Noir Nook: Uncommon Ladies of Noir – Loretta Young

Posted on October 10, 2018 by Karen Burroughs Hannsberry

Noir Nook: Uncommon Ladies of Noir – Loretta Young

Some film fans remember Loretta Young from her popular television show, where she’d sweep into the frame each week with an elegant flourish of her floor-length gown. Others think of her in her Oscar-winning title role of The Farmer’s Daughter (1947). Still, others know her best from her pre-Code features.

Loretta Young Headshot“A charming woman is a busy woman” – Loretta Young

As for me, I like to shine the spotlight on Loretta Young’s film noir features, which are seldom discussed but worthy of note. This month’s Noir Nook takes a look at this veteran actress and her contribution to the noir era.

Gretchen Michaela Young was born in Salt Lake City in 1913, the third of four children born to John, a railroad auditor, and Gladys Young. (Her two sisters – Polly Ann and Elizabeth Jane – better known as Sally Blane – would also become actresses.) When Gretchen was three years old, her parents separated and the family moved to Los Angeles. Following her divorce, Gladys Young married a Los Angeles businessman and had a third actress-daughter, Georgiana, who would later wed actor Ricardo Montalban.

When Gretchen wasn’t yet five, she was paid $3.50 a day to play a child crying on an operating table in The Only Way (1917), and she and her sisters played extras in a variety of films, including Rudolph Valentino’s The Sheik (1921), where they played a group of Arab children. She got her big break by accident, several years later, when Mervyn LeRoy, then an assistant director with First National Pictures, called the Young house in an effort to get Polly Ann for a part in a Colleen Moore picture. Polly Ann was already working on a film, and when Gretchen answered the call, she told LeRoy, “I’m an actress, too, and I’m available.” Gretchen wound up getting the part – and a new name. Colleen Moore, deciding that Young’s given name sounded “too dutchy,” insisted on renaming her after “the most beautiful doll I ever had.” And so, Loretta Young was born – and 20 years later, she starred in her first film noir.

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The Stranger (1946)

Young dipped her toe in the film noir water with this feature, where she starred as Mary Longstreet, the daughter of a Supreme Court judge who marries a college professor, Franz Kindler (Orson Welles). Turns out, though, that Kindler is a Nazi war criminal, a fact that is first brought to Mary’s awareness by Wilson (Edward G. Robinson), a member of the Allied War Crimes Commission. Unsurprisingly, Mary is initially reluctant to believe Wilson’s claim: “He’s not one of those people!” she insists. But it doesn’t take long for Mary to see the light, and she ultimately winds up single-handedly bringing on her husband’s downfall. Literally.

The Stranger (1946) Noir Loretta Young Movie posterShe said: “Kill me, I want you to. . . but when you kill me, don’t put your hands on me!”

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The Accused (1948)

Of Young’s three film noir features, The Accused is my favorite – Young plays Wilma Tuttle, a repressed, tightly wound college professor whose carefully crafted façade is pierced by Bill Perry (Douglas Dick), a handsome young student who gets his kicks from making inappropriate remarks. Bill pays for his behavior when he takes things too far and Wilma kills him. It’s an accident, but he’s no less dead, and in a panic, Wilma covers up her role in his death by making it look like an accident. The rest of the film focuses on Wilma’s efforts to quell her terror at being found out – which is heightened by her growing relationship with the attorney who was Bill’s guardian.

The Accused (1948) Noir Loretta Young Movie PosterHe said: “You little firecracker – don’t pretend you don’t like it.”

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Cause for Alarm (1951)

Young’s final foray into the land of noir has another “panic-stricken woman in peril” theme. Here, she’s a housewife, Ellen Jones, whose husband George (Barry Sullivan) is insanely jealous. While George is bedridden, recuperating from a heart ailment, he spends his idle hours imagining that Ellen is having an affair with his doctor and that the two are plotting his murder. George is so successful at convincing himself of this scenario that he puts his suspicions in a letter to the district attorney, which he gives to his wife to mail. He then reveals the letter’s contents to Ellen and promptly drops dead of a heart attack – and Ellen spends the rest of the film feverishly trying to retrieve the damning letter.

Cause for Alarm (1951) Noir Loretta Young Movie PosterShe said: “I did everything wrong. They’ll all think I’m guilty.”

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If you’ve never seen Loretta Young in film noir, you’re in for a treat. Track these down and see what I mean!

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– Karen Burroughs Hannsberry for Classic Movie Hub

You can read all of Karen’s Noir Nook articles here.

Karen Burroughs Hannsberry is the author of the Shadows and Satin blog, which focuses on movies and performers from the film noir and pre-Code eras, and the editor-in-chief of The Dark Pages, a bimonthly newsletter devoted to all things film noir. Karen is also the author of two books on film noir – Femme Noir: The Bad Girls of Film and Bad Boys: The Actors of Film Noir. You can follow Karen on Twitter at @TheDarkPages.
If you’re interested in learning more about Karen’s books, you can read more about them on amazon here:

 

Posted in Noir Nook, Posts by Karen Burroughs Hannsberry | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments

Trick or Treat: A CMH Halloween “Abbott and Costello Meet the Monsters Collection” DVD Giveaway (Oct 8 – Oct 27)

Posted on October 7, 2018 by Annmarie Gatti

A Special Halloween Treat for CMH Fans!
The Abbott and Costello Monsters Collection DVD Giveaway!

“I know there’s no such person as Dracula. You know there’s no such person as Dracula…”
“But does Dracula know it?”

We’re so excited to be running a very special giveaway over the next few weeks, just in time to celebrate Halloween… so prepare to be scared…NOT!

