Good 50's Films: Auntie Mame

1958 Comedy
From Warner Bros.
Directed by Morton DaCosta

Starring
Rosalind Russell
Forrest Tucker
Coral Browne
Peggy Cass
Roger Smith
Jan Handzlik
Fred Clark
Patric Knowles
Joanna Barnes 
Pippa Scott
Lee Patrick
Willard Waterman
Robin Hughes
Connie Gilchrist
Yuki Shimoda

Angela Lansbury

When the lady left Hollywood in the mid-60s to captivate the world in Broadway's Mame, few were surprised.  Despite a couple of Oscar nominations and two decades of superb work, she was never one of the great movie stars.  I thought then and still do that she is one of the great actresses, but she never really ever made it big in the movies.

Columbia Pictures

When I think of this studio, I immediately think of four people.  First and foremost is its tyrannical emperor Harry Cohn and then director Frank Capra and finally actresses Rita Hayworth and Kim Novak.  Cohn, who had no particular talent as an artist, did have a head for business and his main concern was making money.  The others helped him with his main concern like no others.

Janet Leigh

From the time of my earliest movie-going until this very moment, there has always been a soft spot in my heart for Janet Leigh.  Without exception I saw every movie she made in the 50's and a whole helluva lot more.  My guess is that she was a sweetheart of a human being and one of Hollywood's best-loved actresses.  I've seen or met a lot of actors in my day but I would have traded quite a few of them for an hour with this lovely lady.

Guilty Pleasures: Three Bad Sisters

1956 Film Noir
From United Artists
Directed by Gordon Kay

Starring
Marla English
Kathleen Hughes
Sara Shane
John Bromfield
Madge Kennedy
Jess Barker
Anthony George

The Directors: Mark Robson

One might wonder how I became attached to a director who made only one western and no musicals but strange things do sometimes happen.  Mark Robson (pronounced ROBEson) made film noirs and socially-conscious films, tender love stories and war stories that went beyond battle scenes.  He had a knack for finding projects that were based on best-selling books.  He did some blockbusters that were popular with the public but not critics.  I've long thought that overall he had an eclectic and stimulating body of work.

Good 50's Films: Peyton Place

1957 Drama
From 20th Century Fox
Directed by Mark Robson

Starring
Lana Turner
Hope Lange
Diane Varsi
Lee Philips
Lloyd Nolan
Arthur Kennedy
Russ Tamblyn
Terry Moore
Barry Coe
Betty Field
Mildred Dunnock
David Nelson
Leon Ames
Lorne Greene