that is the question

from hamlet's great soliloquy is the ever famous line - "to be or not to be . . . " unfortunately, joseph tura can hardly get the line out without someone walking out on him.

in ernst lubitsch's to be or not to be, Polish actors stage their best performance yet as they try to stop a spy from sharing secrets about the Polish resistance during World War II. the graceful funny girl, carole lombard, plays center stage as maria tura, with the talented jack benny as her husband, joseph. the two matched together create a hilarious comedy without pushing the jokes.

mr. pike and i thought this was one of the best films we've seen this summer. the plot is intense, the writing is witty, and the acting is unforgettable.

this summer i have seen a few carole lombard films -- and she has become one of my most favorite actresses. she remains poised and elegant, with this great twist of humor. maria tura was her last role before she was killed in a tragic airplane accident.

if you have yet to see one of her movies, please do. in my opinion, she is one of the finest actresses hollywood has seen.

another mr. & mrs.

another great library find happened last night while picking up a few DVDs. i came across mr. & mrs. smith. not the bragenlia flick, but the alfred hitchcock one. it stars Robert Montgomery and Carole Lombard. it's all comedy with no murder - not your typical hitchcock.

THE LOW DOWN: mr. & mrs. smith have been married for three years when a technicality voids their marriage. with the opportunity for a second chance for love, mr. & mrs. smith have to decide if they're still each other's sweetheart.

A FAVORITE: mr. pike and i like the scene when mr. smith tries to give himself a bloody nose to escape a horrible blind date. the bloody nose finally comes after mr. smith hits himself in the nose with a salt shaker. unfortunately, his date is new york's premier expert on how to stop nose bleeds, and mr. smith can't get away.

mr. pike and i found the film a humorous delight. we were laughing all night. we recommend a viewing.