Tag: Suzanne Pleshette

Classic Films · horror

The Birds

LizLockeLeave a comment
Image: The Birds, 1963

I used to think my biggest fear in life was birds. The claws, the beaks, the unpredictability: all of it nightmare fodder.

Then came Birdfy.

Thanks to this incredible technological advancement, I now have a tiny camera in our backyard owl house which produces content more interesting and engaging than most of the Best Picture nominees. Have I officially entered my birding era?? One final test remains: watching Alfred Hitchcock’s The Birds (Disc/Download) without covering my eyes or hiding under a blanket.

Without Tippi Hedren’s iconic green suit, I might not have given The Birds a fair shot. But the Edith Head design is pure 1960s perfection, so I guess I can suffer through avian attacks in the name of fashion. Thankfully, Hedren doesn’t change her wardrobe for basically the entire movie. Don’t get me started on what kind of wacko buys a pair of lovebirds for a man she just met in a pet store, drives them sixty miles to his house on the coast, BREAKS INTO THE HOUSE to leave the birds, then decides to stay in his ex-girlfriend’s guest room without so much as a change of underwear. Like, what was the plan here??? This woman is wild. I’m not sure if her mere presence sends the local birds into a tizzy, or if it was the adorable green lovebirds (were they jealous of the flamboyance? mad about the gilded cage?), but something makes them want to commit murder. Hitchcock does a great job of building tension before each attack, starting with one bird, then two, then ten, then suddenly fifty or a hundred. They arrive faster than anyone expects, leaving the humans utterly defenseless. Tippi and her doomed green suit never stood a chance.

Brandy seems to be the liquor of choice for the shell-shocked residents of Bodega Bay, and there’s something lovely about the idea of snuggling up next to a fireplace in Northern California with a warming glass of spirits… as long as that fireplace doesn’t become an entry point for hundreds of murderous sparrows. While watching The Birds, I recommend drinking this riff on the Jungle Bird, the Bodega Bay Bird.

Bodega Bay Bird

2 oz brandy

¾ oz Campari

¾ oz simple syrup

1 oz lime juice

1 oz pineapple juice

Pineapple leaves (garnish)

Combine all ingredients except leaves in a shaker with ice. Shake well to chill, then strain into a glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with more crushed ice on top, and pineapple leaves.

Bodega Bay Bird

I’m happy to report that my eyes remained open throughout this entire movie, even during the horrific scene where Tippi is pecked and scratched by live crows. Maybe it’s the fact that my nervous system has already been completely destroyed and desensitized after fifteen months (and counting) of American fascism, but somehow, a bunch of birds doesn’t seem that scary anymore. The owls picked a perfect time to move in. Cheers!

NOTE: If you’re a fan of physical media, I highly recommend this Alfred Hitchcock box set. It’s a great collection at a very reasonable price, and you’ll never again have to rely on the whims of tech oligarchs to watch your favorite Hitch flicks!

Children's · Comedies

The Ugly Dachshund

LizLockeLeave a comment
Image credit: The Ugly Dachshund, 1966

Childless Cat Ladies, meet Childless Dog Lady. Defying cinematic norms of the 1960s, as well as conservative politicians of today, the Disney live-action classic The Ugly Dachshund (Disc/Download) bravely exposes the reality that not all families look alike, and motherhood comes in a lot of different forms. It’s a story that was just as contemporary then as it is now, and I’m thrilled to be watching it again with a cocktail!

Starring Dean Jones and Suzanne Pleshette as the happily married, child-free owners of purebred show dogs, The Ugly Dachshund has essentially become my blueprint for adulthood. Sure, the movie is a fun romp about an adopted Great Dane who grows up with a litter of tiny dachshunds, but from my viewpoint, it’s also about female agency. Pleshette’s Fran doesn’t need to have kids in order to create a home. She’s allowed to marry a handsome artist and spend her days pursuing her passions, taking photos of her dogs, and setting out drinks and snacks on handmade pottery. As someone who spends most of her days doing exactly this, I can confirm—it’s a wonderful life. I’ve never for one second felt that I’m missing out on something. Also, as a firm “adopt don’t shop” girl, I appreciate that while the movie talks about champion dogs and purebred lines, it also makes space for a pup in desperate need of a family. I think Brutus the Great Dane lucked out when he landed a spot with two loving parents and a bunch of mischievous dachshund sisters, and they lucked out when they got the sweetest, most protective big brother.

