Michael Caine Week: Zulu

Welcome back girls and boys to the second day of Michael Caine Week. As was previously mentioned, Michael Caine's first feature occurred in 1964. In which he played an inexperienced soldier during one of the more bloodier conflicts the British Army had ever faced. In January 22^nd 1879 approximately 100 British soldiers must do battle with over 4000 Zulu warriors in a pitch battle during the Anglo-Zulu War. After the crushing defeat during the Battle of Isandlwana, most of the soliders were sent to field hospital still under construction and they were building a bridge. This is Zulu.

Sand chaffing your willy too?

Pte. Henry Hook: Rourke's Drift... It'd take an Irishman to give his name to a rotten spoiling middle o' nowhere hole like this.

Natal Native Contingent Commander Adenoff sends message that of a massing army of 4,000 Zulu warriors are approaching Rourke's Drift. Senior officer Lieutentant John Chard (Stanley Baker of Hell Drivers, The Guns of Navarone, Accident, Zorro and How Green Was My Valley) has to assume command of a battered detachment of soliders and his second-in-command Lieutenant Bromhead (Michael Caine of Without a Clue, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Mr. Destiny, Noises Off... ,On Deadly Ground and Bullet to Beijing), a commissioned officer with no combat experience at all is a bit put off being subordinate to a engineer with a earlier commission. The two set aside their differences when word is sent that the army is marching their way across the land.

Chard proceeds to get as many strong backed men to tip wagons, load up sacks and crates in a defensive perimeter and hope for the best. The traveling missionary Otto Witt (Jack Hawkins of The Bridge on the River Kwai, Ben-Hur, Lawrence of Arabia, Nicholas and Alexandra, The Last Lion and Theatre of Blood) proceeds to find more faith in whiskey than the almighty and starts to tear down morale with his antics to the point that some of the Natal Native Contigent (transcribed natives made soldiers of the Empire) flee the terror of the upcoming battle. Chard has Witt locked in a supply room so he cannot demoralize them anymore than they already are.

A united front.

The men hear a strange rhythmic sound, a steady beat that sounds like a train pulling in the distance claimed Bromhead, when actuality it is the slapping of the assegais against their shields in perfect uniform. Terrified of things to come the soldiers hold their ground, aim their rifles and make peace with their lord as the wave enters. Slaughtering sixty Zulus, Bromhead feels confident and cocky while Chard reasons they sent in a skirmish wave to test the defenses and that the next wave will be massive. Determined to protect the camp on all fronts the lads pull together to watch one another's backs.

And now a few bits of trivia and fact of the film. Chief Mangosuthu Buthelezi, of the Zulu tribes was asked to play the part of his ancestor, King Cetywayo in the movie. He was asked to be his great-grand father and was both honored and proud to present the Zulu nation. Of the 700+ Zulu extras many of them were descendants of the actual warriors that took part in this epic battle.

Because the Zulus who were play extras in the film had never seen a movie, Stanley Baker held an outdoor screening of a Gene Autry film so they would have a rough idea about what movies are and what they mean to so many.

Michael Caine auditioned for the part of Lt. Bromhead and his audition was horrendous. Months later producer Joesph E. Levine found him at a cocktail party and asked Caine if he still wanted the part. Caine reminded him that the audition was "terrible" and Levine countered with the original actor is ill and the crew leaves for South Africa the next morning. Caine shook the producer's hand, left the part and went home to pack his bags.

Surf's up!!!

Sean Bean Week: Scarlett

Welcome folks to Day 3 of Sean Bean Week and unlike yesterday's goof I assure you Bean has a much greater role in this tale of the South.   A journey from Atlanta, Charleston, Savannah to London and finally to the ancestral home of Ballyhara in Ireland.  This story continues after Gone with the Wind, the sequel manages a six hour mini-series filmed in more than 53 separate locations in the States, England and Ireland in this 1994 creation.  This is Scarlett.

Take that for entering my life, Kilmer!

Set 1873 in Atlanta show begins with Scarlett (Joanne Whalley of Emmerdale, How We Used to Live, A Kind of Loving, Willow, Shattered, Before You Go and The Borgias) at the funeral of Melanie Wilkes, her former sister-in-law and former rival for her very estranged husband, Rhett Butler (Timothy Dalton of Cromwell, Mary, Queen of Scots, Flash Gordon, Jane Eyre, The Living Daylights, Licence to Kill, The Rocketeer and Penny Dreadful).  Heartbroken that Rhett has kept her at bay, Scarlett finds her guardian Mammy (Esther Rolle of Cleopatra Jones, Maude, Good Times, The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, Singer & Sons, My Fellow Americans and Rosewood) is dying and Scarlett cannot forsake this woman that would be her mother in every sense of the matter.  Reluctantly Rhett accompanies her to Mammy's death bed.  Moments after this selfless old woman of good works passes away, Rhett and Scarlett have another drag down fight causing him to leave her and she heads back to Atlanta, for some reason convinced she will win him back.

