There are very, very few movies that I'll sit through multiple times. I'm just not much of a videophile. Oh, I'll watch Blazing Saddles (seriously, can you ever get too many fart scenes?), Young Frankenstein (I miss Marty Feldman), Buckaroo Bonzai, Hair (terrific music), 12 Angry Men (maybe one of the most intense movies I've ever seen), and maybe a few others from time to time, but mostly once I've seen a movie, the magic is gone.
Last night, we watched Harvey for the umpteenth time, at least for me. I just love that movie. Every time I watch it, I'm more charmed. I still laugh out loud at certain points, too. It's just a wonderful, wonderful movie.
Memorable stuff, at least for me (if you've been living in a cave since 1950 and don't have any idea what this movie is about, I dont think there are any spoilers below):
Here, let me give you one of my cards. Now if you should want to call me, use this number. This other one is the old number.
Well, I've wrestled with reality for 35 years, Doctor, and I'm happy to state I finally won out over it.
Years ago my mother used to say to me, she'd say, "In this world, Elwood, you must be" - she always called me Elwood - "In this world, Elwood, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant." Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. You may quote me.
The other characters in the movie have some great lines, too, but Jimmy Stewart is simply brilliant in this movie. It's just so refreshing to see a movie about an incredibly nice guy. There are so few things to make one happy out there these days, a good dose of Harvey is still around to do it for me.
14 comments:
"Well, I've wrestled with reality for 35 years, Doctor, and I'm happy to state I finally won out over it." What a great line! I've been wrestling with reality for 56 years, and it's still kicking my butt. Where's Harvey when you need him?
Indeed. In theory, at least, Harvey will show up if you need him. Sometimes reality does indeed bite.
There are some films I will giggle through and "Blazing Saddles" is one of them. It gets me every time. Also..."Airplane."
Captain Oveur: You ever been in a cockpit before?
Joey: No sir, I've never been up in a plane before.
Captain Oveur: You ever seen a grown man naked?
I love older films, and love Jimmy Stewart. He was on TCM the other night in a film with dancer Eleanor Powell called "Born to Dance," (also starring Buddy Ebsen.) One of the rare times Jimmy sang and danced, and he was utterly boyish charm.
I read somewhere recently about Eleanor Powell, "She was the only dancer that could make you take your eyes off Fred Astaire," and boy that's the truth.
Have you ever seen Stewart in Mr. Hobbs Takes A Vacation? One of my favorite summer films. Classic. I'd be hard pressed to pick my favorite Jimmy Stewart film. Probably Hitchcock's "Rear Window."
Do you like gladiator movies, Joey?
Every time I've ever watched "Airplane", I've seen something in it that I missed before.
A lot of people don't know that Buddy Ebsen was a dancer in the movies before he became Jed Clampett.
I love this movie too. Isn't Jimmy Stewart just one of the best actors of all time? He had this dry delivery that made ANY line funny. There's been no one like him before or since.
I do believe that almost any movie could have been improved by putting Jimmy Stewart into it. Although, and this may be sacrilegious to a lot of people, I really wouldn't mind if I was never subjected to "It's A Wonderful Life" again.
I love Jimmy Stewart in just about everything, but I have yet to see It's a Wonderful Life. I just don't care about it. I'd rather think of him in the numerous Hitchcock films he did, or in Harvey. :)
Wow. I don't usually say this about movies because there are so many classics that I've never seen myself, but you've never seen "It's A Wonderful Life"? It's the original sappy, formulaic, but makes-you-cry-with-joy-at-the-end movie. I think everyone should see it once. Just once.
I think that I never really saw it because i know what it's all about. I've seen it in flashes, but really, when you're born in 1985, by the time you're 12 or 13, you've seen 'It's A Wonderful Life' parodies on absolutely everything. I asked someone once what the real movie was about, they told me, and I never watched it. I have this thing where if I know how a movie ends, it's hard to get myself to watch it that first time. I'm sure I'll watch it eventually, I'll probably catch it around Christmastime this year.
You might as well watch it. It'll be on TV 3,427,962 times starting about the end of August and going well into January.
Sacrilege! "It's a Wonderful Life" is brilliant! Because of Jimmy Stewart, of course.
Yeah, well, that's just one of many "classics" that I never really understood the appeal of. Right up there with "The Godfather" and "Citizen Kane".
Ugh, Citizen Kane! Why is that a classic? Do. Not. Get. It.
Apparently it's because Jimmy Stewart wasn't cast in the lead.
Post a Comment