BLACK FRIDAY COMC PICKUPS - PART 19: HOLLYWOOD

OH YEAH THIS IS A BIG ONE. A SUPERSTAR CARD. ONE OF MY ALL-TIME FAVORITES. SETTLE IN FOR SOME MORE UK CIGARETTE CARD GOODNESS

1934 PLAYER'S FILM STARS CARY GRANT

OLD CIGARETTE CARDS ARE A FRIGGIN GOLD MINE FOR FINDING CARDS OF GOLDEN AGE HOLLYWOOD STARS. WHEN DIGGING THROUGH NON SPORTS CARDS ON COMC LOOKING FOR GINTERS AND BIRDS AND WHATNOT I FOUND THIS ABSOLUTE TREASURE TROVE OF COOL OLD FILM CARDS I'D NEVER SEEN BEFORE. I'VE BOOKMARKED A LOT OF THE ONES I REALLY LIKED AND THERE'S TONS OF GREAT NAMES THERE LIKE DAVID NIVEN, CLAUDE RAINS, FAY WRAY, GINA LOLLOBRIGIDA, EDWARD G. ROBINSON, SO MANY MORE GREAT ACTORS HAVE CHEAP OLD CARDS! WELL, MOST ARE CHEAP. HEAVY MEGA ALL TIME GREAT SUPERSTARS LIKE JIMMY STEWART OR BETTE DAVIS OR HUMPHREY BOGART CAN GET A LITTLE PRICY. NOT EXTREMELY PRICY BUT MAYBE TEN TO TWENTY BUCKS PRICY WHICH BLOWS MY ANNUAL COMC BUDGET. WHILE I WANT THEM ALL I HAVE HAD SOME MEASURE OF FINANCIAL RESTRAINT IN MY COMC BINGES AND HAVE SETTLED FOR ONE INEXPENSIVE HOLLYWOOD LEGEND CIGARETTE CARD IN EACH OF MY ORDERS. THE 2020 ORDER FEATURED MY HORROR FAVE PETER LORRE. MY MOST RECENT ORDER HAD A COMEDY LEGEND IN IT THAT YOU'LL FIND OUT ABOUT SOON ENOUGH. BUT IN 2021 I MANAGED TO SNAG ONE OF THE HEAVY MEGA ALL TIME GREAT SUPERSTAR CARDS I REALLY WANTED FOR SUPER CHEAP

CARY GRANT IS ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITE ACTORS IF NOT MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE PERIOD. INSTEAD OF HAPHAZARDLY WRITING  BREATHLESS NONSENSE GUSHING ABOUT CARY GRANT'S MANY ACHIVEMENTS HERE'S A TOP FIVE LIST OF MY FAVORITE GRANT MOVIES PLUS A FEW EXTRAS:

NEED TO WATCH/REWATCH:

GUNGA DIN, HIS GIRL FRIDAY, THE PHILADELPHIA STORY

I'VE NEVER SEEN GUNGA DIN AND WHILE I'M SURE IT'S AGED JUST AS WELL AS FELLOW 1939 RELEASE GONE WITH THE WIND, IT'S THE FILM THAT REALLY ESTABLISHED GRANT AS A BONA FIDE STAR AND HAS BEEN WILDLY INFLUENTIAL ON FILMMAKERS TO THIS DAY. I WATCHED THE PHILADELPHIA STORY AS A KID AND JUST. DID. NOT. GET. IT. IT'S ARGUABLY HIS MOST ACCLAIMED FILM, I SHOULD REALLY GIVE IT ANOTHER CHANCE. AS FOR HIS GIRL FRIDAY, I FEEL LIKE THERE'S NO WAY I HAVEN'T WATCHED THIS AT SOME POINT BUT I HAVE NO MEMORY OF IT WHATSOEVER? IT'S LIKE THE SCREWBALL COMEDY, I'M SURE I'D LOVE IT

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

TOPPER, NOTORIOUS, OPERATION PETTICOAT

I LOVE SUPERNATURAL COMEDIES AND WATCHING GRANT AND CONSTANCE BENNETT FLOAT AROUND AS GHOSTS CAUSING MISCHIEF IN TOPPER IS A LOT OF FUN. NOTORIOUS IS GREAT AND WAS MY FIRST EVER CRITERION COLLECTION DVD, BUT I CAN'T PUT ALL OF HITCHCOCK'S GRANT FILMS ON MY TOP FIVE LIST. OPERATION PETTICOAT IS SORT OF AN ODDBALL PICK BUT GRANT AND TONY CURTIS ARE GREAT IN THIS AND IT'S ONE OF THE VERY FEW WAR FILMS I ACTUALLY ENJOY

LEAST FAVORITE:

