My friend in Pacific Heights was a big Jeanette MacDonald fan. He had all kinds of trivia on her. Let's see... --She was quite vain. Did not like the veins showing on her hands, so before a take she would raise them over her head until it was time to say her lines. There are outtakes somewhere of this. --Unlike her hands, she was quite proud of her small feet and liked scenes where she was putting on shoes. --While Eddy had a strong singing voice, MacDonald did not. She could not sing on the stage. --There are strong rumors that JM and NE were in love with each other while making their films. Her husband, Gene Raymond looks uncannily like Nelson Eddy.
(hope I didn't bore you.) *** My favorite of Grayson's is Kiss me Kate. She came alive in that movie. Not so much in Show Boat. I prefer the Irene Dunne version.
Btw, here's a poor quality clip of Dunne singing, "When Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" from, Roberta. About two thirds through the video, the scene switches to Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing.
Anchors Aweigh--my sentiments exactly! I watched it once, and have no desire to see it ever again, except to figure out what bothers me about it. Gene & Frank! Can we "ship" them, other than in the navy?
We can ship Frank and Gene in all their movies. I mean MY GOD, in Anchors Aweigh it practically screams slash, at least from Clarence's side, which is why it's so hard to sit through.
It's not as strong in Take Me Out to the Ballgame and On The Town, but they do have a lot of charm together. What always cracks me up is the fact that Frank's on-screen persona in these movies is so different from what we know he was really like, even back then.
As for RPS...check out the number they did in one of Frank's TV specials...We Can't Do That Anymore. Again, I think Gene and Fred are shippier in That's Entertainment II, but we gotta take this stuff where we find it.
As for Jeannette, I got the Gable stuff from Lynn Tornabene's bio, written in the 70's and she said that one reason Clark disliked her is that she took time off when she had her period, and he hated actresses who did that. I'd have to check, but I think another one was Greer Garson, another reason he hated Adventure and the whole "Gables's Back and Garson's Got Him" campaign.
I think I heard that Jeanette and Nelson didn't get along from a book called Flesh and Fantasy. My guess would be they were in an Astaire/Rogers situation where they were initially thrilled with the success of their films, but then felt they were being stifled because people wouldn't accept them in other roles.
I love him in The Chocolate Soldier, where his non-Jeanette relief is fairly obvious.
I also remember reading that Maurice Chevalier wasn't crazy about working with her either.
I can't believe I remember this stuff, when my sieve-brain has lost so much other stuff. I'm never bored talking about old movie trivia.
In the beginning, Frank Sinatra identity was wrapped up with his singing career. From Here to Eternity was his chance to show he could act. It's funny to look back and realize his real life persona was bigger than any silver screen.
Jeanette must have been one helluva of prima donna. Maurice Chevalier and Clark Gable. Can’t imagine Gable putting up with her or Greer Garson.
I don’t know where my friend heard about the love affair between Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy, but here’s a blurb for another book, Sweethearts, that claims to have the scoop.
Glad you like talking old movie trivia. Most people consider films from 1985 old, so this stuff is just turning to dust along with the rest of my brain. Can’t believe I can retrieve these tidbits and not know where my car keys are.
Pre and Post comeback Sinatra are two completely different on-screen creatures, but even though he projected some of that image for the bobby-soxers, I think we can surmise that he was never a "Clarence."
I spent so many hours reading my old movie books and watching the late show, the late late show and even the late, late, late show. My sieve brain has lost of lot of it, but there are still bits I can rattle off, when as you say, on any given day it's a miracle if I know where keys, glasses, cell phone etc are.
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--She was quite vain. Did not like the veins showing on her hands, so before a take she would raise them over her head until it was time to say her lines. There are outtakes somewhere of this.
--Unlike her hands, she was quite proud of her small feet and liked scenes where she was putting on shoes.
--While Eddy had a strong singing voice, MacDonald did not. She could not sing on the stage.
--There are strong rumors that JM and NE were in love with each other while making their films. Her husband, Gene Raymond looks uncannily like Nelson Eddy.
(hope I didn't bore you.)
***
My favorite of Grayson's is Kiss me Kate. She came alive in that movie. Not so much in Show Boat. I prefer the Irene Dunne version.
Btw, here's a poor quality clip of Dunne singing, "When Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" from, Roberta. About two thirds through the video, the scene switches to Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dancing.
Anchors Aweigh--my sentiments exactly! I watched it once, and have no desire to see it ever again, except to figure out what bothers me about it. Gene & Frank! Can we "ship" them, other than in the navy?
/babbling.
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It's not as strong in Take Me Out to the Ballgame and On The Town, but they do have a lot of charm together. What always cracks me up is the fact that Frank's on-screen persona in these movies is so different from what we know he was really like, even back then.
As for RPS...check out the number they did in one of Frank's TV specials...We Can't Do That Anymore. Again, I think Gene and Fred are shippier in That's Entertainment II, but we gotta take this stuff where we find it.
As for Jeannette, I got the Gable stuff from Lynn Tornabene's bio, written in the 70's and she said that one reason Clark disliked her is that she took time off when she had her period, and he hated actresses who did that. I'd have to check, but I think another one was Greer Garson, another reason he hated Adventure and the whole "Gables's Back and Garson's Got Him" campaign.
I think I heard that Jeanette and Nelson didn't get along from a book called Flesh and Fantasy. My guess would be they were in an Astaire/Rogers situation where they were initially thrilled with the success of their films, but then felt they were being stifled because people wouldn't accept them in other roles.
I love him in The Chocolate Soldier, where his non-Jeanette relief is fairly obvious.
I also remember reading that Maurice Chevalier wasn't crazy about working with her either.
I can't believe I remember this stuff, when my sieve-brain has lost so much other stuff. I'm never bored talking about old movie trivia.
Roberta...great score...not such a great movie.
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Jeanette must have been one helluva of prima donna. Maurice Chevalier and Clark Gable. Can’t imagine Gable putting up with her or Greer Garson.
I don’t know where my friend heard about the love affair between Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy, but here’s a blurb for another book, Sweethearts, that claims to have the scoop.
Glad you like talking old movie trivia. Most people consider films from 1985 old, so this stuff is just turning to dust along with the rest of my brain. Can’t believe I can retrieve these tidbits and not know where my car keys are.
Reply
I spent so many hours reading my old movie books and watching the late show, the late late show and even the late, late, late show. My sieve brain has lost of lot of it, but there are still bits I can rattle off, when as you say, on any given day it's a miracle if I know where keys, glasses, cell phone etc are.
Reply
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