Watching Classic Movies

While the actress Veronica Lake dealt with her share of trauma, her life was not quite the tragedy that it has long been rumored to be. Before she hit her mid-twenties she had appeared in six bonafide classic films, including Sullivan’s Travels, a series of noirs with Alan Ladd starting with This Gun for Hire, I Married a Witch and So Proudly We Hail. She left Hollywood behind, but never stopped working on the stage and in television, while pursuing the life she was unable to have as a young star. I spoke with UCLA Cinema and Media Studies Program Manager and Lake enthusiast and researcher Brian Brown about the highs and lows of this remarkable actress.

Toshiro Mifune was one of the first classic film stars I loved and yet I didn’t know much about him personally. I decided to remedy that by talking to writer and CineJourneys co-founder Jill Blake. Jill has researched and written about Mifune and had a lot to share about his life, career, and remarkable partnership with filmmaker Akira Kurosawa.

Check out Jill's work

Biographer Eve Golden returns to the show to discuss her latest

. This vivacious star deserves a reputation overall. Lies, rumors, and misperceptions have clouded Velez’ legacy. While she didn’t have the opportunities and regard that her talent and starpower should have brought her, she had a remarkable, decades-long career and was a beloved, fascinating woman. 

Content warning: we discuss Lupe’s suicide from 21:04 to 24:58 if you would prefer to skip that part of the conversation.

I love the movie suggestions Brian Sauer shares as co-host of the Pure Cinema Podcast and as host of Just the Discs podcast and YouTube show. He always comes up with intriguing films I haven’t seen for my ever expanding to-watch list. In this episode, Brian shares five classic film picks and two spares, that would be his selections if he were scheduling the TCM Classic Film Festival. I loved the element of surprise in our conversation, especially because some of his picks sounded great and I can't wait to watch them. 

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Fashion Instagrammer and actress Rachel Boyce lives her love of 60s and 1700s fashion. While we tend to refer to previous decades when talking about fashion trends, Rachel looks back centuries when sharing her extensive knowledge about how past looks influence the present. We talked about how many years of different styles found their way into the cultural explosion of the sixties, including the wide variety of films made in that decade. 

The 1989 film Chameleon Street, written, directed by, and starring Wendell B. Harris Jr. won the grand jury prize for a dramatic film at Sundance Film Festival in 1990. But that honor didn’t lead to the accolades and long directing career that it should have. This quirky masterwork tells the true crime story of William Douglas Street, Jr., a con artist from Detroit who has successfully impersonated athletes, lawyers, reporters, and doctors over a long career of scamming. He is currently in prison for identity theft. I spoke with Cinema Detroit co-founder Paula Guthat about this fascinating film, the wild story behind it, and how Harris molded this tale of the con into a reflection of life, society, and the performance of being human. 

My guest is Janie McKirgan, Executive Director of the Jimmy Stewart Museum in Indiana, Pennsylvania

We talked about the long history of this museum that seems humble from the outside, but has an extensive collection within and a movie theater that shows Stewart films every day. It’s a beloved institution in a town that still shows a lot of love for its most famous native.

My guests are Lynell Seabold, Executive Director of the Ava Gardner Museum in Smithfield, North Carolina and Lora Stocker a longtime volunteer for the museum who has served as a social media consultant and board member. 

We talked about what the museum has to offer both as a physical and virtual experience, including the many ways the museum celebrates Ava Gardner and unites fans and collectors from around the world. 

My guest is Dorothy Schultz, curator of the James Dean Museum

We had a great talk about this thriving tribute to an actor who burned bright in his short life and left an enduring legacy. The museum is home to the largest collection of Dean artifacts and attracts visitors from around the world. It is also deeply loved and supported by the surrounding community, which includes Dean’s family. Dorothy shared stories about the museum and the annual festival it hosts, tips about how to make the most of a visit, and what Dean means to her as an artist and influential figure.

My guest, Lara Gabrielle is the author of Captain of Her Soul: The Life of Marion Davies. We talked about Davies career, which was more successful than rumor would have it, her unique and mysterious long-term relationship with William Randolph Hearst, the enormous good she did for friends, family, and the community, and how unraveling the myths about her is a crucial part of telling her story. 

My guest, Paula Yoo is a screenwriter, producer, violinist and author of several books for young readers including the gorgeous picture book Shining Star: The Anna May Wong Story, with illustrations by Lin Wang. We talked about the significance of the new quarter featuring Wong, the first Asian American to be on US currency, her difficult, but fruitful career as a movie actress and how her story relates to the challenges we face as a society today. 