We are happy to say that we have THREE copies of the Abbott and Costello Meet the Monsters Collection on DVD to giveaway this month. I don’t know about you, but I just love these movies…they’re the perfect mix of fright and funny for a scaredy cat like me 🙂

The collection includes Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (my fave), Abbott and Costello Meet the Invisible Man, Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy, plus trailers and more special features.

abbott and costello meet the monsters dvd collection

 

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In order to qualify to win one of these prizes via this contest giveaway, you must complete the below entry task by Saturday, Oct 27 at 9PM EST. However, the sooner you enter, the better chance you have of winning, because we will pick a winner on three different days within the contest period, via random drawings, as listed below… So if you don’t win the first week that you enter, you will still be eligible to win during the following weeks until the contest is over.

  • Oct 13: One Winner
  • Oct 20: One Winner
  • Oct 27: One Winner

We will announce each week’s winner on Twitter @ClassicMovieHub (or this blog, depending how you entered), the day after each winner is picked at 9PM EST — for example, we will announce our first week’s winners on Sunday Oct 14 around 9PM EST.

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abbott and costello meet frankenstein, costello and draculaWhat can I say, this scene always makes me laugh…

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ENTRY TASK (2-parts see below) to be completed by Saturday, October 27 at 9PM EST…

1) Answer the below question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog post

2) Then TWEET* (not DM) the following message:
Just entered to win the CMH Halloween “Abbott and Costello Meet the Monsters Collection” #DVDGiveaway courtesy of @ClassicMovieHub contest link here: http://ow.ly/T2K930m8qrm

THE QUESTION:
Who is your favorite Classic Movie Monster (or actor that portrays the monster) and why? 

*If you do not have a Twitter account, you can enter the contest by simply answering the above question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog — BUT PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU ADD THIS VERBIAGE TO YOUR ANSWER: I do not have a Twitter account, so I am posting here to enter but cannot tweet the message.

NOTE: if for any reason you encounter a problem commenting here on this blog, please feel free to tweet or DM us, or send an email to clas…@gmail.com and we will be happy to create the entry for you.

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Please note that only Continental United States (excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and the territory of Puerto Rico) and Canadian entrants are eligible.

And — BlogHub members ARE eligible to win if they live within the Continental United States or in Canada (as noted above).

abbott and costello meet the mummy pixOkay, I know the Mummy walks as slow as molasses, but he still always scared the you-know-what out of me when I was a kid 🙂

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ALSO: Please allow us 48 hours to approve your comments. Sorry about that, but we are being overwhelmed with spam, and must sort through 100s of comments…

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And if you can’t wait to win the DVD Set, you can purchase it on amazon via the below link (click on image):

Good Luck!

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You may also want to check out:

The Chaney Blogathon: Bud Abbott and Lou Costello Meet Frankenstein

Who Did Abbott and Costello Meet?

–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

Posted in Contests & Giveaways, Posts by Annmarie Gatti | Tagged , , , , , , | 62 Comments

Pre-Code Corner: Man Wanted – Experience Necessary

Posted on October 6, 2018 by Kim Luperi

Pre-Code Corner: Man Wanted – Experience Necessary

“Can’t you get it through your fat head that today there’s just as many serious-minded women in business as men. When you meet them you don’t have to treat them as if you were out on a party.”

That’s right, Tom (David Manners). But as promising as this quote about Tom’s new boss Lois (Kay Francis) sounds, within the next 20 seconds, his conversation with roommate Andy (Andy Devine) inevitably dovetails into the subject of Lois’s physical beauty. What can I say? It was the 1930s.

Man Wanted (1932) Kay Francis as Lois Ames in Magazine“Does the magazine field offer a career to women?” Lois (Kay Francis) would answer in the affirmative.

In Man Wanted (1932), Lois reigns as editor of the successful 400 Magazine. She does well enough that her husband, Freddie (Kenneth Thomson) doesn’t have to work, which is excellent, because that’s just the way he prefers it: a life of polo, partying, and philandering. When Lois fires her secretary, sports salesman Tom just happens to be there — and lands the job. Though she’s married and he’s engaged to Ruthie (Una Merkel), feelings start to bud that threaten to complicate their working relationship.

Man Wanted (1932) Kay Francis as Lois Ames and David Manners as Tom Sherman putting on ShoeWas this in the job description, Lois? Tom (David Manners) doesn’t seem to mind either way.

When I re-watched Man Wanted recently, I was struck by how certain elements dealing with the workplace and relationships felt markedly modern. While women weren’t treated equally then — nor, unfortunately, now — the way Man Wanted portrays a female boss reflected some surprising and refreshing attitudes, even for a period that was awash with strong women. (Speaking of powerful ladies, Francis portrayed a notable number of professional women during the pre-Code era, from a perfume company owner in 1932’s Trouble in Paradise to doctors in 1933’s Mary Stevens, M.D. and 1934’s Dr. Monica, all roles that came after this film.)

#GirlBoss
Of all the dominating male bosses that appeared in pre-Codes (looking at you, Warren William), their lady counterparts were much scarcer. Female (1933) stands as one of the most renowned movies of this kind, emphasized more so, in my opinion, because Ruth Chatterton damn near rivals the likes of William in the sexual harassment department, wielding her power to bed a string of her male employees. While Francis participates in her fair share of flirting with her male secretary, her overall conduct and manner are much more restrained than Chatterton’s, though she still retains a firm grasp on her sexuality.

Man Wanted (1932) Kay Francis as Lois Ames in Stylish Fashionable Clothes, Warner BrothersWarner Brothers did a wonderful job outfitting Kay Francis in attire suitable to a stylish society and boss lady in her first movie for the studio. In fact, press kits declared that Francis had a hand in choosing the fashion ensembles.

