The Real Deal

Despite her camp value, this clip of the inimitable Ann Miller singing the all-time old-actress favorite has special resonance for a woman who had, indeed, been there and was still, further, here.

Sad, And Rather Elegant

Desperately sad, or endlessly wistful? “Good Time Charlie’s Got The Blues,” Danny O’Keefe’s original hit, gets an intriguing cover. It’s a tough choice, made tougher by this rendition by the always entertaining Dwight Yoakam. Some gotta lose, indeed.

Perfectly Played

In The Little Foxes, (1941, dir William Wyler) the pivotal scene in which Bette Davis (hello: hurrah!) decides to let her husband die is caught in the absolute split second it happens. When Horace (the inestimable Herbert Marshall) drops the vial of medicine, you can see Regina’s lifetime of cunning and wile reach its zenith. It neatly encapsulates her ruthless ability to exploit a situation — a skill that will later enable her to squash her brothers, even though it means risking the loss of her daughter. A stellar cast, many imported from the Broadway original. This scene is one of many that explains why, lo these many years later, Wyler is still revered by cinéastes the world over. Wyler wisely keeps a tight focus on Davis, whose constant weighing of when or if to help Horace is really her judging how culpable she may be deemed. Tallulah Bankhead played Regina on Broadway and was not happy with Davis’ portrayal, feeling that it was a direct imitation of her performance. “Why, that hag, I ought to tear every hair out of her moustache,” Bankhead reportedly said.

30 Years +

Definitely an E Ticket. Still funny (well, to me) after all these years. Pick off those cheerleaders, Debbie, pick ‘em off! And, after all these years, the cop is STILL cute.

The Poor Thing

Christ, she is one sad woman, isn’t she?

Nice, She Says, And So It Is

This is yet another iteration of how variety shows could recapture, if not extend, the life of how a simple duet could enrapture the audience. RIP. The charm is undeniable in this clip from Como’s eponymous variety hour, and what is most captivating is how Merman complains about her boisterous reputation and yet gently congratulates Como (“Nice!”) on a melodious bit. For the ages, this is.

Well I’ll Be Damned

Surprisingly, no really, very surprisingly, this video from 1988 ages quite well (hmmm, maybe the cowboy hat…). The women are hot, without being faux/cynically slutty, and the guy could fit today’s standards of hunkiness, too. Nice to see one of the old ones remaining acceptably enjoyable.

Why Am I Only Learning About This Video Now?

This astounds on many levels: that Channing, who is still vibrantly among us, can harken back to the glory days of variety television; that their discordant styles would meld so nicely; that the brassy Channing and the classy Como would be a perfect pair. Enjoy!

It Gets Better

As evidenced by the earllier entry, La Lee has a repertoire and a voice that made even the most famous chanteuses quiver with admiration. The revvelation here is one that we should all remember: Dinah Shore had a tremendous voice, full of soul, energy, and depth. Her peers were not the pop sensations of the day, but were, instead, Ella, Sass, and even Big Maybelle herself. I mean, really, she could get it on!

MGM Kick

Unrelentingly sentimental and schmaltzy, but, really, can you say you’re not in love with Tammy? And I L-O-V-E Mildred Natwick’s appearance in the into. From Tammy and the Bachelor (1957, dir Joseph Pevney).