Back to Golden Days

To celebrate Mickey Rooney's 95th birthday, this week on "Film Friday" I bring you one of his best-remembered films, wherein he gave one of the most endearing performances of his career. Incidentally, this is also the film that made Elizabeth Taylor a star.   Original release poster Directed by Clarence Brown, National Velvet (1944) tells the story of Velvet Brown (Elizabeth Taylor), a 12-year-old girl living in a small 1920s English town with her parents (Donald Crisp and Anne Revere) and her three siblings, Edwina (Angela Lansbury), Malvolia (Juanita Quigley) and Donald (Jackie Jenkins). While walking home from school one day, Velvet meets a mysterious young drifter named Mi Taylor (Mickey Rooney), who has come to town in search of the Brown family after finding Mrs. Brown name and address in one of his deceased father's notebooks. As Velvet is talking to Mi, she sees a rambunctious horse being chased by its owner, Mr. Ede (Reginald Owen), and immediately...

In honor of Greta Garbo's 110th birthday, whi ch is today, this week on "Film Friday" I bring you one of her most iconic films, one which is considered by many critics and film historians to be the finest performance of her short but stellar career. Original release poster Directed by George Cukor, Camille (1936) tells the story of Marguerite Gautier (Greta Garbo), a beautiful 19th century Parisian courtesan leading an avaracious life of frivolity and self-indulgence. Marguerite's bawdy neighbor, Prudence Duvernoy (Laura Hope Crews), suggests she find a rich man to take care of her extravagances and arranges for her to meet the wealthy, middle-aged Baron de Varville (Henry Daniell) one evening at the theater. During an intermission, Prudence points out the Baron to Marguerite, but she mistakes him for the handsome, much-younger Armand Duval (Robert Taylor), who has worshipped her from afar for over a year and a half. He makes his way to her box and she's...

Theatrical release poster Directed by Jean Negulesco, Woman's World (1954) follows the efforts of Ernest Gifford (Clifton Webb), the owner of a large automobile manufacturer, to hire a new general manager for his company. To accomplish this, Gifford brings to New York his top three regional salesmen, along with their wives, planning to hire the one whose wife is most suited to be an executive's wife. Arriving by plane are Bill and Katie Baxter (Cornel Wilde and June Allyson), a loving couple from Kansas City. Travelling by train from Texas are Jerry Talbot (Van Heflin) and his seductive, gold-digger counterpart Carol (Arlene Dahl). Rouding up the trio are Sidney and Elizabeth Burns (Fred MacMurray and Lauren Bacall), who are on the verge of separating and quarrel as they drive from Philadelphia. Believing that the trip is a reward for good sales, the clumsy but sweet Katie expresses her dislike for the big city and proves inept at handling her social responsibilities....