The World of Suzie Wong 1960- 7th Golden Boy Blogathon

On April 17, 2026April 21, 2026 By The Flapper DameIn Blogathon, william holden11 Comments

Its my honor to be Ginnie’s co host for the 7th annual William Holden Golden Boy Blogathon! Its a highlight of the year for me and I never tire of talking about Bill Holden! Make sure to check out the entries from Day 1 here, and Day 2 here on Ginnie’s Blog!

William Holden, is no secret to any of you reading, one of my all time favorite men to grace the silver screen. As late TCM host Robert Osborne once said of Mr. Holden, “he always had an honest word”.

The first Holden movie I ever saw was Sabrina (1954) Well I latched onto his voice first, and liked his speech dictation, I didn’t fall for him completely until The Country Girl (1954), and then Born Yesterday (1950) solidified it.

As I learned more about him, the more I liked him. I found it interesting he had a desire to learn about world cultures, and if you look at his filmography starting in the mid-50s onwards, he started to film many of his films on location. From Africa, to Asia, to Europe, he loved to travel, and took advantage of the new method of location shooting after World War II.

Being a Chinese American immigrant- and Italian by adoption (IT’S A THING), I find this fascinating that he traveled so much. He actually made 3 movies relating to China: Love is a Many Splendored Thing (1955), The World of Suzie Wong (1960), and While Satan Sleeps (1962- THIS ONE IS AWFUL!). The World of Suzie Wong is my favorite of them all, and I really wanted to take this opportunity to really talk about how this movie is truly enjoyable, romantic, and authentic to Chinese culture- both at the time, and even for today.

Directed by Richard Quine and based on the 1957 novel by Richard Mason, The World of Suzie Wong is about an American architect Robert Lorex (William Holden) in Hong-Kong who falls in love with a Chinese girl, who claims to go by Mei Ling -actual name Suzie Wong- (Nancy Kwan) when they meet aboard a ferry. Mei claims to be a pure woman who is the daughter of a prominent man. Though in reality she actually is a prostitute named Suzie Wong, and has a secret baby son. Though they come from different worlds, Robert becomes smitten with Suzie the minute he sees her, and together, the two must navigate their new growing relationship. Obstacles abound, including Robert’s affections from his banker’s daughter, Kay (Sylvia Syms) and Suzie’s offer from one of her client’s, Ben (Michael Welding) to be his official mistress, but will Suzie and Robert’s true love win out?

What I love about World of Suzie Wong so much despite the fact, YES, it has SOME dated issues, is that it presents a genuine authenticity about Chinese culture in an era when there was few to none of it on screen. There was a Chinese actress actually playing a Chinese woman. It was Nancy Kwan’s breakout role and I personally find Miss Kwan to be such an idol and inspiration of mine! Its also really cool to say that both Bill Holden and myself spent time in the city of Hong-Kong, at some point in our lives! Hong-Kong was the last Chinese city I was in, in 1997, and one day, I would like to re-visit it as an adult.

Miss Kwan in her 2025 memoir spoke very highly of Bill, and I for one, am so glad they ended up being good friends until his death. She admitted Bill loved Chinese (and Asian) art, was co- owner of a local English speaking radio station in Hong-Kong, and always had an apartment in Hong-Kong.

In terms of the, “dated elements,” surrounding this film, I want to say that while it is unfortunate Suzie has to speak in broken English, at first, I will admit as the film goes on, it kind of falls by the wayside. At some point, Nancy just began doing her lines in her normal voice, which yes has an accent, but its not the exact “broken” cliche the critics talk about.

As for the “Chinese prostitute” stereotype, Nancy in her own words (again, from her 2025 memoir) stated she was committed to playing authenticity and did no such actions to promote such stereotype. In the movie, Suzie is desperate to feed her baby son, and tragically resorted to prostitution to do so, as was the reality case for many women in Hong-Kong at the time. Nancy then went on to say she spoke with real life women stuck in this scenario, and they all had no other options. Miss Kwan declares these women “deserve compassion, not condemnation” and I whole- heartedly agree. Sad to say, but if I myself didn’t leave China, my life could possibly have ended up being like one of those women. If anything, one must look beneath the surface before jumping to conclusions – and this is no different.

Switching gears to the romance in this movie, I will say its pretty ground breaking, and truly an element I love about this movie. Robert and Suzie have this genuine romantic relationship based on mutual like, and love. Its not based on the fact she’s Chinese. Its because he’s fascinated by her– and wants to accept her culture in a blending of the East and West.

There’s been so much talk of Holden’s character only accepting Suzie when she’s wearing the cheongsam (which for the record, is not comfortable, despite being beautiful by design. Its very tight and uncomfortable, the silk is not soft, its very scratchy fabric.) or acting like a native Chinese woman, or wearing her hair a specific way. I don’t see that as evidence of being race specific or having a fetish, more-so I see that as a blending and acceptance of culture.

Being from the East being raised in the West, myself, learning a little bit about a different culture is never a negative thing. Rather, I see the character of Robert as just embracing Suzie’s culture. Hong-Kong was a British colony at this point in time, and there was a push for British assimilation amongst the native people. Suzie maybe wants to be more British or western, and by Robert enjoying her Chinese culture, he’s just showing her accepts her roots, just as she is.

All in all, I have so much admiration for this movie. I really wish I could say it was a part of my childhood, but I only discovered it in my early 20s (I can admit, however, The Joy Luck Club (1993) has that status). That being said, it still holds an important place in my life. I mean, William Holden in China- automatic heart eyes from me!

