Classic Movie Friday!

Dial “M” For Murder (1954)

Grace Kelly

Ray Milland

Robert Cummings

Tony Wendice (Ray Milland) is a former pro tennis player. He plots and schemes to murder his wife, Margot (Grace Kelly). Talk about pre-meditated!!! Well, things don’t go as planned and he has to do some quick thinking ~ enter plan B.

This is a Hitchcock Film.

This movie is so good!!! I was so into this film! As I watched and listened to Tony (Ray Milland) carry out his plan to murder his wife I was feeling everything one feels when watching a good suspense film. As the film progressed, I kept thinking something has to give. His wife is innocent and he’s a rat, something has to give. He just can’t get away with this! I don’t want to create any spoilers, but there is a good Chief Inspector (John Williams). He’s not blind to what’s happening around him.  Really good movie! 🙂

Without a doubt, a favorite!

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March Rereads! Great Month for Reading!

“He did not see how Clementina’s eyes shone as she gazed at the vault of stars in the heavens. She knew that Malcolm was near her, but she would not speak, she would not break the peace. Then softly woke a murmur of sound that strengthened and grew and swelled at last into a song. She feared to stir lest she should interrupt its flow.”  ~ The Marquis’ Secret

“Malcolm,” by George MacDonald is two books in one. The first book is “The Fisherman’s Lady,” and the second book is “The Marquis’ Secret.”

    

“The very faint anxiety which underlay his tone did not escape the astute ears of Miss Prudence Cowley, known to her intimate friends for some mysterious reason as Tuppence.” ~ The Secret Adversary

I love Tommy and Tuppence! “The Secret Adversary,” by Agatha Christie is a Tommy and Tuppence Mystery!

“Elsewhere, I have described Hercule Poirot. An extraordinary little man! Height, five feet four inches, egg-shaped head carried a little to one side, eyes that shone green when he was excited, stiff military moustache, air of dignity immense! He was neat and dandified in appearance.” ~The Murder on the Links

“Murder on the Links,” is a Poirot mystery. A man is found dead on the golf course after sending Poirot a letter requesting his assistance.

“I kept my word, and went down daily to the bay. Sometimes the dolphin came, though never near enough for me to touch him, and, although I knew that for the animal’s own sake I ought to try to frighten him and drive him away, his friendly presence delighted me so much that I couldn’t bring myself to what would seem an act of betrayal.” ~This Rough Magic

Lucy travels to Corfu to visit her pregnant sister. After arriving she soon finds herself in the midst of a mystery.

Happy Reading!

Pants! A True Story!

Yesterday I was at the post office. I stood behind a man who was probably in his late 30’s. We didn’t speak to one another. When his turn came, he walked over to the postal worker who was available. As he was speaking to said postal worker, unexpectedly, his pants fell down!!! That’s right, you read that correctly! His pants fell down, hit the floor, dropped to his ankles!!! He didn’t say anything. He bent down, grabbed his pants and pulled them up, settling them around his waist.

I was stunned/shocked silent! I think I might never recover! haha!

Have you ever seen something unique/unusual/ridiculous/odd as you journeyed forth from your home??? I’d like to hear from you.

Cozy Mystery!

 Well! Recently, I listened to the second book in this series, “Tea With Milk and Murder.”  I gave it five *****stars on goodreads. Now, I have read the first book, “A Scone to Die for.”  It was actually very amusing. Ha. Ha. I chuckled most of the way through the book. The series is called, “Oxford Tearoom Mystery.”

Gemma, owner of Little Stables Tearoom, is thrust into a murder investigation, by her own choice, when a brash American is discovered dead with a scone stuffed in his mouth. The author transports the reader to England where said reader meets some interesting, but lovable characters. Just to name a few, there are the four “old biddies,” which is sure to leave a smile on your face and Gemma’s mother! OH! MY! WORD! I love Gemma’s mother, I do. However, if she was my mother, she would be driving me crazy!!! 🙂 As my neighbor would say, never in all my born days!!! Then of course, there’s Gemma, our amateur sleuth and her best friend Cassie, her chef Fletcher, a good looking doctor and a hunky Detective.

So, if you like an amusing cozy with a good mystery, this might be the book for you. 4 ****stars.

Happy Reading!

 

Tuesday Teaser! #TuesdayBookBlog

Tuesday teaser is a weekly book meme.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following ~

• Grab your current read.
• Open to a random page.
• Share two or three *teaser* sentences from somewhere on that page.
• Be careful not to include spoilers ~ make sure what you share doesn’t give to much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others.

Share the title and the author too; so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR list if they like your teasers.

Without further ado ~

“Birds of a Feather,” by Jacqueline Winspear is the second book I have read by this author. It is also the second book in the Maisie Dobbs Mysteries.

I gave Maisie Dobbs five***** stars on goodreads. Well, in my humble opinion, this second book, Birds of a Feather is better than the first book! I gave it five***** stars also.

In this book, Maisie Dobbs is hired to find a missing woman.

“Walking through the market, which was less frenetic now that the morning’s business was done, soothed Maisie. It reminded her of her father, who would sometimes bring her to the market with him early in the morning when she was a child. She would laugh at porters moving to and fro with six, seven, eight, or ten round baskets of fruit and vegetables perched on their heads, and the air was always sweetly salty with the smell of sweating horses pulling heavy carts.”

 

Happy Reading!

Cozy Mystery Challenge!

