As a moviegoer for more than 70 years, I’ve seen some great movies, some not so great, some really bad ones, some trying but failing to be deep and meaningful, some reveling in their shallowness. I was born the year The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind were released. My mother started taking me to the movies shortly after that. I saw some movies that were definitely not PG rated. I can still remember being afraid of The Thing and delighting in An American in Paris.

Many times I disagree with the critics. I don’t call them and tell him what I think of their reviews, so now that there is an internet for anyone to babble on, I add my voice. I’m sure there are many of you who will disagree with my assessments. Some of you will agree. I hope to hear from all of you.

It’s time to get Sirius. A big applause for the dog stars.

I’ve loved dogs my entire life, so I think it is time I honor them with a blog. My first memories of a movie dog were of Rin Tin Tin. His was a heroic story. Rescued in France at the end of World War I, he was brought to live in Los Angeles by Lee Duncan. He went on to star in 23 adventure films, and after he died a series of German Shepherd Dogs continued his legacy. He may not have been the first dog to be in movies, but he is remembered as the first “great” dog actor. There was a film, Finding Rin Tin Tin, made about him in 2007.

I think Hollywood should create a new rating called ET for extremely traumatical (sic). Some movies are just too sad for tender, young souls.

There is a list of movies about dogs that is so long I could never include them all. But let’s see what we can do.

Lassie: Here was a beautiful, well-trained, heroic star. Although a number of Collies were used in the films, they all looked and acted the same. I remember Lassie Come Home (1943) with humans Roddy McDowall and Elizabeth Taylor. I still recollect crying and crying.

Asta: My all-time favorite movie dog was Asta from the Thin Man series in the 30s. He was a true Terrier, full of fun and mischief. He fit in perfectly with co-stars William Powell and Myrna Loy.

Old Yeller (1957): Many critics write that this is a film that demonstrates real life to a young boy. I think it should have an ET rating. This story about the tragic life of a yellow Lab is too harsh for young children and too sad for adults. I hated this film and wish I could erase it from my memory.

Greyfriars Bobby (1961): Another sad film, but in a bittersweet way. It is based on a true story, although there is speculation that it was just a publicity stunt. I prefer it to be true. I have seen the statue of this Skye Terrier in Edinburgh. This is the story of a dog who refused to leave his owner’s side, even after death. Bobby guarded his owner’s grave in Greyfriar’s church cemetery for 14 years until his own death in 1872. He has become a symbol of loyalty.

My Dog Skip (2000): Here’s another film based on a true story. The boy is shy and awkward, has no friends and does not do well in sports. He desperately wants a dog. His mother gets him one on his 9th birthday, although his father has repeatedly said no. The smart little Jack Russell Terrier (is there any other kind?) helps transform the boy’s life and teaches him the meaning of loyalty. This is a lovely film co-starring Kevin Bacon, Diana Lane and Frankie Muniz (as the boy).

Call of the Wild (1935): Based on a novella by Jack London written in 1903, this film is a testament to the cruelty of human beings. Buck, a St. Bernard/sheepdog mix, is taken from his pleasant home in Santa Rosa and sold as a sled dog in the Yukon. The Klondike gold rush is going on and sled dogs are in great demand. Buck is treated horribly until his rescue by Thornton, an outdoorsman. Buck does amazing things for Thornton, even saving his life. After Thornton dies, Buck hears the call of the wild and joins a wolf pack. Whew. This movie is a workout. It has been made into several versions, but the one I like is the original made with Clark Gable and Loretta Young.

Cujo (1983): This film based on the Stephen King novel of the same name is truly scary. A St. Bernard gets the call of the wild and sticks his nose in a bat cave. Rabies is the result. He traps his loving family, Dee Wallace and Danny Pintauro, in a car. Will they ever get out?

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993): Here is a fairly safe and sweet road trip by a Golden Retriever, an American Bulldog and a Himalayan cat. Thinking they have been abandoned when their families leave them at a ranch to go on vacation, they decide to make the trip home. Thus begins the incredible journey.

It seems to me that many movies that featured dogs made in the last several years focused on misbehaving, obnoxious, unpleasant dogs. Gone are the dignified and heroic animals of early filmdom. Think of the Beethoven series, Turner and Hooch, Marley and Me.

Cartoon dogs can be just as loveable as real ones: 101 Dalmations, Scooby-Doo, Bolt, Doogal and Lady and Tramp.

