I Told You I Was Going To Write About Movie Money Shots!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                 No, girls, not the kind used in porn movies.  Where is the artistry and poetry, in that?  The results are all the same, just different bodies, because these folk certainly cannot be called actors.

                                 The money shots I feature here are from classic films, featuring classic performances.  They make the heart stop, rather than the groin ache.  And it is amazing how many of them come from musicals.

                                  Let us start with what I call The Judy Garland Triptych.

                                  1.

                                  

                                  Judy Garland, singing "Over The Rainbow," in "The Wizard Of Oz."  Need

                                  I say more?

                                  2.

                                     Judy Garland comforting a sobbing Margaret O'Brien, in "Meet Me In St. Louis.."  In a film where each shot is almost a moneyed one, the moment, following O'Brien's devastating childhood hysterics, smashing the snowmen, coming on the heels of Garland's flawless rendition of "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas," this, as far as I am concerned is the penultimate shot!

                                3.  Judy Garland (again) at the climax of "Born In A Trunk," from "A Star Is

Born." Another film abounding in rich images, but this one is like a master painting.  If I did not know George Cukor had directed this film, I would swear the scene was staged by Vincente Minnelli.

                                4.

                                Julie Andrews' famous Alpine twirl at the opening of "The Sound Of Music."  This shot is so powerful it impresses even the film's detractors, who will watch it, only for this alone.
What follows, of course, is classic; how could I not include it?  It never fails to thrill me, when, seen in a theater, as the camera pans over the landscape, and the camera first spots Julie, the audience tenses with excitement, gasps, and, as the music builds, some queen will shout out, "Sing it, Jules!" And, boy, does she!


                                                                     

                          5,  The incredible pullback finish, as BARBRA finishes belting out "Don't Rain On My Parade," at the first act finale of "Funny Girl."  All of us want to wear that orange outfit, and do the song on the Staten Island Ferry!  How New Yawk, darlings!  And with the film due to turn 50 in the coming year, I expect a retro showing, and screaming queens yelling "Take it home, "BARBRA!," when she holds the note on "Hey, Mr. Arnstein...here I AM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

                         

                          6.  Ronee Blakley, as Barbara Jean, singing "My Idaho Home" in Robert Altman's 1975 masterpiece, "Nashville."  I still consider this film, both a musical and not, the "Citizen Kane" of my generation.  Altman's continuous track in shots of Blakley in performance here captures, simultaneously the passion of an artist who, even as she gives, is destroying herself, and the hope for America that many of us were not willing to accept was dying before our eyes.  Where has this kind of artistry and vision been seen before?  Worse, when will it ever again???? Never!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                         

                          7.  And speaking of "Citizen Kane"--Another film virtually impossible to extract one single shot; all of these films featured actually are that.  This is the one here that earns it for me--the stark "K" gate against the background of the haunted Xanadu, the macabre palm trees--how Gothic can one get?  And in Florida?  If the viewer is not sucked in to the movie by this point, well, then, go back to cartoons, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                           

                       

                         8.  Jennifer Jones first beholding the vision in "The Song Of Bernadette"--Is it any wonder that the cinematography in this film won an Oscar?  Shot by shot, this beautifully spiritual film captures Divine mysticism, Catholicism 101, and matters of the soul, with a cast and production held together so capably, it was as though Heaven made it itself!  Colbert, I am telling you, we have
GOT to talk about this on your show!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                     

                            9.  Roddy McDowall , carrying the dead Donald Crisp out of the mine in "How Green Was My Valley'--"  My only regret this film beat out "Citizen Kane" for Best Picture is there was not a tie.  This is John Ford's masterpiece, a beautifully evocative family saga with social realism.   And photographed by the same one who shot 'Bernadette,' Arthur Miller.  McDowall won a Juvenile Oscar for his debut performance as young Huw Morgan, whose transition from boyhood to manhood is the story's frame.  This shot so aptly captures that transition, it is heart breaking.  And the two actors play it, superbly.  A tear jerker par excellence, this is the moment where I completely lose it, every time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

10.  And, of course.....I could not write this post without including Scarlett's declaration, at the end of Part One of "Gone With The Wind."  Who but Vivien Leigh could have played it so magnificently?  Beautiful and heartbreaking at the same time, this scene I credit with getting me through my adolescence, and then some.  It is moving and inspiring, and may it continue to be so, for future generations!!!!!!!!!!

                           I could, of course, go on.  But those are my Top Ten.  Some of you out there may have yours, so don't be shy about sharing.

                            And, be here, tomorrow, when I sum up 2017!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                            Happy New Year, Darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!