Cary Grant Film Retrospective – Wrap Party

Hi, this is John Delancey and you are listening

to the GeekCast Radio Network. Hello and welcome

to Episode 230 of The Cinema Geeks. I am one

of your Cinema Geeks Optimus Solo and joining

me, as usual, is the Comic Concierge. Hello,

Dan. Hey, how's it going? is going well we are

back at it to put a bow no pun intended it's

christmas time on our carrie grant retrospective

dan we've covered eight films in this specific

retrospective we had covered four films previously

in the hitchcock retrospective which won't necessarily

count for what we're talking about today but

that gives us 12 total films that we've seen

of carrie grant so today we're going to kind

of break it down, give you our thoughts on his

best performances, the best movies we saw in

this eight film series, as well as maybe some

leading ladies that appeared in some of his films,

some best supporting characters, and then a kind

of a hodgepodge, potpourri, you might say, of

funny moments or lines or scenes that we remember.

And then just kind of tie it all up at the end

with what we think of Cary Grant as an actor

and as his body of work, like what Is his legacy

and what kind of defines him as? Someone on stage

and on film so a Dan any thoughts or anything

before we get into it No, I think we're good.

I'm looking forward to it. I'm looking and we've

been talking even without not even just this

retrospective But all the Hitchcock films, I've

watched more Cary Grant my movies this year my

life than ever before so I've watched more Cary

Grant Films this year than I've ever watched

of any actor ever in a year. I can't a hundred

percent say that. So all right, let's start ladies

first, they say. So let's start with some ladies

that have appeared in his films and kind of which

ones we were most drawn to. Obviously, Cary Grant

is known as kind of this iconic Hollywood star

heartthrob, the things of that nature. He's had

he had the privilege of. co -starring with many

of the most iconic actresses of all time, whether

it be some of the ones we talked about in the

Hitchcock films or in some films that we didn't

cover. But there was a number of them that we

did see over the course of this eight films that

were both well known and maybe some more under

the radar leading ladies that got to play off

of. Carried in this series So do you have any

that really stood out to you that kind of separated

themselves from the group or that you were? Found

yourself interested in possibly even seeing more

of their film work or learning more about them.

I say like I think there's a He had a lot of

really strong actresses to play off of and really

and I think the one that to me like ranked amongst

the best in the sense of her ability to kind

of give and take and you know match his wit and

his dramatic ability perhaps the most was Russell

and Russell and his Girl Friday I like and I

think she really I I didn't this is the only

movie you've ever seen that she's done and I

am interested in seeing like what what her personality

is like in a different film because it feels

like she very much I was able to play the part

of the balance for Cary Grant. She's keeping

up with all of his different ad -libs and things

like that. She's just as funny, just as well

-timed. I thought her ability to keep up with

him is what made that movie so good. I think

she's of all... the actresses that we saw, a

lot of great ones, but her comedic timing to

me was just bar none the best. I think one thing

that I find interesting in covering Cary Grant

over the course of all of these films is going

into it, if you went in blind and you didn't

know anything about him or the films that he

was in or the actresses and things of that nature,

I guess, I feel like you would go into it with

the thought that as this iconic, you know. Legend

of Hollywood with the good looks and the persona

and the charisma that goes with them. I feel

like you would go in thinking that most of the.

Actresses that played opposite to him would almost

be in, I don't know if I want to say subordinate

position, but you would almost have like the

they're just. Fawning about him or that they're

you know doing that and I am Impressed with and

I don't know if it was more the directors and

the casting agents and things of that nature

or if it was something about Cary Grant himself,

but he doesn't play that on his end very much

and I found that he Whether he was letting it

or allowing it to happen or whether it was just

because of the actresses I don't want to take

the agency away from the actresses but like so

many of them that seem to like go toe -to -toe

with him or seem to like stand up to His like

being almost on this pedestal you would think

and I was impressed with a number of times that

we do see Actresses, I think Rosalind Russell

is the best example of that probably the one

that you're using But I feel like there's a number

of those that we've seen like Katherine Hepburn

does it of course, right? Like in almost all

of her roles. She's like going toe -to -toe with

him. She's not backing down she's Giving it right

back to him. I believe we see it in a number

of films and and I was surprised going throughout

this whole thing of how many times like the actress

is just Like she gets the assignment and she's

right there ready to like do it and and and to

not back down And I thought that was somewhat

refreshing going through this. What do you think?

Yeah, he was not afraid to work with strong female

leads, like that was certainly the case, both

in star power as well as performances. I think

he understood the importance of having a strong

co -lead, like kind of just be him, like having

that duo was just as powerful as him being just

the leading star. He understood the importance

of a good give and take, rather be like a romantic.

And a lot of these movies we went through, even

though this is the Cary Grant retrospective,

even in His Girl Friday, he's a supporting character.

He's not the lead. And that's the case for, I

think, a lot of these movies. He was support

or part of an ensemble. He was probably the top

build, but he wasn't necessarily the focus of

the movie. And I think partially because he knew

that a little can go a long way. uh, certainly

obviously with like the The end product bears

that out And I don't think right on the these

eight films specifically I don't know if I can

point to a single if you were to take like the

the Actors that had the most screen time and

like the the largest role I can't point to a

single one that I would say was like the damsel

in distress or was like the Head over heels.

