Thursday, April 8, 2010

LIBELED LADY

Caught a classic flick tonight on TCM. Cant believe I'd never seen the whole thing before. Terrific acting from four incredible movie stars: Myrna Loy, William Powell, Jean Harlow and Spencer Tracy. They're all amazing (and Harlow only 26, and just eight months away from her sad death).

But in the end I agree with many of the Hollywood oldtimers that no one was better than Tracy. Man he hits every note in the acting scale with perfect pitch. The guy is so much fun to watch I could have reseen the flick a second time right after it finished.

And of course Loy is a special joy for any classic film lover. Impeccable timing and elan, and Powell matches wits and acting chops with her all the way (though I have to admit, Tracy makes Powell look a little limited in his range).

Harlow is always a revelation. That one so young could come across, STILL, in such a convincing and quick witted way among such highpowered talent, with her obvious limitations in terms of types she could play with that voice and that easy physicality that always translated into the kind of screen sensuality she seems to have singlehandedly invented.

Man, just what the doctor ordered. Thanks doc.

2 comments:

Zuckster said...

Michael,

I suspected you were a classicist at heart ;-)

Robert

-K- said...

When "Captains Courageous" comes on TCM, I just drop everything and watch it. The casting of Spencer Tracy as a Portuguese fisherman seems preposterous but I just love it.