Valentine’s Day is once more upon us, and I can’t think of a better way to celebrate than with a classic romantic comedy starring the legendary Clark Gable and Doris Day as this week’s Throwback Thursday. Courtesy of the Warner Archive Collection, Teacher’s Pet (1958) is an enjoyable rom-com about Erica Stone (Day), who is an effervescent journalism professor, and James Gannon (Gable), a hardboiled city newspaper editor who doesn’t believe a good journalist needs to be educated in the classroom.

In the grand tradition of all rom-coms that have come before and since, there is a meet-cute (boy and girl meet in a memorable way), followed by boy deceives girl and girl finds out and resents him for it, and then in the end, the two are able to forget about their misunderstanding because they realize they’re crazy about one another. In the case of Teacher’s Pet, the meet-cute occurs when Stone sends a letter to Gannon asking him if he would be a guest speaker in her classroom to inspire her students. Gannon scoffs at the letter and sends a rather scathing reply saying that he doesn’t subscribe to the concept of teaching journalism when individuals who want to be reporters should be knocking about as hangers-on in the newsroom, learning from seasoned veterans such as himself as they go.

However, not all newspapermen seem to agree. When the managing editor gets wind of the letter, he encourages Gannon to go and help Stone, but when Gannon arrives to the classroom, Stone mistakes him for a new student. I guess it’s his instant attraction to her/his desire to prove her wrong that causes him not to correct her and one can hardly blame him for not wanting to after she reads aloud his letter mocking him in front of the class. If this film had taken place in modern times, she probably would’ve recognized him as Gannon thanks to his social media profile photos, but back in the ‘50s, I guess it’s plausible she didn’t recognize a city editor she’d never met in person before.

The rest of the film pans out about as you’d expect it would. He of course continues to pose as a student and she sees “promise” in him as a budding journalist despite his age (which brings me to another key point). When the film first came out, critics didn’t like the 20-year age gap between Day and Gable, saying he was miscast in the role due to his age. Why would she be attracted to him as a student protege when he was obviously closer to retirement age? I read some fascinating trivia via IMDb that said both Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart turned down the role because they felt they were too old for it, and the film was shot in black-and-white to try to make Gable appear younger. While the gap is definitely noticeable, he seemed so spry in the role that it’s actually hard for me to believe that he died a few years later in 1960.

Teacher’s Pet also features some other familiar faces among its supporting cast, including fan favorite Gig Young as Dr. Hugo Pine (Gable’s adversary in pursuit of Day); Mamie Van Doren as a singer/casual love interest for Gable; Jack Albertson (Grandpa Joe from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory) as a newspaper plant tour guide; Charles Lane (What isn’t that man in? He guest-starred in numerous television programs and films over his long-spanning career but I recognized him mostly as Potter’s right-hand man in It’s a Wonderful Life); and Marion Ross from Happy Days fame.

Being a former journalism student myself, this film interested me for more reasons than one. I semi-agree with Gable’s character’s belief system that the only way one can learn to become a good reporter is to be thrown into a fast-paced newsroom environment. I know I, for one, learned so much more being active in multiple publications than I did in the majority of my journalism classes during my four years of college. The semester I served as editor-in-chief of our weekly campus newspaper opened my eyes to the world around me more than half of my lectures did. You can spend a lifetime in the classroom discussing technique, writing tips, ethics and the like, but until you’re actually hands-on in that field, I’m not sure how much that education means. There’s a great one-liner in Teacher’s Pet stating, “To me, journalism is, ah, like a hangover. You can read about it for years, but until you’ve actually experienced it, you have no conception of what it’s really like.”

I also believe a reporter’s basic instincts as a captivating storyteller are something an individual is born with and not something that can be successfully taught. You can learn the techniques all you want, but if you’re not good at connecting with a reader, all those fancy techniques are in vain. Crafting an article is so much more than the “who, what, where, when and why.” It’s hard to believe that the wise gem “Newspapers can’t compete in reporting what happened any more, but they can and should tell the public why it happened.” comes courtesy of a film all the way from 1958 because that seems so relevant in today’s world!

I found Teacher’s Pet to be a hidden gem that I’d never heard of, let alone seen before. Poor Gig Young just never seems to get Doris Day. Another of my favorite classic rom-coms also pairs the two stars as a couple that’s never meant to be (Young at Heart) because another leading man (Frank Sinatra) sweeps in and takes her away from him. I guess his role is to be the affable, intelligent, handsome but nonetheless forever second-best man in Doris’ life – a role that does suit him to an admirable tee. While Gig shines in his supporting role, I guess if a girl can land a man like Clark Gable – whether he’s aging or not – she’s gotta go for it! Despite what the critics said, Gable still oozes charm from every pore in this film and proves he still had what it took to be a handsome leading man.

Time travel, particularly when the main character uses it to correct past mistakes, is certainly a popular subject in literature and film. Whether part of the sci-fi, romance, action/thriller or comedy genre, it’s a subject that fascinates everyone from the very young to the very old and all those who remain young-at-heart. Thanks to the continuing efforts of the Warner Archive Collection, I recently watched Turn Back the Clock, one of the earlier films dedicated to the subject.

Released in 1933 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, Turn Back the Clock stars Lee Tracy and Mae Clarke as Joe and Mary Gimlet, a husband and wife who own a small cigar store in New York. The couple makes just enough money to take care of their basic needs – they have a meager, but cozy apartment above the store, and there’s always food on their table, even if it is just beef and cabbage. They’ve managed to save up $4,000 in 15 years, which in 1933 that was a great deal more than it is now. That’s not exactly enough to retire in style, but it’s a pretty decent nest egg for a hardworking couple in their early 40s. Not to mention this was in the midst of the Great Depression, a time in which many were far less fortunate than that.