I I don't have any agency in myself. Like I feel

like every one of them in a different way Stands

up and like goes toe -to -toe with them. I think

you could like break it down almost every single

one Maybe the closest one that doesn't is Priscilla

Lane and arsenic and old lace But that's such

a minor part that I don't know if it's it's really

gets that but like I said both times we see Katherine

Hepburn and bringing up baby and in the Philadelphia

story like they're toe -to -toe I even think

You know like Irene Dunn and Penny Serenade does

Deborah Kerr and a fair to remember does So I

think all of these, you know, even June DePrez

from none, but the lonely heart Yeah, I say which

one about the film, but I feel like they all

are basically standing right up to him my favorite

one I was really torn between the one you picked

Rosalind Russell I had Deborah Kerr as a number

three for an affair to remember but Ultimately,

I think if I was to have to pick my my number

one and maybe it seems like a cheat But I got

to go with Audrey Hepburn and charade. Yeah just

because it's the only time we get to see those

two play off of each other. So, like, I wish

there was more examples of that so I could have

seen what else they did. But I don't think you

can go wrong with almost any of these. To me,

it was between Roslyn Russell and Audrey Hepburn.

I would also say Irene Dune and Penny Serenade,

because again, she was really the lead there.

She carried a lot of the emotional weight. So

she was one I considered as well, along with

the ones who were mentions. I agree. I think.

One thing that has happened in a few of these

films, though, because there's such strong leads

and co -leads, like you said, sometimes Cary

Grant is not the lead. But if we're taking Cary

Grant and each one of these and we're taking

all of the females that we just talked about,

there's a lot of strong performances between

those two. And I think it almost leads to a little

bit different than what we saw with the Hitchcock

retrospective where in Hitchcock, so many times

he's building the world and creating all of these

supporting actors and actresses that just add

so much. Color and flavor to the film and the

world that he's created And I don't know if that's

necessarily the case in these obviously we're

dealing with a bunch of different directors Across

the board here, but I feel like because there's

so much time spent on These strong actresses

and Cary Grant that sometimes the supporting

characters in some of these films to me seemed

like they were more background than somebody

that was really like bringing something extra,

but I do think there was some exceptions and

some supporting characters that definitely did

stand out and resonated with me. What about you?

What were some of the supporting characters that

you really enjoyed during these eight films?

There was a lot. Kathleen Nesbitt was one in

An Inferior to Remember that really stood out.

She doesn't have, I don't know, maybe five minutes

of screen time at the most, but... there's just

something like so endearing about her presence

and such a vital role too because I think uh

her ability to kind of bring those two together

and like there's something like it's so endearing

about her that um makes that that scene such

a pivotal scene it really it's kind of where

their relationship really changes is just being

be able to interact with her and and within it

just in a doesn't feel like she's acting. You

feel like you're just looking at someone being

who they are. So she was certainly one that stood

out to me. And then Arsenic and Owen Blaze, pretty

much all you get to give that again, talking

about an ensemble. There's so many there. But

I had to point out John Alexander, who played

Teddy. Just because he was obviously like the

comedic linchpin and the sense of like, you know,

he was the big You know kind of looking for the

big laugh the over -the -top character, you know,

the one that perhaps proof was the most fun out

of all of them But that that pretty much all

the characters in arsenic and all they really

could deserve a mention Yeah, I had a Basically

the whole cast of arsenic all they said I was

I was like because it's all of them I don't know

if I can mention a specific one I think I'm probably

drawn to Peter Laurie as dr. Einstein as well

as the two aunts Gina Dare and Josephine Hall

play those two parts both on the on the Broadway

show and in the movie But aunt Martha and Abby,

but there's so many good Teddy is a great character

like there's so many good characters in arsenic

an old lady So I think that's like the most ensemble

piece we get out of these eight films. I would

feel pretty confident in saying. I also had Kathleen

Nesbitt as grandmother Janu, or however you said

that name, in a fair to remember written down

as well. I did want to give a tiny bit of a mention

to, even though I'm not huge on the film, Jane

Wyatt, who played Aggie Hunter in None But the

Lonely Heart, I thought that character was just

kind of refreshing because a lot of times, especially

in some of these types of films where we're dealing

with a lot of these films, deal with the subject

of marriage and divorce and affairs and things

of that nature. So you get a lot of this like

shrouded in like not missus mystery necessarily,

but people that are dancing around their true

feelings and Jane Wyatt's character in none but

the lonely heart is the opposite of that. Like

she is just a breath of fresh air. I'm going

to tell you exactly how I feel. I don't care

what your response is. I'm going to be honest

with you and it is what it is. Take it or leave

it. So I really enjoyed that. but my favorite

supporting role in Probably these eight films

would be Edgar Buchanan who played Applejack

Carney and Penny Serenade. I Thought he was just

a lot of fun and I don't know That film needed

him Yeah, so I think he was more important to

you could say the same thing for Kathleen Nesbitt

right like that film because she was really a

turning point like you said for Deborah Kerr

and Carrie Grant in an affair to remember but

I feel like with the seriousness and the drama

that Penny Serenade has and the touchy subject

matter that a little tiny bit of comedic presence

from Edgar Buchanan was very much needed for

you to like survive watching that film. I'm not

saying it's like a terrible film on you shouldn't

watch it, but I'm saying like sometimes in a

film like that, you need like to catch your breath

every once in a while. And I thought that he

did a great job providing that opportunity. Yeah,

that's a great call that his his presence was

certainly needed. He provided so much heart in

that movie. He felt like the best stand -in dad

in a way. The scene of him changing the diaper

and stuff like that. Anytime he was on screen,

it was a nice relief. So that's a really good

call out. All right. So those were some of our

favorite. supporting characters before we get

into maybe some funny moments that we like or

remember or lines or different things of that

nature. I was wondering, Dan, if you had there's

two different ways to look at these films, right?

