Desperate Housewives of Film Noir

Caftan Woman's number one movie rule: "All film noir are crime drama, but not all crime drama are film noir."

The French have a word for it. Not only does "noir" perfectly evoke the fatalistic driven plots and dense cinematography of Hollywood crime pictures of the World War 2 and post-War era, but it is so much fun to say. Everybody, on three, 1 - 2 - 3, "nwarh".

A movie gets my noir seal of approval if it gives me an emotional kick in the gut and sustains that mood. Many scholars and fans have a check list of expectations to define film noir. Topping many such lists is the femme-fatale who drags our "hero" into the depths of despair and tragedy. Aw, poor baby. Did the strong, sexy woman scare the little man?

Film noir are not only populated by obsessive cops, vengeful crooks and stubborn private eyes. Some stories focus on the keeper of the house, she of the starched apron. Every lifestyle has its pros and cons, and the mid-century housewife was equally the object of envy and scorn. Many senior citizens of my acquaintance look back at that time as a golden one when the kids were young and the hubby still had all his hair. However, the makers of crime pictures told their stories from the angle of lives lived in quiet desperation.

Without Honor (1949)

We meet Jane Bandle (Laraine Day) in her sun-filled kitchen tending to shish kebob skewers for the evening's repast. Dennis Williams (Franchot Tone) furtively enters the home and anxiously confronts Jane with the news that a detective has been nosing around and they have been found out. Jane is so relieved about no longer having to hide her love that she doesn't initially comprehend her lover's anxiety and references to his impressionable teenage daughters. When it finally dawns on Jane that her disloyalty has been for naught, she becomes hysterical and attempts harakiri with a kebob blade. Dennis is at least gentleman enough to struggle with Jane and is himself stabbed.

It is a shocking situation to find oneself with blood on her hands and a body in the laundry room. It is in shock that Jane changes into a demure frock and calls a cab to get her away from the house. Honourably, she does intend to go to the police station, but her ill-formed plans are scuttled by the arrival of her brother-in-law Bill (Dane Clark). No love is lost between these two, although Bill's dislike has crossed the border into pathological land. Not only has Bill hired the detective who discovered Jane's affair, he has arranged for all interested parties to convene at the house for a grand showdown where his brother will be freed from Jane's clutches.

Laraine Day, Agnes Moorehead

Mrs. Williams (Agnes Moorehead) is sympathetic and noble, playing by her own rules and not willing to play Bill's game. Jane's husband Fred (Bruce Bennett) is more easily manipulated as the revelation of his wife's betrayal is a surprise to him. As we know, Jane has a further surprise of her own to share before the day comes to an emotional end.

Without Honor was directed by actor/director Irving Pichel (The Pied Piper, Quicksand, They Won't Believe Me, Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid) from a succinct script by James Poe (Lilies of the Field, The Bedford Incident, Last Train from Gun Hill) which is able to make some telling comments about relationships. The main flaws in the film are the cheapness of the production and, unfortunately, Max Steiner's exclamation point filled score which undermines the subtler aspects of the performances. In another incarnation Without Honor might have been the best remembered episode of an anthology series, but as a motion picture it misses the mark.

Cause for Alarm! (1951)

Ellen Jones (Loretta Young) lives a lonely life caring for her invalid husband George (Barry Sullivan). On the day we meet her Ellen is so weary that even her housework fails to give her pleasure, but she brushes aside such selfish thoughts. After all, George is bedridden with a heart condition and needs her to be cheerful. In a flashback she recalls meeting the devil-may-care pilot during the war when they shared a picnic of potato salad and ration cards, and dreamed of a future together. Ellen will soon come to realize that George has planned a very different future not only for her, but for family physician and best friend Dr. Graham (Bruce Cowling). George imagines the two are having an affair and mean to do away with him. So strong is George's delusion that he has, that very day, had Ellen mail a letter to the district attorney outlining the plot. George plans to shoot Ellen and use a self defense claim to trap Dr. Graham. George has issues! George also has that heart problem and dies with a pistol pointed at his shocked wife.

A dead husband with a bum ticker is one thing. A dead husband and an incriminating letter on its way to the DA's office is quite another thing. One misconception people have about those who work at home is that their time is their own. Not true. Unwanted phone calls and unexpected visitors annoyingly fill the hours. In the case of a woman facing a murder frame these interruptions are alarming.

