tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509497574816685109.post3857233164956297567..comments2024-02-10T04:53:42.121-05:00Comments on Tales of the Easily Distracted: Encore Presentation of THE DARK CORNER for Lucille Ball's Centennial: You Picked A Fine Time to Meet Me, LucilleDorianTBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01357778472575080022noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509497574816685109.post-45245189581395724072011-08-13T19:18:35.737-04:002011-08-13T19:18:35.737-04:00Rachel, thanks so much for your enthusiastic prais...Rachel, thanks so much for your enthusiastic praise! I'm delighted that you enjoyed my DARK CORNER review as much as I've been enjoying your blog posts. When you have a chance to watch the film yourself, I'd be interested in hearing your opinion of it.<br /><br />Your remark about a weakness for wisecracking Girl Friday secretaries had me smiling, because for several years I was a Girl Friday myself -- not in a private detective agency, but for author David Hajdu, A&E, and Jim Shooter's comic book company DEFIANT. No crime was involved, but they were fun places to work in their own way, despite the lack of Size 9 nylons! :-) Thanks for joining the conversation, Rachel; feel free to drop by anytime!DorianTBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01357778472575080022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509497574816685109.post-55772848514398320472011-08-13T19:06:31.272-04:002011-08-13T19:06:31.272-04:00Dorian, this was a fantastic post. I'll have t...Dorian, this was a fantastic post. I'll have to bump <i>The Dark Corner</i> to the top of my queue. I love the details you pick out from this film; it makes me feel like I'm watching it already.<br /><br />Ah, Clifton Webb. The man of the one-performance repertoire. But nobody could snap out those world-weary putdowns like he could.<br /><br />And I have to admit, I have a definite weakness for those wisecracking Girl Friday secretaries. There's a definite shortage of them these days unless you count Pepper Potts from <i>Iron Man</i>. Which I do, 'cause I liked her.<br /><br />Again, great job. Glad I caught up with this review.Aubynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00446079492480611898noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509497574816685109.post-62857129520609938152011-08-13T15:38:24.944-04:002011-08-13T15:38:24.944-04:00Yvette, I'm glad you finally got an opportunit...Yvette, I'm glad you finally got an opportunity to see THE DARK CORNER, and I'm also glad you found much to enjoy (particularly Lucy, Bill Bendix, and the wonderfully oily Kurt Kreuger as the ill-fated Jardine) despite your quibbles! :-) <br /><br />I got a huge kick out of your delightfully snarky quips about the "supposed Vermeer," the "bogus Raphael," and above all, the "FORESHADOWING"! :-) Yeah, those were pretty much Hollywood versions of great paintings, but I guess the filmmakers didn't think most of us simple folk would notice. :-)<br /><br />Alas, even in these modern times, there are far more gullible, easily-led-astray women (and some men, for that matter) in the world than there should be; the Tony Jardines of the world are clever little creeps. But at least in classic movies, they're likely to be pushed out a window or some other appropriate punishment (shoulda closed that window, Bill :-)).<br /><br />Thanks for joining the conversation with your wit and wisdom, Yvette, as always!DorianTBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01357778472575080022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509497574816685109.post-38741240700297064742011-08-13T15:17:40.191-04:002011-08-13T15:17:40.191-04:00Okay, I watched THE DARK CORNER last night. I love...Okay, I watched THE DARK CORNER last night. I loved Lucy in it and William Bendix (God, could he play an unpleasant sort and with such gusto!). I thought Clifton Webb phoned in his part over from the LAURA set. (Where's Waldo?)<br /><br />Loved the guy who played the oh-so-very sleazy Jardine. Really, are women that gullible? Yegads!<br /><br />Question: Why does Wm. Bendix stand directly in front of that open window? Just wonderin'<br /><br />Did you notice the supposed Vermeer painting on the Cathcart Gallery walls? Girl With A Pearl Earrring, no less. As if!?<br /><br />And that bogus Raphael in the sinister vault basement. TALK ABOUT FORESHADOWING....but I'm digressing.<br /><br />That's a Raphael and I'm the Queen of Sheba. <br /><br />Mark Stevens. Mark Stevens. Mark Stevens. No.