Angela Lansbury Takes to the stage at Beauty and the Beast 25th Anniversary Showing

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast is 25 years old this year. Scary I know. It’s my all time favourite Disney film and it’s one of the first Disney films I can ever remember watching.

To celebrate this big milestone Disney have released a 25th Anniversary special of the film that includes some amazing sounding special features! There is fun facts,  a few recording sessions and commentary from the directors. I’ll definitely be buying it!

Some cinemas in the US have also done special screenings and the lucky audience at the Lincoln Centre, New York got an amazing surprise from none other than Mrs. Potts herself Dame Angela Lansbury! The first time I saw this I smiled the whole way through, I still smile all the way through now. Angela certainly still has the singing voice and she’s still my Mrs. Potts even if the cast has changed for the live action version.

So for your viewing pleasure here’s Dame Angela Lansbury singing the amazingly beautiful Beauty and the Beast from 1991’s Beauty and the Beast. Isn’t she adorable?!

High Society (1956)

60 years ago this week (17th July 1956) an amazing film was released. It’s the type of musical film that will probably always make it onto the greatest musical films and for very good reason. It is, in fact, one of my favourite musicals of all time. This film is High Society.

I’m always shocked by how few people have ever heard of or seen this film because it brings some of the best actors and musicians of Old Hollywood together to portray a retelling of the very famous The Philadelphia Story. Now I’m not saying Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant and James Stewart didn’t do the original justice because they totally rocked the film but when you have the likes of Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra together in a script that is funny and musically ingenious you know it’s going to be a film to talk about.

It’s always been a special film to me because it was Grace Kelly’s last ever film before she married Prince Rainier of Monaco and basically became a fairytale princess. In the film she plays a wealthy soon to be married socialite and yet we see her try to please her family and eventually go back to her ex-husband who she still loves. The film may be a musical comedy but the relationships and emotions involved in the film seem very normal.

The songs themselves tell a story and are very memorable, that’s why we named our blog after a High Society song. The song “Who Want’s to Be a Millionaire?” is sung by Sinatra and Celeste Holm and they make it a funny yet romantic song because they don’t want yachts or other expensive items they just want each other. The funnier thing is Sinatra’s character doesn’t even realise Holm has a crush on him.

You’ll also notice Louis Armstrong in the film with his band and how different his music is to the rest of the film. This brings a freshness because all his songs are fun and make you pay attention.

So what’s not to love? Excellent actors who may not have got on in real life but have a great relationship on screen (Crosby kept his distance from Sinatra during production) A lovely vocal performance from Kelly and a great scene in French. Great songs and great musical talent to write and perform the songs which means the songs will be remembered more than the films.

Some musicals can become boring or not seem relevant to the time and we find them being consigned to the archives yet High Society as withstood society’s changes. It actually teaches us about love and relationships while reminding us of people’s standing in society and how we need to be our own person. 60 years on it’s still a watchable fun film that you’ll want to watch again and again.

Happy Birthday Blonde Bombshell Jean Harlow

105 years ago the actress Harlean Carpenter was born. She would go on to become the well loved actress Jean Harlow

In this stunningly beautiful actresses short life the public saw her rise from the ashes of critically unsuccessful films to staring opposite the greats such as Clark Gable and Spencer Tracey. She had friendships people envied, a career that remained strong when the Depression set in and mega stars like Greta Garbo and Joan Crawford were waning and she can be credited with being the inspiration behind Marilyn Monroe’s trademark hair.

Harlow was known for her catching laugh and versatility to act in any film she wanted to. This made her a much wanted icon in Hollywood and made her the type of woman people wanted to be. She swapped regularly from serious to comedy films and it’s this genre she’s probably best known for.
In her 10 year film career she made 36 films and was mostly recognised on and off the screen for her peroxide blonde hair making her one of the first blonde bombshells to grace the screen. Before this you’ll typically note most of the lead actresses had dark hair.

Of course there was the bad moments, like in any Hollywood stars life. Harlow was married three times, the longest lasting for 2 years. She found the love of her life with William Powell but sadly before they could ever be married she became ill with kidney failure which resulted in her death at the age 0f 26. There are plenty of rumours surrounding her death the most famous being that she died of a result of peroxide poisoning.

