Sunday, August 24, 2008

Entry for June 29, 2008 ~ An Ordinary Chap?...

I love Cary Grant...always have, always will.
When I was growing up, I would catch his movies on the old Bill Kennedy at the Movies program ~ the most often played was "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House," "My Favorite Wife," and "Topper."
Other favorites that I caught on to later were "The Philadelphia Story," "Arsenic and Old Lace," "To Catch A Thief," "Suspicion," "Alice In Wonderland," "North by Northwest," and many, many others.
I realize nowadays people go to the movies expecting all kinds of special effects, action and sarcastic-type humor. None of the subtleties of bygone days for the modern crowd!
In those days (we have noticed) people were also much more dapper, well-dressed and well-mannered. Not loud, no foul language, no over-done anything...
There was a classy-ness that pervaded the movies back then that one is hard pressed to find anymore. Actresses presented themselves to the public in elegant gowns, actors in three-piece suits.
In this picture (above) I put together some of the best work Mr. Grant put out ~ his Mr. Blandings character being my favorite ~ which is why I left it in color. Too bad they don't make movies like they did back then...
The scope of his work entailed everything from slapstick comedy (he was one of the best with his timing) to the most serious roles (for Alfred Hitchcock) ~ even in the hard-to-find "Alice In Wonderland," of which I am most fortunate to own a copy ~ no matter what he played, he was outstanding in the part.
Mr. Grant hailed as a young actor, specializing in acrobatics and pantomime, from Bristol, England, and his real name was Archibald Leach. In 1920, he was chosen as part of his troupe to come to America in "Good Times" for Broadway and decided to stay here.
His career in film, to my mind, is unparalleled. He went on to make many movies, impressing everyone with his gentlemanly ways, his sexy persona, his wit and his screen presence. Once an interviewer remarked to him, "Everybody would like to be Cary Grant." He immediately shot back, "So would I." He was always one to say that he considered himself to be "just an ordinary chap."
It is said that, as he grew older, he became disenchanted with the new realism in modern film. I don't blame him; there are too many violent, graphic and offensive movies out now.
I am happy to say that my own DVD collection includes much of his work...since I only go to see the best!
Cary Grant was one of them.

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