What’s encouraging about this picture is that Lois relishes her position and being in control — and she’s not punished for that ambition, nor is she painted as a sexless, staunch executive. Francis imbues the character with a genuine humanity, sensuality, sophistication, and intelligence. When Freddie asks how she stands being an editor, she replies that the whole “racket” is “all part of the game. And I love it.” A passion for the challenge and stimulation motivates her; even when Lois and Tom end up together, we know he wouldn’t force Lois to quit her job because it means so much to her. That said, while a female head of the house is undoubtedly more acceptable today, there’s still a slight social stigma that comes with it, and I can’t imagine what that must have been like in the 1930s.

Despite the strength of the central female character, Man Wanted still conveys the typical period sexism; for instance, Lois proclaims to Tom after she hires him: “You see, I’ve been having trouble with secretaries. The work is so uncertain. It needs a man.” If that line spins the narrative expectation on its head, so did the reviews, in their negligible discussion of the story twist. I was astonished that none of the period’s writers triumphed Lois’s illustrious business position, aside to say — in only one of five critiques I perused — that this picture flipped the typical storyline. But when I actually thought about it, I realized that reaction is my modern sensibility celebrating the portrayal. While I didn’t perceive any animosity in the analyses, in reality, Man Wanted could have been observed by some patrons as incendiary, considering the hostility aimed at working women during the Depression when the female employment rate almost matched the male unemployment rate, and more than half of the country passed laws barring married women from working. I assume Warners skirted that potential issue by mentioning that Lois inherited the publication from her family; it also appears that Lois and Freddie would somehow successfully maintain their lavish lifestyle even without her paycheck.

Man Wanted (1932) AdvertisementMost press adverts took the melodramatic or overtly racy road in publicizing Man Wanted. This was one of the few to not only touch upon the gender twist but center the entire message around it.

Man + Wife
Man Wanted paints Freddie as a (lovable) cad for cheating on Lois, and the film makes it painfully obvious that their mentalities and priorities do not align. That said, the affection these two characters share earned my admiration. Their friskiness and the portrayal of their semi-open marriage came across as surprisingly contemporary, from their canoodling when Lois is “in conference” during the movie’s opening scene to their split in the third act.

We quickly learn that Lois isn’t embarrassed about her power and prestige in the business world, and neither is her husband. Sure, Freddie asks Lois why she works, but he doesn’t nag her about it (that we hear of, anyway), and he even acknowledges their swapped societal roles:

Freddie: You see, Lois. It’s all wrong. You work all day when you should be playing; I play all day when I should be working.
Lois: Well I love my work! You love your polo.
Freddie: But the office is no place for a woman like you. Why don’t you chuck it? I seem to remember having asked that question at least three million times.
Lois: I don’t think I could get along without the silly old magazine. It’s in my blood. I love it the way all my people did. Carrying on for them is like some sort of a trust. You don’t really mind, do you?
Freddie: Not if it makes you happy.
Lois: You make me happy.

Man Wanted (1932) Kay Francis and Kenneth Thompson KissingFrom necking during office hours…
Man Wanted (1932) Kay Francis and Kenneth Thompson Flirting Cigarette… to flirting after dinner…
Man Wanted (1932) Kay Francis and Kenneth Thompson hug… to calling it quits before bedtime.

Even though Freddie takes other lovers, Lois still fancies his companionship and values their marriage. We get the sense that his wandering eyes have nothing to do with her position, as he’s still readily attracted to her and acts upon that allure.

I also found Lois and Freddie’s thoughtfully-handled breakup scene surprisingly poignant, something I wasn’t expecting. Despite the fact that they are parting ways, both parties remain relatively mature in those moments; although Freddie brings upon the proceedings, assumingly so he can more openly pursue ladies, his gestures to soften the blow are commendable, as he tells Lois: “We can’t change ourselves, can we? And trying won’t make us any happier.” As one press piece declared of Man Wanted: “No More Pussyfooting About Modern Marriage and Divorce! At last a motion picture faces the facts about today’s morals!” The delivery there was overdramatic and a bit overreaching, but the point did recognize the picture’s contemporary ideas.

Getting Schooled
I found the circa 1932 sarcasm regarding college very relatable, and, as such, also a tad troubling. Two humorous jabs at education caught my attention in Man Wanted, the first of which occurs when Tom discusses their sports equipment sales job with roommate/co-worker Andy:

Tom: We only got the job because you’re an all-American.
Andy: Mmm hmm. That proves the value of a college education.

Man Wanted David Manners and Andy Devine Pogo StickThese two sure landed on their feet after college. Well, at least Andy did. Tom should be there any minute now.

… Sure, in securing Tom a gig he’s not satisfied with. When he visits Lois to demonstrate a rowing machine and she impulsively hires him (he does know shorthand), she inquires about his education — turns out he’s a Harvard man, just like her husband. Freddie basically threw that degree in the trash and most likely boasts of it as more of a status piece, but Tom works as a secretary with a Harvard diploma. I think nowadays the weight of that degree and the perceived modesty of the position would raise some eyebrows, but in 1932, it seems the Depression probably trumped that sentiment, though The Los Angeles Times did point out how “reduced” Tom’s circumstances were for a Harvard grad.

Man Wanted (1932) Kay Francis and David Manners Row Back

Tom: How’s your back?
Lois: I’ll show you in just a moment.
Tom: (laughs) No, I mean how strong do you want me to make this thing pull?
Lois:

Fight for Your Rights
The great character actress Elizabeth Patterson makes a brief appearance in Man Wanted as Lois’s secretary, Miss Harper, in the beginning. The reason why Tom replaces her? Miss Harper stood her ground, arguing that even though Lois provides her with overtime pay, she’s stayed late every night, and this is the last straw: “I’m afraid I can’t…I’m sorry to inconvenience you, but I simply cannot break another appointment.” What now?! I was sincerely surprised that a middle-aged character would so easily let her job go during such a dire economic downturn, but at the same time, I couldn’t help but feel proud that she upheld her personal standards. That’s called work-life balance — sound familiar to anyone?

