LIKE A BUMP ON A BLOG

I've been meaning to keep up on a post each day, but lately it has been a little tough. I have been busy with other events and should return to full speed shortly. I can't express how much I have learned from doing the research for each post. My admiration for those of the past has grown and I have new appreciation for some of the films I already loved.

This month is in honor of my dad and I hope to cover all of his favorite things. When I began the John Wayne project, I had no idea how much time it would consume.

If you have any ideas of what you would like to see or anything I can improve, please comment.

THE FACES OF JOHN WAYNE

I finally made the collages I wanted for the faces of John Wayne. I have them is sections with labels written below. It took awhile to find all theses pictures, since some of them were titled inaccurately. The most blatant mistake was with The Longest Day (1962) & Cast a giant Shadow (1966). They kept showing a particular picture of Wayne and claimed it for The Longest Day. The only problem with it was that he has two stars on the helmet and he was only a Lieutenant Colonel in that movie.

HERE THEY ARE:

From left to right:

Col. Mike Kirby, Gen. Mike Randolph, Col. Joseph Madden, Lt. Col. Benjamin Vandervoort

From left to right:

Top: Lt. Cmdr. Wedge Donovan, Captain Rockwell 'Rock' Torrey, Lt. (J.G.) 'Rusty' Ryan

Bottom: Lt. Dan Brent, Michael Patrick 'Guns' Donovan, Lt Cmdr. Duke E. Gifford, Frank W. 'Spig' Wead

From left to right:

Rusty, Sgt. John M. Stryker, Maj. Daniel Xavier Kirby

From top left to right:

Pat Talbot, Capt. Jim Gordon, Col. Jim Shannon

From left to right:

Top: Capt. Nathan Cutting Brittles, Col. John Marlowe, Col. John Henry Thomas, Ethan Edwards

Bottom: Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman, Capt. Kirby York, Col. Cord McNally, Lt. Col. Kirby Yorke, Hondo Lane

I didn't include a law enforcement collage since the branches are so different from each other. It was fun for me to notice name comparisons. One special one is the last name shared by two Navy officers he played: Lt. Cmdr. Wedge Donovan in The Fighting Seabees (1944) and then as a Navy veteran in Donovan's Reef (1963) as Michael Patrick 'Guns' Donovan. I'm not sure if it was planned that way.

THE TITLES OF JOHN WAYNE

Since I already did a small biographical post on John Wayne when my mother chose him as a favorite - This time around I wanted to touch on something different about him. John Wayne is known as the actor to have played more leads than any other movie star. He's been in the almost every branch of the service and even the law enforcement. The only actor to come close to him would probably be Tom Hanks.

This project took me a lot longer than I thought and I didn't even do what I wanted to do in the first place. I have not included the times that he was a rancher or just a simple cowboy. You may also notice that I have not included any films before 1940. This post would be twice as long and it would repeat itself often if I did. The films in that era often only changed the name of the characters rather than the story itself.

The list below begins with his titles throughout his filming career. The movies next to it display what films they were.

GUNFIGHTER: The Shootist (1976), The Train Robbers (1973), El Dorado (1966), The Sons of Katie Elder (1965)
FIREFIGHTER: Hellfighters (1968)
U.S. CONSUL-GENERAL: The Barbarian and the Geisha (1958)
PILOT: The High and the Mighty (1954), Island in the Sky (1953)
UAAC: Big Jim McLain (1952)
FOOTBALL COACH: Trouble Along the Way (1953)
BOXER: The Quiet Man (1952)
OUTLAW: 3 Godfathers (1948), Angel and the Badman (1947)
ENGINEER: Tycoon (1947)
GAMBLER: Dakota (1945), Flame of Barbary Coast (1945), Lady for a Night (1942)
PHARMACIST: In Old California (1942)
LAWYER: Lady from Louisiana (1941), A Man Betrayed (1941)
SEA CAPTAIN: Blood Alley (1955), The Sea Chase (1955), Wake of the Red Witch (1948), Reap the Wild Wind (1942)

Now onto the ranks and branches of service he has played in. Some of the films had him simply as one who had been an officer, like Donovan's Reef (1963), so I listed these as a veteran. Other's may include films in which he was promoted in the story. With these I kept close to the title given to him in cast and crew synopsis on the picture.

