General Chat

Oh Nicky it's a wonderful film Geneve. Kay kendall playing the trumpet and then passing out! What a small world it is...I lived for about six years in Kenley on the main A22 and can remember as a kid seeing the old cars go buy, what wonderful memories of a wonderful time in my life!

Kenneth More, Dinah Sheridan, (married to Tommy Handly) daughter Jenny was in Magpie...Edd you'll remember I'm sure! John Gregson and also Joyce Grenfell.

Thinking about it I had to have a look on youtube for Le Petomane and someone has put the film up there in five parts:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=evwLzR57wsc
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=FuYQ_IU4cO0&feature=related
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=f9Gm6NXKX08&feature=related
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=MN7-AI2WlrM&feature=related
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=1ACqdhQLbwU&feature=related

Just watched it all the way through and really shouldn't be typing right now - tears will not do my keyboard any good!!

The woman giving birth at the kitchen sink was one of the sketches in the Meaning of Life ...

Monty Python also used to do a great line in the short films at the start of the main feature; on the Meaning of Life it was one called Crimson Permanent Assurance, in which an Edwardian office building, housing and insurance company, becomes a pirate ship sailing the city and raiding all the other offices

Life of Brian was accompanied by a short that was a spoof documentary on Venice.

The other comedy short that was shown alongside Monty Python films was "Le Petomane", which starred Leonard Rossiter. It was based on the true story of a Frenchman who had the ability to break wind at will and turned it into a music hall act.

If, like my MIL the word "fart" makes you laugh uncontrollably, then this one will cause you serious injury. Thankfully, the film is only about 40 mins long - if it went on any more then the audience would die laughing. The first time I saw it I was in agony for about four days afterwards ...

The holy grail... is that the one where the woman is stood at the kitchen sink with a room full of children, and just gives birth to another one? if it is the one, iv`e only seen it once. ..... or hang on was that Life of Brian? think it probably was, in which case iv`e never seen the Holy grail....but your description sounds etertaining so will give it a whirl when its next on the box.

One flew over the Cuckoos nest......... probably Jack Nicholsons finest performance along with The Shining..........

all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy
all work and no play makes jack a dull boy


oh no its catching..... I must get out more.!!

Nicky

I'm a gooner for my sins - but I'd rather talk about films right now!!

As far as comedies go, I loved Monty Python and the Holy Grail: the squires following their knights, clapping two coconut halves together as none of them had horses; the white rabbit; the giant three-headed knight who wanted a shrubbery; the King duelling with the black knight on the bridge and cutting off all his limbs; and let's not forget the bridge over the gorge of eternal peril ...

"If you want to cross this bridge, answer me these questions three ..."

The titles at the beginning of the film also need to be read

Rod Taylor.... Thats it Ed.....i always liked the way the model in the shop windows clothes changed as he whizzed through the decades..... like you never felt the urge to see the remake.
I remember Rollerball well, yes the trees? what was that all about? another goody from that era.... Tommy, sorry had to get that one in as i`m a huge Roger Daltrey /Who fan.... it contained a star studded cast of that era, and of course the brilliant soundtrack.... also loved Roger in McVicar, with another soundtrack I love.....

I havn`t mentioned any comedies apart from Big in my opening thread , love Home Alone.... the first one, and Mrs Doubtfire.

Genevieve.... yes Kay Kendal fantastic trumpet player, and the hotel with the clock tower right outside the bedroom window, with the bell chiming constantly.... oh happy days

PS whos your team ? we`re all happy Hammers in this house.


Nicky

One other film that I always remember is Rollerball with James Caan and John Beck. The tagline was "In the future, war will no longer exist - but there will be Rollerball"

I love the amusing cameo role of the librarian played by Sir Ralph Richarson - where he totally loses it with the computer and starts kicking it!

But the main reason remember the film is because I used to go ice skating at Queensway in London and they used to have an organist there on certain nights. One evening the nutter played the Rollerball theme and there was one helluva fight on the ice.

I never did understand the significance of the bit where they blew up the trees though ...

Hi Pam,

Yes Paths of Glory is about the attack on the Ant Hill .

Nicky, the original TIme Machine starred Rod Taylor (sorry I cheated and Googled it - I could see his face in my mind but was unable to put a name to it). There was a remake in 2002, which I didn't feel the urge to see.

I one bit I recall in the original, is where the main character keeps on bumping into the local policemen in the different times, who is always played by the same actor. It then transpires that the policemen are sons/grandsons/great grandsons etc of the origianl beat bobby.

Genevieve with Kenneth More and was it Kay Kendal? The bit where she is a bit inebriated and says "I want to play the flumpet" sticks in my mind. She then proceeds to take a trumpet off of a band member and totally lifts the roof with an amazing solo. I can't recall the other actors in it though.

No, not watching the footy - the games on don't interest me as my team isn't playing.

