you're welcome! i'm glad you know who he is and appreciate the card haha :]

Yes, I totally do! And, I have recently become familiar with a number of his films. One of my dad’s favorite movies is Inherit the Wind (1960).

Stanley Kramer’s filmography as a whole—-both as director and producer—-is pretty impressive, I think. But, what I hate is that regardless of how impressive his resume is, as you’ve said and indicated, he seems to be a bit under-appreciated and not well-known enough, for some strange reason. Even some of his films are hard to come by, such as the 1979 drama (his last), The Runner Stumbles, starring Dick Van Dyke as a priest who falls in-love with a nun (based on a true story)! And that, I simply can’t wrap my head around!

I mean, Dick Van Dyke was a veritable TV icon, and needless to say, Kramer worked with the best of the best! And, the fact that he was one of, if not *the first* independent film-maker in the business while still maintaining strong ties in the industry was really a feat! Plus, as you may gather from the two titles I mentioned already, the majority of his films veered on the controversial side, made news, and helped to change laws (i.e. Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner helping to change the law about interracial marriage I think, and I heard that Bless the Beasts and Children had a similar impact on animal rights). Yet, relatively little is known about him compared to others. But, I really want to see his last film! I hope TCM shows it soon!

Grand Hotel (1932)

In light of my earlier post about film-restoration, brought on by my recent viewing of Grand Hotel (1939), I feel compelled to elaborate on the film itself.

Some films made in the 30s are timeless — such as the Wizard of Oz, Gone with the Wind, and others. But this film preceded them all. And, glory, hallelujah! This is one of those rare surviving gems from Hollywood’s pre-code days (aprox. 1920s-1934), which, by certain measures, makes it even more special!

But, as mentioned in my previous post, one thing that struck me, unfortunately, was the annoying background sounds — the fizzing, the muffled sentences, the loud and soft speaking voices of certain characters, all these things that could only be attributed to one problem — decay. I’m referring to film decay — the process by which an old film deteriorates. And, while this film certainly isn’t the only one to suffer from such a condition, the brilliant cast and modern design of the film make its considerably warn condition all the more noticeable. Yes, I’d say Grand Hotelis in need of a grand renovation!

Make no mistake about it though, this was (and is) a high-quality film, with a great intricate story, and fine pacing. There was scarcely a chance to get bored, if one pays attention to the characters. That said, it is impossible not to realize that the noise interference does impose upon the enjoyment of the movie quite significantly — this is especially true if you have a keen ear for music, voices, and the above average appreciation for beautiful sound. But, luckily, this is the type of movie from which almost every one of us can find something to appreciate.

Grand Hotel (1932) has everything, including romance, drama, comedy, and crime! All depicted in a rather light-hearted, feel-good way. Highly recommended!

**** out of *****