Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart second rate?
September 24, 2003
To Wes Marshall,
I was just cruising the Internet and reading your article about The Philadelphia Story from May, 2003. I
notice that you repeat a common misconception about the film. You state that using Cary
Grant and Jimmy Stewart instead of Spencer Tracy and Clark Gable was not a "second
rate" substitution. Actually, they were. The Motion Picture Herald poll of the
most popular and valuable actors for the year 1940 listed, in order:
Mickey Rooney
Spencer Tracy
Clark Gable
Gene Autrey
Tyrone Power
James Cagney
Bing Crosby
Wallace Berry
Bette Davis
Judy Garland
-- New York Times December 29, 1940
You may notice that neither Cary Grant nor James Stewart
are on this list. Hepburn wanted top box-office stars to co-star with her in The
Philadelphia Story. She settled for Grant and Stewart.
Ariel
It may be true that neither Stewart nor Grant were on
the particular list you cite. However, what I said in the article was true:
"Grant and Stewart weren't just second-rate
substitutes. Cary Grant was wildly popular. Men thought he was manly, and women thought he
was gorgeous. His comedic timing, honed under the master, Howard Hawks (Bringing Up
Baby, His Girl Friday), was perfect for the character of C.K. Dexter Haven.
He was also a big-enough star that he could carry a film by himself. So was Jimmy Stewart.
He had already made the box-office champ Mr. Smith Goes to Washington for Frank
Capra as well as The Shop Around the Corner for the legendary Ernst Lubitsch. His
upright personality worked flawlessly with the character -- a man suspicious of the rich,
supremely uncomfortable in their presence, yet honorable enough to offer to marry one of
them for kissing her."
You may be totally correct in your assumption that she
wanted the bigger stars. That would be in keeping with what we know of her business
acumen. My point is that I don't (and the public obviously didn't) feel deprived by having
Grant and Stewart. They both did an excellent job. They weren't just second-rate
substitutes -- they were first-rate substitutes. Nonetheless, as I said, they were still
substitutes.
That being said, I would love to have the opportunity to
see Gable and Tracy in the roles. Thanks for the letter. I always appreciate feedback --
especially knowledgeable feedback....Wes Marshall
SVS subwoofer
September 22, 2003
Editor,
What were the dimensions of the room in which you tested
the SVS
25-31PC-Plus subwoofer? I would love to have a very good subwoofer (for both music and
movies) that I could pick up for less than $800. Would this be a good choice for a room
that is 26' x 18' with an 18' ceiling (I can't afford dual subs at this time)? Would you
think it would work more or less seamlessly with wall-mounted main speakers (Paradigm
Cinema 90s) with frequency ranges of 105Hz to 20kHz? I'd heard from Eric (a technician at
SVS) that the upper range on their subwoofers was over 150Hz -- does that seem possible to
you? I know you're a very busy person, and I do understand if you don't have time to
address any of my questions. My wife and I both do appreciate your reviews and respect
your opinion.
Mark and Rindy Senn
I would unhesitatingly recommend the SVS line
for your needs. The room I reviewed the SVS 25-31PC-Plus subwoofer in was somewhat smaller
than the one you have, but then again, I had not reached the limits of the sub's clean
output capability. Now, whether you actually want to run the crossover all the way up to
150Hz is another question. My experience suggests that the higher you set the subwoofer's
crossover the harder it is to integrate the sub with your main speakers. Paradigm's
specifications suggest the Cinema 90 still has some useful output down to 75Hz. I'd
therefore start with a 100Hz crossover point and work my way down, possibly ending up
around the 80Hz mark. These are just estimates, mind you, but a good starting point.
Lastly, thanks for the kind comments. Home theater is a
great family activity so it's nice to see both you and your wife involved in the
subwoofer-hunting process. Good luck, and let me know if I can be of more help....Jeff
Fritz
Coda
September 17, 2003
Editor,
I just read the Coda review you posted, and I am very impressed that a company I thought
long gone is still around and apparently producing very nice amplifiers. An old friend of
mine still swears by Coda amps to this day. I'll take a look at their current offerings
since I know they are still producing. Thank you for the review.
Leroy Pasales
Coda has continually produced amplifiers over the years,
but many have been marketed by other companies. They've always produced their own, too,
and we're glad to bring them to you here at Home Theater & Sound....Jeff Fritz
Wall-mounts or stand-mounts?
September 12, 2003
Editor,
I have a rather large room (21' x 21') -- the back wall is
9', and the front wall goes from 9' to the top of the second story. Our television is
placed on the taller wall (below a banister that is 9' high). The back wall has a window
that is 8' tall and 6' wide. Should I attempt to mount the speakers or utilize stands? The
room is also open to two 14' x 14' rooms.
Chris Watkins
The choice of wall-mounted or stand-mounted speakers is
determined by some other considerations First, the speakers need to be above ear level, so
whatever speakers you choose must be able to utilize stands of an appropriate height to
accomplish this requirement. Second, will you be able to place stand-mounted speakers
symmetrically in the room? The advantage to wall-mounts is that you can easily accommodate
the height requirement and, assuming a symmetrical room, place the speakers equidistant to
the listening position. The main advantage to placing speakers on the floor is the ability
to use floorstanders with extended bass response. If this is not a consideration, I'd go
with the wall-mounts in your situation....Jeff Fritz
Thanks
September 3, 2003
Editor,
I think a "thanks" is in order for a great
website. I just happened upon the site and love all aspects of it. You have the most
complete site for home theater on the Internet. Keep up the great job and I'll keep
reading!
Ford Harris
