A Tribute to the Career of Rod Blagojevich

Like the parrot, Blago is an EX-, and his political career is now "pining for the fjords."

Coming soon: Convicted-on-7-Counts Former Alaska Senator Ted Stevens meets the Minister of Silly Walks

Good Signs: Button and Zipper

West 36th Street


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SHOCKPROOF (1949)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041871/

At turns, “Shockproof” can’t make up its mind on whether it’s a melodrama or a film noir. This schizophrenia is due to the fact that the co-writer is Sam Fuller and the director is Douglas Sirk, better known for technicolor weepies like “Magnificent Obsession” and “All That Heaven Allows.”

“Shockproof” stars Cornell Wilde, better known as the guy who rented a hotel room above Lucy and Ricky Ricardo when they went to Hollywood. He plays Los Angeles parole officer Griff Marat, trying to straighten out the life of recent parolee Jenny Marsh (played by Patricia Knight, who was Mrs. Cornell Wilde at the time).

The very sexy parolee can’t stay away from her former lover for whom she committed the murder that sent her to prison. Marat gives her a job in his home looking after his little brother and blind mom and soon familiarity turns to love between paroler and parolee. Then the ex-boyfriend decides to complicate things and that’s when the movie turns darker.

Very interesting, save for a tacked on “Hollywood” ending.

TECHNOLUST — iPHONE LOVE GONE MAD

From Gizmodo

http://i.gizmodo.com/5136162/dude-fiddles-with-iphone-despite-having-best-seat-in-the-house-at-obama-inauguration

"Wow, this is amazing. I'm bearing witness to a truly historical moment. Hmmm...seems like the perfect time to play a game of Bejeweled on my iPhone."

FASHIONS OF 1934

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0025101/

A shockingly glamorous Bette Davis plays a stylish second banana to con man William Powell and sidekick Jimmy McHugh in this caper picture with a backstage musical tacked onto the second half. The three are working a successful high fashion bootlegging scam when they’re discovered and run out of NYC. They go to Paris and continue, meeting Hugh Herbert who is an ostrich feather magnate, and they produce a show starring Powell’s ex-girlfriend who is currently the lover of Paris’ most popular designer.

Orry Kelly designed the magnificent gowns and there is enough bias-cut satin to reach from here to the moon if stretched end to end. There is a completely over the top production number from Busby Berkeley, with the famous image of half-naked women as harps.

IT ALL CAME TRUE (1940)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032643/

Made the same year as the Edward G. Robinson gangster comedy BROTHER ORCHID, this gangster musical comedy(!) is not nearly as funny, but still a pleasant little mashup. Humphrey Bogart is hiding from the law in a boarding house run by the moms of showgirl Ann Sheridan and struggling songwriter Jeffrey Lynn, who have just returned home. Bogie handles the comedy well, and the supporting cast is graced by some of the best character actors, especially Zasu Pitts and Felix Bressard.

This was the year before HIGH SIERRA and THE MALTESE FALCON (starring roles which were turned down by George Raft), after which Bogart became a top tier star at Warner Brothers.

THE FILE ON THELMA JORDON (1950)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0041368/

And here I thought I knew almost everything about films noir. How did I miss this one?

Perhaps it was the thought of Wendell Corey in a noir that made me avoid this film for so long. I’d always liked him; his work in HOLIDAY AFFAIR is exceptional. But in film noir? I was wrong. Corey is fantastic in FILE as an alcoholic assistant DA whose marriage is crumbling and who meets the wrong woman.

Robert Siodmak’s direction is fine and the film takes some really unexpected twists and turns before a very noirish ending.

Good Signs: Wonton Specialist

Lafayette Street, NYC