Man Wanted (1932) Elizabeth Patterson as Miss HarperMiss Harper (Elizabeth Patterson) standing firm. Is a social life too much to ask for?

I didn’t have access to this film’s Production Code Administration (PCA) file, so any censorship related items remain a mystery, though I can’t imagine many infractions, save for perhaps the laissez-faire attitude towards marriage and adultery. I’d guess that none of the above episodes that I perceived as relatively modern warranted discussion amongst the censors; it seems that Man Wanted strictly served as an amusement for 1932 audiences, though the inclusion of these elements merits extra appreciation from a modern standpoint.

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–Kim Luperi for Classic Movie Hub

You can read all of Kim’s Pre-Code Corner articles here.

Kim Luperi is a New Jersey transplant living in sunny Los Angeles. She counts her weekly research in the Academy’s Production Code Administration files as a hobby and has written for TCM, AFI Fest, the Pre-Code Companion, MovieMaker Magazine and the American Cinematheque. You can read more of Kim’s articles at I See A Dark Theater or by following her on twitter at @Kimbo3200.

Posted in Posts by Kim Luperi, Pre-Code Corner | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Win Tickets to see “TCM Big Screen Classics: Die Hard” (30th Anniversary) (Giveaway runs through October 27)

Posted on October 5, 2018 by Annmarie Gatti

Win tickets to see “Die Hard” on the big screen!
In Select Cinemas Nationwide Sun Nov 11 and Wed Nov 14!

“I promise I will never even *think* about going up in a tall building again.”

CMH continues into our 3rd year of our partnership with Fathom Events – with the 12th of our 13 movie ticket giveaways for 2018, courtesy of Fathom Events!

That said, we’ll be giving away EIGHT PAIRS of tickets to see “TCM Big Screen Classics: Die Hard” – starring Bruce Willis — on the Big Screen!

In order to qualify to win a pair of movie tickets via this contest, you must complete the below entry task by Saturday, October 27 at 6 PM EST.

We will announce the winner(s) on Twitter on Sunday, October 28, between 6PM EST and 7PM EST. If a winner(s) does not have a Twitter account, we will announce that winner(s) via this blog in the comment section below.

TCM BIG Screen Classics Present Die Hard

The film will be playing in select cinemas nationwide for a special two-day-only event on Sunday, November 11 and Wednesday, November 14 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. local time. Winners will be responsible for their own transportation to the Event. Only United States entries are eligible. Please click here before you enter to ensure that the Event is scheduled at a theater near you and that you are able to attend. (please note that there might be slightly different theater listings for each date)

ENTRY TASK (2-parts) to be completed by Saturday, October 27 at 6PM EST…

1) Answer the below question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog post

THE QUESTION:
Although not officially a classic-era film, what in your opinion makes “Die Hard” a classic? And, if you haven’t seen it, why do you want to see it on the Big Screen?

2) Then TWEET* (not DM) the following message:
I just entered to win tickets to see “TCM Big Screen Classics Presents: Die Hard” on the Big Screen courtesy of @ClassicMovieHub & @FathomEvents #EnterToWin #CMHContest link here: http://ow.ly/YDrt30m81dN

*If you don’t have a Twitter account, you can still enter the contest by simply answering the above question via the comment section at the bottom of this blog — BUT PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU ADD THIS VERBIAGE TO YOUR ANSWER: I do not have a Twitter account, so I am posting here to enter but cannot tweet the message.

NOTE: if for any reason you encounter a problem commenting here on this blog, please feel free to tweet or DM us, or send an email to clas…@gmail.com and we will be happy to create the entry for you.

ALSO: Please allow us 48 hours to approve your comments. Sorry about that, but we are being overwhelmed with spam, and must sort through 100s of comments…

Bruce Willis in Die Hard

About the film: New York City Detective John McClane becomes the only hope for a small group of hostages, trapped in a Los Angeles high-rise office building when it is seized by terrorists on Christmas Eve. This 30th Anniversary event includes exclusive insight from Turner Classic Movies.

Please note that only United States residents are eligible to enter this giveaway contest. (see contest rules for further information)

BlogHub members ARE also eligible to win if they live within the Continental United States (as noted above).

You can follow Fathom Events on Twitter at @fathomevents

Good Luck!

–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

Posted in Contests & Giveaways, Fathom Events | Tagged , , , , | 24 Comments

What’s Happening in Classics: October 2018

Posted on October 3, 2018 by Annmarie Gatti

The CMH Guide for October 2018:
Movie Screenings, TV Schedules, Contests and More!

Welcome to our monthly ‘CMH Guide’ for Classics! And welcome October! We’re hoping this classic movie and TV guide will help you plan some classic viewing fun… If we’re missing a classic channel, just let us know and we’ll be happy to add it!

What's happening in classic movies and tv classic movie hub guide

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rita hayworth star of the month

TCM…

  • Star of the Month: RITA HAYWORTH! From dancing to dramas, from musicals to noirs, Rita was much more than a stunning beauty- she could do it all. Celebrate her 100th birthday with a collection of her films every Tuesday in October. Full schedule here.

illeana douglas and carol burnette

  • Funny Ladies- Thursdays in October! Hosted by TCM fave Ileana Douglas as she chats with legendary Carol Burnett. From silents to contemporaries, the two will highlight the funniest ladies ever to grace the screen. Full schedule here. 

the mummy

  • THE MUMMY on Sundays. Get wrapped up in some horrifically good flicks for this month’s Monster of the Month, from the silent to the 70s. How to ‘get your gauze on’.

classic horror stars

  • On Wednesdays, TCM salutes HORROR STARS by honoring 5 reigning kings of the genre. In order: Lon Chaney, Christopher Lee, Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, and Vincent Price will each have their own night of creepy classics. For a full list click here.
  • On Monday, Oct. 15th, Leonard Maltin once again brings us Treasures From the Disney Vault with a showcase of a variety of Disney classics.