MONKEY BUSINESS

CARY GRANT AND A GODDAMN CHIMPANZEE IN A HOWARD HAWKS COMEDY. HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY FUCK THAT UP? WITH 1950S SHITTY ATTITUDES, THAT'S HOW. GRANT IS A SCIENTIST WHO ACCIDENTALLY CONCOCTS A YOUTH POTION WITH AN ASSIST FROM THE MONKEY AND THE WHOLE FILM ENDS UP BEING 'YOUNG PEOPLE ARE SOOOO STOOOPID' JOKES. GRANT DRINKS THE POTION TO BECOME YOUNG AGAIN AND THEN HE GOES OUT AND GETS THE WRONG HAIRCUT AND DRIVES THE WRONG CAR. EGADS! GINGER ROGERS DRINKS THE POTION AND TURNS INTO A SNOTTY, LYING INSUFFERABLE BRAT. BECAUSE THAT'S HOW YOUNG WOMEN ARE! BLECCH. THERE'S PLENTY OF STANDARD COMEDIC MISUNDERSTANDINGS DRIVING THE PLOT BUT NONE OF IT IS FUN BECAUSE IT'S BASED ON ALL THIS OPRESSIVE 50'S SEXISM AND CONFIRMIST NONSENSE. IF THAT'S NOT ENOUGH FOR YOU HOW'S THIS: CARY GRANT IN BLACKFACE. AT ONE POINT GRANT DRINKS A LOT OF THE YOUTH POTION AND IT MAKES HIM THINK HE'S A CHILD SO HE RUNS OFF TO PLAY INDIANS WITH A GROUP OF KIDS (WHICH IS CREEPY ENOUGH TO BE HONEST) AND CAN YOU GUESS HOW HE DECIDED TO DRESS UP AS AN INDIAN? THE FILM REMINDS ME OF A 21ST CENTURY CRINGE COMEDY WHERE THE AWKWARDNESS KEEPS RAMPING UP TO UNBEARABLE LEVELS AND THEN RAMPS IT UP SOME MORE. IT'S WORST SIN IS STICKING MARILYN MONROE IN A STEREOTYPICAL SEXIST SECRETARY ROLE AND HAVING THE ENTIRE CAST TREAT HER LIKE ABSOLUTE SHIT THE ENTIRE FILM. INCLUDING THE MONKEY. JUST GROSS

UGH, I FORGOT I HAD SOME FEELINGS ABOUT THAT MOVIE. HERE'S SOME ACTUAL GOOD FILMS IN THE TOP FIVE:

NUMBER 5 - TO CATCH A THIEF

I SAW THIS FILM IN THE THEATER WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE AND IT IS JUST FUCKING GORGEOUS. SO MUCH COLOR, SO MUCH SCENERY, SO MUCH GRACE KELLY, IT'S AN INCREDIBLY BEAUTIFUL FILM. GRANT AND KELLY HAVE GREAT CHEMISTRY AND HITCHCOCK KEEPS THINGS MOVING. SO GOOD

NUMBER 4 - SUSPICION

HERE WE GET TO SEE SINISTER CARY GRANT. SCOUNDREL CARY GRANT. POSSIBLY DEADLY CARY GRANT. GRANT GETS TO SHOW OFF THE DARK SIDE OF HIS CARELESS PLAYBOY PERSONA IN THIS ONE. JUST AN IMAGE OF THE STAIRCASE SCENE GIVES ME CHILLS. OH HOW I WISH HITCHCOCK HAD BEEN ABLE TO FILM HIS ORIGINAL ENDING

NUMBER 3 - BRINGING UP BABY

"OOOH DAYVIIID..." THIS MOVIE MAKES ME SO DAMN HAPPY EVERY TIME I SEE IT. POOR CARY STARS AS A NERVOUS WRECK OF A PALEONTOLOGIST WHO IS TORMENTED BY KATHERINE HEPBURN'S GODMOTHER OF ALL MANIC PIXIE DREAM GIRLS CHARACTER AS HIS CAREER, MARRIAGE AND INTERCOSTAL CLAVICLE ALL GET FLUSHED DOWN THE TOILET. EVERYTHING IS RIDICULOUS AND EVERYONE IS FUNNY. I'M TRYING TO THINK OF MY FAVORITE SCENE BUT THERE'S LIKE EIGHT DIFFERENT BITS IN THE JAILHOUSE SCENE ALONE THAT ARE MAKING ME LAUGH AS I THINK ABOUT THEM. "YOU HAVEN'T GOT AN AUNT!!!" EVEN THE LEOPARD IS HILARIOUS. AND THE DOG. AND CARY GRANT FOR THAT MATTER.

"I CAN'T GET ANY CLOSER"

"I JUST WENT GAY ALL OF A SUDDEN"

"I CAN'T LEAVE YOU DAVID, I LOVE YOU!" "WHAT?!?"

