Donald Duck Forever?

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Disney's smart-alack, anthropomorphic, pants-less duck has appeared in over 200 feature films and film shorts. Donald Duck often appears as a drawing, but at times his presence on film is as an object, as seen here in the Ginger Rogers film, Bachelor Mother (1939). Apparently, he was a very popular must-have toy in the 1930s and 1940s.

This is such a well-loved character that -as yours truly has recently discovered- one of the Donald Duck toys is in the Crypt of Civilization.

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The Crypt is a giant time capsule in Atlanta set up for the express purpose of making "an effort to preserve in a scientific manner every salient feature of present day civilization for the people of the future." Dr. Thornwell Jacobs, the 5th President of Oglethorpe University, started this project in 1937 and sealed the crypt in 1940. The vault is not to be opened until the year 8113.

Does Donald Duck represent us well to future generations in terms of iconography, child's play, beloved figures? I don't know. But he's definitely a fun, little character on or off screen.

Further Notes

• The Crypt also houses 6 recordings featuring popular big bandleader, musician and husband to glamorous film stars, Artie Shaw.
• Are there any movies? Yes, but they seem to be exclusively documentaries.
• Take a gander at the Crypt's general inventory list.
• On a similar note, a lady's apartment in Paris has been opened for the first time since she left it just before WWII. Inside are many things, including a stuffed version of Donald Duck's pal- Mickey Mouse. Read the story at the Daily Telegraph. 

Which Movie Stars Did You First Discover on Television Shows?

Which movie stars did you know first as television performers? What was your reaction when you first saw them in a movie?

Jessica Fletcher is a...What?!

Yours truly knew Angela Lansbury first as Jessica Fletcher, the genteel, New England novelist who solves mysteries on the TV show "Murder, She Wrote" (1984-1996). She goes about her day being cordial to everyone, even unsuspecting murderers, until finally she brings in the police and wraps up the crime in a calm, soothing voice.

"Oh, hello! I've just caught a few lobsters for lunch, typed the final draft of what is sure to be another award-winning novel and put an enemy spy behind bars, all while being beautifully dressed. How was your day? "

However, the first of her films that I saw was The Harvey Girls (1945) in which Ms. Lansbury plays a scantily-clad,  Old West dance hall girl who will do anything to keep her man from Judy Garland, even a "cat fight" in a brothel!

Jessica Fletcher?! Nooo! 
 (source)

Some Things Should Never Change

Barbara Stanwyck is the beautiful, gutsy, silver-haired matriarch on the TV western "Big Valley" (1965-1969). Then Ball of Fire (1941) came on one day and I saw her as a completely other person - a beautiful, gutsy brunette who makes Gary Cooper sweat. Then, we rented Double Indemnity (1944) and she is the beautiful, gutsy blonde who makes trouble for Fred MacMurray.

Joking aside, I was totally blown away by the actress.  It's no surprise that Ms. Stanwyck is wonderful in any medium.


The Penguin Has a Heart
I didn't know the name of the actor who plays the criminal called "Penguin" in the live action, comic book show "Batman" (1966-1968). He was just this weird guy in top hat and tails who wants to take over the world.

Then a Ginger Rogers film came on the telly called Tom, Dick and Harry (1941), and -What do you know?-The Penguin is playing Harry, the nicest and most unambitious guy on the block. His little speech about loving mankind, or whatever, made my eyes water. I have since come to appreciate Burgess Meredith. What a dedicated performer.

Catwoman Gets Married
The "Batman" series is a star-studded affair. Catwoman (Julie Newmar) is the feline villain who has the hots for our caped crusader and, like the Penguin, wants to rule the world.  Couldn't help but notice the same actress plays innocent, bride-to-be Dorcas in one of my favorite movies of all-time, the backwoods musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954).

This means that I never quite trust Dorcas. I cannot shake the feeling that she's plotting to take over the family ranch.

Technicolor Tessie
Finally, there's Lucille Ball. (You knew that was coming, didn't you?) The zany redhead who plays a wife desperate to be in show business in "I Love Lucy" (1951-1957) had a movie career before that.

"Technicolor Tessie" is one of her big screen nicknames because her luscious hair, milky skin and ravishing eyes are so arresting in color. You don't really notice any of that in her black and white TV show, which helps the humor.

Best Foot Forward (1943) was one of the first of this star's movies that I screened. In it, Ms. Ball plays an elegant MGM movie star named -What else?- Lucille Ball. This character is a light parody of her public persona. For the humor in this film to work, the pre-"I Love Lucy" audience must have known Ms. Ball for her glamor. It is always slightly strange to see her as the straight man in a comedy instead of the instigator of hilarity.

Best Foot Forward (1943)

There is a ton of information about how Ms. Ball transitioned into TV from movies as a family project with her husband Desi Arnaz. I highly recommend Desilu: The Story of Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz because they quote Turner Classic Movies host Robert Osbourne a lot. Osbourne worked with the Desilu Workshop under the supervision of Ms. Ball. The young contract player became a confidante and escort for her now and then when her husband wasn't available.

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Those are a few of the movies stars that I first discovered on the small screen.