All her films are worth watching. She was a great actress that even when ill managed to get the films finished and premiered to great success. Even her last film Saratoga was finished well with body doubles when she died during shooting.

Jean Harlow would be remembered forever for being the blonde bombshell that paved the way for change in Hollywood. She became the first actress to grace the cover of Life magazine and she would always be famous for her grace and poise on and off the screen.

 

Quite possibly one of the best on screen partnerships ever.

That Old Frank (Film) Magic

This is obviously a bit belated but I wanted this to be perfect.

 

On the 12th December the great Frank Sinatra turned 100. Everyone was jumping on the band wagon by playing his great songs and telling us stories about his less than perfect private life. I’ve actually heard someone say they don’t like the guy now they’ve heard some of the sordid tales from his Vegas and married days. Let me assure you these probably are true, there’s lots of other similar tales from friends, family and acquaintances, but this shouldn’t put you off his magnificent work whether it be his song writing, his singing or his acting.

His acting is where we come in. I could spend days talking about his music and his Rat Pack singing days. I could tell you tales of who he inspired, how he was one of the few celebrities of the time who basically needed the press to survive.

High Society (1956)

Grace Kelly & Frank Sinatra

One of the first films I ever watched that starred Sinatra and, to this day, it is still one of my favourite films. Sinatra stars with Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly and Celeste Holm in this fun musical based on The Philadelphia Story. Sinatra is Mike Connor the journalist who is picked to report on the wedding of socialite Tracy Lord. True love ensues for Connor and Holm’s character, Liz Imbrie, yet it’s fun to watch them get to this point. The film has some great songs, some classic funny moments and an all over light hearted feel.

Anchors Aweigh (1945)

One of the first films Sinatra did with Gene Kelly. This is a great film where Clarence Doolittle (Sinatra) and Joe Brady (Kelly) are on 4 days shore leave in Hollywood. They go on a musical journey where Joe teaches Clarence to pick up girls and he eventually finds an aspiring actress (Kathryn Grayson) who is the love of his life. There’s a mix of animation with Kelly dancing with Jerry Mouse. There’s some excellent songs and it is a lovely story. You’ve probably heard of another sailor themed film, On The Town, featuring Sinatra and Kelly but this one is well worth a watch too.

Von Ryan’s Express (1965)

A Sinatra film that everyone should know about and one that’s a bit different to the others he was famous for. A war film in every sense the film is set in WWII and sees a group of allied soldiers try to escape by hijacking a train. Sinatra plays Joseph Ryan who is a US Air Corps pilot and gets taken to a concentration camp after being shot down. Here the film unfolds into a thrilling story of bravery and courage. Sinatra gives one of his best performances in this role. If you’ve read the book you’ll notice a few differences but I think you’ll agree they work perfectly in the film.

Robin and the 7 Hoods (1964)

A true Rat Pack film, maybe not as famous as Ocean’s Eleven but this is still everything that made the Rat Pack films fun and enjoyable to watch. Sinatra truly made this film brilliant with a glittering cast and some memorable songs all done to the storyline of Robin Hood. Sinatra obviously has the leading role of Robbo and sees that fun, adventure and true spirit takes place in the ranks of Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Bing Crosby and Peter Falk. It’s fun to watch while still teaching the meaning of Robin Hood.

 

From Here to Eternity (1953)

This film basically relaunched Sinatra’s film career and was nominated for and won many awards. It’s based on the book by James Jones and makes for the perfect movie. Sinatra, Montgomery Clift and Burt Lancaster play three US Army soldiers stationed in Hawaii months before Pearl Harbour. They each have their different problems and we learn a great deal about them throughout the film, as well as the jobs they do. Maggio (Sinatra) is a fun character and yet suffers terribly throughout the film. Sinatra, rightly so, won Best Supporting actor at the Oscars for his role.