<br /><br />Glad I saw it though, Dorian, now I know what everyone else is talking about. :)Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509497574816685109.post-35279346050847113772011-08-11T20:49:53.552-04:002011-08-11T20:49:53.552-04:00I used to have it on my Facebook page as Favorite ...I used to have it on my Facebook page as Favorite Quote. Haven't seen it in a while though so Facebook probably swallowed it up in one of their periodical 'fine tunings'. :)<br /><br />I'm sure I'll enjoy the film, Dorian. I fully expect to.Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509497574816685109.post-406243058192101072011-08-11T14:27:28.941-04:002011-08-11T14:27:28.941-04:00Becky, Yvette, and pals, I'm getting the feeli...Becky, Yvette, and pals, I'm getting the feeling the "Death is easy. Comedy is hard" quote is one of those lines that's been attributed to every actor in every play, movie, or TV show ever! But isn't that what makes a classic, classic? :-)DorianTBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01357778472575080022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509497574816685109.post-29457159832872652702011-08-11T14:16:54.167-04:002011-08-11T14:16:54.167-04:00Sounds like this quote could have come from anybod...Sounds like this quote could have come from anybody from a comedy actor or a dramatic one -- Olivier to Hope!ClassicBeckyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03591715859057540467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509497574816685109.post-42566017293629957962011-08-11T13:57:38.500-04:002011-08-11T13:57:38.500-04:00Yvette, I've heard the quote "Death is ea...Yvette, I've heard the quote "Death is easy. Comedy is hard" attributed to actors ranging from Edmund Gwenn to Edmund Kean to Donald Crisp to Jack Lemmon to Peter O'Toole playing matinee idol Alan Swann in MY FAVORITE YEAR! In fact, here's a link to THE QUOTE INVESTIGATOR pondering the same question:<br /><br />http://quoteinvestigator.com/2010/10/26/comedy-is-hard/<br /><br />I wonder if Lucy and Bendix ever quoted that phrase? :-) <br /><br />Anyway, I'm looking forward to hearing what you think of THE DARK CORNER. Thanks for going to the trouble of ordering it from Netflix, my friend; I hope you'll find it was worth the trouble! :-)DorianTBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01357778472575080022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509497574816685109.post-5534586516858515592011-08-11T13:41:31.914-04:002011-08-11T13:41:31.914-04:00Dorian: Death is easy, comedy is hard.
I love th...Dorian: Death is easy, comedy is hard. <br /><br />I love that quote. Now if I can only remember who said it. Thought of it when I read your comment about Lucy and Bendix being able to do both.<br /><br />By the by, I've just been notified by Netflix that my copy of THE DARK CORNER is set to arrive on the morrow - Friday. So, you see, I wasn't kidding.<br /><br />I'll be watching!!Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509497574816685109.post-73865962398613963752011-08-09T12:34:20.308-04:002011-08-09T12:34:20.308-04:00I did not even think about the comedy connection b...I did not even think about the comedy connection between Ball and Bendix (duh!). I watched some episodes on the I LOVE LUCY marathon this past weekend on TV and it amazes me that after watching the same shows over and over and over since I was a kid decades ago, the show is still fresh and extremely funny. Great writing and talented performances never go bad.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509497574816685109.post-66783122143532796822011-08-09T08:19:58.243-04:002011-08-09T08:19:58.243-04:00John, thanks for joining the DARK CORNER conversat...John, thanks for joining the DARK CORNER conversation! Glad to hear TDC is your favorite Lucille Ball movie, too. Isn't it interesting how Lucy and William Bendix both turned out to be equally adept at comedy roles and dramatic roles? Just goes to show they both had range!DorianTBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01357778472575080022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509497574816685109.post-63979759072047239242011-08-08T22:11:07.239-04:002011-08-08T22:11:07.239-04:00This is my favorite Lucy film though I agree with ...This is my favorite Lucy film though I agree with Ivan that Mark Stevens is a weak link. Still, the story is good and there is Mr. Bendix who as we discussed earlier was really a film noir main stay. Enjoyed! <br /><br />JohnAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509497574816685109.post-19161396099787975572011-08-08T10:44:06.541-04:002011-08-08T10:44:06.541-04:00Dawn, thanks so much for your praise! Lucille Ball...Dawn, thanks so much for your praise! Lucille Ball really did have more range than many folks realize. One of the things I love about THE DARK CORNER was that Kathleen, Lucy's character, wasn't a helpless ditz or lady-in-peril type; she was a smart, loving woman whose strength and quick thinking helped her save the hero's life. Glad you enjoyed TDC; thanks for joining the conversation!DorianTBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01357778472575080022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509497574816685109.post-68062945276593880642011-08-08T09:59:59.152-04:002011-08-08T09:59:59.152-04:00Lucille Ball, is great, I wish she would have done...Lucille Ball, is great, I wish she would have done more of this type of film. This film has some wonderful camera angles and the interesting plot. Sometimes, I wonder why this film is not better known.