Tuesday's Overlooked (or Forgotten) Film: RADIOLAND MURDERS (1994) starring Mary Stuart Masterson, Brian Benben and a host of others...

At first I thought this was the Woody Allen film about early radio, but once I read up on it on Netflix, I realized my error. I also realized about five minutes into the movie that a little of Brian Benben (an actor I am not familiar with) goes a very long way. Originally, I understand that Steve Martin was attached to this picture and boy he would have been perfect in the role of Roger Henderson, schleppy head writer for a new radio station set...

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Bookplates To Love

Three beauties:Design: Maxfield Parrish based on his 1887 Harper's Weekly cover. viaviaTwo Literary Apes  seeking their humanity? viaviaHis and her books:viaviaviaviaI find the wording on this bookplate rather odd. viaNote the extreme difference in tone between these two doctor's bookplates:viaDesign: Gaborjani Szabo for Dr. Sandor 1936Three bookplates which would make me think twice about borrowing: viaviaviaFamous Readers - 8 BookplatesI...

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Tuesday's Overlooked (or Forgotten) Film: HIGHLY DANGEROUS (1950) starring Margaret Lockwood, Dane Clark and Marius Goring

HIGHLY DANGEROUS (1950) is a film directed by Roy Ward Baker and written by spy thriller exemplar, Eric Ambler. The film stars Margaret Lockwood, Dane Clark and Marius Goring.This is a nifty little black and white Cold War thriller set mostly in a generic Balkan police state of the kind familiar to us from 1950's flicks. It features the Hitchcockian motif of well-meaning amateur thrust into danger which for what ever reason, always seems to work....

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Two By Ellery Queen

(Love this cover.)Ellery Queen again?Yup.But not to worry, these may be the last two for awhile. If you know this blog then you're familiar with my occasional book frenzies. So do not be alarmed, it is a minor compulsion. I think.THE CHINESE ORANGE MYSTERY (1934) is another Queen book that begins spectacularly (truth to tell all of the Queen mystery set-ups are pretty brilliant) and then, near the end sort of comes down to earth when all is...

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Sunday Salon: Pastels and Watercolors by Felicity House

Preparing Broad BeansGlasshouse TomatoesApples for a PieCourtyard Udai Bilas PalaceAt St. MaloTwo English Plums (this may be mis-titled)Aubergine and LiliesLemon CurdEarly Broad BeansMorning GardenAlmuna TerraceBarbotine AntiquitiesMarmelade MakingTable Set for LunchWoodland FungiThe China EggBritish contemporary painter Felicity House is one of my favorite artists. I love the soft quality of her work even when she's using bright color. I also love...

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