For more info about what’s playing on TCM this month, visit the TCM Movie Schedule at CMH here.

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debbie reynolds star of the month

FilmStruck… subscription needed…

  • Contests: Check in for a new contest coming soon!
  • Films and Featured Collections: Fresh content added in this month’s library including Stars Of The Week like Debbie Reynolds, Cinematography by Gregg Toland, Directors such as HC Potter, and so much more!
  • Podcast: Alicia Malone hosts a lively podcast with fascinating guests…
  • FilmStruck Forum: CMH just launched our monthly FilmStruck Column – join the conversation!

Especially for CMH Fans:) a 30-Day Free Filmstruck Trial…

filmstruck coupon code

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cmh classic movie hub logo

Blogathons…

The Neil Simon Blogathon (Oct 13 – 14)

100 Years Of Rita Hayworth Blogathon (Oct 17 – 19)

From The Stars To A Star: Celebrating Dolores Hart (Oct 18 – 20)

The 2nd Disability In Film Blogathon (Oct 24 – 26)

For a full listing of Blogathons, click here. Or add your own and we will help promote it.

TCM Parties for October… Follow along and live tweet using the #TCMParty hashtag

Check out the complete list and times here.

Get To Know the Classic Columns! CMH is host to some of the savviest niche writers in Classic Film today- from Film Noir, Musicals, Westerns, Pre-Code, Silents and more! You can explore all the fabulous monthly columns and special contributors here.

This month, we feature Annette of Classic Movie Travels. (You may recognize her from current TCM Backlots tv commercials.) Annette Bochenek of Chicago, Illinois, is a PhD student at Dominican University and an independent scholar of Hollywood’s Golden Age. She manages the Hometowns to Hollywood blog, in which she writes about her trips exploring the legacies and hometowns of Golden Age stars. Annette also hosts the “Hometowns to Hollywood” film series throughout the Chicago area. She has been featured on Turner Classic Movies and is the president of TCM Backlot’s Chicago chapter. In addition to writing for Classic Movie Hub, she also writes for Silent Film Quarterly, Nostalgia Digest, and Chicago Art Deco Society Magazine. See all of Annette’s CMH Articles Here

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pluto tv logo Pluto TV… Would love to know what you think of this free streaming movie service… There’s a reason 🙂 

  • Pluto TV is like an old-school TV set — you flip through the channels to see what’s on. The good news is that the service is FREE, and they have a Classic Movie Channel and a Classic TV Channel – among other fun channels.  Would love to know what you think…
  • Classic Movie Channel
  • Classic TV Channel

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movies tv network logo Movies TV Network…

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 GetTV-logo

GetTV… Classic Movies and Retro TV…

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 MeTV_logo

MeTV…

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Antenna_TV_logo Antenna TV…

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Decades_TV_Logo Decades TV… 

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Fathom-events logo

 Fathom Events “TCM Big Screen Classics”… movies on the Big Screen at select theaters nationwide…

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Go Local! Discover Movie Screenings and Events in your Neighborhood and across the US…

Classic Films on the big screen, Film Festivals and more can be found across the country. For example,

Check out the CMH Event Calendar to see what’s playing at Theaters across the US including:

If we’re missing a ‘classic movie’ theater or event in your neighborhood, please let us know!

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And of course our Monthly Contests! Including:

  • Win Tickets to see “Die Hard” Fathom “TCM Big Screen Classics”  – we have 8 pairs of tix to giveaway (contest ends Oct 27) 
  • Kino Lorber DVDs and Blu-Rays (contest ends Oct 13) — 12 prizes in all, winner’s choice of four titles – Trapeze, The Farmer’s Daughter, A Strange Adventure, and I Walk Alone. Check back on this Blog on Sept 10 for details.
  • Abbott and Costello Meet the Monsters Collection on DVD — we’ll be giving away three copies of this frightfully funny DVD collection – check back on this blog on Oct 8!

For a listing of all of our CMH contests, click here.

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–Annmarie Gatti for Classic Movie Hub

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Classic Movie Travels: Ray Bolger – Boston, NY and LA

Posted on October 2, 2018 by Annette Bochenek

Classic Movie Travels: Ray Bolger

Ray Bolger Headshot Black and WhiteActor, vaudevillian, TV presenter, singer, and dancer, Ray Bolger.

For nearly a century, audiences all over the world have fallen in love with Ray Bolger’s portrayal of the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz (1939). Beyond this iconic role, Bolger had a strong career in films and onstage, excelling as a dancer. With the ability to effortlessly glide about the room, it’s no wonder he perfectly captured the spirit of an amusing Scarecrow.

Raymond Wallace Bolger was born on January 10, 1904, in Dorchester, Massachusetts, to James and Anne Bolger. His father and grandfather were painters. Bolger also had a sister named Regina.

Young Ray BolgerA young Ray Bolger.

As a child, Bolger would frequent vaudeville shows, quickly developing an interest in live performance. He began his entertainment career as part of a vaudeville tap show, acting as one-half of the “Sanford and Bolger” dance team. By 1926, he performed at New York City’s Palace Theater, which was the top vaudeville theater in the U.S. His ability to improvise dances allowed him to execute many lead roles on Broadway throughout the 1930s, such as roles in Life Begins at 8:40 (1934) and On Your Toes (1936). As his popularity grew, he married Gwendolyn Rickard and the couple spent their honeymoon in Europe. Following the trip, he expanded his career to film, television, and nightclub work.

