Of rats and autograph seekers.

What a treat in celebration of Edith Meinhard's birthday this year! News is a rarity, but thanks to a fellow fan in the Louise Brooks Society Facebook group (cheers, Susanne!), we can at last fill in some biographical gaps. In 1947, Edith married a man named Evald Verner Jensen, which tracks with listings I had previously found in West Berlin phone books in the 1960s. 

The above was taken from the 1968-69 phone book, which would be the last time she was listed. Edith passed away on June 26, 1968, at the age of 59. (Thanks also to Matthaus Edinger for this information.)

Also thanks to the LBS group, I came across a 1931 interview she had done for Mein Film magazine. Her charm and talent was recognized by many, and rightfully so. Without further ado, please enjoy!

(Unfortunately I only know a few German words, so the following has been automatically translated, then edited for clarity to the best of my ability. Apologies for any awkwardness herein, some things don't work out smoothly into English. I've also included scans of my personal copy for posterity.)

    I am extremely happy to be immortalized in your beautiful anniversary edition, and I would like to take the opportunity to tell you that I "got hooked” early on. My first film appearance was at the age of ten, and I was chosen by Maxim Film, who were filming an adaptation of Felix Hollander's novel "The Dancer", to play the role of the hero as a young boy. With my beguiling violin playing I could lure the rats out of their hiding places!

    God, was I scared of those rats! Even though I had made up my mind, oh, to be so brave, it took a while before I got used to the rats, and until the rats got used to me.

    This first role brought me great success and I was delighted to be able to admire my picture in all the postcard shops! And then came the high point of my ten-year existence: I was asked for an autograph! I was blessed! That seemed to me to be the culmination of fame!

    I have since overcome this overwhelming first request for my autograph, but I am always happy when I receive nice autograph letters. And for the fun of your kind readers, I will reproduce the following letter from two dear boys that I recently received:

Well-born, beautiful, gracious diva, you, our favorite film star, Edith Meinhardt!

Two of your biggest admirers send greetings and wish you the best of luck with all your films. We've seen such wonderful films with you and we cannot fail to write to you. We ask and implore you, beautiful diva, to give us two beautiful autographs. Please, please, be so good - there are no photos here, we beg you to provide some for us, and yet we hope that you are good to us, our joy would be immense. Please, please, if you can, I, Gustav B., would like a photo where you are already grown up [?], please, please, my dear one, where you can show more of your wonderful figure. Please see what you can do.

    Isn't that nice?

    I send my warmest greetings to your charming readers and the gracious editorial team, and I wish you continued well-deserved success!

I couldn't write her for an autograph, but I'm lucky to have one just the same.

Old Hollywood Kitchen: Dennis Morgan

This post has been sitting in my drafts since April. At least now it's seasonably appropriate, especially since today's star is in one of my favorite holiday films, Christmas in Connecticut. Perhaps you need a warm, comforting dessert to enjoy while you watch...

Dennis Morgan's Apple Surprise

2 pounds green apples
1/4 lb. butter
1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup flour
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. cinnamon
Ice cream or whipped cream

Simple and satisfying like any fruit crisp, and an easy alternative to apple pie for less experienced bakers. Worth breaking out the best vanilla ice cream you can find, too. Stay safe and healthy, everyone, and happy eating!

"Ring twice."

It's been a long time (nearly two and a half years!) since I last posted about Edith Meinhard, largely due to a lack of new information, but I've been spurred on by recent social media activity to share more items from my collection. I thought I'd follow up on this post with photos from Voruntersuchung, a highly recommended film if you've only seen Edith in Diary of a Lost Girl. In addition to the DVD linked in that post, there is also a Spanish-subtitled version on the Internet Archive. The captions are translations of the snipes found on the back of each photo.

"The witnesses are waiting to be questioned." Edith is seated on the far left.

"Albert Bassermann (examining magistrate) interrogates Charlotte Ander (his daughter)."

"The accused before the examining magistrate."

"The real killer is caught in the courtroom."

"Sound film recording in the streets of Berlin. Under the microphone, Gustav Frohlich and Hans Brausewetter."

