Showing posts with label nobility. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nobility. Show all posts

Monday, September 10, 2007

The Canterville Ghost (1944)

I love Margaret O'Brien! Four stars for her!

The goofy old ghost is good. The young American is brash and awkward all at once. We didn't watch from the beginning, but despite that annoying chipper attitude that makes wartime movies almost unbearable during peace, the story is endearing in its own way.



Charles Laughton, who plays the daffy old ghost, played roles like Dr. Moreau in the Island of Lost Souls and Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. This must have been a nice break for him - to play a silly old man in funny old clothes and the most ridiculous mustache ever.

Will watch again - good one to watch with kids.

The Reluctant Debutante (1958)

Four Stars. I should dock it a star for the corny jokes and the dialogue and clunkiness of the timing, but I like the ending so much I'm giving it back.



Saw this one a while back and it's adorable. It's not quite the sixties but the same themes apply as in "Yours, Mine and Ours" and "Take Her, She's Mine" - the parents spend a lot of time shaking their heads in dismay at Kids These Days. But at least in this one the parents have their own conniving schemes - with the British Mum determined to get the most noble young man for her new step-daughter.

Sandra Dee in classic Sandra Dee fashion is crazy for a young drummer, despite being introduced to all the nice young society men at the parties of The Season in London she insists on dancing with a member of the band.

It's fun to see that the debutantes are direct descendants of the noble young ladies depicted in historical romance novels - only we're catching an imaginary version of the events as they faded into modern times. Rock'n'Roll was about to blow the waltz out of the water.

In a twist at the end the young drummer turns out to be more noble than the young gentlemen of the ball.

Rex Harrison is very funny as the overprotective father.

This is a favorite, will definitely watch again.