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Fun fact: Stephanie from Stephanie’s Bookverse created my favourite tbr game “Star Hop” and I look forward to watching it every month! Stephanie also created “Mini Star Hop” which is a 48hr mini version of the monthly board. Whenever I watch these I find them delightful and am always in awe because Stephanie can read so much in two days!!
I, on the other hand, could never. However, I can watch several films in two days~
Stephanie has done several Mini Star Hop videos and each roll/prompt should be completed in order. Full transparency here, I decided this blog post would be a brilliant idea when I had already watched several of these films so they weren’t watched in order, but I have gone in order of the prompts that Stephanie rolled for the layout below.
All of the these are “classic Old Hollywood”/early to mid twentieth century films which fit the prompts from the Mini Star Hop game from November last year (which you can watch here 💖).
Some prompts are relevant to books only, so I will be changing those as I plan to do more of these in the future. Only one needs a preface in this post, for “short <300 pages” I have decided this will be a film under 1hr.
His Girl Friday (1940) || ☀️ TBW Vet
“SHE LEARNED ABOUT MEN FROM HIM!
Hildy, the journalist former wife of newspaper editor Walter Burns, visits his office to inform him that she’s engaged and will be getting remarried the next day. Walter can’t let that happen and frames the fiancé, Bruce Baldwin, for one thing after another, to keep him temporarily held in prison, while trying to steer Hildy into returning to her old job as his employee.”
His Girl Friday (1940) directed by Howard Hawks • Reviews, film + cast • Letterboxd
I have been meaning to watch this film for years. I’ve had a screenshot of the poster in my phone gallery for an embarrassingly long time to remind me to watch it.
His Girl Friday opens with Hildy (Rosalind Russell) breaking the news to her ex-husband and the editor of a newspaper that she is getting married and quitting the reporter lifestyle. Walter (Cary Grant) does everything in his power to stop Hildy from leaving and strikes big when all the reporters in the city catch wind of the story of a local man who is going to be hanged for shooting a police officer.
And this plot is very engaging, a lot happens and we see Hildy being a brilliant reporter and fast thinker. However, I was expecting romance and they barely spend time together. A lot of the romance is implied rather than shown and to be honest, Walter is the worst. Granted, he values Hildy as a reporter, but it doesn’t seem genuine that it goes beyond that.
This was a disappointing watch, but despite only really taking place in a couple of locations the pacing is fast and I wasn’t bored by any means.
⭐⭐⭐
Sherlock Jr. (1924) || ⭐ Short – Under 1hr
“EVERY INCH OF FOOTAGE HOLDS SUCH A LAUGH!
A film projectionist longs to be a detective, and puts his meagre skills to work when he is framed by a rival for stealing his girlfriend’s father’s pocketwatch.”
Sherlock, Jr. (1924) directed by Buster Keaton • Reviews, film + cast • Letterboxd
An absolute delight!
Despite being only 45 minutes long, Sherlock Jr. really encapsulates who our hero is. I loved the merging of reality with dreams as it was done to wonderful effect. Buster Keaton running around aimlessly while the scenery changes around him was perfection! 💖
In silent films, I love the awkward and charming short men. Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin (who I watched a lot while growing up) were often such lovable idiots on screen.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Bringing Up Baby (1938) || 🌙 Free Pick
“AND SO BEGINS THE HILARIOUS ADVENTURE OF PROFESSOR DAVID HUXLEY AND MISS SUSAN VANCE, A FLUTTER-BRAINED VIXEN WITH LOVE IN HER HEART!
David Huxley is waiting to get a bone he needs for his museum collection. Through a series of strange circumstances, he meets Susan Vance, and the duo have a series of misadventures which include a leopard called Baby.”
Bringing Up Baby (1938) directed by Howard Hawks • Reviews, film + cast • Letterboxd
Another one that I have been wanting to watch for ages! I saw that it was available on BBCiplayer so it was a perfect free pick choice 💖
Susan (Katharine Hepburn) unwittingly causes David (Carey Grant) to have the most chaotic 24hrs of his life and I enjoyed watching every mishap! All this poor man wanted was funding for his museum and he is met with ridiculousness at every turn.
Most of the chaos rests firmly on Susan, but let’s not forget that her brother sent her Baby the leopard! Does Susan then use that to her advantage to get David to spend time with her and go across state borders with said leopard so that he may miss his wedding? Yes. Am I mad though? No.
This was just such a farce and I enjoyed them being together!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Beauty and the Beast (1946) || ⭐ Fantasy
“ONCE UPON A TIME”
The story of a gentle-hearted beast in love with a simple and beautiful girl. She is drawn to the repellent but strangely fascinating Beast, who tests her fidelity by giving her a key, telling her that if she doesn’t return it to him by a specific time, he will die of grief. She is unable to return the key on time, but it is revealed that the Beast is the genuinely handsome one. A simple tale of tragic love that turns into a surreal vision of death, desire, and beauty.”
Beauty and the Beast (1946) directed by Jean Cocteau • Reviews, film + cast • Letterboxd
You would have seen me screaming and running as soon as I saw those creepy arm sconces and human statues! But you would have caught me crying with laughter when I saw the Beast in his sparkly outfit and cape.
I will say, this film gives “gothic camp” and the lighting is done really well. But, it did mostly feel like a horror film and I genuinely thought Belle was going to murder the Beast at several points of the film, including at the end.
There is zero chemistry between Belle (Josette Day) and the Beast (Jean Marais) and her “love” for him comes out of nowhere. Plus super spoiler here, but him turning into Avenant (also played by Marais) didn’t seem like it had anything to do with her loving him, but because Avenant got killed nearby in the Beast’s little magic greenhouse…
There are parts of this film that I think will haunt me in the future. Like I’ll just be living my life and then I’ll picture the Beast lapping water or the creepy faces in the walls.
⭐⭐.5
Vivacious Lady (1938) || 🌟 Free Pick
“GINGER GOES TO COLLEGE BUT NOT THE WAY YOU THINK
College town life gets turned upside down after a button-down botany professor secretly weds a sizzling night-club singer.”
Vivacious Lady (1938) directed by George Stevens • Reviews, film + cast • Letterboxd
I truly did leave the best til last 💖
This film has a very simple plotline. Peter (James Stewart) is a professor from a small town University who goes to New York and instead of just bringing his cousin back, he also brings the woman he met on the trip – his now wife Francey (Ginger Rogers). Peter is from a conservative family, so hijinks ensue while he tries to break it to them that he has married a beautiful nightclub singer after having only known her for a day.
The chemistry between Stewart and Rogers is wonderful and truly makes this film as enjoyable as it is. They’re just so charming together! I also love that Stewart has a gentle idiocy about him as Peter that makes his character and performance even more endearing.
Would I marry Ginger Rogers after literally just meeting her? Yes. Would I body slam a woman to the ground who was trying to take James Stewart from me? Yes. So, honestly, all actions taken by our leads in this film are valid.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
Overall, my average rating was 3.6 which I’m really happy about!
Thanks for reading!
Do you have a favourite Old Hollywood film? Are there any I should add to my watchlist?
I hope you’re having a lovely day and staying safe ♥
DramaRambles 🌸 
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