What's My Line? - James {Jimmy} Stewart

Abbott & Costello - 13 X 7 is 28

I thought it would be fun to post some of my favorite Abbott & Costello routines.

Miracle on 34th Street {1947}

Miracle on 34th Street is a charming story Christmas story. About a wonderful old man who claims he is Santa Claus and is institutionalized as insane, a young lawyer decides to defend him by arguing in court that he is the real thing. He also brings a new idea to Macy's, he is their Santa Claus, if Macy's doesn't have what the costumer wants, tell them what store does carry it.

The little girl in the movie is just adorable!!! Her name, Natalie Wood.

But guess what?!? William Frawley is in the movie too! You know, Fred Martz of the I Love Lucy show.

Favorite Quotes from the Movie:

District Attorney: What is your name? 
Kris Kringle: Kris Kringle. 
District Attorney: Where do you live? 
Kris Kringle: That's what this hearing will decide. 
Judge Henry X. Harper: A very sound answer, Mister Kringle. 
District Attorney: Do you really believe that you're Santa Claus? 
Kris Kringle: Of course. 
District Attorney: [long pause] The state rests, your honor. 


Kris Kringle: You see, Mrs. Walker, this is quite an opportunity for me. For the past 50 years or so I've been getting more and more worried about Christmas. Seems we're all so busy trying to beat the other fellow in making things go faster and look shinier and cost less that Christmas and I are sort of getting lost in the shuffle.





What are your favorite Christmas movies?


~Ashley

The Adventures of Robin Hood {1938}

Last night I watch the wonderful, swashbuckling film, The Adventures of Robin Hood {1938} with Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, and Basil Rathbone.  

The only other Robin Hood I've seen was the live-action Disney film, The Story of Robin Hood and his Merry Men {1952} with Richard Todd. Which is good, but the Errol Flynn version is so much better! ;-)

Sir Robin of Locksley, defender of the Saxons, runs into trouble with the Norman authority and is forced to turn outlaw. With his band of Merry Men, he robs from the rich, gives to the poor and still has time to woo the lovely Maid Marian, and foil the cruel Sir Guy of Gisbourne, and keep Prince John off the throne. It makes all for one exciting film, filled with adventure, sword fights (hurray!), and romance.

Some of my favorite quotes:

Robin Hood: I'll organize revolt, exact a death for a death, and I'll never rest until every Saxon in this shire can stand up free men and strike a blow for Richard and England. 
Prince John: Are you finished? 
Robin Hood: I'm only just beginning. From this night forward I'll use every means in my power to fight you! 


Will Scarlett: I'm tired. Robin Hood: What? After a nice refreshing sleep in the green wood? Will Scarlett: I pulled seven acorns out of my ribs. Robin Hood: Lovely, fresh air... Will Scarlett: My teeth ache with chattering. Robin Hood: Nightingales singing... Will Scarlett: An owl hooting in my ear. Robin Hood: Hooting? He was singing you to sleep! 

Lady Marian Fitzswalter: Tell me: when you are in love, is it hard to think of anybody but one person? Bess: Yes, indeed, m'lady, and sometimes it's a bit of trouble sleeping. Lady Marian Fitzswalter: I know! But it's a nice kind of not sleeping! Bess: Yes. And it affects your appetite, too. Not that I've noticed it's done that to you, 'cept when he was in the dungeon waiting to be hanged. Lady Marian Fitzswalter: And does it make you want to be with him all the time? Bess: Yes. And when he's with you, your legs are as weak as water. Now, tell me, m'lady: when he looks at you, do you feel a kind of pricky feeling, like goosey pimples running all up and down your spine? Lady Marian Fitzswalter: [blushes] Bess: Then there's not a doubt of it! Lady Marian Fitzswalter: A doubt of what? Robin Hood: [eavesdropping from the window] That you're in love!





~Ashley

Gene Kelly - Tap Dancing on Roller Skates

Thank you, Lindsay for showing me this clip. I just loved it! =)

What's My Line? - Doris Day

Meet John Doe {1941}

I love Frank Capra's movies! So far I've seen four of his movies and I love every single one. They are some of my top favorite movies. =)

A man needing money, John Willoughby {Gary Cooper} who was a former baseball pitcher, agrees to become an nonexistent person, John Doe, that was created by Ann Mitchell {Barbara Stanwyck} a  newspaper woman. This John Doe says he will be committing suicide as a protest to what is going on in the world - thus a political movement begins.  

And guess what?!?! The voice of Winnie-the-pooh is in it too! You know, Sterling Holloway. 


