Lace & Hollywood Underdogs
Although I’m a big fan of movies, some have slipped slip through the cracks over time. Last night I caught up with Midnight Lace (1960), courtesy of Netflix. Set in London, it stars Doris Day as the wife of a rich man played by Rex Harrison. She believes someone is out to kill her. Is it true or her imagination, possibly mental illness? 3900+ users at IMDb have rated it, forging to a consensus of 6.8 on a scale of ten. Since I found it only okay, I’ll focus on other aspects. First, it was directed by the late David Miller, who was at the helm of one of my favorites, Lonely Are the Brave (1962), starring Kirk Douglas as a modern cowboy, and Sudden Fear (1952), excellent film noir starring Joan Crawford. He directed a lot of other interesting flicks, but none approach the aforementioned in quality. Based on the play Matilda Shouted Fire by Janet Green, who has 18 screenplay credits at IMDb, Midnight Lace is graced with a lot of famous actors besides it main stars: Myrna Loy, John Gavin, Herbert Marshall and Roddy McDowell; and familiar faces who were comfortable on the big or small screen that only the most ardent cinephiles can name, and to whom I will pay tribute. Here is Natasha Perry:
And John Williams:
And Anthony Dawson, a face that made him a natural to play villains:
Rhys Williams:
Doris Lloyd:
Finally, Hermione Baddeley:
Here’s part seven of President Trump’s accomplishments as listed at the WOR radio webpage of Mark Simone, edited by yours truly:
Launched Initiative to Stop Opioid Abuse and Reduce Drug Supply and Demand.
Defunded a UN agency colluding with China’s program of forced abortion and sterilization.
Withdrew guidance that constrained the ability of states to exclude family-planning providers that provide abortion services from the Medicaid program.
Issued regulations establishing new or expanded exemptions from the ACA contraceptive mandate based on religious beliefs or moral convictions.
Issued executive order to promote free speech and religious liberty.
And in today’s NY Post, this: Available jobs now outnumber the unemployed by roughly one million.
My thanks to the woman who bought three novels in Russian, and to the one who purchased two books on English grammar; and to Monse`, who selected a beautifully illustrated booklet on Haiku; and to Bill, who chose a collection of Samuel Beckett’s short plays.
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