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1944: Going My Way
[Zip.ca] [IMDB] [Wikipedia]
Going My Way
Set in Manhattan in an impoverished neighborhood, Bing Crosy plays a Catholic priest sent to the parish to try to help the local aging father get the church on its feet, which is fairly dire financial straits and is danger of foreclosure.
Despite a few missteps at the start, he managed to use his charm and musicianship to convince the neighborhood boys/troublemakers to form a choir, help the locals with their problems, and get things on track, only to be terribly derailed near the end, due to factors beyond his control.
It's a fairly light drama, with comedic and musical moments, but is quite touching and charming. The interplay between the new modern priest (Bing) and the established aging traditional priest is both wonderful and amusing.
The film went on that year to win 6 additional awards besides Best Picture, including Best Actor for Bing Crosby, and Best Supporting Actor for Barry Fitzgerald, who plays the older father.
This is the first film I've seen with Bing Crosby, and he does make for a pretty compelling presence. I, ever naive, had not been aware of his film career, knowing him only for some of his music. Apparently, he was one of the most popular actors in the 40s, and with his handsomeness and charm, I can see sort of see why.
While I thought the film was quite lovely and an enjoyable watch, I'm not sure I see it as a Seven Oscar sort of film.
[Zip.ca] [IMDB] [Wikipedia]
Going My Way
Set in Manhattan in an impoverished neighborhood, Bing Crosy plays a Catholic priest sent to the parish to try to help the local aging father get the church on its feet, which is fairly dire financial straits and is danger of foreclosure.
Despite a few missteps at the start, he managed to use his charm and musicianship to convince the neighborhood boys/troublemakers to form a choir, help the locals with their problems, and get things on track, only to be terribly derailed near the end, due to factors beyond his control.
It's a fairly light drama, with comedic and musical moments, but is quite touching and charming. The interplay between the new modern priest (Bing) and the established aging traditional priest is both wonderful and amusing.
The film went on that year to win 6 additional awards besides Best Picture, including Best Actor for Bing Crosby, and Best Supporting Actor for Barry Fitzgerald, who plays the older father.
This is the first film I've seen with Bing Crosby, and he does make for a pretty compelling presence. I, ever naive, had not been aware of his film career, knowing him only for some of his music. Apparently, he was one of the most popular actors in the 40s, and with his handsomeness and charm, I can see sort of see why.
While I thought the film was quite lovely and an enjoyable watch, I'm not sure I see it as a Seven Oscar sort of film.
Christmas haul: I got a new sweater and shirt which are GORGEOUS, two calendars (a daily and a monthly one), Idiocracy, post it notes, 2 pairs of earrings, makeup bags, ceramic snowflakes, a fleece throw, and a BLACKBERRY (Curve 8330).
( Gifts given: )
In other news, I think stuffing may be my favorite food.
( Gifts given: )
In other news, I think stuffing may be my favorite food.
- Mood:
satisfied - Music:Metric - Gold Guns Girls
Weird to think that soon I won't be writing 2009 anymore. It still feels like the future. Things are going ... well, if not well, they are certainly going fast.
Due to the course I was planning to take filling up months in advance, I will be taking college classes instead next semester. In other words, I am going back to school starting next semester.
2 classes: Introduction to Oral Communication, and Introduction to Sociology. Oral Comm is one night a week on Tuesdays, and Soc. is online.
So far financial aid has been very helpful. Maybe too helpful, as they changed my fucking fafsa to indicate I received over 14000 dollars in financial help from my parents. Luckily it doesn't disqualify me for a Pell Grant but it's still very frustrating. My Expected Family Contribution went from 0 to 3000+ dollars. I'll be calling themtomorrow soon to ask why the fuck they did that.
Ran into Finn from high school at Target. It was good to talk to him again.
I had STEPPS today. We talked more about communication.
In other news, I've been doing very poorly about getting to bed on time.
Due to the course I was planning to take filling up months in advance, I will be taking college classes instead next semester. In other words, I am going back to school starting next semester.
