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“The Children’s Hour” (1961) directed by William Wyler

Martha Dobie (Shirley MacLaine) and Karen Wright (Audrey Hepburn) are former classmates and have opened a private school for girls in New England. After two years of engagement to Joe Cardin (James Garner), a reputable doctor Karen finally agrees to marry him. Joe is related to wealthy Amelia Tilford (Fay Bainter), whose granddaughter the spoiled and bully of her classmates Mary (Karen Balkin) is a student at the school. When Mary is caught telling lies, Karen punishes her. Then the revengeful girl invented a story about the two teachers being involved in a lesbian relationship, telling her grandmother she saw the two women kissing each other and all parents rapidly withdraw their daughters from the school. The two women file a lawsuit against Mrs.Tilford for libel and slander but lose the case and their reputation is destroyed. Only Joe is close to them, and he offers to take them away and start a new life. However, Karen wants to end their engagement, claiming she needs time to think everything over. When Martha learns about the break-up, she confesses she had always felt more than friendship for Karen. Upon this new acknowledgment she breaks down, blaming herself for ruining both of the women's lives. When Mrs.Tilford finds out that this had been fabricated by the lousy granddaughter visits the two teachers and apologizes ready to offer compensation but Karen refuses to accept the apology. It is too late to start a new life together for Karen will be all alone after Martha's tragic end….

Audrey Hepburn as Karen Wright and Shirley MacLaine as Martha Dobie the two unfortunate teachers of William Wyler’s 1961 film “The Children’s Hour”

#audrey hepburn #shirley maclaine #the children's hour

Audrey Hepburn as Karen Wright , James Garner as Dr. Joe Cardin and Shirley MacLaine as Martha Dobie in “The Children’s Hour” directed by William Wyler in 1961

#audrey hepburn #shirley maclaine #james garner #the children's hour

“The End of The Affair” (1955) directed by Edward Dmytryk

The writer Maurice Bendrix (Van Johnson) recalls his time in London toward the end of World War II, when he meets Sarah Miles (Deborah Kerr), the wife of his London acquaintance Henry Miles (Peter Cushing), at a party. They become lovers. During their affair his rooms on the square are bombed, and Sarah quits their relationship while Maurice suffers from the loss and delayed shock from the bombing. It is after their break-up and the end of the war that Maurice meets Henry on the square, who invites him for a drink at his home especially as Sarah will not be there. He admits that he suspects the infidelity of his wife, has looked into a private investigator and approaches Maurice to act on his behalf--but retracts the idea. Sarah returns home before Maurice has left and she acts quite abruptly. Maurice follows through with hiring a private detective agency. They come across information that the portrayal of Maurice's housing situation being bombed did not disclose some facts about what happened to Maurice and Sarah's wish that he is alive. However Sarah had to resolve her infidelity with Maurice , her prayer for Maurice to be alive, her relationship with God and her marriage during discussions, sometimes extended, she had at all times of the day with a priest…

Van Johnson as Maurice Bendrix and Deborah Kerr as Sarah Miles in "The End of The Affair" directed by Edward Dmytryk in 1955.

#van johnson #Deborah Kerr #the end of the affair

Deborah Kerr as Sarah Miles in "The End of The Affair" directed by Edward Dmytryk in 1955 based on the Graham Greene novel

#Deborah Kerr #the end of the affair

“500 Days of Summer” (2009) directed by Marc Webb

Joseph Gordon-Levitt asTom an aspiring architect who currently earns his living by writing greeting cards and Zooey Deschanel as Summer the new secretary of Tom’s boss star in this romantic comedy about a man who falls head over heels for a woman who doesn't believe in love. Upon encountering Summer, Tom discovers that they both have plenty in common and despite the fact that she's seemingly out of his league, they both love The Smiths, and they're both fans of surrealist artist Magritte. Before long Tom is madly in love with Summer and as he believes deeply in the concept of soul mates, he’s decided that Summer is his ultimate one. Unfortunately for him, Summer sees true love as the stuff of fairy tales, and unfortunately isn't looking for romance. Uncontrollably fearless by his breezy lover's casual stance on relationships, Tom summons all of his might and courage to pursue Summer and convince her that their love is real…