I’d like to say thank you, Xie-Xie [shea-shea], Mr. William Holden and to Miss Nancy Kwan for making a movie that I can see a part of myself in. I was born over 30 years after the release and find it incredible that I can sit here and say that. Suzie Wong was sincerely ahead of its time, and therefore it is timeless.

One day, when I visit Hong-Kong again, amongst my top thoughts, I’ll certainly be thinking of them two and this movie!

THE 7th ANNUAL WILLIAM HOLDEN BLOGATHON-DAY 1

On April 16, 2026April 17, 2026 By The Flapper DameIn Blogathon14 Comments

It’s FINALLY arrived! Two whole days of celebrating Ginnie’s wonderful creation of the Golden Boy Blogathon- which revolves around Bill’s birthday!

I, Emily of The Flapper Dame will be your host for Day 1 while Ginnie will be hosting day 2! I always look forward to reading your posts honoring Bill, his film work, and his legacy. No matter how many times I read posts about his films, it never gets old, because its timeless.

HERE IS THE DAY 1 POSTS

My dear pal, Gil, from RealweegieMidget Reviews celebrates Bill’s role in The Christmas Tree (1969)

Classic Film and TV Corner, (my dear friend Maddy!) cover’s Bill’s Clint Eastwood directed movie Breezy (1973)

In guest post by Jeanne Okano, on co host Ginnie’s blog, she discusses the hidden topic of William Holden’s characters homeless characters, Apartment for Peggy (1947) in particular

Dubism, talks to us about the hidden sport analogies in one of my favorites, The Bridges at Toko-Ri (1954) (one of my favorites, with another one of my favorites, Grace Kelly!!!)

Le at Critica Retro, chats to us about Fedora (1978)

MORE TO COME!…

and here’s to the Golden Boy, MR WILLIAM HOLDEN!

Announcing: The 7th Golden Boy Blogathon 2026

On March 7, 2026April 14, 2026 By The Flapper DameIn Blogathon14 Comments

When the world goes dull, the screen goes dim, and movies need charisma, there’s only one solution to bring back the sparkle: William Holden!

Even better, a whole celebration about William Holden. Which is why it’s my honor to announce: William Holden’s blogathon is back!!

Coming around for the 7th version of the blogathon, Ginnie of the Wonderful World of Cinema, has once again invited me to be her fabulous co-host, of her creation! Of course, I happily accepted, as I will always celebrate Bill Holden!

The blogathon will run from April 16-17 2026.

The Rules are as follows

1- Choose a topic related to the Golden Boy! It can be anything (Movies, TV, Personal life, etc) as long as it is done with RESPECT

• Duplicates are not allowed. Bill has an extensive filmography and there are a plethora of topics to chose from.

• Please submit your topic in the comments, and also provide the name of your blog and its URL. You can comment here on my blog or on Ginnie’s blog , or on social media (I’m @flapperdame16 on Twitter/ X and Instagram)!

2- Once approved, feel free to promote the event by including one of the fabulous banners I created on your blog / social media!

3- The blogathon will start April 16, 2024, and end on April 17, 2026. You can submit your entrie(s) on any one of these dates! (late entries also accepted!)

4- We each are hosting a day. I am in charge of tthe first day April 16, while Ginnie will be taking over on Bill’s birthday, April 17.

Finally, please remember we will only be accepting new, unpublished material for this blogathon!

The Roster

THE Wonderful World of Cinema (co host and creator!): Born Yesterday (1950)

The Flapper Dame (Me): The World of Suzie Wong 1960

Hoover and Honeys: Paris When it Sizzles 1964

Classic Film and TV Corner: Sabrina 1954

Real WeegieMidget Reviews: The Christmas Tree 1969 (TV Movie)

Dubsism – The Bridges at Toko-Ri 1954

Speakeasy – The Dark Past 1948

Whimsically Classic – The Moon Is Blue 1953

18 Cinema Lane – When Time Ran Out 1980

Crítica Retrô – Fedora 1978

Back to Golden Days – Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing 1956

The Banners (which, this year, I made!).

Looking forward to all this year’s entries!!!

Blue Water High (2005-2008)- Teen TV for all ages!

On February 23, 2026February 23, 2026 By The Flapper DameIn Genre Grandeur1 Comment

This post was written for Movie Rob’s February 2026 Genre Grandeur theme of Surfing.

When it comes to TV shows, I have the habit of becoming obsessed with certain ones that go straight to my heart. When it comes to Australian TV shows, I seem to discover new ones, all because of the ones I already love.

Such is the case in with Blue Water High, which I discovered because I love H2O: Just Add Water (2006-2010).

Blue Water High is a really unique Australian teen TV show that ran from 2005-2008 for 3 seasons and 78 episodes.

At Solar Blue Academy, 6 lucky students and surfers- 3 boys, 3 girls, will be accepted for the surf program and train the whole year for the competition which will see 2 students (1 girl and 1 boy) win themselves a spot on the pro circuit tour! Together, the 6 teens battle the highs and lows of not only typical high school, but also training like elite athletes.

The strange part is, it took me 16 years to finally sit down and say,” I wanna watch the full TV show.”

Shortly after H2O made its American debut in March 2008 (a little under 2 years after premiering in its homeland), I started googling the show, and the lead actresses, and a photo of Cariba Heine (Rikki on H2O) popped up, of her holding a surfboard. I didn’t know she surfed in real life, but then discovered it was part of her role on a tv show called Blue Water High.

