This being #NationalCoffeeDay Weekend ... it is fitting for my CINEMA COFFEE post to arrive on such a day. I know I am forever posting/talking about Coffee and Cinema, and how my Mom and I were when it came to Coffee and Cinema. We could not have one without the other. My Mom was a coffee drinker "from way back" as she'd tell me, back when she started drinking coffee, she'd drink her coffee black and strong ... "See, you couldn't hang with me," she'd tease. No. No, I couldn't. I am a coffee drinker too, but hand over that bottle of liquid creamer or half and half with a jar of sugar and you've got yourself a coffee based "hot chocolate" ... Cha-Ching. Yep. That's me, a bit of coffee in my cream and sugar. Though, mind you, we liked STRONG coffee. We were the Dean Martin's of the coffee. We had an inside joke about "double perking" we picked up from watching The Jack Benny Program one night a few years ago with Mel Blanc being arrested for double perking the coffee ....
Having prepped you with my coffee setup, it's time for a bit of the cinema bit ...
CLAUDIA (1943), which marks the film debut of Dorothy McGuire in Motion Pictures, had just come off of acting in the role of Claudia on Broadway with its 722 performance run. More on that later.
I came upon this film one morning at the crack of dawn, as so wrapped in Classic Cinema I had began to become, I would build my whole day around watching Classic Films, no matter how early, how late, while working with the tele on in the background, or recording every film I had lined up for the day and watching them when I came home or during my free time ... (I'm the same way with books, but as Joel McCrea says in THE PALM BEACH STORY, "That's a different plot entirely."). This particular morning was no different. I am a Robert Young fan, so as I do with all my film favorites, I used to print out a schedule or set a reminder of all the films that particular actor was going to be in over the course of the next couple of weeks or for the duration of the month. Note to self: "CLAUDIA ... Hmm. Dorothy McGuire? Oh yes, the girl from THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE! Loved that one. Sure, I'll give this CLAUDIA a once over." And I'm afraid that was almost all I was able to give it. A once over. Involved I became in the storyline. Involved.
I came upon this film one morning at the crack of dawn, as so wrapped in Classic Cinema I had began to become, I would build my whole day around watching Classic Films, no matter how early, how late, while working with the tele on in the background, or recording every film I had lined up for the day and watching them when I came home or during my free time ... (I'm the same way with books, but as Joel McCrea says in THE PALM BEACH STORY, "That's a different plot entirely."). This particular morning was no different. I am a Robert Young fan, so as I do with all my film favorites, I used to print out a schedule or set a reminder of all the films that particular actor was going to be in over the course of the next couple of weeks or for the duration of the month. Note to self: "CLAUDIA ... Hmm. Dorothy McGuire? Oh yes, the girl from THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE! Loved that one. Sure, I'll give this CLAUDIA a once over." And I'm afraid that was almost all I was able to give it. A once over. Involved I became in the storyline. Involved.
Though there are certain films I become attached to after I leave them, some, even more so, stick to me, as if I've lived those give or take 120 minutes of cinema in real time, in real life. This was CLAUDIA for me. The story of a girl and her Mother.
I won't give ANY of the film away. To get the full effect of it, it's best to leave it that way. My Mom and I were the type of film watchers who didn't want to know too much about the film going in if we knew it was an attractive storyline that appealed to us. Even when we'd map out our movie trips to the theater, we'd watch a trailer a couple of times before we'd finally say, okay, that's enough, we're cutting it off from here. My Mom was firm in the belief, the more trailers you see, a different, extended trailer being released at every turn before the film hits the theater, "you've seen the whole picture right there." I was apt to agree with her. |
However, I will say that the performances given in CLAUDIA are acted in such away, you feel not only included in their storyline, but anyone who can relate to what's happening, feels as though they were in it. Personally. Be it of 1943 or today. Aside from being married, CLAUDIA was me all over.
And lest we forget what an added feature Reginald Gardiner is to ANY film, no matter the role, be it as the zany Policeman turned "Conductor" in the park with Eleanor Powell and James Stewart in BORN TO DANCE (1936) or as Ginger Rogers husband in THE BLACK WIDOW (1954). When Reginald shows up in CLAUDIA, your face is plastered with a smile you can't seem to wipe off even after he's left. "Milk? I loathe milk!"
Whenever I came across a film that I enjoyed to that extent, I'd always "run" and tell my Best Friend about it ... my Stella for a Star, my Mom. |
Figuring I could muster up enough energy to watch the film again, my Mom and I made CLAUDIA our Saturday Nite Movie Night film of the week. When it was over ... She felt the same way I did the first time I watched it. It's good, but I can't do it again.
Yeah, it has that much heart..
Yeah, it has that much heart..
I have to say, Robert Young has never been better in any other film as he is in CLAUDIA as David, Claudia's husband, (or with Hedy Lamarr in H. M. PULHAM, ESQ (worth noting Hedy Lamarr said of all of her leading men in pictures, Robert Young was her favorite ... wow). or again with McGuire in THE ENCHANTED COTTAGE). The chemistry between David and Claudia (acted by Dorothy McGuire), is just the right touch, just the right amount to wonder why those two didn't become a frequent on screen couple, outside their sequel to CLAUDIA in CLAUDIA AND DAVID (1946), and the aforementioned 1945 film THE ENCHANTED COTTAGE (both films I HIGHLY recommend if unseen).
Most people, when they think of Robert Young, they either think "Father Knows Best" or him as a "plus one" character in the story, much (regrettably, IMO) as some do with Franchot Tone. They were so much more when given the opportunity to showcase what they could do as Actors, not just as an ornament on a tree or costume jewelry to put on once you've gotten all dressed up.