We can look at the overall movie rankings, which

I think will save for last. But you can also

look at Cary Grant performances and that ranking

may or may not be different than the overall

movie rankings. Do you have? Maybe. two, three,

four performances that really stood out to you

from Cary Grant, because we talked about the

fact that he is only ever nominated for the two

Academy Awards, right? And that was for Penny

Serenade and none but the lonely heart. So if

you were able to like go back and say, forget

about whoever he was competing against in any

of those given years, you know, whatever movies

came out, we're not going to look at that. But

if you were just to look at his filmography in

these eight films. Is there two or three films

or four films that you feel like he was most

deserving to get some sort of recognition for

his performance? I do think he was great in penny

serenade. I do think he was deserving of the

Oscar there because he you know it in a way you

could easily point to it as like Oscar debate

because it's this Film about loss and losing

a child and seems like a obvious, you know dramatic

turn for him But he's also really good in it,

but he also has moments where he shows that community

side of him really well. So I think if you're

just giving the best kind of performance of him

as an actor, that's typically the movie I go

with, and I would say Penny Serenade. I think

the movie I think of first when I think of...

Cary Grant is probably his girl, Friday. I think

that is just, you know, him doing his vaudeville

back. I mean, you can say that of bringing up

Baby, either those two, but just like the quick

one -liners, him kind of commanding the scene,

that to me is probably my favorite comedy performance.

He's done. So those are the two that I tend to

go to. Two with his girl Friday and his performance

in that one. I feel like the movie best fit.

Like his level of humor and his timing and things

of that nature, which is I think one thing that

I would use to separate in my head how I separate

his girl Friday and bringing up baby like nothing

against bringing up baby, but I think like that

was like. That was like playing the tape at like

three times speed. Versus like, you know a normal

speed like I felt like that was almost going

too fast and too like Unhinged for him in a way.

I mean, I think he was great in it but like I

think his girl Friday is like that right amount

of speed and craziness but not too crazy and

I think it just allowed him to like hit a sweet

spot when it came to all of his comedic one -liners

his quips his timing and stuff like that which

I think was it served him really well, I think

that's one of the best examples of his comedy

and the film blending together and just giving

him the perfect opportunity to just kind of flex

that part of his skill set. I totally agree.

I'm 100 % on board with Penny Serenade being

one of the ones that he got the Oscar for. I

think there's some very moving sequences in there.

I think there's some real authentic aspects when

they're first dealing with a newborn and trying

to figure things out. I think that's totally

nails it on the head for what almost any parents

to their first child are going through and trying

to figure out. And I think you also do get some

dramatic sequences like his whole speech in front

of the I don't know if it was a judge or whoever

it was that he was trying to make a case for

being able to keep the child and things of that

nature. I think that was like some of his best

dramatic moments that I've seen out of him so

far. So I definitely agree. I do think that the

combination of his performance enough in an affair

to remember and charade both give him. Whereas

his Girl Friday really gave him the chance to

do the comedic thing, I think charade and an

affair to remember also give him a chance to

do some other sides of his. personality and other

sides of his acting like obviously charade you

get a little bit more of the James Bond esque

tones you still get the one liners you still

get the quips you still get the very witty dialogue

back and forth between him and Audrey Hepburn

but you definitely get the the James Bond esque

and then I think in a fair to remember really

gives you like the romantic slash I'm going to

make you fall for me type side of him as well.

So I think there's a little bit of all of those

that I appreciate with both Penny Serenade and

a fair to remember his Girl Friday and charade.

I think they all kind of like showcase a different

aspect of what makes Cary Grant the great actor

that he was. So as far as. Moments that you really

remember or that stuck with you or lines or scenes

or sequences and things of that nature. Did you

have any that really stood out that you wanted

to highlight during this episode? I think the

regarding lines are just the one scene that you

mentioned with him in Penny Serenade giving the

speech of trying to appeal to the judge regarding

why they should keep this child, I think is certainly

one of his best written and performed scenes.

Some of the ones that kind of stand out just

because of their comedic timing. There's a lot

in bringing a baby, but for some reason, and

you could say it doesn't age well, but it still

caught me off guard and still super rememberable.

It's when they open the door, he's in the nightgown

and he yells. I just went all gay all of a sudden.

I feel like... If an actor would do that today,

it would be like a big deal, and like, oh my

god, or maybe not as much now, but it was just,

it was so... Apparently it was one of the first

times it was ever said in that way in a movie

before, and you know, I wonder if he was the

purpose behind it, but I don't know, that to

be quite... the moment and then his girl Friday

has like a lot of great lines I would never do

them just as saying saying them because I don't

have his you know his uh his ability to in timing

and stuff like that but right the one thing that

he's she's a girl who's generous to a fault except

other people's faults I think that kind of One,

it's well written, and two, it shows their relationship

really well, but specific lines. I struggle sometimes

remembering them. I feel like at the time we

hear them, I'm like, those are really good, but

I tend to forget. But those are ones that stuck

with me as I look back at some of the past movies

we've watched. I think that those are some great

examples. I would be hard pressed to narrow down

a line from either His Girl Friday or Charade.

