Greetings from VKMfanHuey!!!

Welcome to the Gingerology blog for the 1934 Warner Brothers / Vitaphone film, Upper World!!!

Ginger ...

Please note the 'menu' above, which has various information regarding the film; to the right (just below the Gingerology link) there are additional links regarding the film.

Please feel free to leave a comment with any general info, links, pics, or just to say hi!

...And be sure to check out our 'main' site, Gingerology - just click on the Ginger pic to the right. There you'll find a list of ALL of Ginger Rogers' films; click on any one, and you will be directed to a 'dedicated' blog about that film (not unlike this blog).

Keep It Gingery, y'all!

VKMfanHuey

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Friday, April 11, 2014

Archive Post #2 - from Gingerology - originally posted June 2, 2012

...Shake That Powder Puff...

...the 'previously unreleased' screencaps of Miss Lily doin' that thang...

















...well, thanks again for the nice response to the Upper World review... hope ya get a chance to see the film...
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Well, The staff of Gingerology is off on vacation in a few days, but a post MAY sneak into the plans whilst away from home base... otherwise, the 'construction' of the 'FilmBlogs' are still underway... I am going to set up all 'general' features on the first 'full length' film blog, Young Man of Manhattan...so, be checking in on that one every now and again, and PLEASE throw in any suggestions for the blog 'content'...once YMOM is 'set-up', then it's on to all the others in similar fashion, one-by-one... and of course, The Gay Divorcee is on the way, review-wise...That one may require a 'two-part' review... Hmmm... stay tuned...
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Hope everyone is having a great intro to summer... stay safe and have FUN!!!!

KIG, y'all!
VKMfanHuey
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12 comments:

  1. Enjoy your vacation...and when you get back, check out a perfect resource to find more Ginger stuff (if you didn't know about it already) -- the Media History Digital Library (http://mediahistoryproject.org). In its words, it's "a non-profit initiative dedicated to digitizing collections of classic media periodicals that belong in the public domain for full public access." So far, it's collected more than 200,000 pages of trade publications, fan magazines and more; titles include Film Daily, the Hollywood Reporter and Motion Picture Daily among the trades, and Photoplay among the fan mags (most of the other mags date from the early 1920s, before Ginger or Carole got into movie careers). It's been an invaluable help for me in searching Lombard material for "Carole & Co.", and there's probably all sorts of fascinating Rogers items as well (particularly involving productions she either dropped out of or, for one reason or another, were never made -- some great "what ifs").
    1. Thanks VP! I think I wandered into that site once before, but I REALLY need to go 'deeper' into it and grab info from there...it's great that there's a site like that... I think one of the big 'ideas' behind breaking each film down is to 'document' each one, and hopefully make useful databases for folks... like the one you mentioned...

      Have a great week, VP!!!

      Hu
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  2. Geez just looked at that site and you really have to know your magazines!! (guess who doesn't lol)

    Speaking of documenting films, we're long overdue a new biography on Ginger, specially now the new book on the Astaire's came out and all

    Have a great vacation, busy celebrating a diamond jubilee over here, weather's not so hot though!
    1. NOBODY does pageantry better than the Brits!! :)

      Welcome back, Huey. Despite the rain and health woes, I hope you came back refreshed. Looking forward to The Gay Divorcee review. Make sure you get a good "Night and Day" screen cap. Ginger might have been still in the learning stage, but I LOVED that dance.
    2. ...don't worry...after this review, I will most likely have to 'add memory' to the circuit board due to the # of caps done... it WILL be interesting to see just how much 'face time' Ginger actually HAS in this film, tho...probably not as much as we might think... and yes, Night and Day is sublime, if I can be secure enough in my masculinity to actually say that... I think I am...cause there's not many other ways to describe that dance :-)

      thanks for the kind words, Lady F!
      KIG!!!

      Hu
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  3. ...saw bits and pieces of the Queen Mum's celebration...awesome stuff...not every generation gets to see all that!

    ...well, ya know, I would just LUV to see Roberta put out a book about Ginger, but...probably won't happen. I would love to be able to write some type of 'Ginger bio' as well, but a) I am NOT an author, b) I have NO 'insider insight' (and very few folks left out there DO, with Roberta obviously being one of them), and c), as much as WOULD love to try something like that...I just don't have the time...
    but, hopefully one will appear... the magazine 'database' would be a fair start... although who knows just how 'truthful' some of those articles were... I think Ginger and Lela kept a close eye on that, tho...

