Sex

Mad Genius

Thanks so much for your comment Axbish about the posting Clive Brook and Robert Downey Jr., Real Men do Holmes. The premise of a man dedicating his life to the study, worship and amplification of another man, brings up all kinds of obvious questions. The first one being that Christianity or any ism for that matter is based on latent homosexuality. Me thinks thou “ism” protest to much. Ah….self loathing. How powerful art thou.

I’m not saying that men cannot have a close non sexual bond. Or a close sexual bond. That’s not the issue. The acknowledgment of affection between two people is the issue. The manipulation and denial of affection is where we get into an icky category. The mixing of a paternal relationship with a sexual one, the mixing of a teaching relationship with a paternal relationship and a sexual one, well that’s all kinds of craziness. Where the hyjinx really ensue is when you mix a figure of power (government leader, cult leader, political movement leader, ballet teacher) with a teaching relationship, replacing a paternal or maternal role and having sex with or manipulating the sexual lives of their subjects. Then you get all kinds of lawyers involved or human trafficking or multiple wives or just an all American Promise Ring.

So, I give you “Mad Genius”.

Now, if you have never been subjected to someone’s molding than this might not be the film for you. But speaking as someone who has been subjected to multiple molders and been the object of multiple moldings, this looks like a ton of fun.
(Honestly, I’m so oblivious, I could be being molded right now and not even know it).

Sorry, I digress, what we are having fun with is the Watsonesque dedication which may or may not come from repressed homosexual desire.

Here’s a great telling quote from the film:
Vladimar Ivan Tsarakov: I will create my own being: that boy! That boy will be my counterpart, he shall be what I should have been… I will mold him, I will pour into him my genius, my soul. In him all my dreams, all my ambitions will be fulfilled — the greatest dancer of all time! The film and play are a reference to or a loosely based depiction of the relationship between the great ballet dancer Nijinsky his mentor Sergei Diaghilev.

The film is a follow up or sequel to “Svengali” which depicts a romantic controlling relationship between a man and a woman. What is interesting about Mad Genius is that they explore that same story between two men. Holmes and Watson, Svengali and Triby (played by Marian Marsh who played Nana in “Mad Genius”), Karimsky and Vladimar Ivan Tsarakov these are all great relationships which illustrate the dedication of life study, worship and amplification of a friend or mentor.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLeXgRHGxQY&hl=en_US&fs=1&]
So, Axbish, watch “Mad Genius” and let’s have some fun with what could have happened to Watson and Holmes if Holmes was harnessed in his ability and Watson was a lovely young ballet dancer.

Clive Brook and Robert Downey Jr. -Real Men Do Holmes

I don’t think what Robert Downey Jr. said on Letterman was at all problematic for the film. I mean just because he said out loud the screaming innuendo seems silly. And why is homosexual innuendo taboo, while heterosexual innuendo is acceptable. Sexual innuendo is sexual innuendo. People need to grow up. Seriously.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDi-MNCN8Qw&hl=en_US&fs=1&]
Here is a very fun review from the New York Times from 1929 of the film “The Return of Sherlock Holmes” which is famous as being the only film where Holmes dies. Also interesting about this particular film is that it was not filmed in London or Hollywood, but at Astoria Studios in Queens, NY. The Dr. Watson apparently suffered a bit from being a little too much of a native New Yorker. Enjoy!