Frankly, I don't care if it scares the living daylights out of her.

With a slight encounter with Ashley Wilkes (Stephen Collins of All the President's Men, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, 7th Heaven and Blood Diamond) she leaves Savannah and forsakes the States in search her roots finding them in the library of her grandfather Pierre Robillard (the late John Gielgud of Secret Agent, Julius Caesar, Richard III, Murder on the Orient Express, Caligula, Chariots of Fire and Arthur) and forced to stay at her grandfather's household while his remaining years are among him in return his estate would be half a million dollars.  She graciously turns him down in a lady like fashion, Butler serves her divorce papers and she chooses to leave to Ireland which of course it is under British rule causing Scarlett reminder of the North's treatment to the South.  With child she strives to make a new change in this life no matter the obstacles in the way.

 She encounters the noble Lord Richard Fenton (Sean Bean of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, Sharpe's Challenge, The Hitcher, Outlaw, Sharpe's Peril, Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief, Ca$h and Crusoe) a handsome, pompous and heartless man that badgers and batters the servants about, a man that takes what he wants and expects no questions to the contrary.    He, of course takes a liking to Scarlett who turns him down.  No woman would or can turn this egotistical monster away or he loses face in the eyes that he deems matter.   From his forceful ways he is murdered by a servant girl Mary (Tina Kellegher of In the Name of the Father, The Snapper, Ballykissangel and The Wednesdays)  and yet Scarlett fall under blame for such.  Will Scarlett be found guilty and sentenced to hang?  Will Mary come foreward?  Will Rhett ever seek out Scarlett before it is too late?   Well go watch it but bear in mind this is a mini-series and is about six hours long.

A few highlights about the series.  This film takes slight to unbelievable directions from the novel.  Events unfold for the sake of a TV viewing audience rather than the slower story building sections of a reader.    Lord Fenton is far more evil in this than ever in the novel and Bean depicts a dapper monster than no one dare challenge.   Jean Smart was astounding in this and stole the scenes with her comedy gold.   Every location itself told a tale and set dramatic sequences film worthy so dare not call this just another TV movie.   Joanne Whalley breathed life into Scarlett and while her performance differs with the late Vivian Leigh, she brought strength, character and dignity to the a similiar fashion.  Both Dalton and Whalley bring their A game to these paradigmatic roles and do them justice.  Lengthy but highly impressive.

Thought Jake forgot about me, didn't you?

Sean Bean Week: Sharpe's Rifles

Welcome fine readers to Day 1 of Sean Bean Week and I hope we get off to a great start by viewing one of Bean's first ground and back breaking series based of the Bernard Cornwell novels (a novelization based on Peninsular War campaigns Sharpe's Rifles, the prequels Sharpe's Tigers, Sharpe's Triumph, Sharpe's Fortress, Sharpe's Trafalgar and Sharpe's Prey)  a young sergeant promoted to lieutenant commanding a handful of sharpshooters.  This is Sharpe's Rifles.

Hope those guns are loaded with blanks... this time.

Richard Sharpe: So... the Chosen Spoilers, eh?  Well, I didn't choose you. But I know you, you and your kind all my life.  All I know is how to fight. So if there's any man among you expecting a quick ramble through this war, now's the time.

Sir Arthur Wellesley (David Troughton of Bonjour la Classe, Sharpe's Eagle, A Few Short Journeys of the Heart, Underworld, Captain Jack and The Cafe) is the commander of the British infantry being pursued by the French when he is saved by a shavetail sergeant Richard Sharpe (Sean Bean of Patriot Games, Scarlett, Goldeneye, Airborne, Ronin, Equilibrium, The Lord of the RIngs: The Fellowship of the Ring and Troy).  Impressed with this young wily sergeant, Wellesley offers Sharpe a field promotion to Lieutenant and command of the "Chosen Men" some of the best sharpshooters formerly lead by Rifleman Patrick Harper (Daragh O' Malley of Texas, Sharpe's Seige, Sharpe's Justice, Grim Fandango and Cleopatra) and they both immediately loathe one another. Stuck in Portugal with no monthly payment, Wellesley has arranged a loan from the Rothschild household that was sent from Vienna but is overdue.  James Rothschild was said to have been traveling with this notice and has not been heard from in some time.

I'm telling you, that is the guy from Goldeneye.

