Film Albums: Maureen O'Hara Sings Her Favorite Irish Songs

Now is a wonderful time to enjoy some classic Irish songs, what with St. Patrick's Day peeking just around the corner....and if you want a gem of an album to enjoy, check out this classic from 1961: Maureen O'Hara Sings Her Favorite Irish Songs. 

Maureen O'Hara had a wonderful high soprano voice but only recorded two albums during her career, this one here and "Love Letters from Maureen O'Hara" released in 1958. Jasmine Records released both albums in one compact disc compliation. 

The liner notes on the back of the album are penned by Ms. O'Hara herself ( 'tis herself! ) who shares that the songs on the album are her favorite Irish songs, most of which she heard in her childhood sung by her parents, relatives and neighbors. Many of these tunes will be unfamiliar to Americans - even Irish-Americans (!) - except the popular Danny Boy and Come Back to Erin but there is a nice variety of songs on the album and, as Maureen says herself "There's something for every one of you - and I hope everything for some of you."

Track Listing:

Side One: 

A Kerry Cow

Give Him to Me

A Rich Man Died

Wee Hughie

Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye

There Was an Old Woman

Danny Boy

There Was an Old Man

Side Two:

He Moved Through the Fair

Which of Them Will I Marry

Do You Remember that Night, Love

It's True that the Women are Worse Than the Men

The Next Market Day

Nora Lee: I Once Loved a Boy

I'm Going to Be Married on Sunday

Come Back to Erin

Top Music Picks: Danny Boy, Which of Them Will I Marry, Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye

Click here to listen to Maureen O'Hara Sings Her Favorite Irish Songs on Youtube...and click here to see a lovely clip of Ms. O'Hara performing "Love is a Many Splendored Thing" on The Jimmy Dean Show. 

Check it Out! - Maureen O'Hara singing "Heather on the Hill"

During the 1960s, Maureen O'Hara guest-starred a number of times on The Andy Williams Show where she got a chance to entertain the audience with her beautiful singing voice. Maureen made a lot of dramatic films but, surprisingly, no musicals....even though she sang like a lark since she was a lass in Ireland. 

In this particular episode, she gives a lovely rendition of "The Heather on the Hill" from Lerner and Lowe's Brigadoon. Check it out! And if you enjoy this clip, be sure to look at Ms. O'Hara's performance of "Love is a Many Splendored Thing" on the short-lived The Jimmy Dean Show here. 

Against All Flags ( 1952 )

On the coast of Madagascar lies a pirate's hideaway - Diego Suarez - a fortress for thieves. A narrow harbor is the only entrance to the city and this is heavily defended by cannons. The British Royal Navy wants to destroy this base and capture every pirate on it but they cannot find a way to enter the harbor without damaging their fleet. Lieutenant Brian Hawke ( Errol Flynn ) has a plan: he poses as a deserter and hopes to gain entrance to the base by joining their band and gaining the trust of the pirates. Captain Roc Brasiliano ( Anthony Quinn ) is suspicious of this new recruit but "Spitfire" Stevens ( Maureen O'Hara ), another pirate leader, approves of him. She dislikes men in general but this handsome rogue intrigues her. She gives him the use of one of her ships and even agrees to marry him ( who wouldn't! ), but Hawke's plan backfires when he is discovered by Captain Roc signaling to the British fleet and is captured. As the British warships are just about to enter the bay, Hawke must find a way to free himself and save the fleet from destruction. 

Against All Flags is a grand little pirate flick. The story, by Aeneas MacKenzie and Joseph Hoffman, is easy to follow and packed with action and a dash of humor. George Sherman's direction is taut and the settings are colorful, looking gorgeous in Technicolor. The film also boasts a strong supporting cast that includes Mildred Natwick, Harry Cording, Phil Tully, and Lester Matthews. Robert Warwick has a great part as the infamous pirate Captain Kidd. However, it is the three leading stars that make this film special. 

Against All Flags was made seventeen years after Errol Flynn became famous as a swashbuckling hero in Captain Blood ( 1935 ). He wasn't as youthful but he certainly was just as dashing. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. was originally slated to star in the film but when Universal Pictures purchased the rights to the script they managed to snag Errol Flynn for the lead instead. This turned out to be Flynn's last Hollywood swashbuckler. 