<br /><br />DorianTB, you wrote a wonderful post on one of my favorite Lucy films.Dawnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03476174860119487509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509497574816685109.post-34999096526897366362011-08-08T09:57:12.565-04:002011-08-08T09:57:12.565-04:00Brandie, I'm tickled pink that you and the Tru...Brandie, I'm tickled pink that you and the True Classics gang have included TotED on your "Fellow Film Fanatics" list -- and what good company I'm in, with you and so many of my favorite bloggers on the True Classics Roll Call! :-) I'm truly thrilled and honored, as is my husband and occasional co-blogger, Vinnie (he puts the "Team" in "Team Bartilucci" :-)! Thanks a million!DorianTBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01357778472575080022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509497574816685109.post-87581253334648554082011-08-08T02:03:08.904-04:002011-08-08T02:03:08.904-04:00Dorian, I believe great minds think alike, because...Dorian, I believe great minds think alike, because I've added "Tales of the Easily Distracted" to our list of "Fellow Film Fanatics" over at True Classics! :DBrandiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02142157631653690212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509497574816685109.post-89040448421366744162011-08-07T21:17:33.289-04:002011-08-07T21:17:33.289-04:00Many thanks right back at you for your praise, Bra...Many thanks right back at you for your praise, Brandie! I agree that LURED is kind of uneven in many ways, though it's still good B-movie-style fun to watch that great cast, including Team Bartilucci favorites George Sanders, Boris Karloff, and of course Lucy herself.<br /><br />Brandie, I've not only enjoyed the Loving Lucy Blogathon, but also your 20,000 LEAGUES... blog post for the '50s Monster Mash Blogathon, among others! I hope that you, Carrie, and Nikki don't mind, but I've added True Classics to "Further Distractions," where I list my favorite blogs and such here at Tales of the Easily Distracted. Thanks again!DorianTBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01357778472575080022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509497574816685109.post-14444314314728674072011-08-07T20:16:00.655-04:002011-08-07T20:16:00.655-04:00Dorian, let me echo Carrie's thanks--I'm r...Dorian, let me echo Carrie's thanks--I'm really glad you chose to re-post this fabulous entry on The Dark Corner. I don't think you missed a single detail in your analysis of this movie. I think Lucy is much more effective here than in her other noir-ish role in Lured--she doesn't seem as ill at ease. Maybe that's just me, though (Lured is not exactly my favorite movie, so I'm probably biased in my opinion!).Brandiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02142157631653690212noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509497574816685109.post-53681602416107425722011-08-07T20:06:57.743-04:002011-08-07T20:06:57.743-04:00Carrie, thank you kindly! I'm flattered and de...Carrie, thank you kindly! I'm flattered and delighted that you enjoyed my detailed DARK CORNER blog post. I agree, Lucy really got to display her versatility here. Again, thanks a million to you, Brandie, and Nikki for including me in True Classics' fabulous LOVING LUCY Blogathon, and letting me play in your garden! :-)DorianTBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01357778472575080022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509497574816685109.post-76873775127603849302011-08-07T16:10:26.958-04:002011-08-07T16:10:26.958-04:00Thanks for a great post! I loved the analysis and ...Thanks for a great post! I loved the analysis and the behind the scenes. Lucy and suspense mystery- the versatility is impressive. Thanks for contributing!<br />-Carrie, True ClassicsAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509497574816685109.post-28980451717134966272011-08-07T15:18:46.976-04:002011-08-07T15:18:46.976-04:00GOM, thanks so much for your praise of my DARK COR...GOM, thanks so much for your praise of my DARK CORNER post! I'm very pleased to see you and others here have been discovering and enjoying TDC as much as I do.