In these days of social-distancing, even the chastest caress sends a chill down our spines. If you can’t touch your date or even talk face to face, you can still get your thrills vicariously. Nothing like some old-fashioned romance to get our minds off grim reality. Today’s Comfort Cinema recommendations are all about love.
Voted #1 in the Writers Guild of America list of the 101 Greatest Screenplays, Casablanca is a classic that’s still as entertaining and moving as when it debuted in 1942. What can one possibly say about this beloved film that hasn’t been said already?
Continue reading “Casablanca” RevisitedPerpetually middle-aged, tart-tongued, and pragmatic, New York-born character actress, Thelma Ritter was the voice of reason in many movies of the 40s and 50s. Whatever the genre, be it comedy, film noir or melodrama, Ritter was always a breath of fresh air and enjoyable to watch. I’m sharing a few clips of her work in honor of her birthday on Valentine’s Day.
Continue reading Happy Birthday, Thelma Ritter!Kirk Douglas, one of the last Hollywood stars from the Golden Age of the studio system, died this week at the age of 103. Kirk Douglas often played a particular kind of mid-century American man: unsentimental, fiery, hyper-masculine, street-smart and cynical. The kind of man with the soul of a scrapper, who knew how to throw a punch, fix a martini, and the value of a good suit. Like the actors of that long-gone era, he was recognizably Kirk in every role, yet his persona was malleable enough to handle a multitude of characters: shysters; men of integrity; mobsters; and weasels. Regardless of the role, he was always fun to watch. In his honor, I’ve compiled some clips of favorite scenes of his.
Continue reading In Memoriam – Kirk Douglas (1916 – 2020)