I Love Melvin {1953}

I watched a simply charming movie on Friday night. Its name, I Love Melvin. Starring: Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds. Both who are favorites of mine. *smiles* It was delightful to see them paired together after appearing together in Singing in the Rain {1952}. I have to say, I think O'Connor & Reynolds are just adorable together {I kinda wish Reynolds was paired with O'Connor in SItR instead of Gene Kelly}. 



The movie is about a girl who is trying to make it in the acting world. Who has a protective family, and a rich boyfriend who wants to marry her (but she doesn't truly love him. Her father loves him as he has security {money}). One day in a park she bumps into a boy who is an inspiring photographer for LOOK magazine. Who after they meet he promises to have be on the cover. It is just a whirlwind of events after that. I don't want to give away too much of the story to y'all! ;-)

Source: imdb.com via Ashley on Pinterest

Debbie has one adorable wardrobe in this film. In fact, I wished everything she wore could just jump into my closet - hair included. *laughs* But I mean it. Everything is so cute! There wasn't one thing I didn't like that she wore. That is kinda amazing. 


One of my very favorite outfits of hers was in the dance scene, Who Taught You to Dance?. Too cute! There was one interesting thing about her skirt. Her petticoat was attached to the skirt. I'm guessing this is not the norm, and they only did it for her to get dressed quicker in the scene. 

Here are some of my favorite scenes from the film and we can't forget the movie trailer. ;-)



Movie Trailer.

This is my favorite dance number and song for this week. I've only listened to the song over 400 times this week. 

This is my second favorite number and song for this week.


You can buy both the movie and soundtrack on Amazon. 


Have you seen this movie? And what is your favorite Donald O'Connor and/or Debbie Reynolds film?

What's My Line? - Fred MacMurray

This one is just hilarious. -_-

Something in the Wind {1947}

Something in the Wind {1947} is one of my favorite Deanna Durbin films. But then again, there hasn't been one film that I have seen of hers that I didn't like. She is just so adorable.

I have another reason for loving this movie. Donald O'Connor is in it too. *sighs* He is one of my favorite actors and his movies are never on TCM. Well, except Singing in the Rain but that is only because of Gene Kelly {another new found favorite actor}.

This movie also features two of my favorite songs by Deanna Durbin {who if you didn't know was a beautiful singer. She is one of my favorites from the 1930s/1940s.} Those songs are The Turntable Song & Something in the Wind. Sometimes I listen to these two songs on repeat all day. :p It also features a fun song done by Donald O'Connor that just makes me laugh, but then again his songs always make me laugh. Anyways the song is called, I Love a Mystery.

Donald Reed's millionaire grandfather dies and they discover that he was sending checks to a Mary Collins for years. They have no idea who she is and why he was sending checks to her {it's very innocent the reason why}. Donald wants to find this Mary Collins and instead finds her niece. She is a radio jockey and has the same name as her aunt. Thus the beginning of the mistaken identity saga begins {which happens a lot in Deanna Durbin films}.

Trivia: This is the first film Donald O'Connor did after returning from service in World War Two.



Did you know you can watch the whole film on YouTube? Which is one of my favorite ways to watch rarer movies. Here's the link to the playlist with all the video parts in it.

~Ashley

I Love Lucy - Lucille Ball and Van Johnson Dance Clip

The Andrew Sisters - Gimme Some Skin, My Friend

The Quiet Man {1952}

The Quiet Man {1952} was directed by John Ford and starred John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara, and {a favorite of mine} Barry Fitzgerald.

Set in 1930s Ireland, Sean Thornton {John Wayne}, an Irish-born American from Pittsburg, returns to Ireland to reclaim his family's farm and to escape from his past.

Before coming to Ireland he was a heavyweight  boxer known as "Trooper Thorn." After accidentally killing an opponent in the ring, Sean hung up his gloves and vowed never to fight again.

When Sean arrived in his home town, a maiden by the name of Mary Kate Danaher {Maureen O'Hara}, catches his eye and he wants to marry her. So with the help of Michaleen Flynn {Barry Fitzgerald} he courts her, even though her brother, "Red" Will Danaher has a strong dislike for him.

