(no subject)

[skygiants]

So sometimes I watch a movie from the 1940s . . . and then I fall in love with the leading lady . . . and then I have to take a few moments to tell LJ all about it! (I guess this is what people use Tumblr for?)

So To Be or Not To Be is a wacky screwball comedy about Shakespearean actors . . . and NAZIS.

It stars Jack Benny but more importantly CAROLE LOMBARD as Maria Tura, one-half of a married actor couple and also having an affair on the side with a hot lieutenant, because, I mean, he can drop three tons of dynamite in two minutes, and WHY NOT.



(Her husband would be way more cool with this if this did not entail her boyfriend on the side constantly WALKING OUT OF HIS SOLILOQUYS. WHAT. WHAT IS THIS. ;_____;)

But then the Nazis invade! And her lieutenant boyfriend is sent after a spy who threatens everybody in the Resistance! And Carole Lombard is ARRESTED!

But it's okay because as soon as the Nazis see Carole Lombard's ~fabulousness~ they try and recruit her as a Nazi spy. "Nazis are just like other people!" the Nazi spy tells her. "We sing, we dance!"

Carole Lombard, taking this in stride, is just like, well, if I gotta seduce the Nazi spy and poison his drink for the Resistance that's JUST WHAT I GOTTA DO.



NAZI SPY: "Shall we drink to a blitzkrieg?"
CAROLE LOMBARD: "I prefer a slow encirclement."

And then some screwball hijinks ensue, and everyone wanders around in false beards and fake Hitler moustaches, and the One Jewish Actor gets to pop up in the middle of a bunch of Nazis and recite Shylock's speech ("It'll get a tremendous laugh!" ". . . . no, no it won't") and Carole Lombard continues to be ridiculously fabulous, and -- amazingly! -- is never punished for it. Because if someone that fabulous wants to entertain a hot lieutenant in her dressing room, she is damn well going to entertain a hot lieutenant in her dressing room!

Fabulous lady spies, man. Can't resist 'em.

Comments

[innerbrat]

So we watched an episode of Honey West the other day. I liked it.

[skygiants]

Fabulous lady spies? Fabulous lady spies! \o/

[innerbrat]

Well, fabulous lady PIs. Who are totally sleeping with their business partner but who cares! It's the 60s! And who do all the badass Judo while their partner does...

...um, I'm sure he did something. He never needed to get rescued, anyway!

[skygiants]

Maybe he does the accounts! Maybe he knows Russian. DIFFERENTLY COMPETENT.

Maybe he takes the calls from his mom.

[innerbrat]

Anyway. I will maybe watch more episodes and LET YOU KNOW.

[skygiants]

I WILL RELY ON YOU.

[jinian]

Wow. Pretty ballsy, One Jewish Actor. (Go Carole Lombard go!)

[skygiants]

He's kind of a badass! A badass who appreciates a laugh . . .?

[vivien]

If you like Carole Lombard and haven't seen My Man Godfrey, it is worth the watch. I remember that movie fondly.

[skygiants]

Ooh, I have seen recs for that! It will be next on my list. :D

[ceitfianna]

I haven't seen this movie but clearly need to. Also echoing Viv's My Man Godfrey rec.

[skygiants]

I was like "a wacky comedy about Nazis? This . . . might be terrible . . ." BUT NO IN FACT IT WAS EXCELLENT.

[newredshoes]

SO MANY of all my favorite things!

[skygiants]

SO MANY of all your favorite things . . . up in its entirety on Hulu! *HELPFUL*

[batyatoon]

Ooh ooh! The original version of To Be Or Not To Be! I've only ever seen that once.

... the Mel Brooks remake may have been a fundamental part of my childhood. >.>

[skygiants]

I've never seen the Mel Brooks remake, and now I don't know if I'll be able to! But I have enough Mel Brooks movies of my heart that I'm okay trading this one for a Carole Lombard movie. :D

[batyatoon]

Seriously, it's worth watching. The usual Mel Brooks ridiculousness is massively toned down.