Happy Birthday Alice Faye

Alice Faye was born on May 5, 1915 in Hell's Kitchen, New York.  She is a favorite of mine.  I love her movies from the 30s and 40s.  My personal favorite is HELLO FRISCO HELLO.  I also love ALEXANDER'S RAGTIME BAND.  She is stunning in LILLIAN RUSSELL.

The stories of most of her movies are simple.  I explain them like this.  Faye falls for a guy--often John Payne or Don Ameche.  They are too stupid to fall for her and they go for someone else that completely takes advantage of them.  Faye's character saves the guy from himself.

Despite, or maybe because of the simple plot, I love her movies.  Faye is beautiful and has even a more beautiful voice.  She sings songs from Irving Berlin, Gershwin, and Cole Porter. 

Tonight TCM is showing one of her films--ROSE OF WASHINGTON SQUARE.   They don't show her films often.  Take advantage.

As to any Nebraska connection, she worked for Fox Studios under Zanuck.  He ended up treating her badly in FALLEN ANGEL, and she quit.  Zanuck sent her gifts, such as cars, but she wouldn't return. 

Another Nebraska connection is that Henry Fonda co-starred with her in LILLIAN RUSSELL.

Nebraska Nellie

Parry Lodge

I'm staying at Parry Lodge in Kanab.  Kanab calls itself Little Hollywood.  Many TV and movie stars have stayed here and the rooms are named after some of the stars that have stayed here.  I'm in the Peter Lawford room.  Last fall I stayed in the Julie Newmar room.

The lobby is filled with photos of its movie star and TV star guests.  Gunsmoke was filmed near here.  I saw some of the old site this morning.  I also saw the remains of the town in the valley at the end of Westward the Women--one of my favorite movies.

This is a great way to make my way to the Turner Classic Movie Film Festival this week.  Jane Fonda, Mitzi Gaynor, and many others will be there.  Go to www.tcm.com/festival for more information.  There will be photos and video as the festival  occurs.

Nebraska Nellie

Bryce Canyon National Park

This morning I left Kanab and drove north  77 miles to Bryce Canyon National Park.  This entire area of the state is beautiful.  The highest point of Bryce is 9100 feet above sea level.                                                                                                                                                                            

Ordinarily, there is a $25 charge to go to the park, but this is National Parks Week and admission is free.

There are 18 view points and they are beautiful.  I have lots of photos.  My favorite spot was the Natural Bridge.  It reminds me of Arches National Park.  I have also been to Zion National Park.  This state has 5 national parks and many more national monuments and forests.

Nebraska Nellie

Monument Valley

Sunday, I drove from Tucumcari, New Mexico to Kanab, Utah.  I took an out of the way route and went through Monument Valley.  Many westerns have been filmed there.  John Wayne and John Ford   did several.

I took a lot of photos and plan to post  a number of them tomorrow.  Utah is an amazing state and the red rock formations were fabulous.  You can see why Ford chose that location for his films.

Nebraska Nellie

TCM film festival adventure begins today!

For the fourth year, I am heading to Hollywood for the film festival.  More  films and movie stars to see.  I left Lincoln this morning and drove through Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and I'm staying in Tucumcari, New Mexico in the Historic Route 66 Motel.  Nothing fancy but the price is great.   I just need a bed and a shower and I'll be set to head on to Monument Valley to see where many great westerns were made in the past.  Can't wait to see it.

The weather was in the 20's when I left Lincoln but was in the 60's this afternoon as I drove through Dodge City, Kansas.  I finished my LA Noir audiobook on the history of LA from about 1915 to 1978 covering the criminals and the police.   Very interesting.

Now I'm listening to a book about the informal history of the 1920's.

I hope to have some great photos of Monument Valley then on to Kanab, Utah for a couple of nights.

Nebraska Nellie

Happy Birthday, Harold Lloyd.

Lloyd was born 120 years ago today in Burchard, Nebraska.  What wonderful silent films he made for us.

A Gentle New Year to All

One of my dear friends wished me a gentle new year and it seems so appropriate.  For so many of my close friends and family, 2012 had many challenges.  I want to start 2013 on a positive note and wish you all a gentle new year.  I'm sure we'll all have new things that trouble us but I have often felt that the end of a year is a cut off point that can give us a fresh start. 

Nebraska Nellie

Turner Classic Movies

Finally the day has arrived to start this year's film festival. I can't wait to see the stars and the wonderful classic movies.

I'll be in touch.

Nebraska Nellie

Nebraska National Grassland

Toadstool Park

Scottsbluff

Happy Birthday Nebraska.

Today Nebraska is 145 years old. Nebraska has much to offer. Low unemployment. Great people. Good work ethic. Many beautiful things to see across the state. Go see the sandhill cranes. Toadstool Park is such a surprise. Sandhills. Plains. Bluffs. Check it out.

