Louis Jourdan (1921–2015)

I was saddened to hear of the passing of Louis Jourdan, who co-starred with Joan Fontaine in two pictures: Letter from an Unknown Woman (1947) and Decameron Nights (1953).

Read more about Letter from an Unknown Woman here.

To modern audiences he is best known for playing a villain in the James Bond film Octopussy (1983) but many others best remember his earlier films such as Three Coins in the Fountain (1954), Can-Can (1960), and the Oscar winning Best Picture Gigi (1958).

He never won an Oscar, but in Gigi he performed the song that went on to win an Oscar for Best Song "Gigi". Revisit that wonderful scene from the movie here:

 

Rest in peace, Gaston.

Remembering Shirley Temple (video)

Remembering the legendary Shirley Temple today.

source: WorldNewsNow / ABC News video

Maximilian Schell (1930-2014)

Internationally acclaimed film and stage actor Maximillian Schell has passed away at the age of 83, reported today on The Hollywood Reporter, The New York Times, CNN.com and ABC News, among other news sources.

Among his distinguished film credits: 1971's Pope Joan starring Liv Ullmann and Olivia de Havilland.

In Pope Joan, which also starred Liv Ullmann and Olivia de Havilland

In Judgment at Nuremberg, which also starred Spencer Tracy and Burt Lancaster

According to the AP, Mr Schell was also a successful concert pianist and conductor, performing with such luminaries as Claudio Abbado and Leonard Bernstein, and with orchestras in Berlin and Vienna.

Mr Schell's film credits include:

1958 The Young Lions

1961 Judgment at Nurenberg (Oscar for Best Actor)

1964 Topkapi

1966 The Deadly Affair

1967 Counterpoint

1972 Pope Joan (co-starring Olivia de Havilland)

1974 The Odessa File

1975 The Man in the Glass Booth (Oscar nomination)

1977 A Bridge Too Far

1977 Julia  (Oscar nomination)

1979 The Black Hole
1984 Marlene (documentary on Marlene Dietrich, which was nominated for an Academy Award)

1990 The Freshman

1993 A Fair Off Place

1994 Little Odessa

1998 Deep Impact

2002 My Sister Maria (documentary on his sister, actress Maria Schell)

2008 The Brothers Bloom

Goodbye to a Generous Star

Classic movie fans said goodbye to many of their favorites in 2013. We lost a lot of the stars that we thought had finally found a way to beat mortality. How could the always-athletic Esther Williams ever leave us? Didn't Peter O'Toole have a few more lives left in him?

I observed these passings with some personal sadness, though I mostly felt for the families who had lost loved ones who just happened to be adored by the rest of the world as well. Making it into your 80s or 90s is something to celebrate, especially when you have contributed so much. And yet, I was seriously bummed out when Joan Fontaine passed on Sunday, December 15.

There are lots of reasons I mourned Ms. Fontaine with a bit more intensity. She was one of the first stars I admired when I was a gawky middle-schooler learning to love the classics. You could say she started this deeply fulfilling journey with me. As the years passed, she remained a favorite. I came to appreciate her increasingly more as I picked up new subtleties in the best of her performances, including Letter to an Unknown Woman and Rebecca.

I think most of all though, I felt sad to see Fontaine go because she embraced the classic film community with such generosity. As much as she treasured her privacy, she never forgot her fans.

Maybe the press couldn't reach her, but true fans could. She respected the people who reached out to her, whether with a blog post or an adoring letter. Fontaine reportedly granted her last interview to a classic film blog. She spent a great deal of her time responding to queries, autographing photos and sending charming thank you notes. I hear her Christmas card list was enormous, and that this year her secretary had difficulty convincing her to hold off on the significant task of sending them.

This charming lady saved her love for the people who showed her honest affection and appreciation. Even though I never knew her personally, I feel a bit like she was a part of my world, and that's why I'll miss her like a friend.

Rest in peace Ms. Fontaine.

Image Source

Joan Fontaine: Five performances to savor

The LA Times' Susan King remembers Joan in five performances to savor; no argument from me. 

Read Story Here

Forever captured on film

Ann Rutherford (1920-2012)

Ann Rutherford's filmography includes classic favorites such as Orchestra Wives, Pride and Prejudice, The Andy Hardy series, and Gone with the Wind, where she portrayed Scarlett O'Hara's sister. 



If you have a chance, the blog Laura's Miscellaneous Musings has a lovely tribute to the late Ann Rutherford.  Go to the post 

Also, read Dawn's tribute here. 

Do you have a favorite Ann Rutherford movie, scene, or memory?