She had joined the cast for season 3 and I really wanted to watch the show, but finding full episodes was a challenge. I found clips of season 3, as it was airing first run at the time in Australia, but told myself, I needed to find season 1, to watch first! I remember the first season being uploaded, and me attempting to watch an episode, BUT not really latching onto it, because I didn’t recognize anyone and just wanted to obsess over H2O instead. Fast forward to 2024: and the whole show was available to stream in multiple places around the world!

It’s a good thing too I waited that long, as I was able to say I knew some of the cast from across the 3 seasons of the show. The main cast changes every year, and it was really fun to see names I already knew pop up as both guest stars and season regulars.

Adam Saunders (Miles Kelly, on Dance Academy 2010-2013) plays Heath in season 1. Taryn Marler (Sophie on H2O) plays Rachel in season 2. Nadine Garner (Jean, on The Doctor Blake Mysteries 2013-2017) plays Deb in seasons 1 and 2. Cariba plays Bridget in season 3. Craig Horner (Ash on H2O) plays Gary in season 3. Rebecca Breeds and Eka Darville, played Cassie and Adam in season 3, and they both appeared on The Originals (2013-2018), as Aurora De Martel and Deigo. Burgess Abertheny, Jamie Timony, and Alan David Lee (all from H2O) even pop up in 1 episode each!

Before one says this, “surf high school“, show its really a teen cliche TV, I wanna say, this show is a cut above. Unlike what you see on American TV, not all the students are rich, they can’t buy their way into the program, they have to earn their spot in try outs fair and square. There is no heavy, “you stole my boyfriend/ girlfriend“, backstabbing story-lines. Sometimes the drama element involve the students/ surfers battling against their own inner demons, rather than being angry at their peers, which is something you don’t see on other teen genre shows. The show doesn’t talk down to its audience, (looking at you American teen sitcoms!!) while at the same time its not too heavy or mature for its tween/ early teen audience.

I could sit down and enjoy the show as a 27 year old because the show is so well crafted; and dare I say, my mother enjoyed it too. Blue Water High towers over its contemporaries such as, Victorious (which has the similar elite school element) or Zoey 101 (which shares the the no parents, and elite school by the ocean plot) because it doesn’t rely on gimmicks or 1 kid in the spotlight favoritism; all the cast matters, and the story-line has a goal to accomplish, rather that chasing writing trends.

Not to be missed, the surfing, which is part of the appeal and the backbone of the show, is partially done by the lead actors. Cariba Heine and Adam Saunders both said in interviews, the main cast learned to run with and carry the boards. In pre-production they learned how to paddle, and duck dive, sometimes even stand up, but once it was time to ride the wave, stunt doubles were used.

Season 1 had the most amount of actual surfing on the water, but by the time the show got to season 3, surf training scenes were more minimal, and replaced with “supplemental exercises” like running, swimming, yoga, bike riding, etc, with the characters talking about riding the waves either before or after said exercises.

One of my favorite episodes was in season 1 episode 12 Dreams and Dramas, where its Fly’s (Fiona, played by Sophie Luck) birthday, and the group wants to throw her a surprise sweet 16 party, but she doesn’t show up for her own party! She instead gets stranded on the beach, and later trapped in a trailer with (her crush!) Heath. It was so different to anything I’d seen on teen tv- and yet it was still so believable and in the end, sweet and genuine!

Season 2, a standout to me was Episode 11, where the gang is on a camping trip to build teamwork, and they stopover at Eric’s (Ryan Corr- one of my crushes from this show!) house and discover he lives in a trailer park with just him and his mom. It was so refreshing to me, as an American, the kids didn’t shame him, or comment on his home life being, “crap”; rather they were supportive of his devotion to helping out his mom and using this opportunity at Solar Blue to better both of their lives. If it were on TV here, the main character would comment on how dumpy his life was or how lucky he was to be away from the “low lifestyle”. Australian TV has such a positive quality presented on teen tv, that we don’t posses here.

Season 3 I gotta say the season premiere was such a fun one! From meeting the new batch of students, to Adam and Cassie’s accidental ride in a police car all due to a silly misunderstanding, it was just a laugh out loud episode. I also knew Cariba would be coming on, and Burgess Abernathy played the pizza delivery boy, so that was a cool to see them on screen on another show!

Overall, I really love Blue Water High, and totally wish I watched it way sooner than I did. Had it aired here in the USA, when I was in middle school, or high school, I would have really latched onto it and considered it a favorite. Watching the show as an adult proved to me, age doesn’t matter when it comes to enjoying teen/ kids tv, if you truly enjoy it, just enjoy it. I’ll watch it again and again, for the rest of my life!

Legal Eagles (1986) The 8th So Bad its Good Blogathon

On February 13, 2026February 13, 2026 By The Flapper DameIn Blogathon18 Comments

Before I tear the film apart, I’d like to say, rest in peace, Mr. Robert Redford. I don’t love the film, but, I enjoy his efforts in anything he made. Please know, its currently the only Robert Redford film I owned BUT REMOVED from my personal collection. MINOR SPOILERS AHEAD.

The 80s were an interesting time for movies. I was born in 1996, so I completely missed out on the decade. Usually, for me, 80s music is better than 80s movies, as my mom raised me on music from the 70s/80s. Such is the case with 1986’s Legal Eagles, as Sir Rod Stewart’s “Love Touch” (there’s a music video intercut with movie scenes) is far more memorable than the movie.