One day an old childhood friend named Ted Wright (Otto Kruger) comes into the shop, flaunting his wealth and presenting an opportunity for the couple to get dressed up and attend a fancy party to see how the other half lives while under the pretenses of a happy childhood reunion. Joe learns that Ted married Elvina (Peggy Shannon), who was the daughter of the richest man in their hometown, and has done alright for himself over the past 20-odd years since they last saw him. It seems Ted now wants to “share” some of that wealth with the Gimlets in the form of a financial investment he has recommended. Partially because of the large quantities of booze he has consumed, Joe is eager to gamble all of their savings away because he desperately wants a piece of what Ted has acquired. However, Mary cannot be persuaded that it is a sound investment. The couple has an argument over the money, during which Joe tells Mary that he wishes he could do his life over again and marry Elvina because he thinks he would be a happier man if he were rich. Joe then runs out of their apartment and is struck by a car.

When he wakes up, Joe finds himself 20 years younger but with the memories of his other life still intact. He has been transported back in time to the day when Elvina and her father came into the drugstore where he was working and her father offered him a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become a business partner since he knew he was interested in his daughter. This time around, Joe takes the opportunity, blows off the sweet, young, beautiful Mary and marries the rather stupid, spoiled-rotten Elvina instead. Not so surprisingly, Ted pursues and marries Mary in Joe’s absence. The two are seen courting during Joe and Elvina’s wedding party, much to Joe’s dismay.

The rest of the film offers a unique glimpse in history, as Joe is seen making business deals with a then-unknown Henry Ford, busily working for President Wilson during World War I (because when President Wilson comes a’hollerin, you don’t say no apparently), living it up during the Roaring ‘20s with multiple homes, servants, fancy clothes and cars and ultimately trying to avoid the financial ruin of the Stock Market Crash of 1929. No matter how much wealth, respect and fame Joe acquires, he begins to realize that money can’t buy everything. He yearns for his old life with Mary back, as he realizes Elvina is not only spoiled and annoying, but is also an unfaithful liar and terrible at managing money.

While it may be a sleeper that hardly anyone has ever heard of, Turn Back the Clock is a refreshing film with a talented cast that had an It’s a Wonderful Life meets Peggy Sue Got Married tone to it. Just about everyone has had a point in his or her life in which they’ve fantasized about going back and doing something over again. It left me with a lot of burning questions. If you had the opportunity to go back in time and change a pivotal decision, would you take it? Do you really think your life would be changed for the better, or do you think there would be unforeseen negative consequences of your actions? If you’re a fan of time travel movies, you’ll remember what happened when Marty McFly tampered with time or what Peggy Sue learned when she went back and relived her youth. Maybe we’re better off where we are. Maybe there is no free will, only fate that leads each of us exactly where we’re supposed to be. The jury is still out on that one, but one thing I know for certain is that I enjoyed Lee Tracy’s performance in Turn Back the Clock, and I think you will too (especially if you’re a history buff) if you just give it a chance.

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December 7, 1941, is a date which will live in infamy. Japanese fighter planes attacked the U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, claiming the lives of more than 2,500 people and destroying 18 American ships and nearly 300 airplanes in the process. One of the most famous ships that was destroyed was the U.S.S. Arizona, which sustained nearly half of the casualties. Bombed four times before sinking to the bottom of the Pacific, the U.S.S. Arizona lost approximately 1,177 crewmen on that bleak morning.

Although it’s been more than 70 years since the attack, the statistics are still pretty sobering. Did you know that fuel continues to leak from the U.S.S. Arizona’s wreckage? It’s as if the ship continues to bleed because those ugly wounds will never properly heal. As you fire up your grills and prepare your colorful desserts in anticipation of the patriotic July 4th weekend ahead, you may be asking yourself, “What does this have to do with this week’s Throwback Thursday?”

Recently remastered and released on DVD by the Warner Archive Collection, Here Comes the Navy was filmed aboard the U.S.S. Arizona in the spring of 1934. An avid history buff, I was fortunate enough to receive a copy of this DVD for review. While perhaps an obscure title in the vast archive of remastered Warner Bros. films out there, Here Comes the Navy provides a rare glimpse of what life was like for the sailors aboard the ship during its heyday. In addition to the historically significant footage aboard the U.S.S. Arizona, parts of the film were also filmed aboard the U.S.S. Macon – a large airship that would also be tragically lost the following year when it crashed into the Pacific Ocean on February 12, 1935, off the coast of California. The U.S.S. Macon (along with her twin, the U.S.S. Akron) held the world record for being the biggest helium-filled airship. Thanks to the continuing efforts of the Warner Archive Collection, you and your children’s children can see black-and-white footage of both historic ships in this film, which was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture.

Released by Warner Bros. on July 21, 1934, Here Comes the Navy stars James Cagney, Pat O’Brien, Gloria Stuart, Frank McHugh, Dorothy Tree, Robert Barrat and George Irving. As Chesty O’Conner, James Cagney does what he does best – he plays a feisty construction riveter-turned-sailor with a heart of gold buried beneath his wise guy, “always looking for a fight” exterior. Although he’s quick-tempered and cocky, Cagney gives the character enough convincing emotional depth to make him truly likeable. One can’t help but feel sympathy for him when naval officer Biff Martin (Pat O’Brien) waltzes into town, bests him in a fist fight and steals his girl Gladys (Dorothy Tree) right out from under him during a dance. To make matters worse, Chesty also loses his job after not showing up for work for a few days. Down-and-out but not willing to give up, Chesty decides to enlist in the U.S. Navy. If nothing else, Chesty figures it will provide a paycheck and a chance to maybe get even with Biff should their paths ever cross again.

Spoiler: Their paths do indeed cross again aboard the U.S.S. Arizona, where Biff is Chesty’s commanding officer. Biff makes Chesty’s life as a sailor a living hell, especially after Chesty begins pursuing his sister Dorothy (Gloria Stuart) against his wishes. While Chesty may have begun dating Dorothy to spite her brother, it becomes more than obvious that he has real feelings of adoration for her. Every time she enters the room or the ship, he flashes a million-watt smile in her direction that will make you easily fall in love with the “dreamy, dewy-eyed” Cagney. I enjoyed watching their tender 1930s courtship unfold.