What about you? What reactions did you have? Was there a significant difference in the characters they play on TV versus the ones they play in movies? Leave a comment below.

It Should Happen to You (1954)- Comedy with Judy Holliday and Jack Lemmon

The more things change, the more they remain the same.

Take for instance It Should Happen to You(1954). One day, Gladys Glover (Judy Holliday) decides she would like her name plastered on one of New York City's billboards for no reason. She wants to enjoy fame and feel important, but not for anything noteworthy.

This plot was filmed over half a century ago, yet it could have been ripped out of today’s magazines.

Her would-be boyfriend Pete Shepherd (Jack Lemmon) argues with her about wasting time and money, but Gladys soldiers on with her plan.

Through a series of convoluted plot points, she ends up with, not one, but several billboards. She also gains the attention of a wealthy love interest in the form of Peter Lawford. Lemmon's character is further frustrated by this turn of events.

Holliday and Lawford

Though the Lemmon-Holliday-Lawford triangle is interesting, this is mostly a film about the love of celebrity. Gladys' 15 minutes of fame is stretched to much more than that as we follow a woman who longs to be well-known for nothing. After placing her name on billboards, Gladys garners endorsement deals and speaking engagements.

[There is even a scene where our heroine shares a guest spot on a prominent talk show with other elite females. It's like watching a prototype for more recent television talk shows like The Oprah Winfrey Show or The View. ]

Lemmon and Holliday

Pete tries to reason with Gladys. “Usually people want their name to stand for something,” he says. He’s right; we share in his frustration over people being awarded for doing nothing.

Gladys counters, “… different people do different things that may seem crazy to other different people but that doesn’t make it…. And furthermore, do me a favor and butt out!” Gladys is also correct. It’s her money, her life. The lady may live as she pleases.

In real life, Lemmon's fame would soon be on the rise. But he, like most successful people, did not achieve acclaim overnight. It Should Happen to You was his film debut. In the forward for Harold Lloyd: Master Comedian, the actor describes getting advice from Lloyd for working in movies:

Harold was not the kind of man who would give unsolicited advice. However, if one asked him, he was more than willing. Although I had had experience before cameras in live television, I had no motion picture experience at the time. I remember discussing film acting with him while I was in rehearsals for my first film, George Cukor's It Should Happen to You (1954). His advice was: "Less is better." It was excellent advice for a fledgling film actor.

I played opposite the incomparable Judy Holliday, and the film contains a scene where I have an enormous argument with her, make an exit, slam the door, and then open the door immediately and say: "So, are we still on for Friday lunch?" She responds: "Certainly." I say: "Thank you very much!" and slam the door again. It is a wonderful scene that really lets out all the stops. While filming the scene, in the back of my mind I was thinking: "Less is better." However, I think I was trying to do two things at once: play the scene fully and pay attention to his sage advice.

Fortunately for me, the film and my performance received good reviews, but I was anxious to get Harold's reaction. When I saw him next, I asked him if he happened to see the film. He said: "Yes, I did. I loved it. I especially like you and your work." I was delighted, as Harold was not the kind of person to say something like that just to be polite. I said to him: "About the one big scene, where I blow up, make the false exit, come back and leave..." "Yes," he said. "I tried not to go overboard and do too much. What do you think?" He smiled and said: "Close, wasn't it?" And he just looked at me. And from that day I tried desperately not to give in to overplaying, no matter how right it may feel at the moment. Less is indeed always better.

What a dedicated performer.

It Should Happen to You is a film about notoriety - who should have it and for what reason. The film does not fully flesh out the topic of fame, but it does satirize the concept of instant celebrity.

A Little Summer Housekeeping

 

There have been a few minor decor changes at Java's Journey, a little shuffling of the furniture, for easier access to information. This may also be of help to some of our newest followers as they navigate the site.



 1. Java's Journey has noticed that many people enjoy flipping through reviews by genre. To wit, new directories up top and on the sidebar which take you directly to all reviews in comedy, drama, westerns, film fashion or musicals. There is also a directory of seasonal or holiday movie lists, which feature such popular articles as 12 Classic Movies for Summer.

It's the same thing as Blogger's labels (which are still appended to each blog post), but instead of words there is an image to click on. You will also find genre labels and other labels in the Archives.

2. All "follow me" type buttons have been consolidated and squeezed into the top right corner of the sidebar under "Join Java's Journey." This is to cut down on the length of the sidebar and the visual disorganization. (Why haven't we done this sooner?) Over there you'll find the buttons for following Java's Journey by RSS, by email, by Google Friend Connect, on Youtube, Pinterest, Twitter and GooglePlus.

I've only just discovered that my blog is also mentioned on Bloglovin,' so there is a button for that as well.

I'm just keeping you abreast of what's going on.

Cheers,

Java

21 Classic Movies for Independence Day

This is a list of movies which highlight the establishment or maintenance of freedom in the U.S. or which celebrate the nation in general.

War/ Military

1776  (1972) - This is a musical of the days leading up to July 4, 1776 and the American colonies' declaration of independence from the British Empire. It is based on a  play and stars William Daniels as John Adams, Ken Howard as Thomas Jefferson and Howard Da Silva as Benjamin Franklin.


