Interview with Cary Grant’s Daughter {Video}

This weekend, CBS Sunday Morning featured an interview with Jennifer Grant, Cary Grant’s only child. It’s interesting to see this other side of the famous legend—that of loving father. I enjoyed the interview and think the book sounds great. It’s nice that Jennifer obviously loves and respects her dad so much. (Unlike some celebrity children—not saying any names). ;)

Here is the interview, which features endearing home video footage of Cary and young Jennifer.

To read the interview for Parade magazine that Jennifer did on the book, click here.

And finally, I recently stumbled across this recording of Cary Grant speaking/singing a lullaby. It’s amusing and definitely worth a listen!

New Poll: What era of Cary Grant do you prefer?

In my last review, I mentioned that I prefer the earlier Cary Grant to his later roles. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll watch just about any Cary Grant movie—’30s, ‘40s, ‘50s, or ‘60s—and I do enjoy a lot of the older ones. But the reason I prefer him in his earlier films is because he seemed to loosen up more. He was more fun and crazy, not afraid to do handstands or play a persona outside his Cary Grant ‘image’. In some of his later roles he sometimes comes across (to me) as bored, indifferent and distant.

Anyway, this got me to thinking about a discussion that Millie and Kate had a while back (click on their respective names to see those posts) whether the ‘30s/’40s Cary or the ‘50s/’60s Cary was better. I decided to put up a poll and see what YOU think.

Here is a partial filmography to get a better idea of what films were made in which decade. (I put an asterisk next to and bolded the ones I’ve seen so you know where my bias is coming from :) ).

In the 1930s and 1940s these are some of the films he made:

Blonde Venus
She Done Him Wrong
Thirty Day Princess
Wings in the Dark
Sylvia Scarlett
*Topper
*The Awful Truth
*Bringing up Baby
*Holiday
Gunga Din
*Only Angels Have Wings
In Name Only
*His Girl Friday
*My Favorite Wife
*The Philadelphia Story
*Penny Serenade
*Suspicion
*The Talk of the Town
*Once Upon a Honeymoon
Destination Tokyo
*Arsenic and Old Lace
None But the Lonely Heart
Night and Day
*Notorious
*The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer
*The Bishop's Wife
*Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
Every Girl Should Be Married
*I Was a Male War Bride

In the 1950s and 1960s these are some of the films he made:

Crisis
*People Will Talk
Room for One More
Monkey Business
Dream Wife
*To Catch a Thief
*An Affair to Remember
Kiss Them for Me
Indiscreet
Houseboat
*North by Northwest
Operation Petticoat
*The Grass Is Greener
That Touch of Mink
*Charade
Father Goose
Walk, Don't Run

What do you think? Vote in the poll on the side bar.

Short Review: Once Upon a Honeymoon (1942)

Feb. 3, 2011
28. Once Upon a Honeymoon (1942)
Starring Cary Grant, Ginger Rogers, Walter Slezak, Albert Dekker, Albert Basserman
Directed by Leo McCarey
Plot: “In pre-WW2 Europe, a woman notices that wherever her husband goes, the Nazis seem to follow. Meanwhile, a charming reporter is following them…” (from IMDb)
This film is an uneven blend of serious wartime drama, romance, and comedy. Despite genuine moments in each of these genres, the film does lag significantly in parts. Add to that a storyline revolving around the serious subject matter of the Nazi over-take of Europe and deportation of Jews, and the audience isn’t sure what to think—or when to laugh and when to cry. As for the acting, although at least one contemporary critic praised Ginger as giving one of her best performances, I could not agree. She evens out as her character matures, but near the beginning she is all over the map. I am usually a fan of Ginger, but in this film she sporadically uses and drops an accent, and sometimes just acts really odd. Cary, on the other hand, was extremely charming and enjoyable in this role. It’s watching films like this—where he is so full of life and spontaneity—that reminds me why I prefer his earlier screen roles to the later, more hardened image he adopted in the ’50s and ’60s. But back to the movie… It’s not an altogether awful film, but somehow it just doesn’t mesh. 
For better old films set against the onset of the Second World War in Europe, I recommend:
For comedy: Lubitsch’s To Be or Not to Be (1942)
For suspense/drama: Hitchcock’s Foreign Correspondent (1940)
I’m drawing a blank on the romance angle, though I’m sure that there is one out there.

Short Review: To Catch a Thief (1955)

Jan. 30, 2011

26. To Catch a Thief (1955)

Starring Cary Grant, Grace Kelly, Jessie Royce Landis, John Williams

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock

Plot: “When a reformed jewel thief is suspected of returning to his former occupation, he must ferret out the real thief in order to prove his innocence. ” (from IMDb)

Some view this film as more of a Hitchcock “lite”, but I really enjoyed it. The plot was fun, the on-location shooting on the French Riviera was breathtaking, costumes by Edith Head were stunning, the dialogue was witty, Jessie Royce Landis was delightful as the mother, and the two leads played nicely off each other. Surprisingly, I did not really like Grant much in this role (though I know I will probably get lambasted for saying that). He just seemed a little…I don’t know…dull and bland. Maybe his performance will grow on me, though. But the picture as a whole is lot of fun and a wonderful escape into the glamorous Technicolor world of Europe, intrigue, mystery, and romance. What more could I ask for?