Today at Disneyland: Signs of Spring

After spending the morning visiting California Adventure, we made a quick visit to Disneyland.

The sky behind the train station was a beautiful blue today!


As regular readers are aware, last week the Sherman Brothers, composers of many of Disney's greatest songs, were honored with a window dedicated on Main Street.

Here's a shot of the window on the door to the 20th Century Music Company...


...and a close-up of the window:


Click to enlarge for a better view.

The Market House window is now dressed for spring:


A Main Street trolley and Sleeping Beauty Castle in the distance:


It was a beautiful day in Southern California!

Today's at Disney's California Adventure: Almost Spring

It's been a very busy week here, as might be guessed by the relatively small number of posts this week! Along with keeping up on my proofreading business, I'm holding down the fort while my husband travels.

Happily, I was able to keep this morning free and we enjoyed a visit to the Disneyland Resort with the College Girl, who is home on spring break.


It's a truly gorgeous March day here in Southern California. Above is the Sunshine Plaza entrance area at Disney's California Adventure.

Below, the Sorceror Mickey Fountain sparkles in the sunshine in front of the Monsters Inc. ride. The ride was a "walk on" this morning!


The palm trees at Sunshine Plaza make this a classic "California" shot:


This entire area will be remodeled over the next couple years.

If you click to enlarge this photo you can see a diver motoring out to work on the World of Color show in Paradise Bay:


The World of Color viewing area is taking shape. That's the Golden Zephyr under tarps for rehab:


I love the walls surrounding the Silly Symphony Swings construction zone:




The Swings are getting closer to the finish line!


The theming in the Grizzly Peak Recreation Area is wonderful:


Spring comes to DCA's "San Francisco" Street:


It was a wonderful morning with a few hours of much-needed R&R!

Coming soon: Today at Disneyland: Signs of Spring.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Good wishes to all for a happy St. Patrick's Day!

Turner Classic Movies is running a nice lineup of Irish-themed movies today, including PEG O' MY HEART (1933), THE IRISH IN US (1935), THREE CHEERS FOR THE IRISH (1940), and MY WILD IRISH ROSE (1947).

Other Irish-themed films reviewed here in the past which won't be on TCM this year, but are available on DVD: I SEE A DARK STRANGER (1946), THE LUCK OF THE IRISH (1948), and THE QUIET MAN (1952).

Have a wonderful holiday!

Exciting News: Waking Sleeping Beauty (2009)

I got word today that I will be receiving tickets to a free screening next week of the new Disney documentary WAKING SLEEPING BEAUTY (2009).

The screening will including a Q&A session with director Don Hahn.

Can't wait!

I'll have a report on this event next week.

Previously: New Movie: Waking Sleeping Beauty; New Trailer: Waking Sleeping Beauty.

Coming to DVD: Night Train to Munich (1940)

Terrific DVD news today: on June 22, 2010, Criterion will be releasing NIGHT TRAIN TO MUNICH (1940).

I love the DVD cover!

NIGHT TRAIN TO MUNICH stars Margaret Lockwood and Rex Harrison. It's a suspense film directed by Carol Reed, with a screenplay by British screenwriting/directing greats Sidney Gilliat and Frank Launder (THE LADY VANISHES, GREEN FOR DANGER).

The cricket-mad Caldicott and Charters characters from Hitchcock's THE LADY VANISHES, played by Naunton Wayne and Basil Radford, were such a hit that they reappeared in NIGHT TRAIN TO MUNICH. Gilliat and Launder wrote the screenplays for both films. Caldicott and Charters returned in several other movies and also on the radio.

This restored edition of NIGHT TRAIN TO MUNICH will have extras including an essay booklet and a featurette with two film scholars discussing the movie.

I just recorded this film from Fox Movie Channel a few days ago, but think I may wait to watch it in what promises to be a beautiful new Criterion print.

Tongiht's Movie: And One Was Beautiful (1940)

19-year-old Laraine Day is appealing as a woman who suspects her sister is guilty of manslaughter in the MGM melodrama AND ONE WAS BEAUTIFUL.

Day plays Katie, a tomboyish young lady whose passion is auto mechanics. Katie is a bit of a Cinderella one evening when she attends a dance in her sister's place and falls head over heels for dashing playboy Ridley Crane (Robert Cummings).

Katie's more glamorous older sister, Helen (Jean Muir), is also taken with Ridley, and he returns her interest; however, their blooming relationship takes an unexpected turn. On the way home from a late night at a roadhouse, Helen gets behind the wheel of a drunken Ridley's car and accidentally kills a bicyclist. Helen flees the scene of the accident, leaving Ridley -- who doesn't remember what happened -- to face the consequences. Katie is torn between not wanting to face her suspicions about her sister and wanting to help the man she loves.

The plot is a bit overwrought, as a great deal of it focuses on the anguish suffered by Katie and Helen, but it's interesting. There is good character development for both Katie and Ridley. I liked Ridley's acceptance of responsibility for his role in the tragic events; like Ridley, Katie grows up and ultimately turns her anger and grief into something positive.

Jean Muir is effective as Helen, a cool blonde who thinks far too much of herself and who isn't above using a fine man (Frank Milan) as an escape from her problems. Billie Burke is excellent, as always, as the girls' loving mother.

The supporting cast includes Esther Dale, Charles Waldron, Paul Stanton, and Rand Brooks.

I couldn't help wondering if some of the terrace exteriors might have been filmed on a PHILADELPHIA STORY set, as that movie was released the same year.

This film was directed by Robert B. Sinclair. Other Sinclair films include I'LL WAIT FOR YOU (1941) and THAT WONDERFUL URGE (1948).

The movie was shot in black and white and runs 70 minutes.

This film has not had a DVD or video release, but it is part of the library at Turner Classic Movies, which has the trailer available here.