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Monday, January 5, 2009

Of Lasting Value

Occasionally, in a fit of frugality, I consider ditching or seriously reducing our cable television. After all, we were limited to radio during the 157 hours of the recent ice storm power outage and we did just fine! But then Turner Classic Movies runs a terrific old film and I’m completely hooked again. This time TCM ran “Libeled Lady” (1936) and William Powell, Myrna Loy, Spencer Tracy and Jean Harlow kept us smiling for the entire movie. “Libeled Lady” is the sort of picture that causes the overused compliment “they don’t make movies like that anymore” to spring unbidden to ones lips. It’s a smart and funny film with just enough twists, turns, silliness and sincerity to hold up 73 years after it was produced. If you haven’t seen this highly rated film, do keep an eye out for it. And yes, it is available on DVD.

3 comments:

Ms Brown Mouse said...

it's the old movies that tempts me to pay (cable) tv, but the thought of 24 hours of sport, sport, sport - and the ensuing divorce, that has kept if from our door thus far :)

Jeff Barnard said...

In the film Sunset Boulevard, Joe Gillis (William Holden) says, "Hey! You're Norma Desmond! You used to be big!"

And Norma (Gloria Swanson) replies, "I AM big... it's the movies that got small."

Pink Granite said...

Hi DMM -
Sounds like a good choice to pick a happy marriage over cable/pay TV!
And you can always rent the good movies!
;o)
- Lee


Hi Jeff -
What a perfect quote!
Thanks for the reminder!
;o)
- Lee