The simplicity Dorothy McGuire brings to the role is so natural and quiet, it speaks volumes heard from the stage to seats in the balcony.
Such a hit this story, based on the 1941 Broadway Play, which was based on the 1939 novel, both by Rose Franken, made with audiences, it was soon adapted into a serial soap opera for Radio in 1941 as a part of THE KATE SMITH HOUR, before getting its own broadcasting slot in place of THE KATE SMITH HOUR during the Summer Season. (If you have an Old Time Radio app, or listen to OTR online (a past time I was able to "trick" my Mom into ... fun times), I truly recommend listening to this series on your days away from the world, when you just want to sit back and listen into the life of CLAUDIA AND DAVID).
As always, I'll leave you with your choice of Coffee (or strong "hot chocolate"), Latte, Macchiato, Espresso or Café during your retreat away, at my CINEMA COFFEE House ... #ForMyMom. Our door is always open.
Such a hit this story, based on the 1941 Broadway Play, which was based on the 1939 novel, both by Rose Franken, made with audiences, it was soon adapted into a serial soap opera for Radio in 1941 as a part of THE KATE SMITH HOUR, before getting its own broadcasting slot in place of THE KATE SMITH HOUR during the Summer Season. (If you have an Old Time Radio app, or listen to OTR online (a past time I was able to "trick" my Mom into ... fun times), I truly recommend listening to this series on your days away from the world, when you just want to sit back and listen into the life of CLAUDIA AND DAVID).
As always, I'll leave you with your choice of Coffee (or strong "hot chocolate"), Latte, Macchiato, Espresso or Café during your retreat away, at my CINEMA COFFEE House ... #ForMyMom. Our door is always open.
For my other CINEMA COFFEE blog pieces:
#ForMyMom Cinema Coffee ... | COFFEE CINEMA: Talking Streetcar | CINEMA COFFEE: "Et tu, Brute?" | CINEMA COFFEE: "La Chocolaterie" | CINEMA COFFEE: "Milk? I loathe milk!" | CINEMA COFFEE: "Elderberry Wine ..." | CINEMA COFFEE: "The choice I never had ..." | CINEMA COFFEE: "The smell of Mimosa" | CINEMA COFFEE: "Mighty like a Rose" | CINEMA COFFEE: "Don't cry on the rolls" | CINEMA COFFEE: "You're the first Kansas I ever met" | CINEMA COFFEE: "Everybody calls me Gracie" | CINEMA COFFEE: "What the devil are Belinskis?!" | CINEMA COFFEE: "Hello friends and enemies." | CINEMA COFFEE: "Stop remindin' me of heaven." | CINEMA COFFEE: "Even Gatsby could happen" | CINEMA COFFEE: "I made a wish" | CINEMA COFFEE: Audie Murphy | CINEMA COFFEE: Put The Blame on Mame | CINEMA COFFEE: "Just Singleton." | CINEMA COFFEE: "Where I Come From, Nobody Knows" | Film Therapy: Coping through Cinema | CINEMA COFFEE: Socks fall down | CINEMA COFFEE: "The moon's reaching for me" | CINEMA COFFEE: The Horne: Luso World Cinema Blogathon | CINEMA COFFEE: Aunt Bettye Lightsy | CINEMA COFFEE: I never lose | CINEMA COFFEE: "I have a mother!" | CINEMA COFFEE: THE SIGN OF GEMINI | CINEMA COFFEE: Venus Rising | CINEMA COFFEE: Stan vs Geek | CINEMA COFFEE: "Positively the same dame" | CINEMA COFFEE: I would rather lose ma whip than lose ma Daisy! | CINEMA COFFEE: "D'ENTRE LES MORTS goes VERTIGO"
#ForMyMom Cinema Coffee ... | COFFEE CINEMA: Talking Streetcar | CINEMA COFFEE: "Et tu, Brute?" | CINEMA COFFEE: "La Chocolaterie" | CINEMA COFFEE: "Milk? I loathe milk!" | CINEMA COFFEE: "Elderberry Wine ..." | CINEMA COFFEE: "The choice I never had ..." | CINEMA COFFEE: "The smell of Mimosa" | CINEMA COFFEE: "Mighty like a Rose" | CINEMA COFFEE: "Don't cry on the rolls" | CINEMA COFFEE: "You're the first Kansas I ever met" | CINEMA COFFEE: "Everybody calls me Gracie" | CINEMA COFFEE: "What the devil are Belinskis?!" | CINEMA COFFEE: "Hello friends and enemies." | CINEMA COFFEE: "Stop remindin' me of heaven." | CINEMA COFFEE: "Even Gatsby could happen" | CINEMA COFFEE: "I made a wish" | CINEMA COFFEE: Audie Murphy | CINEMA COFFEE: Put The Blame on Mame | CINEMA COFFEE: "Just Singleton." | CINEMA COFFEE: "Where I Come From, Nobody Knows" | Film Therapy: Coping through Cinema | CINEMA COFFEE: Socks fall down | CINEMA COFFEE: "The moon's reaching for me" | CINEMA COFFEE: The Horne: Luso World Cinema Blogathon | CINEMA COFFEE: Aunt Bettye Lightsy | CINEMA COFFEE: I never lose | CINEMA COFFEE: "I have a mother!" | CINEMA COFFEE: THE SIGN OF GEMINI | CINEMA COFFEE: Venus Rising | CINEMA COFFEE: Stan vs Geek | CINEMA COFFEE: "Positively the same dame" | CINEMA COFFEE: I would rather lose ma whip than lose ma Daisy! | CINEMA COFFEE: "D'ENTRE LES MORTS goes VERTIGO"