In 1932, Bolger was among the group of entertainers who opened Manhattan’s Radio City Music Hall. In the same year, he was elected to The Lambs theater club.

When Bolger signed his first film contract with MGM, it was to appear as himself in The Great Ziegfeld (1936). He also appeared in Rosalie (1937), an Eleanor Powell vehicle, and Sweethearts (1938), the first MGM film in Technicolor, alongside Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald.

Ray Bolger in The Great Ziegfeld (1936)Ray Bolger as himself in The Great Ziegfeld (1936).

Bolger’s contract stipulated that he would play any part assigned to him by the studio. Originally, he was cast as the Tin Woodman in The Wizard of Oz, while Buddy Ebsen was given the part of the Scarecrow. As production continued, the roles were shuffled around, leading Bolger to fulfill the role of the Scarecrow. Due to the heavy Scarecrow makeup and glued rubber mask, Bolger’s face became lined. In addition, the heat of the lights that made filming uncomfortably hot, requiring Bolger to take frequent breaks.

After his work in The Wizard of Oz, his contract with MGM ended, prompting him to move to RKO Pictures. In 1941, he was a featured act at the Paramount Theatre in New York, executing tap dance routine as part of a mock-challenge against the Harry James Band’s pianist, Al Lerner. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Bolger’s performance was interrupted by President Roosevelt’s announcement regarding the attack. In response, Bolger toured with many USO shows alongside Joe E. Lewis throughout the Pacific Theater during World War II and was also featured in the wartime film, Stage Door Canteen (1943).

Ray Bolger as The Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz (1939)Ray Bolger as The Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz (1939).

In 1943, Bolger returned to MGM to fulfill a featured role in The Harvey Girls (1946), which had him reunited with Oz co-star Judy Garland. In the same year, he recorded a children’s album called The Churkendoose, which told the story of a misfit fowl that was part chicken, turkey, duck, and goose. He continued his stage career with All American (1962) and Where’s Charley? (1948), the latter of which won him the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical. He also introduced the song “Once in Love with Amy” in the musical, reprising his stage role in the 1952 film version.

Bolger’s television career included a television sitcom called Where’s Raymond?, which was later renamed The Ray Bolger Show. In addition to working on his own show, he would make many guest appearances on other television shows, including The Jean Arthur Show, Fantasy Island, Little House on the Prairie, and with a recurring role as Shirley Partridge’s father on The Partridge Family, among additional appearances. He also acted in several television commercials.

Ray Bolger as Charley Wykeham in Where's Charley (1952)Ray Bolger as Charley Wykeham in Where’s Charley (1952).

In 1985, he and Garland’s daughter, Liza Minnelli, both appeared in That’s Dancing! (1985), written by Jack Haley, Jr., son of Jack Haley, who ultimately portrayed the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz.

Bolger died from bladder cancer on January 15, 1987, and is interred at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City. He was the last surviving main credited cast member of The Wizard of Oz. When co-star Garland passed away, he was the only one of her Oz co-stars to be present. Bolger joined Harold Arlen, composed of “Over the Rainbow”, for the service and they were one of the last remaining guests at its conclusion. Whenever asked whether he received any residuals from telecasts of the 1939 classic, Bolger would reply, “No, just immortality. I’ll settle for that.”

On the East coast, there are quite a few locations in existence that would have been of relevance to Bolger.

In 1910, the Bolger family resided at 8 Willowwood Street in Boston. This is the property today.

Ray Bolger Residence at 8 Willowwood Street, Boston, MassachusettsThe Bolger Residence at 8 Willowwood Street, Boston, Massachusetts.

By 1920, the family moved East to 46 Wethington Street in Boston. This is the home at present.

Ray Bolger Residence at 46 Wethington Street, Boston Massachusetts46 Wethington Street, Boston Massachusetts, today.

On his return trip from his honeymoon in Europe, Bolger listed his address as 1560 Broadway in New York. This is what the location looks like today.

Ray Bolger Residence at 1560 Broadway New York, NYBolger’s New York City residence today… quite a change in scenery!

In 1930, Bolger and his wife were living in Manhattan at 41-47 W. 72 Street. This is the property today.

Ray Bolger Residence 4147 W72nd Street, New York, NYToday, this address has a pricetag over 1.2 million dollars!

In 1940, Bolger resided at the Hampshire House, which opened in 1937 as a rental building, located at 150 Central Park South. It currently stands today as a residential co-op.

Ray Bolger Residence The Hampshire House New York, NYBolger knew how to pick a room with a view – today, the penthouse at The Hampshire House goes for 25 million!

Bolger and his wife also resided in Los Angeles at 513 N Martel Avenue. This is the location today.

Ray Bolger Residence 513 Martel, Los Angeles, CaliforniaA present day view of Bolger’s residence at 513 N Martel, Los Angeles, California.

In addition, Bolger donated his papers to UCLA’s archive. The collection is comprised of script material, contracts, clippings, correspondence, photographs, music, and other ephemera relating to his career.

Moreover, the Oz fans will be glad to know that Bolger’s Scarecrow costume lives on at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, along with one pair of Dorothy’s ruby slippers.

Despite Bolger’s passing, his legacy lives on in so many ways as he continues to delight audiences through his most memorable portrayal.

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–Annette Bochenek for Classic Movie Hub

You can read all of Annette’s Classic Movie Travel articles here.