Like there are so many in those two films that

it's like really hard. I think the ending of

His Girl Friday, where they are, he's getting

a scoop on something and it's going to like a

strike or something that's taking place. And

the person on the other end of the line is telling

him it's in Albany, which is where the actress

is. Former flame lives, I guess that he was battling

with and and she agrees she says all right. Well

honeymoon in Albany and and Walter Burns Cary

Grant's character says well, isn't that a coincidence?

We're going to Albany. I wonder if Bruce can

put us up Yeah audacity for him to like say that

is something crazy and then I think also like

the whole intro scene of his girl Friday where

they're at the the newspaper office or whatever

and Yeah, and I believe Bruce is like standing

out at one point. He's standing out in like the

waiting area or whatever. But like the the lack

of care that Cary Grant has for the fact that

that guy is there. And it even follows through

into like the dinner sequence later where they're

having dinner, the three of them or lunch or

whatever it is. And it's like he just absolutely

doesn't care that this guy's here. He's going

to say whatever he wants. And it's just like

a funny aspect of that off. And then I think

another thing that they do really well in charade

was the fact that Cary Grant's character goes

by like a number of different names in that film.

I don't remember exactly how many three or four

at least. And there's so many clever lines between

Audrey Hepburn's character and Cary Grant's character

with that name. I think the funny part is like

towards the end, they're talking about how when

they finally kind of admit that they've fallen

for each other and this that or the other and.

Audrey Hepburn's character says, Oh, I love you,

Adam, Alex, Peter, Brian, whatever your name

is. And then she says, Oh, I love you. I hope

we have a lot of boys and we can name them all

after you. That's such a perfect way to do that.

As far as that goes, she has another funny line

to where they're in the beginning where they're

trying to introduce each other and or something

that Cary Grant's character says, do we know

each other? And she says, why do you think we're

going to? And he says, I don't know. How would

I know? And her response is because I already

know an awful lot of people and until one of

them dies I couldn't possibly meet anybody else

And I just thought that I don't know who wrote

that line, but like that was just absolutely

fantastic um, and then I think going to like

just a classic I think arsenic and old lace the

the scene towards the end where carrie grant's

character is on the phone in on the stairs and

you know all kinds of craziness is breaking out

in the living room and different things are happening.

And I think that's also the scene where Dr. Einstein

thinks that he may be caught or whatever, but

Cary Grant's like just on the phone and talking

to him, but trying to convince himself that he's

not crazy. And then I think just the way that

that's choreographed was like a great scene in

arsenic and old ice. And I'm sure there's a bunch

of other ones you can go to as, you know, once,

like when he discovers that there's a body in

the window seat or when he discovers that his

answer behind it, like there's just a lot of

good physical comedy that he does in that one

with his facial expressions and, and body movements

and things of that nature. Yeah, there's lots

to choose from. Yeah, there's definitely a lot

to choose from. It's it's it's kind of the thing

where. It's not that his movies are necessarily

quotable. Like, yeah, like, I don't think you

just like remember like a one off, like there's

not as many one liners because it's a lot more

of the back and forth that leads to like a funny

punch line or. A funny ending to their like dialogue.

So it's hard to like Pinpoint like a specific

quote, but there's so many like back and forth

that you're like, oh that was hilarious And I

want to remember that but then like two seconds

later you get another one Especially with stuff

like bringing up baby and his girl Friday like

they're going at such a fast pace It seems like

that unless you're taking notes like you're already

on to the next funny line or the next funny like

Back and forth. So it's definitely hard to pinpoint

lines. I feel like in in some of these films

Yeah, definitely. All right so that leads us

to our Overall, do you have anything else as

far as like moment scenes lines that we haven't

had a chance to highlight? Penny's not finished

and I'm but bringing up baby has a lot of good

scenes. There's the the scene in the the torn

dressing and Baby, which is really done with

just all physical comedy. That's I think one

of his His best attributes his ability to do

stand -up comedy or not stand -up comedy, but

physical comedy that has a punch There's like

the scene at like the with the dinosaur You know

try not to destroy it like when it near near

the end that really stands out, too And like

all the all the reactions to like running into

the leopard and you know things like that Those

all kind of stand out to me as I think too in

that and that film the the beginning of the film

where they're first meeting each other and she's

just like. So hard to take, right, like she's

just bananas and he has so many lines in that

first sequence that's like, I wish I hadn't met

you or like, you know, these different things

where you're saying like, you know, if somebody

I think they even carried into later, like like

that, they need to pad the jail cell instead

of like letting her in or letting them out. Like

once they get to know where they're just going

to. padded or something like that, like he's

very dismissive of like, you know, my day was

going a lot better before I ever ran into you

type of stuff. And I think that's a lot of the

funny stuff, because, you know, whether it's

the golf section or like beating up his car and

things of that nature, it's like, what is going

on here and why is he putting up with it? So

I think there's definitely a lot of good stuff

there. I want to do a couple more things before

we kind of wrap this up. One will be our overall

movie ranking of these eight. And then I want

to Talk a little bit in closing of kind of like.

What makes Cary Grant Cary Grant? What are our

favorite parts about him? We already touched

on a couple of different aspects of his like

toolbox and what he had to play off of and kind

of go like with what our favorite parts of of

him as an actor were. What did he do best and

what was his strengths and opportunities? That

type of stuff. So first off with his movie rankings,

and I don't know about for you. I found it somewhat

easy to rank my bottom two. And my top two and

then I have four in the middle that I really

can go back and forth on depending on like what

mood I'm in. How was the chore of ranking these

films for you? Very similar. I think my top three

are pretty set in my bottom two, but four or

five and six are really kind of even for me.