My guest, Tom Zimmerman is the author of The Queen of Technicolor: Maria Montez in Hollywood. 

Montez was a unique star, imperious, but warm, not known for her acting ability, but skilled in committing completely to a role, whether in a skimpy costume for the six legendary Neverland films she made for Universal, or in a grittier setting, such as for her more noirish European roles. 

We talked about the magnetism, determination, and integrity of this remarkable woman. 

My guest, Luis Reyes, is the author of Viva Hollywood: The Legacy of Latin and Hispanic Artists in American Film. We talked about the changing representation of this varied and vibrant group in Hollywood, and artists from the popular to the underseen, while celebrating the fact that Latin and Hispanic people in film have long been an integral part of the industry with many towering accomplishments and innovations to offer. 

I was honored to spend time with my guest, director, writer, producer, and playwright George Stevens Jr., founder of the American Film Institute, creator of the AFI Life Achievement Award and the Kennedy Center Honors, and winner of honors including the Emmy, Oscar, Peabody Award, and Writers Guild Award. 

He began his career helping his father, Hollywood director George Stevens make films and later moved to Washington D.C. to make films for Edward R. Murrow, where in addition to his eventual work with AFI, he worked with nearly every president from Kennedy to the present day and knew some of the most celebrated artistic talents and political minds of his times. 

Mr. Stevens’ new memoir, My Place in the Sun: Life in the Golden Age of Hollywood and Washington is a fascinating document of the different worlds, societal shifts, and amazing people he experienced. I found myself tearing up multiple times reading this moving tale of triumph and loss which celebrates a remarkably rich life. It’s awesome story shared by a kind and humble man. We had a great talk about some of his key moments. 

My guest, Lora Stocker is a graphic designer, artist , and illustrator who has worked with Turner Classic Movies social media. She’s also a board member of and social media strategist for the Ava Gardner Museum in Smithfield, North Carolina. We talked about the different phases of Gardner’s five decade career, how she went from an untrained discovery to an accomplished actress, and both her popular films and some lesser known suggested picks. 

Films featured in this episode: 

Ghosts on the Loose (1943) 

Whistle Stop (1946) 

The Killers (1946) 

The Bribe (1949) 

Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (1951) 

City on Fire (1979) 

Earthquake (1974) 

Night of the Iguana (1964) 

Tam Lin (1970)

My guest is Millie De Chirico, programmer for Turner Classic Movies, including TCM Underground, and co-host of the essential movie podcast I Saw What You Did. 

While it is a period in her career that many find lacking, Millie and I are big fans of the movies Elizabeth Taylor made from the mid-sixties through the seventies. We had a talk about the unique magic of Taylor in middle-age, still beautiful and outrageously famous, but making bolder choices in her performances and choice of roles. 

Films Featured on This Episode: 

Reflections in a Golden Eye (1967) 

Boom (1968) 

Secret Ceremony (1968) 

The Only Game in Town (1970) 

X, Y, and Zee (1972) 

Hammersmith is Out (1972) 

Ash Wednesday (1973) 

Night Watch (1973) 

The Driver's Seat/ Identikit (1974) 

My guest, Rachel Boyce is an expert on 1960s and 18th Century fashion and the films that feature these styles. She shares that knowledge on her fascinating Instagram account, where I learn new things all the time. 

Rachel also collects vintage fashion. We talked about her most treasured acquisition: a dress owned by Sharon Tate, in addition the care of and ethics around vintage fashion, finding your true self through personal style, and how the 60s and 18th century are more closely linked in fashion and politics than you might think.

My guest, John DiLeo, has written seven books about film. His latest is There are No Small Parts: 100 Outstanding Film Performances with Screen Time of 10 Minutes or Less. We talked about the special characteristics of a brief, but potent screen performances and the many stars who made a lasting impression in a short appearance. 

In 1973, filmmaker Bill Gunn’s vampire/addiction movie Ganja & Hess was a sensation at the Cannes Film Festival. Starring Duane Jones, Marlene Clark, musician Sam Waymon, and Gunn himself, this mysterious, fascinating film should have been an arthouse sensation in the States. Instead it played a single New York theater for two weeks, before it was pulled and eventually re-edited in a more conventional manner for the exploitation market. I talked with Christopher Sieving, author of Pleading the Blood: Bill Gunn’s Ganja & Hess, about the film, Gunn’s greatest works, and the career that this remarkable director, writer, and actor should have had. 