One sub-genre in the cozy mystery challenge is historical mystery (a cozy mystery not set in the present). And WOW, what a cozy mystery I discovered, thanks to one of my blogging friends. I have seen the Maisie Dobbs mysteries many times in bookstores but I had never read one until now. It was very good.

As a result of the death of Maisie’s mother when Maisie was young, her sweet dad, Frankie Dobbs found Maisie a job as a maid in a good home. When the Lady of the house, discovers Maisie reading in the library early one morning, her Ladyship, after discussing it with her husband and a doctor, decides on a course of action to educate Maisie.

I loved the characters in this story. I’m going to mention a few, but there were several I loved. Maisie Dobbs is smart, hungry for knowledge, patient, compassionate and easy to like. Her dad, Frankie loves Maisie so much, misses her mother and tenderly and loving cares for his horse, Persephone.

Lady Rowan Compton is an interesting woman. I liked her very  much. I actually thought she was funny. She takes great interest in Maisie and believes in her young maid.

Doctor Maurice Blanche is the man responsible of the education of Maisie Dobbs and it is an interesting education. He does the job right, she’s accepted into Cambridge.  Well, enter World War I and everyone’s life is changed. Maisie becomes a nurse during the war. After the war she becomes a private investigator and it all begins when a client asks Maisie to investigate his wife, whom he believes is unfaithful.

This book is well-written, however, the descriptions of the men injured in battle is a little shocking to take in.  I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series. 5***** stars!

Have you read the Maisie Dobbs books? I’d like to hear from you. Happy Reading!

Classic Movie Friday!

The Rage Of Paris (1938)

Douglas Fairbanks Jr.

Danielle Darrieux

Mischa Auer

Louis Hayward

Helen Broderick

Nicole (Danielle Darrieux) has fallen upon hard times. She can’t find a job and she can’t pay her rent. The landlady is throwing her out! How rude! Nicole’s good friend Gloria (Helen Broderick) thinks of a plan for Nicole to marry a rich man, Bill Duncan (Louis Hayward). Bill’s best friend, Jim Trevor (Douglas Fairbanks Jr) knows Nicole is marrying for money and tries to save his friend. Comedy ensues! 🙂 Honey, I say, marry Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Oops? Did I say that out loud??? He is sure easy on the eyes! 🙂 Of course, Bill Duncan ain’t bad. *ahem*

Well, the ending of this film is predictable, but I enjoyed it. It’s comical.

Cozy Mystery Challenge!

One of the sub-genre in the cozy mystery challenge is a travel mystery (character could be on a cruise, traveling in another area, etc). I chose “Huckleberry Finished,” by Livia J. Washburn.

After reading this book, I am ready to take a cruise on a riverboat on the Mississippi River!

Delilah Dickinson has her own literary tour agency. This is the second book in the series and once again I read the second book before I read the first book, so I am going to reserve the first book from the library as soon as I can.

Delilah and her clients are having a great time on the Mississippi when a body is discovered on the riverboat! Delilah is smart. She begins her own investigation into the murder right away. I liked her. She’s personable and enjoys her work. She has an adult daughter and son-in-law who run the office while she is on the riverboat cruise and they are both great people. They help Delilah a LOT! There were several characters in this book I enjoyed getting to know and there are references to Mark Twain and Hannibal, Missouri in the story. The book even has a man who impersonates Mark Twain. Good mystery. It’s a fun, easy read.  I gave it 4****stars on goodreads! Happy Reading. 🙂

Screwball Comedy!

I have discovered, I like screwball comedy! 🙂 I didn’t really know the exact definition of screwball comedy, so I googled it. I knew they were fast-paced, hilarious, rambunctious, always seemed to involve unwanted romance and said comedies had a happily, though hilarious, ever after ending.

According to google screwball comedy is ~

” a movie, a Hollywood comedy of the 1930’s, featuring the amusing antics of appealing characters in a glamorous world.”

Wiki tells us ~

“a female that dominates the relationship with the male central character, whose masculinity is challenged.” Mmm.

“fast paced repartee”

“farcical situations”

“escapist themes”

“plot lines involving courtship and marriage”

One of my favorite screwball comedies is ~ “Bringing Up Baby.” Oh yes, Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant star in this crazy comedy. They meet on a golf course, of all places! Cary Grant is engaged to another woman and Katherine Hepburn wants to marry Cary Grant. A merry chase is the result of said meeting!

Recently, I watched for the first time, “My Man Godfrey.” Oh! My! Word! If that isn’t a merry chase . . .

Wiki has a list of screwballs that I have not seen! Nice. I look forward to viewing them.

Have you seen any screwball comedies? If you have, which are your favorites?

Classic Movie Friday!

 To Catch a Thief (1955)

Cary Grant

Grace Kelly

Jessica Royce Landis

John Williams

This is a Hitchcock film!

John Robie (Cary Grant) is a reformed jewel thief. When a copy cat starts stealing jewels, of course, the authorities suspect John Robie. He’s on the run and determined to catch the thief and clear his name.

I was a little surprised when I watched this film. It isn’t as suspenseful as I thought it would be. I didn’t think this was Hitchcock’s best film. And! I didn’t like Frances Stevens (Grace Kelly)! *gasp* Now, I saw “High Noon,” with Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly and I loved her in that film, but I didn’t like her role at all as Frances Stevens. I did like Jesse Stevens (Jessica Royce Landis), the mother. 🙂 I thought she was fun and entertaining. I knew who the jewel thief was from the beginning of the film, however, my conundrum??? How was John Robie going to catch said thief???

Have you seen this film? I love to hear your thoughts.