The Whales of August?

[salus]

Why do people like this film is it because Lillian Gish in her mid 90s was still acting as well as a stroke stricken Bette Davis?

[boblipton]

When someone asked Bette Davis how well Miss Gish looked in the close-ups, she snarled "Of course she does! They invented them for her.

Bob

[Richard M Roberts]

Why do people like this film is it because Lillian Gish in her mid 90s was still acting as well as a stroke stricken Bette Davis?

Why in the hell shouldn't they?

I thought it was kind of nice to go to the theater in 1986 to see a first-run Lillian Gish movie that had Bette
Davis and Vincent Price as well. And a story about something apart from botoxed twenty-somethings blowing up stuff. It wasn't the greatest movie ever made, but it was certainly worth the time and money involved, and frankly, I like watching older actors who can actually act.


RICHARD M ROBERTS

[Michael O'Regan]

Great movie. Pleasant.
Cliche or not...they really don't make 'em like that anymore.

[westegg]

I saw it too in what must have been the smallest movie theater in Manahattan. It was such a quiet, contemplative movie. A unique experience with an appreciative audience.

[didi-5]

Because it's a good film?

[ajabrams]

And don't forget the marvelous Ann Southern. A beautiful and touching film.

[Kelly]

That was both Lillian Gish and Bette Davis swan song movie I saw it recently on THIS TV network in evening hours really impressed

Maybe I am in minority

[Richard M Roberts]

That was both Lillian Gish and Bette Davis swan song movie I saw it recently on THIS TV network in evening hours really impressed

Maybe I am in minority

Doesn't look like it.


RICHARD M ROBERTS

[Rollo Treadway]

While this is a fascinating, in-depth discussion, the "Talkie News" aspect somehow eludes me.

[Christopher Jacobs]

While this is a fascinating, in-depth discussion, the "Talkie News" aspect somehow eludes me.

I was thinking exactly the same thing, so I've moved it into the "Talking About Talkies" forum where it really belongs.

I very much enjoyed the film when it came out, very entertaining, although I wouldn't put it among the top films of any of the actors. I haven't seen it in maybe 20 years, but I'd probably buy a copy if it ever gets a Blu-ray release. GHOST STORY (1981) is another interesting later film with lots of veteran stars (Fred Astaire, Melvyn Douglas, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., John Houseman, Patricia Neal) that would be nice to see in a Blu-ray edition, and of course there's COCOON (1985) with Don Ameche, Hume Cronyn, and Jack Gilford, which is already on Blu-ray.

Was the 1980s the decade of a brief era in geriatric career revival vehicles, or were they just trying to get older viewers back into movie theatres after the era of teen-centric blockbusters had been going on awhile?

[Michael O'Regan]

Wow, Ghost Story, yeah. Great film which I'd love to see again. Thanks for the reminder.

[entredeuxguerres]

And don't forget the marvelous Ann Southern.

ABSOLUTELY! (Though everyone does, & will.)

[drednm]

Ann Sothern got her only Oscar nomination for this film.

[Einar the Lonely]

Harry Carey jr. is in it as well.

Of course I found it moving partly because of the meta-aspect that it's actually Lilian Gish, still doing great work in the 1980s. But apart from that it's a good film.

[George O'Brien]

I haven't seen it in 20 years, but I remember one scene in particular. Lillian is sitting with a glass of wine before a table on which are several framed photos of loved ones long gone. She is talking very lovingly and animatedly to each, and then one notices that one of the photos is Dorothy Gish. I choked up.

[Roseha]

She is talking very lovingly and animatedly to each, and then one notices that one of the photos is Dorothy Gish. I choked up.

Oh, now I have to see it.

[BankofAmericasSweetheart]

As someone in their 20s I saw it recently like a few years back and while it was very sentimental and lovely I couldn't help but think the film was geared towards a more older audience than myself. It had a very slow reflective pace that wasn't necessarily a bad thing but I did start losing interest mainly from the way it was shot. I'm not fond of the glossy soft focused 80s look with generic score. I had same reaction when watching On Golden Pond. I'm a big Kate Hepburn, Henry Fonda fan but I couldn't get past the cheesy 80s look of the film.

I guess the 80s were all about the different generations reflecting on what must have been a crazy number of decades beforehand right?