tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128401155527497521.post8908286270160604485..comments2024-01-04T04:01:35.574+08:00Comments on Wandering through the Shelves: Thursday Movie Picks #241: Starring Real Life CouplesWandererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02942463921185187112noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128401155527497521.post-80020872736255111162019-02-23T22:27:22.631+08:002019-02-23T22:27:22.631+08:00I've seen and liked the first two but not the ...I've seen and liked the first two but not the latter duo. Cruel Intentions isn't as good as the Glenn Close take on the material but still a decent film.<br /><br />It turned out there were so many ways to go with this I had to do a theme within the theme, married couples in Shakespeare comedies, just to get it to a managable number.<br /><br />The Boys from Syracuse (1940)-In the town of Ephesus in ancient Asia Minor two boys from Syracuse, Anthipholus (Allan Jones) and his servant Dromio (Joe Penner), search for their long-lost twins who, for reason of plot confusion, are also named Anthipholus and Dromio. Problems arise when the wife of the Ephesians, Adriana (Irene Hervey) and her servant Luce (Martha Raye), mistake the two strangers for their husbands. Complications and comedy ensue. Loosely based on Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors. Leads Jones and Hervey were married for over 20 years, their son vocalist Jack Jones is most well-known for singing the theme for The Love Boat.<br /><br />The Taming of the Shrew (1967)-Wealthy Padua merchant, Baptista (Michael Hordern), has two daughters-the fiery Katherina called Kate (Elizabeth Taylor) and younger sister Bianca (Natasha Pyne). Bianca loves Lucentio (Michael York), and wants to marry but can’t until the thorny Kate does which she shows no inclination to do. On the scene comes the raucous and magnetic Petruchio (Richard Burton) who sees Kate as a challenge and when her father forces them to marry the real combat begins. The infamously battling Burtons are perfectly cast as the warring lead couple.<br /><br />Much Ado About Nothing (1993)-After a successful campaign against his rebellious brother, Don John (Keanu Reeves), Don Pedro (Denzel Washington) visits the governor of Messina. With him are Benedick (Kenneth Branagh) and Claudio (Robert Sean Leonard). While there, Claudio falls for the governor's daughter, Hero (Kate Beckinsale), while Benedick engages in a war of words with Beatrice (Emma Thompson), the governor's niece. While Don Pedro tries to trick Benedick and Beatrice into falling in love, Don John tries to tear Claudio and Hero apart. Aside from married (at the time) couple Branagh & Thompson and the aforementioned stars the cast also includes Michael Keaton, Imelda Staunton and Emma’s mother Phyllida Law. <br /><br />The Taming of the Shrew (1929)-Same basic story as the Liz & Dick version above but with substantial cuts (and additional dialogue by Sam Taylor-???? WHY) served as a wrong-headed early sound vehicle for two of the biggest stars of the silent era, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks Sr. who had notoriously left they spouses to marry each other (but whose own marriage was foundering by this point) in an echoing of the whole Brad Pitt Angelina Jolie episode of later years. Static and dated with both stars nearing the ends of their careers (Mary made 3 more films, Doug 4 before retirement) Pickford considered it one of her worst performances (she’s right) but Fairbanks, full of brio is suited to Petruchio and emerges okay. Still you’re missing nothing if you give it the skip.joel65913https://www.blogger.com/profile/14526657073681774683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128401155527497521.post-59917039736260762432019-02-23T11:33:54.456+08:002019-02-23T11:33:54.456+08:00The Woodsman is so unsettling. It's very well ...The Woodsman is so unsettling. It's very well done, but yeah, tough to watch. Haven't seen your other picks.Dellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05634519605152190304noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128401155527497521.post-13609388976288963112019-02-23T00:07:46.875+08:002019-02-23T00:07:46.875+08:00Cruel Intentions was the movie that all of my frie...Cruel Intentions was the movie that all of my friends obsessed over in High School. I don't know why I never watched it, but it's still getting a lot of love years later so I should give it a watch.Often Off Topichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15683076467959831961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128401155527497521.post-26920746086142267692019-02-22T20:36:49.475+08:002019-02-22T20:36:49.475+08:00I haven’t seen any of these. Gattaca never appeale...I haven’t seen any of these. Gattaca never appealed to me and The Woodsman sounds great nteresting but not sure I want to see it. I wonder if they are recalling the Little Red Riding Hood fairy taleBirgithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09439720285857050428noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128401155527497521.post-32136893466251705832019-02-22T16:18:00.578+08:002019-02-22T16:18:00.578+08:00I also listed Cruel Intentions for this week's...I also listed Cruel Intentions for this week's topic! Can't believe I forgot about Gattaca, though. The other two films are new to me but sounds super interesting!ThePunkTheoryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04160758248747313651noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128401155527497521.post-80844823546334115492019-02-22T11:34:03.099+08:002019-02-22T11:34:03.099+08:00The only one of these I haven't seen is Love M...The only one of these I haven't seen is Love Me If You Dare. It's been years since I've seen Cruel Intentions. I need to rewatch that. <br /><br />Kevin Bacon is so creepy in The Woodsman. Brittani Burnhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07975067259283007280noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1128401155527497521.post-32796738513682417632019-02-22T04:27:47.883+08:002019-02-22T04:27:47.883+08:00I haven't seen any of these but I loved Gossip...I haven't seen any of these but I loved Gossip Girl so I'll definitely check out Cruel Intentions. Sonia Cercahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07313734872038610058noreply@blogger.com