Jane Austen discussion

I don't know if you saw my comment in the new movie folder, but I wondered if you did want to have a thread to discuss the movie here and, if so, when? All thoughts are welcome!

I just searched IMDb and the only movie version stars Russell Crowe. Yuck--I can't stand Crowe and I try not to see a movie if he is in it. Blast.

Joy wrote: "I just searched IMDb and the only movie version stars Russell Crowe. Yuck--I can't stand Crowe and I try not to see a movie if he is in it. Blast."

I have to say that the movie is excellent, but not much related to the novel. It is mostly the plot from the tenth novel in the series, "The Farside of the World."

Christopher wrote: "I have to say that the movie is excellent, but not much related to the novel. It is mostly the plot from the tenth novel in the series, "The Farside of the World." "

How strange...maybe I will watch it if I make it to the tenth book :)

Joy wrote: "I just searched IMDb and the only movie version stars Russell Crowe. Yuck--I can't stand Crowe and I try not to see a movie if he is in it. Blast."

I am not a fan of Crowe, either, but the movie is definitely worth watching! Crowe and Bettany are very good as Jack and Stephen, and it really helps to see what life on board was like.

I vote for watching and discussing this movie. It would certainly make my husband happy to see it again! (We own it.)

Jeannette wrote: "Joy wrote: "I just searched IMDb and the only movie version stars Russell Crowe. Yuck--I can't stand Crowe and I try not to see a movie if he is in it. Blast."

I am not a fan of Crowe, either, but..."

I loved it too, and would love to 'watch' and discuss with all of you.

When I read the passage in the book where Jack describes meeting Nelson, I thought of the scene in the movie. It was so much better to "hear" the exchange than to read it.

Jeannette wrote: "When I read the passage in the book where Jack describes meeting Nelson, I thought of the scene in the movie. It was so much better to "hear" the exchange than to read it."

"Aubrey, could I trouble you for the salt?"

I just looked again, but this movie isn't on the official JA Summer Movie List. When would this discussion group like to watch it? (My husband votes for this weekend! lol)

Jeannette wrote: "I just looked again, but this movie isn't on the official JA Summer Movie List. When would this discussion group like to watch it? (My husband votes for this weekend! lol)"

Yes, look back at my notes above the official list and I explained it there -- since these discussions were already going on, I am just suggesting Master & Commander movie discussion and North & South apart from the official vote -- well it wasn't a vote, but a drawing for the movie list. I didn't feel it was fair for those two to have to go through the drawing when we already had dedicated folks in those discussions.

If I can go out and find it locally, I can do it pretty soon, including this weekend.

I understand about Joy not wanting to watch it if it stars someone she doesn't like. I don't believe I have seen him in this type of role though, so I will give it a shot.

Thanks, Sarah. I missed a few posts between being gone and being brain-dead when I returned. :)

I hope we can convince Joy to watch, because Crowe does a great job with Jack. Plus, the rest of the cast is very good, including some familiar faces from other movies.

May I be so bold and suggest that we watch Master and Commander over the July 4th weekend? Everyone in my family wants to watch it. Anyone in?

p.s. We own it, of course!

I vote yes.
I am down with Russell Crowe in this movie. People get down on him a lot and I believe it has its root with that whole Meg Ryan thing. That's his personal life and he made his apologies, paid his consequences. Forgiveness is next to godliness people. If you hate him because you don't like his music, that's something I am not going to touch. LOL:)
I agree about the cast. The cast is pretty good.
I have wanted to watch it again myself. There's something about it being summer and watching a swashbuckling adventure that makes me keen.

Sarah wrote: "I don't know if you saw my comment in the new movie folder, but I wondered if you did want to have a thread to discuss the movie here and, if so, when? All thoughts are welcome!"

I think we need to give up some appreciation for our fearless and generous leaders Sarah and Jeannette.

Thanks for all you do ladies!!

I think a lot of people dislike Crowe because he just comes off as a brute/jerk. But, I think he is a good actor, at least in M&C.

(I think Meg Ryan did herself in and Crowe was just there to help her. It must be strange being a big name actor, craving fame and stardom, and wanting to have a private life, too. I think it makes some of these people crazy.)

I can understand part of Crowe's disposition. I can even understand his lack of popularity. I have an akin animosity for Tom Cruise which isn't going anywhere fast sadly.

I have to stop myself every so often and say "Hey, they are people and not Mr. Darcy" or whatever movie character that I am enamored with. A good actor becomes the part, and then when he/she turns out to be less-than-perfect, it can be disappointing.