During his time aboard the ship, Chesty develops an easy friendship with the amicable but perhaps mentally slow Droopy (Frank McHugh), while managing to piss off the rest of his fellow sailors because of his bad attitude. However, he redeems himself by becoming an unlikely hero – not once, but twice – putting his life on the line to save the lives of others. I would say heroism is one of the main themes of the film, making it a perfect choice for your patriotic holiday weekend plans.

While Cagney may be best known for playing gangster types, I don’t feel like he was a “fish out of water” in Here Comes the Navy. His portrayal of Chesty O’Conner is synonymous with his “tough guy” image, but he’s also rather tender and funny. Borrowing from other recognizable 1930s images, if Popeye and Bluto were somehow able to conceive a love child, the scrappy but honorable sailor Chesty O’Conner would be it. This film also marks the first time Cagney paired with O’Brien – the two would co-star together many more times over, including Devil Dogs of the Air, Boy Meets Girl, Angels with Dirty Faces, The Fighting 69th and Ragtime. Frank McHugh is also reunited with his co-stars in several of those titles. Here Comes the Navy is a classic film which should not be missed because it delivers plenty of laughs, heart and historical appeal.

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The old adage “Never judge a book by its cover” is a particularly wise one. And yet creating a first impression from a fleeting glance is very much a part of human nature. It happens often with people and books, but have you ever been deceived by a film cover? It happened to me when I selected The Rose and the Jackal for review from the Warner Archive Collection.

On the cover, one sees a smiling portrait of Christopher Reeve and Madolyn Smith Osborne in a cozy position that suggests a happy Civil War-era romance. I didn’t really read the plot synopsis – that was my mistake. I just assumed I was correct and that seemed like a win-win-win combination (romance, Civil War era and Christopher Reeve looking dashing) all in one package. It’s not that it’s a bad film, and it’s not that I didn’t like it. It just wasn’t quite what I had envisioned. Perhaps the cover reminded me of Somewhere in Time. While that story didn’t exactly have a happy ending, I enjoyed it more overall.

A 1990 made-for-TV movie produced by Turner Network Television (TNT), The Rose and the Jackal is the story of Union agent Allan Pinkerton (of the famed detective agency) falling in love with the female spy Rose O’Neal Greenhow. There are romantic elements to be sure, but it’s more the story of a martyr facing arrest, prosecution and the death penalty for being unwavering in her beliefs. Rose O’Neal was an aristocrat accused of spying for the Confederacy. A man very much bound by a sense of duty, Pinkerton is forced to apprehend her, interrogate her and ultimately sign her death warrant as part of his government job description. Somewhere along the way, he finds himself falling in love with her and her ideals despite the fact that he has a wife and two sons waiting for him back home.

I’m not sure about the historical accuracy of this film (I suspect little to none, as is often the case with Hollywood productions), but it did a good job of presenting an aspect of the Civil War that I don’t think about often. Rose brings up some pretty solid arguments while “on trial.” How can a person be accused and tried of treason against a government that they don’t officially recognize? If she feels she was never loyal to the Union, how can she be accused of betraying it? When it comes to a nation divided against itself in times of a civil war, how does one side have the right to execute the war criminals from the other side without an impartial trial? Rose wasn’t exactly getting a fair deal.

The Rose and the Jackal made me squirm in my seat at times, as it presented moral question after moral question. Have I or anyone I’ve known ever had to stand up for justice? Have I ever felt so passionately about something that I was willing to die for my beliefs? The answer is a resounding no. It was admirable and inspiring in a way. One can’t help but see how Pinkerton could fall in love with such a woman. She was more concerned about setting a good example for her daughter than anything else. I find that level of parenting somewhat lacking in this day and age. Not many parents are put in a position facing death in order to teach a principle. My heart ached for Rose when her daughter came to visit her in the prison cell. That was probably the most moving scene in the entire film when she sang a lullaby to her child that stilled the chanting and rioting outside the prison.

If you’re a fan of Civil War-era pieces or made-for-TV dramas, the acting in The Rose and the Jackal is pretty decent. In addition to the two main leads, the cast is rounded out with performances by Granville Van Dusen, Carrie Snodgress, Kevin McCarthy and Haynes Brooke. I think my main problem with this film is it began sleepily for me. I didn’t really care about the characters or the plot until things started turning sour for Rose. While I wouldn’t go out on a limb and declare this as my favorite film, it had its moments and it did make me think. I believe it’s worth a look if you’ve never seen it. Just don’t expect a grand, sweeping love story or any bonus features on the DVD.

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“Being a teenager isn’t anything – it’s everything. It isn’t a big deal, it’s a HUGE deal; and while you’re being a teenager, you ought to live it up because this is the one chance, the one time, you’ll be young, and free and careless because you are only young once. So screw it up, because in the end, no one gets out alive anyway.” – Anonymous

Ah, the teen years. Those years of reckless abandonment that can be one of the most thrilling, daunting and awkward times in a person’s lifetime. Perhaps you nostalgically recall your own teen years. For most people, they were either the best of times or the worst of times. There does not seem to be any middle ground. Emotions and hormones both ran high as you tried to find yourself and your purpose in life. These are the moments you’ll never forget and many yearn to recreate. Time was best spent hanging out with friends, ditching school and studying. For many, it was a time to experiment with sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll. A time to be free to discover who you were and who you were not before being bogged down by responsibilities and the stresses of daily adult living.