The Buccaneer (1958) -  Yul Brenner stars as Jean Lafitte, a hunted pirate who is a terror to the Gulf of Mexico. However, during the War of 1812, with the U.S. and the British Empire still sorting out their differences, each side wants to conscript Lafitte's help in establishing power on a vulnerable waterway. For whose side will the pirate fight?


The Red Badge of Courage (1951) - A Union soldier (Audie Murphy) finds courage during the Civil War. This is an adaptation of a Stephen Crane novel.

Stars and Stripes Forever (1952) -  In this biopic set just before and during World War I, John Phillip Sousa (Clifton Webb), conductor of the U. S. Marine Corp Band, keeps morale high with memorable marches, including "Semper Fidelis." Robert Wagner and Debra Paget co-star.

Eagle Squadron (1942) -  Just before the attack on Pearl Harbor, American Chuck Brewer (Robert Stack) joins the British Royal Air Force.

I Was a Male War Bride (1949) -  Bureaucracy in the U.S. military after World War II is a source of humor in this film, as regulations threaten to keep a lieutenant (Ann Sheridan) and her French husband  (Cary Grant) apart.

The Manchurian Candidate (1962) - Communists have brainwashed a former Korean War POW (Laurence Harvey) into becoming a political assassin. Will another former prisoner (Frank Sinatra)  be able to stop him and save the lives of high-ranking U. S. politicians?

Presidents

George Washington Slept Here (1942) - Hilarious hijinks arise as a couple (Jack Benny and Ann Sheridan) renovate a farmhouse where George Washington is rumored to have slept during the American Revolution.


Magnificent Doll (1946) - A young lady (Ginger Rogers) of Washington, D.C. must choose between two men with high political aspirations: Aaron Burr (David Niven) and James Madison (Burgess Meredith).

The Monroe Doctrine (1939) - President James Monroe seeks to prevent Spain from establishing old strongholds in newly independent countries of South America.

The President's Lady (1953) - Andrew Jackson's (Charlton Heston) scandalous marriage to a divorcee (Susan Hayward) might cost him the presidency.


Young Mr. Lincoln (1939) - Long before he was the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln (Henry Fonda) was a lawyer fighting for justice. This movie follows those early years.

Tennessee Johnson (1942) - Van Heflin stars as a man who would one day become the 17th U.S. President: Andrew Johnson.

The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band (1968) - Disney reunites Lesley Ann Warren and John Davidson as star-crossed lovers whose families differ politically during a Presidential election: one side wants to reelect Grover Cleveland, the other Benjamin Harrison.

Fancy Pants (1950) - Arthur Tyler (Bob Hope) is an American actor pretending to be an English butler who is hired by a woman in New Mexico. Complications ensue when the town believes he's an earl and President Theodore Roosevelt pays a visit.

Wilson (1944) - Alexander Knox portrays the life of the 28th President of the United States.



Kisses for My President (1964) - In this comedy, Fred MacMurray plays the husband of the first female President of the United States (Polly Bergen).

Miscellaneous

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) - When a newly elected U.S. Senator (James Stewart) finds corruption in Congress, what will he do? It's a stirring David-and-Goliath story.

Holiday Inn (1942) -  Two friends (Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire) establish an inn that is open only on holidays. Astaire taps a rousing number with fire crackers for Independence Day.

The More the Merrier (1943) - Washington, D.C. is crowded during World War II. Joe (Joel McCrea), who is soon to be deployed, finds accomadations with a daffy landlady (Jean Arthur) and an older man (Charles Coburn) who enjoys playing cupid. This comedy manages to find humor in the sacrifices of U. S. military personnel and that of the people left behind.



The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947) - In this comedy, World War II is over, but a shadowy regime remains and has come to the U.S. Will hapless, day-dreaming Walter be able to stop their plot?

July Movie Blogathons

Dynamic Duos in Classic Film Blogathon
Dates: July 13th - July 14, 2013
Hosts: Once Upon a Screen and Classic Movie Hub
Weblink: http://www.classicmoviehub.com/blog/?p=4746

Dynamic Duos is "dedicated to perilous, precarious and/or personable pairs" on film. You can write about siblings, professional partners, romantic pairs, even rivals.

Me TV: Summer of Classic TV Blogathon
Entry Deadline: July 12th
Dates: July 15- 19, 2013
Host:Classic TV Blog Association
Weblink: http://classic-tv-blog-assoc.blogspot.com/2013/06/announcing-me-tvs-summer-of-classic-tv.html

This blogathon is about shows on the Me TV Network's lineup.  A blogathon post "may be:  an overview of a TV series;  a profile of one of the series' stars; an article on the blogger's favorite episode(s), etc."

Barbara Stanwyck Blogathon

Date: July 16 -22, 2013
Host: The Girl with the White Parasol
Weblink: http://thegirlwiththewhiteparasol.blogspot.com/2013/05/im-hosting-barbara-stanwyck-blogathon.html
Updated link: http://thegirlwiththewhiteparasol.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-barbara-stanwyck-blogathon-schedule.html

This blogathon marks a week-long celebration beginning on Barbara Stanwyck's birthday.