On this day of all days, Ellen must cope with the little neighbourhood Hopalong Cassidy fan (Brad Morrow), George's solicitous aunt (Margalo Gilmore) and a suspicious neighbour (Georgia Backus). Above all, she must find a way around the loquacious and officious mailman (Irving Bacon) and his bureaucratic superior (Art Baker). How would you deal with these stresses? Exactly. Ellen does no matter than you or I might. She does not suddenly become a cool and collected mastermind. Her desperation and fear simmers just below the surface boiling over to hysteria before something commonplace upsets George's plan.

Directed by Tay Garnett (The Valley of Decision, Cheers for Miss Bishop, Bataan) from a story by Larry Marcus (Dark City, The Bigamist), Cause for Alarm! is a tense story nicely paced with fine juxtaposition between the terror of the situation and the everyday setting. The use of intermittent narration does not mar the story, but neither does it add anything to the presentation.

Cause for Alarm! is a must see for the next wedding shower you are asked to organize.

Crime of Passion (1957)

Kathy Ferguson (Barbara Stanwyck) is a successful advice columnist for a San Francisco newspaper. Assigned by her dismissive editor (Jay Adler) to work up the "woman's angle" on a murder case, Kathy causes a sensation with her article and gains a career opportunity with a New York paper. The case also introduced Kathy to L.A. detective William Doyle (Sterling Hayden). Kathy is an ambitious career woman who considers marriage a life sentence, but when she's wrapped up in Bill's strong arms she dreams only of being the "little woman".

The wifely idyll is not enough for Kathy who is a total fish out of water. The card parties with their circle of friends, other cops and their wives, drive Kathy to distraction. She cannot cope with the insipid gossip of the females and their constant fawning over the captain's wife, Sara (Virginia Grey). She is not welcomed as one of the boys where they sit in court to Captain Alidas (Royal Dano). When the captain takes credit for a work coup pulled off by her Bill, Kathy has had enough. All of her thwarted ambition goes into improving Bill's position. Never mind that the easy-going detective has no dreams of professional glory, only of making a home with his girl.

The next step up from Bill and Kathy's circle is that of the superintendent, Inspector Tony Pope (Raymond Burr) and his wife Alice (Fay Wray). Kathy maneuvers her way into that set, cutting Sara out by becoming Alice's new friend. However, Kathy has more in common with Tony. They recognize in each other a drive that sets them apart. Quickly Bill becomes attached to the Inspector's office with duties which frequently take him out of town. Kathy also manufactures an incident which disgraces Captain Alidos and sends him into exile. At this point Kathy and Tony could be said to be having an affair of the mind. He shares his most interesting cases and she casually has liquor on hand for the not unexpected visits when Bill is away. When Tony confides his imminent retirement to care for an increasingly ill Alice and ponders his replacement Kathy moves in for the kill. Her Bill must have that promotion and Tony's promise is implicit in the night they spend together.

In the cold light of day Tony decides Captain Alidos is the right man for the job, not Bill, and Kathy should cash in her chips while she is ahead of the game. Foolish man. Hell hath no fury like Stanwyck scorned. Opportune access to a gun used in a crime and bound for the property room seals Tony's fate. After the body is discovered Bill phones Kathy to ask her to look after Alice. I am moved by the way Barbara Stanwyck says "Alice" as if hearing the name for the first time and suddenly realizing the world of pain she has given to a friend. Kathy has also proven to everyone the worth of her detective husband as he doggedly tracks the evidence to his own doorstep.

Crime of Passion was directed by Gerd Oswald (A Kiss Before Dying, Screaming Mimi) and written by newsman Jo Eisenger (Gilda, Night and the City). Kathy may be an extreme example of stifled ability and misdirected energy, but Eisenger makes a strong case for madness from the mundane.

The next time you watch His Girl Friday imagine that this could have been Hildy if Walter hadn't kept her from marrying Bruce.

All is forgiven.

I love this picture from the 1961 Emmy Awards with wins for the stars of The Barbara Stanwyck Show and Perry Mason.

Nothing beats a Nick Barkley fight!