NAVY

CAPTAIN: In Harm's Way (1965)

LIEUTENANT COMMANDER: Operation Pacific (1951), The Fighting Seabees (1944)

LIEUTENANT: They Were Expendable (1945), Seven Sinners (1940)

PILOT: The Wings of Eagles (1957)

VETERAN: Donovan's Reef (1963)

ARMY

GENERAL: Cast a Giant Shadow (1966)

COLONEL: The Green Berets (1968), Back to Bataan (1945)

LIEUTENANT COLONEL: The Longest Day (1962)

MARINES

MAJOR: Flying Leathernecks (1951)

SERGEANT: Sands of Iwo Jima (1949)

VETERAN: Without Reservations (1946)

AIR FORCE

U.S. AIR FORCE:

COLONEL: Jet Pilot (1957)

CHINESE AIR FORCE:

CAPTAIN: Flying Tigers (1942)

ROYAL AIR FORCE:

PILOT: Reunion in France (1942)

 MILITIA

KENTUCKY: The Fighting Kentuckian (1949)

TENNESSEE: The Alamo (1960)

UNION

GENERAL: How the West Was Won (1962)

COLONEL: Rio Lobo (1970), The Horse Soldiers (1959)

LIEUTENANT COLONEL: Rio Grande (1950)

CAPTAIN:  She Wore a Yellow Ribbon (1949), Fort Apache (1948)

VETERAN: Hondo (1953), The Undefeated (1969), The Searchers (1956), Rio Lobo (1970)

LAW ENFORCEMENT

US MARSHAL: Rooster Cogburn (1975), Cahill U.S. Marshal (1973), True Grit (1969)
TEXAS RANGER: The Comancheros (1961)
SHERIFF: Rio Bravo (1959)
LIEUTENANT POLICE OFFICER: Brannigan (1975), McQ (1974)

I wanted to include a whole bunch of pictures, but that task would've taken another week. I may make a couple collages later on when I get a chance. If there are any errors to this collection, please comment below so I can correct it.

DAD'S TOP TEN ACTORS AND ACTRESSES

Now onto my dad's favorites movie stars. Some of his favorites could not fit into the top ten like Gregory Peck & Donna Reed but how could you not pick the ones he has. Another of his favorite actors is Ward Bond. His powerful voice and stature put him in the same lineup as my dad. He is one of those not-so-well-known kind of stars, but he has had some pretty colorful performances.

Here is his list:

TOP FIVE ACTRESSES

#1. Jeanette MacDonald

#2. Jean Arthur

#3. Maureen O'Hara

#4. Greer Garson

#5. Ingrid Bergman

TOP FIVE ACTORS

#1. John Wayne

#2. Gary Cooper

#3. Nelson Eddy

#4. Jimmy Stewart

#5. Red Skelton

EDISON, THE MAN (1940)

Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Producer: John W. Considine Jr.

Director: Clarence Brown

Awards: Nominated for Best Writing, Original Story.

Release Date: May 10th, 1940

Origination: A Biographical film of the inventor Thomas Edison.

Interesting Fact: Tracy was so upset by the lack of acknowledgement from the academy on this film that he swore to never attend another Oscar night. Even though he was nominated six more times for an Oscar he never did return.

Thomas A. Edison: Results? Man, I got a lot of results. I know nine thousand things now that won't work.

The man in whom they portrayed in this film is the greatest inventor of our time. Critics still belittle him and in the end they are the ones who turn out small. His contributions are so far reaching that it is impossible to measure his work. He did not invent electricity, but rather entered the unknown to harness it for us. He successfully fought off big corporations and the almighty dollar to give us a better and cheaper lifestyle. He was not a big wig or political millionaire, in fact, he fought this war of ideals in poverty. What an amazing man with such an amazing story.