Nebraska Nellie

Turkeys at Desoto

We saw the wild turkeys as we were heading toward the end of our tour around the refuge. We saw no wildlife from the wildlife overlook--but will try again. The feathers on the turkeys were irridescent. We saw about 20 turkeys.

Nebrasksa Nellie

Tree at Desoto

I am assuming that a beaver must have had lunch on this tree.

Nebraska Nellie

Geese at Desoto

Yesterday my friend and I went to Desoto National Wildlife Refuge. We were hoping to see lots of eagles. Our best viewing was as we were driving on I-80 near Mahoney State Park. Two bald eagles were flying over the highway. Eagles are glorious as they soar above. However, I couldn't take pictures with my new 400 mm lens as I drive down the the interstate at 75 mph. We did see three eagles but they were two far to get anything very good. The temperatures were in the 40s but the wind over the water made it feel very cold. I can't understand how the geese sit on the ice.

Desoto was hit hard by the flood last year and you could see the water line on the trees and bushes. Parts of the land are ravaged and look like desert. Lots of trees have died and fallen. I'm sure it will come back but nature was hard on the refuge last year.

We plan to go back as spring comes when we can see the wildlife again.

Nebraska Nellie

The Help

I saw this in the theatre and also with my family the day after Christmas. Again, it's hard to understand the level of racism that has still occurred in my lifetime. Growing up in a small Nebraska town, I didn't see it.

This story takes place in the 1960's. I can only imagine the rage the help must have felt when they were treated the way they were. Life is complex and Abilene and Minnie were such interesting people. Enough happened that they decided to tell their stories to Skeeter.

It was hard to believe that Cissy Spacek and Cicely Tyson are now playing the old lady roles. Loved them. Go see it or get the DVD.

Good luck at the Oscars.

Nebraska Nellie

Red Tails

I loved this film. I saw interviews of George Lucus on the Daily Show and John Ridley on Morning Joe. Lucus has worked on getting this film done for 25 years and John Ridley has been working on the story and screenplay for four years. In my opinion, it was worth every minute of their time.

In the opening scene, there is a quote from 1925 Army regs. about the use of Negroes in the Army. It's so hard to believe that our country was still so racist in WWII and after.

This movie was good on several levels. Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding, Jr. were great leaders of the Red Tails. Without their leadership, the Red Tails would have failed. The pilots were not without flaws, but there is little doubt that those daring pilots would not have been so brave. Easy drank too much. Lightning was a dare devil and didn't follow orders.

It was also fun to see Gerald McRaney as a general and Daniela Ruah (NCIS Los Angeles) in this movie.

Lucas said he has a prequel and sequel to do if this is a success. I will be looking forward to it. Good job.

Nebraska Nellie

War Horse

War Horse was a very good movie with many beautiful scenes of horses and a beautiful country scenes as well as seeing the devastation of war. The story of this magnificent horse who escaped dying numerous times through his earlier training and luck was very good. We see the evil of war and a son grows to understand his father through his experience in war.

The biggest problem is this film was it was too long. It was almost 2 1/2 hours long. There were many parts to this horse story and they were all good. Maybe the various pieces could have been tightened.

I really enjoyed the performances of Jeremy Irvine and Emily Watson. I also liked the grandfather who made jam.

In this WW I picture, we see how devastating war is--now and in the past. I liked the picture.

Nebraska Nellie

The Iron Lady

Meryl Streep is another amazing actor. It's unbelievable how she is able to transform herself into her character and she certainly did so with Margaret Thatcher. Wow! She looked like Thatcher. She sounded like Thatcher. She was Thatcher.

This Iron Lady was inspiring and I wish we had someone so inspiring to be running for president here in the US. The daughter of a grocer understood how to run her country and it's easy to see why President Reagan thought so highly of her.

I enjoyed Thatcher's husband and the young Thatcher was also excellent. If you want to be inspired by a great story, see Iron Lady.

Nebraska Nellie

The Descendents

Today I am going to review some movies I've seen the last two weekends. I love classic movies and it's great to see the movies that are nominated for Oscars. When the theatres were owned by Douglas, they worked with Make a Wish and held Oscar parties as a big fund raiser each year. It was such fun and I miss it.

The Descendants was very good and, to me, George Clooney is one of the few true current "movie stars" in the classic movie tradition. He's an excellent actor and handsome in the Cary Grant way.

George Clooney's character was complex, as were the two girls who played his daughters. Clooney's family is a mess and you see how they evolve through the tragic circumstances of his wife's affair and death.

The movie was excellent and I recommend it to everyone.

Good luck at the Oscars, George.

Nebraska Nellie