Anthony Quinn signed on early to play the villain. He was probably delighted to find out that Maureen O'Hara was going to star in it as well. This was the fourth time these two cronies would be united - and the third pirate-themed film they would make together. Quinn is wonderful as the jealous Captain Roc. He wanted to make Spitfire Stevens his woman but could never arouse romantic feelings from her, hence he becomes doubly jealous when the handsome Lt. Hawke not only earns her admiration but her love as well. 

Maureen O'Hara was initially hesitant to star opposite Errol Flynn after he made an amorous advance towards her years earlier, but "he had won me over. I respected him professionally and was quite fond of him personally. Father Time was slowly calming his wicked, wicked ways, and deep within that devilish rogue, I found a kind and fragile soul."*

Her character is aptly named Spitfire Stevens because she has a fiery temper and a jealous streak, too. O'Hara always had a knack for playing women who were very strong and independent and yet still feminine with not a trace of tomboyism. She looks particularly dazzling in this film. 

Against All Flags premiered on Christmas Eve in New York and was a great success at the box office. Variety wrote that it "takes a tongue-in-cheek attitude towards the plotting at times without minimizing the story's chief concerns with swashbuckling movement." The plotline really took a comedic turn when it was later remade as The King's Pirate in 1967 ( starring Doug McClure and Jill St. John ). 

Hamlette's Soliloquy is hosting a pirate's party - We Love Pirates Week - running from February 22-26th. If you want to be reading more posts about pirates matey, then be sure to head over here and check out the entries! 

* 'Tis Herself - A Memoir by Maureen O'Hara. Thorndike Press ( 2004 )

The Parent Trap ( 1961 )

All of us have favorite films that are a little extra special to us because we grew up with them. The Parent Trap, featuring Hayley Mills, is one of those films for my sister and I. It was a favorite to watch on Saturdays when we were wee ones and it is still a beloved Saturday film that conjures up good feelings and happy memories of childhood. 

Not surprisingly, The Parent Trap has been, and still is, a family favorite for many worldwide. It encapsulates everything that family entertainment should be, appealing to both parents and children. It features a wonderful cast, great music ( courtesy of Richard and Robert Sherman ), gorgeous sets ( thanks to Carroll Clark and Emile Kuri ), and a witty script. What more could you ask for?

Hayley Mills was one of the Disney Studio's prime assets and, after proving her worth in Pollyanna a year earlier, Walt Disney cast her in a double role for The Parent Trap ( 1961 ), playing twin sisters Susan and Sharon. If there is anything better than watching a Hayley Mills performance, it's watching two Hayley Mills performances! 

"The nerve of that girl, coming here with your face!"

The Parent Trap tells the simple tale of identical twin sisters who were separated at birth by their divorced parents and who accidentally meet up at a posh summer camp. When the girls discover they are sisters each rave about the parent who raised them and decide to get together to reunite father and mother "for now, for always". What is their brilliant scheme to accomplish this? Swap places. California-native Susan attempts a Boston accent while Bostonian Sharon gets her hair clipped and chews her nails so Dad won't have any suspicions about her. Strangely enough, both parents are so busy with ranch duties and charity work they don't realize the change in their daughters. It is Grandpa McKendrick ( Charlie Ruggles ) who first notices the difference in "Sharon" and faithful housekeeper Verbena ( Una Merkel ) who sees through "Susan". 

The twin's plan to spend some quality time with their parents gets foiled when Sharon discovers that her dad is about to wed a catty young gold-digger named Vicki ( Joanna Barnes ). As "nicely put-together" as Vicki is, it's all just a front and she oozes venom in her speech. It takes a surprise visit from mother and a camping trip in the woods to send this cunning fiancée home packing. 

"Get me outta this stinkin' fresh air!"

This outdoor camping sequence, as well as the opening one, act as bookends to The Parent Trap and reinforce the California summer atmosphere of the film. Camping, hiking, horseback riding, and canoeing are the ideal recreational activities that most young girls fantasize about when they look forward to a summer vacation. 

