Today would have been Rock Hudson's 96th birthday and this photo of Rock circa his prime is also counting towards "Today's Mood" because I had a hell of a time climbing out of bed this morning and climbing back in right there beside him sounds to my ears like the greatest prospect that's ever been prospected. Anyway do yourself a favor and watch one of Rock's movies today, whether it be one of his charming comedies with Doris Day or my particular favorite John Frankenheimer's 1966 freak-out Seconds...
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Love Rock in all the various stages of his career, from his early days where he just stood there and looked pretty, into his peak period and through McMillan & Wife and his unfortunate flirtation with mutton chop sideburns and a duster moustache.
For someone who didn't get a great deal of respect for his acting he could be quite effective though I don't think there is any argument that romantic comedy was his real forté.
Seconds is a fascinating film and he gives a terrific performance in it but it isn't one that I revisit often. Of his dramatic work I have a soft spot for the lesser known The Tarnished Angels and the florid This Earth is Mine!
I love his comedies with Doris and she was his best screen partner but he was a facile enough comic actor and with that potent charisma paired well with most of his leading ladies. Even when he didn't necessarily get along behind the scenes with them, he and Gina Lollobrigida apparently disdained each other quite a bit, he sparked with them onscreen.
My top 20 of his theatrical films:
Pillow Talk
Come September
The Tarnished Angels
Send Me No Flowers
Strange Bedfellows
Written on the Wind
This Earth is Mine!
All That Heaven Allows
Giant
Lover Come Back
Sea Devils-with Yvonne de Carlo (a very simpatico screen partner)
Man's Favorite Sport-Paula Prentiss (another great match both physically and comedically)
Seconds
The Last Sunset-It wasn't nicknamed Strange on the Range for nothing!
One Desire-Now if this was a list of favorite Anne Baxter or Julie Adams movies this one would hover right near the top. Both are sensational in it, Anne the wrong side of the tracks saloon girl heroine who suffers in apparently every sequin Universal owned at the time and Julie as the venomous bitch who works to make her life as much of a living hell as possible with Rock as the prize both want! It's delicious soap but Rock's role is secondary.
Bend of the River
Scarlet Angel-Again with Yvonne de Carlo
The Lawless Breed
A Very Special Favor
Has Anyone Seen My Gal?
I forgot to mention that One Desire also stars Natalie Wood (her next film was Rebel Without a Cause) as the wild orphan that Anne takes under her wing.
I've always thought that he was underrated as an actor. Seconds is a great display of his abilities, as are his collaborations with Sirk (including my personal favorite The Tarnished Angels).
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