Oscar Speculation...

It has been announced today (source: LA Times) that showbiz legend and Oscar-winner Barbra Steisand will perform at the Oscars this year. Details about her performance have not been revealed yet, but I would like to think that she'll be be doing a tribute to the late, great music maestro Marvin Hamlisch (1944-2012) by performing the timeless "The Way We Were". During his brilliant career, Mr. Hamlisch was the recipient of 12 Oscar nominations.

There have been some rumors floating around (source: TOR.com) that ALL SIX actors that have portrayed James Bond on screen will appear together for the very first time on the Oscar stage, including Sean Connery and Roger Moore. If the Academy can pull this off, I think this would be one the greatest Oscar moments ever! But, I'm not holding my breath for it to happen.

I've seen the list of nominations. Is it just me or is this one of the hardest-to-predict years in a long time?

Will Argo win Best Picture or will Lincoln? Or will Silver Linings Playbook sweep? I don't know.

In the race for Best Supporting Actor this year, all of the nominated actors have previously won Oscars: Alan Arkin, Robert DeNiro, Philip Seymour Hoffa, Tommy Lee Jones, and Christoph Waltz.

This is the first time in the history of the Academy Awards that this has ever happened in any acting category - all 5 nominees have Oscars already.

Voters will have to decide which of these actors they'll award a 2nd Oscar to. Or, in Mr. DeNiro's case, a 3rd Oscar - he already has Oscars for Raging Bull and The Godfather Part II.  I would like to see DeNiro win. I haven't seen the film he's nominated for, but no doubt he is great. A third Oscar could also represent all of his work since his last Oscar win (in 1980 for Raging Bull)

On Oscar night, I'll be rooting for two movies in particular: Prometheus to win Best Special Effects. And my favorite movie of the year - Skyfall - to win everything it's nominated for!

Do you have any favorites you'll be rooting for at this year's Oscars?

Musical Interlude: Around the World by Frank Sinatra

This is not from the movie Around the World in 80 Days, but the theme is the same by Victor Young. Lyrics were added and it was recorded by Frank Sinatra, who appears in a short cameo in the movie.

I heard this in a magazine shop in Chicago who had a 1950s vocals Sirius XM channel playing in the background. Never heard this song before -

The White Cliffs of Dover (1944)

Irene Dunne stars in this touching Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer wartime romance that was a very big hit at the box-office.

In the beginning of the film - set in early 1914 (pre-WWI)- she's on a ship with her dad on a 2-week business trip.  She's quite knowledgeable about England, and is anxious to visit for the first time. On the ship, she flirts with Van Johnson, a dapper entrepreneur who wants to keep in touch with her.   I thought Van would have a much larger role in the film - and in her life - but alas, it's not meant to me; his character only symbolizes what Irene will eventually be leaving behind. 

Frank Morgan - as her dad, an American newspaper publisher who says things like "Sufferin' cats" and "You're darn tootin'!". In one bit, he's complaining about the food. In another, he's arguing with someone about a chess set. To put it mildly, he just wants to go home. His presence brings to the film a light comedic tone; once he goes back to America - and Irene stays in England - the film's tone becomes more serious.  

Romance blossoms in Irene's life when she meets a handsome aristocrat (Alan Marshal) who sweeps her off her feet. She marries him, and they have a son.

Then, WWI erupts. Her husband is called off to war. Oh, Irene.

My favorite scene is when she holds her baby up to see the parade of American soldiers march through the streets and she says to her newborn, "you're half-Yankee and I'm never going to let you forget it!"

We then follow the family up to the present day - during the Second World War.

You'll have to see the movie to find out what happens to the family. 

Several MGM stars make appearances including a young Elizabeth Taylor, a young Roddy McDowell, a young June Lockhart, and a young Peter Lawford (!) The film also has a distinguished cast of old-guard vets such as C Aubrey Smith, Dame May Whitty, and Gladys Cooper. What a cast!

Directed by Clarence Brown, master of tearjerkers.
Recommended. Available on DVD.

Note: The Vera Lynn song "Bluebirds Over the White Cliffs of Dover" is not heard in this film. For those itching to hear it, I've included the song in this post here. Enjoy! 

