tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post4294661626150774359..comments2024-03-18T19:40:11.383-04:00Comments on Poseidon's Underworld: It's Time to "Take" "Care"Poseidon3http://www.blogger.com/profile/10465785002285422594noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-1458575921952202662013-01-05T00:17:41.899-05:002013-01-05T00:17:41.899-05:00Tom, while I try to welcome everyone who comes her...Tom, while I try to welcome everyone who comes here, I think you may have stumbled into the wrong place. I address most everything with some level of humor here, it's just the way of the place - and me - so The Underworld may not be for you. <br /><br />Apart from your assertion that The Caretakers was a "substantial hit" at $2 million domestic and at #57 overall, I don't know what other "facts" you think I have wrong. Maybe we just differ in opinion? <br /><br />In between checking me out, I'd love to know what other two roles Ellen Corby worked on with Joan than the three I mention. I'm sure the webmasters of her detailed and prolific sites would like to know them, too, so they can update their own "faulty" information.<br /><br />Cheers!Poseidon3https://www.blogger.com/profile/10465785002285422594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-56528253293689890792013-01-04T23:16:44.469-05:002013-01-04T23:16:44.469-05:00Interesting article, although you have some of you...Interesting article, although you have some of your facts wrong. Caretakers was a substantial hit at the box office, #57 on Variety's List of Films for 1963 (although it was made months before Baby Jane which was released first) and netting receipts totalling well over $3M in 1963 alone. This is nothing compared to the mega-films with tremendous budgets for that year, but for a personal film like this it was amazingly good. Personally I have never found anything funny in the film. No one was playing this for laughs, and only people who have no sense of how people who are really emotionally disturbed make fun of it. For years this and Crawford's 1947 film Possessed were used to show students of Psychiatry what they would or could be facing because the scenes were so realistic in both films. Also, this was one of five roles Crawford secured for her friend, Ellen Corby. Tom Loweryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01754738924271638351noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-45039292687133355712012-11-24T21:49:57.846-05:002012-11-24T21:49:57.846-05:00Although I'm a big fan of Crawford and it'...Although I'm a big fan of Crawford and it's been screened several times on TCM, I can't believe I've never seen this. You make it sound fairly irresistible! A very entertaining read that boasts many parts that made me laugh, as well as all the terrific backstory stuff you provide about the actors. A great job (as always). Thanks!<br />Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-21548199869304830652012-11-12T17:15:26.313-05:002012-11-12T17:15:26.313-05:00I think you might love "The Cobweb" and ...I think you might love "The Cobweb" and "Shock Treatment", both starring Lauren Bacall. Sadly, there are no judo lessons, but the former features conflict over draperies and the latter gives us Bacall's sadistic animal testing. Both movies are campy fun.JPhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16946980403624857968noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-33071687817083295572012-11-12T09:11:23.370-05:002012-11-12T09:11:23.370-05:00LOL NotFelix! Now, don't you go checking int...LOL NotFelix! Now, don't you go checking into a mental health facility just to see what's there. I'm sure it wouldn't be the swarthy, manly ward that's on display here.<br /><br />Joel, you hit on one of my own favorite moments, too! I LOVE that line and her delivery of it. It's the one time she seems to have a sense of humor. <br /><br />I have read that there was a scene in which Lucretia Terry (Joan's character) suffers a breakdown and has to enter the hospital as a patient!!! She was disappointed that it was cut, but I'm certainly not. I think Lucretia is stern and unwavering, but not crazy. She had her reasons. After all, Stack's way led to the death of a pet, assault and then a near-deadly fire before everyone suddenly grinds to a halt (as does the film) to proclaim to him, "You were right!" ???<br /><br />It reminds me of when they tried to make Bette Davis' character in Where Love Has Gone go nuts at the end. She fought that and won. It's almost as if early-'60s films couldn't bear to have an indomitable female character without her cracking up. Even Crawford's role in The Best of Everything (1958) initially included a drunken breakdown scene, which was also cut.<br /><br />I do think this was her hair because she wore it this way (with less shiny shellack) for a while, including to the Oscars of 1963. She began coloring it red again because the grey made her feel older. I guess she felt she couldn't go the Barbara Stanwyck route.<br /><br />GlenH, that would have been AWESOME!Poseidon3https://www.blogger.com/profile/10465785002285422594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-65035506895078781942012-11-12T02:08:42.160-05:002012-11-12T02:08:42.160-05:00Just watched the judo scene on Youtube! Why was Cr...Just watched the judo scene on Youtube! Why was Crawford never a Bond villain?!GlenHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10978357851849422273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-28884074845290957532012-11-11T00:59:38.786-05:002012-11-11T00:59:38.786-05:00So glad you did a piece on this hooty delight! I h...So glad you did a piece on this hooty delight! I had seen it years ago and ran across it again a few weeks ago just as it started and had to watch it all the way through. <br /><br />Polly's hair is a positive volcano of teasing and hairspray. Recently read Farley Granger's bio which contained a story of his working on a play with Miss Bergen, she is apparently quite frosty and grand and not one to put the good of the team effort above her own needs. She does take large bites out of the scenery here mixed in with some more subtle work.<br /><br />I agree about Joan Crawford's hair it must have taken hours of work to create unless it was a wig which would not have been unbelievable considering Crawford's mania for perfection. It's most impressive either way. She and Robert Stack share my favorite scene of the movie when they are alone in an office and he starts to say "Can I talk to you man to..." and she with a wry smile says "Man to Man" sheer heaven of both characterization and camp.<br /><br />Also have to say I love Constance Ford. She's one of those people, like Thelma Ritter, Claire Trevor, Eve Arden or Sydney Greenstreet, that as soon as they pop into a movie you know there is going to be something enjoyable no matter how weak the film. Watched her for years on Another World as the super salty Ada and then ran across A Summer Place and have tried to see as much of her other work ever since.<br /><br />Also have always had a soft spot for Susan Oliver, it's a shame she's not better known today but her early passing and work mostly in episodic TV makes it hard to track down her work. I always thought she had a very warm but glamorous presence.<br /><br />As usual an enjoyable and detailed article! Thanks for keeping us entertained.joel65913https://www.blogger.com/profile/14526657073681774683noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4006108502645191096.post-30619688693786445852012-11-10T15:22:34.349-05:002012-11-10T15:22:34.349-05:00Great post! I love this movie. I only recently saw...Great post! I love this movie. I only recently saw it myself for the first time when [I believe] TMC featured it.<br /><br />Barbara Barrie is one of my favorite character actresses of all time. To this day I will watch current TV shows and movies if I know she is in them. Though I love her work with Hitchcock and Tucker's Witch and Sunsan in the City, my favorite is her turn as the grand-mother in Dead Like Me. [reminds me of my own grandma.]<br /><br />Van Williams is a hottie. Always has been in my book. He should have been even bigger. [go figure]<br /><br />Finally, this is my favorite line from the post, "but she is in the wrong wing of the hospital... the VERY wrong wing, where all the males are kept and, of course, all the male patients are sex-starved, hirsute, wrong-side-of-the-tracks types."<br /><br />I don't think I need to explain why its my favorite! :-)NotFelixUngerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04812102754911699275noreply@blogger.com