Comments on: Thoughts on ‘My Name Is Julia Ross’

By: Jenni, St. Louis

Jenni, St. Louis — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 02:05:37 +0000

Suzi, maybe Aldo Ray deserves a blog one day, hint,hint! My husband and 18 year old son recently watched Tarantino’s Inglorious Bastards(I hate the fact that the movie’s title is misspelled! The elementary school teacher in me coming out!) and I caught the tidbit that Brad Pitt’s character’s name is Aldo Raine. Wondering if Tarantino is also a fan of Ray’s. I didn’t watch this flick, but the musical soundtrack I heard is fascinating. Classical music, spaghetti western music, very unique.

By: suzidoll

suzidoll — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 16:25:41 +0000

Jenni: I showed THE MARRYING KIND in a class I taught on Films of the 1950s. I remember it well because I am major Aldo Ray fan. Its take on marriage was to support it as an institution but not to paint it as a fairy tale. It was indeed touching . . . and interesting.

By: Jenni

Jenni — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 01:03:53 +0000

I thought of another movie that is an interesting portrayal of a marriage, The Marrying Kind, directed by George Cukor, starring Aldo Ray as the husband and Judy Holliday as the wife. I saw it on a late show, probably 8 years ago, and it has still stayed with me all these years. Excellently acted, plot told very well, and quite a touching portrayal. I think it deserves a post, and a TCM showing.

By: Suzi Doll

Suzi Doll — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 19:27:19 +0000

Al: Thanks for the added info on JULIA ROSS. I wondered where you have been keeping yourself. Haven’t heard from you in a while.

On another note: I would love to see REVILLE WITH BEVERLY with all of those production numbers by musical acts popular at the time, Plus, I am a big Ann Miller fan. I once saw her in HELLO DOLLY in summer stock, which inspired me to take tap dancing. She was terrific; alas, I was not.

By: Surly

Surly — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:41:20 +0000

Al, I believe that unlike the other Bs you list, Julia Ross was a big sleeper hit, like The Cat People before it.

By: Al Lowe

Al Lowe — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 13:32:02 +0000

An additional note.
I was just reading McClelland’s description of REVILLE WITH BEVERLY. If it hasn’t played on TCM recently, it really should be featured.
The plot has Ann Miller convincing radio station manager Franklin Pangborn to take a rest while she becomes a Disc Jockey for him. As she spins each record we see a musical number by such artists as the Mills Brothers, Frank Sinatra, the blonde pretty Wilde Twins and the bands of Bob Crosby, Count Basie and Duke Ellington. (McClelland mentions that Lawrence Welk once introduced “Take the A Train” on his program as “Take Thee A Train.”) The supporting cast includes Irene Ryan, who played Granny on The Beverly Hillbillies. The finale features the dancing Miller and her gams.
It probably isn’t as great as it sounds. But it sounds great, doesn’t it?

By: Al Lowe

Al Lowe — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 13:14:46 +0000

I know GUN CRAZY and THE BIG COMBO well. I have VHS tapes of them. I never saw JULIA ROSS. But I have some information on it gleaned from a 1978 book, THE GOLDEN AGE OF B MOVIES, written by Doug McClelland.
He discusses 50 such movies from the 1940s separately, such as: AMONG THE LIVING, BEHIND THE EIGHT BALL, BISCUIT EATER, CRIME BY NIGHT, DETOUR, EYES IN THE NIGHT, FALCON AND THE COEDS, GIVE OUT SISTERS, GOOD MORNING JUDGE, MAD GHOUL, REVILLE WITH BEVERLY, SAN DIEGO I LOVE YOU, SEVENTH VICTIM, STRANGER ON THE THIRD FLOOR, WEIRD WOMAN, WHISTLING IN THE DARK.
And MY NAME IS JULIA ROSS.

He does not discuss feminist issues. McClelland quotes James Agee in The Nation: “The film is well planned, mostly well played, well directed, and in a somewhat boom happy way, well photographed- all around a likeable, unpretentious, generally successful attempt to turn good trash into decently artful entertainment.” According to McClelland, “Thanks to augmented promotion by Columbia, which was experiencing a temporary paucity of product, the film was lavishly and laudably reviewed and became one of the decade’s most highly regarded low budget productions.”
McClelland compliments Foch as “an unconventionally attractive, robust blonde with an intense intelligence about her sharp features.” He said she was born in Holland, raised in the States and overcame industry turmoil to become a respected actress “and today (1978) also teaches acting.”
The discussion of the plot is similar to yours, although he quotes more from the movie.
You did a good job, Suzie. I know you wouldn’t mind if I tried to help.

By: Jenni

Jenni — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 03:27:08 +0000

Not heard of Pitfall. Will have to check it out.

By: Surly

Surly — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:28:45 +0000

Jenni- Well, there’s no drama in getting along, is there? For some reason you made me think of the conversation between the husband and wife at the end of Pitfall, one of Hollywood’s rare and sober take on a troubled marriage.

By: Jenni

Jenni — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 03:58:09 +0000

I tivoed this movie a year ago, and really enjoyed it. I was frustrated for Julia, who every time she tried to get help or escape, her efforts were foiled. I think an interesting blog would be on Hollywood portrayals of marriage that were realistic and positive, i.e. Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon in Mrs. Miniver, Frederic March and Myrna Loy in The Best Years of Our Lives; those were portrayals of marriages where there was love,trust, honesty, and respect towards one another.