I 'Lost It at the Movies' as well....

With humble apologies to the late Pauline Kael, movie reviewer of the NY Times. She had a book out with that title in the 60's, and I remember liking it very much.

I was up most of the night... one of the ones that make you mind-surf, and was writing 'The Venerable'. At first it had to do with my soap, and how Todd was getting back to form, torturing Marty, and how he had had her gang-raped in his frat house ages ago.

It rang a bell, as we say. Long story short? I was twelve or so, and ran errands to get my 35 cents' admission price for the double features on Saturdays. On this one Saturday, there was an over-long one, 'The Devil At Four O'clock', and all the kiddies left, mostly, and the second one was 'Town Without Pity'. Which begins with a rape, US occupying forces in Germany brutalising Christine Kaufmann. And the townspeople make HER the villain, and Kirk Douglas had to defend the rapist. I got that much of the story, and the luminous clock inside was telling me, 'You have to be HOME, youngster'. And I kept thinking, 'Oh, just another ten minutes, just another ten minutes...'

Well Da Ven came in of a sudden, and marched me home. It was a SIN not to be home for meals, back then, and actually, I was very punctual, so they were worried.

And I was sort of preoccupied with what I had seen and thinking out loud, which is a bad habit of mine, and said, 'Well, at least I now know what rape means.'

He doesn't remember that, but I'll never forget the expression on my parents' faces. I wouldn't say shocked, more like... 'How do we DEAL with this?'

Well, it was certainly a discussion we never had, but I was ok with it. Took me forty years to see the end of the movie, in Graz, of all places. It was actually good.

So he said he couldn't remember that theater showing films, it was a variety show place. But they did when I was twelve. I never went there much on Saturdays, but sure got some defining moments there.

Like Billy Wilder's 'One Two Three'. I saw that one twice, which meant I really really loved it. It flopped back then. It was filmed in Berlin, and the East Germans put up the Wall just as it was released. James Cagney played a Pepsi Cola magnate, and gave a scathingly funny performance. It was hilarious, but vicious, even I figured it out as a kid. And farce of the best sort. His daughter falls in love with a Communist (Horst Buchholz) and he weens him away from that with capitalist goodies, it was amazing, and so funny, I got cramps... from laughing. And the absolute highlight was the incredible Lilo (Liselotte) Pulver doing a wacky number on a table to the Fire Sable Dance. (For me, at the time, I guess.)

A few years ago, the film got rehabilitated, and became a hit forty some odd years after the fact. Which made me realise I had some sort of taste... just sayin'

So yeah, I guess 'I Lost It at the Movies', all right. I don't think those two influenced me in any way to make the decisions I made... but I remember those two with fondness. They were just two films among literally thousands I've seen. They just stuck out.

I guess I could do a blog just on that... except someone already is. It's called 'Tired Old Queen At The Movies.' Once you get past the histrionics, and all, he's a wealth of information of 'news you can't use, but like very much'. You can take a look HERE but sort of fasten your seat-belts. Steve Hayes is just outlandish. And very knowledgeable.

Except.... I'm glad I didn't lose it at the movies the way he did....

Have some Gene Pitney to sweeten up your Sunday.




And you can see the trailer HERE. I got two things wrong in my memory. Kirk Douglas was defending the rapist, but he knew what he was putting Christine Kaufmann through and hated it. And I always thought they filmed it in Germany. It was filmed in Austria.

And adding a trailer from Wilder's hilarious One Two Three. I'd forgotten how funny Arlene Francis was. Lilo Pulver floored me, she was so funny. She is still alive, and a VERY respected actress and entertainer, lives in Switzerland, and am a fan.



So have a fun Sunday. I'm going back to bed. The most productive part of my day. But just found a trailer. Kirk Douglas was very handsome. And Christine Kaufmann is still absolutely beautiful.