Man Crush Monday: John Wayne

Hey there princess!

John Wayne, born Marion Robert Morrison (1907 - 1979), was an American actor and filmmaker famous for his portrayal of the classic cowboy.



While working as a prop boy, Wayne was discovered by director Raoul Walsh who cast him in The Big Trail (1930) and gave him his new name. The film was a flop, but audiences loved Wayne and his career in B movie horse operas took off as a result. His first real success as an actor was with Stagecoach (1939), after which he was afforded the opportunity to star in numerous box office successes, even winning an Academy Award for True Grit (1969). He also earned the nickname "Duke."



Biographer Ronald Davis said, "John Wayne personified for millions the nation's frontier heritage. Eighty-three of his movies were Westerns, and in them he played cowboys, cavalrymen, and unconquerable loners extracted from the Republic's central creation myth." Certainly, Wayne meant more to America than a gunslinger on the big screen. He was a larger-than-life icon that symbolized the values and ideals of his country.



Get a guy like John:

• Aims high
• Shoots straight
• Has a faithful steed
• Works hard
• Has a cool nickname

Ginchy Gal of the Week: Lauren Bacall

Hey there princess!

Lauren Bacall, born Betty Joan Perske (1924 - 2014), was an American film actress and singer. I have been obsessed with her movies, and her deep sultry voice for years now, and just had to share a little Bacall with you this morning.



She began her career as a model before landing her first role as leading lady to Humphrey Bogart in To Have and Have Not (1944). After this box office success, she went on to be the queen of the noir genre in films such as The Big Sleep (1946), Dark Passage (1947), and Key Largo (1948). She even married Bogart in 1945, after falling in love with him on the set of their first film together.

While courting Bacall on the set of To Have and Have Not, Bogart gifted her a bracelet with a whistle charm on it, engraved with "If you need anything, just whistle." Now that's romance!





Bacall also expanded her acting-chops and appeared in one of my favorite films, How to Marry A Millionaire (1953) alongside Marilyn Monroe and Betty Grable. Bacall never won an Oscar, but remains one of the most popular, recognizable faces of Hollywood's golden age.

She was everything that was needed of her for the noir genre: sexy, cool, and collected, with passion and fire burning from within and shining in her eyes. She is absolutely the kind of refined that all young women want to emulate.



Be like Bacall:

• Fall in love.
• Don't be afraid of a bold lip color.
• Speak low and slow.
• Tap into your mysterious side.
• Let your eyes smolder. 

Let's Go to the Movies: I, Tonya

Hey there princess!

About a month ago, I proudly strutted myself into the local movie theater with some friends, expecting to look up the show times for the much anticipated film, 'I, Tonya.' Much to our dismay, it was only set for special release, and it didn't reach Houston until last night.

I saw Margot Robbie's performance yesterday at Alamo Drafthouse in Katy, Texas, and I have to say I went through a whole rollercoaster of emotion.



I am a huge sucker for any ice skating movie (Ice Castles, Ice Princess, ice anything really...), and let me just say that this was no Disney film. The sequined costumes, elegant moves, and huge hair was all present, but 'I, Tonya' offered a gritty perspective to the figure skating world in a way that could be comparable to what 'Black Swan' did for ballet.

Margot Robbie, as well as the other actors in the film, did a superb job and had me hanging onto the edge of my seat, both wide-eyed and flinching with each passing scene.



By now we should all know the famed story of how Nancy Kerrigan was attacked during the 1994 winter Olympic trials, and how Tonya Harding was at the root of it all. While this movie did have high drama, fabulous skating, and a compelling story, what it failed to do for me was give all the facts of the case.

Sure, it is compelling to have Tonya, a girl from the wrong side of the tracks, overcome obstacles and face adversity. However, let's not forget who the real victim in this saga is: Nancy Kerrigan. Any professional athlete can tell you that their profession requires great sacrifice... it, however, does not require you to get your knee bashed in as a result of the scheming of someone who should be your friend.



Don't get me wrong - Hollywood has the right to make whatever kind of movie it wants, and I did find the film funny and compelling. However, it can be a little rough watching a character play the victim card over and over again. I would absolutely love to see a film about an athletic, driven young woman who overcame unsurmountable odds, was thankful for all of the opportunities she was given (hello? Tonya Harding was sent to two Olympics 1992 and 1994... get it together girl).

How about 'I, Nancy'? Just a thought!

Man Crush Monday: Jimmy Stewart

Hey there princess! Happy New Year!

With today marking the close of an absolutely fabulous holiday season, I wanted to take a minute to pay homage to one of my favorite male stars of all time: James Stewart.

James Maitland Stewart (1908 - 1997) was an American actor and military officer who is one of the most popular stars in film history. Not only was he nominated for five Academy Awards for films such as Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1940), It's A Wonderful Life (1947), and The Philadelphia Story (1940), which he won. Frank Capra once said of him, "I think he's probably the best actor who's ever hit the screen."

In addition to his talent as an actor, Stewart was also a decorated military officer in both World War II and the Vietnam War, rising to the rank of Brigadier General in the United States Air Force Reserve. He had deep family military roots as well: both of his grandfathers served in the Civil War, and his father, Alexander Maitland Steward, served in both the Spanish-American War and World War I. James Stewart went on many of his military assignments uncredited due to his celebrity status, and spent much of 1944 with the 2nd and 20th Bomb Wings flying over Germany. There, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with three oak clusters, and the French Croix de Guerre.

Get a guy like Jimmy:

• Can laugh at the silly things in life.
• Has a flair for the dramatic.
• Loves his family and his country.
• Looks good in loafers.