This film brought to light, no pun intended, some of the hardships and success of Edison. Tracy believed in this film and was perfect for the part. The scene in which his workers are given their final pay and encouraged to leave, yet return to work the next day is one of my father's favorites. This film followed the Rooney depiction of Young Tom Edison. Both of these film are important to see in a lifetime. They will encourage you to treat no idea as small and to keep moving even when things get dark.

This scene, near the end of the film, does a wonderful job of

summarizing the work of this great man.

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS MOVIE?

MCLINTOCK! (1963)

Studio: United Artists

Producer: Michael Wayne

Director: Andrew V. McLaglen & John Wayne

Awards: Two Laurel Awards.

Release Date: November 13, 1963

Origination: Based on the Shakespeare play Taming of the Shrew.

Interesting Fact: This film was released nine days before the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Promotions of the film were postponed, but the film still remained popular and has become a classic.

George Washington McLintock: Half the people in the world are women. Why does it have to be you that stirs me?



This was my Grandpa Eddies all time favorite film. It's no wonder that my dad would list this in his top ten. The film itself was a reunion of some of the John Ford stars and was also to be the second to last film with Wayne & O'Hara together. This movie also began a new goal of Wayne's. Each film after this had a message to it, whether political or family oriented. The message in this film was both. Even the shady Governor was named after the liberal senator Herbert H. Humphrey.

This has been a classic in our family for generations and is still enjoyable to watch. My wife and I enjoy the cameo of Jerry Van Dyke as Matt Douglas Jr. This is truly a great film to watch.

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS MOVIE?

NAUGHTY MARIETTA (1935)

Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Producer: Hunt Stromberg & W.S. Van Dyke

Director: Robert Z. Leonard & W.S. Van Dyke

Awards: It won the Best Sound Oscar and was nominated for Best Picture. It has also been awarded the Photoplay Medal of Honor and was placed on the National Film Registry in 2003.

Release Date: March 29th, 1935.

Origination: Based on the 1910 operetta written by Victor Herbert.

Interesting Fact: For this film Frank Morgan was required to shave his mustache. He had not shaved for seventeen years and grew it back again for his future films.

Richard: Who are you?

Marietta: Someone.

This was the first time that the world fell in love with Nelson Eddy & Jeanette MacDonald. They would go on to be in seven other films together. I have written about the "singing sweethearts" in an earlier post if you wish to find out more about them. This film also brought to us the famous "Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life." This song became a sort-of theme song for MGM and was sung at Louis B. Mayer's funeral. The scene where Jeanette's character is waiving goodbye to a random person on the dock has become a common farewell in our family, "Bye, Brother!" It has romance, adventure and memorable songs. This is a defiant must-see.

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS MOVIE?

MAYTIME (1937)

Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Producer: Robert Z. Leonard & Hunt Stromberg

Director: Robert Z. Leonard

Awards: Nominated for Best Musical Score and for Best Sound.

Release Date: March 26th, 1937

Origination: Inspired by the 1917 Operetta, Maytime. The music was by Sigmund Romberg and the Lyrics and book were written by Rida Johnson Young.

Interesting Fact: As the third in a sequence of eight films together, this film is considered the best of Nelson Eddy & Jeanette MacDonald. Jeanette contributed this success to the talent of Robert Z. Leonard who was a singer himself.

Paul: That day did last me all of my life. Don't cry, Marcia. You won't be lonely. I'll be close always.

For those who love the partnership of Jeanette MacDonald & Nelson Eddy, this film is one of the most treasured ones. Some may suggest that this was the story of their life together before and after death. Oddly enough, Jeanette had just been engaged to Gene Raymond during this picture. Both Eddy & MacDonald had wonderful marriages with their own spouse, but many dreamed that they were married to each other. Maybe the ending of this film was reenacted in heaven, who knows?

My father loves this film for it's simple message. No career should come before love; not for man, not for woman. For someone you love, all things should be secondary.

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS MOVIE?

THE GOOD EARTH (1937)

Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Producer: Irving Thalberg

Director: Sidney Franklin, Victor Fleming & Gustav Machatý

Awards: It won Best Actress & Best Cinematography at the Oscars with nominations for Best Director, Best Film Editing & Best Picture. It also won a National Board Review award.

