While I enjoy "An Affair to Remember," which FOX is saying may be a part of their Millenium Collection due out sometime in late 2000, it is inferior to "Love Affair," (Charles Boyer, Irene Dunne), which it is a remake of. "An Affair to Remember" is high melodrama compared to "Love Affair," and the side plot about how Terry (Deborah Kerr) supports herself is overdone with it's inclusion of numerous children-singing scenes (as though the director didn't want the feel of the film to be too depressing).

Leo McCarey directed both the original and "An Affair to Remember," and I wonder why some directors re-make their own films. William Wyler remade the far-superior "These Three" as "The Children's Hour," in which instance he was able to stay more true to the original story, but ultimately sacrificed the source material by opting to lessen the social statement. Hitchcock did "The Man Who Knew Too Much" twice, and I consider them both classics though I favor his first effort.

All in all, I'm glad the "Love Affair" was remade as "An Affair to Remember," but without Cary Grant's performance, it would have been another case of a needless remake. I say this because in my opinion Kerr and Grant didn't have nearly as much chemistry in this picture as they did in 1960's "The Grass is Greener," and because I kept imagining how the film would've turned out had Ingrid Bergman been in it. She was magnificent with Grant in "Notorious" and "Indiscreet."

--Heather

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Heather is right again. Especially with the 1934 version of The Man Who Knew Too Much. I liked it much better than the 1956 (?) version. Although, James Stewart is one of my favorite actors; I also like Doris Day.

I can't implore you enough on this: if you like the classic romances, and especially Cary Grant, do yourself a favor and watch Mr. Lucky.

Lots of action, comedy, suspense, Loraine Day is gorgeous, and you get to learn a new language (seriously!). "Have you seen the bottles and stoppers?".

Leonard Maltin gives it 3 stars, but it really deserves 3-1/2 if not 4!!!

Rent it now!

In response to the question "What other films have taught you the essence of romance?" This may seem like a canned answer, but "Casablanca."

Great suggestion, Beno. I must profess, I pay little attention to Leonard Maltin's "reviews." I have the Cinemania computer program he contributed to, and some of his so-called reviews are only a sentence or two. By the way, American Movie Classics now has "Mr. Lucky" on it's schedule. I don't know when it will be on again, but I caught it either last week or the week before.

--Heather

Edited to remove no longer existing link.

[This message has been edited by DVDer (edited 12-11-1999).]

Beno

If you are a fan of Cary Grant, you must really like him in The Awful Truth - one of my favorite films. I have it in LD - am waiting for it to come out in DVD.

I do like Mr. Lucky - by then, I like Cary Grant in everything.

Ladyhawke
If ever any movie cried out for widescreen, it is this one. One scene which happens to be the most romantic ever captured on film, utterly loses it's impact in pan and scan. This scene is when Navarr and Isabeau see each other as human for the first time and Navarr lifts her up and the sun shone on them... it brings tears to ones eyes.

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Live Long and Prosper
My Collection

I forgot to mention that i am a big Cary Grant fan, having most of his movies in my collection. As for Ingrid Bergman though, i have never been able to understand why everyone thinks she's so special on screen. She doesn't do a thing for me. I guess for a film to "move" you, you have to find the characters appealing, which means you must enjoy watching the actors portraying them. If say for instance Heather didn't like Humphrey Bogart, she could never find Casablanca to be romantic, it would never "move" her. It's all a matter of taste.

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Live Long and Prosper
My Collection

You are quite right, Nick Charles. (How's Asta? )

--Heather

Cary Grant is my favorite actor, I have almost all of his movies. More need to be released on DVD, and quickly. The next two releases ("Charade" and "Only Angels Have Wings") aren't expected until August , and with Criterion's track record, I'm expecting a "Charade" delay.

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[This message has been edited by DVDer (edited 07-11-1999).]

Thanks Heather for the reply . . .

I don't see any problem with someone redoing an earlier film they were involved with, especially since the technology had improved so much. (Although not by the same director or producer, I own both versions of THE THING and find them equally entertaining.)

And also, LOVE AFFAIR with Warren Beatty was yet another attempt in the 90's. The critics were not too kind, but I was a sucker "again" for that shipboard and island romance!

Jeremy
(Now where did I place those tickets?)
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