Page from the Voruntersuchung program, with Edith's Mella Ziehr pictured in a happier time.

The film has fine performances all around, particularly from Albert Bassermann. This was my introduction to Bassermann, and until I attended a nitrate screening of The Red Shoes two years ago I had no idea he acted in any English-language films! He's also great in Alfred Hitchcock's Foreign Correspondent, which now tempts me to rewatch with a giant bowl of popcorn...

Old Hollywood Kitchen: Zachary Scott

Well, 2020 hasn't given us much to cheer about so far. In the midst of necessary quarantine and social distancing, it can be difficult to drum up positive thoughts. Escapism is my go-to relief, and at the moment consists mostly of catching up on unwatched classic films; as I'm sticking with tried-and-true recipes (and those with minimal ingredients) to keep myself fed, I've been neglecting my stack of vintage cookbooks. It's high time I tackle my backlog of old recipe tests, starting with this comforting noodle dish:

Zachary Scott's Noodles Mecca

1 package medium noodles (I used egg noodles)
1 1/2 lbs. ground round steak
2 large onions, ground
2 kernels garlic
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/2 lb. grated cheddar cheese
2 cans condensed tomato soup

In this first attempt I halved the ingredients for a smaller serving size, including the tomato soup; unfortunately this left the casserole a bit dry. The flavors and texture were good otherwise, though I'm wondering if green pepper wouldn't jazz this up some more. I definitely will use two cans of tomato soup the next time around.

Zachary Scott is perhaps best known for his work in Mildred Pierce, a great film all around, but I have to recommend the fun noir Flaxy Martin, which also features the wonderful Dorothy Malone. Whatever you choose to watch, I hope you and yours stay safe and healthy.

Old Hollywood Kitchen: Vincent Price

As I write this a full-day marathon of Vincent Price films has begun on Comet (they're calling it Super Ghoul Sunday, which I might turn into an annual tradition). House on Haunted Hill currently keeping me company, it's high time I reflect on a dish of his I made just before Halloween, with the then-newly-acquired Cooking Price-Wise.

Vincent Price's Beef and Cauliflower on Rice

1 lb. beef steak
1 small head of cauliflower
2 oz. butter or margarine (I used olive oil)
1 green pepper, cut in 3/4 inch squares
1 clove garlic, crushed
4 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. cornflour (corn starch)
4 tbsp. water
1/2 tsp. sugar (I omitted)
3 oz. sliced onion
1 lb. 2 oz. hot cooked long-grain rice

I had been eyeing Vincent Price's cookbooks for a while but felt they were out of my reach in terms of cooking skills; I was more at-ease once I saw how simple some of the recipes in Cooking Price-Wise could be to prepare.

This was a great first recipe to test; a nice, light stir-fry that's a satisfying mix of flavors and textures. I've since made it again with broccoli in place of cauliflower and it works just as well. I don't find myself craving it as much as my beloved Beef and Beans but I will definitely come back to this recipe in the future.

The Last Man on Earth is my film pick this time around, a dystopian thriller with plenty of screen time for Price. Pair it with this dish and you've got dinner and a movie; if you'd prefer to host your own Super Ghoul Sunday festivities, you could decorate the table with these wonderful creations (also from Cooking Price-Wise):

Happy cooking!

Old Hollywood Kitchen: Marlene Dietrich and Karen Morley

It started simply enough: one weekend I developed a craving for banana bread, and conveniently had a couple of overripe bananas to put to good use. I realized that I had one vintage recipe to re-test and one I had never used (and a tried-and-true third recipe, my own mother's). Thus, here it is, my first side-by-side recipe comparison; a tale of two banana breads.

Marlene Dietrich's Banana Nut Bread

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1 1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. salt (I omitted)
1/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed banana pulp (usually 2 bananas)
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

The first test of this recipe taught me a valuable lesson: modern ovens run hotter, and with more consistent temperature than their 1930s predecessors. As such, one full hour in a 350 degree oven proved nearly fatal for the poor loaf. The bottom half was dry and tough, the top half just barely edible. It practically has a tan line! Try again.

