly after.

Also that year, Walker starred in the film, The Clock, opposite Judy Garland, in her first  dramatic film. Although Walker, continued to work steadily in Hollywood, he was distraught over the divorce and he suffered a nervous breakdown.

In 1946, Walker starred in, Till the Clouds Roll By, where he played the song writer Jerome Kern. He starred as composer Johannes Brahms in, Song of Love (1947), which co-starred Katharine Hepburn. Later, Walker starred with Ava Gardner in the film, One Touch of Venus(1948).

Soon after he was hired by director Alfred Hitchcock for one of his best performances, Strangers on a Train (1951).

Soylent Green(1973).

Soylent Green(1973). Science fiction. Director: Richard Fleischer. Cast: Charlton Heston, Edward G. Robinson, Joseph Cotton, Chuck Connors, Leigh Taylor and Dick Van Patten. The film is about the investigation of a brutal murder of a wealthy businessman in a future suffering from pollution, overpopulation, depleted resources, poverty, dying oceans and a hot climate. Much of the population survives on processed food rations called "soylent green".

The film, is loosely based on the 1966 science fiction novel Make Room! Make Room!, by Harry Harrison, won the Nebula Award for Best Dramatic Presentation and the Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film in 1973.

Soylent Green, is one of my favorite sci-fi and Charlton Heston films. Eddie Robinson performance was very touching as one of the last men who remembers the past. Charlton Heston's and Edward G. Robinson's, on screen chemistry was very believable, as friends who truly loved each other.. One of my favorite scenes, is when they are eating a meal of real food and they savor every bite. The film is very powerful in its possible view of our world in the future.



*Spoiler alert*
In Charlton Heston's crying scene, he really was crying, he was the only person on set who knew Edward G. Robinson was dying of cancer. His death scene was the last day he worked in his life; he died just nine days after shooting wrapped.

Leigh Taylor-Young (born January 25, 1945). Her younger siblings are actress Dey Young and writer/director Lance Young. Taylor-Young got her first big break in 1966, when she was cast as Rachel Welles in the soap opera, Peyton Place. It was on this series that she met Ryan O'Neal, whom she later married. Despite the huge amount of publicity she received while working on Peyton Place, Taylor-Young left the soap opera in 1967 because of her pregnancy, she also wanted to pursue a career in films. Her first film role was the comedy, I Love You, Alice B. Toklas(1968). Where she received a Golden Globe nomination for Most Promising Female Newcomer. This was followed by her performance with husband Ryan O'Neal in, The Big Bounce(1969).

For the next several years, she performed mostly in high budget films, such as, The Adventurers and The Horsemen. She is best known for her performance as Shirl, the "furniture" girl, in the science fiction, Soylent Green(1973).

DUEL IN THE SUN (1946)

Duel in the Sun (1946) Romance/western. Directed by King Vidor. Produced and written by David O. Selznick. Who wrote the Hollywood classics "Gone With the Wind", "Since You Went Away" and "Rebecca". Cast: Jennifer Jones, Joseph Cotten, Gregory Peck, Lillian Gish and Lionel Barrymore.

Before Scott Chavez is hanged for murdering his Indian wife and her lover, he makes arrangements for Pearl to live with his second cousin and old sweetheart, Laura Belle. He makes his his daughter Pearl promise that she will grow up to be a lady.

Laura Belle welcomes Pearl into her home on Spanish Bit, the Texas cattle ranch where she lives with her husband,"Senator" McCanles, and their two grown sons, Jesse and Lewt. McCanles, confined to a wheelchair, is not happy that Pearl has come to live with them and calls her "a half-breed". Both Jesse and Lewt are attracted to her.



 Later that night, Lewt forces his way into her bedroom and kisses her. Pearl loves the kindhearted Jesse, but physically attracted to the wild womanizing Lewt and cannot resist him.

When a railroad company wins the legal right to build tracks through McCanles ranch, McCanles and his ranch hands try to defend their land. Jesse, a lawyer, takes the side of the railroad, his father bans him from the ranch.

When Lewt returns early from El Paso, he finds none of the men home and seduces Pearl. Jesse finds them together and tells her that he will never forget what he has seen. Pearl now wants Lewt to marry her, but when he makes it clear that he has no intention of marring her, she quickly becomes engaged to Sam Pierce. Lewt goes into a jealous rage and kills Sam. Will this broken family over come their prejudice and forbidden love of Pearl and Lewt?

My favorite scene of the film is: When McCanles tells Laura Belle that he has always blamed her for his injury. When he thought she was going away to be with Chavez. He now knows it was his own jealousy that caused the accident. He admits that he has always loved her.

Ottilie Ethel Leopoldine "Tilly" Losch, Countess of Carnarvon (15 November 1903 –24 December 1975) was an Austrian-born dancer, choreographer, actress and painter who lived and worked for most of her life in the United States and United Kingdom.

She performed in several screen productions including: Limelight (1936), The Garden of Allah (1936), The Good Earth (1937) and Duel in the Sun (1946). Her choreography was seen in, Song of Scheherazade (1947).

Dissatisfied with supporting film roles, she continued working as a dancer and choreographer and acted on Broadway.

Losch guested with the New York Ballet in a work by Antony Tudor and in London she had danced to Léonide Massine's choreography.

Her best known conception was "The Hand Dance" (a collaboration with her Viennese colleague, Hedy Pfundmayr) which featured in a short dance film by Norman Bel Geddes.

CLASH BY NIGHT (1952)

THIS WEEKS SPOTLIGHT : CLASH BY NIGHT (1952)- a Disneyprincess, movie selection. :)

Director Fritz Lang, created a very tense realistic drama about lust and betrayal with CLASH BY NIGHT(1952), Terrific performances by Barbara Stanwyck and Robert Ryan, and an early performance by Marilyn Monroe .

The story is about a very cynical Mae Doyle, returning home after 10 years, to the fishing village in Monterey, where she grew up. Her brother, a fisherman Joe Doyle, takes her into his home. Mae soon starts a relationship with Jerry D'Amato, a decent caring man who owns the boat where Joe works. He introduces her to his obnoxious friend Earl Pfeiffer, who works at theater in town and is married to wife that is cheating on him.. She does not like Earls jokes, but Jerry considers him his friend so she continues to put up with him. Mae accepts Jerry's marriage proposal, and one year later they have a baby girl. When the wife of Earl leaves him, he starts an affair with Mae, who is bored with her marriage. Will Mae realize her mistakes before it is too late?

Marilyn Monroe, had a small part as Joe's girl friend Peggy, who works at the local sardine cannery. She looks up to Mae, and confides to her she wants excitement in her life, and not to be controlled by men.