Yeah. Well, let's start with the bottom two and

see if we line up on this one. I honestly like.

So I finally, I just switched, these I had flip

-flopped and I just switched it before because

I was like, no, I think this is the right order.

So this shows you how back and forth I've gone

with these. But at number eight, I had None by

the Lonely Heart. I'll keep it short because

we did the whole episode on it. But I think it

was just doomed to fail from the start because

it was just... bad miscast and it just didn't

work. And then at number seven, I have The Philadelphia

Story, which I don't think is necessarily a bad

movie per se. I just I found it to be a little

over the place. And again, like I think we talked

about just the weird relationship dynamics and

that didn't necessarily work for me. So those

were those were my bottom two. Hey, well so far

we have linked our brainwaves and Thought the

exact same because I also have none but the lonely

heart of eight in the Philadelphia story at number

seven I know a lot of people will probably question

us having the Philadelphia story Oh low, but

I do feel like the more people watch it in modern

day the the less I see people going crazy about

it. I don't know if it had like a time where

like everybody just like really exalted that

film and now people are coming around to it or

what. But I feel like we're not in the minority,

even though it feels like we like it feels like

it's a minority opinion. But I feel like the

more time goes, the less in the minority we are

on those. So and I agree with you. None but the

lonely heart is just bad casting. The age just

really makes everything else fall a kilter. Like

it just doesn't. It ruins so many of the dynamics

in the film of him not being the right age that

he should have been to play that role Yeah, all

right, and then for the next two so and then

like after that those are two movies I Ultimately

didn't like that much the rest of movies I would

recommend and enjoying Just to lesser degrees

at six. I had bringing up baby again. I thought

it was you know, it was very funny and enjoyable

just kind of light and No, it didn't have much

to it beyond that. So that's why I have it a

little bit lower at number six. I am really I

really struggle with my my three through six.

That's for dang sure. Because I feel like each

one of them highlights something different and

I'm not sure which way I should go. And I want

to make sure that it's not just a personal bias

that's going into one of these and in which you

know I appeared in the the play and I know the

play very well but I don't want that to be the

reason why I rank it high but on a different

day I'm I could have this at number four number

three out of these eight but I have arsenic and

old lace next at number six like I said only

because I'm trying to make sure I'm not voting

out of bias I understand well I'll get to that

later soon I wouldn't have as much bias, but

at five I have an affair to remember It was it's

just a classic Hollywood. It feels like I said

It's like your mom's favorite movie, which isn't

I mean that as a like a compliment to it You

know, we got to see as you mentioned a little

bit different side of Cary Grant here and you're

it's just romantic with a capital R But not as

comedic. So again, there's nothing to have to

be I enjoyed it. It just wasn't it didn't It

being so like hard and I wasn't as um, I didn't

have it as as good Of time or it didn't have

that emotional impact of some of his other films.

So that's why I had it at five Makes sense. I

will have one that you already talked about at

my number five and that is bringing up baby I

I believe Like this is the first one we watched

right out of this group. I think it's I think

it was the first one Yeah, bringing up baby is

the first one. Yeah, and like we said when we

talked about it like this is The wheels are off

of the coaster like it's unhinged crazy. And

like I don't know if it like out of all of these

six through one, I would recommend to anybody.

I could see some people not going for bringing

up baby, though, like I could see it not working

for some folks just because of like how fast

it is going. But I enjoyed it. I just think if

I'm going like straight up slapstick comedy.

I'm going to rank this one lower than another

one that's going to come up later. So that's

why I kind of found a spot for it here at number

five. At my number four, I have one that you

mentioned already with arsenic and old lace.

This is one I watched before I think was one

we both watched before coming into this and I

loved it beforehand I still really love it now.

