The Grass is Greener (1960)

Oh, Cary Grant. Here he is, Victor, an English lord, living in a castle with his wife Hillary (Deborah Kerr). They have opened up their castle for tours in order to raise some money. When the rich American Charles (Robert Mitchum) wanders into the couple's private rooms, he says many creepy personal things to Hillary, causing her to fall immediately and inexplicably in love with him. An affair begins. Victor, well aware of his wife's feelings, encourages Hillary to go off to London where Charles is. Victor believes the only way for him to get Hillary back is to let her have her fling and then realize where her heart belongs.

The movie is full of infidelity and calm, lordly conversations. When Victor invites Charles to come and stay at the castle after Hillary's week long London trip draws to a close, Hillary and Charles quickly realize that Victor knows all. And that he knows that they know that he knows... Needless to say, hilarity ensues.

Two stars, because who doesn't love a good duel?

And because I own it... I will mostly likely see it again. The goal is to someday own all the Cary Grant movies I can get my hands on, whether I love them or hate them. According to carygrant.net there are at least 72.

My Fair Lady (1964)

My problem with this movie has always been that Audrey Hepburn is not believable as a street wretch. She sounds more like she is putting on airs as the street wretch than she does as the fine lady. It's just hard to watch - kind of like the accents in Oklahoma!

I hear that Julie Andrews played the part on Broadway very well, but she didn't get the part in the movie so we'll never know if she would have been better. I'm very fond of JA so I'd like to believe that she would have been better, but, then again, I'm very fond of AH, too, and that doesn't make me like her for this part any more.

Anyhow, I also can't stand the rest of the characters...the whole play just kind of grates on me, only I like some of the music. I could have danced all night, in particular. Actually, maybe that's the only song I like.

Anyhow, one star, I really can't be bothered with this one any more. Will not watch ever again.

The Importance of Being Ernest

I love love love Oscar Wilde's dialogue. So of course I tivoed this version of Ernest when I saw it was playing on TCM.



I am trying to watch it now for the second time. You really have to pay attention to get the benefit of the dialogue.

I happened to catch a bio-pic about OW on Logo this weekend - well, I sort of did. Mostly I fast-forwarded to see what Jude law was going to do and how far he would go with playing gay (admirably far, I have new respect for Jude - despite the fact that he's not a particularly strong actor). The actor playing OW is quite hideous and not at all as cute as the real Wilde.


Poor, vain Oscar would die another death if he saw the hair on Steven Fry in this movie. It's like a wilted mushroom cap.

Anyhow, in one scene of this bio-pic OW is watching a rehearsal of one of his plays and he stops the rehearsal to instruct the actor to say the lines as though they are nothing special - as if people always talked this way.

I think this movie must have been colorized because no costume designer could have inflicted that shade of purple on anyone, not even Lady Bracknell.

I want to give this movie four stars, even though I haven't finished reading it.
Four stars.

Two for the Road (1967)

Audrey Hepburn and Albert Finney star in this kooky romance. It's not exactly a comedy although I think it's supposed to be sort of funny. It's just undercut by all the sad moments.


Here they are happy (movie is actually color).

The premise is that you are seeing scenes from a series of road trips taken throughout the romance of a couple. The first road trip when they are falling in love, then one when they are newlywed, one when they are with obnoxious friends, one when they are successful but unhappy, one with a small child, and then one when they are on the verge of divorce.

It keeps cutting back and forth and reminds me of an avant-garde Broadway play.

If I could make a whole movie out of just their first two or three trips (the one where they fall in love and the one they take as newlyweds and maybe the one with the obnoxious friends) I think I would like it a lot better. The audience for romantic comedy and the audience for divorce comedy just aren't the same.

Will not watch again, deleted it already without watching.
Two stars.