Guys and Dolls (1955)

Where to start with the film. It’s based on the Broadway musical but there are some differences most noticeably with there been extra songs written for the film. Sinatra plays gambler Nathan Detroit who’s finding it difficult to find somewhere to hold an illegal crap game because of the police. Then comes in Marlon Brando’s Sky Masterson and they bet on taking a girl out to dinner. Detroit also has to deal with his fiancé of 14 years wanting to tie the knot. The film is very upbeat and has some great romance to it. Sinatra fits the role of Detroit extremely well as if the part was made for him. If you’ve never seen it you’re missing one of the greatest musicals ever.

 

Frank Sinatra made films his own and brought so much emotion and drama to both the big and tv screen it’s a wonder his films aren’t more famous. He’ll always be remembered for his stunning vocals, even in films, but remember the guy won Academy Awards so he definitely did something right somewhere.

Want to live in a former home of Katharine Hepburn? Well here’s your chance!

Over the weekend I was told the fantastic news that the house that Hepburn lived in when she first moved to Hollywood in 1932 is up for sale. It’s a must have for us die hard fans and it would interest those who have a liking for the supernatural because she supposedly moved out because ghosts took to moving the furniture. That makes a great selling point.

Anyways anything with links to the great actress is well worth a look at and at $7.39 million you could have a piece of history.

Another great actor once lived there too… Frankenstein himself, Boris Karloff, lived here for a while and I’ve read somewhere that he may have planted the roses. I’d love to casually point that out to friends at my garden party.

It’s definitely a lot of money for us mere mortals but with 5 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms a huge square footage and a massive garden (with swimming pool) I’m sure we can arrange something.

All we’d have to fight about is which Hepburn film to screen first.

Cinderella Still A Fairy Tale Full Of Faith and Magic

Last week I went to see the live action version of Cinderella. I liked it that much I’m hoping to go see it again before its cinema run finishes. As a fan of Disney and especially Cinderella I will admit I was nervous at seeing it. I’d basically not watched anything much to do with it in case they’d changed my vision of the fairy tale. If anything I think it was better because it was more in depth and filled out. This is great for us that watched the Disney version as kids and completely understood it yet as we grew up we wanted to know more about Cinderella’s life. What happened to her father? Was there more to her meeting her Prince?

This film fills these gaps so well that you’ll find yourself crying. I cried in a cinema packed with kids. Her mum dies, there’s tears. Her dad doesn’t return, tears. The King tells the Prince he can’t marry a commoner, floods of tears. Kenneth Branagh who directed managed to bring a very old story up to date yet keep it magical and innocent for an entire audience. It’s the first time in a while I’ve seen a wide age range in one showing. That in itself is magical and this is what Disney does for us. The fantastic cast may have had a hand too with the likes of Hayley Atwell, Cate Blanchett, Derek Jacobi and Helena Bonham Carter as the Fairy Godmother.

Cinderella’s mum (Attwell) tells her to “Have courage and be kind.” It feels like one of those short phrases that are a life lesson. Lily James who plays Cinderella captures this phrase in all she does in the film. It’s sometimes difficult to be kind in some situations like in the film and yet Cinderella follows through showing the younger audience and us older people that it can be done. In a strange way it was nice to see her break down in private so we see she’s still human just like us.

The romance of the film reminds us so much of the 1950’s original version. There’s
still a barrier in the way between royalty and commoners and yet when they set eyes on each other all that matters is love. There’s no point hiding when matters of the heart are at stake, just as Prince Charming (Richard Madden) proves. Cinderella and the Prince first meet in such an everyday type of situation. Nothing special but the moment does fit so well. She saves the stag that the Prince and his men are hunting showing us her compassion and affinity with the animals is still very much present. As are the adorable mice and Gus-Gus.

The magic of the transformation and the ball were left in and left quite close to the original version yet there was some well received tweaks. Cinderella still has to meet the all important curfew and still managed to run, gracefully, all the way down those steps in pretty glass shoes. That in itself is a fairy tale but it’s the price we pay for dreams.

I was so glad to find they’d left the song “A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes” in the film and that Lily had recorded a version too. Each Disney film has a signature song and for me this one is it. As a child I hummed to it and as I’ve grown up I’ve found different interpretations to it. You’re all probably the same. It’s a song that will never date and means a lot in difficult situations.