The Parent Trap was based on Erich Kastner's 1949 best-selling novel "Das doppelte Lottchen" about twins who reunite at a Lake Bohren summer camp. It was brought to the silver screen twice before Disney purchased the rights to the novel.... first in Germany in 1950 as Das doppelte Lottchen, and then again in 1953 in the UK as Twice Upon a Time with Hugh Williams and Elizabeth Allen playing the parents ( and Emeric Pressburger directing ). 

Some critics claim that the Disney film is much too long and, while it's true that certain sequences are stretched, The Parent Trap is never tiresome. The comedy deftly hops between broad humor and subtle satire. Brian Keith is especially amusing in his interchanges with Sharon, whom he believes to be Susan. For instance, in one scene when Sharon inquires about her mother, Keith misunderstands the drift of the question and awkwardly attempts to relate to her the "facts of life". It's one of many scenes where'll you find your chuckle develop into a belly laugh. Walt Disney certainly deserves credit for recognizing Brian Keith's comedy and romantic lead potential. Prior to The Parent Trap, Keith was primarily a serious action/western actor. 

Maureen O'Hara was always adept at comedy but never was she more lovely than she is here playing Susan and Sharon's mother. She makes middle-aged maturity an enviable stage in life, and the romantic scenes between her and Keith are especially touching. Bill Thomas, who was the costume designer for the majority of Walt Disney's live-action films, decked O'Hara out in one beautiful ensemble after another. Even the cooking outfit she had on to make stew was eye-catching!

Supporting the principal players were a bevy of talented character actors including Charlie Ruggles, Leo G. Carroll ( as the priest who finds Keith's marriage situation "fraught with humor" ), Una Merkel, Cathleen Nesbitt, Nancy Kulp, and Linda Watkins. 

"It's none of my business....if he wants to make a ninny of himself with all those women. I don't say a word!"

Upon its release The Parent Trap was a smashing box-office success, raking in over $25 million in the U.S. alone. It received a number of fine reviews from critics as well, most of whom singled out Hayley Mills persuasive duel performance. Indeed, we'd rank Hayley as the best child actress of the 1960s. Not only did she convincingly portray two separate characters in this film but she also captured the "American spirit" and made you believe one girl was truly Californian and the other Bostonian, while Hayley herself was British! 

Ten Favorite Classic Movie Mothers

For this Mother's Day we felt a tribute to some of those wonderful on-screen movie mothers was in order. They are such a joy to watch and their warmth and tenderness seem to reach out to the audience, making you appreciate and, hopefully, aspire to be like these women. Below we have gathered together just a few of our favorite movie mothers, listed in no particular order......Enjoy! 

Diana's Favorites : 

Little Women ( 1949 ) - Mary Astor

I consider Mary Astor's role of Mrs. March one of my favorites. Mrs. March raised four lovely daughters, volunteered her time with the Red Cross during the Civil War, and she was a beacon of strength in their home while her husband was away at war. She was content with her life and she never asked more from her children than what they could give.

National Velvet ( 1944 ) - Anne Revere

Anne Revere exhibited many fine qualities as Mrs. Brown in this 1944 classic. She was hardworking, sensible, and supportive. She believed in her children's dreams and she would quietly make any sacrifice necessary to help them achieve those dreams. 

The Andy Hardy Series - Fay Holden

I believe Emily Hardy was a wonderful wife and mother in the Hardy family film series. She was kind, caring, decent, and understanding. She was concerned about her children's welfare and her husband James could always turn to her for sound advice if he needed a second opinion with regards to one of his court cases.

How Green Was My Valley ( 1941 ) - Sara Allgood

Watching Sara Allgood in How Green Was My Valley reminds me so much of our late Oma, so that's a big reason why I love to see Sara as Mrs. Morgan in this beloved story. Mrs. Morgan raised six sons ( our Oma had three ); she kept a clean home; was a great cook who had to make enough food to feed her hungry family; and she supported her family no matter what choice they felt they had to make. She looks warm and cuddly and I would love to give her a great big bear hug!

Please Don't Eat the Daisies ( 1960 )

Spring Byington's cheery disposition and sensible nature made her an ideal mother to Doris Day in Please Don't Eat the Daisies. She kept herself busy as the owner of a cute little pet shop; offered to babysit her grandsons when her daughter Doris needed some free time from the kids; and she was able to give Doris and her son-in-law David Niven wise counsel when their marriage took a bumpy turn in the film. I love Spring and she was a breath of spring, herself, as Mrs. Robinson. 