The second attempt fared much better. I kept a closer eye on the oven timer and pulled the loaf out after 45 minutes. Improved texture, though still a touch dry. I was running low on walnuts this time around, and I'm not sure if that had an impact on the moisture levels.

Now, how about that "new" recipe?

Karen Morley's Banana Bread

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda (sifted with flour)
2 tsp. milk
2 cups flour
3 bananas, well mashed

Baked at 300 degrees for about 55 minutes, this loaf turned out moist, even a bit chewy, likely owing to the use of sour cream. This recipe may edge out Dietrich's as I'm not accustomed to putting walnuts in banana bread and prefer it without them. I plan to make it again sometime and may let it go a full hour in the oven to see how that affects the texture. Overall, I still prefer my mother's recipe (also without walnuts) over these two, but I'm willing to try either of these again.

I've included my movie recommendations in the photos above. The Dietrich and von Sternberg in Hollywood box set is a wonderful Criterion release and will hit the spot if you're looking for a heady dose of (mostly pre-Code) glamour. I've chosen another pre-Code gem, 1932's Arsene Lupin, for Karen Morley, who matches wits with John Barrymore's suave gentleman thief. Happy watching, and happy baking!

Old Hollywood Kitchen: Celeste Holm

With the warmer weather upon us, what better time for an entree incorporating a touch of fruit?

Celeste Holm's Chicken Montmorency

1 chicken, cut for frying
Butter
1 can dark, sweet cherries
Cornstarch for thickening
Sherry (optional)

One hurdle to clear in gathering the ingredients: canned dark cherries are tough to find in my area. Aside from fresh picked, the only other widely available options are canned pie filling and maraschino cherries. No way.

Luckily I found something better! Sour cherries are more accurate to the traditional dish and add a refreshing tartness, whereas the canned cherries would have been cloyingly sweet.

I can recommend this recipe on ease of preparation alone. Served with wild rice per Holm's suggestion, and without the sherry, it's an enticing mix of flavors and textures; the tang of the sour cherries plays well against the dark meat of the chicken thighs I used. Many of the recipes in these cookbooks call for the use of a whole chicken; if you're only cooking for one or two people, it's easier to use smaller cuts of meat. It may also require some tweaking of ingredient proportions, usually a simple task (unless you're giving Joan Blondell's Sunday Night Special a whirl). I plan to make this again very soon, the perfect summertime sustenance.

Celeste Holm was in numerous supporting roles over the course of her film career, but my pick this time around is 1948's Road House, which also boasts fine performances from Richard Widmark and a singing(!) Ida Lupino. Road House was screened at the 2nd Nitrate Picture Show, which was before I began attending the festival. Fingers crossed that it gets an encore screening someday!

Old Hollywood Kitchen: Glenda Farrell

For the first time in the Old Hollywood Kitchen we have a repeat celebrity, the wonderful Glenda Farrell. This is a recipe I've had tucked away for the right occasion, as mentioned in a previous post. When St. Patrick's Day rolled around last Sunday, her Irish Beef Stew was a natural choice.

Glenda Farrell's Irish Beef Stew

Meat mixture:

3/4 lb. round steak

1 cup carrots

1 cup potatoes

1 cup celery

1 tbsp. parsley

1 cup onion

1 cup beef suet (I omitted)

1/4 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. salt

Biscuit dough:

3 cups flour

3/4 tsp. salt

*3 tsp. baking powder

3 tbsp. shortening

1 cup milk

*Note that the instructions state to sift in 6 tsp. of baking powder. I'd stick with the 3 tsp. instead, though you'll see shortly that there were other problems...

This one started out easy enough. I rounded out the meat and vegetable mixture with Worchestershire sauce and black garlic powder seasoning to stave off potential blandness. I didn't substitute anything for the beef suet, and I'm wondering if 1 cup of beef or vegetable broth would have benefited the proceedings.

This is when the worry sank in.