I think the main reason I’m writing this piece is that there is still room for fairy tales in the world today and they make us feel better no matter how much we cry through them. We see so many interpretations of the tales of old and yet they essentially stay the same. Cinderella is just like us. She’s had tragedies, hard times and then so much hope. If we all stuck with “have courage and be kind” we too could make situations better for ourselves and others. Yes it might be hard but we can learn something. We don’t all live in fairy tales but we can strive to be better people and live to see our dreams come true even if that dream is only to find our own Prince or Princess. I live to fulfil my dreams because some people can’t and like Cinderella said about the ball: “It was like a dream. Better than a dream.”

All I can do now is hope the live action version of Beauty and the Beast is as well executed. If they destroy that film my faith in humanity will be lost as it’s my all time favourite Disney film. I will say the cast looks fantastic so far!

 

Fifty Shades of Grey- Merchandise edition

First off- apologies for not writing for so long, I’ve been ill and still sort of am so there might be big gaps between my writing.

I’m sure you’ve heard of it, that. “BDSM,” book Which isn’t actually BDSM more like a book of how to be an abusive, yet still sexy and get everyone to want you, partner. BDSM does not involve stalking a person definitely does not involve threats… unless it is a discussed beforehand role playing thing but let’s not get into that… Is now a movie getting released just in time for Valentines day.

There are several discussions of people saying they are going to boycott the film due to it’s, “abusive,” nature.

Ok, if you haven’t heard of Fifty Shades of Grey, this is one of those, “Where were have you been?” Moments, this is the book that has probably produced a generation by it’s self just down to the raw kinkiness of some of it’s scenes, and also spun a highlight to, “What is BDSM?” But as the book became more popular more people began to realise the main man of the series, Mr Christian Grey and the leading female of the series Anastasia Steele’s relationship wasn’t that healthy.

In a short term, Fifty Shades is a book which shows

A relationship with no romance but the author still manages to add some form of romance into this dark twisted “love” story by Christian Grey’s weird way of romantically stalking his innocent minded, absent minded “girlfriend”/new friend who should be kept emotionally distant who he can turn into “friend with a lot of kinky benefits”

This is a trilogy so it get’s better…

I mean if someone shows you a room, which you nickname, “The Red Room of Pain.” Chances are you know something’s going to go wrong right?

So, Fifty Shades of Grey is a fanfiction (story based off another story) of Twilight- teenage vampire love story, which sort of developed into a complicated relationship.

Like the Twilight movie there is merchandise coming out…

Now Twilight we had t-shirts, key rings etc.

Fifty Shades now their advertisement and merchandise budget must be massive… seriously every time I go out I’m hit by Fifty Shades of Grey on the side of a bus, (I’m not actually hit by a bus or else I wouldn’t be writing this post). Plus I doubt Beyoncè comes at a cheap price however, she now has two songs on the soundtrack. 

We have Fifty Shades T-shirts coming out and I had to dig through the Internet before found key rings.

But other merchandise include

• Jewellery and the tie seen on the front cover of Fifty Shades of Grey.
• Sexy Knickers and bras or (Lingerie as everyone puts it) of all coverings and comforts (So from you can see that you are wearing underwear to you can barely notice it)
• Wine, because you know everyone needs a lack of judgment before having sex… Luckily they are bringing in new laws in that area in the UK.
• Teddy Bear… Now why didn’t they bring out a cuddly Jacob in wolf form for Twilight? But if it’s going to cost £59.12 for a cuddly wolf I think even Team Jacob fans might have passed that.

• 50 Shades of Earl Grey Tea… Which is odd because in the book Ana’s favorite tea is Twinnings Breakfast Tea.
• Baby Grow… One says I’m a result of my mommy reading Fifty Shades of Grey”, Another “My mommy pretends Christian Grey is my daddy” Please take a photo of kids wearing that then show them the photo when they learn what Fifty Shades of Grey is and please get in touch what their reaction was, I have a feeling these baby grows will be like the pink princess dresses every female goth has to deny she wore. Along with the Baby Grow’s there is also Baby changing mats! Who came up with that idea?