Directed by Ivan Reitman (Ghostbusters), the premise is as follows: Tom Logan, Assistant District Attorney (Robert Redford) is about to launch a bid to be DA, when a fellow defense attorney, Laura Kelly (Debra Winger) seeks him out to help her with her client, Chelsea Deardon (Daryl Hannah). Chelsea is pyro performing artist, who is accused of attempting to steal a painting from millionaire Robert Forrester (John McMartin). In her view, Chelsea claims her artist father, Sebastian (James Hurdle), gave her the painting for her eigth birthday, which is also the day her father and most of his work perished in a mysterious fire.

In a turn of events, Forrester soon let’s the piece go, and trades it in for a Piaccsio work, from museum collector, Victor Taft (Terrence Stamp). Tom and Laura discover Forrester and Taft were close business associates of Sebastian’s, and it seems Chelsea is let off the hook, but then veteran detective, CJ Cavanagh (Brian Dennehy), who investigated the case years earlier, discovers evidence that may say otherwise.

Stright off the bat, the script is terrible. The bizarre nonsense plot of trying to find the painting doesn’t work. The wardrobe is equally as awful, as well as the score. For Elmer Bernstein to do the score, what was a veteran like him thinking? He did work like the Magnificent 7 (1960), and then did something odd here; it was so off, the score music was out of sync for his reputation.

Personally, I’m not a fan of Debra Winger; she’s just not a, “likable“, actress, and puts forth no effort to be charming, cute, or even flirty in her scenes with Mr. Redford.

There’s actually a random montage of Debra and RR that is, awkward, to say the least. Although I do admit, RR is cute singing along to “Singin in the Rain” (A nod to his daughter Amy? It’s her favorite movie!), and is funny while playing paddle ball, skiing and riding a tricycle around his apartment; It’s the intercuts to Debra eating junk food in bed, gross combo foods which makes it all horrendous. The way she ate the chicken was, DISGUSTING! My mom was watching with me and I asked her, “Was Debra trying to be sexy??”

My mom said, “No, that was just gross“

Not to be missed, I’m not a fan of Daryl Hannah either, she can’t even act. Her character had zero depth, and was almost superfluous throughout. Kind of just “there” to create a love triangle with Debra and RR, which had no stakes.

The scene that made me bust out laughing due to ridiculousness was the ticking-time-bomb in the warehouse. Terrible pacing, it was embarrassing, not to mention the out of left field forklift.

My mom mentioned this was an era in which men still doubled for women with intense stunts, and pointed out Debra’s male stunt double to me- I was shocked how obvious it was!

As for Mr. Redford, Bob’s acting wasn’t his natural alluring style, and he has no chemistry with either of these half baked leading ladies. He really did try his hardest, however, as the sweetest scenes he had was with the young actress who played his teen daughter.

Maybe if Jane Fonda was his leading lady, we would all forgive the God- awful plot! Chemistry really can make or break a movie, and this movie broke it.

With all this being said, if you’re a fan of this film, I applaud you, because maybe I’m just the wrong audience to enjoy it. I increasingly find a handful of 80s films that were major or fan favorites don’t work with film fans who were not originally present to view them. Be it the actors, or the directors, or even the lack of total nostalgia, 80s films are very hit and miss for me.

This one was a total miss for me, but I do find myself thankful I saw it, because Robert Redford was in it. According to Bob’s life at that time, he was divorcing, exhausted from the shoot in the previous year’s Out of Africa, and maybe he needed this, “easy release”. It’s an anomaly in his body of work for being a comedy, and he didn’t make too many comedies, so some RR GIRLS may want to give it a try.

And even if that can’t hook you, know this: Cary Grant lent a piece of his own artwork to appear in the film.

This was written for the 8th So Bad, It’s Good Blogathon FEB 13-15 2026, hosted By Taking Up Room.

The Beach Boys: An American Family 2000

On November 24, 2025February 13, 2026 By The Flapper DameIn Genre Grandeur1 Comment

This post was written for Movie Rob’s Genre Grandeur of November 2025 with the theme of Music and Musician depictions on tv and movies.

Brian Wilson was one of the greatest musical composers of all time. Many years from now, when we as a society are long gone, his name will live on and be placed next to Mozart, Bach, Gershwin, and the other legendary composer of our time, Sir Paul McCartney.

Brian’s life has been dramatized many times over the years, most famously in 2014’s Love and Mercy, but I always found that it unfortunately cut out the bigger story of The Beach Boys.

The Beach Boy’s story has been told on television twice, so far: one TV movie in 1990, and one TV mini series in 2000. 1990’s Summer Dreams: The Story of the Beach Boys was centered around Dennis Wilson’s life, while the 2000 Beach Boys An American Family production has been called the Mike Love POV, as Mike was a creative consultant on it.

While neither adaption is actually perfect, I do find the 2000 mini series slightly edges out the 1990 tv movie.

For the contents of this review, I will be solely focused on the 2000 mini series, and will leave the 1990 tv movie for another day, and another review! My mom and I actually watched both series last summer, with the 2000 series being a rewatch for her, as she watched it on tv when it originally aired.

Part One of the mini series focuses on the early days of the group to Brian’s 1964 breakdown on the plane. Their origins, their foundation, and of course their early success is all covered in part one.

Part One is the less exaggerated portion of the story. From their adolescence to becoming a group, it touches on all the members: Brian (Fred Weller) and Mike (Matt Letscher) teaming up, Brian putting his his brother Carl (Ryan Northcott) in the group, Audree Wilson, the Brother’s mom (Alley Mills), begging the guys to let Dennis (Nick Stabile) in the group, Al Jardine (Ned Vaughn) re-connecting with Brian after high school again, and even neighbor David Marks (Dublin James) joining the group after Al temporarily left.

