The Grass is Greener--1960
But when Robert Mitchum, playing the part of the disgustingly rich and horrible American, wanders through a door marked "Private" (isn't that just like an American?!) his flirtations throw the Countess into a quandary. Because Hollywood decency codes still applied, I have a difficult time determining to what extent their affair veered towards Brighton but the whole love quadrangle (there's also a filthy rich and scheming American heiress after our Earl (care of the deliciously viper-like Jean Simmons)) moves to a denouement including a civilized duel in the picture gallery and a mink coat in a locked suitcase.
Love, love, love it. And really, if you are going to commit the lunacy of stepping out on Cary Grant, Robert Mitchum had better be there with a mink coat.
"Darling, (yawn) I couldn't care less that you're the hottest man in the Dominion."
Deborah Kerr has red hair and a stately home which, because of straitened circumstances, she is required to have guided tours tromp through. (Great shades of Grasp a Nettle Jenny!) He and her husband the Earl (Cary Grant) have a pithy if tepid marriage. (See above. But girlfriend, if you can manage a tepid marriage with Cary Grant it's time to get a mirror and start pointing fingers.)But when Robert Mitchum, playing the part of the disgustingly rich and horrible American, wanders through a door marked "Private" (isn't that just like an American?!) his flirtations throw the Countess into a quandary. Because Hollywood decency codes still applied, I have a difficult time determining to what extent their affair veered towards Brighton but the whole love quadrangle (there's also a filthy rich and scheming American heiress after our Earl (care of the deliciously viper-like Jean Simmons)) moves to a denouement including a civilized duel in the picture gallery and a mink coat in a locked suitcase.
Love, love, love it. And really, if you are going to commit the lunacy of stepping out on Cary Grant, Robert Mitchum had better be there with a mink coat.
Okay, who ya getting? Brighton is everywhere in that movie. Plus, Deborah Kerr always gets on my nerves (but not as much as Susan Heyward--just die already!). After a while you start cheering for the bad behavior just because everyone is so annoying (yes, I said it, a movie with Grant and Mitchum--however, one could just ignore the plot and dialogue and just stare at those two)--although Jean Simmons (recently departed) is a riot (she could have played some Veronicas in Neels movies).
ReplyDeleteI'll add in a suggestion to go along with "The Gemel Ring"...how about a Lord of the Rings marathon (How much Aragorn is too much? Can there be too much? Where's the popcorn?)
ReplyDeleteI loathe this movie. The whole plot is preposterous. No one would cheat on Cary Grant and not for Robert Mitchum. Jean Simmons is a bright spot.
ReplyDeleteA rom-com with a preposterous plot? Who'da thunk it?
ReplyDeleteI agree Deborah Kerr is not the highlight but Jean Simmons is so gleefully wicked. And Robert Mitchum (with a mink) could totally woo me from the straight and narrow.
D'you know, Betty Ross was pointing out that these days, it's the British character who is always the villain. Really -- start noticing. (Can't think of all the examples today, but there are loads on TV and movies.)
ReplyDeleteI have a theory which is that it's political correctness. We can't make persons of color be the bad guys; that's racist. We can't make Americans be the bad guys; that's unpatriotic. But Brits -- they're okay as bad guys and plus there are TONS of fabu actors around for cheap cheap cheap.
Oh, and can we discuss Brief Encounter someday? Laura (Celia Johnson) is married to Doormat Civil Servant Guy but has attraction to Trevor Howard (non-standard but yummy as very worthy doctor). Almost goes to Brighton but doesn't.
ReplyDeleteWhen married to BritHub1.0, we watched it and he really surprised me by identifying with the Doormat Civil Servant Guy husband, possibly because DCSG is doing the crossword and saying "Yes, dear," in casually unconcerned way. "No, no, you are Trevor Howard -- great love of my life, very dashing, etc., etc." I cried. (I was stretching it a bit on the dashing part.)
Then I got to be friends with BritHub2.0 and oh, goodness, BritHub1.0 was RIGHT. (*Shock*Horror*)
Betty Ross *is* Trevor Howard. (I will neither confirm or deny if we went to Brighton before I was legally free to do so.) We really did act out parts of the movie, complete with sad music in the background. He cried and listened to Adia by Sarah McLaughlin 23 times on the drive home from Heathrow at the end of my first visit there. (Definitely no trip to Brighton that time; c'mon people -- we may have been falling in love with each other, but we were still Just Good Friends. Then.)
Luckily BritHub1.0, in his role as DCSG, was perfectly happy to become Dashing Single British Attorney (ooh, and rich, in case anyone knows a single engineer-type woman in the Philly area...) even as I married Trevor Howard.
Much happier ending in real life, but I LOVE that movie. And did long before I acted it out, sort of.
Betty Kylene loves loves loves Brief Encounter! As soon as I find a book to sorta match the theme we'll so be recommending it.
ReplyDeleteBetty Keira, have you watched Brief Encounter on Netflix instant yet?
ReplyDelete