Film Festival: Summertime Blues St. Louis Blues is the 1958 Hollywood version of W. C. Handy’s life, formulated as a vehicle for his music as opposed to an accurate biographical portrayal. However, St. Louis Blues is well worth it because of the music and the fine performances.Although his exact place in the pantheon of blues greats…
Lisa's Home Bijou
Annie Oakley 20th century icon: Lisa’ Home Bijou
Film Festival: The West and Southwest Annie Oakley, whose career extended into the early decades of the 20th century, represented an icon for early 20th century women. As an independent, talented female celebrity, she traveled with Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show and brought the culture, legends and romanticism of the West to people all over…
Lisa’s Home Bijou: Cimarron
Film Festival: The West and Southwest: Cimarron Cimarron was the first Western film to receive an Academy Award. It’s an epic saga depicting the changes in pioneer Oklahoma through the eyes of the Cravat family. The film is considered to be an accurate representation of the times, based on Edna Ferber‘s meticulous research. In Cimarron,…
Lisa’s Home Bijou: I’ll Be Seeing You
Film Festival: Christmas classics I’ll Be Seeing You (1944) is a World War II drama brought to the screen by David O. Selznick. It’s a Christmas story and a love story starring Ginger Rogers, Joseph Cotton, and Shirley Temple. Selznick bought the rights to the 1938 Broadway song I’ll be seeing you. The song was…
Christmas in Connecticut: Lisaʻs Home Bijou
Film Festival: The Holidays DURING WORLD WAR II, citizens tightened their belts by raising vegetables in Victory Gardens. And because of war rationing, it was difficult to get staples such as sugar and butter. With all this self-denial, vicarious pleasure could be had by reading about scrumptious gourmet meals home-cooked in cozy settings. Barbara Stanwyck’s…