Film Fluff

While taking a break from my manic cleaning last night, I caught the beginning of Down with Love on Oxygen. I'd forgotten this movie - and forgotten that I own it! But I pulled it out today and watched it. I think it floated under the radar of most when it was in the theater, but it's definitely worth a watch.

When I was growing up, TNT used to run blocks of old movies in the summer time (instead of its current hit parade of Law & Order). I can remember watching Doris Day & Rock Hudson marathons, the Elvis week and Esther Williams specials. No one shows Esther Williams anymore - the bathing beauty who took synchronized swimming to the big screen in movies like Million Dollar Mermaid, Dangerous When Wet and Neptune's Daughter (which also featured Red Skelton and Ricardo Montalbon). The slapstick situation comedy of all those old movies from the 50's and 60's is parodied so well in Down with Love - and with so much respect to the movies to which it pays tribute. Ewan McGregor's portrayal of a suave sixties cad is spot-on perfect.

And I had forgotten that Sarah Paulson from Studio 60 plays Renee Zellweger's editor - reminding me of Penelope's post the other day about movie connections. And then when I looked her up on IMDB, I realized she'd also been on Deadwood. She's just as fabulous in this film as she is on Studio.

As a bonus the DVD credits include a music video with McGregor and Zellweger who wanted to match musical talents, having both just come off huge musical successes (McGregor in Moulin Rouge! and Zellweger in Chicago). So put on your Jackie O sunglasses, mix a martini and get down with love.