Wellesley, Sharpe, his men and company commanded by Major Dunnett (Julian Fellowes of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson, The Bunker, Angels, Damage, Tomorrow Never Dies and Monarch of the Glen) follows Rothschild's last known whereabouts and set out to find him.    The company is exhausted as Sharpe and his men are on recon trying to make heads or tails of this missing member of noble house.  Will they encounter heavy resistance?  Is there a trap lying in waits for them all?  Will they ever escape this accursed war?   Well give it a view and find out.  Rather good periodical work.

Just a few comments about the TV movie now.  Paul McGann (Doctor Who, Downtime, Fish, Queen of the Damned, Doctor Who: Shada, Collison, Luther and Art Is...) was chosen for the role of Sharpe but due to a football (Soccer for us yankees) injury, Sean Bean was given the role and McGann is a shorter fellow and the outfit was tailored to fit him so that is why it looks snug and open for Bean.

Author Bernard Cornwell was blown away by Sean Bean's performance as Sharpe that he changed the physical description of his own character to closely resemble the man in question.   Sharpe's 95th Regiment and the green jackets are factual and the direct ancestor of the Royal Green Jackets better known as The Rifles Regiment.

God's sake man, put a bra on.

Sean Bean Week

A big hello, hi there and welcome to a week I thought amusing for all.  We have seen this Englishman a villain, a reluctant hero and a fellow striving to do the right thing.  Alas we have also seen this charismatic fellow die numerous times and sometime horrifically.  I speak of none other than Sean Bean.   standing at 5'10", this green eyed, sandy blonde has been working in all forms of the acting medium ranging theater, TV, radio and movies this gentleman has played some of the most angst-ridden villains to some of the most emotionally worn warriors of the land.

They didn't want me as pretty as Brosnan.

 













With no less than four divorces under his belt and three children I could see why most of his characters have a penchant for brooding and scowling.  Nevertheless our actor of the week has some of the most screen captured deaths in more than 20 times and I thought it fitting and proper given his new TNT drama Legends where he may stand a running chance of not dying horrendously he deserved the spotlight.  This marks a new era for a man that has worked with the likes of: Robert Deniro, Pierce Brosnan, Harrison Ford, Viggo Mortensen, Miranda Otto, John Hurt, Peter Dinklage, Lena Headey, Julian Glover, Laurie Holden and Radha Mitchell.  So keep them eyes peeled and stay on target because this week is Sean Bean Week.

Mr. Jackson, why are you tight zooming on me?

Movie Starlets of the 1940's: Deanna Durbin

Day 4 of Movie Starlets of the 1940's is upon us and this time around we have a Canadian born singer/actress brought in as an extra in the short Judy Garland in Every Sunday and was scooped up into Universal providing a competition against MGM's Judy Garland.  Given she rendered the ideal teenage daughter in 1936 film The Smart Girls giving her the next 18 years a career.  This is Deanna Durbin.

Prom has strict security.

Penny Craig: I'm not spoiled headed, I'm strong minded.









A soprano and well taught vocalist sang anything from popular tunes of the day or even to the range of operatic arias.    From having gorgeous looks, deep brown eyes,  excellent comedic timing offering her next 9 films and was deemed the primary reason Universal Studios was not in bankruptcy, making her one of the highest paid female star.  Using some wise level of investment with placement in merchandise making our young actress independently wealthy by the time she was 18.

No, I will not sing the "Sound of Music".

 Durbin did tire of playing the good girl roles and demanded to get a mature woman's role such as the film noir movie Christmas Holiday and the astounding whodunit Lady on a Train, however the collection to her less than well received musical comedies and romances giving Judy Garland a leg up in the industry.    By 1949 and two divorces she retires from both acting and singing married to Charles Henri David in 1950.
 A few side notes about Durbin at this time.  In 1936, Durbin auditioned for voice overs for Snow White and the Seven Dwarves but Walt Disney himself stepped up and announced her at the time 15-year-old sounding too old for the part.   She was opted to play Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz.

 Her stardom gave her some more unique fans including Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Holocaust survivor and diarist Anne Frank.   In 1941, Durbin received a letter in the official newspaper "Il Popolo d'italia" (The People of Italy)  requesting from dictator Mussolini asking to speak to President Roosevelt on behalf of America's youth to convince him to not get involved in WW2.  As you can imagine, she did not and probably was a bit baffled how America's Sweetheart could sway FDR and his war campaign.

Chef Durbin approves this quiche!

Movie Starlets of the 1940's: Barbara Stanwyck

Welcome back folks to Day 3 of Movies Starlets of the 1940's Week.  Our gal of the hour hails from a six decade long career from stage presence from both film and TV.   With a strong, realistic depiction and deemed a favorite to work with directors Cecil B. DeMille, Fritz Lang and Frank Capra giving her 85 movies in 38 in Hollywood before making her way to television.  This is Barbara Stanwyck.