Release Date: January 29th, 1937

Origination: Based on the 1931 Nobel-Prize winning novel written by Pearl S. Buck.

Interesting Fact: The producer of this film, Irving Thalberg, died before he saw the film completed.

Wang Lung: I would sell all my land if I could heal you.

In the words of my dad, "This movie makes you want to buy 40 acres of land." This is a favorite of my parents and they often tell stories from it. It is a beautiful story of the struggles faced by Chinese peasants. The author lived in China with her parents who were missionaries. She wrote other books about China, but this was probably her most famous one. This movie is both inspiring and humbling. It will make you feel grateful for the things you have and remind you to cherish the things that are most important. This is truly a must-see film!

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS MOVIE?

SIDE POST: DRAGNET 1967

My wife and I really love to watch TV shows together. We have watched the complete series of The Dick Van Dyke Show, MacGyver and even The Big Bang Theory. We have also watched a few seasons of shows like Get Smart, I Love Lucy, The Wild, Wild West & Bewitched. This has become one of our favorite past times together. We often think back to places we lived and categorize them by what TV show we were watching then.

Recently my wife wanted to start a new series. She asked if there were any other good ones to see, so I gave her a list and we decided to try out Dragnet. She found it online for free at hulu.com where we began with season one.

The moment we started it, she was surprised to find the theme song familiar. The show was ahead of it's time and it inspired series like CSI and others. Each story is true but the names were changed to protect the innocent. Best of all, if someone is brutally killed, you don't see the body. If someone robbed a store or bank, you don't see the incident. Think of it for a moment. Is it possible that certain acts of violence have been inspired by what they saw on television. In this show you only see the work done to stop the evil, not what caused it. Call us old fashion, but we both find this kind of entertainment funner to watch.

Not only would I consider this show a must see for any family, it is also for anyone who loves crime fighting as well. It adds a little humor as the first season progresses but the mystery is still there. There is no hidden clues, no revealing twists in the characters. They may not find the villain by themselves and may even have to drive far to get to those who did. It's just true stories, just the way they happened.

Some of you may have never heard of this show. Others may have heard about it, but were not sure if it's for them. That's where I come in, I WRITE A BLOG!

FATHER'S MONTH

In honor of Father's Day this month, I will be dedicating the whole month's posts to my father. I was actually surprised by his top ten movie list. I expected a lot more John Wayne films. After he gave me his top ten, he told me why he picked theses certain ones.

Time is very important to my dad. Anyone that knows him knows that he keeps himself very busy. Though he is retired, he stays busier than any working person I know. He can't stand to just sit around and waste time. With this in mind, he likes to watch movies that teach him a message rather than just to be entertained by it. Some of the lessons may be how to treat someone better, or how to be better.

I mentioned earlier how he became interested in old movies, but let me write it again. My dad didn't always have a fondness for watching movies. He was born in the forties on a farm, far away from any television set. My mother on the other hand grew up around Hollywood and her father worked in the media industry.

Now I'm not saying that my dad works harder than my mom. She bore twelve children with five miscarriages; he is just trying to catch up. He holds his time as something very precious, and with all of his responsibilities, he uses it very efficiently.

This is why his top ten movies are one you should see. They can inspire you and remind you to improve your life and those around you. Here they are:

#1. Random Harvest (1942)

#2. The Good Earth (1937)

#3. Maytime (1937)

#4. It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

#5. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

#6. Naughty Marietta (1935)

#7. New Moon (1940)

#8. McLintock! (1963)

#9. Edison, The Man (1940)

#10. Madame Curie (1943)

You may notice that some of them are romance films. This is greatly due to my mother's influence in the home. There is actually a great story in are family that surrounds those movies.

