A look back at the career of British actress Deborah Kerr, with vintage television interviews and classic archive clips telling how she left Britain in the 1940s and became one of Hollywood's biggest stars.
Just watching her interview now. She was so lady like. I never rated her much as an actress though. Too reserved and not much depth to her performances. Although the stories I've heard about her seem to suggest she wasn't so demure in real life.
So funny the dirty look Edith Evans gave her after they showed that famous beach scene clip from From Here To Eternity.
Something that's just popped up again on BBC Radio, that might interest some. Strangers on a Film
Strangers on a Film By Stephen Wyatt.
To accompany Radio 4's Classic Chandler season, Patrick Stewart plays Raymond Chandler and Clive Swift is Alfred Hitchcock in their famous collaboration on 'Strangers on a Train'. In 1950, Alfred Hitchcock invited Raymond Chandler to work with him on a screenplay based on Patricia Highsmith's novel. Chandler was not only recognised as a fine novelist and had also received an Academy Award nomination for his original screenplay, The Blue Dahlia. The omens were good but their collaboration turned out to be a disaster.
Directed by Claire Grove
Availability: 5 days left to listen
Duration: 45 minutes.
Guardian review.
There are two episodes of Talking Pictures next week. Tomorrow it's Paul Newman at 2.15pm followed by 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' and on Saturday it's Robert Mitchum at 1pm with the 40s film noir 'Build My Gallows High' being shown afterwards.
Pretty poor one with Sophia Loren yesterday. Not her fault but the unbelievable misogynistic and aggressive attitudes of some of the interviewers. Especially Cliff Mitchelmore.
Pretty poor one with Sophia Loren yesterday. Not her fault but the unbelievable misogynistic and aggressive attitudes of some of the interviewers. Especially Cliff Mitchelmore.
He was unbelievable, so "up himself."
According to Wiki, he's still around at 94. A "good innings."
According to Wiki, he's still around at 94. A "good innings."
He's still alive? He's been around since Moses was a boy. The way he spoke to her, almost attacking her because she was beautiful was outrageous. He was implying that she only got to where she was because of her looks.
Citizen Kane has some great lines, I've probably mentioned this one before, but it's worth repeating, because of its poignancy.
Kane and his friend Bernstein now well into old age, are reminiscing about their early days, when Bernstein comes out with;
"One day back in 1896, I was crossing over to (New) Jersey on the ferry and as we pulled out, another ferry was pulling in. On it was a girl waiting to get off, a white dress she had on. She was carrying a white parasol. I only saw her for one second. She didn't see me at all, but I bet a month hasn't gone by since that I haven't thought of that girl."
Digressing.
I watched (again) a good "Cowie" yesterday. "Station West," it might be hard to imagine Dick Powell as a cowboy, but he carried it well. The female lead was the beautiful Jane Greer at 24, (going on 32 as they looked in those days).
That had some good lines in it, some quite "Marlowesque" but they weren't written by Raymond Chandler.
Dick Powell played Haven, Jane Greer played Charlie.
Charlie to Haven, "Have you ever told a girl you loved them?"
Bette Davis repeated tomorrow, if anyone missed it the first time it is one of the best in the series. It is followed by Now Voyager, which after All About Eve is my favourite of all her films.
Just watched the Bette Davis one - what a fabulously entertaining woman she was! Would love to see the full Joan Bakewell interview with her at the NFT.
Bette Davis repeated tomorrow, if anyone missed it the first time it is one of the best in the series. It is followed by Now Voyager, which after All About Eve is my favourite of all her films.
Just watched the Bette Davis one - what a fabulously entertaining woman she was! Would love to see the full Joan Bakewell interview with her at the NFT.
Ive got the dvds and yet I still watch these two classic movies when theyre on ! Ive tried to find that NFT interview but can only see it referred to on i-tunes as an album download
Just watched the Bette Davis one - what a fabulously entertaining woman she was! Would love to see the full Joan Bakewell interview with her at the NFT.
Me too, especially as I was there and plucked up the nerve to ask her a question.
I haven't seen the full interview since it was last shown in December 1972.
I did mention it earlier in this thread, but for anyone who missed it, I stood up, shaking in my shoes and asked her if she ever wanted to be a director.
She thought for a minute, and then said, "NO! because I am so passionate about what I do that I can imagine myself rushing in and screaming, THIS IS HOW YOU DO IT!
Although I would liked to have been a producer, I rather like the idea of bossing all those men around."
She was very articulate, quite funny at times, and obviously enjoyed the interview, and she thanked us all for asking such marvellous questions.
I saw her again when she did her one woman show at the London Palladium in 1975, but I didn't have the nerve to ask her a question on that occasion. ;-)
I did mention it earlier in this thread, but for anyone who missed it, I stood up, shaking in my shoes and asked her if she ever wanted to be a director.
She thought for a minute, and then said, "NO! because I am so passionate about what I do that I can imagine myself rushing in and screaming, THIS IS HOW YOU DO IT!
Although I would liked to have been a producer, I rather like the idea of bossing all those men around."
She was very articulate, quite funny at times, and obviously enjoyed the interview, and she thanked us all for asking such marvellous questions.
I saw her again when she did her one woman show at the London Palladium in 1975, but I didn't have the nerve to ask her a question on that occasion. ;-)
What a fantastic memory for you! From the brief bits used on the show it looked like it was a great evening! And it looked like she got on well with Joan Bakewell who had obviously done her research.
