Friday, May 3, 2013

Mary Astor Blogathon - The Palm Beach Story: The Subject Was “Snoodles”

This post is part of the Mary Astor Blogathon, hosted by Tales of the Easily Distracted and Silver Screenings, running from May 3rd through May 10th, 2013!

Ah, how times and mores change over the decades!  Consider this:

1.)  In 1942, writer/director Preston Sturges brought us The Palm Beach Story (TPBS, a riff on the 1940 comedy The Philadelphia Story), in which a young couple find themselves living beyond their means and about to be evicted from their New York City duplex apartment.  As potential renters circle the couple like vultures, one would-be renter, an elderly gent, takes a liking to the young wife.

The older man turns out to be “The Wienie King…Home of the Texas Wienie.” (Make your own naughty jokes here, as needed.)  And he’s loaded—with money, not just wienies!  Despite the wife’s kind but firm no-thank-yous, the older man is touched by the young couple’s financial predicament, and gives her $700, which went a long way back then!  He doesn’t want to bed down with our heroine or get into any indecent proposals; he just wants to give these crazy kids a hand, not a handout!

Got them to the church on time—eventually!

 2.)  Now fast-forward to Adrien Lyne’s much-discussed 1993 drama Indecent Proposal.  This time, the helpful wealthy stranger wants to have sex with lovely young Wifey for a million dollars!  Granted, most folks would probably consider Indecent Proposal’s co-star Robert Redford to be a lot sexier than TPBS supporting actor Robert Dudley (scene-stealer though he is), but even when comparing the mores of both the early 1940s and the mid-1990s, as well as today’s attitudes, there are gals out there who’d gladly hop in the sack with Redford, or with Dudley’s Wienie King, for that matter. For many people, money talks!  As for me, I’ll take The Palm Beach Story anytime; all told, it’s got way more laughs and far less agita!  Indeed, audiences embraced TPBS as a welcome tonic to the downbeat war movies focusing on combat and troubled families shattered by war.  Who could blame moviegoers for wanting to laugh?  Hey, it worked for another great Sturges hit, Sullivan’s Travels!
Scenes from a marriage ceremony?!
For all its American-ness, TPBS feels to me like both a French farce and a surreal lunatic 1940s version of Christopher Nolan’s thriller Memento (2000).  Claudette Colbert is first seen tied up in a muffler that Doctor Who would envy.  Then she’s shoved into a closet, and apparently there’s another Claudette Colbert who kicks her way out. All the while, their maid keeps fainting with each new unexpected version of our heroine. Meanwhile, bridegroom Joel McCrea is scrambling to get himself to the church on time, as is our heroine on the other side of New York City.  What the Sam Hill is going on?!  Luckily, Entertainment Weekly’s Keith Staskiewicz explains it all for us, courtesy of http://popwatch.ew.com/author/keithstaskiewicz/

Preston Sturges had one of the most impressive runs of any writer-director:  In a span of five years, he produced more classic comedies than most do in a lifetime. That easily includes this hilarious, Hays Code-testing film about love and marriage, but it should also include a film he didn't make, the finale of which we glimpse at the start of The Palm Beach Story.  As the opening credits roll, we see a madcap dash to the altar involving not only stars Joel McCrea and Claudette Colbert, but also their respective twins, as well as a series of accidental switcheroos. Only Sturges would be so wackily brilliant as to start his movie with the conclusion of another, and then tie them both perfectly together once more at the end.”

Our heroine gets no kick
from matrimony, Sturges-style!
Well, that explains that, at least for the nonce!  I guess that also explains why Tom and Gerry (appropriate names for a screwball comedy couple) apparently gave their maid her walking papers, or maybe the poor frazzled woman ran screaming from the Jeffers’ employ; it takes stamina to work in a screwball comedy!  Since Tom and Gerry finally made it to the altar, I bet Gerry’s twin also finally left in a huff or some other form of transportation.  Or maybe getting tied up in a thick muffler left Gerry’s twin with second thoughts: “If this is marriage, you can keep it!  I’m gonna live happily ever after with my dozen cats!  Here, kitty, kitty….”  Anyway, our lovebirds finally got married and lived happily ever after!  Or did they? 