But put away those rose-colored glasses – being a teenager wasn’t all parties and debauchery. It was also a time when you had a million questions and uncertainties about the future that no one could seem to answer. For many, maybe it felt like nobody really understood you. Certainly not your parents or siblings or your annoying guidance counselor. If you were lucky, perhaps you had that one best friend or significant other who understood you better than most. If you were not fortunate enough to find your soulmate when you were young, maybe it was one of the loneliest and most confusing times of your life. On a scale of 1-10, your pain and anguish could have easily been an 11 on any given day. Is it any wonder that teen suicide is so common? And yet, most people would prefer to turn their backs and ignore the issue rather than open it up for honest discussion.

The Warner Archive Collection recently released Permanent Record on DVD and graciously sent me a copy for review. Released by Paramount Pictures in 1988, Permanent Record stars Keanu Reeves, Pamela Gidley, Alan Boyce, Michael Elgart, Jennifer Rubin, Michelle Meyrink and Richard Bradford. Music aficionados should note the special cameo by Lou Reed in the film and the fact that the majority of the soundtrack was produced by Joe Strummer of The Clash. These were certainly strong selling points that made me volunteer to review the film. I was also curious to see if Keanu Reeves could be a serious actor. I love him, but Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure and Speed aren’t exactly Shakespearean plays. And I’ve never seen The Matrix (but that’s another story).

High school senior David Sinclair (Alan Boyce) seems to have it all. He’s an insanely gifted musician who has just been accepted into a prestigious music school – one of 18 out of over 200 applicants. He makes good grades and is popular among his fellow students. David is blessed with good looks, good brains and a good sense of humor. He’s in a band that’s about to record in a studio. He’s working on the music of his high school’s production of HMS Pinafore. He’s got two parents that dote on him and a younger brother who idolizes him. He’s got a girl who he sees on the sly who adores him, and a girl friend who he adores that I think also secretly adores him. However, the insurmountable pressures of being a successful teen finally get to David. David decides to commit suicide by toppling over the edge of a cliff during a party about 30 minutes into the film, leaving behind an entire community and family in shock. The rest of the film is spent working through the emotional aftermath. If the Davids of this world can’t make it, what hope is there for the rest of us?

Keanu Reeves puts in a solid, compelling performance as David’s best friend Chris Townsend. We see Chris go through the five classic stages of grief: Denial and Isolation, Anger, Bargaining (Helplessness/Vulnerability), Depression and ultimately Acceptance, as he comes to terms with David’s suicide and the fact that it wasn’t his fault for not seeing the “tell-tale” teen suicidal symptoms prior to the deed. While the film may begin with Keanu as another typecast teenage surfer/rocker a la Bill & Ted, it’s clear by its end that he’s actually pretty well-rounded and an emotionally versatile actor. The other teens also put in good performances, but the other character I found most intriguing was the school’s principal played by Richard Bradford. I’ve never seen an administrator more dedicated to ensuring his students’ success and overall well-being. If our schools were full of more caring individuals such as him, I think maybe the teen suicide rates would be lower.

The other thing about this film I wish to highlight is the song “Wishing on Another Lucky Star.” This is the song supposedly written musically by David before his death and finished lyrically by Chris after. It is sung acapella in a moving, memorable performance by Lauren (Jennifer Rubin) in the film. After being denied the chance to honor David in a memorial service at the high school, Lauren does so by singing his song while on stage for a solo in HMS Pinafore . That scene gave me goosebumps the first time I watched it. On the soundtrack it is sung by J.D. Souther. It has some beautiful lyrics, and even if you don’t check out the film, I highly recommend checking out its soundtrack.

All in all, I think Permanent Record is well done in its genre, and I think it is still relevant nearly 30 years later. It’s a shame we weren’t shown this film when I was in high school. I sat through countless films about self-esteem, teen pregnancies and spousal abuse. I could’ve used an honest look at teen suicide and its aftermath. If you can get past some of the hokiness of the ’80s (there seems to be a lot of soul-searching while gazing out wistfully at the water), I think this is a powerful film with an important message. Perhaps it could sway some impressionable minds into not going through with suicide. The DVD doesn’t have any bonus features, but is still worth checking out. Keanu Reeves actually can act, and act well.

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The Warner Archive Collection graciously sent me a copy of The Barretts of Wimpole Street to review. The tagline proclaimed, “When poets love, Heaven and Earth fall back to watch!” Naturally, my romantic curiosity was piqued. To find out it was the love story of poets Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning further enthralled me.

I must say when I put the DVD in, it was a little sleepy to start. Maybe putting in an old black-and-white film from 1934 past 10:00 on a week night when you’ve been doing overtime wasn’t the best choice. No, that’s not really fair. I adore old black-and-white films. But this one didn’t immediately grab my interest. I fairly came close to giving up on it, but the moment the dashing Robert Browning entered the picture to visit Elizabeth, I knew I was hooked and I no longer cared about the lateness of the hour.

Starring the beautiful Norma Shearer as Elizabeth Barrett, Frederic March as Robert Browning, Charles Laughton as Elizabeth’s tyrannical father Edward Moulton-Barrett, and Maureen O’Sullivan as her rambunctious sister Henrietta, The Barretts of Wimpole Street tells the story of the Barrett family and how the patriarch rules his roost with an iron fist. Elizabeth’s father makes Captain von Trapp in The Sound of Music look like a pansy in comparison. Edward Moulton-Barrett is strict, fervently devoted in his faith and has forbidden any of his clan from marrying or falling in love – all because he has been miserable since his wife’s death. The viewer (and his children) isn’t sure whether you should hate him or pity him, and there are decidedly times you experience strong doses of both feelings.

Although she is young, beautiful and remarkably bright, Elizabeth leads the lonely life of an invalid confined to her room, forced to look out the window at the moon while she cries herself to sleep at night because she can’t escape her dreary world. Her father is always fussing about her condition and not allowing her to have any fun because it might upset her and make her condition worse. Even when the doctors note that she is perceptibly improving and they recommend she leave London’s harsh winter for the more favorable climate of Italy, her father refuses to let her leave. I questioned how old Elizabeth was that she was so afraid of her father and his disapproval, but maybe it truly was a different time period. An 1840s London was a time when men were gentlemen and women were ladies and people seemed to have more dictated behaviors. I suppose back then an invalid child of affluence probably would do whatever her father said without daring to speak back. I simply could not bite my tongue that much, especially where my health and love life were concerned.