The State Theater in South Bend, Indiana

Yesterday, I drove through downtown South Bend and took some pictures of a golden-age movie palace known as the State theater.

It doors have been closed for several years, and hasn't shown a movie since 1977.

According to Cinema Treatures, the State opened on January 29, 1921.  Wow! That's almost 92 years old to the day! It was originally called the Blackstone theater and showed silent films. 

The theater was renamed the State in 1929 and began showing talkies. Below is a photo of the State in 1954 as the marque announces The Country Girl with William Holden and Grace Kelly. 

Photo courtesy of the South Bend Tribune

The marquee is the same as it was 60 years ago (but it's not the original).

Last year, Hurricane Sandy almost blew off the letter "S" on the marquee (read the story here)
Thankfully, it's been restored!

One of the first things you'll notice is the terracotta facade and the neo-classical columns,

designed by famed architect Henry Newhouse of Chicago, who designed many theaters including The Portage theater in Chicago.

Reliefs above the columns depict a parade of musicians and dancers

I love these balcony windows. 

The theater has been closed for several years.

As of October 2012, plans are underway to renovate and eventually reopen the theater as a rotating entertainment venue (source: SouthBendTribue.com)

Here's a peek inside the theater (neat!)

The Heart Theater in Effingham, IL

Right in the heart of downtown Effingham IL is an abandoned theater called The Heart, located at 133 East Jefferson Ave.

Effingham is approx. 200 miles south of Chicago.

According to Cinema Treatures, The Heart opened in 1941, and originally contained 750 seats.
The theater has been closed for over 6 years.

The Well-Digger's Daughter (2012)

Pascal (Daniel Auteuil) and his six daughters

A charming period film, set in southern France during WWI.

A saintly young 18-year old woman (Astrid Bergès-Frisbey) - the title character - has an affair with a wealthy pilot, just before he is called off to war.

When she has a baby out of wedlock, her widowed father - played by Daniel Auteuil who also directed -  is determined to keep his family's honor.

Wonderful performances by the entire cast, including Ms Bergès-Frisbey, who is perhaps best known as the mermaid in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.  

Beautiful music, scenery, and costumes. Highly recommended.

Language: French / Color / 1 hour, 49 minutes / Available on DVD

Critic Roger Ebert gave the film a glowing review (read his review).

The Man With Bogart's Face (1980)

In the 1970s, actor Robert Scacci gained fame for his uncanny resemblance to Humphrey Bogart. For a while, he was cast in all kinds of commercials and TV shows. And then someone had the idea to actually cast him in a movie playing - what else? - Bogart. Well, sort of. He doesn't actually portray him; he just plays a lookalike. That movie became The Man With Bogart's Face, released in 1980, and the running gag throughout the film was his resemblance to the iconic star.  Not only does Scacci have Borgart's face, but also his voice and mannerisms, and his wardrobe includes a 1940s-era trenchcoat.

And throughout the movie he's constantly referencing old movies and movie stars (and radio programs, too!).

The character even changes his name to "Sam Marlowe" and becomes a private eye!

The character of Sam Marlowe in this film sort of becomes Bogart in an unusual way that's oddly fascinating to watch. After awhile I forgot I was watching an impersonator and it felt as if Bogart was brought back to life in 1980.

The character's motives are not fully explained, but whatever they are, we get the point - he loves Bogart. Pop singer Michelle Phillips plays the love interest that Sam falls for. She looks just like Gene Tierney, which prompts Sam to say things like "she has the same face that tempted Tyrone Power in The Razor's Edge").

There are cameos from a number of Bogart contemporaries such as Mike Mazurky, Victor Sen-Young (from Across the Pacific), and Yvonne DeCarlo.  Henry Wilcoxian (age 75 at the time) plays a bookstore owner. My favorite is the cameo by George Raft, who has the best line in the film: "I've come across guys like this before".

It's a bit silly, and not a great movie, but it's fun to watch once. Filmed all around Los Angeles, it's largely forgotten today.  I liked the cameos and co-stars: Olivia Hussey, Pat Buono, Herbert Lom and Franco Nero.

I don't know what Gene Tierney or Lauren Bacall thought about this film at the time.

Robert Scacci is still living today. He hasn't been in anything notable in years.