What a fantastic memory for you! From the brief bits used on the show it looked like it was a great evening! And it looked like she got on well with Joan Bakewell who had obviously done her research.
Although it was 43 years ago I can recall it all very clearly, and it was actually a Sunday afternoon. I also remember that when we were all waiting outside the NFT after the show, her chauffer emptied the car ashtray into the road, and some demented fans were on their hands and knees scrabbling for the dog ends with the bright red lipstick traces on them.
Bette made a point of saying at the end of the show about Joan Bakewell,
I've loved Sylvia Sym's narration in this series, but I was surprised at the careless mistake she made in the Judi Dench episode. She commented that Judi was sitting next to Margaret Rutherford when being interviewed by Wogan in 1989. It was in fact another very distinguished actress, 100 year old Athene Seyler. Dame Margaret had died 17 years previously.
I loved the Maggie Smith episode this week, one of the best in the series!
Series 2 continues Great Directors today 13:35, Features rarely seen interviews with a line-up of directing legends including names like John Ford, Frank Capra, Sidney Lumet, George Cukor, Billy Wilder and Cecil B Demille.
followed by Wuthering Heights circa 1939. The film garnered several Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Screenplay and Best Director.
Reputations featuring Alfred Hitchcock on at 13:10, part II in the series.
Followed by Living Famously featuring Grace Kelly at 14:10
Followed by Rear Window at 15:10
Comments
Just watching her interview now. She was so lady like. I never rated her much as an actress though. Too reserved and not much depth to her performances. Although the stories I've heard about her seem to suggest she wasn't so demure in real life.
So funny the dirty look Edith Evans gave her after they showed that famous beach scene clip from From Here To Eternity.
Strangers on a Film
Strangers on a Film
By Stephen Wyatt.
To accompany Radio 4's Classic Chandler season, Patrick Stewart plays Raymond Chandler and Clive Swift is Alfred Hitchcock in their famous collaboration on 'Strangers on a Train'. In 1950, Alfred Hitchcock invited Raymond Chandler to work with him on a screenplay based on Patricia Highsmith's novel. Chandler was not only recognised as a fine novelist and had also received an Academy Award nomination for his original screenplay, The Blue Dahlia. The omens were good but their collaboration turned out to be a disaster.
Directed by Claire Grove
Availability: 5 days left to listen
Duration: 45 minutes.
Guardian review.
He was unbelievable, so "up himself."
According to Wiki, he's still around at 94. A "good innings."
He's still alive?
IIRC Cy Grant also had problems with Cliff Mitchelmore's dismissive attitude.
Kane and his friend Bernstein now well into old age, are reminiscing about their early days, when Bernstein comes out with;
"One day back in 1896, I was crossing over to (New) Jersey on the ferry and as we pulled out, another ferry was pulling in. On it was a girl waiting to get off, a white dress she had on. She was carrying a white parasol. I only saw her for one second. She didn't see me at all, but I bet a month hasn't gone by since that I haven't thought of that girl."
Digressing.
I watched (again) a good "Cowie" yesterday. "Station West," it might be hard to imagine Dick Powell as a cowboy, but he carried it well. The female lead was the beautiful Jane Greer at 24, (going on 32 as they looked in those days).
That had some good lines in it, some quite "Marlowesque" but they weren't written by Raymond Chandler.
Dick Powell played Haven, Jane Greer played Charlie.
Charlie to Haven, "Have you ever told a girl you loved them?"
Haven, "Yes, several."
Charlie, "When?"
Haven, "When I was standing by the door."
Charlie, "Will you tell me you love me?"
Haven. "Let's get over by the door."
Ive got the dvds and yet I still watch these two classic movies when theyre on ! Ive tried to find that NFT interview but can only see it referred to on i-tunes as an album download
Me too, especially as I was there and plucked up the nerve to ask her a question.
I haven't seen the full interview since it was last shown in December 1972.
Wow! What did you ask her?
I did mention it earlier in this thread, but for anyone who missed it, I stood up, shaking in my shoes and asked her if she ever wanted to be a director.
She thought for a minute, and then said, "NO! because I am so passionate about what I do that I can imagine myself rushing in and screaming, THIS IS HOW YOU DO IT!
Although I would liked to have been a producer, I rather like the idea of bossing all those men around."
She was very articulate, quite funny at times, and obviously enjoyed the interview, and she thanked us all for asking such marvellous questions.
I saw her again when she did her one woman show at the London Palladium in 1975, but I didn't have the nerve to ask her a question on that occasion. ;-)
What a fantastic memory for you! From the brief bits used on the show it looked like it was a great evening! And it looked like she got on well with Joan Bakewell who had obviously done her research.
Although it was 43 years ago I can recall it all very clearly, and it was actually a Sunday afternoon. I also remember that when we were all waiting outside the NFT after the show, her chauffer emptied the car ashtray into the road, and some demented fans were on their hands and knees scrabbling for the dog ends with the bright red lipstick traces on them.
Bette made a point of saying at the end of the show about Joan Bakewell,
"I just LOVE this woman!"
I loved the Maggie Smith episode this week, one of the best in the series!
Seems to be a Hitchcock season on BBC 2 around midnight for the next few days, started a couple of days ago.
Features rarely seen interviews with a line-up of directing legends including names like John Ford, Frank Capra, Sidney Lumet, George Cukor, Billy Wilder and Cecil B Demille.
followed by Wuthering Heights circa 1939.
The film garnered several Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Screenplay and Best Director.
Followed by Living Famously featuring Grace Kelly at 14:10
Followed by Rear Window at 15:10