It’s while she’s confined to her room that she develops a love for writing and reading poetry, publishing several volumes, as well as taking up a correspondence with the up-and-coming poet Robert Browning. Each is a fan of the other’s prose, and the two begin a courtship of sorts despite never having met in person. How many of us can relate to this concept in the age of online dating? I know I, for one, certainly can! One day, Robert finally works up the nerve to come visit Elizabeth, and the scene is nothing short of captivating. One could practically feel the palpable tension and the chemistry sizzling off the screen as the two express complex feelings of anxiety, adoration and longing for each other. It’s obvious to the viewer that these two are deeply connected through the outpourings of their souls, but Elizabeth is reluctant to allow Robert to pursue her. Whether it’s because of her feisty (and almost creepily incestuous) father, the gnawing guilt that she will soon die and leave Robert an early widower or a fear of letting go of the constraints of the only world she has ever known and taking a chance on true love, it’s the viewer’s best guess.

This is but one brief example of the well-articulated dialogue that takes place between the two:
Elizabeth Barrett: “What’s another disaster to one who has known little but disaster all her life? But you’re a fighter. You were born for victory and triumph. Oh, and if disaster ever came to you through me …”
Robert Browning: “Yes, a fighter. But I’m sick of fighting alone. I need a comrade in arms to fight beside me.”
Elizabeth Barrett: “But not one already wounded in battle.”
Robert Browning: “Wounded but undaunted, unbeaten, unbroken. What finer comrade could a man ask for?”

Swoon. The Robert Browning depicted in The Barretts of Wimpole Street is making a serious contention for a place in my heart alongside the likes of Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights and Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice because he’s so passionately, so ardently, in love with Elizabeth despite her fragility and uncertainties. Isn’t that what every woman wants? A good partner to stand beside her through the good times and the bad times. This led me to do some research on Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning to see how their real-life story measured up to the fictional one. I was pleased to learn that he really did begin his first letter to her with the words, “I love your verses with all my heart, dear Miss Barrett,” and later in the same letter he uttered, “I do, as I say, love these books with all my heart – and I love you too.” There are many books written on the subject of the couple’s courtship, which seems to very closely resemble that which was depicted in the film. I might have to check one of these out very soon!

What I wanted to know most was what happened afterward. What happened after Elizabeth and Robert ran off and married in secret against her father’s wishes? Apparently, Elizabeth was disinherited by her father and rejected by her brothers. She moved to Italy with her husband in 1846, where they lived with their only son, Robert “Pen” Barrett Browning, until her death in 1861. So they were able to have a child and a happy marriage spanning several years! Her husband remained her biggest fan even after she was gone, publishing a volume of her poetry shortly after her death. I think their story is just about the most romantic thing I’ve ever read or watched.

There are many emotionally charged scenes between the two lovers, as well as many charged scenes between the father and his children in this film. It’s easy to see why it garnered a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Picture. I don’t believe I’ve fallen for a love story with as much gusto in quite some time. If you’re one who aches over the beauty of a tender, multi-faceted romance, I highly recommend you pick up a copy of The Barretts of Wimpole Street (1934). And be sure you have a box of tissues handy because you just might need them.

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I know what you’re probably thinking out there in CliqueClack Land. Is this chick really reviewing Casper’s Halloween Special in May? Isn’t that an offense worse than wearing white after Labor Day or leaving the Christmas lights up on the roof all year-round? To the naysayers, I argue Halloween is a lifestyle. There are some of us who actually count down all year until the holiday. In case you were wondering, there are exactly 175 days left until Halloween 2014 (which is on a Friday this year – let the parties commence!).

The truth is I didn’t receive this DVD to review from the Warner Archive Collection until after Halloween was already over. But it’s no matter to me that Memorial Day is the next calendar holiday. I still found Casper’s special fun and I’m happy I watched it this week. Produced by Hanna-Barbera, Casper’s Halloween Special was a television special that aired on NBC on October 30, 1979. It is alternately known as Casper Saves Halloween and Casper the Friendly Ghost: He Ain’t Scary, He’s Our Brother. The Warner Archive Collection released the film on DVD last October, and as a special holiday bonus, the DVD also includes the 1972 special The Thanksgiving That Almost Wasn’t, also produced by Hanna-Barbera. Both animated specials are less than a half-hour in length.

I’ve always been a fan of Casper: The Friendly Ghost. There is something about that little ghost’s smile that melts my heart every time. In his Halloween Special, Casper just wants to be able to go trick-or-treating like a “real little boy.” So, he puts on a simple costume (a cap and a black masquerade mask because no one will recognize him as being a real ghost in that mask!) and he sets out on Halloween night, where he is met by a group of adorable orphans also out trick-or-treating who befriend and accept him as a member of their motley crew. However, Casper’s ghostly friends decide to make it a night full of tricks rather than treats. Hairy Scary, Screech and Winnifred Witch decide Casper needs to “learn how to have fun.” Naturally, the orphans end up getting blamed for all of the ghosts’ tricks until Hairy Scary realizes it isn’t fair (or fun) and decides to set things right. In the end, the kids and Casper are given brand-new Halloween costumes and are allowed to resume trick-or-treating to their hearts’ (and stomachs’) content.

Casper’s Halloween Special features the voice talents of Julie McWhirter (Smurfs), Lucille Bliss (Smurfs), Hal Smith (Davey and Goliath), Michael Sheehan (The Thing) and Ginny Tyler (The Sword in the Stone). I’d seen this special before, but it had been years. It’s a pleasant enough romp, but I’m not sure it measures up quite as well as other holiday specials (say Garfield’s or Charlie Brown’s). The humor is rudimentary at best and it’s hard to believe anyone would really be that mean to a bunch of sweet-spirited orphans. At one point, a door is slammed in their faces and they’re told to go back to their own neighborhood to trick-or-treat, implying they weren’t welcome to trick-or-treat in an affluent neighborhood. I’ve never heard of anyone discriminating against children on Halloween night. Was that really a thing in the ‘70s?

