Jimmy Stewart centennial

[abcdefz]

100 years ago today.

[na§tee]

Just get up off the ground, that's all I ask. Get up there with that lady that's up on top of this Capitol dome, that lady that stands for liberty. Take a look at this country through her eyes if you really want to see something. And you won't just see scenery; you'll see the whole parade of what Man's carved out for himself, after centuries of fighting. Fighting for something better than just jungle law, fighting so's he can stand on his own two feet, free and decent, like he was created, no matter what his race, color, or creed. That's what you'd see. There's no place out there for graft, or greed, or lies, or compromise with human liberties. And, uh, if that's what the grownups have done with this world that was given to them, then we'd better get those boys' camps started fast and see what the kids can do. And it's not too late, because this country is bigger than the Taylors, or you, or me, or anything else. Great principles don't get lost once they come to light. They're right here; you just have to see them again!
god, that makes me feel patriotic and i'm not even fucking american! mr. smith all the way.

i also like destry rides again :o because i watched it about 10 times for a hollywood in the 1930s class. loved that course.

ah, jimmy. great voice. i wish we could be related.

[Yeti]

I picked Rear Window but I am a big fan of the Man Who Shot Liberty Valence.

I miss Jimmy's voice. I can remember thinking his voice was so cool. When he would appear on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson....I would think to myself ..... he is a class guy.

[abcdefz]

I was right between Rear Window and Mr. Smith. I have to go with Mr. Smith, even though it has truly horrible montages and I think
Rear Window is really a better-made film (despite horrible flashbulb effects). What Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is about is so huge
I have to give it a slight edge.

Man. What a filmography.

[MC Moot]

Harvey and I sit in the bars... have a drink or two... play the juke box. And soon the faces of all the other people they turn toward mine and they smile. And they're saying, "We don't know your name, mister, but you're a very nice fella." Harvey and I warm ourselves in all these golden moments. We've entered as strangers - soon we have friends. And they come over... and they sit with us... and they drink with us... and they talk to us. They tell about the big terrible things they've done and the big wonderful things they'll do. Their hopes, and their regrets, and their loves, and their hates. All very large, because nobody ever brings anything small into a bar. And then I introduce them to Harvey... and he's bigger and grander than anything they offer me. And when they leave, they leave impressed. The same people seldom come back; but that's envy, my dear. There's a little bit of envy in the best of us... (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EzOIhLJ1C-Y&feature=related
)

[abcdefz]

You know, I actually had that on the poll, but then I pulled it for The Man Who Knew Too Much. That's a hugely hugely underrated
Jimmy performance.

Doris Day, too. She's amazing in that, especially during that sedation scene. Incredible scene.

[taquitos]

since it's best jimmy stewart movie, not performance, it has to be down to the hithcocks.

i personally like vertigo best, rear window is the ultimate classic though.

[DIGI]

Yeah, I like Vertigo the most. That being said, Jimmy and I share the same hometown.(y)

[venusvenus123]

i never understood what all the fuss about this man was about. :confused:

[Documad]

i also like destry rides again :o because i watched it about 10 times for a hollywood in the 1930s class. loved that course.
That's a great movie.

I can't pick. I can't decide if it's best film or best Jimmy Stewart performance. He wasn't the best actor but he's one of my all time favorites. My favorite films of all time include Destry, You Can't Take It With You, and Rear Window, and Philadelphia Story. People think of the Philadelphia Story as a Grant/Hepburn movie, but Jimmy and his photographer are the best part of the movie.

I have a deep deep love for Jimmy that goes back to early childhood. I loved Bell Book and Candle (which turns out not to be that good), and the later westerns, but also all his early movies. I remember when they rereleased the Hitchcock movies in the 1980s for the first time in decades and we got to see them all on the big screen. That's when I finally fell in love with Rear Window. That's before you could rent things on VHS tapes or DVDs. :p

Then there's the fact that he made the choice to quit his career and be a WWII pilot and actually went to Europe to serve instead of making public appearances like many other actors. By the time he got back, he was getting a bit older and he had to reestablish his career. It's amazing that he got the second career in westerns, and Hitchcock films. He also finally got married and then seemed to be completely devoted to his family.

I have always hated It's a Wonderful Life, and not just because it's been overplayed. I'm also not a big fan of Mr. Smith (despite the presence of my favorite actress). I don't like movies with big preachy speeches but I understand why other people like it. I also never loved Vertigo (despite my love of Jimmy and Hitchcock) but I have a feeling I would appreciate it more now.

I really need to see Anatomy of a Murder again. It's probably been 20 years.

I don't like Dana Carvey, but his imitation of Jimmy doing poetry on the tonight show was spot on.

[Yeti]

i never understood what all the fuss about this man was about. :confused:

I don't think there is a big fuss but he is in some fantastic films.
He is a unique and fine actor. I think of Jimmy Stewart, John Wayne, Steve McQueen, Gregory Peck, on and on. I don't want to keep naming names because there are so many great male and female actors from that time period.

[abcdefz]

He's a fantastic actor who's doing more than you see on first glance. People keep calling Tom Hanks the Jimmy Stewart of today but I think
Matt Damon is actually closer. People make the Tom Hanks connection because of likability and that's basically it, but Stewart pretty often
had this really dark undercurrent that would pop up from time to time. He and Damon are both actors who play to the lens quite a bit;
you can watch them think, if you're inclined, otherwise you can just watch the surface performance and maybe be just as entertained.

There was a fine article the Chronicle (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/14/DD6I10DRTS.DTL&hw=jimmy+stewart&sn=001&sc=1000)
ran about why he may be the best screen actor (so far). I don't think that's entirely true, but they do make a case for it that doesn't
fall apart.

[Documad]

Matt Damon is always interesting.