Thursday, October 8, 2009

Carole Lombard Birthday Tag

Gracie Bird of Dreaming in Black and White has a birthday tag for the 101st birthday of Carole Lombard (which was Tuesday). Kate Gabrielle posted it on her blog, Silents and TalkiesAs a big fan of Carole Lombard, I thought I would do the questions that accompany the tag!

1. Favourite Carole film.

That is very hard to say, as I love so many of her films. If I had to choose, however, it would probably be My Man Godfrey. Not only was it the first Carole Lombard film I ever saw, it is absolutely hilarious.

2. Carole's career was cut tragically short in 1942. Though she worked with many amazing and talented actors, who would you have liked to see her with?
This might sound strange, but I would have liked to have seen her opposite Humphrey Bogart. I think they would have made a very interesting team! Bogie made too few comedies as it is.

3. Ok, so who was your favourite out of Carole's leading men?
That's actually hard to decide. She played opposite some of my absolute favourite actors--Clark Gable, Cary Grant, William Powell, Jimmy Stewart... But if I had to pick a favourite, I think it would be Jack Benny in To Be or Not To Be (Robert Montgomery in Mr and Mrs. Smith would be a close second). In my humble opinion, Benny was the greatest comic of all time, while Carole was the greatest comedic actress.

4. Do you think Carole's relevant today? if so, why?
Yes. She was one of the greatest movie stars of all time. Not only was she stunningly beautiful, but she was intelligent and extremely funny. In fact, I think if she had not died when she did, she might have event taken up writing and directing (she did direct Hitchcock in his cameo in Mr and Mrs. Smith). She is a role model that modern actresses should strive to be.

5. Do you agree with contemporary views that someone like Cameron Diaz is the new Carole Lombard?
Ye gods, no! Diaz is not nearly as talented, funny, or intelligent as Carole Lombard was, nor is she even a tenth as hot!

6. On a scale of 1-10, how cool was Carole?
11.

1 comment:

VP81955 said...

Appreciated your comments on Lombard, who's my all-time favorite actress. From what I gather, had she lived, I think she would have produced films rather than write or direct them; she was a de facto producer of "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," and a pretty savvy businesswoman.

I cordially invite you and your readers to visit (and join) my Lombard-related classic Hollywood community, "Carole & Co.", which has been up for nearly 2 1/2 years, with more than 950 entries and many rare photos:

http://community.livejournal.com/carole_and_co