Constance's Favorites : 

The Parent Trap ( 1961 ) - Maureen O'Hara

Maureen O'Hara made such a good on-screen mother. She was not only beautiful but very tender and compassionate. In The Parent Trap she was definitely a mother any girl would be proud to show off. The dressing room scenes between her and Hayley Mills were especially good. O'Hara also played a great mother in Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation ( 1962 ).

The Pleasure of His Company ( 1961 ) - Lilli Palmer

In this film, Lilli deftly balanced an earthy down-home maternal nature with an elegant sophisticated air, creating a mother character that was lovely, warm, and approachable. She has had her share of worldly experience and you can imagine her daughter feels a comfort in knowing she can turn to her for advice in any situation. 

Giant ( 1956 ) - Elizabeth Taylor 

Elizabeth Taylor doesn't often come to mind as the ideal mother image, but I always thought she was very maternal. In Giant, her character - Leslie - spans the years from being a newlywed to an aging grandmother. She could be tough at times, but you would never doubt the love she has for her children. 

Mrs. Mike ( 1949 ) - Angela Clarke 

Angela Clarke played the ultimate pioneer mother in Mrs. Mike. She is grateful for the opportunity of giving life to her children and spending her days raising her young, even though she knows they have little chance of surviving to adolescence in the harsh and dangerous environment of Canada's Northwest territory. Note : this is a scene of Angela in Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima since I was unable to find any photos from Mrs. Mike. 

Life with Father ( 1947 ) - Irene Dunne 

Irene Dunne is one of those actresses who often portrayed mothers on screen even though in real-life she had no children of her own. Ironically, the actresses who demonstrated maternal love the best on camera did not have children ( e.g. Claudette Colbert, Mary Astor, and Anna Neagle ). I Remember Mama is probably Dunne's best performance, but she was such a delightful mother in Life with Father I couldn't help but put the spotlight on this role instead. 

Happy Mother's Day to all! 

We'll conclude with sharing a sweet clip from Youtube that we stumbled across : 

What are some of your favorite classic movie mothers? 

Announcing The Luck of the Irish Blog o'thon : March 15-17th!

UPDATE: To view a complete list of participants check out the official blogathon post here. 

Top o' the morning film fans! Silver Scenes is proud to present The Luck of the Irish Blog o'thon...a wee little event to celebrate the joy and talent that the Irish have brought to the silver screen for many many years. 

You need not be Irish to participate in this ceilidh because on holy St. Patrick's Day we all be wearing a touch o' the green.....

THE DETAILS:  We not be specific - you can write about almost anything so long as it has a bit o' Irish in it, was filmed prior to 1975, and features no blessed word spoken against the little people. Will you be wanting to write about an Irish-made production? That'll be grand! Will ye be caring to write about an Irish-born actor? We tip our hats to ye! 

Movies that take place in Ireland are surely welcome and you most certainly can write about an American actor with an Irish heritage. We not be turning down any post on Cagney himself. And do not be forgetting the talented Irish men and women who worked behind the magic movie screen as well. 

If ye need some inspiration to get your heart a beatin', here be some suggestions :

Films: The Quiet Man, Return to Glennascaul, Captain Boycott, The Informer, Darby O'Gill and the Little People, Parnell, The Molly McGuires, Finian's Rainbow, Little Nellie Kelly, The Girl with Green Eyes, Odd Man Out, The Plough and the Stars, The Shame of Mary Boyle, Top O' the Morning, Gentlemen Jim, I See a Dark Stranger, Irish and Proud of It, Guns in the Heather, Barry Lyndon, Young Cassidy, The Fighting Prince of Donegal, Going My Way, This Other Eden, Shake Hands with the Devil, The Long Gray Line, The Sporting Irish, Peg O' My Heart, The Hills of Ireland, Wings of the Morning, Man of Aran, Mother Machree, The Rose of Kildare, My Wild Irish Rose, Daughter of Rosie O'Grady, Yankee Doodle Dandy, Leave it to the Irish, Gateway, The Story of Seabiscuit, Sally and Saint Anne, The Fighting O'Flynn. 