The second portion of the DVD, The Thanksgiving That Almost Wasn’t, features a Thanksgiving story about Pilgrims and Native Americans coming together for the feast, as told by a squirrel. It turns out that the squirrel’s ancestor saved the day (and the spirit of the Thanksgiving feast itself) when a Pilgrim boy and a Native American boy are both lost in the wilderness. I would say it’s heartwarming, but it really wasn’t all that heartwarming. With a title like that, I guess I expected a little bit more. It has its moments, but there is probably a reason a holiday mark such as myself had never seen it. The Thanksgiving That Almost Wasn’t features familiar voice actors Hal Smith, Don Messick (Scooby-Doo), June Foray (Rocky from The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle) and others.

Aside from the overdose on nostalgia fueled by this DVD, I think the best thing about both holiday specials is honestly the music. Some of the song lyrics are priceless and worth checking out, including these gems: From Casper’s Halloween Special: “Halloween is the most, when you play like a ghost, and you’re going trick or treat. Every house on the block, every door that you knock, gets you something good to eat.” From The Thanksgiving That Almost Wasn’t: “Cornbread, pie and biscuits risin’, mmm that smell is tantalizin’. I can’t stop this vocalizin’ on Thanksgiving Day. If you think that you’ll be takin’ one more slice of Nelly’s bakin,’ don’t tell me your belly’s achin’ on Thanksgiving Day.”

One thing is certain. This DVD has proven that fall and Halloween can’t come soon enough for me. I’m ready to watch more haunted specials, especially those with familiar, favorite characters like Casper. After all, I could watch them every day for the next 175 days in preparation for the main event! Who’s with me?

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I’ve got a question for you. Does the name Gus Kahn mean anything to you at all? Perhaps you’re more familiar with some of these nostalgic song titles from the early 20th century: “It Had to Be You,” “Pretty Baby,” “I’ll See You in My Dreams,” “Carolina in the Morning” or “Makin’ Whoopee.” Gus Kahn was the brilliant lyricist behind all of those perennial favorites taken out of the dog-eared pages of the song books of yesteryear.

Released by Warner Bros. in 1951, I’ll See You in My Dreams is a wonderful biopic depicting the many ups and downs in Gus Kahn’s life. Starring Danny Thomas and Doris Day as Grace LeBoy Kahn, the woman who would become his wife and the leading lady in his life, this film was recently released on DVD by the Warner Archive Collection, who graciously provided a copy for my review. I’d seen this movie on AMC as a child, but it had been many years ago. Ever the hopeless romantic, a movie such as this is right up my alley, and perhaps you’ll also enjoy its whimsy.

What captivated my imagination best as a child and as a middle-aged adult more recently is the fact that fewer people take the time to properly court one another anymore. In an age where people have easier access to countless dating profiles on the Internet and a heavy reliance upon social media and texting (and I myself am guilty of this to the nth degree) to make connections with people of the opposite sex, it feels like we’ve lost something that was once deemed more valuable to our society. In Gus Kahn’s time, it was more common to write the girl you loved a love letter, and he simply took it to the next level. He wrote song after song expressing his feelings of adoration and at times desperation. I think the writer who wears her heart on a sleeve in me appreciated this. I enjoyed watching him court Doris Day and win her over with his sweet song lyrics. They just don’t make them like Gus Kahn anymore!

I like that the film shows you how the relationship between Kahn and his wife develops from a casual meeting when he was a struggling songwriter trying to peddle some songs he had written to her employer to their at-times exasperating partnership to their eventual marriage and all the ups and downs of being a songwriter in Hollywood during the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression and beyond. It was sad to watch him mock his own songs just to get a paying job when his popularity waned. However, that did lead to the most memorable song lyrics in the film, which made me laugh:

“It had to be me that had to get you. I stand 5 foot 10, a man among men, but you’re 7’2″. I meet lots of girls when I make the rounds, but none are like you 7 foot 2, 70 pounds, but you make me thrill and you always will.”

I wonder how much of the film was based on truth and how much was romanticized or fictionalized for dramatic purposes. It’s noted that it was based on “The Gus Kahn Story,” which was written by Louis F. Edelman and Grace Kahn (uncredited), so that leads me to believe that much of it must be true (at least in Grace’s memories). For me, it doesn’t get much better than an inspiring story about a woman standing beside the man she loves and helping him to shine in the spotlight and be all that he can be. In these rocky, uncertain times with the number of divorces being on the rise, these are some of the true unsung heroes: the people who make a marriage or partnership work spanning multiple decades.

Here’s a little more background material on Gus Kahn that wasn’t depicted in the film: Gustav Gerson Kahn was born November 6, 1886, in Germany before his family immigrated to the United States when he was young. He died on October 8, 1941, after many successful years as a noteworthy songwriter for many vaudeville and Broadway shows. His story is truly one of rags to riches and living the American dream. He started out as a humble mail order clerk and emerged as one of the most prolific songwriters to come from Tin Pan Alley. He was included in the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970.

All in all, Danny Thomas and Doris Day have good chemistry together and are both adorable in their roles. I’ve had a crush on Danny since the first time I saw Make Room for Daddy and seeing him sing songs like “Pretty Baby” and “It Had to Be You” to Doris melted my heart because it was like watching the tenderest, most intimate moments between lovers not to be shared. Other standouts in the cast include Mary Wickes as Anna, the fussy housekeeper for the Kahns, Jim Backus as fellow showman Sam Harris and comedian Hans Conried (uncredited, but I love him) as Grace’s tyrant of a boss in the beginning of the film.