    Well, glad to be back...hopefully will get rolling on 'Divorcee' here in a few days...

    KIG, Kat!!!

    Hu
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  4. Think that would have been the Queen's Diamond Jubilee!! Seeing as the Queen Mother's been gone 10 years, we went up to London on Sunday and saw the Queen (and the rest) at a distance :)

    Yea anyone who had the time and the skill to write such a book would definitely need to either be Roberta (lol) or get access for long detailed interviws!

    Good to hear the vacation wasn't too bad!
    1. Well, see, I'm just not 'up' on all the protocol involved... so the 'Queen Mum' is actually not THE Queen, but the Queen's mother - who never actually was the Queen herself...got it. Oh well...I'm learning, right? :-] Still a pretty awesome event...my daughter saw a good bit of it, and really thought it was cool...

      ...as for 'Queen Ginger', it would be great to compile info, but...to actually put into something that would be a readable volume would be something altogether different. Hmmm...the 'long detailed interviews' of Roberta would be nice... Lord knows we'd all be able to come up with enough questions, right? :-]

      But as to the trip, we had a good time overall, if just to get away... we'll probably do another trip later in the summer...of course, the 'D.C.-parlay-into-Boston' trip would be great, but...who knows. Not sure if the Ginger exhibit will still be there, anyway. If I DO get something rolling on that, I'll definitely need to get any info ya have for the curator, locale, etc...if that's cool.... but it is a small probability, sadly.

      KIG, KAT!

      Hu
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    2. If anyone NEEDS to go to the Boston exhibition (besides FredandGingerMad, of course) it is you. You are the chief Gingerologist in charge and all that. The exhibit is amazing and full of personal letters and scripts and personal photos. If you can possibly, in anyway, at all, somehow, get to Boston GO, GO, GO! [Note: the exhibit is only open 9:30am-4:30pm Mon-Fri.]
    3. yepyepyep...I may contact those fine folks up there and see if there's ANY plans to take the show on the road...if not, I'll make it up there sooner or later... maybe by summer's end...

      But, of course it is REALLY calling me, y'know? ...and it IS pretty cool there's lots of stuff in Beantown to check out... so would be a cool trip...PLUS, as I've noted, my wife's aunt/Unc live near Baltimore, so that would be a fair 'home base' towards Boston...but it is still a ways from that point... now, if they moved it to the Smithsonian, THAT'S what I'm talking about...

      KIG, 'e'!!

      Hu
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  5. The 'Queen Mother' was the wife of King George VI (the former Duke of York) she was the one who invited Adele and Fred Astaire to come and see the baby ;)

    The Queen, Elizabeth II is celebrating 60 years on the throne hence all the celebrations, pretty convenient that her diamond jubilee and the olympics fall in the same year

    There's already a couple of 'tributes on the market' would be nice to see something a little more accurate perhaps, not to mention updated, with that as an aside, two different books on Ginger mention that the fashion show in Roberta were filmed in colour, heard/know anymore?
    And enough questions? think the interviews could go on for days/weeks even months!!

    Yea, i know how nice it can be just to get away, i have a couple of days away in just over a week and then it'll be Boston again 2 weeks on Tuesday :) coming around mighty fast, then its a month of working so not quite so much fun!
    The exhibition is still on right now and they did say back in March likely to last until the new school year starts, hope you get a shot at making it :)

    i got some more sheet music today (a fine romance and the way you look tonight) plus the Roberta soundtrack on record so all happy here :) (despite the rain)!!
    1. well, heck, thought I replied to this - the new 'format' or whatever is a bit more of a bear to keep up with, so bear with me...

      Anyway, hey...y'all going to any Olympic events? I didn't make to any when it was in Atlanta...heck, they played the 'intro rounds' of the soccer right here in B'ham... really should have checked that out.

      ...well, guess if I'm getting to Boston, it better be soon...dang it... it's one of those deals that if I go, it will appear closer to 'home base' (not that that would be bad, as I'd obviously go again), but if I DON'T go, it'll never be seen again...dang it.

      hey, good to hear you are loading up on sheet music....I have those... it's cool to collect... I get my wife to crank out the tunes on piano - pretty cool...