Peter Breck

1929-2012

Nothing beats a Nick Barkley fight! On The Big Valley, actor Peter Breck gave us Nick Barkley. Nick the hot-headed. Nick the hard-headed. Nick the fighter. Nick would fight with anybody and everybody. He might take on a whole saloon or maybe even a whole town - single handed. Fists flying, furniture throwing, leaping from staircases Nick was in the thick of it. There would be a point in the proceedings where things would look pretty bleak for our lad and then Nick would get that second wind and "Yee-haw" his opponents had no chance. Now, every once in a while he'd get help from brothers Jarrod (Richard Long) and Heath (Lee Majors), but there was no doubt that Nick Barkley would always finish what he started. Nick's boisterous personality hid a sentimental nature, especially where his family was concerned. Of course, he was willing to fight kin when he had a just cause, but one look from his mother Victoria (Barbara Stanwyck) and Nick would be meek as a lamb.

Lee Majors, Peter Breck, Richard Long, Barbara Stanwyck, Linda Evans

A working actor for most of his life, Peter Breck had a pragmatic and honest attitude toward his profession. A few years ago he hosted a marathon of The Big Valley on a Canadian television network. He reminisced about his co-stars and the fun he had with the success of the show with genuine affection and humour.

With Peter's passing at age 81 his friends and family have lost someone close to them. For fans, the darkly handsome and personable Peter Breck will always be fun to watch on all those tv shows such as Black Saddle, Maverick, Perry Mason, Gunsmoke, etc.

Note: Currently only season 1 and volume 1 of season 2 of The Big Valley are available on dvd.

Frankly, My Dear: Rianna's film survey

Is there anything better than talking/writing about our favourite classic movies - well, next to watching our favourite classic movies? The charming Rianna of Frankly, My Dear poses some interesting questions and, being as I want to avoid my Saturday chores, I'm more than happy to oblige with some answers.

1. Favorite classic Disney?

"The little elephant with the big ears - Dumbo!"

There is not one wasted moment in this perfectly told story. The combination of the sentimental, the cynical and the humour appeals to me, as does the seamless animation and the Oscar winning score.

2. Favorite film from the year 1939?

John Ford shows everybody how to make a movie.

3. Favorite Carole Lombard Screwball role?

Lily Garland from Howard Hawks' Twentieth Century
Carole Lombard and John Barrymore

4. Favorite off screen couple? (It’s ok if it ended in divorce.)

Roy Rogers and Dale Evans
No divorce for these lovebirds.

5. Favorite pair of best friends? (i.e: Barbara Stanwyck and Joan Crawford)

Frank McHugh, Pat O'Brien, James Cagney

James Cagney and Pat O'Brien were not only compatible screen partners, with ten movie collaborations to their credit, but pals (drinking buddies) outside of work as well.

6. Favorite actor with a mustache?

The Mouthpiece himself - Warren William.

7. Favorite blonde actress?

The world's most talented girl next door - Doris Day.

8. Favorite pre-code?

Definitely not a politically correct thriller, but the pace is remarkable. You can't take your eyes off the screen for a moment or you'll miss something. Lewis Stone as a senior citizen James Bond type going up against a maniac Boris Karloff bent on world domination? Irresistible.

9. Which studio would you have liked to join?

The studio sorting hat places this community theatre character actress at Twentieth Century Fox where she can appear in Charlie Chan movies, be spotlighted in the odd film noir and kick up her heels in a musical or two.

10. Favorite common on screen pairing that SHOULD have gotten married?

John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara

11. Favorite I Love Lucy episode?

One? The Operetta from Season 2. It is so very funny.

12. Out of these actresses which one do you like best: Lucille Ball, Ingrid Bergman, Natalie Wood, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Greer Garson, Grace Kelly, or Katharine Hepburn?

My favourite actress of those listed is Katharine Hepburn. Her versatility and strength continually astounds me.

I also have a soft spot for Greer Garson, especially from her interviews on TVOntario's "Saturday Night at the Movies". A likeable as well as talented lady.

13. Shadowy film noir from the 1940’s or splashy colorful musicals from the 1950’s?

So, you're asking me to choose between Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and Laura? Impossible. Although, once I recommended a movie to someone and she asked "It's not one of those noir things you like, is it?" So, I guess I'm really the dark, moody type.