These are just some of the odd things out, since the book became popular there has already been the creation of all the handcuffs and floggers so there is no real need to go into them.
Will Well Did you evah be going to see Fifty Shades of Grey at the Cinema?

We might do… although I understand it’s abusive, I also understand that(And I’ve read) there are worse books out there, the only difference is this one has made a lot of hype about its self. In the end it’s a movie based on a book, Christian Grey was an abused child and I think those who have been through abused childhoods will know you don’t always enter adulthood unscathed but in the end he’s willing to get help for it, he sees a therapist! Which is something we should take into consideration, not that it forgives him. Anastasia Steele is a girl with low self esteem the contract and control Christian first gives her she negotiates which and agrees which shows she has some control in the relationship.

By not seeing the movie the industry is just loosing money, but the news circulating about abuse even if we don’t see the movie, the right message is still getting out there, people can see this movie and know partners can abuse each other in more than one way.

 

Happy Birthday James Dean

84 years ago today James Dean was born. He would go on to be one of the most successful actors in Hollywood and yet he only made three films in under two years. All though his career was short lived due to his untimely death at the age of 24 he became a star that the young people of the 50’s could relate to. The film Rebel Without a Cause still strikes a chord with the youth of today. Dean’s style would become iconic and his short life would be looked at time and time again in relation to his sexual orientation and his memorable style. He is truly a legend in his own rights, achieving in five years what many actors didn’t in their entire careers. He earned the respect of his fellow actors and crews and of his fans both young and old.

The 50’s really was the best time for Dean to be an actor on the big screen. His three staring films are practically classics and I hope that everyone has watched at least one.

East of Eden was the first he got main billing for in 1955. Aged 24 he starred in this take of John Steinbeck’s book of the same name. As a young guy himself he really showed his maturity in this film as it is loosely based on the Biblical story of Cain and Abel. We see Dean go through love and hate towards his father and brother. He tries his hardest to gain his fathers approval and it is so very convincing that when, at the end, he achieves the approval and love he craves you can’t help but smile. Many reviewers said this was Dean’s best ever performance and the Academy Awards saw fit to award him an Oscar for his acting role in 1956. He was the first person to receive a posthumous nomination.

Soon after in 1955 he’d star in another film where he’d be vying after the affections and attentions of a father figure. Rebel Without a Cause will be his most recognisable film where he played teenager Jim Stark opposite teenage stars Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo. The film is a masterpiece and sees Dean portray eerily perfectly the raw feelings felt by the middle class youth. He has such an expressive face and way of acting that works perfectly in all the high emotion scenes. His red jacket and quiff became staple requirements for many men of the 50’s. The story works well for Dean because of his age and he works wonderfully onscreen with Wood and Mineo making this a performance that will never be forgotten. Unfortunately Dean never saw the completed film, Warner Brothers released it less than a month after he’d died.

 

His last film was released in 1956 and took a completely different road to his previous two films. Giant saw him play a stable hand who strikes it rich with oil, not the young person he feared he’d be typecast as. In Giant you see Dean’s dedication to the film and the art of acting by actually dying his hair grey to portray the ageing of his character. He stars opposite stars like Elizabeth Taylor and Rock Hudson in the film and he bounces off them perfectly. Giant itself was released around a year after his death and someone had to dub some of his lines in production because of his sudden death. Again he received a posthumous Academy Award and if you watch the film you’ll agree it was well deserved.

Even though James Dean only starred in three films he made three films that can be watched by anyone. His talent was a massive part of his short success and so was his iconic image. He will be remembered for a very long time and hopefully his films will be remembered as well as his fast life and tragic death have been.

Why 2015 will be a spectacular year

2015 is here guys! We’re all probably looking for holidays, short breaks and just nice things to do for the rest of the year to keep us smiling. This year has some great things in store for us Old Hollywood lovers. There’s also some marvellous stuff in store for all film, fashion and art lovers.

To give you a taste we’re going to run down what we’re looking forward to in 2015… Obviously not everything is here yet, some exciting things will pop up later this year.