Larry, yer pulling my sequins!

Phyllis: I think you're rotten.
Walter Neff: I think you're spoiled- so long as I'm not your husband.
Phyllis: Get out of here.






Just before her sixteenth birthday in 1928, our Ruby Catherine Stevens prepared for work a s a chorus girl allowing for her to be recognized for a Vaudeville act Ziegfeld Follies giving her Broadway credentials for more than 9 months and over a hundred performances that playwright David Belasco (Warrens of Virginia, A Good Little Devil and Laugh, Clown, Laugh) who suggested Ruby needed a stage name that popped into the heads of producers and directors and Barbara Stanwyck was created.

Holy cats, yer that Stanwyck kid!

With her first talkie roles of The Locked Door and Mexicali Rose churned out in 1929 were complete flops, Frank Capra (It Happened One Night, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Meet John Doe, The Battle of Russia, The Battle of China and It's a Wonderful Life) cast her in the romantic drama Ladies of Leisure giving her top billing in and starring next to Ralph Graves (Sporting Life, What Am I Bid?, Nobody Home,The Extra Girl, Flight, Ladies of Leisure and Dirigible) showing off some versatility our gal across the way has worked with the likes of Clark Gable, Henry Fonda, Gary Cooper ranging in crime drama, screwball comedy, romantic drama and even making her way into westerns and opening doors from co-workers to more than a few close friends of the like of : William Holden, Ralph Meeker, James Stewart, Linda Evans, Joan Crawford, Jack Benny and Robert Wagner meeting the starlet demand clear up to age 45 before moving to television.

Being from foster care and given no quarter in life, Stanwyck viewed FDR as a bad idealist  and not the best of choices against Nazi Germany.  She even felt Stalin had its influences in decisions on the war and how to run our country.   Robert Wagner and Ms. Stanwyck had a four year fling starting on the set of Titanic and moved to Wagon Train and the latter show that gave more than a few young ones their chance in The Big Valley.

Stanwyck died tragically at 82 with from chronic smoking and special-effects smoke on the set of The Thorn Birds giving her bronchitis causing her congestive heart failure.  Referred as the Best Actress That Never Won an Oscar, Stanwyck was voted the 40th Greatest Movie Star of All Time by Entertainment Weekly and deemed number 11 of the American Film Institute 100 years of the Greatest Screen Legends.   Guess she did alright for herself.

Matriarch actress indeed. Hmph!

Movie Starlets of 1940's: Veronica Lake

Greetings ladies and gentlemen and welcome to Day 2 of Movie Starlets of 1940's.  A time honored cliche' the blonde bombshell does grab attention and invite trouble to themselves they may or may not expected.  Born Contance Frances Marie Ockelman in Brooklyn, New York began working in film in 1936 as an extra and a small role in Sorority House.  Director John Farrow first noticed our dishy blonde allowing her lightly crimp hair draped over her right eye, giving her an air of mystery and giving her natural beauty making her stand out.   Farrow immediately introduced this petite beauty Paramour producer Arthur Hornblow, Jr.  He convinced Constance she needed a stage name to suit her deep blue eyes.  This is Veronica Lake.

Evening boys.

Ellen Graham: Why don't you go to the police?
Philip Raven: I'm my own spoiler.






In 1941, Lake's breakthrough role giving her second female lead in war drama I Wanted Wings were she developed her signature look with her long blonde hair draped in front of her right eye giving her the nickname the "peek-a-boo girl" coupled with a voluptuous figure.     Following up with good starring roles such as: Sullivan's Travels, This Gun for Hire, I Married a Witch and So Proudly We Hail!  Having such chemistry with Alan Ladd giving her femme fatale began with This Gun for Hire and follow up four more film noirs The Glass Key, The Blue Dahlia, Saigon and The Sainted Sisters.  During World War II, Lake became a popular pin-up girl for the soldiers during the war and through around the States to raise money for war bonds.  Able to perform in crime drama, war drama, and romantic drama.

Must you talk of such things?

Rather than offering any acting tutors or even watch over the golden goose having the flop The Hour Before the Dawn and Slattery's Hurricane, Lake's career fell in a slump.  With two divorces under her belt, impending bankruptcy and mad being a Hollywood sex symbol she gathers the kids, walked out on Hollywood to restart her career in New York.  Lake moved to a new medium in television.

With TV doing well enough our gal gets some steam under her allowing her to pursuing Off-Broadway studies and give it her all.  By the 1970's Lake realized she had reached a plateau in her life that the little things in truly matter, being with her children and trying to move beyond acting and yet she moved to England and did her role as Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire on English stage.     Passing away in 1973 due to liver damage at age 51 she lived her dream more than most Americans have the guts and determination to do.

Another street mime!  Gonna nail him!