World Piano Day is celebrated on the 88th day of the year, which is the same as the number of keys on the piano         I have a passion for the piano, though I must admit I mostly enjoy playing around with the keys whenever I get the chance. To celebrate this day, I want to highlight a special type of piano featured in several classic films: the player piano, also known as the pianola. My first encounter with one was in Irving Berlin's 1948 movie, Easter Parade.  Fred Astaire & Judy Garland performing 'I Love the Piano" in Easter Parade (1948). I also recall seeing a player piano in and Harold and Maude (1971).  Well, if you want to sing out, sing out And if you want to be free, be free 'Cause there's a million things to be You know that there are Maude (Ruth Gordon) plays the piano then it plays on its own as she tries to cheer up Harold (Bud Cort) in Harold & Maude (1971). Last summer, my fiancé and I had the pleasure of visiting The His...

  How do you like your cocktail—shaken, not stirred? Whether you’re into a fruity mix, a perfectly blended drink, or something served on the rocks, today is all about you! Join the classic stars as they raise their glasses and celebrate with their cocktails on screen. Kay Francis & William Powell in "One Way Passage" (1932)     Bebe Daniels, Randolph Scott in "The Cocktail Hour" (1933)   Mary Carlisle, June Knight, and Dorothy Burgess in "Ladies Must Love" (1933) Joan Blondell & Warren William in "Gold Diggers of 1933" (1933) Maureen O'Sullivan and William Powell in "The Thin Man" (1934)   Glenda Farrell & Joan Blondell in "Traveling Saleslady" (1935) Marlene Dietrich and Gary Cooper in "Desire" (1936) Irene Dunne and Charles Boyer in "Love Affair" (1939) Mary Astor and Bette Davis in "The Great Lie" (1941) Paul Henreid & Bette Davis in "Now, Voyager" (1942) Lucille ...

I want to share a quick story about a college student who never saw a Western until she had to take a class on Westerns. As part of a critical thinking class, I had to take a film course titled " War and Westerns ." Oh boy. Up Until 1994, the only Western film I had ever seen was "Young Guns" in 1988. I don't think I purposely avoided them, but I was too much into my RKO musicals and melodramas to care. Back then - before the internet, we had to read tons of copied notes from our professor; my syllabus was as thick as the Yellow Pages. "What did I get myself into? " I asked myself. My thesis was centered around the depiction of women in war films, but that's for another post. But what happened was incredible—a new appreciation for both genres and a lifelong love for them.   I discovered that Westerns often explore similar themes, including life, love, loss, betrayal, revenge, community, and honor, amongst other things. The closest I ...