TPBS is an irresistible blend of screwball comedy and surprisingly tender romance, with a great cast of Preston Sturges’ zanies.  Actually, New York Times film critic Bosley Crowther resisted it with a vengeance, but I think he might have been the only one.  Besides, Crowther was a mercurial kind of guy anyway; there’s just no pleasing some people!  But whether they’re happy or sad or freaking out, the characters really get an emotional workout.  Sure, it’s mostly laugh-out-loud funny, but you can also feel the characters’ anxiety beneath their witty repartee, making me sympathize with them.  Even now in 2013, our country’s financial issues make it easy to sympathize with Tom Jeffers (Joel McCrea from Sullivan’s Travels; Alfred Hitchcock’s Foreign Correspondent; Ride the High Country) and his wife Gerry (Claudette Colbert from It Happened One Night; It’s A Wonderful World; So Proudly We Hail!)

Meet The Wienie King, 
Fairy Godfather-type! Who knew?
Murder, My Sweet's Mrs. Florian is in the chips;
now she's after the Jeffers' joint
as Franklin Pangborn dithers!
Tom and Gerry have been happy with each other for the past 5 years, but they’ve also  faced lean financial times. (As a native New Yorker, I can’t remember a time when The Big Apple WASN’T an expensive town!)  Tom and Gerry still love each other (even when they try to convince themselves they're not), but right now, they’re not exactly thrilled about the high cost of living in a Manhattan duplex!  I bet Tom’s the type who won’t let his wife work; it’s probably a pride thing for him, especially during that era.  If only Tom could get his floating airport off the ground!  Well, that’s where the aforementioned Wienie King (played by scene-stealing Sturges stalwart Robert Dudley from The Lady Eve; The Sin of Harold Diddlebock; The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek) comes in—right into the couple’s bathroom, in fact!  It’s OK, he’s just checking out his potential new home, like any savvy real estate prospect would:  “I'm the Wienie King!  Invented the Texas Wienie!  Lay off 'em, you'll live longer.” 

While Tom is out trying to interest prospects in his revolutionary airport,The Wienie King’s garrulous wife (Esther Howard of Murder, My Sweet; Detour; Born to Kill) cases the Jeffers’ joint while Gerry and the Wienie King chat.   It becomes clear that although The Wienie King is half-deaf, he’s also all heart and deep pockets!  He has the kindness and the means to give Gerry a lucky financial break.  Gerry keeps spurning the dough, but The Wienie King won’t take “No!” for an answer, so despite her protests, The Wienie King gives her $700 (big bucks back then!) to pay off the couple’s debts. Gerry gratefully gives The Wienie King a kiss on the cheek, then uses the money to pay off all their overdue bills.  Happy days are here again!

Tom and Gerry's love is sole-deep!
Or are they?  When Tom comes home and finds out about The Wienie King’s generous windfall, he’s peeved instead of grateful, letting his pride mess with him.  We see Tom has a history of giving the heave-ho to any man Gerry gets friendly with—and we really mean only friendly, no hanky-panky.  But when Gerry turns on her natural charm, Tom votes with his fists (only with guys, not Gerry).  Just out of curiosity and empathy, I’d love to know more about how Gerry and Tom got themselves in such dire financial straits after 5 otherwise happy years together.  Was it because of World War 2, or were Tom and Gerry unwittingly careless with their money, as many young married couples have been? (Even Vinnie and I had tight financial times in our younger days, like many others in today’s economy; no shame in it if you learn from your mistakes, like we did.)  Goshdarnit, Sturges has me caring about those wacky lovebirds!  Where the heck is Spellbound’s Dr. Constance Petersen when you need her?

Too bad those crazy kids didn’t get some kind of budget counseling (presuming such things existed back then) before the couple’s ensuing nutzoid hijinks became necessary, but otherwise, we wouldn’t have a movie!   If Tom would get over his stupid jealousy and misplaced pride, and let backers at least give Gerry a discreet, tasteful flash of leg like she did in another Colbert classic, It Happened One Night, Tom and Gerry’s problems would be fixed in a jiffy!  Admittedly, I’m no aviation expert; does anyone reading this post know if Tom Jeffers’ floating airport could have worked in the real world (the real world of 1942, at least)?

So our lovebirds have a heart-to-heart talk about the situation:

Tom:  “We’ll get ahead someday.”

Gerry:  “But I don’t want it ‘someday.’  I want it now, while I can still enjoy it.  Anyway, men don’t get smarter as they grow older, they just lose their hair…I’m very tired of being broke, darling, and feeling so helpless about having my hands tied.  I could have helped you so many times, but every time I tried to, you tried to punch the man in the nose."
Heartbroken yet determined, Gerry decides there’s only one solution:  she must go to Palm Beach, Florida, where millionaires meet millionairesses and marry them, living happily and wealthily ever after.  If all goes well, whatever new millionaire falls in love with Gerry and wants to marry her will be able to fund Tom’s revolutionary airport.  Granted, neither Tom nor Gerry can afford a divorce, but she figures whatever new rich hubby she finds will surely cough up dough for said divorce, and make his airport dream a beautiful reality.  Only in the movies! 
100 (or so) drunk Ale & Quail Clubbers and a girl!
Of course, Tom doesn’t want any part of this hare-brained scheme, but once Gerry accidentally sticks a farewell note in her hubby’s rump via safety pin after their tipsy night of love, the chase is on, and hilarity ensues, Sturges-style!  Tom does his best to catch up with Gerry, but she reaches Pennsylvania Station (Penn Station, as it’s called today) first. Still, all isn’t lost yet, thanks to The Wienie King, bless him.  Mr. and Mrs. Wienie King have rented the Jeffers’ duplex, and he also he gave Tom money to go and catch up with Gerry, and nobody had to get punched in the nose, at least not yet!

At Pennsylvania Station, Gerry stands around looking like a foundling waif (a well-dressed waif, granted) until a group of wacky rich hunters calling themselves The Ale and Quail Club take Gerry under their collective wing and into their private railroad car.  The First Ale & Quail member (William Demarest, another Sturges stalwart from The Great McGinty and The Lady Eve) is peeved at having to put up with dames in his hunting car, but the rest of the gents take a shine to her, dubbing her their mascot.  Gerry doesn’t get much sleep, though, what with the happy hunters alternately trying to sing Gerry to sleep, using the Club Car for target practice, and disconnecting the Club Car when the conductors get fed up with the drunken dopes.  It’s pandemonium in the funniest sense! 
The Ale & Quail Club puts on the dogs!
Luckily, the good-natured bespectacled gent who ends up stranded along with Gerry is none other than millionaire John D. Hackensacker 3rd (Rudy Vallee, crooner and actor, who’d also starred in George White’s Scandals; How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying; Live A Little, Love a Little with Elvis Presley; and of course, many Sturges comedies).  Kind, chivalrous, deep-pocketed John falls in love with Gerry, taking great pleasure in buying her gifts, jewelry, and gorgeous fashions by Irene, kinda like a far more cheerful, upbeat version of Vertigo. It looks like smooth sailing for Gerry and her hopes of getting John to fund Tom’s airport.  Considering how generous he is to Gerry, I’m surprised John isn’t into tipping, claiming “It’s un-American.”  Then again, maybe that’s why he's fabulously wealthy while Tom and Gerry have been struggling. I must say I admire John’s thriftiness and generosity, inside and out, and he did bestow help and gifts on our heroes when they were up against it. Maybe Tom and Gerry could learn something from him?  What’s your opinion?  We’d like to know!


And then there's Maude, a.k.a. The Princess Centimilla!
(Our birthday girl Mary Astor!)




We got us a speedboat, it seats about twenty...
John’s sister Maude, a.k.a. The Princess Centimillia, (our gal Mary Astor from The Maltese Falcon; Across the Pacific; and Best Supporting Actress Oscar-winner for The Great Lie), likes Gerry instantly:  “We can look for new husbands together!”  Maude is also delighted to see how happy Gerry has already made “Snoodles,” as she affectionately calls her brother.  Ironically, our Ms. Astor wasn’t crazy about her own performance in TPBS, and for the life of me, I can’t imagine why.  As far as I’m concerned, Mary steals the show; heck, I think she deserved another Best Supporting Actress Oscar for TPBS!  It’s too bad that she didn’t appreciate her own wonderful performance as much as the rest of us do.  She's got terrific comic timing, looked lovely in her stylish Irene fashions, and she looks fabulous as a blonde. I can well imagine that a gal like Maude would probably enjoy trying different hairstyles and haircolors, a la Auntie Mame.

But whango, is Gerry ever surprised when Tom turns up on the dock at sunny West Palm Beach, with roses yet!  (My late mom and stepdad lived about an hour’s drive or so from West Palm Beach, and we had plenty of vacation fun in the sun during our visits to their home!  But I digress…)  Blindsided by Tom’s passionate kiss, Gerry quickly introduces Tom as her brother, “Captain McGloo” so as not to give the scheme away:

Gerry: “I thought your mother’s maiden name was McGloo.” 
Tom:  “That was McGrew!”)


And so, the gals’ husband-hunting gets underway.  With both playfulness and determination, Maude takes quite a liking to Tom (“I grow on people…like moss.”), to the frustration of perennial houseguest Toto (Sig Arno from of On Moonlight Bay; The Hunchback of Notre Dame; Up in Arms with Danny Kaye.)  Arno steals his scenes armed only with indecipherable gibberish and natural zaniness. This makes Gerry all the more frustrated when the loving but frustrated Tom won’t play along (not that this stops the irrepressible Maude).  Even supporting players steal the show here! 

Here's one of my favorite scenes between Maude and "Snoodles" regarding Gerry:

Maude : “Why don’t you marry her?  She’s lovely.” 

John:  “In the first place, she isn’t free yet.  In the second place, you don’t marry someone you just met.  At least, I don’t.”
Maude:  “But that’s the only way, dear.  If you get to know too much about them, you’d never marry them….nothing is permanent in this world except Roosevelt...”





The Palm Beach Story is a "bundle" of joy! Just ask Princess Maude and company!

Truly, TPBS is one of the zaniest yet endearing comedies yet in movie history!  Watch and enjoy!

58 comments:

  1. Dori, I love it!! It makes me want to watch Mary as the fabulous Maud right now. As always you fill your posts with so much turkey stuffing of goodness. Your asides are hilarious and I love your gifs I learn so much from reading one of your pieces. And I love Sturges, so I can't believe that I haven't seen this zany romp yet. Thanks for celebrating this classy lady. Her bio is on my Amazon list and I can't wait to read everyone else's contribution to the blogathon.

    BTW my parents lived in West Palm Beach from 1986 til last year when my theatrical mom passed away... You're a delight- Your pal joey

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    1. Joey, my friend,I return your dear compliment! Your comments about truly had me smiling from ear to ear, especially: "...you fill your posts with so much turkey stuffing of goodness!" I'm tickled that you're enjoying my loopy asides, and my dear hubby and GIF-meister Vinnie also thanks you! And talk about serendipity: both of us spending quality family time at West Palm Beach! Beaucoup thanks, Jo, for being a sugar bowl with two handles, as always!

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  2. "We can look for new husbands together!" What a great line.

    Dorian, this is a terrific post - I feel like I've just seen the movie again. I didn't realize Mary Astor wasn't pleased with her performance. (?) You're right when you say she's a real scene-stealer. She looks like she's having so much fun in the role.

    Thanks for suggesting the Mary Astor Blogathon. I'm glad you were able to kick it off with "The Palm Beach Story."

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    1. Ruth, thanks ever so much for your enthusiastic praise of my PALM BEACH STORY post! I agree that for a gal who didn't seem to be impressed with her own performance in TPBS, it sure looked to me like Mary was having a blast! Maybe she was too modest about her own talent, or maybe she was an even better actress than we thought? :-) You know, it was only during recent months that I finally got to give TPBS my undivided attention, but once I fell in love with it, I was a fan for life! I'm glad you love it, too! Hooray for friends and Blogathons! :-D

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  3. Great post! Thanks for all the details and tidbits! You have certainly set the bar high for this blogathon

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    1. Thank you kindly for your positive comments, Gwen! If we've set the bar high, it's because this Blogathon is a labor of love! We're looking forward to your post, too! :-D

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  4. Interesting comparison with 'Indecent Proposal' - apart from the Wienie King, I suppose Gerry is also trying to strike the same kind of sexual bargain through her flirtation with millionaire John (though luckily it never seems all that likely to come off!)

    That line you quote of Gerry's, "I could have helped you so many times, but every time I tried to, you tried to punch the man in the nose," is very sharp - the type of 'help' she has been trying to give is clear enough in that comment!

