26 Movies

The evil incarnate that is Mr. Peenee has tagged me with Blog Cabin's Alphabet Meme, under the draconian rules of which I am obliged to list a favorite picture for every letter of the alphabet, ignoring initial articles, filing numbers by first letter, and providing a link back to Blog Cabins.

Being a list-fiend and a world-class procrastinator, I of course immediately put aside all potentially profitable activities and set to work.

Herewith, the Café Muscato 26:

1. Anastasia (Bergman, Hayes, Brynner, shameless melodrama and Martita Hunt!)


2. Babette's Feast (sheer beauty)


3. Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean (Cher beauty)


4. Dostana (or, Come Back to the Villa Muscato, John Abraham, John Abraham)


5. Eyes without a Face (High-fashion creepiness)


6. Follow the Fleet (Ginger sings "Let Yourself Go"! Randolph Scott! Harriet Nelson!)


7. The Gang's All Here (Every single bloated, delirious minute of it)


8. Holiday (or, Why Hollywood Couldn't Sell Early Hepburn, but still a very wonderful thing)


9. Imitation of Life ("Oh, Mother – stop acting!" – I wasn't aware that she had started)


10. Judgment at Nuremberg (Dietrich, Garland, Clift, Tracy, and an indictment of fascism – what's not to love?)


11. King Kong (love me some Fay Wray)


12. Love Actually (I confess – I cry every time, several times)


13. Milk (haven't seen it yet, but I have a feeling it belongs here)


14. Night of the Hunter (the film sublime)


15. Opening Night (Rowlands and Blondell, by Cassavetes; very eccentric sturm und drang)


16. Parting Glances (see 12, above)


17. The Queen (I find myself unable to distinguish between Mirren and the real thing at times)


18. The Rose (protean Midler, before Disney discovered her)


19. Star Struck (the ultimate 80s musical)


20. Taxi zum Klo (the ultimate 70s underground gay German watersports movie)


21. Under the Cherry Moon (so there, Peenee! It's not good, but it does have Kristin Scott Thomas)


22. Victor, Victoria (never as good as it was in memory, but still great fun, isn’t it, Pookie?)


23. The Whales of August (I bet you're surprised it's not The Women; it's not a great movie, but the combo of Gish/Davis/Sothern/Price is irresistible)


24. Xanadu (like there was that much choice…)


25. The Yacoubian Building (a reminder of the glory of Egyptian film, a genuinely moving exploration of everything that's wrong and hopeful about the country)


26. Zoo in Budapest (one of only a handful of films in which I can tolerate Miss Loretta Young)

So there you have it. I had thought about finding a piquant illustration for each and every choice, but Mr. P., even my devotion has its limits.