TCM Sydney Honours Oldest Living Oscar Winner.

[Matilda]

Over the weekend, TCM Sydney showed a total of five films featuring the
oldest living Oscar winner, Luise Rainer, who celebrated her 97th
birthday on Saturday.

The films shown were: THE EMPEROR'S CANDLESTICKS and BIG CITY from 1937,
and THE GREAT WALTZ, TOY WIFE and DRAMATIC SCHOOL, all from 1938.

The only film I'd seen previously was "The Great Waltz", which I like
for her performance and for the music, although an ageing soundtrack
isn't kind to the coloratura of Miliza Korjus, who sounds very screechy.

I enjoyed "The Emperor's Candlesticks" mainly because it was full of old
favourites - William Powell, Frank Morgan, Robert Young. Not a great
story, but I just like watching these actors.

"Dramatic School" was a bit of a surprise, and not as predictable as I
first thought, and I also enjoyed "Toy Wife" - Robert Young again. Not
mad about "Big City", which was predictable, but interesting to see the
pairing of Rainer with Spencer Tracey, and they worked well together.

TCM here recycles films over and over, so it was a pleasure to see some
new films with this fine actress - who, I suspect, Hollywood seldom knew
what to do with.