It's like we mentioned that cast is incredibly

great You could argue that Cary Grant gets a

little bit over -the -top. He even argued that

himself but I think even despite that it's a

really good time and I think one of these speaking

of recommending to people it is probably one

that would if you have like a family over for

the holidays the good one to throw on because

they could probably Make everyone you know everyone

in the room happy because it has it's a little

bit crazy. It's got you know You have Teddy who's

thought you know charting up the stairs and all

that and then Perry Grant doing his stuff. So

that's what I have a number four it's I If I

didn't struggle with six and five I'm definitely

struggling with four and three. So I think four

four I'm going to stick with how I have it here

on my Excel spreadsheet, and I am going to go

with Penny Serenade here at number four. I think

this is definitely a film that he deserved to

get the Oscar for. I think that this is clearly

some of the most dramatic stuff that I've seen

him do at all. And I am currently at twenty seven

Cary Grant films that I've seen this year. So

even out of the other ones that we did not cover

in the 12, you know, during the Hitchcock and

the, you know, the four there and the eight here,

which equal 12, but like there's another 15 I've

seen. I still don't think I've seen. Maybe one

other film that is as dramatic as he gets to

do in a completely different way, a different

type of drama. But so like, I definitely appreciate

what we get from him in that role. And like I

said, Irene Dune is great in this. That's one

of my favorite supporting characters with Applejack,

Carney, Edward, Edgar, Buchanan. I think one

thing that I will hold against Penny Serenade

a tiny bit is the ending. And I understand why

it had to be done, how it was, but it did come

across as a little. The word cheap comes to my

mind, I don't know if that's the best word, but

like. Or too neat maybe too neat and clean at

the end. So like that holds it back I guess if

I'm trying to like find something to divide it

with one of these other films that I also really

like I guess I'll use that so penny serenade

is my number four And any serenades my number

three and like a lot of what you said I actually

was like I worried about that movie going into

it because I'm like, oh, this is the movies not

made for an Oscar I was ready for it to be kind

of dry and just to the point where it was like

almost unwatchable like almost like homework

but it wasn't that it certainly was you know

more on the serious side certainly had some really

dramatic and obviously some like devastating

moments within that it certainly film about tragedy

but i thought it was still well balanced and

well made i love the you know the use of the

actual like record and how it transitions from

different scenes and the framing of it I thought

was done well, being able to kind of go through

this life and how music played a role and utilizing

those music cues throughout. So, and I do agree

with you that the ending is probably one element

that is probably the weakest point of it. Again,

I think probably at that time was the only way

they could get it made was having an ending like

that somehow has people go home. Home a little

happy. But despite that, I think what's it's

still its ability to approach rather challenging

topics, especially for that era era is impressive.

And as mentioned, Cary Grant, like it's what

I consider his best performance overall. So three.

So for my number three, it's one that you've

already mentioned as well. This is where I will

slot in an affair to remember. I do think that.

If I was ranking these based on my own personal,

like what I want to see Cary Grant do and what

I'm going to get the most enjoyment from, I don't

know if I would rank this number three, but I

am not a female. And like, I feel like I got

to give some love to like what to me feels like

the most straight up romantic performance that

we got out of these eight films. from Cary Grant

in this one. Like you have Cary Grant and Deborah

Kerr on a cruise ship. You got him, you know,

winning her over. They take the, the protocol

where they go see her grandmother. And then obviously

you transition to, you know, uh, the big city

and things of that nature. But I, I do know some

people have some issues with that second half

of it, or maybe the last act of it. But I just

feel like this highlights Him as a romantic lead

more than any of the other ones and I feel like

there's a large swath of the Hia population especially

back in this time period that probably really

Thought this was like the best of the best and

what I was doing some research I just kept finding

like so many comments from it was felt like middle

-aged. Well, maybe not middle -aged anymore 60

70 year old ladies that really love an affair

to remember. Let me tell you there was there's

quite a few And I'm talking about dozens of comments

from that and like some different threads that

I saw on social media as far as like, what's

your favorite Cary Grant role and things of that

nature? And I just I don't know. I liked the

the playing off of those two. Maybe I'm just

a sucker for something set on a cruise ship because

I feel like that's one of my happy places. So

I don't know. And a fair to remember for me gets

the number three spot. That's like I said, there's

lots of love about the movie and I think I could

even see enjoying it more on a second launch.

But yeah. Oh so now i'm curious if i wanted to

or i think they might be flip -flopped if i'm

thinking thinking my number one is your number

two and your two is like my number one it was

hard uh but like because like i said these two

i could feel like i could probably go either

way but um at number two i have charade Like

we mentioned, it's like the best James Bond movie

that's not a James Bond movie. The chemistry

in that film is so amazing. Cary Grant and Audrey

Hepburn. Audrey Hepburn is so good in that. She

really holds her own. And the cast overall, Walter

Mathew, I mentioned its trailer shows a blender

of comedy, romance, action, and it does. It is

that movie that has a little bit of everything.

and works really well. So, this was the first

time I ever watched it, so it had a little bit,

so His Girl Friday had a little bit of edge,

because that's a movie I've already loved going

into this, so that was my favorite going in,

it still remains my favorite, but Charade, this

was the first time I've ever watched it, and

I feel like watching it again will probably just

increase my enjoyment of it, but... I had that

at two and then his girl Friday at number one.

I just love that movie It's to me one of the

funniest movies ever made And it remains that

way. So i'm guessing i'm guessing you're just

slip thought, but maybe i'm wrong But for me,

I don't know if I can even call them one and

two like for me This is like one one a and one

b, right? Like I don't there's there's such a

fine line separating these two films, but you

are correct I have his girl friday at number

two and charade at number one I had his girl

friday at number one throughout this. I will

it was like the second Was it the second movie

we watched? Yeah, I think, yeah. I think it was

the second film we watched, if not the third,

and it was in the number one spot the entire

time because we didn't cover charade until the

very last film that was the eighth film we covered.

So His Girl Friday was in the number one spot

the entire time. So maybe it's recency bias that

then charade came in and that eighth film. And

I was just like, I fell in love with that. I

don't know if it's the Audrey Hepburn factor.

I do know there's some crazy stuff, like maybe

some of the Stuff with the three Amigos that

are playing the the quote -unquote bad guys is

a little out there and whatnot but like that's

what James Bond stuff was to write like a lot

of that stuff was kind of crazy and out there

as well, but it literally comes down to me between

the Yes, I love Roslyn Russell and she definitely

goes toe -to -toe with Cary Grant and like all

of that and I I'm there for that but I I think

some of my favorite parts of His Girl Friday

are more Cary Grant centric where he's just doing

his one -liners, doing his quips, you know, acting

like Bruce or whatever his name was isn't even

in the building. And then there is a sequence

in His Girl Friday where we kind of go away from

Cary Grant for a while and we're dealing mainly

with Rosalyn Russell and the other news reporters

and things of that nature. And to me, like, I

guess for it. I don't know. When I was trying

to decide which one should go first, I'm like,

I get more Cary Grant and Charade than I do in

His Girl Friday. I don't know if that really

should matter, but I just love the back and forth

between all of the different names of Cary Grant

and Charade and then Reggie, Audrey Hepburn's

character. But to me, like, whichever one I've

watched more recently would probably be the one

I rank higher. So if you catch me and His Girl

Friday has been the one I've watched more recently,

I would probably tell you that one because it

was, like I said, when we were talking earlier,

I feel like it's the right tempo and it's the

right setting and everything for Cary Grant to

just be his funniest. And I love that about it.