 Eventually they marry, but Sean won't except fight for Will to give him Mary Kate's dowery. This makes Mary Kate mad and she feels ashamed. She calls Sean a coward for not fighting what is rightfully hers. Eventually Mary Kate heads to the train station to go to Dublin, hearing the news that Mary Kate has left him. Sean storms to the train station and drags Mary Kate off the train and, followed by the townspeople, makes her walk the five miles to town. Sean than demands that Will give him Mary Kate's dowery, for if her doesn't he will return Mary Kate back to his house. Will finally gives in and hands over the money. Mary Kate and Sean throw it into a furnace, showing that Mary Kate never cared about the money, but only that Sean stand up for his wife. Sean and Will then have a huge fist fight all over the town afterwards they become best friends. 

Quotes from the film -

Michaleen Flynn: He's a nice, quiet, peace-loving man, come home to Ireland to forget his troubles. Sure, yes, yes, he's a millionare, you know, like all the Yanks. But he's eccentric - ooh, he is eccentric! Wait 'til I show ya... his bag to sleep in - a sleeping bag, he calls it! Here, let me show you how it operates.

~Ashley

It's A Great Feeling {1949}

It's a Great Feeling {1949} is a Warner Bros. feature film starring Doris Day, Jack Carson, and Dennis Morgan in a spoof of what goes on behind-the-scenes in Hollywood movie-making. The screenplay by Jack Rose and Melville Shavelson was based upon a story by I.A.L. Diamond. The film was directed by David Butler and produced by Alex Gottlieb. It's a Great Feeling was Day's third film (and her third pairing with Carson) and the first to bring her widespread notice. The film was a "Who's Who?" of Hollywood in its heyday and glorified the studio system at the peak of its golden age.



I loved the movie!!! You get to see the workings of Warner Brothers Studio back in 1949. And guess what! I saw it myself when I was in LA last summer. Except all those old Hollywood Actors & Actresses weren't running around. ;-) Also you get to see the Hollywood Bowl, which I also had a chance to visit. Looks the same today. :) As to the stars in the film. Now, let's see here. There was Gary Cooper {in a Soda Shop, or is it the Drugstore?}, Ronald Reagan {he is one of my favorite Actors. He was so funny has an actor. Oh, you'll see him in the Barbershop.}, Errol Flynn {It's a surprise. lol.}, Doris Day {the whole film}, and many more!

I have to mention that this was the first film I saw with Doris Day and I like her. Very girl-next-door. She's just adorable and has a wonderful singing voice!  

Doris Day singing It's A Great Feeling -

~Ashley

Shall We Dance {1937}

This was the first Astaire & Rogers film I ever watched. And that was just during the last week of December! :-) I don't know why I didn't watch their films sooner!! I love Fred and Ginger together! Ginger is so cute! =) And the Gershwin brothers did the music for this film too, it was their first Hollywood film. Making this one awesome movie!!! Can you tell I liked this movie?

And they dance together while roller skating!! How fun is that?!?! I think it is my favorite number in the whole film. Oh, and it is called, Let's Call the Whole Thing Off. =)

Summary of the film -

Peter P Peters (Astaire), an American ballet dancer billed as 'Petrov' dances for a ballet company in Paris owned by the bumbling Jeffrey Baird (Horton). Peters secretly wants to blend classical ballet with modern jazz dancing, and when he sees a photo of tapdancer Linda Keene (Rogers), he falls in love with her. He contrives to meet her, but she's less than impressed. They meet again on a liner travelling back to New York. Unknown to them, a plot is launched as a publicity stunt, 'proving' that they're actually married. Peters and Keene, unable to scotch the rumour, decide to actually marry and immediately divorce. But they discover that they prefer being married. {via. Wikipedia} 

Quotes -

Arthur Miller: What does your watch say?  Jeffrey Baird: It says, "Tick tick tick tick tick tick tick tick." 

~Ashley

Abbott & Costello - "You Are Not Here..."