Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on November 9, 2024

It’s Postman Trivia Day! I can never get enough of this stuff . . . can you? Lana Turner said that her role as Cora was her favorite of her career. In James M. Cain’s novel, Madge – the character played in the film by Audrey Totter – worked as...   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on November 8, 2024

If it’s Friday, it’s time to ring up the curtain on the next noir that I’ll be spotlighting during this month (drum roll, please): The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946). Like Mildred Pierce (1945), The Postman Always Rings Twice has a special place in my heart; it’s one of the...   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on November 7, 2024

It’s not just Noirvember – it’s also the month of Thanksgiving, so I’m combining the two to serve up the top 10 things I’m thankful for about my movie of the week, Mildred Pierce! See you tomorrow on Day 8 of Noirvember, when I reveal my second spotlight noir of...   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on November 6, 2024

I love lots of things – collecting classic movie magazines, baking cookies, shopping for antiques . . . And taking classic movie quizzes. I hope you do, too, because today’s Noirvember post serves up a quiz all about Mildred Pierce. Try your hand and see how you do – and...   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on November 5, 2024

When I think of Eve Arden and Jack Carson, two things come to mind: Mildred Pierce and comedy. Although they both played supporting roles in the 1945 noir classic, they were significant contributors to what makes this movie so great. But outside of Mildred Pierce, they both appeared in few,...   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on November 4, 2024

I first saw Mildred Pierce in the 1980s, and I was blown away from the opening reel, which shows Monte Beragaon (Zachary Scott) getting shot multiple times and collapsing on the floor, dead. He utters only one word: “Mildred.” And then we see a gun – now emptied of its...   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on November 3, 2024

In April 2013, I attended the Turner Classic Movies Film Festival for the first time. The event featured an amazing line-up of guest stars, including Mitzi Gaynor, Max von Sydow, Polly Bergen, Julian Sands, Coleen Gray, Norman Lloyd, and Tippi Hedren. And Ann Blyth. During the fest, I saw Blyth...   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on November 1, 2024

Noirvember!?! Already? I still have my Christmas tree up from last year, for cryin’ out loud! Not that I’m complaining, mind you. After all, Noirvember is like a holiday season around these parts. So, I’m pleased as punch to don my fedora, pour three fingers of whiskey, and settle in...   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on November 1, 2024

On Noirvember’s Day 2 of Mildred Pierce week, I’m serving up a buffet of trivia tidbits and bloopers – help yourself! William Faulkner contributed to the script, but his additions were not used. One of his scenes had Butterfly McQueen consoling Joan Crawford while singing a gospel song. (Yikes   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on November 1, 2024

My pal Kristina, over at the Speakeasy blog, has a cool feature where she offers a prompt and invites bloggers to answer the question on their blogs. Today’s prompt is in honor of Noirvember, and I can’t tell you how jazzed I was to dive into this one! For Film...   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on October 3, 2024

It’s spooky season again, and if you know me, you’ll know I’m no fan of scary movies! But TCM has lots of other good stuff airing this month and I’m recommending two of my pre-Code and film noir features that I’ve previously covered here at Shadows and Satin. My Satiny...   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on September 17, 2024

If it’s September, then I’m still basking in the afterglow of TCM’s Summer Under the Stars event. If you’re ever looking for something to watch and you want to review my recommendations and new-to-me picks, this will provide one-stop shopping, with every post from the August   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on September 9, 2024

My pal Kristina, over at the Speakeasy blog, has introduced a new feature where she offers a prompt and invites bloggers to answer the question on their blogs. She recently posted her second prompt, and it’s another good one! Film Friday #2 celebrates Back to School Time and Kristina invites...   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on September 7, 2024

Well, now that it’s been close to five months since I had the pleasure of attending my 10th in-person Turner Classic Movies Film Festival, I think this would be a great time to share my experience. After all, better late than really late, amirite? In my previous post about this...   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on September 2, 2024

Happy Month After SUTS! I hope you all enjoyed TCM’s Summer Under the Stars as much as I did; the channel is continuing to serve up a lovely selection of goodies for the month of September, which features Lauren Bacall as the Star of the Month. Mark your calendars for...   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on August 30, 2024

We’ve come to the last day of Summer Under the Stars 2024, y’all. And while I’m a little sad, as always, to see August come to an end, I can honestly say this has been my best SUTS ever! Identifying a daily new-to-me movie has led me to watch so...   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on August 29, 2024

Ginger Rogers is the lovely spotlight recipient for Day 30 of TCM’s Summer Under the Stars. I’d hoped that a couple of my favorite Rogers pre-Codes – Finishing School and Underworld, both released in 1934 – would be offered, but no such luck. (If you see ‘em around, be sure...   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on August 28, 2024

Day 29 of TCM’s Summer Under the Stars features the last of the 13 stars making their SUTS debut this year: Leo Gorcey. If you’re familiar with Gorcey, it’s likely for his role as one of the Dead End Kids, later known as the East Side Kids, later known as...   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on August 27, 2024

For Day 28 of Summer Under the Stars, TCM is shining the spotlight on the fabulous Marlene Dietrich, and there are so many good ones on the docket! These include Manpower (1941), where she’s in the center of love triangle with George Raft and Edward G. Robinson; Rancho Notorious (1952),...   read more

Shadows and Satin Posted by shadowsandsatin on August 26, 2024

Day 27 of Summer Under the Stars brings us another first-timer – Raiford Chatman “Ossie” Davis who, in addition to his career as an actor, was also a writer, director, producer, and civil rights activist. (He got the name “Ossie” from his mother’s pronunciation of the first letters   read more