Love Letters to Old Hollywood

Tomorrow, September 16th, would have been the 94th birthday of Lauren Bacall, one of classic Hollywood's most iconic stars and one of my personal heroes. I've been in awe of this tremendous woman from the moment I first saw her and it seems like the more I know her and see her films, the more magnificent she becomes. As a small tribute to Bacall, I thought it might be nice to put together a list of my five favorite performances of hers. Now, just to clarify: this isn't a ranking of Bacall's best performances, nor her best films. These are strictly my personal favorite performances from her, so it's completely subjective. 5. Written on the Wind (1956) Between Robert Stack's tortured alcoholic, Dorothy Malone's scheming nymphomaniac, and Rock Hudson's brilliant, underrated turn as Stack's put-upon best friend, it would be easy to forget the rather quiet role of Lucy, the woman Stack and Hudson both love. Luckily, though, that role is bro...

There are few films that touch me as deeply as Love Letters . For many people, Portrait of Jennie , another drama starring Jennifer Jones and Joseph Cotten, is the more beloved film. However, as much as I was moved by Portrait of Jennie 's ghostly romance, Love Letters , ironically, was the one that haunted me. Its delicate story is at turns mysterious, heartbreaking, sweet, and, ultimately, lovely. The plot is anything but simple, and I hesitate to say too much for anyone who hasn't seen the film yet. Cotten plays Alan, a soldier who has been writing letters to fellow soldier Roger's sweetheart, Victoria, on Roger's behalf. Alan is overcome with guilt about the arrangement, though, because it is clear to him that Victoria has treasured these letters and has fallen for Roger as a result of them, despite Roger's real-life indifference to her. Soon enough, Alan learns that Roger and Victoria were married. For months, Alan can think of nothing but the girl he ...