A disappointed Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) facing the cold truth of Summer (Zooey Deschanel) in “500 Days of Summer” directed by Marc Webb in 2009

#Zooey Deschanel #Joseph Gordon Levitt #500 days of summer

Summer (Zooey Deschanel) touched by brokenhearted Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) in “500 Days of Summer” directed by Marc Webb in 2009

#Zooey Deschanel #Joseph Gordon Levitt #500 days of summer

“Ace in the Hole” (1951) directed by Billy Wilder

Chuck Tatum (Kirk Douglas) is a cynical journalist who arrives at a small New Mexico newspaper asking for a job after being fired from big newspapers because of drinking and unethical behavior. He wants to make it big again. Once he is informed that a worker is trapped alive in an old Indian mine nearby Tatum manipulates the local corrupt sheriff, the engineer responsible for the rescue operation and the worker’s wife Lorraine Minosa (Jan Sterling) so that the rescue can last six days instead of twelve hours by using a special drilling system.

Chuck Tatum takes advantage of the situation to create his next big step disrespecting everyone and all human values. Lorraine agrees to allow people coming to see the event for a price and sees herself the profits at the diner she works for increase greatly plus a big-time newspaper editor from New York agrees to pay Tatum a huge amount of money for the story and give him his old job back. However, the unfortunate victim Leo Minosa (Richard Benedict) becomes ill as time passes and his death decides the futures of those making a profit from his slow tragic end. Tatum has mistreated Leo's wife once too often as well, and she stabs him with a pair of scissors. He can barely reach his old office and while collapsing on the floor is about to reveal his big story: How he caused Leo's death.

Kirk Douglas as the unscrupulous Chuck Tatum in “Ace in the Hole” directed by Billy Wilder in 1951.

#kirk douglas #ace in the hole #Billy Wilder

Kirk Douglas as Chuck Tatum and Jan Sterling as Lorraine Minosa in “Ace in the Hole” directed by Billy Wilder in 1951

#kirk douglas #jan sterling #ace in the hole #billy wilder

“Harold and Maude” (1971) directed by Hal Ashby

Harold (Bud Cort) is a young troubled man coming from a rich family fascinated by death and drifting away from the life that his detached mother (Vivian Pickles) prescribes for him. He likes going to funerals and this is where one day he met the person who changed his life. Slowly he develops quite a strong and close friendship that eventually is turned into a romantic affair with a 79-year-old woman named Maude (Ruth Gordon) who teaches him about living life to its fullest and that life is the most precious gift of all.

Harold (Bud Cort) with the eccentric and free-spirited 79 year-old soulmate Maude (Ruth Gordon) in “Harold and Maude” directed by Hal Ashby in 1971

#ruth gordon #bud cort #harold and maude

In the scene where Maude (Ruth Gordon) is stealing a car and evading a motorcycle cop we notice Harold's (Bud Cort) growing admiration for her by saying "You sure have a way with people." And then Maude answers back "Well, they're my species!"

#ruth gordon #bud cort #harold and maude

“Sweet Charity” (1969) directed by Bob Fosse

Charity Hope Valentine (Shirley MacLaine) works as a taxi dancer along with her two friends, Nickie (Chita Rivera) and Helene (Paula Kelly). Although she loves life and being in love, she has some bad luck with men, when robbed and pushed off a bridge in Central Park by one ex-boyfriend. After this she had another humiliating encounter with the movie star Vittorio Vitale (Ricardo Montalban).Failing to find a new job through an employment agency, Charity meets shy Oscar Lindquist (John McMartin) one day they both stuck in an elevator. Their relationship had just started, but Charity didn’t want to reveal what she does for a living. When she finally did tell him, Oscar seemed to accept it initially, but finally told Charity that he could not marry her.So the optimistic Charity had to face her future on her own living hopefully ever after.

Shirley Maclaine as Charity Hope Valentine in the Bob Fosse musical “Sweet Charity” directed in 1969

#shirley maclaine #sweet charity

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