In Richard Quine's 1962 caper rom-com The Notorious Landlady, Novak uses her mastery of on-screen mysteriousness to perfect romantic and comedic pitch, playing an endearing character who is impossible not to pull for.
Author: Celluloid Dame
Hi, I'm Laurie! I have two degrees in English literature (lucrative!) and a deep love of movies. I'm in the cruel, post-academia real world now, so I want to talk about these things here!
Christmas Noir: It’s a Wonderful Life at 75
It’s a Wonderful Life embodies more than a few elements of film noir, from its string of colorful secondary characters, to its exploration of the grimmer parts of life, to its central question of the innate value, if any, of a human being.
Herrmann and Hitchcock, Storm Clouds and Cymbals
In the minds of many classic movie fans, the name Bernard Herrmann is tethered to that of Alfred Hitchcock. He composed and/or produced the scores for seven films by the Master of Suspense, many of them the most popular and memorable of Hitch's decades-long career. In terms of creating the famous Hitchcockian tension, Herrmann played as important a role as Hitchcock's carefully selected cast and crew.
Bancroft-a-thon!
Anne Bancroft is one of those actors whom I truly have no memory of not knowing. I don’t remember what movie or performance introduced me to her – as far as I can tell, I have simply always known and loved her. She is such an astonishing presence on screen, even in relatively small roles. So, I was thrilled to see that there was a celebration of her talent taking place in the Movie Blogosphere.
2020, Baby!
What I watched in 2019. What I'll watch in 2020. I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S 2020?!
Shelley Winters at her Versatile Best
Celebrating the irreplaceable Shelley Winters!
Review: Donald Spoto’s Marilyn Monroe, The Biography
Donald Spoto's biography of Marilyn Monroe is an honest, well-researched, deeply human portrait of a criminally underestimated talent and woman.
Fake News, and the Modern Relevance of Network (1976)
Sidney Lumet's 1976 satire, Network, anticipates the current era of pundits, hot takes, and information warfare, and what it looks like when money runs the newsrooms.
The Mid-90s Renaissance of Women’s Lit on Film
"Chick Lit" meets "Chick Flick" and the world is better for it.
Childbirth on Film: The Ultimate Battle for Life
When you think of suspense and action on film, do you think of childbirth? Well, maybe you should.
Magic Time 