As much as I like to be a grump on Valentine’s Day, there’s no doubt I’m a total sucker for romantic films. Romance is one of my most-watched genres, and one of the most-represented genres in my film collection. From the rom-coms of my youth to heartbreaking classic melodramas to screwballs starring Cary Grant, I’ve come to love a lot of films about love. Back … Continue reading Collector’s Corner: Favorite romance purchases!
The favorite film: The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, a 1947 romantic fantasy directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz The cast: Gene Tierney as Lucy Rex Harrision as Captain Daniel Gregg George Sanders as Miles “Uncle Neddy” Fairley Edna Best as Martha Huggins Robert Coote as Mr. Coombe The synopsis: Since the death of her husband, Lucy Muir has been living with his family, but she and … Continue reading Favorite things about… The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947)
Blacky Gorman (Joel McCrea) and Marje Harris (Ginger Rogers) are young and in love. They’ve been casually dating for a couple of years, and Blacky is finally ready to propose, having found success as a gas station owner. Their future is set. One day, though, Glory Franklyn (Marian Nixon) comes veering into Blacky’s life. She visits his gas station, nearly tearing the place down with … Continue reading Chance at Heaven (1933)
Lorry Evans (Constance Bennett) and Minnie Brown (Pert Kelton) have been released from jail and are boarding a boat for New Orleans. They’re short on money and prospects, but hope they’ll have some luck in the city. When they run into trouble on the boat, Lorry jumps overboard to avoid being arrested again and is pulled from the water by cotton barge skipper Dan (Joel … Continue reading Bed of Roses (1933)
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)
Nora Hunter (Laraine Day) is a very wealthy woman, but also a very mysterious one. Choosing not to let herself be seen by the general public, whenever there’s work outside of the home office that must be done, she sends her assistant Sylvia Lockwood (Marsha Hunt) out in her place. Nora’s trouble is that she doesn’t want anyone to know she’s rich. It tends to … Continue reading Bride By Mistake (1944)
Alan Quinton (Joseph Cotten) is an officer on the front in Italy during World War II. A fellow officer, Roger Morland (Robert Sully), has enlisted Alan’s help with a personal project. Before heading off to war, Roger met a girl named Victoria (Jennifer Jones), and he needs help coming up with romantic things to say to her in his letters. Alan writes the letters in … Continue reading Love Letters (1945)
The favorite film: Rebecca, a 1940 romantic thriller from the Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock The synopsis: When a shy young woman meets and falls in love with the wealthy Maxim de Winter in Monte Carlo, they quickly marry before heading back to his Cornwall estate, Manderley. But after arriving, the bride finds that the memory of Maxim’s first wife still looms large over Manderley. … Continue reading Favorite things about… Rebecca (1940)
The favorite film: How to Steal a Million, directed by William Wyler The synopsis: Monsieur Bonnet has a legendary art collection. He sells select works for great prices at auction, and lends others to museums for special exhibits. His father was also in the art business. But the Bonnets have a secret: they’re forgers, not collectors! When a Venus statue, supposedly sculpted by Cellini but … Continue reading Favorite things about… How to Steal a Million (1966)
Professors Charles Osman (Marc Connelly) and Leon Sullivan (Ray Walston) don’t know what’s about to hit them at the beginning of a new semester at Custer College. That “what” is a new student, June Ryder (Jane Fonda), who mows the men down on her bicycle on her first day on campus. As fate would have it, June was looking for the two men, anyway. She … Continue reading Tall Story (1960)
