Back to Golden Days

When I created Back to Golden Days on February 27, 2015, I didn't know what to except. The blog was just an outlet for me to express my love for classic films, history and writing. I had no idea it would became such a huge part of my life. Writing about my favourite films and stars has been a great History lesson, and interacting with all of you lovely people who take the time to read my articles has been absolutely wonderful. So all I can say is thank you and here's to another amazing year of blogging. Out of curiosity, I thought I'd share with you my most viewed articles of this first year of the blog : Golden Couples: Gary Cooper & Patricia Neal My Favorite Classic Movie Blogathon: Breakfast at Tiffany's (1960) Golden Couples: Rock Hudson & Doris Day The 1947 Blogathon: Nightmare Alley The Classic Movie History Project Blogathon: Juvenile Delinquency in Mid-1950s Cinema The Sinatra Centennial Blogathon: Frank Sinatra & Gene Kelly The Pr...

For my last Oscar-themed «Film Friday» I decided to bring you the Best Picture winner of 1947. This was the second Gregory Peck film I saw — the first was Designing Woman (1957) — and my first time seeing both John Garfield and Dorothy McGuire on screen. Directed by Elia Kazan, Gentleman's Agreement (1947) tells the story of Philip Schuyler Green (Gregory Peck), a widowed journalist who moves to New York City with his son Tommy (Dean Stockwell) and mother (Anne Revere) to work for a magazine called Smith's Weekly . His publisher, John Minify (Albert Dekker), wants him to write a series of articles on the subject of anti-Semitism. The project was suggested by Minify's divorced niece Kathy Lacey (Dorothy McGuire), with whom Phil soon falls in love. In order to get genuine insight into the matter, Phil, a gentile, decides to adopt a Jewish identity («Phil Greenberg») and write about his first-hand experiences in an article entitled «I Was Jewish For Six Months.»  As Phil ...

When I saw this film for the first time a few days ago, I found out it was one of the ten Best Picture nominees at the 14th Academy Awards. Since all «Film Fridays» this month focus on an Oscar-winning or nominated picture, I thought I'd tell you a little bit about it. Directed by Alexander Hall, Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941) tells the story of Joe Pendleton (Robert Montgomery), a boxer-pilot-musician who crashes his plane while flying to a match and is escorted to heaven by Messenger 7013 (Edward Everett Horton). Arriving at the Pearly Gates, the celestial registrar, Mr. Jordan (Claude Rains), discovers that Joe has been called to his death 50 years too soon. 7013 returns Joe to the crash site only to find out that his manager, Max «Pop» Corkle (James Gleason), has had the body cremated. Mr. Jordan orders 7013 to find Joe another body and they end up at the mansion of Bruce Farnsworth, a dishonest businessman who has just been drowned in the bath by his wife, Julia (Rita Johnson...

Jeanette MacDonald is ready to serenade her lucky Valentine.   Ann Miller could get any man to be her Valentine with legs like those. Men of the world, beware! Lana Turner is ready to aim. I'm sure Tony Martin would be delighted if he got home on Valentine's Day and found Cyd Charisse waiting for him like this. Or like this. See, I told you Tony would be happy. Look at what he gave her the next day. Mary Carlisle looks extra cute in her little Valentine's Day outfit.   Joan Leslie is pin-up perfect as the Queen of Hearts. Rita Hayworth has just received a huge box of chocolates from her Valentine. Well done, Mary Pickford. I'm sure Doug will be very happy to receive that. Irene Dunne makes for a very lovely face on a Valentine's Day card. Happy Valentine's Day. ❤❤❤

Dennis Stock was a young photographer working for the Magnum agency when he met James Dean at a party hosted by director Nicholas Ray at the Chateau Marmont in Hollywood in the winter of 1954. As Stock observed a moody Jimmy slouched on a chair, he wondered what Ray had seen in him to give him the lead role Rebel Without a Cause (1955). After exchanging a few polite words, Stock learned they had someone in common: Gjon Mili, the renowned photographer for LIFE magazine at whose New York studio Elia Kazan had shot Jimmy's screen test for East of Eden (1955). Stock had worked as Mili's apprentice for four years upon his discharge from military service and was also his good friend. Because Stock was unfamiliar with Dean's work, he accepted Jimmy's invitation to attend a preview of East of Eden later in the week at a Santa Monica theatre. When Dennis saw the film, he was mesmerized by Jimmy's heartfelt performance and realized right away that he was witnessing the ...