All About (Last) Eve

Although we weren't able to do it on Feb. 14 this year, Damian and I kept our Valentine's Day tradition alive of seeing a classic film for the occasion yesterday when we caught a screening of Joseph Mankiewicz's "All About Eve' at the Metrograph downtown. (In 2015 we saw "The Philadelphia Story" at BAM and have never looked back!) It was Damian's first time seeing Bette Davis's sublime performance as aging Broadway star Margo Channing and, having not seen it in decades, all but mine. 

I certainly can't tell "the gays" anything they don't already know about this masterpiece that won six Oscars including best picture and best director. But boy is it a thrill from beginning to end. (At one point Damian turned to me and whispered: "I just got chills"!) xo 

Tired Old Queen at the Movies: 'Crossfire' (1947)

 

My pal Steve Hayes is back with another review of an Old Hollywood favorite -- this time Robert Young and Robert Mitchum in Edward Dmytrick’s classic film noir "Crossfire." Watch BELOW.

Tired Old Queen at the Movies: 'Tea & Sympathy' (1956)

 

It's been a while since I checked in with my pal Steve Hayes -- aka the Tired Old Queen at the Movies -- whose knowledge of Old Hollywood is unparalleled. But with the holidays and continuing quarantine upon us, now seemed like the perfect time. In recent weeks and months he's reviewed "Death on the Nile" (1978), "The Cat and the Canary" (1939), "A Stolen Life" (1946) and "In the Good Old Summertime" (1949)." But it was his review of Vincente Minnelli's "Tea & Sympathy" that I watched first -- and the only film of the five I've actually seen -- and Steve does not disappoint! 

The only thing I would add -- a correction, if you will -- is that our fey leading man, Tom (played by John Kerr), does in fact play one sport: tennis. I remember this because like Tom, I too was massively ridiculed by everyone from my teammates to my coach for using underspin on my shots when everyone knows real men, like Rafael Nadal, use heavy topspin! 

NOW AVAILABLE: Steve Hayes: Classic Movie Reviews Merchandise HERE!

Celebrating 10 Years of the Tired Old Queen at the Movies

Have been a fan of Steve Hayes since seeing him in "Trick" 20 years ago. (It's finally available to rent online so I just introduced Damian to it and fell in love with the film -- and Steve -- all over again!) And my affection continues to this day thanks to his adorable movie-review series, which is celebrating 10 years!

Tired Old Queen at the Movies: 'White Christmas' (1954)

So funny because I was just watching this on TV the other night. I wondered who that odd-looking woman was -- a rather butch Rosemary Clooney, it turned out! -- and had to remind myself how/why Danny Kaye was a household name when I was a kid. (Never figured it out!)

Steve Hayes writes:

Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera Ellen have a musical filled day singing and dancing to the tunes of the legendary Irving Berlin in Michael Curtiz’s "White Christmas" (1954). Along for the festivities are Oscar winner Dean Jagger and the irascible and hysterical Mary Wickes. It’s a Technicolor, musical extravaganza that will have your holiday hearts singing into the New Year!

Tired Old Queen at the Movies: 'The Strange Love of Martha Ivers' (1946)

Barbara Stanwyck, Van Heflin, Lizabeth Scott and Kirk Douglas in his film debut star Lewis Milestone’s classic noir; “The Strange Love Of Martha Ivers.” Filled with fabulous performances, an ending worthy of James M. Cain, and loaded with murder, mayhem and fabulous plot twists, it’s a trip down the dark side you won’t soon forget. 

Catch Steve and Johnny in LA CAGE AUX FOLLES at Red House Performing Arts Center in Syracuse, N.Y. through June 10. Tickets HERE.

Tired Old Queen at the Movies: 'Gentlemen's Agreement' (1947)

From the wonderful Steve Hayes:

Gregory Peck heads an all star cast in Darryl F Zanuck’s Oscar winning Best Picture of 1947; Elia Kazan’s “Gentlemen’s Agreement.” Based on the bestselling novel by Laura Z Hobson, it deals with the problem of antisemitism just after the World War II. Also in the cast are Dorothy McGuire, John Garfield, Anne Revere, June Havoc and Celeste Holm in the role of the sympathetic reporter that won her an Oscar as best supporting actress. Brilliantly written by Moss Hart, it’s subtly acted, directed and as relevant today as the day it premiered.