14. Actor or actress with the best autograph (photo preferred).

Have you ever seen a neater hand than Randolph Scott's? I appreciate nice handwriting.

15. A baby (or childhood, or teenage) photo of either your favorite actress or actor (or both, if you’d like.)

Little Jimmy Cagney would grow up to be my favourite actor. The kid was born with attitude.

Caftan Woman's Choice - One for February on TCM

TCMs annual 31 Days of Oscar is once again upon us and my recommendation for the month is John Ford's The Long Voyage Home from 1940 which was invited to the Oscar party with six nominations, including Best Picture, but left empty-handed after the festivities.

Ford's frequent screenwriting collaborator Dudley Nichols (Stagecoach, The Informer, The Lost Patrol, Pilgramage, Judge Priest, The Hurricane, etc.) had an idea to unite "two poets" when he suggested a film based on Eugene O'Neill's plays of the sea. Ford and Nichols visited and received full approval and co-operation from the playwright and The Long Voyage Home was born. John Ford and Darryl Zanuck of Fox had had one of their falling outs, so Ford took the project to Stagecoach producer Walter Wanger and it was released under the Argosy banner.

Innovative cinematographer Gregg Toland, Ford's collaborator on another Best Picture nominee of the season, The Grapes of Wrath, contributed immensely to the poetic, moody feel of The Long Voyage Home. Henry Fonda said in an interview that Ford with his unerring eye "won Oscars for his cameramen", however it is obvious from the above credit card for the film that Ford had great respect for his fellow artist.

Barry Fitzgerald, John Wayne, Thomas Mitchell
David Hughes, John Qualen, Joe Sawyer, Jack Pennick

The Long Voyage Home has a wonderful ensemble of actors who bring to life the men of the Merchant Marine steamer the Glencairn. Our first look at the crew reveals "types" in everybody's pal Driscoll (Thomas Mitchell), the boisterous Yank (Ward Bond), the philosophical Donkeyman (Arthur Shields), the secretive gentleman (Ian Hunter), the youngster (John Wayne), the sneaky Cocky (Barry Fitzgerald) and others.

"The best thing to do with memories is forget them."

Throughout a perilous journey transporting ammunition through the war zone of the Atlantic, fear strips away the facades to reveal the souls of the crew through their trials, longings, bravery and folly. The Long Voyage Home is an emotional drama filmed with great sensitivity and power.

Oscar nominations:
Cinematography, Black & White (winner, George Barnes, Rebecca)
Effects, Special Effects (winner, The Thief of Bagdad)
Film Editing (winner, Anne Bauchens, North West Mounted Police)
Original Score (winner, Pinocchio)
Picture (winner, Rebecca)
Screenplay (winner, Donald Ogden Stewart, The Philadelphia Story)

TCM is screening The Long Voyage Home on Tuesday, February 7th at 7:45 am. Note: the film is not airing on TCM Canada although three cast members, John Qualen, Joe Sawyer and Douglas Walton were Canadian born.

CMBA Comedy Classics Blogathon: "Sons of the Desert" and "Way Out West"

It is time for a week of merriment and memories as the Classic Movie Blog Association celebrates Classic Comedies with a Blogathon running January 22 - 27.

"You may be a movie buff if … you have more pictures of Laurel and Hardy about the house than of actual relatives." - Caftan Woman

Stan Laurel (1890-1965) and Oliver Norvell Hardy (1892-1957)

Stan Jefferson was born in England to a show business family so it is no surprise that the acting bug bit early in life. His father, A.J., was a theatre manager, writer, producer, director and actor. Stan’s mother acted in her husband’s plays. Stan’s comedic ambitions were encouraged and nurtured by his parents wo found him an apprentice job with a touring pantomime company during his teen years. Eventually Stan became a member of Fred Karno’s well known music hall troupe, honing his craft alongside young Charlie Chaplin. It was on his second tour of the U.S. with Karno that Stan decided to stay on the Vaudeville circuit in acts with various partners and changed his name to the more euphonious and, hopefully lucky, Laurel. Stan had some moderate success in film, notably with producer Joe Rock, but by the mid 1920s was happily and busily engaged as a gag man and director at the Hal Roach Studio and seriously considered giving up performing.

