Happy Birthday Bette Davis

I love films. I try not to limit myself on the amount of movies I watch depending upon the genres I enjoy, I give them all a try. When it comes to old movies, there is a select group of actors that always comes to mind, and I find them to be fascinating creatures on and off the screen.  They all got their first exposure, during "The Golden Age" (1930s to 1940s), the time when Hollywood was based on a rigorous star system and carefully manufactured by the monopoly of a few studios.

These days it is hard to find many (if any) people my age that will even consider watching an old Black & White film. I always shake my head and simply reply "You don't know what you are missing." To this day seeing Cary Grant makes me smile, watching Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn getting into trouble amuses me, and watching starlets like Bette Davis and Joan Crawford be the personification of gutsy women, inspires me. The list is really endless when it comes to the old, classic, glamorous vixens and leading men of the era. I can still remember as a child hearing my grandmother sigh, any time Montgomery Clift appeared on our television set.

I suspect my love of old films can be partially attributed to the fact I did not live during the time they were made. They provide me with a glimpse into another world and I become witness to a different way of life.

I had several film classes when I attended Community College, and to this day I am thankful our professors were smart enough to provide us with an extensive selection when it came time to analyze a movie. It was with such films like "North by Northwest" that I was introduced to the star power and appeal of Grant, the fluidity of Lehman's screenplay and the genius that was Alfred Hitchcock. To this day the "wrong man theme" (a protagonist who although innocent, is being accused of a crime) is one of my favorite premises in movies.

I sit here as "Now, Voyager" plays on my television set. It is part of an ongoing marathon on The Turner Classic Movies channel, in honor of Bette Davis. Today is her birthday. It got me thinking how my generation dismisses these cinematic gems in exchange for the immediate gratification that the films of today offer us, with the use of special effects and simple minded storylines. 

So, here's to you Ms Davis! Thank you for the memories.

"Without wonder and insight, acting is just a trade. With it, it becomes creation "

                                                    -Bette Davis