Film/ Stage

I’m looking forward to Into The Woods. A mash up of fairytales, songs and an all star cast featuring Meryl Streep, Anna Kendrick, Johnny Depp and James Corden the film is sure to be a hit. Anna Kendrick also returns in Pitch Perfect 2 later in the year.

Katharine Hepburn at BFI Southbank are holding a month of this brilliantly talented woman’s work. I was very excited when I found out about this! Films range from The Philadelphia Story and Adam’s Rib to A Woman Rebels and Stage Door with everything in-between. For the full list visit BFI You can also buy tickets here if you really, really need to. I might even see some of you there.

February also brings the Fifty Shades of Grey film which I hear millions of women are super excited for. Based on the book of the same name it features the very wonderful looking Jamie Dornan. With an 18 rating it’s definitely for the adult audiences. Prepare for sexiness, stalking, no romance, kinky fuckery and a very controlling rich man. It’s due out in the UK on 13th February with tickets available now from most cinemas.

2015 sees a brilliant treat from director Maria Friedman who is bringing High Society to the London stage. Old Vic is going to be holding this swellegant, elegant party which will be kicking off on 30th April. As of yet no cast as been confirmed, can’t be long to wait though! Tickets are available here

Two films I probably don’t need to mention, but I’ll refresh your memories, are The Avengers: Age of Ultron and Ant-Man. Both look like sure hits this year.

Big Hero 6 is worth a mention for an animated film…

Exhibitions

V&A host a stunning looking exhibition of the late, great Alexander McQueen’s work and creative brilliance. Savage Beauty runs from 14th March to 19th July and will be well worth a visit as it’s the largest collection looking back at McQueen’s work in Europe.

Fans of Audrey Hepburn will be flocking to National Portrait Gallery this summer to see their Portrait of an Icon exhibition. NPG have a range of photographic portraits spanning Hepburn’s life. These include fashion, film and philanthropic based photos from a range of photographers.

TV

There’s probably to much happening with TV shows to mention here but here’s a few that caught my eye and/or I enjoy watching.

Supernatural is celebrating it’s 10th birthday this year. It doesn’t feel like two minutes since we met demon hunter brothers Sam and Dean Winchester. Here’s to many more years on TV hunting demons, saving us from apocalypses, getting trapped in hell and singing and dancing for us.

 

Police show Blue Bloods reached it’s 100th show on 9th January. No small feat with the way shows get cut and cancelled these days. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic also celebrates it’s 100th episode later this year when season 5 airs.

I’m excited to see Rizzoli & Isles return for Season 6 and Bitten for Season 2. Both are shows based on books so it’ll be interesting to see which direction they go in. A lot has happened in both series that’s nowhere close to the book so we can’t guess what’s going to happen next.

2015 seems to be Marvel’s year. New comics, Age of Ultron film and the premiere of the tv series Agent Carter. This started in US last week and I’m quite impressed with it. I’m so glad Hayley Atwell as stayed on as Agent Peggy Carter and remains kick ass and a true role model to women.

As shows begin others unfortunately end. This year sees Lost Girl end on season 5. I’ll be sad to see this sexy succubus go but I’m glad we get a proper ending especially after the ending we got on season 4. Bo, Kenzie, Lauren and Dyson we’ll miss you guys!

We’ll keep you updated throughout the year on these and many more happenings in the world of movies, tv and exhibitions. Until then enjoy the vast array of spectacular big and indie films out this year and keep your eyes peeled for other great ways to pass the hours.

Happy New Year!

Hello dear followers, Old Hollywood Lovers and people who accidentally got to this page!

We at Well Did You Evah would like to wish you all a very Happy New Year for 2015. Here’s hoping you get good things coming your way, find love and inspiration when you most need it and make new promises while keeping the old.

Don’t lose your love for the old as the old is coming back to make us smile. Yes we’ve lost a few of our beloved stars but 2015 marks the beginning of some big 100th birthdays. 2015 also brings with it some great art exhibitions, West End shows, films and other pretty tempting things that we want to tell you about.

Go forth and make 2015 the best year you’ve ever had!