Three Really Old Movies (I Mean Four) – For Great Stress Relief

When so many of us are staying home to keep from personal contact with others, we most likely need to get away from the situation. But, we may be unable to accomplish that goal for days or weeks to come. I am not going to dwell on the present state of emergency that is happening in much of the world. Just remember that these things are key to getting through any stress filled time in your life:

• Take some time to relax. No! You make the time to relax!
  • Enjoy and remember the things that we take for granted.
    • Life, family, good health, and loved ones.
    • Enjoy wholesome entertainment:
    • Books
    • Cartoons that are funny
    • Jokes
    • MOVIES

• Remember that you can’t control what you have no control over.
  • Do what you can do, and then relax. Don’t obsess over what you can do nothing about.

• Laugh as much as you possibly can.
  • See the humor in everything in your life.

Which OLD Movies To See?- My Picks:

Are from these categories:

• Comedies – Laughter is good medicine

• Dramas – Gets your mind off of yourself

• Romance – Fantastic love stories

• Musicals – Stories through song

• Mysteries – Lessons in logic – Can put things in perspective

• Westerns – Contains the elements above

• War – Also may contain any of the other elements

The Women (1939) – No men allowed

To the best of my knowledge, “The Women” is the only movie ever made with zero male actors whatsoever. There are no men shown in any scene, period. But this movie is about a group of women and their men. There is no off-screen male dialogue. Although this is a drama, there is comedy throughout and plenty to laugh about. “The Women (1939)” was made with an all-star cast, including:

• Norma Shearer as Mary Haines
• Joan Crawford as Crystal Allen
• Rosalind Russell as Sylvia Fowler
• Mary Boland as The Countess De Lave
• Paulette Goddard as Miriam Aarons
• Phyllis Povah as Edith Potter
• Joan Fontaine as Peggy Day
• Virginia Weidler as Little Mary
• Lucile Watson as Mrs. Morehead
• Marjorie Main as Lucy
• Virginia Grey as Pat, perfume counter clerk
• Ruth Hussey as Miss Watson
• Muriel Hutchison as JaneHedda Hopper as Dolly DupuysterFlorence Nash as Nancy Blake
• Cora Witherspoon as Mrs. Van Adams
• Mary Beth Hughes as Miss Trimmerback
• Lilian Bond as Mrs. Erskine
• Dennie Moore as Olga, the manicurist

A Song is Born (1948) – Pure Entertainment

“A Song is Born” is a remake of a romantic comedy from 1941 called “Ball Of Fire”. It is difficult to tell which one I like the best. You may have to see both of them and decide for yourself.

This one is supposed to be a musical. However, I think it is a comedy that happens to have a lot of music in it. If you don’t know who Danny Kaye was, you are in for a hilarious treat. This is sheer entertainment. Just enjoy and laugh your heads off. The primary stars are:

• Danny Kaye as Professor Hobart Frisbee
• Virginia Mayo as Honey Swanson
• Benny Goodman as Professor Magenbruch
• Tommy Dorsey as Himself
• Louis Armstrong as Himself
• Charlie Barnet as Himself
• Lionel Hampton as Himself
• Mel Powell as Himself
• Louis Bellson as Himself
• Buck and Bubbles
  • Buck Washington as Buck
  • John William Sublett as Bubbles
• The Page Cavanaugh Trio as Themselves
• The Golden Gate Quartet as Themselves
• Russo and the Samba Kings as Themselves
• Hugh Herbert as Professor Twingle
• Steve Cochran as Tony Crow
• J. Edward Bromberg
• Felix Bressart as Professor Gerkikoff
• Ludwig Stossel
• O.Z. Whitehead
• Esther Dale

To Be or Not to Be (1942) – Great acting in a comedy in a War Movie

This one was also remade as “To Be or Not to Be (1983). Both are very good, but “To Be orNot to Be (1942) is great.

Not only was Jack Benny a great comedian, but he was a very accomplished actor. This movie shows all of his talents except his violin playing. Prepare to be astonished and entertained. The cast includes:

• Carole Lombard as Maria Tura, an actress in Nazi-occupied Poland
• Jack Benny as Joseph Tura, an actor, and Maria’s husband
• Robert Stack as Lt. Stanislav Sobinski, a Polish airman in love with Maria
• Felix Bressart as Greenberg, a Jewish member of the company who plays bit parts and dreams of playing Shylock
• Lionel Atwill as Rawich, a ham actor in the company
• Stanley Ridges as Professor Alexander Siletsky, a Nazi spy masquerading as a Polish resistance worker
• Sig Ruman as Col. Ehrhardt, the bumbling Gestapo commander in Warsaw
• Tom Dugan as Bronski, a member of the company who impersonates Hitler
• Charles Halton as Dobosh, the producer of the company
• George Lynn as Actor-Adjutant, a member of the company who masquerades as Col. Ehrhardt’s adjutant
• Henry Victor as Capt. Schultz, the real adjutant of Col. Ehrhardt
• Maude Eburne as Anna, Maria’s maid
• Halliwell Hobbes as Gen. Armstrong, a British intelligence officer
• Miles Mander as Major Cunningham, a British intelligence officer
• Olaf Hytten as Polonius in Warsaw (uncredited)
• Frank Reicher as Polish Official (uncredited)
• Maurice Murphy as Polish RAF Pilot (uncredited)
• James Finlayson as Scottish Farmer (uncredited)

Too Young to Kiss (1951) – LIttle known but great entertainment

“Too Young To Kiss (1951)” is a comedy/romance movie that is thought-provoking and filled with laughs. It will help you to relax and be delighted. Be prepared to see some of the best actors from that era.

Cast:

• June Allyson as Cynthia Potter
  • Allyson (34) playing Cynthia (20s) playing Molly (14)
• Van Johnson as Eric Wainwright
• Gig Young as John Tirsen
• Paula Corday as Denise Dorcet
• Kathryn Givney as Miss Benson
• Larry Keating as Danny Cutler
• Hans Conried as Mr. Sparrow
• Esther Dale as Mrs. Boykin
• Jo Gilbert as Gloria

If you want help finding these movies – I can help:

                    

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