It accurately portrays how both David and Al were on the touring group in 1963, with David quitting because he clashed with Murry Wilson (Kevin Dunn) (the brother’s father and their first manager), not because Al came back.

I also appreciated how it showed that Murry had good intentions for the group initially, and why they had a falling out: the boys wanting more control of their own music and lives, while Murry wanted to maintain creative control.

Part Two picks up in 1965, with the success of “California Girls” and goes to 1974 with the release of their most famous compilation album Endless Summer.

Brian himself admitted, that while Part One was well done, he didn’t like Part Two and had issues with the way he was portrayed. In his 2016 memoir, I am Brian Wilson he said John Stamos issued an apology to him, as Stamos was also an executive producer on the project.

Part Two is kind of where it becomes the “Mike Love Story”, with Mike trying to steer Brian on a better path, as well as Mike taking up Transcendental Meditation as a way to stay sane. It even includes Dennis Wilson’s Charles Manson run in and subsequent connection with him. I understand Part Two could be really boring of a story if it constantly showed Brian’s sandbox years at his house, with fellow junkies coming in and out, but with that shift to Mike keeping everyone together, it lost sight of all the guys as a group. Al, Carl, and Bruce Johnston (Jesse Caron) have almost no part in the story, save for group scenes. Carl does get a a mini spotlight, during the recording of “God Only Knows” and the scene of strongly urging Brian and Dennis to attend their father’s funeral. Pet Sounds is included but, minimal scenes are devoted to it.

As the narrative does end in 1974, the final scene is a a bit of a jumbled mess of the band putting out Endless Summer, and a concert proving the Beach Boys are back on top. As an in joke, John Stamos is playing drums, with Dennis just singing on a mic with the other guys. Bruce Johnston was even included in this concert, just for simplicity’s sake as he was not in the band in 1974 (he left around 1972, and returned in 1978).

The ending really hits you when you read the words about Carl Wilson’s death, and at the time of the original airing, it was only an event that occurred two years prior. I have no doubt that the fans and viewers were still reeling from Carl’s death when watching this program in 2000.

Overall, as a fan of both the band, and of of course movies/ TV, I think the mini series was made with good intentions, it just lost its way as it went on. It was nominated for 3 Emmy’s in 2000, and I think it was a major way to learn about the Beach Boys at the time it was made. I myself will easily admit, Part One is really truly well done, its just part Two needed some guidance. We needed the full story of those years, without making Brian look like the villain and Mike the hero. I do recommend any Beach Boys fan to watch this mini series, but only if they know the real story.

Gary Griffin and I August 2025, Al Jardine concert, Aracada Theater

Fun fact, I met the music director of this mini series, Gary Griffin, in August 2025, at Al Jardine’s concert. Gary has many Beach Boys connections: played on MIU, Summer in Paradise and That’s why God made the Radio, toured with the band from 1977-1978 and 2002, and toured solo with Brian and now Al’s group. He also appeared on General Hospital, Full House, and Fuller House as a fellow member of John Stamos’s in universe bands. He happily took a photo with me, after I grabbed his attention by yelling out, “THANK YOU FOR FULL HOUSE, GARY!” after the concert. He also signed my Love You and Holland albums- despite not playing on either (but it should be noted, Love You came out in 1977, the year he joined the touring band.)

The mini series is available on youtube to watch if anyone is interested.

Rest in Peace

Dennis Wilson 1944-1983

Carl Wilson 1946-1998

and

Brian Wilson 1942-2025

Robert Redford 1936-2025: The Last Great American Actor

On November 18, 2025November 18, 2025 By The Flapper DameIn Uncategorized1 Comment

2025 has been a strange year. One the one hand, we have the first ever Pope from The United States… from Chicago!!!! (And as a native, it’s very exciting.) But on the other hand, it’s had more death in it than I’d care to admit.

It started off with the loss of my Aunt in March. Then it kept going, and growing: Brian Wilson, Ozzy Osbourne, Ace Frehley, and of course, Robert Redford, aka truly the last great American actor this country had.

Yes, I am aware, all of these names are celebrity deaths, and I’m not family or a friend to any of them. I’ve never even met them, (Ace Frehley being the one and only exception!), and yet it still hurts to know that these talents who make my life richer and are a small part of my life are gone.

The first time I unknowingly watched a small part of any Robert Redford film was somewhere around 2001/2002 in kindergarten or first grade. My friend’s older sister was obsessed with The Horse Whisperer (1998), and she always played the dance scene, because she loved the song. I never actually watched the entire movie, at this age, but actively remember waking up at sleepovers with the credits rolling. It would take me until the year 2023 to finally watch The Horse Whisperer fully through, and despite not being a horse enthusiast, I truly adored it!

Amazingly, Mr. Robert Redford finally came into my life when I was about 19/20, so we are talking 2015/2016. I had watched The Sting (1973) on the reccomendation of a professor friend and really enjoyed it, followed by Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), and again, really got into it, but after that, sort of didn’t actively pursue more of Redford’s movies, for some silly reason.

That all changed one day when I was watching TCM, and this tribute clip for Natalie Wood came on tv. I’m a dedicated Natalie fan, so I paid close attention. All of a sudden, this voice automatically draws me in, as he starts talking about being a high school classmate of Natalie’s: it was Robert Redford.

I had never seen or heard of Inside Daisy Clover (1965), which was heavily talked about in Redford’s tribute video, but luckily it was airing within a few days.

