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70MMThirty visually stunning films that illustrate the grandeur of large-format filmmaking.

MOVIE MOMENTS THAT MAKE LIFE WORTH LIVINGOur collection of ten little moments of breathtaking beauty, expert craftsmanship and happy accidents that rank as our favorites.

25 GREAT SILENT MOVIE POSTERSOur selection of artwork from the early days of motion pictures that expertly illustrate the tone and tale of the films they represent.

GREAT CLOSING LINES
One hundred films whose final words of dialogue make indelible lasting impressions.

CINEMATIC RIDESTen films where carnival attractions add to the plot and give their protagonists a cheap thrill.

12 GREAT MOVIE SONGSElvis, The Beatles and The Supremes join our list of favorite movie themes of the 1960s.

ERROL FLYNN GETS WHACKEDThe actor recalls an unforgettable moment with Bette Davis on the set of The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex.

20 DIRECTORS / 20 FILMSSome of the world’s best moviemakers from Hollywood’s Golden Era provide a behind-the-scenes look at their creations.

LOS ANGELES IN THE 1920SVintage clips offer a look at famous boulevards, studios, theaters, eateries and more.

BILLY WILDEROur favorite lines of dialogue from the Oscar-winning writer/director.

WILHELM SCREAMWe trace the history of one of the most famous and beloved sound effects in movies.

WOODY ALLENChoice lines of dialogue, from Take the Money and Run to Midnight in Paris.

JOHN QUALENFive of our favorite performances from the character actor’s lengthy career.

KATHARINE HEPBURNTen authoritative moments when Kate's movie character speaks her mind.

UFA MOVIE POSTERSA look at the early one sheets from the longest standing film studio in Germany.

THE LANGUAGE OF NOIRWe celebrate tough talk from the best of Hollywood’s gritty crime dramas.

HELICOPTER OVER HOLLYWOOD

Aerial shots of Hollywood in 1958 includes Griffith Observatory, Grauman’s Chinese Theater and major studios.

AMERICAWe celebrate one of the most exuberant dance numbers committed to film, a thrilling showcase for freakishly talented folks with music in their bones.

HOLLYWOOD POSTCARDSTen vintage postcards revealing the glories of Southern California's movie mecca.

MAJOR FILMS, MINOR GAFFESTwenty-five mistakes in some of the greatest movies ever made.

BEAUTIFUL WOMENTen of the most physically stunning females to grace the silver screen.

BEAUTIFUL MENFilm giants Cary Grant and his ilk will have to wait. Here we look at ten not-so-obvious choices—actors blessed with incredible good looks, if not legendary status.

NEBRASKANSA look at some of the memorable talents—from Astaire to Zanuck—to come from the Cornhusker State.

ELVIS PRESLEYFive essential films for the Elvis movie fan.

FOOTBALLFive classic films where gridiron shenanigans drive the plot. 

GREAT ENDINGSA memorable tussle in Death Valley caps Erich von Stroheim’s broken classic.

IN THE COOL, COOL, COOL OF THE EVENINGJane Wyman and Bing Crosby charm with the Oscar-winning song from Here Comes the Groom (1951).

 AMERICAN LANDMARKS ON FILM From the Empire State Building to the Golden Gate Bridge, we take a look at ten famous sights that added drama to the movies.

RAVES AND RASPBERRIES We select some choice bits from reviews by the late Roger Ebert.

THE GIRL HUNT BALLETWe revisit the stylish Fred Astaire dream ballet from The Band Wagon (1953).

KUNG FU POSTERS AT AMPASIf you’re in Beverly Hills anytime between April 18 and August 25, check out Kick Ass! Kung Fu Posters from the Stephen Chin Collection exhibited in The Academy Grand Lobby Gallery and featuring more than 800 posters and related materials.

STANLEY KUBRICKLACMA’s exhibition of the legendary director’s work features scripts, set models, costumes and props and is open from November 1 through June 30, 2013.

BERLINALE 2013Our recap of the 19 films we saw at this year’s festival.

IOWA FILMS & STARSTen contributions the Hawkeye State has made to motion picture history.

SCREEN TESTSAudition footage from Monroe, Dean, Brando and others.

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DESIGNS ON FILMA handsome volume by author and designer Cathy Whitlock chronicles the history of Hollywood set design.

AL HIRSCHFELDWe select our ten favorite movie posters by the famed caricaturist.

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BETTY HUTTONTwelve films that exemplify the charms of this freakishly energetic performer.

CHARACTERS: BABY ROSALIEIn a daffy send-up of Shirley Temple, June Preisser plays an aging child star in MGM's let's-put-on-a-show musical, Babes in Arms (1939).

PRESTON STURGESSnippets of dialogue from six of the writer/director’s best films.

ANSELMO BALLESTEROur gallery of ten striking one sheets from the Italian poster artist.

GREAT MOVIESCelebrating the cool jazz short, Jammin’ the Blues (1944).

CEDRIC GIBBONS
We take a good look at the work of MGM’s legendary art director.

10 GREAT POSTERSOur look at striking works of art that just happen to sell movie tickets.

JOSEPH L. MANKIEWICZSmart dialogue from the Oscar-winning screenwriter.

MUST READMGM: Hollywood's Greatest Backlot provides a fascinating look at a lost treasure.

BESTSELLERS

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LOST HORIZONA dud receives its due as we explore the elements that made this 1973 musical so preposterously memorable.

GEORGE GERSHWINTen classic songs as seen on the silver screen.

DESERT NOIROur report from this year’s Arthur Lyons Film Noir Festival in Palm Springs.

DIAMOND SETTINGSWe take a look at five of our favorite baseball movies of the ‘40s and ‘50s.

FRED ASTAIREFive lively numbers from the peerless hoofer.

PLUNDER ROADFilm noir at its best—and most economical. No backstory, a lean look and just 72 minutes long.

RED DREAM FACTORYWe profile eight films from a unique Russian-German film studio of the twenties and thirties.

W.C. FIELDSTen of his most memorable character names.


Entries in june preisser (1)

Sunday
Aug212011

Rosalie Essex

DateSunday, August 21, 2011 at 11:02AM | CommentPost a Comment

In a keen send-up of Shirley Temple, June Preisser plays Rosalie Essex, or Baby Rosalie as she is known by her movie fans, in MGM's let's-put-on-a-show musical, Babes in Arms (1939). Perky, pampered and spectacularly self-centered, Rosalie is a veteran of such films as The Queen’s Little Daughter and The Baby General. Now a teenager and looking for a starring role somewhere—anywhere—to combat a dip in popularity, she agrees to be in a stage revue directed by Mickey Moran (Mickey Rooney), which Mickey’s friend Patsy Barton (Judy Garland) is planning to headline. A lack of funds for the show compels Rosalie to invest some of her movie earnings in the production—as long as she is the star.

This is all amusing enough, but what really grabs attention is Preisser’s startling acrobatic prowess. By the time she came to MGM in the late 1930s, Preisser was a veteran of vaudeville, having hit the boards with her sister, Cherry, in an act that showcased the youngsters’ tumbling talents. In Babes in Arms, a supremely peppy Rosalie shows up for rehearsals and launches into an impressive series of one-arm cartwheels followed by what I can only describe as a sort of drunken man’s fall and flip, effectively repeated several times.

“Just getting the kinks out,” Rosalie explains to stunned onlookers.

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