Special features on the DVD include “The Screen Director,” a nostalgic look at what it means to be a behind-the-scenes screen director produced by Members of the Motion Picture Industry, and “Lovelorn Leghorn” a classic Warner Bros. Merry Melodies cartoon starring one of my all-time personal favorites: Foghorn Leghorn. The black-and-white documentary about screen directors was at times interesting and at times cheesy, but something I appreciated being a big movie buff. The two featurettes were nice throwbacks to a simpler time and are reminiscent of the bonus features I’m told they used to show at the theater before a show.

Whether you’re a huge fan of Gus Kahn, musical biopics in general or the actors in the film, I think I’ll See You in My Dreams is definitely worth a look. It’s a unique snapshot preserved in time, a throwback to a bygone era in which men and women found more meaningful ways to express their devotion to one another that I, for one, am jealous of. Maybe it’s because I am capable of expressing my emotions in prose that I often find myself disappointed when no one sends me thoughtful prose back. I guess that’s what watching classics such as this are all about – it satisfies a certain yearning I can’t quite define. How do I love thee, movie? Oh let me count the ways.

You can purchase the new DVD of I’ll See You in My Dreams directly from the Warner Archive Collection.

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This may come as no surprise to anyone that knows me, but I love to laugh. To quote the song from Mary Poppins, “I love to laugh loud and long and clear, and it’s getting worse every year.” I’ve been a longtime admirer of Danny Kaye because he makes me laugh, having grown up watching several of his classics such as White Christmas, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The Court Jester, The Inspector General and Hans Christian Andersen. When I heard the Warner Archive Collection was releasing four of Danny’s earliest movies in a DVD set, I knew I had to make that set mine, and they graciously accommodated my request. I had never seen any of the four movies included in the Danny Kaye: The Goldwyn Years collection – Up in Arms (1944), Wonder Man (1945), The Kid from Brooklyn (1946) and A Song is Born (1948) – but I knew I wanted to check them out. They did not disappoint!

Whether he’s playing a hypochondriac enlisted in the armed forces (Up in Arms), a clumsy milkman-turned-boxer (The Kid from Brooklyn), a nerdy professor smitten with a girl from the wrong side of the tracks (A Song is Born) or a dual role as the ghost of a boisterous nightclub entertainer and his bookish twin (Wonder Man), Danny Kaye has the power to make you fall in love with him no matter the role. He possessed that certain star-like quality very few are blessed with, especially in this day and age. Perhaps you know the type – the man who may not always be the best-looking man in the room but is the one who will immediately grab your attention and make you feel things you’ve never felt before, as you simultaneously laugh at his pratfalls and ridiculous antics and sympathize with his childlike inner beauty.

Danny Kaye movies touch my heart in a way that countless others simply do not. It doesn’t matter what the story line is or how corny some of the musical numbers may be, there is an almost indefinable natural beauty to them from start to finish. Uniquely, he has both a boyish charm and a commanding scene presence. He was one of Hollywood’s original triple threats: he could act, sing and dance and made all three look ludicrously easy. It’s no wonder he successfully transitioned from Broadway to Hollywood with such finesse during his Goldwyn years.

Danny is paired with the impeccably beautiful Virginia Mayo in three of the four films (all but Up in Arms), and this is a perfect marriage of chemistry and comfortable compatibility on screen. She is a radiant songbird in both The Kid from Brooklyn and A Song is Born, holding her own next to Danny and belting out showstopping tunes. In A Song is Born, I found myself getting upset with her for trying to con Danny’s character and break his poor little sweet heart. You just can’t do that to Danny Kaye! That’s like trying to pull a con on Mother Theresa. It’s inconceivable and ill-advised. In the end, she falls in love with him of course and the error of her ways is forgiven by both Danny and the viewers. Love conquers all; isn’t that how it should be?

I think that’s one of the things I like best about these movies. No matter how unlikely the scenario or how the odds may be stacked against him, Danny always plucks through and gets his happy ending. Along the way, he might learn a thing or two about himself. In Up in Arms, for example, he pines after his best friend’s girl while failing to see the incredible girl who is always right there in front of him loving him. His character, Danny Weems, goes from being a hypochondriac coward to becoming a hero of sorts, as he tests his mettle and learns more about what he is made of on the inside.

In Wonder Man, you get to see Danny play two characters with polar-opposite mannerisms. His introverted character (Edwin Dingle) learns how to be more like his deceased twin brother (Buzzy Bellew) and comes out all the richer for it, getting the girl and gaining closure for his brother’s murder. In The Kid from Brooklyn, Danny nearly lets fame go to his head when he becomes an overnight boxing sensation by accident. His character, Burleigh Sullivan, almost destroys his humble nature, but he is thankfully saved from himself with a little help from Mayo. However, I think you see the most transformation in Danny’s character Professor Hobart Frisbee in A Song is Born. Danny goes from being shy and awkward around women to a bonafide heartthrob willing to stand up for the woman he loves. There are many memorable scenes and gags in each of the four movies, and it’d be difficult for me to pinpoint a favorite.

However, one of my favorite quotes does come from A Song is Born, in which Mayo is explaining why she has fallen in love with Professor Hobart Frisbee: “I love those hick shirts he wears with the boiled collars and the way he always has his coat buttoned wrong. It looks like a giraffe, and I love him. I love him because he’s the sort of a guy that gets drunk on a glass of buttermilk. And I love the way he blushes right up over his ears. I love him because he … he doesn’t know how to kiss, the jerk.” That pretty much sums up my adoration for Danny Kaye’s characters too.

I also loved the 1940s fashions and hairstyles represented in this collection. In my opinion, Hollywood has never looked more glamorous. Dinah Shore, Dana Andrews and Constance Dowling round out the superb cast in Up in Arms, while Vera-Ellen fans will be delighted with her colorful dancing performances in Wonder Man and The Kid from Brooklyn. Music aficionados are treated to a tantalizing surprise with A Song is Born: special appearances by Tommy Dorsey, Louis Armstrong and Benny Goodman were among its myriad musical highlights. One can also learn all the coolest jazz terminology and add “mobster-speak” to their vocabulary after watching this movie.