Ed

Hi Pam.....and Ed........ no hadn`t deserted you just been busy. {1911 census} amongst other things.

You 2 certainly seem to know your "old" films......, though I know them all by name, must say I don`t think iv`e seen any of the ones youv`e mentioned in last few postings.

One of my favourite oldies is Genevieve about the London to Brighton Car race {the old crocks race as my dad used to call it} with Kenneth Moore, and I can`t remember the other guy and 2 leading ladies, being born in Brighton as a small child we always used to go and watch them arrive, always in November as I remember, and always freezing cold!! amazes me now when I watch it, how quiet the roads are...... anyone who has sat in a queue on the M23/A23 heading in to Brighton will know what I mean..... a lovely film.

The time machine was another goody, the star totally escapes me, but I`m sure one of you 2 film buffs will know who it was.


Nicky

PILLOW TALK...very dated now I know, but I love this film. I was a babe in arms literally when it was made, but I saw it again on telly years back and I just think that the Rock Hudson Doris Day chemistry works so well. Infact I like all the films that they made together and Tony Randell was also very good in these films too. I think Doris Day was a very beautiful actress, still very good for her age apparantly. Rock probably fancied Mr Randell more though!! I try to blank that out of my mind when I watch him as a romantic leading man...it spoils it otherwise!!!

Oh what a waste, I used to secretly fancy him in McMillan and Wife on TV in the seventies. My friends used to make fun as he was so old they said! ha ha!

Yes it certainly seems very violent!

As I say feel free to post as many of your favourite films on here...other wise it'll be just Edd and myself and if he goes...that's it!

Don't think he'll be on for a while though and especially not tonight cos of the FA Cup on telly.

Thats the one Pam!!!!!

Blimey Helen...is it the one with Brad Pitt in it and Morgan Freeman...just googled it!

I've never heard of that one Helen, maybe Edd will be on here later and he's very knowledgable of films. What was the subject matter and who starred in it?

No, don't remember you being on this thread before. Visit as much as you like!!!☺

'SEVEN'.A gruesome but brilliant film.I had to go with my friend Fitz as OH refused.He went with Fitz's wife to see Sense and Sensibility.
I don't know if I have added here earlier on the thread but one of my all time favourites was Close Encounters.

Think I've got to nudge this thread today...come on all you film fans tell us your favourites...clean ones only!!!

'How to Murder Your Wife' very funny film in my opinion. Starring Jack Lemmon, Terry Thomas and Verna Lisi. I've got this one on tape. It's about confirmed batchelor and rich cartoonist Stanley Ford (Jack Lemmon) he falls in love and gets married and his butler Terry Thomas is quite put out to say the least! It's an easy to watch film and you could watch it with any member of the family, (no nasty bits) Talking of Terry Thomas, years ago my mum and dad had grocery shop in Fulham, bit like open all hours! Anyway Terry Thomas' sister lived just down the road, she couldn't have spoken more differently to him...not plummy at all. He came in a couple of times and apparantly was a lovely chap. I was to young to remember. So sad how ill he became and so hard up financially.

Hi Edd

No I didn't manage to watch it either, just too tired.

Don't leave this thread Edd (that rymed) or I'll be talking to myself quite a lot...and answering as well ha ha! Hope the others come back or a few more contribute to it. it would be a shame to let this thread end.

I think I remember seeing that film 'Paths of Glory' on the television years ago. Aren't the French trying to attack a German poisition named Ant Hill. It's strang isn't it the things you remember, this film has brought back so many memories the more I think about it. I even remember it was on very late one evening and I was about eighteen and myself and dad watched it. It was a real late night film on BBC 2 possibly.

Hello Pam,

Didn't manage to see Dead Poets Society - had to do some work (aaargh!!).

Looks like this is becoming "our thread" now - where have all the other film buffs gone?

I've looked back over the posts and reading the Spartacus post reminds me of one of Stanley Kubrick's first films (may have even been his first as a director), called "Paths of Glory". It also starred Kirk Douglas - this time as a French officer (Colonel Dax) in the Great War. It's about a failed attack on a German stronghold in Verdun, and is more of a courtroom drama as opposed to an out-and-out, blood and guts war film - basically the French battalion (commanded by Col. Dax) fail to take the position, due to some men disobeying orders. As a result one man is picked from each company by lots to stand court martial and be made an example of. Colonel Dax was a lawyer in peacetime and the task of defending the men falls upon him.

My other favourite based in the Great War is "All Quiet on the Western Front" (the 1930 version starring Lew Ayres). The novel by Erich Maria Remarque is also one of my all-time favourite reads. I think all world leaders should be made to either read the book or watch the film (or preferably both) - there'd be a lot less wars.

I've just put it on Edd, we'll try to keep awake, my day off tomorrow but not hubby's so may have to go up.............z z z z z