Norvell Hardy was the adored baby in his Georgia family. His father, Oliver, passed away when Norvell was a baby and in his teens Norvell took the name Oliver as his own as a tribute. While his family had no theatrical background, young Oliver’s musical ability and longing for the spotlight led to his mother agreeing to let him travel with the Charles Coburn (cousin of the future Academy Award winning actor of that name) Minstrel show before he was even 10 years old. Later, Hardy opened a movie theatre and studied music seriously for a time. Eager to enter the movie business, he moved to Florida where he learned about the movies from the ground up working for the VIM comedies while singing in nightclubs. He gained a reputation as a good “heavy” and inspired comedian. In fact, while Hardy was working with the popular Billy West, it was suggested to Stan by producer Joe Rock that he should consider working with “Babe” Hardy. Still seeking to establish his own screen persona, Stan thought it unwise to team with such a scene stealer.

The Roach Studio in the 1920s could boast of their Little Rascals and their Comedy All Stars including Charley Chase, Billy Gilbert, Edgar Kennedy, James Finlayson and Oliver Hardy. Leo McCarey, James Parrott, James Horne, Frank Butler, Stan Laurel and others were crafting the movies audiences loved. Stan was prevailed upon to return to the screen and when he appeared with Babe found their styles and dedicated approach to comedy were a perfect match. The creative minds on the lot, especially McCarey, the happy exhibitors and audiences took to the evolving team and the All Star Comedy output became the Laurel and Hardy films.

The Laurel and Hardy characters of the screen are a couple of well-meaning dolts. Well, aren’t we all at one time or another? Stanley of the halting thought process is the dumb guy. Ollie of the grand manners is the dumber guy because he thinks he is smarter than Stanley. Stan immersed himself in the creating, timing and editing of their films. Babe contributed his thorough preparation technique and total commitment to the team. The congenial working relationship between the two men grew into an abiding friendship during their years in film and most certainly their stage tours when movies thought they could do without Laurel and Hardy.

Stan always felt that the short subject best suited the team because it is difficult for comedy – their type of comedy - to carry a feature length story. I’m not one to argue with a genius about his business, but there are copious laughs to be found in the Laurel and Hardy features such as the two remembered here.

Sons of the Desert (1933)

Laurel and Hardy did not create the domestic comedy, but there was no better match for their naïve characters than the Battle of the Sexes and Sons of the Desert is that battle played out to perfection. The director was William Seiter, well known for Roberta, Shirley Temple pictures and Wheeler and Woolsey’s Diplomaniacs. The story is by Our Town’s famous stage manager Frank Craven and the screenplay was worked on by Seiter, Stan, Babe, Eddie Welch, Jack Barty and Glenn Tryon.

Members of the fraternal order the Sons of the Desert, Los Angeles Chapter, have sworn to one hundred percent attendance at the annual convention in Chicago. Stan is worried about having taken the oath without his wife’s permission causing a frustrated Ollie to remark: "Why don’t you pattern your life after mine? I go places and do things and then tell my wife.”

Few things are funnier than watching Ollie’s transitions from coy to assertive to cowed as he tried to wrangle his way to Chicago over the objections of his wife played by Mae Busch. The Australian born Mae has an interesting filmography having worked with Lon Chaney in While the City Sleeps and The Unholy Three, and Erich Von Stroheim in Foolish Wives, Souls for Sale and The Devil's Passkey. She joined Laurel and Hardy for 14 pictures and was a great foil for the boys in pictures such as Them Thar Hills, Tit for Tat, Their First Mistake and Oliver the Eighth.

In Sons of the Desert, Ollie gets no support from the dough-headed wax-eating Stan who is most certainly under the thumb of his rifle toting wife played by Dorothy Christy. Clearly a Byzantine plan involving a feigned nervous breakdown, a veterinarian and a cruise to Hawaii is the only way to fulfill the oath.