This year’s Oscar winner for best film, The Artist, was a black-and-white silent that featured Uggie, a Jack Russell Terrier. He was onstage for the acceptance speech, I believe he barked his delight.

A terrific film about dog shows is Best in Show. It is funny and irrevent and the dogs come off looking better than their owners.

As a moviegoer for more than 70 years, I’ve seen some great movies, some not so great, some really bad ones, some trying but failing to be deep and meaningful, some reveling in their shallowness. I was born the year The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind were released. My mother started taking me to the movies shortly after that. I saw some movies that were definitely not PG rated. I can still remember being afraid of The Thing and delighting in An American in Paris.

Many times I disagree with the critics. I don’t call them and tell him what I think of their reviews, so now that there is an internet for anyone to babble on, I add my voice. I’m sure there are many of you who will disagree with my assessments. Some of you will agree. I hope to hear from all of you.

“Twinkle, twinkle little star…”

For several years, my husband and I have had a running conversation about a phenomenon we call “The Twinkle.” This is one of those concepts that is utterly subjective. It requires a smart-ass attitude, a bit of the con, and loads of charm. Questions: Who has it; who doesn’t; who can turn it off; who can’t; who has it more often, actors or actresses?

For some reason, actors seem to have the twinkle far more often than actresses. The only actress that had it without question was Mae West. An argument can be made that Goldie Hawn has it.

More actors with blue eyes seem to have it than those with brown eyes. But there are plenty of actors with brown eyes that twinkle.

The actor who displayed the twinkle most obviously was Paul Newman. Think of him in such movies as Rally ‘Round the Flag, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (Redford does not have the twinkle), and The Sting. Newman could also turn it off. Remember him in Mr. and Mrs. Bridge with Joanne Woodward, The Verdict, From the Terrace, and The Hustler? He’s the twinkle champion.

Then there is Robert Wagner. His twinkle was permanent and very engaging. Unfortunately, this limited his acting roles. His performances in war movies, such as What Price Glory, The War Lovers,and The Frogmen, were particularly good. His work with Paul Newman in Winning and Harper was fine. Now, he is selling mattresses on television and that sparkling twinkle is diminished.

Jack Nicholson is another actor who can turn it on and off. In One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Terms of Endearment, he displays this ability. The twinkle was quite evident in Five Easy Pieces and Chinatown. He toned it down in About Schmidt and Ironweed, and the dreadful The Departed.

Kevin Kline is a great actor who can twinkle on cue. In A Fish Called Wanda (for which he earned an Oscar), Soapdish, and Dave you could see the twinkle. In Emperor’s Club, Ice Storm and Cry Freedom, you could not.

With his great charm, one would think that Cary Grant had it, but he didn’t. Beneath that slick exterior, I believe there was darkness. He could have played a great villain, given the chance. Watch his eyes closely in such films as Charade, North by Northwest and Destination Tokyo and you will see a noticeable lack of twinkle. Even in his madcap comedies those dark eyes stayed dark.

Among the current crop of actors, I think George Clooney comes the closest to having a twinkle. His performances in O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Ocean’s Twelve, and Batman and Robin demonstrate a glimmer of a twinkle. It’s gone in Up in the Air, Michael Clayton and The Good German. He has enormous charm but little smart ass and no con.

British actors who spring to mind are Hugh Grant, Ian McShane, Ian Richardson and Sir Alec Guiness.

Hugh Grant, that bumbling, blue-eyed, charming actor from such films as Four Weddings and a Funeral, About a Boy, and Mickey Blue Eyes is the Brit who defines the twinkle.

Although Ian McShane made several movies, his twinkle was most evident in his long-running television series Lovejoy. However, in another television series, Deadwood, there is little evidence of a twinkle. He was in the campy Pirates of the Caribbean: Stranger Tides which required a twinkle.

Ian Richardson’s most blatant display of the twinkle was in television’s House Cards, one of the most deliciously wicked series ever. Hints of the twinkle can be found in the movie Canterville Ghost.

Sir Alec Guiness, known for his serious roles, could produce a twinkle if the role called for it. Remember him in Murder by Death, The Horse’s Mouth, and The Lavender Hill Mob?

I see hints in James Garner, Denzel Washington and Christopher Walken. Who else do you think has the twinkle? Please post your comments and I will discuss them in a future blog.