THE LOVES OF JOANNA GODDEN (Dir: Charles Frend, 1947). I Will Admit To Knowing Little About Movie Number

THE LOVES OF JOANNA GODDEN (Dir: Charles Frend, 1947). I will admit to knowing little about movie number 12 before watching. Yet The Loves of Joanna Godden is an Ealing Studios production of some pedigree, with a screenplay by H E Bates and music by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Somewhat atypical of Ealing, Joanna Godden is a romantic period piece starring Googie Withers as a young woman who inherits a sheep farm and is determined to make it a success without the aid of a husband. This proto-feminist plot is unusual in post-war British cinema and especially so from Ealing whose protagonists are almost always men. This is certainly to be commended. As is the beautiful Romney Marsh locales and the realistic depiction of the devastation caused by an outbreak of foot and mouth disease. It is perhaps here where Joanna Godden most belies its Ealing roots as the studio was paramount in the British documentary and social-realist movement. Watching Miss Withers juggle the duel concerns of lambing and of finding or fending off potential suitors is not exactly thrilling; yet the film is enjoyable and worth a watch as an unusual release from the years when Ealing was at the peak of its powers. 100+ movie reviews now available on my blog jinglebonesmovietime.blogspot.com

ALL ABOUT EVE (Dir: Joseph L Mankiewicz, 1950). Fasten your seatbelts for movie number 9: All About Eve. This backstage drama made cinema history with 14 Oscar nominations, a record it held for almost half a decade until Titanic equalled the feat in 1998. Both Bette Davis and Anne Baxter we’re nominated in the Best Actress category, although both went home empty handed (see previous post). In truth the movie is more of an ensemble piece, with above the title Celeste Holm and George Sanders equally important to the narrative. Mankiewicz’s highly quotable screenplay is witty and waspish by turns and, as director, he elicits excellent performances from the entire cast, including a pre-stardom turn from ingénue Marilyn Monroe. 100+ movie reviews now available on my blog jinglebonesmovietime.blogspot.com

SUSPICION (Dir: Alfred Hitchcock, 1941). 
Cary Grant is a decidedly dodgy geezer and Joan Fontaine his timid bride who suspects him of murder in movie number 11: Suspicion. Let’s be honest; this is not quite top drawer Hitchcock. It is, however, very, very good. Lacking much of the gallows humour and nail-biting set pieces which characterise Hitchcock’s later work, this is still a thoroughly entertaining romantic melodrama-cum-thriller. Some slightly artificial Hollywood sets stand in for the English countryside, but otherwise the whole thing is beautifully shot and expertly played by a stellar cast, especially Nigel Bruce as Grant’s bumbling, naive business partner. Highlights include a grizzly conversation about autopsy over a chicken dinner, a t
ense game of ‘Anagrams’ and the single most suspenseful glass of milk in movie history! Great stuff! 100+ movie reviews now available on my blog jinglebonesmovietime.blogspot.com

Attention Goosebumps fandom!

Can someone help me find better quality versions of these two pictures?

The second picture is what shows on Netflix while loading episodes of the Goosebumps TV series. I’m not sure where the first picture is from I saw it on someone’s profile picture.

Both of these pictures intrigue me since the design of Slappy is from 2008 (my favourite cannon Slappy design) but I’ve never seen them alongside any of the promotional art from 2008. They’re not from any book art either to my knowledge.

If anyone finds the full pictures please let me know!

RIP Dave Smith; founder of The Walt Disney Archives and its chief archivist from 1970 to 2010. He also authored some fine books on the Disney Studios.

BORN YESTERDAY (Dir: George Cukor, 1950) Movie of the year number 8, Born Yesterday, is an absolute classic. Judy Holliday’s recreation of her Broadway role as the uneducated mistress of bent junk magnet Broderick Crawford is one the greatest comedic performances in cinema history. Maybe the greatest. Completing the trio of fine star performances is William Holden as the journalist who Crawford hires to smarten Holliday up. All three are excellent but the movie is really Holliday’s; deservedly winning her the Best Actress Oscar in a tough category including heavyweights Bette Davis (All About Eve) and Gloria Swanson (Sunset Boulevard). Perhaps slightly betraying its stage origins, this is still a cinematic gem with Cukor handling the intelligent razor sharp Garson Kanin dialogue with his usual class. Born Yesterday is truly classic Hollywood at its finest. I cannot recommend this movie highly enough. 100+ movie reviews now available on my blog jinglebonesmovietime.blogspot.com