    I do agree that Mary Astor is wonderful in this but I wonder if she found it frustrating to take a support role in the sort of film where she would once have played the lead - anyway, great stuff, Dorian, and thanks so much to you and Ruth for organising the blogathon! Judy

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    1. Judy, thanks so much for your wise, thoughtful comments about my PALM BEACH STORY post! You really nailed the "sexual bargain" aspect underpinnings. Of course, over the course of the film, Tom and Gerry turn out to be too decent and loving to truly pull off a cold-blooded INDECENT PROPOSAL-style deal like that. Just as well; I like them better as loving and lovable zanies! :-D

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    2. Judy, I see what you mean about the possibility of Mary Astor perhaps being frustrated at having a supporting role in TPBS, although I had always come away figuring she was the kind of trouper who'd turn in an excellent performance because she was proud of doing a job well done. I wonder if Mary mentioned that in her second memoir?

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  5. I love this movie with all of it's hilarious one-liners. From the moment Colbert gets aboard a train the fun starts and heads toward a great conclusion that is not even hinted at until the last scene of film. My favorite character is Rudy Vallee as a eccentric millionaire (and he sings). Mary Astor, as his sister, is hilariously over the top.

    Great review!!

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    1. Dawn, I'm delighted that you love THE PALM BEACH STORY as much as we do; not that I'm surprised, with your great taste in movies! Of course I adore Mary Astor and the whole cast, but I found Rudy Vallee especially endearing as both an actor and a singer. I think his rendition of "Goodnight, Sweetheart" could warm even the most cynical heart!

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  6. Dorian, this is my second-favorite Sturges' film--the numero uno being The Lady Eve. Colbert and Astor are just dynamite in this. As a;ways, I enjoyed reading you zany, yet distracted, post about this wonderful film.

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    1. Kim, you had me smiling with your description: "...zany, yet distracted..." You bet! TALES OF THE EASILY DISTRACTED isn't just a blog title for us here at Team Bartilucci HQ, it's a way of life! :-D

      I agree that THE LADY EVE is hard to beat for Preston Sturges' zaniness. You know, it's been a while since I watched and enjoyed THE LADY EVE. Hmm, I think I see a new blog post sometime soon...but until then, thanks for your positive feedback, and thanks so much for joining our Mary Astor Blogathon fun!

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  7. Such a great film on so many levels, and you've captured the zany thrill of it. Mary Astor, of course, is tops.

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    1. Many thanks for your PALM BEACH STORY praise, Jacqueline! Its multi-layered plotting and characters is one of my favorite things about it. Viva Mary Astor! :-D

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  8. Embarassing to say as I love Preston Sturges work, but I have not seen this yet and your glorious take on it only makes it hurt that much more. It's certainly on TCM enough times so that is no exuse either. Wonderful stuff here as always Dorian!

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    1. John, I'm happy to report there's hope: THE PALM BEACH STORY is available on both DVD and DVD/BluRay, as well as TCM! You'll be able to catch up with it in no time, and we of Team Bartilucci know you'll be glad you did! :-) Many thanks for your kind words, my friend!

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  9. If I only had the money and looks I would model my life after The Princess Centimillia. I hope that at least once Mary Astor caught herself in this role on the late show and, even if it be begrudgingly, gave herself a pat on the back.

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    1. Caftan Woman, I like the way you think! While I'm happy to be my loopy self, I agree with you that having at least certain elements of The Princess Centimillia in my life could certainly have its advantages, such as a hale and hearty bank account! :-) I especially liked your comment about Mary hopefully catching herself on the late show and giving herself a pat on the back, as she richly deserved!

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  10. Loved your post, Dorian -- you crack me up. I was so surprised to read that Mary Astor wasn't happy with her performance. I thought she was outstanding, especially because I can't remember her in many (any?) other comedic roles. She was great.

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    1. Karen, I'm tickled that you got a kick out of my TPBS post - beaucoup thanks! I love film noir and comedy, but my favorite genre is the comedy-thriller. That's one of the things I like about Mary Astor; she had a wonderful flair for blending comedy, suspense, and romance, like in ACROSS THE PACIFIC with Mary and Humphrey Bogart in the recent CMBA 1940s Blogathon, which eventually led to our Mary Astor Blogathon. Funny how these things work out! :-D

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  11. Killer post, Dorian!!! Such a great movie and you did it justice with more than a few belly laughs. Mary, as always, was outstanding. The woman never gave a bad performance.