It’s obvious restoring classic films is a labor of love for the Warner Archive Collection. While there may not be any bonus features, the Technicolor looks spectacular, the audio quality is unparalleled, the stories are captivating and Danny’s star power has never shined brighter than in Danny Kaye: The Goldwyn Years. If you’re a fan of Danny or screwball musical comedies of the 1940s in general, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of this for your DVD collection today. You won’t regret it. It’s a great set to cheer yourself up with on a gloomy day or to get comfy and fall asleep with on an otherwise restless night. I think it’s just about impossible to be in a bad mood when you’ve got America’s favorite ginger-haired jester in your corner.

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I love it when I take a chance on a movie I’ve never heard of and it ends up being the perfect choice, as it directly pertains to my personal thoughts and emotions I’m trying to sort out. This week I took a look at The Portrait, a 1993 made-for-TV movie now on DVD thanks to the continuing efforts of the Warner Archive Collection, and I’m glad I did. Starring two legends of the Golden Age of Hollywood – Gregory Peck and Lauren Bacall – and Gregory’s daughter Cecilia, The Portrait is about the ongoing struggling relationship between Peck, Bacall and their only daughter that resurfaces when she returns home to paint their portrait only to discover they are in the process of moving. It seems they sold the family home without telling her.

Mags Church (Cecilia Peck) is an artist who lacks confidence in her artistic abilities. When she is given the chance to exhibit some of her artwork in a small gallery with an excellent reputation, she decides to go back to her childhood home to recharge her creative batteries after a break-up and to finish a portrait of her parents (Fanny and Gardner) she had begun long ago and never finished. However, we quickly discover that the portrait is not the only thing left unresolved in the Church household. There are many complex emotions and miscommunications lurking just beneath the surface of this seemingly happy little trio.

While a part of me could understand how Mags must have felt, a part of me also found her character rather childish and at times silly and irrational. For example, I felt she overreacted to the news about the home being sold. What kind of adult presumably in her late 20s/early 30s storms up the stairs because she wasn’t consulted on her parents’ decision to retire in a cottage in another city? A rather selfish one in my opinion, especially when you take into account the fact that she resided in another city and only came home to visit during holidays.

The main issue between the parents and Mags seems to be the fact that Mags has always resented her parents’ close relationship because she has always felt like the third wheel. Fanny and Gardner are always seen laughing and talking together. We see Mags’ exasperation at their behavior during their portrait sitting. She has difficulty getting them to sit still and pose, which makes her think it’s because they don’t take her career choice seriously. I laughed when they held up a fork and teased her about their portrait being the next American Gothic by Grant Wood.

Bacall and Peck are absolutely wonderful together. What I enjoyed most about this movie was seeing this couple who was still crazy in love despite their age. In a world where so many marriages end in divorce, it was refreshing to see two people who could make it work and keep things interesting and fun after so many years. It was a beautifully honest portrait of a happy marriage and two people who truly cared about one another. For example, they kid around about sick people they know and how much money she spent on a fancy French designer hat she found in a thrift shop. It was the type of relationship and marriage I’ve always wanted for myself.

Throughout the visit, it also becomes apparent that Gardner is becoming forgetful in his old age. He starts to become confused about what to buy at the market and there is one scene in which he keeps asking Mags when the last time she visited was. When Mags confronts Fanny about this, she dismisses it saying that’s he’s 75 and he can’t always be expected to be in tip-top shape and that aging is something that happens to all of us. It isn’t until Gardner goes out for a walk and turns up unconscious by the river’s edge that Mags finally makes peace with her parents.

In one of the most poignant scenes, Mags and her mother bond over the seriousness of the situation. Fanny explains to Mags that she felt something physical when she married Gardner, saying that the emptiness she had always felt as a child was finally filled. She was a happy child, but she became an even happier adult. I almost cried when she explained that she could still look across the room and marvel at the fact that he married her out of all the women he could have possibly chosen.

She reveals it was Gardner who had wanted to have a baby and she admits that she was hesitant because she didn’t want anyone to end their perpetual honeymoon. Though she loves her daughter, she tries her best to explain that nobody will ever come before Gardner in her heart. She’s concerned about them having less time together because every minute they spend together is so precious and so wanted. That’s why she’s been in denial about his forgetfulness. She’s extremely protective of her love and she doesn’t want anyone to look at him in a diminished sort of way. I think Mags gains a better understanding of her parents’ relationship after this chat.

Once the father returns home from the hospital, Mags has a heart-to-heart with him. I think it helps that this is a real-life father and daughter on the screen, as it makes the emotions seem more genuine. Mags asks what her father thinks about her art and he tells her that he believes she is on the verge of finding herself and that crazy courage we all need to invade our privacy if we’re going to hold nothing back in our work. She seems pleased with this answer. The movie ends at her art show in New York and her parents coming to support her.

The best quote in the movie comes from Peck: “I can still see the big picture – it’s the little details that confound me.” I know he said this in reference to his age and forgetfulness, but I felt like that’s true of me also. It’s like I can catch glimpses of what I want my future to be like, but I can’t quite grasp hold of it yet. Maybe the picture isn’t 100% clear of where or who I’ll end up with, but I take comfort in imagining that someone will hopefully reach out their hand to me and come along with me for the ride. I just need more of that “crazy courage” described by Peck. Don’t we all? I want to believe in myself, my ability and in the concept of never-ending love that doesn’t fade over time but rather goes stronger. For if you put the proper amount of time into it, love can blossom like a garden – Fanny and Gardner Church are fictional proof of that. I’d recommend this movie for anyone in the process of still trying to find themselves.

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