No matter, as the biscuit dough tested both my limited skills and patience. I sifted and mixed the ingredients as directed, but the "dough" was too dry to hold together. I splashed in a tiny bit more milk...and it got so much worse. Nothing but a gluey mess to contend with and try to form into a reasonable facsimile of pie crust. Truly an amateur hour, I forgot to flour my countertop before rolling out the dough, and so resigned myself to patting sticky globs of dough at the bottom of the casserole dish and over the top of the meat mixture without attempting to balance the dough with flour (and possibly more milk). I'd had enough. I waved the white flag.

Not ready for primetime.

As with many of these older recipes, it was done in less time than specified (only needed 45 minutes of the hour). The taste test yielded no surprises: flavorful meat and crisp vegetables, buried beneath (alternately crunchy and tacky) dough that you could use to grout tile. Doubtful I will attempt this again anytime soon, not at least until I get a better handle on making biscuits. The failure here is my own, but I'm looking onward and upward. At least we'll always have that fine Devil's Food Cake.

I've recommended several of Glenda Farrell's films in her previous post, but to end on a positive note, I'll keep with the theme and highlight a short film I watched on St. Patrick's Day, the enjoyably spooky Return to Glennascaul, featuring Orson Welles, golden timbre and all, and an unusual old house in Ireland. More recipe tests forthcoming, and I guarantee more favorable results.

Old Hollywood Kitchen: Joan Blondell

The last installment of Old Hollywood Kitchen featured my beloved Glenda Farrell, so it only makes sense to follow with one of her closest friends, the equally wisecracking Joan Blondell.

Joan Blondell's Sunday Night Special
4 cans tomato sauce
4 lbs. ground beef
1 1/2 cups green peppers, chopped
2 tbsp. chili powder
1 1/2 cans corn (easier to use 1 15.25 oz. can and 1 8.75 oz. can)
1 cup onion, chopped
1 lb. shredded cheese (not specified, I used cheddar)
3 boxes pasta (again, not specified, I used macaroni)

A caveat right up front: this makes SO MUCH FOOD. I quartered the recipe and still had way too much pasta, then had to use two cans of tomato sauce as one wasn't enough to cover the dish.

Brought to you by Hideous Formica.

The "finished" product:

The concept is good and the flavors are almost there, but this is going to take some serious reworking of proportions. My biggest failure of these recipe tests thus far, but not a total loss; I'm definitely going to give this another try and will share my version here once I get it right.

It's fitting to wrap up 2018 with Joan Blondell as I spent Christmas morning watching her team up with Katharine Hepburn in Desk Set. Dated in (mostly) entertaining ways, it's a fun film for the holidays; if you're not keen, I can always recommend peak Blondell in any of her Busby Berkeley outings, particularly Gold Diggers of 1933 ("Remember My Forgotten Man" has me in tears every time). There's also her numerous pairings with Farrell, natch, my favorite of them being Havana Widows. Here's to more great food, films and fun in 2019!

Speaking of Katharine Hepburn, here's a little bonus! Her brownie recipe has been floating around the internet and I finally decided to give it a try:

Very easy to make for a relative novice like me, and with a satisfying fudgy chewiness to boot. They're too rich and dense for me to want to make on a regular basis, but will be a great recipe for future use if I need to whip up a quick dessert.

Old Hollywood Kitchen: Glenda Farrell

When I began my search for these vintage recipes, there was one star I had always hoped to find. Once I picked up a copy of What Actors Eat When They Eat, I was thrilled to see that Glenda Farrell was featured in the collection, having had no previous luck turning up one of her recipes. I plan to make that recipe sometime this winter as it's best suited for cold weather. What a pleasant surprise to chance upon another vintage cookbook, Famous Stars Favorite Foods, and flip to this page:

Glenda Farrell's Devil's Food Cake

3 squares chocolate, melted
1 cup butter
2 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
3 3/4 cups cake flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. salt
2 cups milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract

I'm growing in confidence with my cooking, but baking is still largely a nerve-wracking affair. I halved the recipe for a two-layer cake, and it turned out fine though a bit on the dry side. I'm not sure what the recipe might need to add some moisture, but it's simple enough to lend itself to experimentation. I also substituted an oil and cocoa powder mixture for the chocolate since I don't keep baking chocolate around.