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    1. FlickChick, beaucoup thanks for your high praise for TPBS! Our gal Mary was wonderful in all her roles, for sure, but I'll admit her comedy roles are my favorites!

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  12. This is the Preston Stureges' film I'm looking forward the most to see. It sounds great! And Mary looks so cute, you chose the right picture to put in the post.
    By the way, Robert Redford is a lot sexier than most of the actors you may think of ;)
    And now, up to the contributions: let the fun begin!
    Kisses!

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    1. Le, I hope you'll enjoy THE PALM BEACH STORY when you finally watch it! I'm glad you like Mary's captain-style hat as much as we do (in fact, my mom had a hat like that). Oh, and don't get me wrong about Robert Redford; he's talented and good-looking, but I tend to be drawn to offbeat likable types! :-D

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  13. Great look at this Sturges' classic; one of the most breathless movies ever!
    My entry into the Mary Astor Blogathon is up and running: thanks for including me:
    http://lernerinternational.blogspot.com/2013/05/lie-84-hurricane-warningour-entry-into.html

    --Ivan

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    1. Ivan, thanks for your positive feedback on THE PALM BEACH STORY! I read and very much enjoyed your blog about THE HURRICANE, TOO; I left you a comment over at Lerner International Enterprises! Thanks for your great post and for joining our Mary Astor Blogathon fun and frolic! :-D

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  14. This film is a crazy ride that's so much fun, even if it seems to never make any sense. As you noted, Mary Astor steals the movie and I wish Sturges had made a spin-off movie featuring Maud. It would have been equally wild and fun!

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    1. CFB, I like the way you think! I for one would have gladly gone to see a spinoff comedy with our Mary in the lead of a swell screwball comedy. I can picture titles for Mary in them now: "The Princess Centimillia Comes Across" or maybe "Maud Aboard"! :-) Many thanks for your enthusiastic comments!

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  15. I think I like this movie more when I read the post than when I saw it. I thought that it was borind and dull. Shame on me! This film is another Preston Sturge's masterpiece. Thank you for changing my mind.
    P.S. I was unable to do the Maltese Falcon today due to another sneaky post coming in. However, I plan on doing it either tomorrow or Tuesday. Thanks.

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    1. Matt, I'm glad you took a second look at THE PALM BEACH STORY and enjoyed it after all! Some movies are like that; as Mary Astor says in TPBS, "I grow on people...like moss." :-) And don't fret about not being able to get your MALTESE FALCON post going live yet; our Mary Astor Blogathon is on through May 10th, so you still have time. I for one am looking forward to your take on THE MALTESE FALCON, one of my own favorites!

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  16. Astor didn't like her role in this? You're right, that is surprising.

    The opening sequence is indeed one of the great highlights of this movie, and I imagine, it must've come across as innovative at the time. Bosley Crowther strikes me as a bit of a snob.

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    1. Rich, I'm as surprised as you are about Mary Astor not liking her role, though I'm impressed that she was enough of a trouper not to let any possible annoyance show in the finished film! I agree with you about the opening sequence; I bet it was considered almost Bunuel-esque back in 1942! :-) Yeah, I definitely think Bosley Crowther was a little on the uptight side! :-) Thanks for being part of our Mary Astor merriment!

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  17. I don't think I've ever sat completely through a Preston Sturges comedy, Dorian. Bosley Crowther and I must belong to the same 'uptight' club. Don't hate me. :)

    "...nothing is permanent in this world except Roosevelt." Love it. Okay, yeah, it's funny.

    If only Tom could get his floating airport off the ground - Dorian you are too much. Ha!

    I don't know what's wrong with me but every time I try watching a Sturges movie, my mind wanders.

    And I love screwball comedy, don't get me wrong. I love IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT and TO BE OR NOT TO BE and BRINGING UP BABY, etc. So I'm not completely reprehensible.

    I did, as usual, enjoy reading your post, Dorian and love the pix of Mary Astor with a Captain's hat. If she didn't like the role, she still went ahead and gave it her all. Just shows what a super trooper she was. The more I read about her, the more I like her.