2 classes: Introduction to Oral Communication, and Introduction to Sociology. Oral Comm is one night a week on Tuesdays, and Soc. is online.
So far financial aid has been very helpful. Maybe too helpful, as they changed my fucking fafsa to indicate I received over 14000 dollars in financial help from my parents. Luckily it doesn't disqualify me for a Pell Grant but it's still very frustrating. My Expected Family Contribution went from 0 to 3000+ dollars. I'll be calling them
Ran into Finn from high school at Target. It was good to talk to him again.
I had STEPPS today. We talked more about communication.
In other news, I've been doing very poorly about getting to bed on time.
- Mood:
thoughtful - Music:Thirteen Senses - Into The Fire
1929: The Broadway Melody
[Zip.ca] [IMDB] [Wikipedia]
This is the second film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, and the first sound film to do so. (1928's Wings, which I have not watched yet, was first, and silent.) The historical context of this film is interesting. The first feature length sound film ('talkies') was released in 1927, and the film world was in the midst of the chaos of the switch. Silent movies were originally considered more artistic (getting across concepts without the benefit of speech or synchronized sound is certainly a different art-form more akin to stage acting than the realism we tend to expect in films these days), and sound films were thought to be a passing fad. And well into the thirties, talkies were often released in a silent-film version as well for all the theatres that had not yet converted.
So, being one of the first 'talkies' during this chaos, this film falls kind of flat to modern eyes and ears. As the name alludes to, this is a musical, and this helps makes the ridiculousness and emotional overacting feel a little less out of place.
The storyline follows two sisters (Hank and Queenie), who have come to New York to try to make it on Broadway, having been a moderately successful vaudeville sister act1 in their home town. With the help of Hank's boyfriend Eddie (a song and dance composer) they get a job with a Mr. Zanfield (an allusion to Ziegfeld, I'm sure). Eddie begins to fall in love with Queenie (the younger sister, who has filled out nicely since he last saw her, apparently). Queenie tries to fend off Eddie's advances, not wanting to hurt her sister, and so dates a man that neither Hank or Eddie approves of. Love-triangle and musical hijinx ensue.
The film was still enjoyable, despite it's ridiculous and (now) tired premise. I did find it interesting in the historical context, not only the above silent/sound film transition, but the 20s slang, women who universally had the bob hair-cut, and the occasional skyline shot.
1: Before this movie, I had never heard this term used seriously before.
[Zip.ca] [IMDB] [Wikipedia]
This is the second film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, and the first sound film to do so. (1928's Wings, which I have not watched yet, was first, and silent.) The historical context of this film is interesting. The first feature length sound film ('talkies') was released in 1927, and the film world was in the midst of the chaos of the switch. Silent movies were originally considered more artistic (getting across concepts without the benefit of speech or synchronized sound is certainly a different art-form more akin to stage acting than the realism we tend to expect in films these days), and sound films were thought to be a passing fad. And well into the thirties, talkies were often released in a silent-film version as well for all the theatres that had not yet converted.
So, being one of the first 'talkies' during this chaos, this film falls kind of flat to modern eyes and ears. As the name alludes to, this is a musical, and this helps makes the ridiculousness and emotional overacting feel a little less out of place.
The storyline follows two sisters (Hank and Queenie), who have come to New York to try to make it on Broadway, having been a moderately successful vaudeville sister act1 in their home town. With the help of Hank's boyfriend Eddie (a song and dance composer) they get a job with a Mr. Zanfield (an allusion to Ziegfeld, I'm sure). Eddie begins to fall in love with Queenie (the younger sister, who has filled out nicely since he last saw her, apparently). Queenie tries to fend off Eddie's advances, not wanting to hurt her sister, and so dates a man that neither Hank or Eddie approves of. Love-triangle and musical hijinx ensue.
The film was still enjoyable, despite it's ridiculous and (now) tired premise. I did find it interesting in the historical context, not only the above silent/sound film transition, but the 20s slang, women who universally had the bob hair-cut, and the occasional skyline shot.
1: Before this movie, I had never heard this term used seriously before.