      One of these days I need to 'take inventory' of everything...and document a lot of it in the filmblogs... and I'm pretty sure I have the Roberta soundtrack...honestly, I have enough records to listen to for awhile...not sure why I haven't yet... I still want to get them onto the blog(s), if I can ever figure it out...more stuff to get done, right?

      Hope the rain ceases for ya! Have a great Gingery weekend, Kat!
      Hu
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Friday, September 6, 2013

Archive Post #1 - from Gingerology - originally posted February 15, 2011

...ALL HAIL WARNER ARCHIVES...

The great folks over at WB Archives have released six...yep, SIX Ginger Movies from the Archives! The titles, generally in order of 'Gingery Goodness', are:

Primrose Path
Lucky Partners
Chance at Heaven
Finishing School
Upperworld
Suicide Fleet
 
Here is the wickedawesome link:

http://www.wbshop.com/New-Releases/ARCHIVENEW,default,sc.html?src=EDWAC&adid=0211WACNRcEml

Hope this is a BOON to folks who are looking for these... note you can buy the 'six-pack' for a somewhat reduced price... Huey will have his order in by midnight, no doubt! :-]

Again, KUDOS to WB Archives for putting out multiple Ginger titles in the Gingertennial... more to come? ...there's still quite a few RKO gems yet to be 'released', so here's hoping. But a KILLER start to the festivities!!!

KIG, y'all!!!!!!
VKMfanHuey
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19 comments:

  1. Primrose Path!!! I've never seen that before. I keep missing it on TCM. Would you recommend buying it? Is it one of her better films, or would it be wiser to just wait until TCM shows it again? Thanks for telling about this. You must really be on the lookout for all things Ginger all the time!
     
  2. Wahoo! Some good flicks in here!
     
  3. Wow, I was going to post about the same thing!!!! :D

    When I saw this on their website it was amazing to see it. All six of these films finally released on dvd. Lucky Partners and Primrose Path are released were released here on vhs, but now dvd!!! I was so happy to see it. Now the only thing to worry about is the price....
     
  4. Totally freakin out right now Thanks for the AWESOME news <3
    And Yss I would buy Primrose Path I Love that movie I cry every time. She is so Fabulous in it. So excited for this. Now all I Need is for someone to release Vivacious lady and my life will be complete lol
     
  5. It's really good that Warners have managed to release 6 titles at once, hope they manage to follow with more!

    I recommend Primrose Path also, the first time i saw it i wondered why Ginger wasn't oscar norminated for that rather than Kitty..

    I don't get why as they're american films, they haven't all been released in the US. The majority of the RKO library has been available in Europe on region 2 for the last few years, thats how i got Primrose Path, Vivacious Lady and 5th Ave Girl, and Vivacious Lady, Stage Door, 5th Ave Girl and Tom Dick and Harry were all released in the UK just before xmas, hopefully the US will get Vivacious Lady soon!
     
  6. Yes, definitely get Primrose Path....very well acted by Ginger...

    I would love to get this...but am totally lacking in funds...sigh.
     
  7. PG: yes...'PP' is really a 'must' for Ginger fans... it is truly her first 'dramatic' role, and she is great in it! In fact, it was seriously considered by RKO as the 'candidate' for the Best Actress Oscar in lieu of 'Kitty', but the film had been banned in certain areas, due to it's controversial theme for the time (her mom was a 'lady of the evening', shall we say...), and thus it was feared not enough 'coverage' was given to it, hurting its chances.

    SG: yupyupyup...hey, are you doing ok? really haven't heard much from the OGRE lately... hope all is well! And that any snow is disappearing from Chi-town for the season!

    GF11: I do have 'PP' on VHS, but not 'Lucky Partners'... I have thought about buying a few of the VHS copies the 'turner series' - just for 'back-up'...and yes, I would even be interested in the 'colorized' versions, although I KNOW they are bad...it would just be part of the 'collection'. Well, the 'six-pack' is a good chunk of change, BUT...you save a good bit compared to individually... it was just over $80.00 total, including shipping... not bad, considering individual DVDs in the archive never go below $18 or so each.