Quotes from the movie:


Long John Willoughby: Hey, stop worryin', Colonel, fifty bucks ain't gonna ruin me. The Colonel: I've seen plenty of fellas start out with fifty bucks and wind up with a *bank* account! Beany: Hey, what's wrong with a bank account, anyway? The Colonel: And let me tell you, Long John, when you become a guy with a bank account, they gotcha! Yes sir, they gotcha! Beany: Who's got him? The Colonel: The helots! 
Beany: What's a hee-lot? The Colonel: You've ever been broke, sonny? Beany: Sure, mostly often. The Colonel: All right. You're walking along, not a nickel in your jeans, your free as the wind, nobody bothers ya. Hundreds of people pass you by in every line of buisness: shoes, hats, automobiles, radios, everything, and there all nice lovable people and they lets you alone, is that right? Then you get a hold of some dough and what happens, all those nice sweet lovable people become hee-lots, a lotta heels. They begin to creep up on ya, trying to sell ya something: they get long claws and they get a stranglehold on ya, and you squirm and you duck and you holler and you try to push them away but you haven't got the chance. They gots ya. First thing ya know you own things, a car for instance, now your whole life is messed up with alot more stuff: you get license fees and number plates and gas and oil and taxes and insurance and identification cards and letters and bills and flat tires and dents and traffic tickets and motorcycle cops and tickets and courtrooms and lawers and fines and... a million and one other things. What happens? You're not the free and happy guy you used to be. You need to have money to pay for all those things, so you go after what the other fellas got. There you are, you're a hee-lot yourself.


As the movie is in the public domain you can download it for free from internet archive. Or watch it here. 



~Ashley

The Story of Alexander Graham Bell {1939}

A funny. Hilarious. Charming story, though not completely historical accurate Story of Alexander Graham Bell {1939}.  Minus that little fact I still love this movie! =) I adore Henry Fonda as Tom Watson. While Loretta Young was charming and simply wonderful as Mabel Bell. Of course, Don Ameche was marvelous as Mr. Bell.

This movie showcases the story of Mr. Bell's discovery of the telephone and - finding love. The movie starts off with you learning about his work with the deaf. Through this work and his scientific side project he meets the Hubbard's. Which is when he meets his future wife - Mabel. You will see his adventures and labors as he tries to invent the wonderful invention - the telephone.

Here is some fun little trivia about the movie, all the Hubbard sisters are played by real life sisters - the Young sisters. How charming.

Quotes from the movie:

Mrs. Hubbard: Mr. Watson, please eat something. You must have the appetite of a bird. 
Thomas Watson: Yes, Ma'am, a vulture


Alexander Graham Bell: Your honor... Have I committed some offense by starving in an attic? by spending sleepless nights at my work? by being too poor to own a decent scrap of paper, on which to tell her of my love? I have sat here for days and heard myself called liar, thief, fraud and cheat. I've seen my friends humiliated, my invention belittled, just as I have seen my business destroyed by methods which must leave every honest man appalled. 
__________________________________________________________________________
Alexander Graham Bell: ...shall the lonely scientist, the man who dreams, and out of his dreams benefits the world, is he, that often half-starved, lonely little man, to be told the world has no need of him the moment his work is done?
Alexander Graham Bell: Is he to be told that others, less gifted, but stronger, men with money and power behind them, are waiting to take the product of his genius and turn it to their own uses? -leaving him with liar and thief branded on his brow as his only reward? Do that, and you stop the clock of progress. You smother the spark of genius that lies hidden here and there throughout the world. Do that, and the world stands still. 

~Ashley

What's My Line? - Rogers & Hammerstein

Roman Holiday {1953}

Last week I watched my very first Audrey Hepburn movie, Roman Holiday {1953}. I LOVED it! I must say, I loved the acting of Audrey. And her skirt & blouse outfit was simply charming! This is also only the second movie I've seen with Gregory Peck. Does he remind any one else of a mix of Fess Parker & Cary Grant? Or is it just me? =)

  The story of Princess Anne {Audrey Hepburn}, from an unmentioned country, embarks on a highly publicized tour of the European capitals. The story begins with her in Rome and how the regimented schedule is driving her crazy. She wants a chance to do things normal girls do while traveling - instead of giving speeches, attending ceremonies, and smiling to crowds of people. One night after the doctor has given her some medicine to make her sleep, she sneaks out of the Embassy and escapes to the streets of Rome. Thus begins her adventure with an American newspaper reporter, Joe Bradley {Gregory Peck}.  

Some quotes from the film:

Princess Ann: At midnight, I'll turn into a pumpkin and drive away in my glass slipper. 
Joe Bradley: And that will be the end of the fairy tale
___________________________________
Princess Ann: I could do some of the things I've always wanted to.
Joe Bradley: Like what?
Princess Ann: Oh, you can't imagine. I-I'd do just whatever I liked all day long. 
___________________________________
Joe Bradley: Tell you what. Why don't we do all those things, together?
Princess Ann: But don't you have to work?
Joe Bradley: Work? No. Today's gonna be a holiday.
Princess Ann: But you want to do a lot of silly things?
Joe Bradley: [He takes her hand] ... First wish? One sidewalk cafe, comin' right up. I know just the place. Rocca's. 





~Ashley