I guess I'm a sucker for the only appearance

between Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant, though.

Yeah, I mean, like I said, it's sad that that's

the only movie they ever did together, but maybe

it makes it a little extra special because of

that. I did have a question though, because considering,

you know, we did other Cary Grant films during

the Hitchcock retrospective, would your number

one, would you still put it above, like, any

of the Hitchcock films that we did, like North

Brighton or Northwest? So I've done a lot of

thinking of this because I've been compiling

my Cary Grant list over on letterbox Which like

I said is 27 films long and when you start getting

into that number It starts getting really hard

to like place individual films within that I

will say that There's two films that I have Well,

so take none, but the lonely heart and the Philadelphia

story out of it Because those are like my my

bottom two in this set of eight I have all of

the other ones. Ahead of suspicion and to catch

a thief, so I have all six of the other films

we covered in this part ahead of those two Hitchcock

films to catch a thief and suspicion. I think

where it gets hard for me is when you bring in

notorious and North by Northwest because I really

loved those two films, so I would probably make

my top four some combination and I'm not going

to like. Yeah, I'm not going to let you pin me

down in the order, but it would be North by Northwest

and Charade and Notorious and His Girl Friday

would be my top four. I don't know. Like currently,

I think I have North by Northwest and Charade

both as five star. And I believe I currently

have Notorious and His Girl Friday at four and

a half, but I would have to check that. But like

those four films to me are his top four films

that I've ever seen. What about you? I think

His Girl Friday was still remain number one for

me. Actually, you know what north in North by

Northwest number two charade and then notorious

and then finishing up with penny serenade would

probably be my top five but but similar I I would

similar catch a thief in suspicion would probably

be release everything beyond my bottom two so

Maybe maybe to catch a thief higher than bringing

up, baby. Maybe I don't know but it's debatable

Right. It's almost like you got to get to a point

then you have to have a new series and you just

watch these Yeah ones and try to like really

make some distinguishing Aspects of them, but

I will say like I would highly recommend like

if you're interested in any of these films if

you've been following along with us there are

plenty of other films of Cary Grant's that you

can check out and I have found more than not

that most of them I have enjoyed. At least to

the point where I don't regret watching them

and things like that. Like, I feel like there's

six or seven films that are towards the bottom.

Like, let's say a half dozen that you probably

don't need to watch. And then I feel like there's

about another 10 that I would put it real close

to. You know, I still have. you know, Penny Serenade,

Arsenic and Olay's bringing up Baby and Affair

to remember to catch a thief and suspicion ahead

of them. But there's like another at least eight

or nine films that I really have enjoyed that

I have watched since then, including The Talk

of the Town, The Toast of New York is really

funny. That's another one where Cury Grant's

not necessarily the lead role, and it's three

con artists that are kind of teaming up to do

some craziness. And then there has been one film

that I've watched that I actually currently have

at my number five, which is right after North

by Northwest, Charade, Notorious and His Girl

Friday. So and I may be alone on this one, but

this is the also another one where I feel like

it's more a little bit more of some of his dramatic

aspects come into it. And I didn't know this

film existed, but I would call this like the

grandfather of all submarine warfare films. and

that one's called Destination Tokyo. There is

some maybe politically incorrect language here

and there because this is happening during a

different time and place, but I really enjoyed

it. There's not a single female in the film,

I don't believe. So I don't know how many. Cary

Grant films you get where there's no females

and in the film, but this is one of them. So

I would highly recommend at least checking that

one out. Um, but you really can't go wrong so

far. I mean, I still have. Probably 17 films

on my list that I still need to watch because

I'm just trying to be as complete as possible

with this for some reason, because that's how

I am. But, uh, yeah, there's only been, like

I said, there's, I have three ranked lower than

none, but the lonely heart. So. I would avoid

those and those are titled she done him wrong

once upon a time, which is about a dancing caterpillar.

And I don't think I need to say anything more

about that one. And then Gunga Din, I was not

a big fan of it. That's another war film that

I felt like was pretty awful. But as far as Cary

Grant goes, like, do you have a favorite aspect

of his? Because we talked a lot about. You know,

he has the clever dialogue, the quick one liners

and stuff like that. He has the physical comedy

where, you know, whether it's acrobatics or facial

and physical expressions and things of that,

we have the James Bond, you know, cooler than

the other side of the pillow aspects. You have

the romantic side. You have some of the drama

that we get in something like Penny Serenade.

Do you find like he's best when he leans into

one of those more than the other or do you like

it when he blends a few of those together in

a role? I think it's the blending tends to work

the best. I think, you know, where you see a

little bit of all those different elements, uh,

or I think what's good about him, honestly, is

that he can, he can fit himself to fit what the

role is calling for. Like we mentioned, obviously

not part of this retrospective, but North by

Northwest, like if that was the only Gary Graham

movie you've ever watched, you wouldn't. categorize

him as a comedic actor. He doesn't really use

comedy at all within that role, but it doesn't

really need to. It's one of his better performances.