It wouldn’t be a classic Disney movie without scene-stealer Charles Ruggles, who you might also remember from The Parent Trap. This wonderful character actor had a huge career spanning from the silent era all the way up to the 1960s. The Ugly Dachshund was one of his last films, and I love that he goes out on a high note as kindhearted veterinarian Doc Pruitt. If you want to drink like Ruggles, then I suggest following his own recipe for an Old-Time Martini, which has just been reprinted in Jenny Hammerton’s 1933 Celebrity Cocktail Book, featuring a collection of recipes from a cocktail contest at the Del Mar Hotel. The book is available for purchase on Etsy, but as a special treat to Cinema Sips readers, I’m sharing the Charles Ruggles Old-Time Martini recipe here.

Old-Time Martini

1 dash Angostura Bitters

2 dashes Maraschino Liqueur

1 pony (1 oz) Old Tom Gin

1 wine glass (2 oz) Dry Vermouth

Two small lumps of ice

¼ lemon (wedge)

Shake and strain into a large cocktail glass into which has been placed one-fourth slice of lemon, and serve.

This book would be a great addition to any home bar, and I know I’ll be using it to mix up some drinks for my favorite classic films. In the case of The Ugly Dachshund, it’s pretty fabulous to sit down after a long day, make myself a strong cocktail, cuddle up with my dog, and watch a fun, lighthearted movie where females make the difference.  Cheers!

Dramas

Rome Adventure

LizLockeLeave a comment

Rome Adventure
Image credit: Rome Adventure, 1962.

I’ll say one thing about Troy Donahue—he’s a unique kisser. Whether it’s on the beaches of California in A Summer Place, or in a carriage pulled through the streets of Rome in this week’s Rome Adventure (Disc/Download), he pretty much swallows his partner whole. I can’t know how it feels to be on the receiving end of one of these melodramatic lip attacks, but if Suzanne Pleshette married him three years after filming wrapped, it must have left an impression. She said arrivederci soon after the wedding vows, but… we won’t get into that.

If you love Roman Holiday and Three Coins in the Fountain, I urge you to check out this romantic drama. Suzanne Pleshette stars as a disgraced librarian Prudence, who flees to Rome in search of love and La Dolce Vita. She lands a sweet gig in an American bookshop just off the Piazza Navona, owned by a funny, sexy ex-pat (Constance Ford in a MUCH more appealing role than the racist mom in A Summer Place). There’s even a cute bookshop dog! Prudence falls for a charming American architect (Donahue), already under the spell of she-wolf Angie Dickinson and her fabulous silk evening gowns. Meanwhile an older man Prudence met on a cruise is still trying to seduce her, and a square student (who bears a remarkable resemblance to Beto O’Rourke) carries an unrequited torch. Let’s just say, this librarian goes looking for love and gets more than she bargained for.

The movie makes a bold case for the Italian aperitif Strega, a new-to-me spirit. As Prudence likes to say, it “turns the world gold”. While watching Rome Adventure, I recommend drinking this Strega Sunrise.

Strega Sunrise

2 oz Strega

1 oz Fresh orange juice

1 oz Lime Juice

1 tsp honey syrup

Orange Bitters

2 oz Club Soda

Orange Twist

Combine first five ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake until well chilled, then strain into a glass filled with ice. Top with club soda, and a twist of orange.

Strega Sunrise

If you want to make your viewing even more fun, take a drink every time someone says “Arrivederci!”  And now you’ll have to excuse me—I’m off to go fantasize about working in a Roman bookshop with a saucy broad and her sheepdog. Cheers!