The diversions of the convention are joyously and innocently enjoyed by our heroes. Much admired comic actor Charley Chase is a loudmouthed practical joker who almost blows the boy’s cover. The night club floor show features a catchy Island inspired tune (they were all the rage at the time), Honolulu Baby performed by Ty Parvis with some bright-eyed and clunky chorus girls. The tune was written by Roach music director Marvin Hatley, who also composed the Sons of the Desert Song and the beloved Laurel and Hardy theme, Dance of the Cuckoos.

The boys return to hearth and home with a song of the islands and some pineapples. What could possibly go wrong? Well, what if the cruise ship was caught in a storm with the safety of the passengers in doubt? What if Mrs. Laurel and Mrs. Hardy were to see a newsreel of the Chicago convention highlighting two familiar fez-topped fellows? What if it rains? Rain can dampen even the most “finely formulated machinations in extricating us from this devastating dilemma”. Each complication, each reaction and the capper to it all always brings forth gales of laughter after 70 years.

Way Out West (1937)

Stan and Babe both felt that costume pictures such as The Devil’s Brother, The Bohemian Girl and March of the Wooden Soldiers were a perfect setting for their none too bright, but optimistic screen characters. Along that line we come to the oh-so-funny singing cowboy/melodrama/spoof Way Out West written by Jack Jevne, Charley Rogers, Felix Adler and James Parrott, and directed by James W. Horne, whose collaborations with Laurel and Hardy include Liberty, Laughing Gravy, Beau Hunks, Big Business, The Bohemian Girl and others.

Our heroes (they must have been the only ones around for miles) are entrusted with delivering the deed to a gold mine to a sweet-faced, sweet natured heroine working as a servant in a rough and wild western town. Canadian born Rosina Lawrence, who graced many Little Rascal shorts plus Charlie Chan’s Secret, plays Mary Roberts. Mary works for penny pinching saloon keeper Mickey Finn. Naturally, frequent and favourite co-star James Finlayson plays that role with his accustomed bluster. A beauty contest winner who appeared in pictures in the 1920s and 1930s, Sharon Lynn plays Finn’s wife, saloon singer Lola Marcel. Like her hubby, Lola is looking for a windfall to better their social position and honesty is not a factor.

The villains will have much to do with the boys, but first Stan and Ollie must reach town. Stan utilizes Claudette Colbert’s system from It Happened One Night to hitch a ride on a stagecoach. Upon reaching town, the boy’s find a mixed reception. The sheriff is not their friend as his wife was annoyed by their feeble attempt at flirting during the trip. On a more pleasant note, Chill Wills and his Avalon Boys are loafing and singing in front of the saloon leading to an impromptu dance that is one of the delights of this or any movie. I find a certain musicality in all that Laurel and Hardy present, a rhythm to their physical gags as well as their dialogue. The At the Ball, That's All (Commence to Dancin’) number showcases the two performers at their best, light on their feet and communicating pure joy to their audience. In second place for charm is the rendition of The Trail of the Lonesome Pine where we are treated to Ollie’s lovely voice and a little vocal trick from Stan with dubbing help from Rosina Lawrence and Chill Wills.

Swindled out of the deed by the duplicitous Finns, Stan and Ollie (like all true heroes) do not hesitate for a moment upon learning of their mistake. However, their efforts to retrieve the stolen document are doomed to hilarious failure especially when Lola traps a ticklish Stan in a locked room. Thrown out of town by the still irate sheriff, the boys must resort to burglary and their catlike tread resembles a Roman Legion in full attack mode. Success is ensured through the demand for a happy ending and includes a bucket as camouflage, a grand piano and a flying donkey.

The popularity of westerns is equaled by the popularity of western spoofs. Way Out West can be counted among the best and you need look no further than its stars to know why.

“People have always loved our pictures. I guess that's because they saw how much love we put into them.” - Stan Laurel

My Ultimate Geek Moment

Five Doctors
William Hartnell, Peter Davison, Tom Baker, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee

Since 1963 the BBC serial adventures of a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey known as Doctor Who and his various companions have enthralled and excited viewers of all ages. I watched the program with my younger sisters when it aired on TVOntario and it became a delightful habit.