My guest, Alicia Malone is a TCM host and the author of Backwards in Heels: The Past, Present, and Future of Women Working in Film, The Female Gaze: Essential Movies Made by Women and her latest Girls on Film: Lessons from a Life of Watching Women in Movies. We talked about her journey to embrace her authentic self, what she’s focusing on next in her remarkable career, and how her perspective on film has grown and changed over years of movie fandom. 

My guest Brian Sauer writes the review site Rupert Pupkin Speaks, hosts the podcast and YouTube channel Just the Discs, and is co-host of the official New Beverly Cinema podcast Pure Cinema. 

As the complete Thin Man mystery series has been released on Blu-ray for the first time, we celebrated by talking about the many fascinating and amusing elements of these six movies and the legendary pairing of series stars Myrna Loy and William Powell. 

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Kristen Lopez of Ticklish Business is one of my favorite classic film bloggers and podcasters. She's long had an interest in classic film biopics. We talked about the hits and misses in this most fascinating genre. 

Keep up with Kristen: 

Martin Turnbull is the author of several novels, including the nine book Garden of Allah series and his latest, All the Gin Joints. We talked about the history of the Garden of Allah Hotel and how it has influenced his writing. 

Love all the classic film GIFs online? That is thanks in part to my guest, GIPHY Editor Tiffany Vazquez, who has made a career of bringing brief, but potent moving images to millions of users.

While Tiffany loves sharing movie history and fun clips with the masses, there’s so much more to her work, from ways to make life easier to highlighting vibrant moments from the past. We had a great talk about the magnificent power and variety of GIFs.

I’ve been fascinated by silent film accompanists ever since I saw an organist playing jaunty tunes for Charlie Chaplin shorts at a local pizza parlor as a kid. 

From his beloved film guides, books, and tenure on Entertainment Tonight to his podcast Maltin on Movies, Leonard Maltin has been a part of my movie-watching life for as long as I can remember. He tells all in the fascinating new memoir Starstruck: My Unlikely Road to Hollywood. We talked about his life, career, and most treasured achievement.

There’s no star quite like the glittering, charismatic, and forever modern Josephine Baker. In the book Josephine Baker’s Cinematic Prism my guest Terri Simone Francis explains why Baker’s movies, while a small part of a phenomenal career are an important and enduring part of her legacy. Dr. Francis has also recently introduced a collection of four restored Josephine Baker films currently streaming on The Criterion Channel. We talked about the remarkable screen presence, agency, and appeal of this unique dancer, singer, and actress. 

When the movies were new, Vitagraph was the most successful film studio in the world. This was a time where as much as 85% of the population was seeing movies on a regular basis; that number is now less than 10%. Vitagraph’s innovations are numerous and influential to the present day, but the impact of the company has been overlooked in accounts of the time, until now. I spoke with Andrew Erish, author of Col. William N. Selig: The Man Who Invented Hollywood, about his new book Vitagraph: America’s First Great Motion Picture Studio, in which he sets the record straight and tells a fascinating story about the tumultuous birth of American cinema.

What makes a summer movie? It’s more than sun and sand. I talked with John Malahy of TCM about his book, Summer Movies: 30 Sun-Drenched Classics and we unpacked the many ways the season of vacations and warm weather can come alive in the movies.

They say never meet your heroes, but “they” never said anything about heroines. In my talk with Eve Golden, I found her to be every bit as witty, informed, and fun as I imagined her to be since I first started reading her Movieline column The Bottom Shelf in the 90s. Since then she has written two collections of film essays, and seven film and theater biographies, with an eighth on the way. We talked about her latest book Jayne Mansfield: The Girl Couldn’t Help It, her next biography, squealing, bullet bras, and all sorts of other important things.

A production of Kendahl Cruver of watchingclassicmovies.com

You can learn more about Eve Golden at her website evegolden.com/

There’s more to the actress Jane Russell than those “two things” they announced in the ads for her films. Writer, librarian and archivist Christina Rice can tell you all about it. Her first biography, Ann Dvorak: Hollywood’s Forgotten Rebel was a passion project. When her publisher suggested Russell as a follow up, she had to think about whether she wanted to write about this star about whom she knew so little. We are fortunate that she went for it, because her book Mean...Moody… Magnificent: Jane Russell and the Marketing of a Hollywood Legend is just as fascinating and addictive as her debut. We talked about her life, her career, and her must-see films.

A production of Kendahl Cruver and watchingclassicmovies.com

You can learn more about Christina Rice at: