The American Spectator : I'm Joseph Cotten

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I’m Joseph Cotten

By Ben Stein on 12.29.11 @ 6:09AM

He knew how to act as a human being.

Tuesday
It is really late at night. And it’s cold as heck. And my pool heater in Beverly Hills is not working right and I am tired.

But, I am not throwing a fit. I am not yelling at anyone. I have every right to be cranky. I drove all the way down from Rancho Mirage with barely a break. I did that after an emotional meal with my pal, J., a hero of modern warfare. He’s an infantry sergeant in the U.S. Army. He has been in Afghanistan twice and Iraq three times. He’s been rocketed, sniped at, mortared, attacked with IED’s, and he’s tough as nails.

He told me not any of those things is as upsetting as dealing with his surly 9-year-old son. “He raises my blood pressure so much I don’t think I can survive much longer.”

I counseled him about love and patience as we ate our steaks at Morningside. I told him to get a dog and walk the dog together. It must be incredibly tough on families when a dad is deployed five out of the last nine years. And we civilians complain when our steak is overcooked.

I’ll say it until my dying day: No nation in the world has fighting men and women and their families like ours, and we have to value them as if our lives depend on them — because they do. The military wife in particular is the backbone of the nation.

Anyway, I am not throwing any fits tonight because I have a new vow: I am going to try to be more like Joseph Cotten. He is my very favorite actor. He was a courtly, polite, self-effacing good guy who never got the girl but was always good natured about it.

If you want to see how to act as a human being, see him in The Third Man” or Since You Went Away. Calm and self-confident and doesn’t take himself too seriously. That’s Joseph Cotten. He was from a good family in Virginia — and wow, does it show. He reminds me (and my smart sister) of our childhood friend and neighbor (and my idol), David Scull.

Mr. Cotten has been gone for a long time but he lives in my mind and I am going to seek to act like him for as long as I can. When all else fails, act like Joseph Cotten. I know, he didn’t look even a bit like me. No matter. I want to be him.

No more of rash, unthinking, quick to worry Ben Stein. From now on, I’m Joseph Cotten.

This reminds me that when I was in Palm Desert yesterday in my endless and unsuccessful quest for new dishes, a handsome older couple came up to me and greeted me. The husband knew my work well, the wife not so much. The husband explained about me to his wife, “Ben has really strong Christian values,” he said and patted me on my back.

I didn’t know quite what to say about that but I quickly realized it was an extravagant compliment, so I took his hand and thanked him and wished them both a happy new year, with a smile. That’s what Joseph Cotten would have done.

A few minutes later, I saw my dream girl, Sierra, the T-Mobile sales woman, who is some day going to show me how to work a “smart phone.” If she can do that, I can be happy. I just know it. Joseph Cotten with a smart phone. Sierra, with electrifying red hair, asked me if I could make her a star in Hollywood.

”Frankly, no,” I said.

”That’s okay,” she said, “you’re a cute old guy.”

That reminds me that Joseph Cotten played an old, alcoholic, dying man in Citizen Kane. At that time Cotten was probably not even thirty. Can you believe that Citizen Kane and Gone With the Wind were made within months of each other in 1938-39, when World War II was already started and Dachau was up and running? What a world that was. Now, we have movies about passing gas. And some people say voters should not have to show photo ID. It’s just unbelievable. What a world we live in now. What a fall was this.

Well, Joseph Cotten wouldn’t take it that seriously and neither will I.

About the Author

Ben Stein is a writer, actor, economist, and lawyer living in Beverly Hills and Malibu. He writes “Ben Stein’s Diary” for every issue of The American Spectator.

Letter to the Editor View all comments (85) | Leave a comment Leave a comment

Dave | 12.29.11 @ 7:23AM

Ben's next to last paragraph in which he reflects on "where we were" and "who we've become today", pretty much, nails the current state of Hollywood, and what America's pop culture has sunk to.

You doubt? OK, let's try a TMZ style pop quiz:

Best Film of the Past Century: (check one)

(a) "Citizen Kane"
(b) "The Godfather"
(c) "Dude, Where's My Car?"

Winner of our TMZ (ish) quiz receives my special thanks for participating, plus a free pair of complimentary passes to the premiere screening of next summer's Hollywood blockbuster: The Life and Legend of William Clinton: "Dude, Where's My Pants?"

See 'ya at the movies!

Harry the Horrible| 12.29.11 @ 8:45AM

None of the above?

Seek| 12.29.11 @ 12:05PM

Nice bit of cherry-picking (and lazy middlebrow film-snobbery), mate. Try these 2011 films for size: "Hugo," "Super 8," "The Adjustment Bureau," "The Ides of March," "The Debt," "Moneyball," "The Descendants," "War Horse," "The Adventures of Tin Tin," "Source Code," "Contagion," "Hanna," "Jane Eyre," "The Way Home," "Higher Ground" and "Drive." Beats 90 percent of the crap that previaled in some imaginary golden age.

Seek| 12.29.11 @ 12:05PM

gearjammer| 12.29.11 @ 12:32PM

Define " crap ". One wonders if technology is what makes any of the above interesting. Plus, Ben was talking about how a man carries himself. For many of us, the way a modern actor potrays a man is well-lacking.

Occam's Tool| 12.29.11 @ 5:49PM

Seek: 1946-1947, Film Noir ALONE:

Notorious (Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, Claude Rains) 1946. The Big Sleep 1946. Out of the Past 1947. The Killers 1946. Body and Soul 1947. Odd Man Out 1947. Guilda 1946. Brute Force 1947.

Best Picture Nominees in 1946 included: Olivier's Henry V in 1946---it didn't win. The winner: The Best Years of Our Lives, which is another classic.

1947's winner was Gentlemen's Agreement, with Gregory Peck. I picked these two years at random.

Seek, I was a movie usher as a kid---I saw a LOT of modern films of the 80s and 90s. And I still love movies. But the films I mention are better written, and in some cases more erotic, than their modern counterparts (Bogey and Bacall in Key Largo).

"Hugo" is a movie made by a modern master. "The Adjustment Bureau," "Moneyball," "Contagion" do not compare to the movies I noted above, as even "Hugo" is not in a league with, say, "The Wizard of Oz." (No incredible voice a 'la the immortal Garland singing "Somewhere over the Rainbow.")

Seek, spend some more time with TCM. Ted Turner is an ass, but TCM picks generally good movies. 1931's The Maltese Falcon, for example---no detective film, or attempted noir has even come close---not even LA Confidential or The Usual Suspects among modern films. Spacey is good, but he's no Peter Lorre.

Occam's Tool| 12.29.11 @ 5:57PM

Sorry---"Gilda." Rita Hayworth. Nuff said.

Margie| 12.29.11 @ 8:32PM

Rita Hayworth~ one of my faves. I liked Lana Turner, too.
Those movies were so great. Watching them is one of my favorite hobbies.

You won't believe it, but there was this guy at one of my jobs back in the day that used to call me Rita.
LOL.
I didn't mind it a bit.

Margie| 12.29.11 @ 8:35PM

Cary Grant used to melt me. Gary Cooper, too. Alan Ladd.. wow.Bogie, yeah. Gregory Peck: awesome.
Such great actors back then.

Occam's Tool| 12.29.11 @ 6:38PM

And here's 1948, where the Best Picture Winner is Olivier's "Hamlet."

Also released that year is "The Bicycle Thief," "The Snake Pit," "Mr. Blandings Builds his Dream House,""Sorry, Wrong Number," "Joan of Arc" (with Ingrid Bergman), "Easter Parade," "The Adventures of Don Juan" (with Errol Flynn---not a stretch), and, almost forgot to mention---the TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE and KEY LARGO, neither of which won Best Picture.

Do you want to give up, Seek, or shall I beat on you some more? ;-)

(Did I mention that I was a College Bowl champion, and one of my specialties was film trivia? That I was a friend of the "Cowgirl" in the USO scene in Apocalypse Now? That I was a good friend once upon a time with one of Joan Collins' co-stars? (The movie was "Homework.") Hey, I KNOW my trivia.)

Occam's Tool| 12.29.11 @ 6:41PM

Also released in 1948 was Sir Ralph Richardson's and Vivien Leigh's "Anna Karenina," Jimmy Stewart's "Call Northside 777," Orson Welles' "Macbeth," George Stevens' "I Remember Mama,"

Occam's Tool| 12.29.11 @ 6:42PM

sorry not done--- and "Johnny Belinda." No Golden age, uh-huh.

Occam's Tool| 12.29.11 @ 7:09PM

Now, just to pick another year at random---1938---"You Can't Take it with you," (Best Picture) Hitchcock's "The Lady Vanishes," "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm" (Shirley Temple), Leslie Howard in "Pygmalion," "Jezebel," with Betty Davis and Henry Fonda(Best Actress to Davis), "A Christmas Carol," Errol Flynn & Basil Rathbone as pals and good guys in "The Dawn Patrol," Eisenstein's "Alexander Nevsky," and, oh, yes, one of the greatest comedies of all time, "Bringing up Baby."

This was during the Great Depression.

Now, to pick a more modern time: these are the top grossing films of 1992:

1.Aladdin Disney voices of Scott Weinger, Robin Williams, and Linda Larkin Ron Clements and John Musker $504,050,219 $28 million

2. The Bodyguard Warner Bros. Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston Mick Jackson $410,945,720 N/A

3. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York Fox Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, Catherine O'Hara, Tim Curry, and John Heard Chris Columbus $358,994,850 $20 million

4. Basic Instinct TriStar Michael Douglas, Sharon Stone, Jeanne Tripplehorn, and George Dzundza Paul Verhoeven $352,927,224 $49 million

5. Lethal Weapon 3 Warner Bros. Mel Gibson, Danny Glover, Joe Pesci, and Rene Russo Richard Donner $321,731,527 $35 million

6. Batman Returns Warner Bros. Michael Keaton, Michelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Michael Gough, Pat Hingle, and Danny DeVito Tim Burton $266,822,354 $80 million

7. A Few Good Men Columbia Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, Kevin Pollak, Kevin Bacon, Keifer Sutherland, and Jack Nicholson, Rob Reiner $243,240,178 $40 million

8. Sister Act Touchstone Whoopi Goldberg and Maggie Smith Emile Ardolino $231,605,150 N/A

9. Bram Stoker's Dracula Columbia Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Keanu Reeves, and Anthony Hopkins Francis Ford Coppola $215,862,692 $40 million

10. Wayne's World

Ow.

These were the top grossers in the year The Maltese Falcon came out---1931: (The Maltese Falcon was not one of them)

1. Frankenstein Universal Boris Karloff
2. Cimarron RKO Richard Dix and Irene Dunne
3. Mata Hari MGM Greta Garbo
4. City Lights United Artists Charlie Chaplin
5. A Free Soul MGM Norma Shearer
6. Dracula Universal Bela Lugosi
7. Private Lives MGM Norma Shearer
8. No Limit Paramount Clara Bow
9. The Public Enemy Warner Bros. James Cagney and Jean Harlow
10. The Smiling Lieutenant Paramount Maurice Chevalier, Claudette Colbert and Miriam Hopkins

Frankenstein, Dracula, The Public Enemy, City Lights leap out at me. Cimarron (the original) wonBest Picture but was racist towards Native Americans. You see any of the 1992 top grossers being decades long classics? The Beaver scene in Basic Instinct being shown over and over? Yeah? That's Taste and Class?

Also coming out in this depression year was "A Connecticut Yankee" with Will Rogers, "The Front Page," Peter Lorre's "M," "Little Caesar,"The Marx Brothers in "Monkey Business,"Wallace Beery's "The Champ." (He won the Best Actor for that, sharing the Prize with Fredric march for "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.")

OK, I'm done. We should flatten Teheran like I've flattened your argument. But I can pick any year between 1931 and 1957 and repeat this.

The Studio System worked well.

These were

Occam's Tool| 12.29.11 @ 7:10PM

Sorry for the last two words. "These were" was left over.

Occam's Tool| 12.29.11 @ 7:39PM

Top Ten in 1956:

1. The Ten Commandments Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner and Anne Baxter Paramount $43,000,000
2. Around the World in Eighty Days David Niven, Cantinflas and Shirley MacLaine United Artists $23,120,000
3. Giant Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean Warner Bros. $14,000,000
4. War and Peace Audrey Hepburn and Henry Fonda Paramount $12,500,000
5. The King and I Deborah Kerr and Yul Brynner 20th Century Fox $9,000,000
6. The Searchers John Wayne Warner Bros. $8,500,000
7. Bus Stop Marilyn Monroe 20th Century Fox $7,269,000
8. The Girl Can't Help It Jayne Mansfield, Tom Ewell, and Edmund O'Brien 20th Century Fox $6,250,000
9. High Society Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, and Frank Sinatra MGM $5,878,000
10. Written on the Wind Rock Hudson, Lauren Bacall, Robert Stack, and Dorothy Malone

The best film there was the best Western ever made, "The Searchers." But "Giant" was a James Dean masterpiece, "Around the World in 80 Days" was awesome, and "The Ten Commandments" and "The King and I,"were, some would say, somewhat memorable.

And now, the top 10 grossers for 2006:

1 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest Disney $1,066,179,725 $423,315,812 $98,668,102 $28,477,460
2 The Da Vinci Code Columbia $758,239,851 $217,536,138 $55,723,141 $20,561,541
3 Ice Age: The Meltdown Fox/Blue Sky $655,388,158 $195,330,621 $52,328,847 $17,960,331
4 Casino Royale MGM/Columbia $594,239,066 $167,445,960 $105,932,056 $25,391,472
5 Night at the Museum Fox $574,480,052 $250,863,268 $40,838,600 $18,944,343
6 Cars Disney/Pixar $461,983,149 $244,082,982 $30,858,370 $13,450,636
7 X-Men: The Last Stand Fox/Marvel $459,359,555 $234,362,462 $35,817,332 $12,601,706
8 Mission: Impossible III Paramount $397,850,012 $134,029,801 $29,032,559 $8,446,854
9 Superman Returns Warner Bros. $391,081,192 $200,081,192 $30,157,106 $10,300,000
10 Happy Feet Warner Bros. $384,335,608 $198,000,317 $37,779,303 $26,245,071

I can see Cars as a long lasting animated feature. The others? Piffle.

You wants I should do 1950 and 2000? Here ya go:

1950---Actors Gross
1. Cinderella* Disney/RKO $141,087,000
2. King Solomon's Mines MGM Deborah Kerr and Stewart Granger $5,586,000
3. Annie Get Your Gun MGM Betty Hutton $4,919,000
4. Sunset Boulevard Paramount Gloria Swanson and William Holden $4,425,000
5. Father of the Bride MGM Spencer Tracy, Joan Bennett and Elizabeth Taylor $4,115,000
6. Wabash Avenue 20th Century Fox Betty Grable $4,054,000
7. All About Eve 20th Century Fox Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, George Sanders, Celeste Holm, Gary Merrill, Hugh Marlowe, and a brief appearance by Marilyn Monroe $3,600,000
8. Born Yesterday Columbia Judy Holliday, Broderick Crawford and William Holden $3,300,000
9. At War with the Army Paramount Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis $3,100,000
10. My Blue Heaven 20th Century Fox Betty Grable and Dan Dailey

A number of forgettable films are present, true. But: Cinderella, Born Yesterday, All About Eve, Father of the Bride, and Sunset Boulevard all in ONE YEAR? Did I mention that Harvey with Jimmy Stewart and Cyrano de Bergerac with Jose Ferrer also came out that year? Also the Glass Menagerie? Also Panic in the Streets? Also Winchester '73 (a Jimmy Stewart excellent Western), and Where the Sidewalk Ends. What did I forget? Hmmm...

Oh yeah--The flinkin' THE THIRD MAN!

Here are the powerhouses of 2000:

Mission: Impossible II Paramount Tom Cruise, Dougray Scott, Thandie Newton, Ving Rhames, Brendan Gleeson and Richard Roxburgh John Woo $546,388,105 $215,409,889 $26,373,540 $13,164,272
2 Gladiator DreamWorks/Universal Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Djimon Hounsou and Oliver Reed Ridley Scott $457,640,427 $187,705,427 $47,775,542 $18,466,914
3 Cast Away Fox/DreamWorks Tom Hanks, Helen Hunt and Chris Noth Robert Zemeckis $429,632,142 $233,632,142 $22,166,719 $11,594,722
4 What Women Want Paramount Mel Gibson, Helen Hunt and Marisa Tomei Nancy Meyers $374,111,707 $182,811,707 $24,660,636 $11,689,023
5 Dinosaur Disney voices of D. B. Sweeney, Julianna Margulies and Alfre Woodard Ralph Zondag and Eric Leighton $349,822,765 $137,748,063 — —
6 How the Grinch Stole Christmas Universal Jim Carrey, Taylor Momsen, Jeffrey Tambor and Christine Baranski Ron Howard $345,141,403 $260,044,825 $21,925,287 $4,376,924
7 Meet the Parents Universal/DreamWorks Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Teri Polo, Blythe Danner and Owen Wilson Jay Roach $330,444,045 $166,244,045 $21,360,088 $11,549,612
8 The Perfect Storm Warner Bros. George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Diane Lane, William Fichtner, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and John C. Reilly Wolfgang Petersen $328,718,434 $182,618,434 — —
9 X-Men Fox Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry, James Marsden, Famke Janssen, Anna Paquin, Bruce Davison and Rebecca Romijn-Stamos Bryan Singer $296,339,527 $157,299,717 $22,186,479 $6,481,541
10 What Lies Beneath DreamWorks/Fox Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer Robert Zemeckis $291,420,351 $155,464,351 $19,911,075 $4,651,385

Let's not forget one of the worst films of all time, 2000's "Battlefield Earth."

But, seriously, folks. There are about 10 unforgettable masterpieces that played to wide audiences in 1950, and tell me you haven't seen "The Third Man," "Cinderella," "Born Yesterday," "All About Eve," "Harvey," "Sunset Blvd?"

Let's assume "Gladiator" has a shot of being popular in 2050. Do you think any of the others on 2000's top ten list are going to keep on kicking in 2050? But what about the six I mentioned? Are they timeless? "The Third Man," "Cinderella," "Born Yesterday," "All About Eve," "Harvey," "Sunset Blvd?"

Yeah, I think so. Check and Mate, Seek.

Bob Grant| 12.29.11 @ 7:56PM

Occam,

I considered making a similar music comparison posting the Billboard top 40 list from say 1965, 1976, or 1981 to one of today's. The same argument could be made.

There could be one small hitch, however, in your argument because you did not factor in our country's changing demographics. Do you think Hassam the muslim or Jose the illegal immigrant from El Salvidor appreciate Citizen Kane or The Third Man as much as you and me?

Occam's Tool| 12.30.11 @ 10:20AM

Hassam the Muslim may not---and, although Jose is illegal, the fact that he has the gumption to come here should make him appreciate "Citizen Kane," and the illegality and cynicism of "The Third Man.".

Margie| 12.29.11 @ 6:58PM

O.T.: Have you ever read Tolstoy's Anna?
The man understood women. It blew me away!

Occam's Tool| 12.29.11 @ 7:12PM

I'm ashamed to say, no. But I had to translate some of his short stories in Russian class in high school---Russian is a jawbreaking language, but beautifully, mathematically precise in its grammar. Tolstoy's Russian, I remember, was simple and lucid and stunning.

Margie| 12.29.11 @ 8:14PM

Oh, my. I didn't read it in Russian. Yikes. But my husband can speak it and read it pretty good, having been raised as a first son to Russian speaking parents.

When they came to America when he was 5 yrs old, they gave it up in favor of English, but hubby never forgot it completely.

And no need to be ashamed at all, just asking. There are so many books I've not yet read, and I sort of stumbled upon Tolstoy quite by accident.

I used to work for a Co. that was in the McGraw-Hill bldg in NYC back in the 80's, and we had access to their bookstore and quite often on my lunch hour I'd peruse through the books.

If you ever get the chance, read it. You won't regret it. What an amazing writer he was.
I've read just about everything by him so far, except War & Peace!! I have an old copy of it still sitting on the shelf, along with over 200 other books.. used to be quite the avid reader at one time. Got to get back to it. I love everything, but especially the really meaty stuff.

With War & Peace I started it once but found it hard to remember all the different characters. I MUST try again.

With his Anna~ I was actually riding the subway home from work when I reached the last few pages of the book.

Not knowing how it was going to end, I had quite the emotional response which I had to as best I could try and hide as I was sitting there. :^).

Margie| 12.29.11 @ 8:29PM

Just have to add.. for anyone who hasn't read it: Tolstoy's portrayal of the woman, Anna is absolutely unbelievable. It was like he was inside of her very body. Her emotions, the wrenching, the regret, the desire~ all of it. I have never read such a thing before, nor since.

The epitome of riveting.

Talk about bringing the characters to life!

Later, I found out he became a Christian at sometime in his life, though I haven't found many of his writings on the subject.

Occam's Tool| 12.30.11 @ 10:22AM

Ask Vic---he'll tell you Tolstoy's Russian is impeccable and beautiful. The story moved me to tears even though I was translating it painfully word by word for an assignment.

Merry Christmas and a Wonderful New Year, Margie. To you and Vic.

Margie| 12.30.11 @ 1:43PM

O.T.,

If you happen to remember which one it was that you read, I'd like to know just to see if I've also read it as well.

Thanks for the well wishes, and may you come to know the Lord in this coming year. You're always in my prayers!

Occam's Tool| 12.30.11 @ 10:27AM

Oops---it was one Tolstoy Story, not several. The other story was written during Stalinist times, about a cure for gas gangrene....(my teacher was going through a nasty divorce...)

Occam's Tool| 12.30.11 @ 10:26AM

Seek: Merry Christmas and G-d Bless. But your argument does not stand up, and I demolished it below.

Stefan Stackhouse| 12.29.11 @ 12:58PM

You won't see me there, I'm afraid. Haven't been for about four decades now, with only a couple of exceptions (Point of the Spear, Amazing Grace). I catch only a very few on TV or DVD, either. Most of what snips I catch when surfing the TV I frankly find sickening. No wonder this country is going down the tubes, especially when you add in pop music, video games, etc., etc. GIGO. We are indeed "entertaining ourselves to death."

rhoetus| 12.29.11 @ 4:42PM

Here are my top 5 picks:

(a) Ben Hur
(b) Shenandoah
(c) Amistad
(d) The Winslow Boy
(e) Snow Falling on Ceders

Fred C. Dobbs| 12.30.11 @ 12:48PM

Shouldn't that be, "Dude, where're my pants?".

Rick V.| 12.29.11 @ 7:38AM

Mr. Stein,
Thank you once again for your salute to our military service men and women, and especially your salute to the "military wife." I was an Army spouse for 20 years until my wife retired almost 20 years ago. Our first son was born in what was then West Berlin. I was the only male Army spouse in the entire command and, after the baby was born, I became the first male "Army mom." A daughter and second son would follow, along with a few dogs and military moves, and we spent nearly 10 of my wife's 20 years in Germany and I was employed by the Dept. of Defense. But of course my primary job was as the Army's version of Mr. Mom, particularly when my wife was deployed. It was not until those deployed periods when the car broke down, the dog got hit by a car (but survived!), the parent/teacher meetings were scheduled, knees and elbows were scraped, etc. Many, many stories to tell there but now we are all well and happy and thankful to God for our blessings. And I am thankful to you for your kind recognition of the U.S. military.

Occam's Tool| 12.29.11 @ 5:18PM

Citizen Kane was released in 1941, not 1939.

The US Military IS the best in the world. No arguement from me.

Ever think of telling your friend to get his kid into therapy? The kid has some issues with his dad he needs to deal with and work through. There are some very obvious ones I can think of, having worked with vets and their significant others for 4 years in residency.

WRTolkas| 12.29.11 @ 8:29AM

Dear Mr. Stein,

"He was a courtly, polite, self-effacing good guy who never got the girl but was always good natured about it."

Mr. Cotton got the girl in: Hers to Hold. The girl was the singer/actress Deanna Durbin. In the movie Hers to Hold, Miss Durbin works in her father's aircraft factory during the war. Mr. Cotton and Miss Durin had met early in the movie. She knows that Joseph works in the factory, but she cannot find him. So Miss Durbin decides to let him find her by volunteering to sing during the factory lunch break. Miss Durban sings out the best female vocal of Cole Porter's Begin the Beguine (Tony Martin the best male vocal recording). Joseph is working in the office when he hears her singing. You must see their faces when they see each other again while Miss Durban sings. Luckily, you can see this on YouTube. I wish that I could tell Mr. Cotton that this is the only time that I have been jealous of any actor.

Happy New Year to all.

Jeff Perren| 12.29.11 @ 10:19AM

He also got the girl, and a great one, in Love Letters (1945) with Jennifer Jones, script by Ayn Rand.

gearjammer| 12.29.11 @ 12:34PM

Seek would find it all so corny.

Dan Heffalump| 12.29.11 @ 9:00AM

Ben, were you really working on a Housing statement just before the transcripts were about to be released?

Kingofthenet| 12.29.11 @ 9:14AM

Why does Ben want to deny and disenfranchise poor and Black people the right to vote? Voting is a RIGHT under the Constitution and NOT something we should be erecting barriers to do.

Bob Grant| 12.29.11 @ 10:13AM

Does race hustling ever take a break?

I mean, do you ever shut it down for a few moments and contemplate what an utter waste of time it is?

...over to you king. I'm ready for you to call me a racist.

Nick| 12.29.11 @ 11:23AM

Kook of the Net,

We should definitely being erecting barriers to keep people like you from voting, that's for sure!

Besides, making sure that my vote isn't cancelled out by one of you cheating, bleeding heart liberal vote-thieves is not denying anyone the right to vote. It is guaranteeing that my vote actually counts.

The fact that you stinking liberals are so vehemently against these laws, is proof that the democrat party relies on the votes of the dead to win elections.

Kingofthenet| 12.29.11 @ 11:57AM

BS, you want to PROVIDE FREE Photo ID cards fine by me, but to expect some little old lady from the inner city who doesn't drive or have a passport to PAY money to get some ID card to vote, is no different than a modern Poll tax. It's UnAmerican, also if you want to have EVERYONE dip their finger in indelible ink to prevent fraud, fine by me.I have no problem with a NATIONAL ID card, do you?

gearjammer| 12.29.11 @ 12:43PM

We just do not want non citizens voting here. Or, the little old lady voting from the grave. Little old ladies who are breathing get around in m ost cities, by the way. This may be more of an issue in rural America where alot of bitter clingers reside. But, if we can send humans to the moon then just maybe we can get somebody to knock on the door of this alledged isolated shut in who we presume has never had a swoc sec card, a driver's license, a credit card, a bank account, not guv relared ID of any kind for the various services she recieves, etc, etc. Sadly, peopel who get paid millions delivering the " new" will advance this contention without an ounce of shame.

Nick| 12.29.11 @ 1:23PM

Kook,

None of these laws require anyone to pay for the voter I.D. It is not a "modern Poll tax." That is just more stinking liberal propaganda.

I thought that it was wrong to call people "UnAmerican" or to question someone's patriotism, according to you bleeding heart liberals? The hypocrisy of the left knows no bounds!

Why do we need a national I.D. card? It would be a lot easier to have citizenship status color-coded on all of our driver's licenses. Anyone here on a visa who wants a license, would have a color-code on their license with an expiration date. If they are a permanent resident alien, a different color-code.

There, problem solved.

Bob Grant| 12.29.11 @ 1:37PM

King,

Did it ever occur to you that by having such low expectations of minorities in thinking that they are not capable of taking the necessary steps to become an eligible voter perhaps makes YOU SIR the true racist?

You are a racist and bigot with a plantation mentality.

Occam's Tool| 12.29.11 @ 5:56PM

The cost of a driver's license or photo ID in MN is less than one dollar a month.

Dave Williams| 12.29.11 @ 1:42PM

This country started its long descent when the property qualification for voting was abolished. No skin in the game (should) = no vote.

Bob Grant| 12.29.11 @ 1:46PM

That's absurd. Even most landowners wouldn't agree with that.

Occam's Tool| 12.29.11 @ 5:52PM

So a guy making $300K living in an apartment in NYC should not be allowed to vote while someone who owns a trailer in Kentucky can? There are a varoiety of ways to have skin in the game, you know.

Gary| 12.29.11 @ 11:30AM

This is related to Joseph Cotton?

Bill| 12.29.11 @ 9:45AM

Please, just don't act like Uncle Charlie in Shadow of a Doubt.

Skippy| 12.30.11 @ 4:11PM

He was terrifying!
Filmed in(and starring)Santa Rosa Ca., "Shadow" whups all the gross-out viscera-fest fun-with-amputation BS movies made today.
Uncle Charlie and his clever namesake.
Brrr!!!

Bob Grant| 12.29.11 @ 10:16AM

The Third Man is a must-see classic.

loulou| 12.29.11 @ 4:17PM

One of the best movies ever made.

Peppermint Tea| 12.29.11 @ 10:25AM

Ben,
thank you for your Christian values.
I loved the part in your film when you walked with sneakers into the Christian Creationist think tank to the tune of Spirit in the Sky.
You Jews have balls.

Vern Crisler | 12.29.11 @ 12:45PM

When Jewish Ben is complimented for his "Christian" values it reminds me of a scene in the TV show *Barney Miller*, where a blind man had the ability to read a person without seeing him. In a seen with the Japanese policeman (played by Jack Soo), Soo asked the blind man to use his powers on him.

The blind man says, "You're forceful, determined, a leader of men. When you speak others listen up...."

Soo nods self-complacently.

The blind man continues: "Either that or you're Japanese."

The scene ends with Soo doing a double-take, and dropping a cigarette out of his mouth.

I can just see Ben in that roll!

Vern Crisler | 12.29.11 @ 12:46PM

Ugh, role.

Occam's Tool| 12.30.11 @ 10:23AM

You know, when people compliment me, I just take it, say thank you, and appreciate it. My experience has been that there is too little kindness in the world, and too many bloodthirsty beheaders of children,

Vern Crisler | 12.30.11 @ 11:21AM

I think it would be funny if Ben would do a commercial like that:

A blind man reads Ben:

"You're a marvelous human being, courageous, kind, and a man of great values."

Ben smiles in a self-satisfied way.

The blind man continues: "Or you're a Jew."

Ben's cigarette drops out of his mouth, and his eyes go wide.

Not sure what commercial this would be though. Selling insurance maybe?

Gary| 12.29.11 @ 11:27AM

Cotton was class with a capital "C." I remember him so many films, big and small. It didn't matter he always showed up. I recall in particular a Twilight Zone episode when he played a man injured in a car wreck mistaken for dead. The terror and desperation he displayed is unforgettable as he tried to communicate that he was alive. A truly great actor, under appreciated as were many character actors.

Renee| 12.29.11 @ 3:51PM

You can say that again, Gary. And IMO, if there is such a thing as a perfect film -- it's The Third Man, hands down. So glad Mr. Stein reminded the world what a class act Cotten was.

Nick| 12.29.11 @ 11:31AM

Mr. Stein,

I am a heating and air conditioning mechanic.
If you would fly me from Detroit to Beverly Hills, I will guarantee that your pool heater will be working properly when I'm finished, as long as it is repairable.

Is a first-class, round-trip ticket asking too much?
How about a suite at the Four Seasons?

Anthony| 12.29.11 @ 11:56AM

Hey Ben, does your $200 p/h shrink know that you are now Joseph Cotten? Perhaps it was his idea, can't hurt I suppose.

Kingofthenet| 12.29.11 @ 11:58AM

I always picture Ben on Shutter Island...

Bill| 12.29.11 @ 12:16PM

Thanks Ben. You already are a distinguished gentleman.

gearjammer| 12.29.11 @ 12:47PM

Slowly but surely, Ben is getting hold of his well " mojo" again. The young Americans he hihlights military and civilian I see as well. They are our salvation.

sirbourbon| 12.29.11 @ 1:32PM

Mr. Stein,
If we lived in the world that Joesph Cotton grew up in - a world when honesty was a held as something to be proud of - we would not need to show a "voter ID" card. Why don't we all aspire to return to those days.

Advise your soldier friend that his son is trying to articulate something to his father: deploy more time to your family.

Margie| 12.29.11 @ 2:46PM

Netflix is great for home delivery and watching of old movies.

Bob Grant| 12.29.11 @ 2:57PM

Er, there's a channel on your basic cable called AMC...and it's free.

That's even greater.

Margie| 12.29.11 @ 3:29PM

OK. True, but for anyone who doesn't have t.v.

And anyway, you get to choose from hundreds if not thousands.

Bob Grant| 12.29.11 @ 3:41PM

If you want to go that route, I'll let you in on a little secret:

Assuming you can connect your television to your computer, you can go to Amazon.com and go to a page called Amazon Prime. There, you have access to thousands of movies which costs about 80 bucks a year.

Or, you can check it out FREE for a month.

There's that FREE thing again. Hard to beat.

Margie| 12.29.11 @ 3:50PM

Thanks for the info to someone who can use it. We don't have nor are interested in having t.v.
I'll have to see if we can do that without the t.v.

Bob Grant| 12.29.11 @ 8:05PM

Sure, you're welcome.

Dan Mathewson| 12.29.11 @ 5:01PM

Don't forget about TCM. Sure it's owned by Ted Turner. There's no commercials like AMC. Plus as Bill Cosby said in an old commercial for the station, "There's no cursing."

Martha Francois| 12.29.11 @ 3:44PM

I think Joseph Cotton gets the girl in Gaslight (after she recovers from Charles Boyer) and I don't know that he does not get the girl in The Third Man (I seem to remember that he was a persistent sort). Of course, he also played a serial killer in the Hitchcock movie Shadow of a Doubt. Don't know much about him personally, but he was a wonderful actor. And yes, movies were a lot better then.

Paul| 12.29.11 @ 4:10PM

Joseph Cotton is as good a model as you will find of an ideal American masculinity which was depicted in many films of the Thirties and Forties: someone who is self-assured and self-respecting, but not arrogant, a "regular guy" who was also a man of the world, a gentleman who wasn't the least bit a snob, a man who was strong but kind (especially with women and children,) a fellow who never lost his balance or his sense of humor, a grown-up even in his twenties (and always dressed as an adult, I might add.)

As for me, I 'd like to carry myself more like Cotton's contemporary Melvyn Douglas who was another outstanding actor of this pattern.

Occam's Tool| 12.29.11 @ 7:43PM

Dear Ben, you moron:

Jimmy Stewart. Ivy League Grad, WWII hero, Air Force General, better actor than Joe. Faithfully married for decades to his one wife until his death. The Real Deal. Oh, and more Conservative than you.

Skippy| 12.30.11 @ 4:27PM

I read that Stewart had enough muscle in Hollywood to demand(and get)that no studio could even mention his WW2 service to promote his movies.
We used to call that character and integrity.
For comparison, see Sean Penn in Haiti.

Bob Grant| 12.29.11 @ 4:23PM

The only current American actor who tries to "act" like he carries himself well is George Clooney.

He presents himself with all of the traits attributed Mr. Cotton but one gets the sense he's playing a role as opposed to being genuine.

Of course, it's hard to take him seriously when he opens his mouth to spew his liberal nonsense.

rhoetus| 12.29.11 @ 4:45PM

I oppose "post card" registration. We need to show proof of identity to register to vote and show a picture ID at the polling place. This will prevent voter fraud.

toadold| 12.29.11 @ 8:57PM

Even what was considered an action movie had things in it and production values that were outstanding. One aspect to the plot of King Solomon's Mines was how the character played by Stewart Granger had been affected by his service in World War I. There is one graphic scene where he is fighting a hostile African and you can see it in his use of a Lee Enfield with a bayonet attached. In my mind it showed how he had the left the front but the front hadn't left him. Oh not a lot of blood and gore but it made my back mind picture him doing it with a German on some miserable battle field. Stewart didn't just mail that scene in even though it was a non speaking bit.

POST American| 12.29.11 @ 10:40PM

---Remembering when actors were NOT action
models, brands and inspid, franchise slum sellouts.

Remembering when actors were, well,
------ACTORS.

Janis| 12.29.11 @ 10:46PM

General rule in our house about movies...if it was made after 1955 it more likely will not be entertaining. Watch a Busby Berkley movie and see what they did before CGI.

We also watch a lot of Pixar and DreamWorks cartoons.

On the questonaire... Citizen Kane..

Hollywood shows where society is...sad state of affairs. When you are know for short marriage and your reality show...also stars do not have to have talent. Back in 30's and 40's you had to have talent..sing, dance, and act. Which very few stars today can do.

War Horse looks interesting.

POST American| 12.29.11 @ 11:02PM

----------------------FINAL WORD-------------------------

In this, the 11th hour of the Globalist world TREASON
and enforced EUGENICS OP
2 movies we discovered that speak to our
time, unfurl the reality of the 'Age-enda'----

Akira Kurosawa's 1952 ------'IKIRU'-------
Rediscover what it's like to have a soul

F W Murnau's 1927 -----------'FAUST'-----------------
Again, no sound, no CG ----but MORE profound
by the minute

CHECK 'EM OUT ---when you're ready for SOBER

protoplasm| 12.30.11 @ 12:10AM

watched The Third Man this weekend, what a movie!
loved Mr Cotten in Soylent Green
Gilbert: [hesitating before killing Simonson] Uh... they told me to uh... to say that they were sorry, but that you had become... unreliable.
Simonson: That's true.
Gilbert: They can't risk, uh... catastrophe, they say.
Simonson: They're right.
Gilbert: Then, uh... this is right?
Simonson: No, not right... Necessary.
Gilbert: To who?
Simonson: To... God.

Cotten and Robinson at the end, the end of legends.

Margie| 12.31.11 @ 6:12PM

For an interesting read and look into the old Hollywood behind the scenes, read Shirley Temple's book, Child Star.

What a great lady. Class personified from the day she was born.

She was at one time President of the Screen Actors Guild.

She was also involved in politics as well. Plus some interesting involvement with J. Edgar Hoover.

JEdward| 1.2.12 @ 6:27PM

He was also superb as Eugene in "The Magnificent Ambersons"

Dipesto| 1.2.12 @ 11:12PM

I had to look into a movie website to find a list of Joseph Cotton's movies I may have forgotten. And, he played Bette Davis' dull husband in Beyond the Forest--a movie of such astoundingness you should tape your jaws shut to watch it. It's the movie where she says "What a dump!"
Bette

Dipesto| 1.2.12 @ 11:56PM

He also held his own with Marilyn Monroe in Niagara, and I found him listed in that strange '60s movie Petulia. And he played Henry Stimson in Tora Tora Tora.