Topped with a simple buttercream frosting, it's just the way to satisfy that cake craving. I first baked this for Glenda's birthday back in June to complement a marathon of her films. If you haven't yet experienced her acting, any of her Warner Brothers features would be a good start, particularly the one that brought her Torchy Blane to acclaim: 1936's Smart Blonde. You can also tune in to TCM every Monday in November to celebrate her reign as Star of the Month. Long may she rule.

Old Hollywood Kitchen: Eleanor Powell

One of my goals in exploring these vintage recipes is to find successes that will become mainstays in my kitchen. I'm so enamored with today's recipe that I've already prepared it several times since my initial test...

Eleanor Powell's Beef and Beans (Cantonese Style)

1 lb. flank steak

2 1/2 lbs. string beans

3 large onions

1 bottle soy sauce

1/2 lb. lard or olive oil (olive oil is preferable here)

Salt and pepper to taste

The recipe as written yields 4 hearty portions, but I cut the recipe in half. It can take a while to trim down the green beans (in the full recipe I used about 2 lbs. of beans instead of 2 1/2), but you can save time by sauteing the beans and onions together; cooking them separately creates excess liquid and is an altogether unnecessary step. I also use garlic salt or garlic powder to season the beef, complementing the richness of the olive oil and soy sauce beautifully.

In Eleanor Powell's own words, "this dish is crisp and tender and served with steamed rice and tea makes a delicious and different dinner", and it certainly fits the bill of the "strength giving food" she she sought out. The green beans soak up the flavor nicely, and the steamed rice makes it lighter than your typical stir fry. Best of all, the leftovers are just as satisfying as when freshly cooked. Highly, highly recommended.

The only downside of this recipe is that it doesn't impart any of Powell's great dancing ability (oh, I wish!). However, you can't go wrong with any of her films if you want to see her skills on display. My pick this time around is Broadway Melody of 1940, her only collaboration (sadly) with Fred Astaire. Powell and Astaire are as perfectly matched as the beef and beans, a fine pairing for dinner and a movie.

Old Hollywood Kitchen: Helen Twelvetrees and Irene Delroy

I have a pair of recipe reports today! I usually pick up avocados when they're on sale, and when the craving for guacamole struck, it was time to test out this simplified version:

Helen Twelvetrees' Wakimoli Salad

2 avocados

1/2 onion, chopped fine

1 cup mayonnaise

1/4 teaspoon salt (omitted)

Few grains pepper (omitted- I'm not a fan of black pepper)

Dash paprika

Head of lettuce (for presentation)

Crackers (tortilla chips are a better option here)

Guacamole was not as ubiquitous in the 1930s as it is today, and it's interesting to test one that functions more like a dip. Unfortunately, the full cup (!) of mayonnaise drowned out the velvety avocado and crisp onion, and left it too runny to be satisfying. It's worth another try, cutting back on the mayonnaise (and perhaps adding some diced tomato), but no substitute for the real deal.

The second recipe, however, was a success.

Irene Delroy's Heavenly Hash

2 cups hot milk
3 tablespoons uncooked rice
2 eggs, separated
Few grains salt (optional)
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup black walnut meats
1/2 cup whipping cream (topping)

As I don't have a double boiler, I just heated the milk and rice in a saucepan, which took only 40 minutes. I was worried that either the rice would be underdone or the milk would evaporate, but checking on the rice periodically ensures that everything cooks properly. I was also unable to locate black walnuts, which have a very strong flavor, so I used regular chopped walnuts. 

It isn't until you add the vanilla that the hash starts to feel like a dessert. Very hearty and satisfying, with the vanilla lending a subtle sweetness. Next time I'll have to toast the walnuts to bring out their flavor, as they do get lost in the mix. A fine dessert for the colder months.

Normally I recommend a film by the author of each recipe I test, but Irene Delroy has a brief filmography and I've yet to see any of her work; the only Helen Twelvetrees film I've seen is Millie, though my memory of that is faint at best. I have a few more recipe tests under my belt, to be shared soon. Stay tuned.

High Contrast: My Time at The 4th Nitrate Picture Show

A water-damaged nitrate print of F.W. Murnau's Sunrise.

