...under the spell of lovely Loren



Yesterday I watched my first two Sophia Loren movies – back to back. This voluptuous siren still receives adulation with true reason. Her beauty and appeal radiate through even when she’s wearing a simple dress and is magnified in period costumes and impeccable make-up (with a beauty mark).

The movies I watched were in contrast with each other. The first one, “A Breath of Scandal” featured Loren as a feisty Austrian princess who falls in love with an American. It was a comedy that was not absolutely perfect, but quite a good watch – of course, most importantly because of Loren.

The other was “Houseboat” – where she stars opposite Cary Grant who plays a widower. He is forced to live in a dilapidated houseboat. She is a nanny to his three children, and that irrepressible beauty shines through elegant everyday clothes. But still, she is a down-to-earth, girl next door – another reason why I really liked her in that movie. Apparently, Grant succumbed to her charm – he fell in love with her during a movie they filmed the year before, but she was already in love with someone else (sources - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000026/bio and a Readers Digest interview with Loren, several years back). I liked Cary Grant too, and he was 54 when the movie was released, yet quite handsome and charming. It was only the second Grant film I watched.

Sophia Loren really was something else. She was a phenomenon. I’ll add her, along with Audrey Hepburn, Bette Davis (just "All About Eve") and Marilyn Monroe (watched 5 movies of hers), to my list of favorite actresses. Thanks to these wonderful stars, I am becoming a complete 50s & 60s romantic comedy junkie. And I’m loving it!

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