Startlingly changed in appearance, but as confident and knowledgeable as ever, Sherlock Holmes has been dragged from retirement to appear in a talking picture called “The Return of Sherlock Holmes,” which is now on view at the Paramount Theatre. The narrative is a concoction suggested by two of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s tales of the scientific sleuth—”The Dying Detective” and “His Last Bow.”
Holmes is shorter, healthier looking and younger than he was even when first introduced to the public. In fact, while watching his battle of wits with Professor Moriarty in this current adventure, it seems quite absurd for him to refer to his place in Hampshire and his bees as if he were in the evening of life. This can be understood when it is explained that Clive Brook impersonates Holmes, with sideburns, a rather old-fashioned lounge suit and a pipe as formidable in size as his revolver. The familiar double-peaked cap is replaced by a tweed hat; otherwise Sherlock Holmes in this film is much more Brook than Holmes.
As it invariably happens in motion pictures, one accepts this Holmes after the story has been running for a quarter of an hour and while the film is far from being a masterpiece, it arouses a certain amusement and interest, which, due to those portions directed by Basil Deane, the British producer and playwright, make it a better entertainment than most murder mystery films. The fun it elicits is not always intended and its thrills fall somewhat flat.
Most of the action takes place aboard “the fastest transatlantic steamship” and the surgeon aboard is the sinister Moriarty’s poison expert. In two instances Holmes disguises himself quite effectively, once as a member of the ship’s band and on another occasion as a humble steward. As the latter, Holmes goes to great lengths to ascertain the location of Moriarty’s cabin, by putting a phosphorescent solution on the heels of the ship’s surgeon’s shoes.
Dr. Watson has not been forgotten. It is his daughter who is engaged to marry Roger Longmore, the son of the man poisoned by Dr. Moran, at the behest of Professor Moriarty. Dr. Watson is no longer the interesting person created by Sir Arthur. He has some of the characteristics, but he appears to have been well-adulterated at the Astoria studio, where this film was produced.
It is quite evident that this talking film, the voices in which are often strangely resonant, is a mixture of Mr. Deane’s more refreshing ideas and those of hard and fast cinema experts.
The important paper in this case is Longmore’s confession of his activities with Moriarty. Holmes, once aboard the steamship, is eager to pet hold of this paper. Disguised as the German musician, he performs some sleight-of-hand tricks for the benefit of the passengers, and for some reason that is not quite clear Professor Moriarty decides to test this trickster, who has apparently torn a £100-note in pieces and then returned it whole to its owner. Moriarty hands the envelope containing Longmore’s confession to the supposed musician and Holmes tears up the contents of the envelope and succeeds in replacing it with a piece of blank paper.
The poisoning is accomplished by a metal cigarette case, which has a poisoned needle on the spot releasing the opening spring. Having succeeded in getting Longmore out of the way through this ingenious device, Professor Moriarty, on encountering Holmes in his stateroom, decides to tempt Holmes to poison himself. Holmes is prepared for this and after pressing the needle he shams a dying detective.
When Moriarty and Holmes are dining together, Holmes is asked whether he will have oysters. The sleuth insists that he prefers caviar. As the next course, Professor Moriarty suggests lobster and Holmes says:
“After caviar?”
In the final scene Dr. Watson is there with his “Amazing Holmes,” and Holmes comes forth with his “Elementary, my dear Watson, elementary.”
Mr. Brook gives a nice, easy performance. H. Reeves-Smith flounders about in the rôle of Dr. Watson. Betty Lawford is never really natural as the girl in the case. Donald Crisp is excellent as Dr. Moran. Harry T. Morey is acceptable as Moriarty.

THE RETURN OF SHERLOCK HOLMES, with Clive Brook, H. Reeves-Smith, Betty Lawford, Charles Hay, Phillips Holmes, Donald Crisp, Harry T. Morey, Hubert Druce and Arthur Mack, based on two of Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories, directed by Basil Deane.

MORDAUNT HALL New York Times 19 October 1929

Clive Brook made another Sherlock Holmes film called “Sherlock Holmes” (1932) which helps Robert Downey Jr.’s theory of a sexually confused Holmes. Sherlock appears in drag in this film!

How to act like a nut job the morning after

Thanks Barbara. Wish I would have seen this before I started dating and making an ass of myself.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEQUvxhhe1Q&hl=en_US&fs=1&]

The Big O and why you should thank Hedy Lamarr for your wireless connection

Happy Monday! Here’s a little something to pick you up or at least to transport you. This little clip just took me somewhere else. I just found it beautiful. The crane shot at the end..(I mean that had to be a crane) made you feel like you were a fly’s soul escaping. Very hypnotic.[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuInfQHb564&hl=en_US&fs=1&]

And here’s a little Hedy Kiesler (Lamarr) nudity for the evening.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlGxHUY3jHE&hl=en_US&fs=1&]
I can’t quite find the orgasm scene. When I dig it up I will definitely post it. This was done before she had fled her husband Friedrich Mandl, an arms manufacturer who was conspiring with the Nazi’s. (This is wacky, because he was apparently half Jewish). She changed her name to Lamarr later.

So get this. This is the coolest thing I have ever heard about a Hollywood actress. So turns out Hedy Lamar, the woman who was famous for the first depiction of a female orgasm on film. (Which again, when I find I promise I will post) was also a co-inventor of a device that we base our current secure military transmissions on.

Or something like that (It is called Spread Spectrum Technology). Basically, we could not have had wireless technology without her. Cool, huh?

Tiger Woods, Health Care and “Men in White”

So what goes with Health Care debates and the Tiger Woods scandal? This Tiger thing is so silly.

How much do you think one can make by saying you slept with Tiger? You know what…come to think of it…
I slept with Tiger!

Did you sleep with Tiger? I think we should have a national “I admit I slept with Tiger Woods Day”. That way at least this thing will just stop and we can get an actual news story reported. So tomorrow when you get up, get a white t-shirt out of your closet and take a magic marker and write on it, “I Banged Tiger” maybe you’ll get a stimulus check in the mail?