<br /><br />I agree that Lucy wears nylons well; gotta admit she had gorgeous gams! :-) Mark Stevens as Galt certainly noticed her beauty quickly enough; he just had to develop full-blown trust in our heroine after Kurt Kreuger's double-cross and resulting manslaughter charge had broken his spirit. <br /><br />SPOILER ALERT...And that murder scene in the Grant Building is so shocking that it really puts Clifton Webb's character in a new light, as he turns out to be perfectly capable of murdering a man without needing hired muscle after all!...END SPOILER ALERT. Thanks for joining the conversation, GOM; drop by anytime!DorianTBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01357778472575080022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509497574816685109.post-7106908531764830232011-08-07T13:47:48.772-04:002011-08-07T13:47:48.772-04:00Yvette, I'm honored and flattered to be among ...Yvette, I'm honored and flattered to be among your Liebster Blog recipients! Beaucoup thanks, my friend! I understand I'm to link back to the blog which gave me the award. Boy, was it tough to have to narrow my choices down to only five Liebster Blog winners, with so many talented and entertaining bloggers out there! I'm happy to announce my picks and the links to their respective blogs (though I love all you awesome bloggers!). They are:<br /><br />1.) Classic Becky’s Brain Food<br /><br />Becky's witty, exuberant blog posts about classic movies, with a generous sprinkling of books in the mix, too, is always a pleasure to read!<br /><br />http://classicbeckybrainfood.blogspot.com/<br /><br /><br />2.) My Love of Old Hollywood<br /><br />Page's zany fumetti-style pictorials sending up classic movies (and even not-so-classic flicks) make my hubby Vinnie and me laugh out loud every time. I think of her blog posts as affectionate snark. Some might call that an oxymoron; I call it great fun!<br /><br />http://myloveofoldhollywood.blogspot.com/<br /><br /><br />3.) The Forty-Year-Old Fanboy<br /><br />Speaking of my husband, Vinnie Bartilucci, he's a talented blogger too; the fact that he also happens to be my dear hubby is sheer happenstance, honest! :-) Vin writes about comic books, animation, and related subjects in his droll, funny style.<br /><br />http://40yearoldfanboy.blogspot.com/<br /><br />4.) Jim Lane’s Cinedrome<br /><br />Jim is practically a walking encyclopedia of movie lore, only his writing style is far more entertaining than most encyclopedias! He writes about films with friendly panache and affection.<br /><br />http://jimlanescinedrome.blogspot.com/<br /><br /><br />5.) Forgotten Classics of Yesteryear<br /><br />Nathanael Hood has his finger on the pulse not only of great movies we all know and love, but all-but-forgotten movie masterpieces from all over time and all over the world. Nate is also the hardest-working blogger in blog business! :-) His most recent triumph was coordinating the '50s Monster Mash Blogathon.<br /><br />http://forgottenclassicsofyesteryear.blogspot.com/<br /><br />Got five bloggers who you think need a little love? Tell them you think they're the awesome, and link back to the blog which gave you the award. Got questions? Ask Yvette:<br /><br />http://yvettecandraw.blogspot.com/<br /><br />Happy trailers, all!DorianTBhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01357778472575080022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509497574816685109.post-89372123478163772022011-08-07T13:08:40.211-04:002011-08-07T13:08:40.211-04:00Really enjoyed your excellent post - TDC is one of...Really enjoyed your excellent post - TDC is one of the best noirs - and BTW, did anyone mention how smashing Lucy's nylon-clad gams look in this flick? The only puzzle about this movie is why it takes Stevens' character so long to warm up to her. Glad you mentioned Webb's murder scene - it is a real shocker, even when seen today.grandoldmovieshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10773085288675763855noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509497574816685109.post-40055168028698679932011-08-07T11:29:16.153-04:002011-08-07T11:29:16.153-04:00Not dishing the movie at the moment, Dorian. Just ...Not dishing the movie at the moment, Dorian. Just letting you know I've got an award for you. Don't know how to link the thing to you in comments. So just hit my name and it will take you back to the award post. You can lift if off my blog and do the routine. :)<br /><br />If you feel like it. If not, don't worry about it.Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-509497574816685109.post-54017939999105516622011-08-06T23:58:26.329-04:002011-08-06T23:58:26.329-04:00Dorian, I'll if I can find it, maybe on Netfli...Dorian, I'll if I can find it, maybe on Netflix? Congrats to Vinnie for that great title!ClassicBeckyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03591715859057540467noreply@blogger.com