    By the way, where was that old man with a fistful of money when I needed him? Just askin'.

    I note the pix of dear Spring Byington too. She has a small role in my Mary Astor film, DODSWORTH.

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    1. Yvette, you're never "uptight," not with your smart and sassy commentary! :-) Sometimes it takes a little time to get warm up to Preston Sturges' wild and crazy style, or to slightly paraphrase our gal Mary Astor in THE PALM BEACH STORY, his style grows on you, like moss! :-D I'm also tickled that you liked my quip about Joel McCrea's character getting his "floating airport off the ground"!

      You said: "By the way, where was that old man with a fistful of money when I needed him? Just askin'." You and me both, Yvette! Everyone needs a generous, rich Wienie King-type in our lives! :-D Thanks for making our Blogathon even more fun, my friend!

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  18. Mary Astor is a complete joy in this movie and it's another great example of her taking a supporting role and hitting it right out of the park. The daffiness of the character is a little unusual for Astor but even here, she comes off as the smartest one of them all. Rudy Vallee's also great here and the Wienie King has one of the best intro scenes ever. It's one of the silliest bits of wish fulfillment ever but it works. Glad you decided to write this one up!

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    1. Thanks so much for your enthusiastic TPBS comments, Aubyn! True, our gal Mary didn't get many lighthearted roles in her career, but I wholeheartedly agree with you that when she did get opportunities to let her comedy flag fly, her smart, witty performance truly stole the show - no small feat with that great cast! :-D

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  19. Bill Gerdts weighs in on our Mary Astor Blogathon:

    "Dorian--

    I don't blog. But I'd like to comment. That is, a) I think Mary Astor was the finest actress ever on the silver screen; b) If I were stranded on a desert island with electricity and a television set and could have only one DVD of a movie ever made, it would be Dodsworth--the most adult drama of the time and of any time and Astor was so real and so magnetic; c) Her final performance in Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte was as magnificent as any of her earlier work. A little more than a cameo--she had two scenes--she brought a sense of calm and steadiness to the otherwise--beautifully handled--frantic aura of that film. It was a sad yet magnificently realized finality to her great film career.

    Bill Gerdts"

    Thanks for your comments, Bill! We're glad you joined the Mary Astor Blogathon conversation!

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  20. Dorian: That was a wonderful post on one of the all-time great comedies. I think Toto would agree with me, if he could speak English.

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    1. Kevin, many thanks for your kind praise of my TPBS, as well as your delightful witty comment "Toto would agree with me, if he could speak English." :-D

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  21. The Palm Beach Story is one of several movies which has made me fall in love with the idea of train travel...1940's train travel, mind you, as I doubt seriously whether a trip on Amtrak today is anywhere near as romantic as it was back then. And a today trip won't include a fabulous 1940's man either!!

    I'm not big on comedy, even less on screwball comedy, but this is one I DO like. It's totally charming...as is your terrific write-up.

    Great blogathon you hosted. How nice to see Mary on the receiving end of lots of love and appreciation.

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    1. Patti, thanks for your most kind comments about my PALM BEACH STORY post! I'm with you: train travel is swell, no question, but how awesome it would be to be able to travel by cross-country train in style, like in the golden age of train travel -- and having fab fellas like Joel McCrea and Rudy Vallee would be great company! :-) Of course, in a pinch, I'd be glad to travel on the Orient Express, or the 20th Century Limited in NORTH BY NORTHWEST, my favorite films of all time! But I digress....

      Hey, do you know our good friend and ace fellow blogger Jacqueline T. Lynch, brilliant novelist and fellow train enthusiast? Do check out Jacqueline's Mary Astor Blogathon post about Mary's autobiography if you haven't already done so! We're all so glad you joined in the Mary love; thanks again!

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  22. I am starting to catch up with all the awesome articles of this fabulous Mary Astor Blogathon that you and Ruth organized. This piece is great because it points out how diverse Mary's talent was. She absolutely had great comedic timing. I think Mary was a very intelligent woman and she understood the nature of comedy quite well. So while Mary is primarily remembered for her dramatic roles, I'm glad you highlighted one of her great comedy roles.

