Love Letters to Old Hollywood

When Joan Fontaine passed away in 2013, I felt heartbroken. I've adored Joan ever since I first saw her in Rebecca , the film that sealed my love for Hitchcock. She projected such vulnerability and insecurity, yet she was strong and quietly fierce. Underneath her femininity and grace, there was a steely backbone. If you think that Joan was delicate, you've clearly misread her. I was surprised at how hard her death hit me, but I didn't go light candles and wear black for a week -- instead, I watched the only DVD of hers that I had: You Gotta Stay Happy . The irony of that title isn't lost on me. The hilarity and the sweetness of the movie weren't lost, either. It instantly made me feel better and it felt like a fitting way to say goodbye to Joan. Watching her in a romantic comedy with Jimmy Stewart was the best thing I could have done. Vastly underrated and wholly charming, You Gotta Stay Happy is sadly an obscure title. Hopefully after reading this, you'...

    Sam Craig, a gruff sports reporter, marches to his editor's office. He opens the door to face his boss, only to see a woman's shapely leg outstretched, the woman's hand running up it to fix her errant stocking. She catches him staring, but instead of recoiling at the indignity of this man's actions, she sizes him up and stares right back. Thinking he has walked in on something improper, Sam starts to leave when his editor calls him in. "Haven't you met Ms. Harding?" he asks, Tess Harding being the columnist Sam is currently in a war of words with. "Yes, yes, in a belligerent sort of way," Sam jokes. "He hit me first," Tess retorts as she sticks out her hand for a handshake. As their editor chastises them for their fighting in the newspaper, Sam and Tess lock eyes. Amused smiles begin to appear on their faces, suggesting that neither journalist realized just how attractive their opponent was when they decided to trade ba...