    PK: Ain't it cool? I am SO glad the WB folks are 'recognizing' the GingerTennial! I look for more titles, especially 'VL'...and 'In Person'...but honestly, there aren't that many more RKO or WB titles... 'Romance in Manhattan', 'Tender Comrade', 'Carnival Boat', 'First Traveling Saleslady' (the LAST RKO movie), 'Star of Midnight', 'Professional Sweetheart', and '20 Million Sweethearts' (hey...they should have put those last two out in THIS release, for Valentine's...you know...eh...) ...so we are getting there!

    F&G-M: ...Don't remind me... :-] When I first started 'aquiring' Gingerfilms, I kept looking on amazon and eBay, and saw ALL of the big ginger movies available, but REGION 2 only... which was AWEOSME for y'all over there, but it boggled the mind WHY these were not also available in the U.S. ...so maybe the studios are finally rectifying the situation...

    Ron: Well, heck...hope you can get these, or at least the 'big ones'... the list above is in order of 'GingeryGoodnessFactor', with the only one really NOT very 'Gingery' being 'Suicide Fleet'...she is in it only the first 30 minutes or so, then the rest of it is 'out at sea'... a fair movie, tho...
    If you DO decide to grab them all, definitely go with the 'six-pack' deal, which is cheaper than individually...in fact, if you want 4 of the 6, the 'combo deal' basically gives you the other two 'free' - same price as 4 individually... good luck!


    KIG, y'all!!! Hope everyone gets these, or at least the one(s) they were needing!

    VKmfanHuey
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  8. well to make ya feel better, Black Widow and Roxie Hart are still only available on region 1. i aquired a portable region 1 player last year while in the states so i could watch them as my so called multi-region player didn't take to them :/
     
  9. Yes, I remember reading that she was considered for an Oscar for Primrose Path. I just want to make sure that I will like it before I spend twenty dollars on it. I was going to buy Having Wonderful Time and Tom, Dick and Harry, but I caught them on TCM first. Those are my NOT my favorite of her films. I especially didn't care for Having Wonderful Time. It had a good idea, but it just didn't go very far. It was fun to watch Red Skelton, though. I think she's very cute and her dresses are pretty, but I just don't care for the movie itself. I'm glad I didn't buy it. I think I would like Primrose Path, though. If she was almost considered for an Oscar, it must be pretty enjoyable!
     
  10. Wow! That's awesome! :D Finally, hopefully they get Hat Check Girl soon. I am DYING to watch that!
     
  11. Hi sweetie! This is awesome news right? I as usual appreciate all your sweet comments and wish you would list an email address so I could respond to you when you don't post...love to you this weekend honey! Kori xoxo
     
  12. Since I'm new around here (thanks for the welcome, by the way, and it's actually Madeline Kahn on my avatar), I have no idea how interactive people are. However, there is a really nice piece in the Washington Post about the AFI tribute to Ginger, and I thought some might be interested in reading it. I'm just not sure where to post it, so . . . Here?

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/11/AR2011021104692.html
     
  13. That Washington Post article is very confusing to me. I know Ginger as rather permissive, often yielding. That's why people liked her, for she was easy to handle. I recall quite a few other actresses, who often "had the last word", which made them difficult to handle.

    I have Fred and Ginger on my October 1934 schedule now, that means the Gay Divorcée runs a whole week daily. And I really love it. I'm beginning to see Ginger with new eyes, maybe liking her even better than ever before. And this couple is really perfectly fitting. It's sensational!

    Those new Warner Bros. releases are welcome of course. They're supposed to show the world all those treasures, in order to lead it to the better.... ;)
     
  14. Great news for the Gingertenary (or would that be the Gingertennial?).

    Here's something you might want to track down: Did you know that Ginger served as "guest editor" of Screen Book magazine in early 1936? Not sure of the precise issue, but I'm guessing it's March, because Carole Lombard held that honor for the April issue, and guess who sent her a telegram wishing her well? You can learn more about the issue -- including the Rogers telegram -- at http://community.livejournal.com/carole_and_co/213419.html.

    Good luck finding the Ginger issue...and if you've already done something on this, my apologies. Take care.
     
