Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Ladies' Man

Musique - Sharp Dressed Man by ZZ Top
This past weekend, I was really sick, so I was stuck inside and watched a TON of movies.  I must have been in a Cary Grant type of mood because I ended up watching three of his films.  And you know what I realized?  Younger ladies really dig Cary Grant.  They go predator-style on his stylish ass.  They are definitely not shy about making their intentions towards him known.  And really, can you blame them?  He's not really my type, but he's just so damn dashing and charming that I bet he was extremely hard to resist!

Charade
I'd honestly never seen this movie before, which is kind of a travesty.  I've read that Cary Grant didn't want to be seen as a predator, making moves on a woman 25 years his junior, so they re-wrote the script to make her the one who comes on to him.  Here are some sample lines from the movie that show this (as you might know, Cary's character changes names 18 million times in this movie, so I'm just going with the first name he uses, Peter):

Peter: Wow, when you come on, you come on, don't you?
Reggie:  Oh, come on!

Reggie:  Do you know what's wrong with you?
Peter:  What?
Reggie:  Nothing!

Reggie:  (touching the cleft in Peter's chin) How do you shave in there?

Reggie: (when Peter won't take a shower in her hotel room) This is a ludicrous situation. I can think of a dozen men who are just longing to use my shower.

North by Northwest
So, okay, I know that Eva Marie Saint's character, Eve, was instructed to seduce Cary Grant's Roger, but still!  She goes a bit overboard - and I don't think she minds one bit.  Here's a sampling of what I mean:

Eve:  It's going to be a long night.
Roger:  True.
Eve:  And I don't particularly like the book I've started.
Roger:  Ah.
Eve:  You know what I mean?
Roger: Ah, let me think. Yes, I know exactly what you mean.

Eve:  I tipped the steward five dollars to seat you here if you should come in.
Roger:  Is this a proposition?
Eve:  I never discuss love [sex] on an empty stomach
Roger: You've already eaten.
Eve:  But you haven't.
(you can tell that the word "love" was dubbed later on & that she actually says "sex" in this scene)

Roger:  When I was a little boy, I wouldn't even let my mother undress me.
Eve:  Well, you're a big boy now.

To Catch a Thief
Ah yes, my favorite Cary Grant film ever!  And, no, not just because Grace Kelly is in it (although that makes the movie even better).  Grace's Francie is all about Cary's John, yet can play it very cool too.  Who can forget when he walks her to her door and she just calmly turns around, looks him in the eye, and kisses him?  Here are some of Francie's more flirtatious lines:

Francie:  (offering John fried chicken) You want a leg or a breast?

Francie: I have a feeling that tonight you're going to see one of the Riviera's most fascinating sights. (pauses) I was talking about the fireworks!

Francie: Even in this light, I can tell where your eyes are looking. Look, John. Hold them. Diamonds... The only thing in the world you can't resist. Then tell me you don't know what I'm talking about. Ever had a better offer in your whole life? One with everything?
John: I've never had a crazier one.
Francie:  Just as long as you're satisfied!
John:  You know as well as I do: this necklace is imitation.
Francie:  Well, I'm not.

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