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Personalities: John Ford, George Murphy, James Cagney, Peter O'Toole, Richard Harris, Maureen O'Hara, John Ford, Barry Fitzgerald, Bing Crosby ( what the hey! ), Dennis Morgan, Stephen Boyd, Arthur Shields, Pat O'Brien, Richard Todd, George Brent, Owen Moore, Charles B. Fitzsimmons, Roy William Neill, James Kilgannon, Sara Allgood, Rex Ingram, Patrick Delany, Una O'Connor, David S. Hall, Brian Donlevy, Niall MacGinnis, Rod Taylor, Alan Young.

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DATE: The Luck of the Irish Blog o'thon runs from March 15th through St. Paddy's Day itself. Ready to join in the jig? Just drop your name, blog site, and the topic you be wanting to write about in the comment box below. 

DEADLINE : Entries will be accepted up until midnight on the 17th of March. If you denno get your entry in by that time, you'll be hearing the wailin' o' the banshee at your backdoor wondering why ye had forgotten her! 

'Tis no good hosting a blogathon without a followin' of fans to participate in it, so we be asking kindly that you post these pretty little Irish banners on those pretty little blogs of your own...with a link back if ye may : 

            

            

            

            

Thankee for reading this announcement and we hope to see you at the ceilildh! 

TV/Movie Set: The Parent Trap Ranch

It's that time of year again....when summer begins to peak its head around the corner then our brains start to buzz with new ideas. One of them you're seeing right now : a new series featuring the houses, apartments, cabins and cottages from our favorite movies and television shows. We're not to going to limit it to just our favorites though, we'd love to hear your suggestions on houses we should feature in the new future. 

Actually, this idea isn't all that new. Diana and I have been huge fans of architecture ever since we were kindergarten age, when we use to draw out plans for our dream house, vacation cabin, tree-house or that ideal ice cream stand. Today, we're still sketching house plans whenever an idea crops up ( usually in the middle of the night ) or, more frequently, when we see a perfect house on screen. Instead of hoarding all these designs to ourselves, we just decided to share them! O you lucky people you. 

Over the weekend we were watching The Parent Trap ( 1961 ) and so we picked it to be our very first house in the series. And what a house it is. 

In order to put the place in perspective, it's always best to see a floor plan. Here's my sloppy sketch of the place along with a few mistakes thrown in. If anyone knows where we can get a hold of the original set design plans, let us know! 

Before we get started on the picture tour, I'd like to give special mention to Julia who runs the very entertaining blog Hooked on Houses. She took most of these fab screenshots and - since we're lazy - we snitched them ( don't shake your head just yet, her website stated that people are more than welcome to borrow her images ). Anyway, she has a great selection of TV/Movie houses in her own series, with some classics scattered among the lot, but I think she stopped posting and so we're taking up where she left off...only with Silver Scenes you'll see strictly classic film sets and nothing else. 

Let's get together now and start the tour:  

THE EXTERIOR

Walt Disney's The Parent Trap tells the story of twin sisters, separated at birth, who meet accidentally at summer camp and decide to switch places in order to meet the parent they've never seen before and reunite them both. 

The lovable Hayley Mills plays duel roles in the part of Sharon/Susan, with Maureen O'Hara and Brian Keith playing their divorced parents, Maggie and Mitch. 

The film opens up with the girls at Camp Inch where they first discover that they are the spitting image of each other. Later this summer we'll post images of the cabin that they share, as well as the Boston house that Sharon lives in, but for now we want to focus strictly on the ranch that Susan's dad, Mitch, owns. 

THE ENTRANCE FOYER

Mitch's house is decorated in this beautiful old Spanish missionary style with lots of interior stonework, heavy wood furniture, ornate carvings, and stained glass windows. The entrance door features beautiful decorative wood engravings, especially on the front side. 

THE LIVING ROOM

Once inside, this massive living room greets you. Just get a load of the fireplace on the far left side of the room. Two sets of french doors lead out to the courtyard while the steps take you to the upstairs bedrooms. 

We couldn't figure out where Hecky and Verbena live but it's probably in that separate section of the house just past the thru-way. You can see it in the top shot behind the white Thunderbird. If you were to take a right turn when you enter through the front door, you'd be in a short hallway that leads to the dining room. We pasted two screenshots together so a broader view could be seen. 