I've had sufficient time (and sleep!) to absorb the proceedings of this year's Nitrate Picture Show at the George Eastman Museum's Dryden Theatre, which for me is a short drive away. The festival gathers a unique mix of industry professionals, film students and fans from places near and far, all for a program that is kept under wraps until the Friday morning of the Show. The Dryden Theatre has the distinction of being one of the few movie houses in the world with the capability to project nitrate film, a notoriously volatile medium. Nitrate film reels are also surprisingly durable and can last many years provided that they're stored in a tightly controlled environment to curb further deterioration. As a relative novice to classic film, the Nitrate Picture Show is a great opportunity for me to explore works both popular and obscure, most of which I've never heard of or seen.

My "initiation" to nitrate film was in 2017, three months before the 3rd Nitrate Picture Show. Another new-to-me film, 1937's A Star Is Born, boasted both strong lead performances and a soft, warm-toned Technicolor print. A long-term relationship came to an abrupt end that April, and I was ready to try something new. Having never been to a film festival, looking for a distraction, and realizing the NPS wasn't out of reach as I had previously thought, I secured my pass at the last minute. Unsure how to pace myself for an event like this, I attended two screenings on Saturday, with a lecture in between. Sunday was a one-screening day for me, but unforgettable: the traditional Blind Date with Nitrate that caps off each Show was a wild ride, Teuvo Tulio's Levoton veri (Restless Blood). Regina Linnanheimo took cues from Bette Davis' performance in Dark Victory and added a heaping helping of intensity; the film dragged in parts and was saddled with a loathsome love interest, but you couldn't pull away from Linnanheimo's Sylvi, slowly unfurling as her life descends into madness. I've seen dozens of movies since, but her performance sticks with me to this day.

Jump ahead to this year, and I knew what I was getting myself into. I blocked off a four-day weekend (you need at least one day to recover!), though I had to miss most of Friday's programming to attend an out-of-town memorial service. My first film of this year's festival was well worth the wait: a late screening of a rare sepia-toned print of 1938's Holiday, a charming, underrated Katherine Hepburn/Cary Grant vehicle. It's the only film I had seen prior to the NPS, and not only was it great fun as expected, the nitrate print brought lush textures to the forefront: the sunlight streaming through the windows, the glow of a solitary reading lamp, the plush velvet of a settee, the sparkle and flash of a diamond necklace. I wished it were possible to wrap myself in their warmth; I expect they'll reappear on my next viewing, if only in memory.

Saturday: an early start with insufficient sleep to recover from the previous night, the struggle was compounded by a 2 1/2+ hour Somerset Maugham drama, The Razor's Edge. I wanted to sympathize with Larry Darrell's internal conflict and his search for fulfillment. Especially through tired eyes, Edge steeped too long in its own message, aiming for profundity that wasn't quite there, and at the cost of reasonable pacing and a truly believable Tyrone Power performance. To keep interest I waited anxiously for the next scene with Herbert Marshall's Maugham (a self-insert I can get behind) or for Clifton Webb's Elliott's next cutting remark, and wondered why the great Elsa Lanchester got so little screen time (as ever, she made the most of it). Would it have been less of a slog had it been programmed for midday?

The next feature, Mlhy na blatech (Mist Over The Moors) was a glimpse into rural life; it was an easier sit than fellow Czech film Sirena (The Strike) from last year's NPS, but should have taken more advantage of its stunning natural setting to elevate it above standard drama. The titular mist danced above gently rippling water and mingled with rays of sunlight streaming through the trees in a brief, dreamy sequence. Winchester '73 was my "skip" of the day so I could stop home for a catnap and dinner before the final program, The Red Shoes. Having seen only a few short clips, I was pleasantly surprised that it lived up to the hype, beautifully orchestrated with lush Technicolor to match. Moira Shearer lures you in with her subtlety off-stage, but is startlingly intense in her dance sequences. After drying my tears (that ending!), I headed to the after-party with every intention of being social. Fatigue and anxiety got the better of me, though, so it was back home until...