Upon first watch, I admit, the movie is a bit of a tough one, but as one digs beneath the surface, it’s actually a movie Natalie fought hard to make. Solely because she believed in it, that was good enough for me to be a fan of it. I feel beyond lucky, as Christmas 2021, my (then new) friend, sent me an original lobby card from the film. It was such a parallel, as the movie of Inside Daisy Clover was the real beginning of Bob and Nat’s friendship, and the lobby card of film, was a beginning of another friendship with my friend and I.

Watching Daisy Clover then propelled me to seek out the other Redford-Wood movie, This Property is Condemned (1966). I remember I had to wait like 5 or 6 months for it to air on TCM, but it was worth it. To this day, This Property is Condemned is one of my favorite all time Natalie movies, but it also became one of my favorite RR movies too. Sure, Bob’s part of Owen Legate is actually playing a supporting role to Natalie’s main character, Alva, but no scene with him is wasted.

From there, it really just grew. I sought out his pictures he did with Jane Fonda, and enjoyed all of them but The Chase (1966). Barefoot in the Park (1967) is of course, legendary, The Electric Horseman (1979) is truly genuinely fun, and Our Souls at Night (2017) is a touching and emotionally charged film that tugged at my heartstrings.

I then just started putting any RR movie that popped up on TCM on the DVR, as well as just started picking up some movies on disc. Results were mixed, as personally I can’t stand The Way We Were (1973, SO SORRY!) or Legal Eagles (1986), but I adore The Great Waldo Pepper (THANK YOU, KGLEE!), and Up Close & Personal (1996).

Regardless of whether I enjoyed the movie or not, I did realize something about Bob and his acting: Bob Redford was always a fearless actor. He didn’t want to be the, “Golden Boy Beauty“, of the screen. He took on roles that made him jerks and heals, and didn’t suffer from negative public perception. He was able to take on such diverse roles because he always infused humanity and depth into his performances.

Now of course, don’t get me wrong. There’s a legit reason why women like myself, see Bob Redford as the charming, teasing, likable, charismatic guy. His physical screen presence is always magnetic, and wherever he is, your eyes will follow. But it always was secondary to his overall acting, and that’s what made Bob edgier: talent first, and looks second.

The day Mr. Redford passed away, I was dog sitting for a family friend. I was still lying in bed in the morning and it was Hello! Magazine UK’s social media post I saw first. I really thought when I read the news, I would cry, but I actually didn’t. Rather I thought, I actually got to live within this acting legend’s lifetime. Bob lived long long life, with 89 years to his name, passed away in his sleep, with the people he loved, in a place he loved. He did it all and then some: actor, director, producer, founder, activist, husband, father, and grandfather. When put in that perspective, there’s nothing to cry about. His family, and his fans, as well as his Sundance festival will carry his legacy- forever.

Rest in peace, Mr. Robert Redford 1936-2025.

PS- Thank you so much for ALL of your amazing, kind and, positive comments here on my small little blog. I DO READ EVERY SINGLE ONE, and they mean so much to me, despite the fact it goes unanswered or replied to months later! It makes me smile when I feel down!

Titanic Exhibits 2024: Titanic in Pop Culture Blogathon 2025

On July 19, 2025July 19, 2025 By The Flapper DameIn Blogathon10 Comments

This entry is for the 2025 Titanic in Pop Culture Blogathon hosted by Taking up Room.

In 2024, something really super cool came to the Chicagoland area: an immersive Titanic Exhibit at the Westfield Orchard Mall in Skokie IL. (As of this writing the exhibit is in Dallas, Texas) Me, being the Titanic super-fan certainly told my Mom we had to go, and my Dad even wanted to go along with us because he loves historical exhibits. I knew beforehand the exhibit was to be about the real ship herself, but I was stoked to learn there was also to be some 1997 movie props included too! This is a very abridged version of my experience at the exhibit because there were MANY pictures to take and I’m going to be relating it for this blogathon post to the 1997 movie. I hope you realize the exhibit was so much more than the “movie moments” as it was a real life tribute to the real life people and ship.

My family and I ended up going on April 5, 2024- just 10 days before the sinking anniversary.

We all got tickets of a real life passenger. I amazingly got a ticket of a French second class actress posing as a movie director’s wife. My Mom got a waiter working as crew, and my Dad got a ticket of an Australian who was working in a Russian mine.

When I say immersive, it really was truly immersive. The life size rooms made it seem like you really really there!

I took the opportunity to recreate some of the 1997 movie’s most famous moments! Including running away from Lovejoy and being stuck behind the third class gate.

On the promanade deck just like Jack and Rose!

BUT what would a Titanic Exhibit be without waiting for Jack to take me to a real party!

You really went though it all- the boiler room, the promenade deck, a first class sitting room (roped off and could not sit down), even saw a third class bunker which was to scale: the beds, the room size (again roped off). It really was a humanizing experience. For myself especially, I’m Chinese (and my family is Italian on one side and German on the other) and it made me imagine all of us would be real life third class passengers. The scariest part was probably an outline of the to scale lifeboat which was marked on the floor (it was too difficult to get a picture), then there were benches arranged in the same manner in which people would have been seated. You could sit on the benches and there was a slide show looped to show you what the actual sinking process was and what angle the ship was at when it went down. They even had a panel kept at the temperature the water would have been when the ship went down. I kept my finger on it for maybe 1 second. Below my mom got a shot of me at the “iceberg” with me putting my hand on the cold part. You can see a bit of where the lifeboat is marked on the floor.

It was after the ship sinking part of the exhibit you got to see the aftermath, including what was found on the ocean floor and the legacy of the ship which was immortalized in movies. There were costumes, a script, one of the Heart of the Ocean necklaces (many were used and made for the movie), one of the nude drawings, and even silverware replicated with the White Star line.

