The year is 1947, and the British have decided to withdraw from India. That means Colonel Rodney Savage (Stewart Granger) will be returning to England. As he boards his train, he receives a smooch from Victoria Jones (Ava Gardner). After boarding, he talks with a fellow passenger, recounting the details of his stay in Bhowani Junction and telling the story of how he met Victoria. … Continue reading Bhowani Junction (1956)
Susan (Ava Gardner) doesn’t have the ideal marriage. Wed to Sir Philip Ashlowe (Stewart Granger), a British noble, she feels neglected as he spends his time fulfilling stately duties. Desperate to reconnect, Susan convinces Philip that they should take a vacation on their yacht. Several friends are invited along, including Henry Brittingham-Brett (David Niven), with whom Susan incessantly flirts in attempt to make Philip jealous. … Continue reading The Little Hut (1957)
Jessie Bourne (Barbara Stanwyck) is alone in her New York apartment one night when she gets an odd phone call. She picks up and greets the caller, only to hear the line go dead as soon as she speaks. Meanwhile, Jessie’s husband Brandon (James Mason) is out having a jolly old time at a night club. He flirts with Rosa Senta (Cyd Charisse), but is … Continue reading East Side, West Side (1949)
It was either write a book or sell the jewels in order to make ends meet, and Ava Gardner chose to write a book. But she couldn’t do it on her own. She hired Peter Evans to listen to stories of her life, and to ghostwrite the book for her. In a series of lengthy interviews — some in person, some at odd hours over … Continue reading TMP Reads: Ava Gardner – The Secret Conversations
Welcome to the third day of reviews from TCM’s four-disc Greatest Classic Films: Romance set! Previous reviews: Splendor in the Grass Love in the Afternoon And tomorrow, we’ll cap off the series with a review of Now, Voyager. Film #3: Mogambo (1953) Directed by John Ford Written by John Lee Mahin from a play by Wilson Collison Starring Ava Gardner, Grace Kelly and Clark Gable … Continue reading TCM’s Greatest Classic Romances: Mogambo
This post was written as a part of TMP’s “Historical Context” series, where I share excerpts from my collection of vintage publications. Louella Parsons was a pioneer of celebrity gossip and entertainment news. Her columns were read world-wide, published in hundreds of newspapers. Who better to get the scoop on the tumultuous relationship between Ava Gardner and Frank Sinatra for Modern Screen than Mrs. Parsons? … Continue reading “Ava and Frank Tell the Truth to Louella Parsons,” Modern Screen, Feb. 1954
In 1957, Nevil Shute published his 21st novel, On the Beach. The story had originally appeared as a four-part story in a London periodical, being bound up into a single edition later that year along with new material that wasn’t included in the original stories. Set in the then-future of 1964, the book follows a group of people who struggle with the realization that they … Continue reading Book vs. Film: On the Beach
Mary (Ava Gardner) has returned home to her small “whistle stop” town after two years away. Since she’s back, she wants to reconnect with her old love, Kenny (George Raft). Kenny has become bitter after years of unhappiness, though, so Mary decides to take up a little fling with Kenny’s rival, a nightclub owner named Lew (Tom Conway). Kenny’s friend Gitlo (Victor McLaglen) is a … Continue reading Mill Creek Musings: Whistle Stop (1946)
A note from Lindsey: Happy Halloween! This post concludes TMP’s four-part, through-the-decades Horror Half-Week series in honor of the spooky holiday. Previous posts in the series: 1940s (The Face of Marble), 1950s (Attack of the Puppet People), 1960s (Carnival of Souls) Glamorous model Alison Parker (Cristina Raines) is in love with her rich, handsome boyfriend Michael (Chris Sarandon) but isn’t quite ready for the commitment … Continue reading HORROR HALF-WEEK, Day 4: The Sentinel (1977)
New Orleans in the late 1800s may seem like an exciting place, but it’s more complicated than exciting for the Beaurevel family. Barbara Beaurevel (Ava Gardner) is a young and beautiful girl, living with her cousin Paul (Melvyn Douglas) and his mother (Lucile Watson). Barbara’s aunt and cousin refuse to acknowledge her grandmother, who had a sketchy past but was only trying to provide for … Continue reading My Forbidden Past (1951)