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    1. Gilby, thanks for your kind words about our gal Mary Astor in TPBS, and my esteemed friend and co-hostess Ruth thanks you, too! I especially liked what you had to say about Mary's intelligence, and her intuitive understanding of the nature of comedy. As my dear smart, funny mom used to say, "People can only be funny if they're smart." Clearly Mary, as well as writer/director Preston Sturges, realized that, too! Thanks again for joining us in our Blogathon!

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  23. Great stuff, fun read and enticing as I must somehow run out to watch this - it's been years! "Nothing is permanent in this world - except for Roosevelt." HA!

    Great write-up, Dorian! A blast to read.

    Aurora

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    1. Aurora, I'm tickled that you enjoyed my PALM BEACH STORY post! I'm happy to know you and our fellow bloggers are enjoying it as much as I did. Another plus to TPBS: it's also short and snappy at 88 minutes. Such a bargain! :-D Thanks so much for contributing to our Mary Astor Blogathon fun and merriment!

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  24. Hi Dorian, I really loved your post on the fabulous 'Palm Beach Story'. A totally crazy screwball comedy with a great cast. I loved Astor in this, she gave such a wonderfully giddy and delightful performance.

    Great post and congrats to you and R.A Kerr on the blogathon.

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    1. Alyssa, Ruth and I are glad to hear from you, and we appreciate your kudos! We hope you're feeling better now. Thank you kindly for your enthusiastic praise for TPBS, as well as for your kind words for our Mary Astor Blogathon!

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  25. Dorian,
    This film has so much about it that makes me laugh, and that's just the description of the many characters that show up at the hotel.

    I think I mentioned on another review of it recently that all that was needed was Ernest Hemingway on the veranda handing out cigars to the wayward guests.

    You mention Mary as a blond and I have to agree that she pulls it off well. When going through her publicity stills I took note that her blond lucks were done very tastefully and it worked on with her skin tone, those big dark eyes. Also agree that the fashions in TPBS were fab.

    You've chosen some great screen grabs and your research was fascinating as usual.
    The perfect contribution to you and Ruth's Blogathon.

    Thanks for having me along for the ride. " )
    Page

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    1. Page, we're so glad to have you here, and we hope things have been getting better for you and your family and friends after the recent troubles you've had to deal with.

      On a more upbeat note, thanks so much for your enthusiastic praise of my PALM BEACH STORY blog post! Our gal Mary Astor was noted for being hard on herself performance-wise, but you'd never know it by her sexy, sparkling, playful performance! And I agree, Mary looked fabulous in her Irene fashions, as if she wasn't already gorgeous enough already! :-)

      Thanks again for your kind words and for dropping by to hang out with us and talk TPBS! We're happy to have you "along for the ride" anytime, my friend!

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  26. You're so right about this feeling like a French farce or an upbeat Memento (which in itself feels like a French movie). I always enjoy reading your reviews!--Yours, Alexandra

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    1. Thanks for your positive comments, Alexandra! I'm glad you enjoy my post on TPBS as much as I enjoy yours! Please feel free to drop by TALES OF THE EASILY DISTRACTED (TotED for short) any time!

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  27. Great review, Dorian, of one of my great favorites. Who doesn't love this movie?!? Bosley Crowther...well, he was wrong as often as he was right. Finally got his walking papers when he was too wrong about "Bonnie and Clyde."

    The first time I watched "The Palm Beach Story," I forgot all about the beginning until the (hilarious) end. Just brilliant. I could go on and on, but I don't have to since you've covered all the bases so well already...

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    1. So glad you enjoyed my take on THE PALM BEACH STORY, Patty! I'm also pleased that you and I agree on Bosley Crowther; hey, he got a good run for his money before BONNIE AND CLYDE made movies a whole new world.

      You know, one of the things I love most about TPBS is that even though I've seen it several times, it still cracks me up as if it were the first time. I salute your great taste in comedies, my friend! :-)

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  28. Fabulous post. I mean that. Haven't seen this film for decades but will get hold of it without delay.

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    1. Vienna, thanks so much for your enthusiastic praise of my PALM BEACH STORY post! I hope you'll get a chance to sit down and watch it again soon, now that it's on DVD. We're glad you participated in our Mary Astor Blogathon!

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  29. Thanks, Gwen! I've responded over at Movies, Silently! Have a wonderful evening!

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