Back in the eighties my mom & dad were taking my grandpa Barraclough to a movie theatre in where they only showed the goldie oldies. His father-in-law noticed a picture of Jeanette MacDonald & Nelson Eddy outside of the theatre near the concession stand. It was covered with pop stains and candy in areas, but the majority was intact. My dad walked up to the manager and asked where he could find a picture like that. The manager replied that he didn't know and offered it to them. My parents were over joyed and took it home. Over the next few months my father cleaned and penciled in certain areas to cover the stains and then placed it in a frame under glass.

This picture has remained in their home ever since, and it is a treasured jewel of the house. It strikes up many conversations with those unfamiliar with old movies or those actors in general. This then creates a new interest in the things of the past that are still enjoyable today.

AN END TO MOTHER'S MONTH

I was unable to complete the last two posts for my mother that she wanted listed. Instead I wish to list them here before I move on to father's month.

Ever since we began this month dedicated to my mother, we both knew that this would be an inadequate amount of time to list the things my mother loves about old Hollywood. The top ten list was a joke, as countless forgotten favorites were later remembered. Usually the conversation would start something like: "Duh, how could I have forgotten to list that movie!"

With as hard as it was to create a top ten movie list, it was just as hard to formulate a top ten movie star list. So many actors and actresses have touched her life deeply and she wanted so badly to make sure others knew of their performances.

Now I wish to list some of her other favorite films that have not been mentioned earlier:

THE GOOD EARTH (1937)
This is a favorite of both my mom and dad. The humility of the people and the trials they face is stirring and memorable. I remember getting ready for a big family dinner and my parents would remind us of the scene where they were cooking mud due to the famine. This is truly a beautiful film!

BOMBARDIER (1943)
This is another one of those films that may have been forgotten in our day. With all the war movies made during this era, there is little wonder why some of them slipped through the cracks. She remembers visiting one of her cousins home as the kids were getting ready to watch this film. The kids were so excited to see it again and called it the best movie ever. She compares every war movie to this one.

THE JAZZ SINGER (1980)
I know, this film was not made in the early Hollywood years but the title was. My mom wanted me to list this movie because she loves Neil Diamonds singing in it. She also loves the scene when his father excepts him for who he is.

THE TALK OF THE TOWN (1942)
It includes three of her favorite movie stars: Cary Grant, Jean Arthur & Ronald Coleman. Their performances were perfect and the storyline is wonderful. The humor and suspense had an equal part in making this a family favorite. To the very last you still don't know who will win the hand of the lady.

THE STORY OF LOUIS PASTEUR (1936)
My mom loves true stories put to film. Though Hollywood may add a few things to make it appealing to the masses - They focused on the good a person did, rather than tell you all the unimportant details of their life. This one her favorite biographies. He was the Columbus of medicine, and help to convince the people the actual cause of diseases.

THE STORY OF VERNON AND IRENE CASTLE (1939)
This film came to the screen when so many other classics were occupying the charts. It is her favorite Astaire & Rogers film. It is the story of two fantastic dancers, played by the finest dancers of the time. Her grandmother, Bytheway, use to put her hair up like Irene Castle.

BATTLE OF THE BULGE (1965)
Because of my mothers love for history and patriotism, we would watch countless war movies together. This tradition has been passed down to even the Grandsons. This is one of her favorite war stories. We thought we had the Nazi's licked after D-Day, but they were prepared to fight back in due time. That time is conveyed in this film and the victory was due to the lack of gasoline.

A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS (1966)
This film reminds her of her father, Clyde Barraclough. He was definitely a man for all seasons. She just loves the commitment he kept to his king and to his conscious, even though they would conflict many times. What a great example it is to any citizen of a country who must be loyal to both.

ANASTASIA (1956)
Here is another story that has been formatted to bring in audiences. Whether Anastasia lived through the massacre or not, didn't matter. It was the hope and mystery of this film that makes it appealing.

BOY'S TOWN (1938)
This is one of the greatest Tracy and Rooney films. Tracy won an Oscar for his portrayal of Father Flanagan. It taught the world a few things about boys and was immortalized forever with the statement: "There is no such thing as a bad boy."

