Movies To See: La Vie En Rose

Yesterday, we watched La Vie En Rose (aka La Môme), Olivier Dahan's portrayal of the life of the legendary French singer, Edith Piaf. The film has superb acting (Marion Cotillard, in the role of Edith Piaf, is riveting), beautiful cinematography and an amazing story to tell. In the movie, Ms. Piaf's life is depicted in a series of recollections, not always chronological, having a dreamlike quality.To say that her life was tragic is an understatement of the first degree - she was born into abject poverty, abandoned by her mother, raised by her grandmother in a brothel, suffered from blindness as a child, worked as a street performer with her father, lost her young son to meningitis when she was 20, lost her lover in a plane crash, became addicted to morphine and died of cancer at the age of 47. Still, Edith Piaf became an international star and icon. I love to see a film like this one. It still haunts me today, which for me is the sign of a great movie.

Free Classic Movies On Demand!

I have previously written about how much I love the Turner Classic Movie Channel, which features classic films from the 1920s through 1980s. Well, I can't believe I didn't know this, but during dinner with friends this past weekend, I learned that I am able with Time Warner Cable to see Turner Classic Movies "on demand" for free! Sunday, I did not get my butt off the couch - I saw both Wuthering Heights (about 2 hours) and Lawrence of Arabia (4 hours!). I think I have a crush on the young Peter O'Toole - not because of his looks but because his acting is so compelling. While I love the oldies, I sometimes find the acting embarassing to watch because it used to be so hammy. With him, though, I am always rivetted and completely forget I'm watching someone act. A great weekend all in all - if only I'd made it to the gym for a tiny bit. . . .

They Just Don't Make Them Like They Used To

Last night, I saw Becket, a 1964 picture based on the true story of the friendship between King Henry II (Peter O'Toole) and Thomas Becket (Richard Burton), a royal courtier and confidant whom Henry appoints as Archbishop of Canterbury. As Becket takes his duties with the Church seriously, he finds himself increasingly at odds with the King. Both Burton and O'Toole were nominated for the Best Actor Oscar for their performances, and the movie received the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. The film was riveting, and today, I can't stop thinking about it. The Turner Classic Movie channel has so enriched my life. They feature uninterrupted classic films from the 1920s through 1980s - a wealth of goodies for classic movie buffs.