I had heard for years about the films of Robert Altman, and recently absolutely enjoyed the funny, mysterious A Prairie Home Companion. The behind-the-scenes feature showed a director who was in charge of his actors, but not a dictator. He once said in an interview, "I want my actors to surprise me."

Here's a sampling (unlinked) of his work. Coincidentally, I'll be receiving M*A*S*H in the mail soon.

A Prairie Home Companion (2006)
Gosford Park (2001)
Kansas City (1996)
Vincent & Theo (1990)
Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean (1982)
Nashville (1975)
M*A*S*H (1970)
"Bonanza" (1960-61, 8 episodes)
"Maverick (1960, 1 episode)
"Alfred Hitchcock Presents" (1958, 2 episodes)

Men in dresses is almost inherently funny, just as women in men's clothes is generally sexy. But comedy is comedy, and it takes a good script, tight direction and superb actors to make you laugh at cross dressing for two hours. Fortunately, Some Like It Hot (1959) has all of these. It turns out I'd seen the movie before (I thought I'd only seen parts), but that didn't matter. I belly laughed just the same.

The movie is full, of course, of double entendre. There's the right amount of commentary on women's plight regarding butt-pinching men. There's some unavoidable, funny homosexual hinting (both sexes). Slapstick, gangsters, hot women, handsome men.

Did I mention Tony Curtis' great Cary Grant impression? Or Jack Lemmon's hilarious little giggle?

And there is the lovely, talented, sexy, sensitive actress Marilyn Monroe. I didn't get her appeal for a long time. Now I do. I was very sad to read of the many problems she had during filming.

Our two handsome leading men, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon.

And, our two handsome leading ladies.

Marilyn.

For all you Star Trek fans, the uncredited, sexy Grace Lee Whitney.

Silly and funny Joe E. Brown.

Smile at the nice man.

Tony in drag, but every inch the man.

"I'm Through With Love"

Let's start this entry about North by Northwest (1959) by giving credit where it's due. Bernard Herrmann, who wrote the film score, was a damn genius.

There's plenty else to say, such as how easily I was sucked into the plot, how brilliant the performances are from Cary Grant (every man wants to be Cary Grant), Eva Marie Saint (whew! my heart was on fire!), James Mason (so calmly evil), and Martin Landau (the very definition of wolfish), how absolutely cool Alfred Hitchcock's directing is.

The story of mistaken identity, the plot of double crosses, the scenes where apparently nothing is happening, and yet...everything is happening. All this adds up to a great movie.

One of many geometric shots in the film. Beautiful.

Eva Marie Saint. Sexy, suave, sultry. Sigh.

Cary Grant. Effortless excellence.

Cary Grant, James Mason, Eva Marie Saint, and Martin Landau

The famous, amazing Mt. Rushmore set. Not only is this set amazing for its apparent massiveness, but check out the actual size it must have been. In the foreground are Grant and Saint. In the background lower right is Landau.