Tired Old Queen at the Movies: 'The Damned Don't Cry!' (1950)

Handsome Johnny stopped sending me Steve Hayes's wonderful film reviews, so I haven't shared one in ages. But what better way to get back into the groove than with a Joan Crawford picture?

Tired Old Queen at the Movies: 'The Poseidon Adventure' (1972)

 And you thought you've had some awful New Year's Eves?

Tired Old Queen at the Movies: The Creature Trilogy

This week, Steve Hayes reviews Universal Studio's classic horror trilogy -- "The Creature From the Black Lagoon" (1954), "Revenge Of the Creature" (1955) and "The Creature Walks Among Us." (1956).

Tired Old Queen at the Movies: 'Sweet Smell of Success' (1957)

This week, Steve Hayes reviews Alexander McKendrick's "Sweet Smell of Success" -- starring Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis -- which bombed at the box office, but later became a cult classic.

Tired Old Queen at the Movies: 'Funny Face' (1957)

This week, Steve Hayes reviews "Funny Face," Stanley Donen's fashion mag extravaganza starring Audrey Hepburn, Fred Astaire and Kay Thompson.

Tired Old Queen at the Movies: 'Notorious' (1946)

This week, Steve Hayes reviews Alfred Hitchcock's "Notorious," starring Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman and Claude Rains.

Tired Old Queen at the Movies: 'Suddenly, Last Summer' (1959)

This week, Steve Hayes reviews "Suddenly, Last Summer," one of my two all-time favorite Elizabeth Taylor movies. Taylor, along with Katharine Hepburn and post-accident Montgomery Clift, starred in Joseph L. Mankiewicz's big-screen adaptation of Tennessee Williams' bizarre one-act play, which shockingly -- given its subject matter that included homosexuality, murder, cannibalism, madness, lobotomies, greed and revenge with casual references to incest, nymphomania, suicide and various Oedipal complexes -- became one of highest-grossing pictures of the year:

The Tired Old Queen has LOTS of juicy behind-the-scenes gossip on this one. In fact, I got as many chills watching him review it as I did watching the film all those years ago ...

Tired Old Queen at the Movies: 'Flamingo Road' (1949)

This week Steve Hayes reviews "Flamingo Road," the 1949 Joan Crawford vehicle that re-teamed the star with director Michael Curtiz, who guided her to an Oscar five years earlier in "Mildred Pierce." (She even plays another waitress!)

Tired Old Queen at the Movies: 'Singin' in the Rain' (1952)

This week, Steve Hayes reviews "Singin' in the Rain," Stanley Donen's tribute to the good old days of movie making. Done in the Technicolor splendor that was MGM in its prime, Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O'Connor dance and sing their way into your heart in this film that boasts a book by Comden and Green, dancing by luscious Cyd Charisse and an hysterical Oscar-nominated performance by Jean Hagen as the silent star who can't adjust to talkies.

I have to admit that I've never seen this -- or any movie starring Debbie Reynolds -- but I did go old-school over the weekend and revisit "Postcards From the Edge" with a trip to video store. (There's one left in Chelsea -- and it's still nowhere near my apartment!) The movie isn't as funny as I remembered -- am I the only one who thought Meryl "I can do anything" Streep was horribly miscast? -- but Shirley Maclaine steals every scene she's in, which only makes me love the idea of Debbie Reynolds even more. (Did you SEE her and Carrie Fisher on Oprah the other week?!)

Tired Old Queen at the Movies: 'Double Indemnity' (1944)

This week, Steve Hayes reviews "Double Indemnity," Billy Wilder's class film noir from 1944. Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck shine as illicit lovers who plot the perfect murder -- as does Edward G. Robinson, as a claims adjuster whose job is to find phony claims. With a script by Wilder and Raymond Chandler, based on the novel by James M. Cain, "Double Indemnity" was nominated for six Oscars, including best picture.

Tired Old Queen at the Movies: 'From Here to Eternity' (1953)

This week, Steve Hayes reviews Fred Zinnemann;s "From Here to Eternity," which won eight Academy Awards, including best picture, best director and best supporting acting statues for Frank Sinatra and Donna Reed.

Tired Old Queen at the Movies: 'Roman Holiday' (1953)

This week, Steve Hayes reviews William Wyler's 1953 classic, "Roman Holiday," which earned Audrey Hepburn an Academy Award for best actress.

Tired Old Queen at the Movies: 'Rebecca' (1940)

This week, Steve Hayes reviews Alfred Hitchcock's Oscar-winning "Rebecca."