Jean Simmons (along with Glynis Johns) was my favorite actress while I was growing up. She's always held a special place in my movie-toned heart. But, for whatever reason, some of her movies seemed to have disappeared from the airwaves and unless you buy them, you're out of luck. In a perfect world these would ALL be on Netflix (instead of just a few):
SO LONG AT THE FAIR (1950) with Dirk Bogarde
THE BLUE LAGOON (1949) with Donald Houston (The first, and far as I'm concerned, the only version worth seeing.)
THE CLOUDED YELLOW (1951) with Trevor Howard
THE ROBE (1953) with Richard Burton
THIS COULD BE THE NIGHT(1957) with Anthony Franciosa and Paul Douglas
A BULLET IS WAITING (1954) with Rory Calhoun
BLACK NARCISSUS (1947) with Deborah Kerr, David Farrar, Sabu (Simmons only had a small part in this as a native girl, but as usual, she lit up the screen)
HOME BEFORE DARK (1958) with Efrem Zimbalist, Rhonda Fleming and Dan O'Herlihy
GUYS AND DOLLS (1955) with Marlon Brando (she sang in this one and mighty fine, too)
THE BIG COUNTRY (1958) with Gregory Peck
Caught about a half hour of home before dark the other day. She just lit up the screen-even in black and white.
ReplyDeleteBlack Narcissus! What a beguiling unsual movie. And the use of Technicolor is nothign short of astonishing. I found the book at an estate sale two years ago and one of these days I get around to reading it.
ReplyDeleteYou forgot ELMER GANTRY. What a pairing with Lancaster. And Spartacus, too, in a minor role.
And wasn't she in a noir movie as a tempting femme fatale? Can't recall the title. I'm checking imdb.com. ...Pause... YES! I knew I was right. Angel Face with Robert Mitchum. That was a good one with her a schemer and Mitchum for a change as the victim. If you haven't seen that one, do so soon! It's definitely available from Netflix.
Patti: Yes, she was one of those actresses whom the word 'incandescent' was invented for. HOME BEFORE DARK was one of her best performances, I mean, your heart just broke for her. Rhonda Fleming almost steals the picture, though. I think that was Fleming's best role.
ReplyDeleteJohn: Those three are not on my Favorites list. (Nobody's perfect.) Ha! I can't quite feel comfortable with Jean as a schemer and seductress. It's just me, I know, since everyone loves ANGEL FACE. It's a noir classic.
ReplyDeleteGood movie ideas, will check with the library on what they have, and now on TCM, too, now that I got the point that there is a posted schedule (how could I not know?), but I'm glad I know now.
ReplyDeleteI liked Jean Simmons, too, among others. Another actress I worshiped was Greer Garson; she was so perfect in Mrs. Miniver.
There really is a goldmine is classic movies.
I love Jean Simmons too. Have you seen Young Bess? Life of young Elizabeth I with JS's real-life husband Stewart Granger as Tom Seymour & Deborah Kerr as Catherine Parr. Ridiculous as history but so beautifully done. JS's costumes are gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteKathy: TCM is a definite goldmine. They do such a great job of bringing vintage to a new audience. If it weren't for them, I don't know what would happen to all these great films. They were meant to be seen!
ReplyDeleteLyn: For whatever reason, I don't think I've ever seen Young Bess, now that you mention it. I've been racking my brain, but no. I'll have to keep an eye out for it. Stewart Granger - what a hunk. ;-)
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