tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post29259860115985838..comments2024-02-22T17:59:50.213-05:00Comments on in so many words...: Tuesday Forgotten (or Overlooked) Film: THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE starring Dorothy McGuire, George Brent and Ethel BarrymoreYvettehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-77845217728088596472014-08-26T10:20:44.438-04:002014-08-26T10:20:44.438-04:00In addition to Brent and Kent, Gordon Oliver took ...In addition to Brent and Kent, Gordon Oliver took quite a hit, too. In fact, much of this movie is the basis of good, solid wit in whatever is the review. It deserves it. Also, Ethel Barrymore's eye rolling.<br />And a murder? Really?<br />Should I head for the hills? (I hate too creepy_( Or is the creepiness within limits? If so, yup, I'm seeing it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-71704646229070998912014-08-25T13:26:20.499-04:002014-08-25T13:26:20.499-04:00...and I'm sure he was a very nice man. I'......and I'm sure he was a very nice man. I'm not saying anything against him personally. Just that his screen presence was a big snooze. Kent Smith was even snoozier if that's possible.Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-88097817668385619932014-08-25T13:24:35.033-04:002014-08-25T13:24:35.033-04:00Thanks for the interesting info on Siodmak. I real...Thanks for the interesting info on Siodmak. I realize belatedly that I forgot to mention the director. About to fix that. :)Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-66025879328344081002014-08-24T22:03:52.144-04:002014-08-24T22:03:52.144-04:00Here's a piece on his film noir career:
http:...Here's a piece on his film noir career:<br /><br />http://www.criminalelement.com/blogs/2013/10/noir-s-greatest-director-robert-siodmakThe Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-27668749478879454962014-08-24T21:56:21.723-04:002014-08-24T21:56:21.723-04:00Well, I adore this film, even though I agree about...Well, I adore this film, even though I agree about George Brent. I always heard it said leading ladies loved him, because they knew he would never upstage them.The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-39294561652745884072014-08-24T21:54:34.620-04:002014-08-24T21:54:34.620-04:00Robert Siodmak was a very well-regarded director, ...Robert Siodmak was a very well-regarded director, nominated for best director for The Killers. He also did the film noir classic Criss Cross, The File on Thelma Jordan, The Dark Mirror, The Suspect and Phantom Lady. He was a major contributor to American crimes film in the 1940s.The Passing Tramphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09830680639601570152noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-11287126443585326412014-08-23T14:00:10.353-04:002014-08-23T14:00:10.353-04:00I'm adding it to my TBR Vintage list, Neer. I&...I'm adding it to my TBR Vintage list, Neer. I've seen copies available online. Actually, I did kind of enjoy the movie - in my own way of course. :) Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-74560241770825735282014-08-23T03:25:09.879-04:002014-08-23T03:25:09.879-04:00Sad that you didn't enjoy the movie. The book ...Sad that you didn't enjoy the movie. The book is fantastic and one of my all-time favourites.neerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01986509319841061021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-74765038232346863812014-08-22T23:21:59.905-04:002014-08-22T23:21:59.905-04:00Try it. If it gets to be too much then blame me. :...Try it. If it gets to be too much then blame me. :) But I don't think it will. Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-12040088212031739172014-08-22T13:37:55.509-04:002014-08-22T13:37:55.509-04:00I have avoided this movie because I thought it wou...I have avoided this movie because I thought it would be too creepy for me. Maybe I should try it.TracyKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08303342674824383688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-46219930581880851842014-08-20T22:49:26.172-04:002014-08-20T22:49:26.172-04:00Brent didn't have chemistry with any of the le...Brent didn't have chemistry with any of the leading ladies he was paired with. Not even Bette Davis, though maybe she came closest. I don't understand his career. Never did.Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-55942929760406790292014-08-20T22:48:41.574-04:002014-08-20T22:48:41.574-04:00I liked THE CRIMSON PIRATE, especially the underwa...I liked THE CRIMSON PIRATE, especially the underwater rowboat caper. Remember that? Fun. Oh and all the acrobatics too.<br /><br />Oh you should definitely see THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE, Les. I wouldn't want to discourage anyone with any kind of a sly sense of humor from seeing it. :)Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-25354097360865310822014-08-20T22:45:49.189-04:002014-08-20T22:45:49.189-04:00Yeah, I kind of think I was scared witless too, on...Yeah, I kind of think I was scared witless too, once upon a time. There are vague stirrings in my memory. It's not as though I hated the film after all. It's just that George Brent and Kent Smith are both two big a hill for me to climb. Ha. <br /><br /> I didn't think the photography was all that amazing, well, except for that eye in the closet. <br /><br />I thought the shadow stuff down the basement was pretty much run of the mill. But effective enough.<br /><br />Don't know 'The Third Eye' - it does sound colorful.Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-17357317400776265162014-08-20T17:59:13.947-04:002014-08-20T17:59:13.947-04:00I know I've seen this, but I really remember a...I know I've seen this, but I really remember almost nothing about it. One thing I always wondered about George Brent, was how he was paired with Barbara Stanwyck so much, their chemistry was almost nonexistent. Ryanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17786139533776263328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-55433347223381753282014-08-20T15:46:21.225-04:002014-08-20T15:46:21.225-04:00Judging from his credits list at IMDB, Yvette, it ...Judging from his credits list at IMDB, Yvette, it looks like Robert Siodmak was pretty employable as a studio director - the list runs to 61 movies. He did The Killer and also The Crimson Pirate, to name just a couple that I've heard of. Your review really made it sound like fun, George Brent notwithstanding.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-75015294898245958662014-08-20T13:51:23.450-04:002014-08-20T13:51:23.450-04:00Your obsession with the authentic spiral staircase...Your obsession with the authentic spiral staircase cracked me up. In fact this is one of the funnier reviews you've written this year. Loved it! But I love the movie, too. Very fond memories of being scared out of my wits as a teen when I saw THE SPRIAL STAIRCASE for the first time on late night TV. I unabashedly admit that this is one of my all time favorite mystery movies from the 1940s. Sergio is right. A sophisticated movie fan has to take it with a grain of salt. You have to try to forget that almost everything in the movie was already cliché in 1945 and just allow the movie's expert creepiness wash over you. Then you won't be able to prevent yourself getting caught up in all it's banal trappings. Wooden acting by the male leads and all the rest of its flaws get trumped, IMO, for the overall experience. McGuire's terrified performance and the *amazing* photography and *genius* lighting won me over. THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE is essentially a proto-serial killer movie and pretty daring stuff for its time. I only wish someone had the nerve to make a movie out of THE THIRD EYE, probably Ethel Lina White's most bizarre and truly frightening book. That would make a helluva movie. And without a trace of banality...that I can recall.J F Norrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06473487417479127354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-41388543967725569622014-08-20T12:20:01.144-04:002014-08-20T12:20:01.144-04:00Ha! That's funny, Prashant. :) Films you didn&...Ha! That's funny, Prashant. :) Films you didn't know were made at all. Sounds like a title for a book. Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-25949449961915683792014-08-20T12:19:03.761-04:002014-08-20T12:19:03.761-04:00Thanks, Peggy Ann! I kind of love these old creepy...Thanks, Peggy Ann! I kind of love these old creepy-crawlies too. That's probably why I watched this in spite of my reservations. :) They just don't make 'em like this anymore. A good one for the Halloween list.Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-59760255926810130102014-08-20T07:14:57.794-04:002014-08-20T07:14:57.794-04:00Yvette, I don't have the slightest clue about ...Yvette, I don't have the slightest clue about this film but you sure took the creepiness out of it with your funny and entertaining review! Good choice for forgotten films or in my case films I didn't know were made at all.Prashant C. Trikannadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16079354501998741758noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-39301489429467571142014-08-20T06:55:23.555-04:002014-08-20T06:55:23.555-04:00Wonderful review! I want to see it and skip it all...Wonderful review! I want to see it and skip it all at the same time, Yvette! I love old creepy films.Peggy Annhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00426356514707257708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-59910681245338818952014-08-19T12:56:44.222-04:002014-08-19T12:56:44.222-04:00Oh, so do I, Jacqueline - a certain sort of banali...Oh, so do I, Jacqueline - a certain sort of banality is always a good thing.:) Thanks for the compliment too, I'm always very pleased to hear from you.Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-33662844570058884722014-08-19T12:55:05.390-04:002014-08-19T12:55:05.390-04:00You're welcome, Sergio. :) This film, for me a...You're welcome, Sergio. :) This film, for me at least, worked best in memory and not in actuality. Though I will agree that the creep quotient is pretty high. I knew I'd be in the minority on this one...Yvettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08919246184376538331noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-23148318233200482362014-08-19T10:19:15.050-04:002014-08-19T10:19:15.050-04:00One of my favorites, but then I revere banality. ...One of my favorites, but then I revere banality. <br /><br />Love this: "... what is it with these women??? Dark basement. Candle light. Creepy house. Hasn't she ever read a book?"<br /><br />Jacqueline T. Lynchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11047941886908178350noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3185294584889963228.post-63595496482322933312014-08-19T10:05:09.173-04:002014-08-19T10:05:09.173-04:00I have always thought this one of the best films o...I have always thought this one of the best films of its type actually - I'm a real sucker for experssionist lighting and effects and to me it's one of the creepiest films of the period, with maybe only the Val lewton productions topping it, so I'm prepared to forgive a lot! Along with being wponderfully shot I do think it has a great performance from McGuire - but you really cracked me up about Brent and Smith - thanks for that Yvette. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com