Carole Lombard Day on TCM - 8-17-06

Tomorrow, Thursday August 17th, Turner Classic Movies will be having a Carole Lombard film festival. If you are a fan, or even if you have never seen any of her films, this should be a must see event.

They will be showing 15 of her films, from her early THE RACKETEER up until her last, TO BE OR NOT TO BE with Jack Benny. Also included are such classics as MY MAN GODFREY and NOTHING SACRED. Along with several films that have never even been released on VHS.

Earlier this year, when Universal released a DVD set of six of her films, I became a big fan. While the films in the collection weren't the greatest (only a couple I would even say were good) she was so good in them that it made them all worth seeing.

I then spent the next few months trying to track down as many of her films as I could. Only a few are on DVD so I spent a lot of time buying old VHS on Ebay, realizing how many have never been released in any format.

Of all the early Hollywood stars, she is one of the most "modern". She would be right in place in the films of today. While a lot of actress in early talkies were very stagey, Lombard was very natural. Not to mention, even by today's standards, she is one of the most beautiful actresses of all time. I'm surprised more people don't compare Cameron Diaz to her, as they look quite a bit alike.

Her biography is just as interesting. Married to William Powell early on, they were later divorced. But, even after divorcing, they were close enough to co-star in MY MAN GODFREY. Later, she married Clark Gable. While married, and on a war bonds tour, she was killed in a plane crash, at the age of 33. Gable was so distraught, he joined the army. A not so good film, called GABLE AND LOMBARD was released in the 70's based on their life.

It should be a great series on TCM. I've got to go clear out my Tivo to record the ones I haven't seen.