So here’s a little mixing of a star who falls and important health care issues.Clarke Gable plays an up and coming surgeon who’s gets caught up in infidelity. Men in White(1934)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRw8W_21Pvo&hl=en_US&fs=1&]

The film is best know for how it handles the topic of abortion and more interestingly the man (Clarke Gable) suffering consequences of the botched procedure. (Dead girlfriend, public humiliation, fiance leaves him).The League of Decency was none to thrilled about this film and cut the daylights out of it as well as determining it was unfit for public viewing. Here’s a great description of the melodrama which has that fall from grace Tiger feel to it.

Is anyone else watching Faithless on TCM?

Holy amazing! This film is fantastic!!!!! “Why don’t you kiss me?” that’s what Robert Montgomery says to Tallulah Bankhead after she just returns from turning tricks in the gutter to raise funds to care for her dying husband. Then she has to kiss a crucifix of a police officer after he picks her up for prostitution.
The movie deals with unemployment and unexpected lengths people must go to during times of crisis. There is some some weird dubbing issue with the film though. I wonder if the original sound was destroyed? Robert Osborne??

It’s the Movie Line Up I’ve Been Waiting For!

Ok..right now on TCM American Madness! It’s on!!!

THEN after that..Prosperity about a bank president and a shady bank bond scheme (For Marie Dressler fans this is a great one. For older actresses, this is proof that you have a serious role model.)

AFTER THAT.. The Crash about the stock market crash of 1929 and Looking Forward after that about a store owner facing bankruptcy! Forget MSNBC!!! All you need to know about our current economic situation is being played out on TCM. OK…more later.

The Women-The Original Sex and the City

I noticed the other night before on TCM The Women was on. I almost watched it, but I had gotten my finace to watch Grey Gardens the weekend before (he loved it, which really surprised me, but it was quite good). But, I DVR’d it to watch later. But I was thinking as I was watching Sex and the City

with my fiance (he surprisingly enjoyed that as well) how similar they are. (I’ve seen The Women several times, but love to watch it over and over). I can’t even talk about the newer version of The Women with Meg Ryan,[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlxwcwESDkQ&hl=en_US&fs=1&] which I didn’t see but seemed like a rip off of Sex and the City since they were released in theaters around the same time. Anyway, the idea of women that they are supportive of each other and flawed and that they have sex and affairs and ruin and save each others lives is not a social network that is seen today in film.
If you love Sex and the City, see the original gangstas. Joan Crawford is a bad ass in that bathtub and the final line in that movie is great to use at a party or with that girlfriend who has stood you up one too many times.
The thing I think that is most vivid to me is the phone in the bathtub with Joan Crawford. It is fantastic. Oh, and just like Sex and the City the men have a peripheral existence. There are no men in The Women. They exist entirely off screen. Just like Mr. Big’s real life and all the men’s lives in Sex and the City exist entirely off screen.
Just like most women in most films only exist on the other end of a phone at home or are the accepting hug at the end of a terrible adventure.[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLnMYl1q-WU&hl=en&fs=1]

Why I Love Baby Face

Baby Face stars Barbara Stanwyck as an ambitious, clear minded, leader who is delt a bit of cumbersome circumstances. We find her working as a hostess in her own home for her father’s makeshift speak easy. It is heavily implied that her father prostitutes her out and that there is some incest going on. At no point in the opening sequence is she a passive victim waiting to be saved or redeemed.

We find her instead gravitating toward the intellectual customer of her fathers and being given sound advice. She takes the information and capitalizes on it. There is no waiting for someone to put her in a livable situation, instead we find someone who is constantly scanning all possibilities until she finds one that she can take action on.

The score by Leo Forbstien is playful and smart.

My favorite theme is the corporate ladder climbing motif that is accompanied by the visual of the outside of the New York skyscraper where Baby Face is working. The motif is usually begins as Baby Face is securing another upward promotion. She smiles at a handsome successful man, the door closes behind them, the theme starts, we see the outside window of the department she is currently in, and when we ascend to the next level of the building or department, she appears in a better outfit and a better job.

What I like about these images of sexual power is not the use of sex to obtain power, but rather the dramatization of how a woman understands her given circumstances and is not conflicted by false morality imposed by those in control. She needs work, she is smart, she is capable
and ambitious. She is detached from sex emotionally at this point in the movie, so she has no
need for it other that to serve her practically.

Baby Face is a person who we are not supposed to like, but like her anyway. She is an anti hero which is such a fantastic and rare character for women to be portrayed as. She’s tough, funny, smart, sexy and in front of every situation.