GRANT'S COMEDIC TIMING IS JUST OFF THE CHARTS IN THIS ONE

NUMBER 2 - NORTH BY NORTHWEST

I'M KINDA SURPRISED THIS ISN'T NUMBER ONE MYSELF. I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS, THE PLOT, THE CINEMATOGRAPHY, THE SUSPENSE, THE HUMOR, THE MUSIC, THE CAST, THE PERFORMANCES, THE TITLE SEQUENCE. IT'S ALL GREAT. I ALSO CONSIDER IT THE REAL FIRST JAMES BOND FILM. THINK ABOUT IT: JAMES BOND SHOWS UP IN AMERICA, PRETENDS TO BE AN AD EXECUTIVE, GETS MS MONEYPENNY TO ACT LIKE HIS MOTHER, AND THEN ASSUMES THE NAME OF FAKE AMERICAN AGENT GEORGE KAPLAN IN ORDER TO INSERT HIMSELF INTO THE INTERNATIONAL INGRIGUE GOING DOWN. FELIX LEITER PULLS SOME STRINGS AT THE CIA TO LET JAMES LOOSE ON THE BADDIES AND MOTHER ENGLAND GETS TO ASSERT HER INFLUENCE WHILE THE QUEEN LOOKS FROM THE SIDELINES GIGGLING LIKE THE SICKOS GUY WITH SQUEAKY CLEAN UNBLEMISHED HANDS. IT'S FUCKIN GREAT AND I GET TO HEADCANON THAT CARY GRANT WAS THE BOND BEFORE CONNERY TOOK OVER

NUMBER 1 - ARSENIC AND OLD LACE

WHEN YOU SIGN UP ON LETTERBOXD YOU'RE ASKED FOR YOUR FAVORITE FOUR FILMS. I SIGNED UP A WHILE AGO AND USE IT SPORADICALLY BUT AS I'VE CHANGED MY FAVE FOUR FILMS SEVERAL TIMES, ARSENIC AND OLD LACE HAS NOT BUDGED OFF THAT LIST. THIS MOVIE CHECKS EVERY SINGLE THING I LOVE THE BEST IN FILM. A COMEDY? CHECK. A HORROR COMEDY? DOUBLE CHECK. AN OLD DARK HOUSE FILM? CHECK. A CLEVER PLOT THAT KEEPS YOU ENGAGED? CHECK. MASSIVE BODY COUNT? CHECK. KINDA SUBVERSIVE? CHECK. AMAZING CAST TOP TO BOTTOM? CHECK CHECKITY CHECK CHECK. BESIDES GRANT, WHO BRINGS ONE OF HIS MOST BRILLIANT UNHINGED OVER THE TOP COMEDY PERFORMANCES OF HIS CAREER, YOU'VE ALSO GOT:

PRICILLA LANE, A FILM NOIR AND HITCHCOCK VETERAN

RAYMOND MASSEY, WHO PLAYED SHERLOCK HOLMES, ABE LINCOLN TWICE, AND WAS THE LEAD IN ONE OF MY OTHER FAVORITES, THE OLD DARK HOUSE

JOSEPHINE HULL, WHO ALSO PLAYED THE LEAD'S AUNT IN HARVEY, WHICH IS ANOTHER FILM THAT'S BEEN IN MY TOP FOUR AT ONE TIME

JAMES GLEASON, ONE OF THE ORIGINAL HARD-BOILED "THAT GUY"S IN NOIRS AND GRITTY DRAMAS

JACK CARSON, CHARACTER ACTING LEGEND WHO WAS EQUALLY ADEPT AT COMEDY AND DRAMA

EDWARD EVERETT HORTON, PROLIFIC COMEDY ACTOR AND VOICE OF FRACTURED FAIRY TALES

AND PETER FUCKING LORRE WHO IS LITERALLY ON MY MOUNT RUSHMORE OF HORROR ICONS AND SHOWS OFF HIS INCREDIBLE COMEDIC TIMING ON THIS PICTURE TO BOOT

THIS MOVIE IS PROBABLY THE MAIN REASON I LIKE CARY GRANT SO MUCH AS ONCE I SAW IT IT LED ME TO WATCH AS MANY OF HIS FILMS AS I COULD FIND

AND THAT'S WHY I'M GAGA OVER CARY GRANT. YOU'RE PROBABLY WONDERING HOW I GOT SUCH A COOL LOOKING CARD SUPER CHEAP

THIS IS WHY. NO BACK. WELL, A LITTLE BIT OF A GHOST OF A BACK. FRONT LOOKS GOOD AS HELL THO. BUT THAT MEANT THIS COST A COUPLE BUCKS INSTEAD OF SIXTEEN. AND IT'S EASY ENOUGH TO FIND THE BACK ONLINE

GOOD OL ARCHIBALD ALEXANDER LEACH, RUNNING AWAY TO JOIN AN ACROBATIC TROUPE. IT'S KIND OF AMAZING THIS CARD CAME OUT BEFORE JUST ABOUT ALL HIS BEST KNOWN FILMS WERE MADE. BY 1934 HE HAD BEEN IN OVER A DOZEN FILMS INCLUDING A COUPLE WITH MARLENE DIETRICH AND MAE WEST BUT ALL HIS ABSOLUTE CLASSICS WERE STILL AHEAD OF HIM. I TRIED USING THE COMC HTML TO ADD THE PIC BUT IT LOOKED CRUMMY SO I SWIPED THE IMAGE INSTEAD AND NOW I FEEL BAD SO HERE'S THE LINK FOR YA. THIS SET HAS SOME GOOD STUFF IN IT LIKE MAE WEST AND MAURICE CHEVALIER AND IDA LUPINO. GO BUY A LOT OF 'EM. JUST SAVE ME THE BEAT UP CHEAP ONES FOR NEXT TIME, OK?