Mitch was wondering where his dinner was, when he was told that he will be eating out in the courtyard for a change. Nice as the courtyard is, it wasn't prepared for a dining table and so the gals got Hecky to move one in for them while they set up their "Let's Get Together" routine to entertain their parents. 

THE COURTYARD

If we grew up in this house I'd be throwing pennies down that old well every day making wishes on the future. Although with a life like Sharon had there really wouldn't be many wishes for a better future to make.... 

....unless you wanted a sister and a mother of course. And Maureen O'Hara makes one stunning mother! Here she is making her grand entrance to the courtyard and finds the set-up as amusing as Mitch does. We weren't able to figure out where that backdoor leads to, so we'll leave that up to your imagination. 

Let's take a look at the courtyard in these daytime shots before we move on to the upstairs bedroom. It looks like there is a little stone man with his legs crossed in the background. One thing this house certainly doesn't have a shortage of is flora and stonework.

The art directors who created the fantastic sets of The Parent Trap were Disney legend Carroll Clark ( stay tuned for a re-post about this talented man ) and Robert Clatworthy. Send Me No Flowers, Lover Come Back, That Touch of Mink, Psycho and Midnight Lace were just a few of the films that Robert Clatworthy was the art director on. 

Set decorators, Emile Kuri and Hal Gausman deserve as much credit for creating such a wonderful atmosphere with their decor. The second sheet of our floor plan features the upstairs rooms. Since most of the film took place in the lower level, we weren't able to take note of all of the bedrooms. Sharon and Susan shared a bed, so there must have been only one guest room but I would have loved to see Mitch's bedroom.

THE BEDROOMS

The entire Evers residence has this nice subtle light-tone color palette that carries over from the interior decor popular in the late 1950s. Parts of the house also foreshadow the style of the late 1960s, particularly the yellow glass windows in the living room. You just got to love those wide doors and hallways in this shot of Mitch's dressing room, and look at those horse watercolors. 

Walk through that doorway on the right and you'll end up right smack in the middle of Cleopatra's spa, complete with golden dolphin faucet handles. This bathroom connects with Sharon's bedroom, but oddly enough we see Maureen O'Hara using the bathroom instead. Her guest room did not have a one? Odd, for a ranch this size. But then again, that was probably just so the audience could enjoy that little scene where Mitch finds Maggie's bra hanging on the shower stall and thinks it belongs to Sharon. 

Maureen O'Hara was 41 years old when she made The Parent Trap, one year older than Brian Keith, but you'd never guess it from the way she looks. Maureen is one of the few actresses that really reached her prime ( as Miss Broooodie would say ) in her 40s. 

Here is Sharon looking inquiringly at her dad. This bedroom scheme reminds me of a great set from another Hayley Mills film, The Moon-Spinners ( 1964 ), with it's blue walls and thick white trim ( all stucco ). 

That's about all we get to see of the upstairs except for this brief scene of Verbena putting away the laundry. Anybody want to take a guess at what kind of room that back one could be? A dressing room? Guest room?

Anyway...now the piece de resistance...the kitchen! 

THE KITCHEN

This is one posh kitchen. The stonework is what really makes it stand out. That door in the back looks like it leads to the courtyard but actually it opens to a passageway ( carport? ) which enters into the courtyard. 

And see those great windows that look out to the wishing well? Well..they're not windows. They are just wooden frames. The summers in California are so warm, who needs windows? But in winter, I imagine they would put in the glass panes. 

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The Parent Trap features several beautiful sets, but the Evers ranch is the best of them all. To this day, the Disney Archives still receive requests for the blueprints to the house, with other asking for directions to the house so they could see it in person. In truth however, there never was an Evers ranch. 

The exterior of the house was just a shell. The exterior walls and roof were erected on the Golden Oak ranch, a large piece of property that Walt Disney owned in Placerita Canyon Road, in Santa Clarita Valley. The interior was all constructed on sound stages, which is hard to believe considering all the "sunlight" that streams in. 

Well, that about wraps up our first TV/Movie Set post. Hope you enjoyed it and stay tuned for more to come!