Annette Bochenek of Chicago, Illinois, is a PhD student at Dominican University and an independent scholar of Hollywood’s Golden Age. She manages the Hometowns to Hollywood blog, in which she writes about her trips exploring the legacies and hometowns of Golden Age stars. Annette also hosts the “Hometowns to Hollywood” film series throughout the Chicago area. She has been featured on Turner Classic Movies and is the president of TCM Backlot’s Chicago chapter. In addition to writing for Classic Movie Hub, she also writes for Silent Film Quarterly, Nostalgia Digest, and Chicago Art Deco SocietyMagazine.

 

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Film Noir Review: Desperate (1947)

Posted on September 27, 2018 by Danilo Castro

“Out of every seven guys who go to the chair, six go yelling, “I’m innocent!'”

Desperate (1947) is a prime example of what I’d like to call the “partial noir.” These are films that, despite their accomplished casts and moody visuals, feel the need to soften up during the second act and effectively betray everything that preceded it. In short: they play it safe. The list of culprits include One Way Street (1950), Dark City (1950), Macao (1952), and, perhaps most notably, this 1947 effort from director Anthony Mann.

Here, the softening up can be pinpointed to the scene where the main characters, lovebirds Steve (Steve Brodie) and Anne Randall (Audrey Long), enter a barnyard dance. Despite being wanted by the police and hunted by a sadistic gangster, the couple decide to treat us to a scene right out of a Mickey Rooney  and Judy Garland musical. If cable was still the main way of watching television, you’d swear the channel was accidentally changed.

Desperate's sinister poster design.

Desperate’s sinister poster design.

 

It’s a shame, really, because the other parts of the film display some inspired noir storytelling. Anthony Mann was still figuring out his strengths as a director when he landed Desperate, and while the tonal shifts reflect his inexperience, the film’s best moments point towards the classics he would eventually go on to make.

The film’s premise is ripe for the noir treatment. Steve is an independent truck driver whose short up for cash and desperate, as the title suggests. Steve gets hired by an old friend to haul some freight on the side. Only when he arrives, he discovers that the friend, Walt Radak (Raymond Burr), is a sadistic burglar who threatens to bump him off if he talks. Naturally, Steve gets a raw deal and panics when the police show up, leading to the death of an officer and the arrest of Radak’s kid brother.

Mann and Diskant's masterful lighting scheme.

Mann and Diskant’s masterful lighting scheme.

Dragging Steve back to their hideout after the botched heist, Radak and his thugs work him over under the dim lighting of an all time noir sequence. Mann and cinematographer George E. Diskant made the ingenious choice of lighting the entire scene with an overhead lamp, which swings in conjunction with Radak’s ferocity. The burglar’s large frame and tan suit are highlighted by the ominous light, and a single strike to Steve sends his head smacking against the lamp on his way down to the floor. Radak and his goons then stand over him, threatening his wife as the light gives us sparing glances of their piercing eyes.

The scene is a triumph of visual sparseness, and a precursor to the single-source lighting that would dominate Mann films like T-Men (1947) and He Walked by Night (1948). It both exemplifies the noir aesthetic and elevates it, especially when Radak allows it to become part of his interrogation tactics. By allowing the characters to play with the light source onscreen, Mann introduces a dynamic of uncertainty that makes the scene all the more frightening.

Where things take a turn for the worse is when Steve escapes and hightails it to the country with his wife. From there, the scenes largely consist of the couple being cute with the locals, with the occasional cutaway to Radak, who sits and fumes like a Shakespearean tyrant. Rinse and repeat. Brodie and Long are both decent actors, and their chemistry is surprisingly good for for a B-movie, but they aren’t given much in the way of compelling dialogue or believable actions; especially when Anne reveals that she’s pregnant.

Like Mann, screenwriter Harry Essex was still honing his craft when he wrote Desperate. Where later films like The Las Vegas Story (1952) and Kansas City Confidential (1952) showcased his talent for juggling multiple story threads, Essex struggles mightily to keep his two main characters afloat here. Steve and Anne aren’t given characteristics to play as much as beats that they need to hit so that Radak an find them. They’re virtuous and kind, but they’re also bland, and the responsibility of making them likable largely falls on the shoulders of the actors. Especially when they put common sense on hold for a barnyard dance.

Steve (Steve Brodie) and Anne Randall (Audrey Long)

Steve (Steve Brodie) and Anne Randall (Audrey Long)

The only person who manages to escape the limitations of the script is Raymond Burr. As Radak, the steely sociopath with an itchy trigger finger, Burr established the persona that would make him a film noir regular for the next decade. Every time he’s onscreen things gets better, whether he’s fuming to himself or smacking around his goons for letting Steve escape. He doesn’t need dialogue or complexity to dominate other actors, he dominates through the sheer menace of his body language. Mann was among the first to take note of Burr’s talents, and when it came time to cast the villain of his 1948 masterpiece Raw Deal (1948), he wisely brought him back.

Radak’s discovery of Steve’s location is what eventually gets the film back on track. He holds Steve at gunpoint in his hotel room, biding his time until he can blow him away. Mann’s penchant for suspense return to the fore, as cutaways of the ticking clock behind them are interspersed with close-ups of their frayed, sweaty faces. It’s eerily tense, and remarkably modern, especially when compared to Sergio Leone’s Spaghetti Westerns, which earned praise for doing the same thing two decades later.

Raymond Burr as Radak

Raymond Burr as Radak

The tension between Radak and Steve boils over during the climatic shootout, which proves a worthy successor to their earlier interrogation scene. Sadly, its followed by a saccharine ending, with Radak being gunned down and Steve being reunited with his doting wife. Once again, the bursts of creativity the film presents are hitched to scenes of generic, B-movie filler.