So I think what's really good about him is I

think he has a confidence to him that is very

apparent, and even if he was faking it, who knows?

But I think that, as we talked about, being willing

to work with strong characters and that he doesn't

always have to be the star in the scene. I think

he's very generous as an actor in that sense,

at least looking from the outside in. And that's,

I think, one of his best attributes is he's a

really good reactor. Like, his face is always,

you know, within a scene, like, he's always,

I think, listening and you can... You always

know what is on this character's mind all the

time So I think that's kind of his best ability

and and as generic as it sounds he just has that

it factor like he feels like You want to be wanted

you want he has that star quality that is undefined

like you can't really define it, but he certainly

has it he's interesting because he's one of those

stars that Sometimes you have like the Hollywood

star that just appeals to I don't know One group

of people or the other like I feel like Carrie

Grant appeals to Like both men and women like,

you know The women want to him to date them or

the guys want to be him or to hang out with him

Like I feel like he appeals across the board

in a way I also feel like he had a can an uncanny

ability to Without actually breaking the fourth

wall He somehow had a way with these very subtle

looks, gestures, or lines where you felt like

he was looking at you or winking at you in the

camera or delivering a line to you, where it

felt like you almost had a relationship with

him and you were there in on the joke with him,

even though the rest of the people on the set

or on the scene aren't. But without making it

so obvious that it's like... Something where

you're just completely timing out and looking

at the camera and talking to them like he did

it in such a subtle way that I really appreciated

and then I think something else that you were

kind of alluding to as well as When you get like

these super Known actors, especially back in

this time period like the Rhett Butler. I know

is that like some of those like just bigger than

life characters, I think This is something that

both Cary Grant and to a point, I think Jimmy

Stewart does as well, but I don't feel like Cary

Grant was ever afraid to look silly. Like he

was critical of himself. Like he, he would analyze

it. And like we talked about with our snack and

a lace thought that he was too over the top and,

and too, you know, overacting, but I don't think

that's the same as like, he doesn't care if he's

an address in one sequence. He doesn't care if

he's, you know, Being a little flamboyant in

one sequence or whatever the case might be like

that's Somewhat rare when you have someone with

like you said that it factor a lot of people

are afraid to break You know the the Manchismo

or the macho like Stereotype and I feel like

that's what endeared carry grant to a lot of

folks is that he was not afraid To be the side

character. He was not afraid to be the funny

character He was not afraid to be the like I

said the person in the dress or the person or

whatever it may be and I and I don't Know if

all of the other actors that were big and well

-known at that time Would have been willing to

do some of the stuff that Gary Grant did Yeah,

it's very true. I mentioned being in a nightgown

yelling. I'm being gay A lot of actors today

wouldn't Vin Diesel's not doing that scene Yeah,

I think I think that's certainly and you can

tell he wasn't actually talented but obviously

had So much and he did vaudeville and like right

he had all those different little skills that

He was able to utilize when necessary. So Yeah,

I think he's uh Definitely a treasure from that

time period i'm not saying like I know there's

gonna be some people that would be detractors

of some of the stuff that happened In his real

life and things of that nature. I know he was

had a couple different accusations of some abusive

tendencies towards one of his wives at least.

I don't know if that was true or not. I'm not

getting into that. I'm strictly trying to talk

and judge and critique his acting and in his

films and stuff like that. So I don't want to

act like we're not aware of that, but I'm also

not necessarily judging him as a person. I'm

just judging him as not even judging him, but

just reacting to his acting and things of that

nature. So anything else to wrap up this Cary

Grant retrospective, Dan? No, I'm definitely

glad we did it. We got to watch a lot of really

good movies, a lot of movies I haven't seen before

and movies that certainly have a huge importance

within the history of Hollywood. And, you know,

bringing it with this and the Hitchcock retrospective,

I think it was fun how that naturally just kind

of came about. So. How about yourself? No, I'm

super glad we did this like as soon as I we were

going through that Hitchcock I was like man I

really want to watch some Cary Grant films and

I'm like I don't know if Dan's gonna want to

keep watching stuff from this time period and

you were all for it so that was like yes now

I have an excuse now that's parlayed into like

my wife tends to fall asleep before I do and

that usually gives me like an hour to an hour

and a half where she's asleep and I'm not quite

ready to sleep. And it's been perfect to throw

on an old Cary Grant film. And like I said, I've

been making my way through all the ones that

are available to stream. There's probably a half

a dozen or a dozen that are unavailable in any

shape, way, shape or form. So I guess I can't

get to those. But I've been working in a chronological

order. So I've just got I'm almost through the

1940s. We're 27 films in and I'm almost through

the 1940s. See if you want a lot of films. You

start if you start talking like, you know, I

did back then. I'll know why it's going to be.

I know we always we definitely have to. It's

going to be weird, but I like. I've been trying

to catch up on 2025 films as well. So it's like

it's like that's gotta be a whiplash. Yes, it's

a whiplash effect. That's a perfect word that

I was trying to think of because it's like 1940

and then 2025 and then going back and forth.

So it'll be fun to talk about some some modern

stuff, too, as we go through here and and do

some future episodes. So all right. That does

it for this episode. Dan, how can people keep

in touch with you or get a hold of you on the

interwebs? I just search Comic Concierge. I'm

on all those social media platforms. You can

search me out at Optimus Solo or search the show

out at the Cinema Geeks or the Cinema Geek cast.

And that does it for this episode. Tune in next

time for another chance to listen to more of

the Cinema Geeks.