YOUNG TOM EDISON & EDISON THE MAN (1940)
There is a funny story in our family about this man. My brother Eddie was given the name Eddie Edison Lewis when he was born. Not until he was eight years old did they realize during a school report on Thomas Edison that they shared the same birthday of February 11th. These two films are the perfect tribute to a man who changed the world forever.

FLIGHT OF THE PHOENIX (1965)
My mother loves the endurance and faith of the men portrayed in this film. Though the odds were piled against them they continued each day. Our favorite scene is when they discover that the man remodeling the plane actually only ever worked on toy planes.

FRIENDLY PERSUASION (1956)
This is a beautiful film about a side of history that we rarely think about. Those who must honor their religion but are also called to defend their country. My mom loves the scene which causes the mother to act out in violence for the protection of her precious duck.

EL-CID (1961)
The story of this man needed to be told and who better to do it than an actor who played Moses and Ben-Hur. It is an amazing tale of a man who honored and fought for a king who did not honor him back. He helped protect Spain from becoming engulfed by the forces that surrounded it. The ending, though fictional, is hair-raising and chilling. I love this movie too!

There are many others that both of us wished we could have listed. Now it is time to turn to my dad and ask what he loves most about Vintage Media.

MOTHER'S MONTH CLOSURE & FUTURE POSTS

Ever since this month began, I have had countless special conversations with my mom about her favorite movies and actors. It has been quite special and rewarding to hear her thoughts on the greatest age of Hollywood. I have also had some amazing discoveries and re-discoveries on the things she loves, and I hope that if anyone is reading this that they have come to appreciate these things as much as she has cherished them.

For the last week of the month, she wanted me to post on a few of the films she may not have remembered to list as her favorite. The films that I will be posting on, along with the ones listed earlier, are true classics though they may have not made it in to the most known list. That has been her mission all along - To share with those close to her, the films that they may have never known of, but will never forget.

Throughout this month, I have had an idea of a theme for the months to come. I thought that it might be interesting to dedicate a whole month to a specific year in movies. The year of 1939 is one that catches my attention. It is known as the biggest year at the academy awards and brought us classics like Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, The Wizard of Oz & Gone with the Wind. With these hard hitters taking the spotlight, films like: On Borrowed Time, Dodge City, Gunga Din, Beau Geste, Drums Along the Mohawk, Goodbye Mr. Chips, Young Mr. Lincoln, Babes In Arms, They Shall Have Music, The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle and many other amazing films didn't get enough light to survive.

Before I use this theme, I will be dedicating this next month to my father's favorite movie's and movie stars. Just as a reminder, my father looks and talks just like John Wayne so don't be shocked to see his movies listed a few more times than others.

I'm excited to learn more about my dad and his thoughts on the films of the past. At first he didn't have an enthusiasm for these things, but he has come to treasure these movies almost as much as my mom. The main reason for this transition is his love for his wife. How can you not love something that is loved by someone you love most of all. My father is the perfect example of unselfish love and he may have learned it from my mom.

SONG OF THE SOUTH (1946)

Studio: Walt Disney Productions.

Producer: Walt Disney.

Director: Harve Foster & Wilfred Jackson

Awards: This film won an Oscar for Best Original Song "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" and another Oscar as an Honorary Award. It was also nominated for Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture.

Interesting Fact: Though this fact is mostly well known, this film is the inspiration for the popular Splash Mountain ride in the Disney parks.

My Favorite Scene: The whole movie is full of song and story. I love every bit of it.

Uncle Remus: It happum on one ah dem Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah Days. Now dat's the kinda day where you can't opem yo mouf widout a song jumpin right out of it!

I am shocked and appalled by the negativity of which this film has received. It is a fine story about a fine lesson, but some people get too distracted by trivial fiction. I can think of a hundred other films that should be disgraced for their content other than this picture. When my mother watched this film, Uncle Remus became her best friend. She waited on his every word and admired him for his wisdom. I wish this film would be released on DVD, but it looks like it never will. I wish to state how much I loved this film as a kid. It taught me a lesson, not an ideology, that places existed I'd not even know about. It is truly a family classic and one of the greats.

This is a small clip from the movie.

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS MOVIE?