In August 2024 my family and I went to the Volo Car Museum in Volo IL, where they have a permanent Titanic exhibit amongst their many, many exhibits. We are planning on revisiting the museum in order to soak it all in (we live maybe a little over an hour from the Volo Museum, and can easily make a day trip of it). It was very different to the traveling exhibit, as at the Volo exhibit you had to be quiet, with signs to be respectful to the real life passenger’s memory.

This exhibit had some costumes and the famous TWIN car of the real life car that sunk in the real life Titanic.

The exhibit had an immersive part to it in the sense you could feel the sloping floor. While the 15 degree was almost nothing, believe me when I say at the 45 degree slope, as soon as my Dad snapped the picture, I got off. You felt the slope in your feet and legs.

Of course in the outside portion of the exhibit (where you could talk) I certainly was gonna have my fun!

Overall going to these two exhibits was eye opening and humanizing of the real event. While it’s fun to recreate some movie magic in real life, the true point of these exhibits are to never forget the human tragedy, and the people who’s lives were lost and their families who were impacted.

I hope you all get the chance to see the traveling exhibit or go to a similar Titanic exhibit near you.

Aquamarine (2006)

On June 25, 2025 By The Flapper DameIn Uncategorized3 Comments

This is for Movie Rob’s June 2025 Genre Grandeur of Summer Movies!

Set on the coast of Florida (actually shot in Australia), two best friends Claire (Emma Roberts) and Hailey (Jojo) are about to be separated with Hailey moving to Australia for her mom’s work. One night during a sleepover they wish for a miracle to occur, so Hailey doesn’t have to move. Their luck seems to be changing when they meet wish granting mermaid Aquamarine (Sara Paxton). But to get their wish, they first have to help Aquamarine, who wants to find true love. Excited, the girls happily accept, even if it means giving up their mutual crush: local lifeguard Raymond (Jake McDorman).

Aquamarine (2006) is a movie that over the years went from one of my most favorite summer movies to a movie that now, I can’t sit through completely. The actors and the humor don’t resonate me with me anymore, as well as the fact the TV show H2O: Just Add Water (2006-2010) is vastly superior when handing the same topics of friendship, love, and of course, mermaids!

That being said, I will always be happy to say I went to see this movie in theaters (with my mom and younger sister) circa May/ June 2006 because I remember at the time, really wanting to see it. I was 9.5 years old and my sister was 7. We both really enjoyed it in the moment and for years to come and I think that’s what truly counts in the end.

I remember in 4th or 5th grade I even read the novel- which came first- and the story was vastly different. In my view, Aquamarine is a rare example where the movie’s story worked better, as the novel was really dark and not as sugary sweet fun. Such as Aquamarine becoming sick and almost dying due to lack of salt water. Other downbeat aspects of the novel include Capri Beach Club being run down and closing for good, as well as Claire (yes for the film it was swapped) actually shown to be moving and the girls being separated.

That being said there are some positives within the film that are a stand out, and despite the film not being my all time favorite anymore, I find it could be a calming background presence.

Positives

The best friend dynamic: Hailey and Claire are best friends and nothing will change that, not even if Hailey moves away. Emma Roberts and Jojo never met until auditions for the film, but they instantly clicked. Sara Paxton too- you just believe they are friends and have known each other for years.

The summery mise en scene: the DOP (Cinmatographer) did an amazing job on this film because everything about it screams 2000s summer. The beach scenes, the night time scenes, the mall scene, the street fair scene, its an eternal summer and its so easy to look at. Makes you want to jump through the screen and join in on the fun action. It is a time capsule for those growing up in the 2000s.

The message to young kids: In the end, Aquamarine learns what true love is, and its not exactly true romantic love. It was a major lesson to young kids at the time, and I’d, up to that point, never seen any movie end exactly like that. This movie came out before Frozen (2013) did, but because its not Disney, and had a tween/ teen girl market, it was never able to reach the same popularity as Frozen.

The Soundtrack: One Original Thing by Cheyenne Kimball, Summertime Guys by Nikki Cleary and Connected by Sara Paxton- this soundtrack is packed with iconic 2000s tween goodness. Of course I have to mention the cover of Weezer’s Island in the Sun by Halfday. That scene forever lives in my mind and will continue to live in my mind as iconic. I’ve never been a Weezer fan, but this version is perfection.

Negatives

The Humor- The cringe inducing humor is something I can’t phantom. Raymond jumping over the balcony of his room in slow motion was something super funny at age 10- but as an adult I understand why my mom pretty much hated it. I also understand why Aquamarine had to be quirky and over the top: as she’s a mermaid, not a human, but it was just so in your face at times I don’t enjoy it. The phone scene where they call Raymond and she screams into the phone comes to mind for an example of this awful humor.

I don’t like the actors: Even as a kid, I was never a super fan of Emma Roberts, Jojo, or Sara Paxton- but as an adult, I just don’t really care about them. Oddly, the one actress I actually do like from this movie played mean girl Cecilia, Arielle Kebbel. She went on to be Lexi in TV show The Vampire Diaries (2009-2017). Contrast this to H2O- I really do adore Claire Holt, Phoebe Tonkin, and Cariba Heine- to this day.

The age of the characters: Claire and Hailey just completed 7th grade. They state that at their sleepover, Claire asking Hailey, “How can I face 8th grade without you.”

