I saw a great movie the other night that I keep thinking about, I Saw a Dark Stranger (1945; Amer. title: The Adventuress). Mostly because it was just a nice meaty film about spying and counter-spying during the war, funny and interesting (same people who wrote The Lady Vanishes), starring Deborah Kerr at her most dewily young and pretty and Trevor Howard, all hot and pock-marked and posh, an old movie star for which I have your basic girly pash. The thing that reallllly struck me? How similar it is to any romantic film made these days. There is nothing new in romantic films under the sun, nothing. All of 'em, screwball comedies, everything. The mismatched couple, meeting cute, the goofy lil joke at the ending, a chase, a journey, a change of mind. It still wasn't quite the same (autres temps v plus ca change); T. Howard was courtly in ways that jumped out, felt sweet. But still. It was quite fun. Also? Her character's name was Bridie Quilty, and Quilty is the name of me best pal from high school. The Q name looms large in my life.

Also finally saw recently? Humoresque. I wasn't in a Joan mood; I actually thought it was a lot more interesting until she showed up with the love story. That'll probably change when I rewatch (I just wasn't ready for her campiness; particular campiness, I guess). As it was, the combo of sharp Odets dialogue and romantic music was super-fantabulous. I really really enjoyed. Lil Robert Blake...really good! Who knew! Well, and it wasn't just Joan. I thought the complications of the character were enough as they were, without a grand suicidin' romance attached.