The Doctor was first played by the dour and professorly character actor William Hartnell. When he left the program, the role was recast, and The Doctor regenerated into the quick-witted Patrich Troughton. His leaving brought the dashing and caped Jon Pertwee into the mix. When Pertwee moved on, the rascally personality of Tom Baker made The Doctor an international phenomenon. The trouble with these British actors is that they are all so darn good at what they do. As each new Doctor stepped into the role, there would be anguish from fans followed by wholehearted acceptance of the most recent interpretation.

Four Doctors
Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Paul McGann, Sylvester McCoy

Following Baker was the wonderful Peter Davison who must hold some sort of record for TV series roles with 18 and counting, among them All Creatures Great and Small, Campion, The Last Detective and Law and Order UK. After Davison went on his busy way, Colin Baker became an enegmatic Doctor and then Sylvester McCoy's bemused Time Lord. Paul McGann played The Doctor in a 90s TV movie after the cancellation of the series in 1989.

In time Doctor Who became part of my past with a nostalgic glow and the occasional discovery of a paperback novel adaption found in a box in the back basement. In 2005 the series was relaunched by the BBC Wales with co-production from the CBC. I considered myself mildly curious about the whole thing, but thought my daughter Janet, who likes her sci-fi, might be interested. I think it was one second (well, maybe two or three) into the first episode of the new series starring Christopher Eccleston when they grabbed my imagination and Doctor Who became my only must-see television program.

Daleks!

The trailer for episode 6 spurred my ultimate geek moment. An old enemy was about to reappear in the form of - gasp! - the Daleks. My daughter smirked at the salt and pepper shaped adversary and commented "They don't look like much of a much." It was then I saw myself rise up to full height and point a shaking finger in Janet's direction. I heard my voice, coming from the depth of my being, coldly announce "You haven't lived through a Dalek invasion, Missy. I have!" Well, one man's demented is another man's cool. Luckily for me, Janet places the moment under the "cool" category, saving me from possible commitment. Embracing your inner geek does have benefits.

Caftan Woman's Choice - One for January on TCM

New year, same deal. Looking over the wonderful selection of films scheduled on TCM in January, if there were only one to watch I heartily recommend 1949s Intruder in the Dust, an adaption by Ben Maddow (The Asphalt Jungle, No Down Payment) of William Faulkner's 1948 novel filmed by director Clarence Brown on location in Oxford, Mississippi.

I find in Clarence Brown's best work an empathy for the outsider, particularly as represented by youngsters in such films as Ah, Wilderness, Of Human Hearts, The Human Comedy, National Velvet, The Yearling and Angels in the Outfield.

The young star of The Yearling, Claude Jarman Jr., here plays teenaged Chick Mallison whose preconceptions about life and people are forever changed by his relationship with Lucas Beauchamp played by the commanding Juano Hernandez (Trial, Young Man With a Horn, Stars in My Crown). When the young Chick tries to pay Lucas for rescuing him from an accident he is rebuffed by the proud individual. It is behavior that is beyond Chick's comprehension of what is the norm between himself, a white boy, and a black man. Lucas continually confounds Chick's ideas, as he does most people. Lucas is not a communicative and friendly man to anyone. He lives life on his own terms. Lucas is also the prime suspect and is arrested when a racist bully played by David Clarke (The Set-Up, The Narrow Margin) is murdered. The outrage in the town is easily manipulated by the victim's brother played by a brutish Charles Kemper. Porter Hall is featured in a stand-out performance as the father.

Chick, fulfilling an obligation he knows he owes Lucas, convinces his lawyer uncle played by David Brian to defend Lucas. The law, in the form of the reluctant defender and the sheriff played by Will Geer, know that the day will end in a lynching and things are beyond their control. It is Chick with the enlisted help of his friend, the son of his maid, Aleck played by Elzie Emanual who takes a dangerous nighttime trek to a burial site to find forensic evidence that will clear Lucas. Only one thing will give the boys and the law the time they need by holding back the mob. A dozen years before the celebrated scene with Gregory Peck in 1962s To Kill a Mockingbird, we have the frail Elizabeth Patterson as schoolteacher Eunice Habersham setting up her rocking chair and facing down brutal mob mentality. It is a spirited and inspiring role that should have more acclaim.

Intruder in the Dust is an exciting, thought-provoking, unsentimental story that will live with you long past the viewing. TCM has the film scheduled for Monday, January 16 at 2:30 pm.