"The Grass Is Greener"

This odd film, directed by one of my faves, Stanley Donen stars Cary Grant, Deborah Kerr, Robert Mitchum, and Jean Simmons.

Cary plays Victor, who runs tours for out of towners through his castle of a house. 

His wife Hilary (Deborah) is the lady of the castle and sells mushrooms. They seem to be happy and in love until Charles (Robert)"accidentally" stumbles in on Hilary. 15 minutes later they are in love. Does this guy have charm or what? 

Hilary must go to London to get her hair done. She'll stay the night at frenamie Hattie's house. Really she is going to stay with new boyfriend Charles. Hilary doesn't think twice about not covering her bases, especially when her haircut trip turns into a mini vaycay. Hattie has the hots for Victor and goes to see how he is.

Victor knows what's up but doesn't want to make a move as to bother the two love birds. He acts weirdly calm and collected as Hattie tries to get him to forget about his cheating wife and more about the potential of them shacking up.

Nothing says "sexy" like matching jeweled earrings and headband.

Victor decides to call up Charles and invite him to stay the weekend. He should pick up Hilary since she is in town with Hattie. Riiiight. Stanley splits the screen as we see the guys think each other are chumps and the gals think the men are nuts. What is Victor up to?

As everyone arrives, the love triangle party can start.

 

Talk about awkward! Can you spot the white elephant?

Finally the cat is out of the bag and Victor tells Charles that if he accepts a dueling challenge he can have the old broad. Butler Sellers helps out. 

After shots are fired, Hilary comes out to see what the men are up to and finally has time to chat with her husband about her new beau. What happens after that? Is the grass really greener on the other side? You must watch this one to find out!

This film has some cute scenes and interesting 60's wardrobe. Moray Watson plays the butler and he is charming at that. Not sure who OK-ed the script on this one, as any husband would not act this way in real life if his woman was stepping out on him. And it seemed highly unlikely that a happily married woman would dump her husband over a brief conversation with another guy. The fiancee called her a hooker when they kissed! And lets me honest, who would dump Cary Grant for Robert Mitchum? Sorry, Robert.

Quote Of The Day

"Why am I so good at playing bitches? I think it's because I'm not a bitch. Maybe that's why Miss Crawford always plays ladies."

-Bette Davis

Everyday Alfred

Who is sizing up who?

Farwell 2011!

I hope everyone has a safe and fabulously exciting new years! If you plan to relax and stay home, I suggest some appropriate movies for the night.

Kat and Cary live it up in "Holiday"

Shirley feeling blue at 12 in "The Apartment"

Who will dance with Charlie? "The Gold Rush"

Fred looking for a hat in "Holiday Inn"

See you next year!

"The Long, Long Trailer"

In 1953 Lucy and Desi made a cute film called "The Long, Long Trailer" about a newlywed couple who decide to live in a trailer as they circle the country. Sounds great, right? But this flick has many hitches along the way. Pun intended.

Nicky is talked into buying a trailer so that after the wedding they can have a home together since Nicky travels so much for work. They go to the trailer convention and Tacy falls in love with a beautiful, yellow, 40 foot, 3 ton trailer that costs way over budget. But the bride-to-be insists, and after Nicky's pocket book is drained, they are the proud owners of a house on wheels. After the wedding, Tacy and Nicky are on their way!

I want this dress for my wedding. Seriously! This is the dress I have been looking for. Why can't I find one like it?

"Um, Tacy, do we really need all this stuff?"

First stop: a cute little trailer park with trimmed greens and a sparkling pool. If trailer parks looked like this, we would all want to buy ourselves a trailer! Nicky goes to lift his new bride through the doorway when...

..the other "trailorites" see them and think Tacy is injured her ankle. Neighbors to the rescue!

They wrap her foot up and slip her a sleeping pill. Oh well for sexy time on their wedding night! Nicky finds his trailer has turned into the life of the party as all the trailorites hang out while Tacy sleeps away.

The next morning they book it out of there for some peace and quiet. Tacy suggests they find a place in the forest. This sounds just fine until they hit a bump and get stuck, just in time for rain. Plus no hook up for gas or electricity.

Three days in without a wedding dinner and Tacy thinks she'll cook while Nicky drives to save some time. I love this scene. She is trying to toss her Cesar salad while the trailer is in motion and the whole idea falls apart. The fiancee didn't like this one bit. He gets frustrated when movie plots are so obviously not going to work!

"Is din din ready yet?"

Along the way, Tacy has been collecting rocks from each place they visit so when they do get a home they can line the walkway with them. These are some big rocks and they start to weigh the trailer down. She also accumulates some jarred fruits for the road and they trailer starts to look like an episode of Hoarders until Nicky tells her to throw it all out. They are going up a mountain the next day!

Tacy decides she has a better plan, and it doesn't include throwing anything away. Nicky also gives her a chance to drive the trailer, a feat that Nicky has stressed over himself the whole time they have owned the thing. Tacy does a great job but is too relaxed for Nicky's taste and they start to quarrel.

The next day brings the mountain, at 8,000 feet elevation!

The honeymoon phase seems over as the longer they own the trailer the more problems they have. Can the marriage last? Will they have to sell the trailer?

 This film is so adorable. I love the costumes, I want the trailer, and you can't beat the chemistry between the two. This was the 3rd of 4 movies they would do together.

Foreign Film Poster Friday

"Yankee Doodle Dandy" 1942

Picture Of The Day

Perfection.