Sarah wrote: "Sarah wrote: "I don't know if you saw my comment in the new movie folder, but I wondered if you did want to have a thread to discuss the movie here and, if so, when? All thoughts are welcome!"

..."

Thank you Sarah! You and all our great members make it a pleasure!

July 4 weekend will suit me to discuss this movie.

In ways I get less connected to the actors and their goings-on as time passes. I think I just don't hear some of the press and that makes me able to just watch them and their roles and that's it.

Maybe their political views are more important to me nowadays, but their behavior or private lives -- I am kind of neutral about. I guess my take is -- I really don't know what goes on in Tom Cruise's own living room -- and whatever it is, it will probably be reported wrongly if anyone does get wind of it. See what I am saying? But if Tom publicly speaks out against/for something social or political, then I KNOW he intended to make a public statement, so I pay more attention then. I can't keep up with who his wife/girlfriend/mistress or any of that is. (Pardon me, Tom Cruise, not saying you have one, but just using you as an example.)

Sarah, I often use Tom C. as an example, because I think he could have made whole different career choices and had a different kind of acting career. IMO, that is what causes my pause about him. Close friends of mine don't agree, they think he was exactly suited to the types of roles he chose.

Sorry about the divergence away from our primary topic, but it is interesting to me and sounds like to you folks as well.

Thanks Sarah (from Ohio) for your nice wishes! I missed it while contemplating Russell Crowe! :) I really enjoy my "job" as co-moderator.

My .02 dollar --

I find Crowe uninteresting. I'd say I don't like him, but I've never seen one of his movies, mainly because either the story itself doesn't sound good or (IMO) he just seems totally unfit for the role he's to play. That being said, who knows? - he could surprise me.

As for Tom Cruise, I've tried to watch some of his movies, and I can't get past the fact that I find him (or is it his acting?) bland and boring. Let's put it this way: he's 5 times more unwatchable than Kevin Costner, and I think Costner has been upstaged by everyone and everything he plays opposite -- including the Wolves!

Where have the really good actors gone?? We just watched Charade with Cary Grant, and even at nearly 60, he still had it! Today's actors don't seem to have that kind of staying power.

Robin: I hope you'll give the movie (Master & Commander) a try. It really is a lot of fun! Another film I own and watch over again. Not so much eye-candy, but a lot of wet shirts! lol

Robin wrote: "I find Crowe uninteresting. I'd say I don't like him, but I've never seen one of his movies, mainly because either the story itself doesn't sound good or (IMO) he just seems totally unfit for the role he's to play."

I agree. I personally couldn't care less about an actor's personal life, but I do care about being able to get drawn into the story in a movie. I have seen Crowe in a few films, and each time he was just like a big ogre that was not only uninteresting and not believable, but was actually distracting from the story which made the whole thing fall apart for me. I have just learned not to waste my time with actors that are not equipped to perform well. That being said, I haven't seen Gladiator which everyone seems to enjoy, and which Crowe could be good in since the meat-headed, ogre-like acting would probably fit nicely. :) That sounds so rude, but I really don't know how else to say it...

Jeannette, I love Charade! We've re-watched that several times.

Joy, don't worry about sounding rude. I love a good honest pan.

I will be in Virginia visiting my new little granddaughter (born on 6/24), and will have to take a pass on watching the movie over the weekend. Having said that though, I have watched it umpteen times, so I am sure that I can pitch in as appropriate.

Chris--congratulations on your new granddaughter and enjoy your trip!

Congratulations, Grandpa! Have a great trip! My husband thanks you from the bottom of his heart for getting me to read M&C, and now watch the movie. :)

Thanks all, and I'll check in whilst on the road!

Oh my goodness, a brand new granddaughter. That's the best! Have fun, I know you will Chris.

I also thank you for promoting the great O'Brian books. Very good hist. fiction, and I have been looking for some for a long time.

Robin, I know what you mean. Sometimes the actor doesn't make enough of a click with you to even want to watch a film of theirs. That's fair of you to say.

It is funny, I started trying to think of R. Crowe films I had seen in the past and started drawing a blank :[ Not a good sign. Not so with Cary Grant though! Is it fair to compare to Gary Grant though! ha ha Probably not! You are right though, Jeannette. But as Paul Newman said (I know I quoted him before, sorry) the scripts aren't the same now either.