Sunday: Not as late a night as Friday, which allowed for more sleep, thankfully. The first film of the day was Robert Siodmak's Cry of the City. I was somewhat familiar with Siodmak from his 1931 production, Voruntersuchung (featuring blog favorite Edith Meinhard), but a film noir on nitrate is a must-see no matter who's in the director's chair. In stark contrast to The Razor's Edge, City was the perfect first program of the day! Solid acting all around (especially Shelley Winters, cracking wise in a fabulous leopard-print coat), and the best showcase of the "nitrate effect": deep black shadows and gleaming highlights working in tandem to enhance the angular cinematography. A great addition to my slowly-growing noir vocabulary. The craving for a bowl of Mama Rome's piping hot minestrone lingering through the lunch break, it was on to the penultimate film. Vesyolye rebyata (Moscow Laughs), my first Soviet cinematic experience, was an off-the-wall musical comedy. Interspersed with slapstick reminiscent of early Marx Brothers features, the highlight of the chaos was a mob of farm animals crashing an elegant dinner party. Rounding out the 4th Nitrate Picture Show, the Blind Date with Nitrate brought us to the Aran Islands west of Ireland, with 1934's Man of Aran. A quasi-documentary, the film depicted the islands' inhabitants enduring crashing waves and turbulent storms to subsist on and around the rocky soil. I took away a deeper appreciation for the labor of the farmers and fishers, even if the shark hunting sequence was fabricated for box office gains.

All in all, my first "full" Nitrate Picture Show was an experience to treasure. I made it to 7 out of 10 film programs, one lecture, a tour of the projection booth (the Monday after the festival), several demonstrations of nitrate film reels, and I got to rub elbows with interesting people from all corners of the globe. Admittedly, as a beginner to the film festival grind, I at first felt out of place. It can be difficult to navigate a situation where you're surrounded by professionals from several film archives, as well as colleagues or students from the Eastman Museum's Selznick School of Film Preservation, and you want to learn more about them and the work that they do without feeling like too much of an outsider; anxiety in any form makes the task that much more daunting. Persistence does pay off, as I was able to connect with another attendee (via Twitter) and we conversed for hours; with any luck we'll meet up again for next year's show.

If you're new to classic film and/or film festivals and considering attending the Nitrate Picture Show, I recommend it wholeheartedly. Getting out of my comfort zone has helped to build my confidence and better handle unfamiliar situations, in addition to seeing some beautiful prints and learning more about the history of nitrate film and the efforts towards its preservation. Even if I didn't love the films that were being projected, there's always something to appreciate in the process. I'm grateful to the George Eastman Museum and the numerous museums and film archives the world over for their continued collaboration, for the opportunity to experience a rare and fleeting beauty.

Old Hollywood Kitchen: Mary Carlisle

In my quest to build culinary skills via vintage recipes, I have found a new ally: What Actors Eat When They Eat, compiled by actors Rex Lease and Kenneth Harlan and published in 1939.

More substantial than Favorite Recipes of the Movie Stars, I've been overwhelmed when trying to pick out test recipes. Several hearty soups, chilis, sauces, and rice dishes up for contention. Thankfully I found relief in a simple beverage recipe from Mary Carlisle, who is still going strong at the age of 104(!).

Mary Carlisle's Cafe Froid (serves 2)

1 cup cold coffee

3 tablespoons ice cream (no flavor specified- I used French vanilla)

Ginger ale (one 7.5 oz. can was sufficient for two servings)

Mix the cold coffee and ice cream in a bowl (better if you let the ice cream soften a bit) using either a whisk or a hand mixer, which creates a frothier texture. Pour the mixture into glasses and top off with the ginger ale.

At first I was wary of the ginger ale/coffee combination; it's unusual but surprisingly refreshing. I'll give it another try in the warmer weather as a pick-me-up. 

Plenty of recipes to choose from for my next test, but until then, why not raise a Cafe Froid toast to Mary Carlisle and enjoy 1935's One Frightened Night, a fun "spooky house" film in the vein of the previously-recommended The Cat and the Canary. Mary is a highlight even among a solid supporting cast, and the film is readily available online as it is in the public domain.