Lauren Bacall

Happy Birthday to

Lauren Bacall

85 today

When I congratulated Lauren during Saturday's news column for her honorary Oscar, announced at the weekend, I perhaps should have made sure I wasn't going to namecheck her twice in the same week by wishing a happy birthday. Still, if anyone deserves 2 mentions in a week then it's Bacall's sultry Goddess.

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Film News (12/09/09)

Slightly more exciting week than we've had recently - but still the festivals dominating the news pages.

Knockout

Steven Soderbergh may have lost his baseball film, Moneyball, over unusual circumstances but he's taking that on the chin and jumping back into the ring with Knockout, a mixed marshal arts movie. They're entering into a bit of a purple patch - no longer a ghetto populated by Steven Seagal - with Nick Nolte training Tom Hardy in Warrior, and now this.

The twist is we're looking at fighting women. Like Soderbergh's Girlfriend we'll be looking at a complete unknown (Gina Carano from American Gladiator) in the lead. Could be dreadful, probably will be incredibly watchable though.



True Grit

The Coen brothers, who are getting great notices for A Serious Man in Toronto, are in talks with Big Lebowski star Jeff Bridges to take the lead role in their Western remake. It's an interesting move and whether Bridges signature laconic style will work in the genre remains to be seen.

Lauren Bacall

In spite of a back catalogue of fantastic movies (The Big Sleep, How to Marry a Millionaire, Dogville) Lauren has never managed to win a competitive Oscar, but in a vague attempt to rectify this the Academy will be awarding her a honorary award later this year. It's very well deserved - I'm having a Bacall night tonight to celebrate.

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