Jeannette, I don't suppose you have seen Suspicion? The Bishops Wife? An Affair to Remember? Maybe once or twice? ha ha

What about some of our lovely British guys today? They seem, with the right material, to be watchable through the long haul?

My Grant favorites: Philadelphia Story, Arsenic & Old Lace, North by Northwest. I have not seen An Affair to Remember! (can't believe it myself).

It's funny, there were a lot of formulaic scripts back then, too, but the actors were just that much better. Spencer Tracy, Gene Kelly, Katherine Hepburn, Audrey Hepburn, the list goes on. I love some of the new Brits, but they just can't seem to maintain, like the old stars did.

p.s. Never feel you need to apologize for quoting Paul Newman! He was a gem! :)

To quote the incomparable Cary Grant: "Every man wants to be Cary Grant. I want to be Cary Grant." What an actor! My daughters and I watch Arsenic and Old Lace every Halloween, and it gets better every year. Were the old-school actors more subtle (well, maybe not in Arsenic!), or more likeable or were they just able to get their teeth into those witty, brilliant scripts? (Oh, Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant in Philadelphia Story!)

Oh, I almost forgot -- congratulations, Chris, on your new granddaughter! I have four, all born in a row, and they are the light of my eyes! (My grandsons aren't too horrid, either.)

I love old movies, so I'm jumping in with a few of my Cary Grant faves not already mentioned: Holiday (with Katherine Hepburn), His Girl Friday (with Rosalind Russell), and Talk of the Town (with Jean Arthur).

Karlyne wrote: "Oh, I almost forgot -- congratulations, Chris, on your new granddaughter! I have four, all born in a row, and they are the light of my eyes! (My grandsons aren't too horrid, either.)"

Thank you so much, Karlyne! That means a lot! We can't wait to meet the little lassie on Saturday!

I didn't know anybody else had seen Talk of the Town! Jean Arthur is one of my favorite actresses, and I love her in this. When my daughters were young and we watched it for the first time, they wanted to go right out and buy "Jean Arthur pajamas". Lovely movie! Even in you don't like borscht with an egg beaten up in it.....

Funny how nobody's yet mentioned 'Bringing Up Baby'. :)

Another Katharine Hepburn wonder; the beginning where she is smashing up the cars is soooo funny(I'm laughing out loud just remembering)! And Cary Grant in a too-small feminine robe is something beautiful to see.

I love Jean Arthur too! Ever seen her in The Ex-Mrs Bradford with William Powell?

Yes! Have you seen Arizona where she's a pie maker? With William Holden in, I think, his first movie, or maybe one of his first. It's been years, so I hope it was William Holden. (Searching my memory and yes, it was!) And, for suavity, William Powell is hard to beat.

Robin wrote: "I love Jean Arthur too! Ever seen her in The Ex-Mrs Bradford with William Powell?"

I saw The Ex-Mrs Bradford years ago and loved it! Of course, I love anything with William Powell...

Karlyne wrote: "I didn't know anybody else had seen Talk of the Town! Jean Arthur is one of my favorite actresses, and I love her in this. When my daughters were young and we watched it for the first time, they wa..."

Karlyne, it is a wonderful movie and it made a Jean Arthur fan out of me! It also doesn't hurt that Ronald Colman is in it...

Oooooohh, do not get me started on that dreamy Ronald Colman .......

Robin wrote: "Oooooohh, do not get me started on that dreamy Ronald Colman ......."

I don't think there is an actor before or since that had/has a voice like his...and he's not hard on the eyes, either!

Yep, Ronald Colman is one of a kind, and dreamy is the right word! "Dreamy" reminds me of Shirley Temple with Myrna Loy and Cary Grant in The Bachelor and the Bobbysoxer. And Mr. Blandings Builds his Dream House has some good Myrna Loy/Cary Grant moments, too.

Which takes me to Nick and Nora, another great series!

Love the Thin Man! I haven't watched those in ages; I need to dig around and find them for some summertime/popcorn/iced mocha afternoons!

Karlyne wrote: "Love the Thin Man! I haven't watched those in ages; I need to dig around and find them for some summertime/popcorn/iced mocha afternoons!"

They are so funny! I love old movies! :)

Just these few we've mentioned made me realize how many incredible good old movies there are out there. Thank heaven for the power of tape or digital stuff or whatever it is they use to preserve them for us!

Y'all are cracking me up! I haven't seen any of theses, and for that matter, I have actually never seen a movie with Cary Grant in it. Perhaps I should wander over to Netflix and see what I can find. Any suggestions?