  15. F&G-M: well, heck... isn't that weird? Thanks for the info regarding the 'multi-region' player... I was STRONGLY considering one of those back when there were NO Ginger movies out there... but had also read that they are 'hit and miss', and that a lot of DVDs can 'override' them and not play... sorry you had trouble with it. Roxie is honestly one of my TOTAL Ginger faves...can't really explain, but I just LOVE Ginger in that one...maybe because she is so different, but still 'SassyGinger'...

    PG:Well, Primrose is above all a drama, with a few 'humorous' scenes...the part where is 'cracking wise' with the customers in the cafe she is working in is really a pretty neat sequence, although it seems she 'radically' changes her 'persona' from just a few minutes before the scene - guess a lot of older movies had 'abrupt' changes, for whatever reason...but yes, it is one of her 'top third' movies.

    ALD: Well, ya know, if there was EVER a good time to have 'HCG' surface, it would be during the Gingertennial, right? Again, from the reviews, sounds like a fair movie, but it's a bit weird that an 'electronic' copy of it hasn't surfaced SOMEWHERE before now... and it is a bit 'scary' that if the only copies are 'original reels', the 'shelf life' of them is pretty dang limited at this point. But here's hoping it appears!

    Kori: Thanks for the kind words! You and your blog are so cool... love to hear from you, too! I sent you an e-mail thru your 'profile' section, so hopefully it got thru to you...
    Hope you have a great weekend! Hey, are you off Monday for Prez Day? Most schools are here (I'm off as well), but my daughter has to go for a 'snow make-up' day...bummer. ...but it's either that or go on a Saturday. Have fun, Kori! :)

    ...continued on next comment...
     
  16. ...continuation...

    Lili: Great to hear from you!!! And thanks for the post - honestly, I have been busy the last few days, but will definitely check it out ASAP! As for the 'avatar - well, heck - I should have known that... 'YF' is one of my fav comedies EVER... and it always amazed me that Madeline could be so funny AND beautiful at the same time...she was awesome! Very sad she is no longer with us. Thanks again for the comment, and looking forward to yaking more with you in the future!

    CS: Well, haven't read it as of yet, but sounds interesting... Glad to hear GandF are on the 'menu' for you... Divorcee is really the 'archetypical' GandF movie, although a few of the later films strayed from the template this one established. Ginger singing The Continental is just SO cool...her voice is perfect there, IMHO... Hope ya get some, if not all of the new releases! None of these have a great deal of singing... 'Upperworld' does have her doing 'Shake your Powderpuff' which is pretty dang cute... but all are Gingery in their own way, save for 'Suicide Fleet', which honestly, is just not all that Gingery... but she's IN it, so there ya go!

    VP: whoa...would LOVE that issue! I have a FEW of those movie mags... really need to start collecting more of them... do have the LIFE cover issues, as well as some of the 'LOOK' mags... and the TIME, of course. I will check out Carole and CO here directly...I have been 'yardworking' all day - first day we've had here to get out and work - hit 74 degrees, believe it or not! so, trying to catch up now... thanks again for the info, VP!
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    Thanks for everyone's input! I am starting up on the review of 'Follow The Leader' tonight... I remember it is a fair little movie, with some good Ginger moments...
    In general, tho, it is kinda obvious that it's gonna take quite awhile before all movies will be reviewed... which is fine, because I want to keep the 'format' going, which is hopefully of interest to y'all. Still working on other 'features', and should have a few going soon... hopefully.

    KIG, y'all!
    VKMfanHuey
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  17. Huey said...
    Ginger singing The Continental is just SO cool...her voice is perfect there, IMHO

    Yea! You know I was really taught to sing and several times Fred gives me a pain in my ear. But Ginger is singing wonderfully clean and naturally relaxed.
     
  18. Just googled Screen Book Magazine and from what I can work out Ginger did the Febraury Issue and Jean Harlow did March. http://pages.adateintimecollectibles.com/11804/PictPage/3923181736.html shows the front cover of said magazine but they only have the front cover available :(

  19. Ok...I actually ordered it yesterday. You guys probably think I'm crazy for taking so long to make a decision on a little movie! Just trying to be wise with my cash--as I persuaded myself to buy it, I thought, "A little money DOES need to be spent on a Ginger film every once in a while. Right?" lol