guarding tess

the year: 1994

the genre: dramedy

the cast: Shirley MacLaine (Tess Carlisle); Nicholas Cage (Doug Chesnik); Austin Pendleton (Earl Fowler)


the plot: Doug Chesnic is a Secret Service agent who takes great pride in his job, performing his duties with the utmost professionalism. However, his assignment for the last three years has been a severe test of his patience. Doug leads the team stationed in Ohio who protects Tess Carlisle, the widow of a former U.S. President, who is well-known for her diplomatic and philanthropic work. But Tess tends to regard Doug less as a security officer and more as a domestic servant...and she's not above contacting her close friend -- the current President of the United States -- to inform him of her displeasure. As Doug's three-year hitch with Tess comes to an end he unexpectedly gets the excitement he craves when Tess is kidnapped.



I like this one because of the great interplay between the two characters - similar to Driving Miss Daisy. It's a sweet dramedy with some hilarious banter.

around the world in 80 days

the year: 1956

the genre: drama


the cast: Cantinflas (Passepartout); David Niven (Phileas Fogg); Shirley MacLaine (Princess Aouda); Robert Newton (Mr. Fix)


the plot: When Phileas Fogg is challenged to prove his contention that a man can go around the world in 80 days, he bets his entire fortune and leaves with a new butler on a world tour. This Victorian adventure has a kicker: the Bank of England has been robbed. Is this Fogg's way of avoiding arrest? The detective following him believes so, and his butler is becoming unsure.


count: how many countries Fogg and Passepartout visit.


watch for: the bajillion famous actors/actresses in this movie...John Mills, Beatrice Lillie, Red Skelton, Frank Sinatra, Cesar Romero, Peter Lorre, Glynis Johns, Buster Keaton, Marlene Dietrich, Charles Coburn, Ronald Coleman, Charles Boyer, Hermione Gingold...



listen for: "You play an abominable game of whist, sir."


did you know: the barge used in Bangkok belonged to the King of Thailand, who lent it to producer Michael Todd.


extra bonus points: if you know how long this movie showed (consecutively) at the Rivoli Theatre in NYC.




don's miss: the 8,552 animals (3,800 sheep, 2,448 buffalo, 950 donkeys, 800 horses, 512 monkeys, 17 bulls, 15 elephants, 6 skunks, and 4 ostriches).


did you also know: this was the movie that popularized the term "cameo".


also listen for: "Madam, will you join me on the verandah? I understand they serve an outstanding lemon squash."

ask any girl

the year: 1959

the genre: comedy


the cast: Shirley Maclaine (Meg Wheeler); David Niven (Miles Doughton); Gig Young (Evan Doughton); Rod Taylor (Ross Tayford); Jim Backus (Maxwell)



the plot: Meg Wheeler moves to New York intent on enlarging her horizon — and by that she means finding a husband. After a series of mishaps, she finds herself in the office of Miles Doughton, head of an advertising firm, and being fascinated by Miles' younger brother Evan, talks Miles into helping her snare Evan - using the same methods he employs in his marketing business. Of course, during the course of it all, Miles and Meg fall in love with each other!




don't miss: Miles' research.


check out: Meg's answers to the consumer test.



count: how many gals are in Evan's little black book.



listen for: "Hot Chicken Mousse."




extra bonus points: if you can name another movie in which Shirley Maclaine co-starred with David Niven.




also watch for: the pom-pom sweater. You'll know it when you see it.


also check out: Meg's unique ability to invent plausible statistics to win arguments.



So gals, who would you go for: David Niven, Rod Taylor, or Gig Young?