Their crush is on Raymond who is 17/18- and going to be a freshman in college. While its clear the girls only have school girl crushes on Raymond, and that’s understandable, this age aspect kind of takes away the fun of the movie. Maybe the girls should have been 16. And then- Aquamarine is supposed to be 18? Older than the girls, but her naivety about human life makes this age difference less noticeable. This all also means Cecilia, whom of which is of driving age, and has a permit, is bullying two 8th graders.

Overall, its fun every once and a while to revisit what you once loved, but as I get older, I’ve realized only a handful of these movies and TV shows will actually stick. H2O, The Princess Diaries, The Princess Diaries 2, and Full House have stuck for life, but some things like this fade away. For me Aquamarine lives in a time and space in which it brought comfort to me when I needed it, and it now lives as a relic of that time of my life: visited and appreciated, but not long lasting.

Hatari! (1962)

On May 3, 2025May 3, 2025 By The Flapper DameIn Blogathon, john ford12 Comments

This entry is for the Adventureathon hosted by Real Weggie Midget and Cinematic Catharsis. It runs from May 2-4 2025, so be sure to check out other exhilarating posts!

Hatari! is a film that growing up, I had no idea about. My grandfather, THE JW Fan in our family, never mentioned it, nor did anyone in my family own it on dvd. It basically alluded me until I was older and I went on the internet to get a full list of John Wayne movie titles. Though, once I started reading and learning about directors and actor collaborations, I somehow knew that at one point, I was gonna watch this movie because this movie is exactly just that. The fourth of fifth collaborations between Howard Hawks and John Wayne, 1962’s Hatari! (Swahili for “danger”) follows a group of animal trappers- NOT HUNTERS– on a safari reservation in Tanganyika. I had the pleasure of watching the brand new 4K restoration on the Kino Lober disc I got for Christmas 2024. It comes with a commentary by Julie Kirgo and Pete Hankoff. (To be noted, her commentary on the disc isn’t a great listen, as she seems highly unaware and randomly selected to talk about John Wayne. Dare I say, I, and so many other fans I know, could do much better!)

In true Hawksian fashion, the plot is somewhat irrelevant, as we follow the group of characters spending the trapping season together on the reservation. Rounding out the group is Irish-American Sean Mercer (John Wayne), French safari owner Brandy de la Court (Michèle Girardon), German retired race car driver, Kurt Muller (Hardy Krüger), NYC cabbie, Pockets (Red Buttons), Little Wolf, “The Indian”, (Bruce Cabot), Mexican Bullfighter: Luis Francisco Garcia Lopez (Valentin de Vargas), Anna Maria “Dallas” D’Alessandro, an Italian photographer (Elsa Martinelli) and French marksman Charles “Chips” Maurey (Gérard Blain). As advertised in original promos and posters: excitement, hilarity, danger, and even a bit of romance are all what awaits in Hatari!

On one hand, Hatari! has been called Hawks’ answer to John Ford’s Mogambo (1953). Interesting to note, Hawks wanted Clark Gable to play opposite John Wayne, perhaps taking a page from Mogambo, of which Gable was the star, but this unfortunately did not happen, as Gable died in 1960. There’s also an argument African safari adventure films were a trend at this point, as The Lion with William Holden also came out in 1962.

Honestly, at first I thought the movie was about hunters on a reservation, but knowing they are just out there to obtain animals for zoos or carnivals, and not killing said animals makes it somewhat of an easier watch. There are some outdated animal handling methods, which are tough to watch, but there are also some scenes of pure animal cuteness, like the baby elephants bathing in the pond, and their interactions with Elsa Martinelli’s character. Not to mention there’s also the sweet pop tune “Baby Elephant Walk” by the legendary Henry Mancini.

As for Hawks the director, for someone known to have whip smart fast talking dialogue and fast paced interactions, like His Girl Friday (1940) or Twentieth Century (1934), this film did a complete 180 turn. The lush landscape taking over the screen and slower moving pace and interactions, make it seem as if this is the most “Ford” Hawks ever channeled in one of his films. There’s also the fact Duke’s character is named Sean and is Irish-American, which again, may be another nod to John Ford. However, there are some comparisons to be made to Hawks’s prior work, as he worked with animals in a close capacity in Bringing Up Baby (1938) and Monkey Business (1952) both of which star Cary Grant. Going from animals in a domestic setting in those two movies, to putting the characters in an outdoor wilderness setting for Hatari! could be both the connection and stand out difference between the three Hawks animal movies.

Overall, I just think the movie is fun, you don’t need to think too hard about it, and John Wayne is John Wayne. It is a tad overlong, but I say the character dynamics and the actors who portray them make it interesting and can hold your attention. I love the fact all the characters are a collection of people from around the world, all in a setting that is not their own home, so I love it how they all have each other. It adds a dimension of realism to the movie, that these people all would be in a group and have the connections they do.

I also must point out just how freaking adorable all the baby elephants are and how many amazing scenes there are so close to the animals. Sure one could dismiss this as a,“so what“, but there are some screen shots of the actors and the animals so close that it makes it really incredible.

It’s personally amusing a great deal of the dialogue had to be re-looped as John Wayne would curse with having to do so many takes with the animals! True to form, Duke was the professional who knew his lines, and animals being animals, are unpredictable, it makes it a fun and sometimes funny interaction!

I am glad I finally watched Hatari! after all these years, as its just something I always felt I should have done. I’d like to give a shout out to my pal Les Wadley, a friend and fellow Kiss fan, as I know this is his favorite John Wayne movie of all time, and easy to see why, as it is this adventure with the animals, location, and John Wayne just having a blast with these fun and eccentric characters. So glad I understand now Les! I certianly would re-watch this movie in the future and had fun going on a safari with the Duke!