Whether subconscious or intentional, Mann would revisit a lot of the same themes and story beats for 1950’s Side Street. He tightened up the script, doubled down on the tension, and did away with the useless second act detour, and the result is a film that triumphs where Desperate sputters. There are certainly good moments throughout, and some that still rank among Mann’s finest, but overall, it’s a film for completists. As I said with my review of Orson Welles’ Journey Into Fear, it is a rough draft by a director who would go on to become a master. C

TRIVIA: Despite his lengthy career, this is the only time that actor Steve Brodie received top billing.

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–Danilo Castro for Classic Movie Hub

Danilo Castro is a film noir aficionado and Contributing Writer for Classic Movie Hub. You can read more of Danilo’s articles and reviews at the Film Noir Archive, or you can follow Danilo on Twitter @DaniloSCastro.

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Grace Kelly’s Stepping Stones to Success – Exclusive Guest Post by Author Mary Mallory

Posted on September 26, 2018 by Guest Post

Grace Kelly’s Stepping Stones to Success
Exclusive Post by Mary Mallory, Author of Living with Grace

Though she only made 11 films, Grace Kelly achieved international icon status as a film star thanks to her gorgeous looks, great fashion sense, work with recognized masters, and for winning the Oscar as Best Actress for The Country Girl in 1954. Even then, most people really only remember her for four titles: High Noon, Dial M For Murder, Rear Window, and To Catch a Thief. Mostly forgotten is the fact that Grace appeared in almost 40 television shows and movies, almost four times as much work as her film career, all stepping stones on her road to fame and fortune.

Grace Kelly MBC TV PortraitGrace Kelly MBC TV Portrait

Before Grace worked in film or television, she hoped to become the theatre world’s next Sarah Bernhardt. When she entered the American Academy of Dramatic Art, Grace hoped to surpass her Uncle George Kelly’s success on the stage by conquering Broadway. She spent hours studying movement, character work, expression, and striving to improve her small voice and twangy accent by changing it into a “near British” accent.

Upon graduation, Grace began auditioning for theatre productions to gain experience and improve her skills, always looking for quality parts to help her grow as an actress. She sought out work in productions featuring veteran stage performers who could provide insight and information on the skills needed to succeed in their difficult profession.

Grace Kelly Accent on Youth Doylestown Intelligencer 8-18-52Accent on Youth, Doylestown Intelligencer Aug 18, 1952

Demonstrating her usual determination and drive, Grace traveled the country appearing in summer stock productions from Denver, Colorado to Michigan to New York over the next few years. She first stepped on stage professionally outside Philadelphia at the Bucks County Playhouse on July 25, 1949 appearing in her uncle’s play The Torch-Bearers with comedienne Mary Wickes. She would later also appear onstage at the Bucks County Playhouse with Hollywood performers John Loder and Jerome Cowan.

The Father Raymond Massey and Grace Kelly 1949Raymond Massey and Grace Kelly, The Father  1949

Oscar winner Raymond Massey hired her in the fall of 1949 to play his daughter in a Broadway production of August Strindberg’s The Father which he also directed. Mady Christians played her mother in the show, which opened November 16, 1949 at the Cort Theatre. Both the production and Kelly received excellent reviews. The New York Times wrote, “Grace Kelly gives a charming, pliable performance as the bewildered, broken-hearted daughter.” She won win the Daniel Blum Award in 1950 as one of the most promising young performers for her acting in the show.

Grace continued seeking out stage roles through 1952. In January 1951, she appeared in the play Alexander at Albany, New York as a nightclub singer carrying on an affair with the husband of the character played by former silent screen star Leatrice Joy, which drew fair reviews. Variety reported, “Grace Kelly, 20-year-old niece of playwright George Kelly, is attractive and intelligent, but doesn’t always suggest the sexy, after-dark canary.” In April 1952, Grace made her last Broadway appearance in support of veteran actor Neil Hamilton in the play To Be Continued, which ran for only six performances.

Grace Kelly TV WBAMTV WAAM

Perhaps seeing the writing on the wall with so few stage performances, Grace shifted her focus towards television while also continuing modeling work. Each job and role played stepping stones in moving her closer to success. As Grace told Ladies Home Journal in 1961, “….a career is a series of breaks. One thing leads to another, and each is a different kind of break.” Moving from stage into television assisted Grace in her rise to screen stardom.

Thanks to her talents for memorizing quickly, improvising, and being prepared, Grace began landing roles on tv in 1950. She starred as the title character in Sinclair Lewis’s Bethel Merriday on Philco TV Playhouse in January of that year, directed by an up and coming Delbert Mann. Playing a somewhat autobiographical role of a young ingenue struggling to learn acting in a stock company, Kelly received a great review from Variety, which stated that she “brought the title role to life in one of the neatest thesping jobs yet seen in the series.”

Case of the Diamond Necklace grace kellyCase of the Diamond Necklace

That spring, Grace appeared in three episodes of Actor’s Studio Playhouse, including starring in The Swan, which appeared on television June 6, 1950. This marked her first opportunity at playing the same role as that in her penultimate film and one with similar autobiographical touches. Variety thought her work “masterful” in the role. In November, Grace starred opposite Leo Penn, Senn Penn’s father, in Episode for the Somerset Maugham TV Theatre.

Taking a break between TV shows, Grace played a small role in the Twentieth Century-Fox film 14 Hours that year, her first time on the big screen. Though not well remembered, the role helped get Grace noticed and solidified her television career.

Grace Kelly Philly Play Bristol courier 7-19-49Bristol courier July 19, 1949

Grace continually sought out roles that offered a challenge, especially those with the opportunity to learn from seasoned performers. In late February 1950, she starred in the first play of radio director Norman Corwin’s to be televised, Ann Rutledge. She played the title character, Abraham Lincoln’s first romantic partner. Grace would star opposite a young Leslie Nielsen in the Armstrong Circle Theatre 1951 presentation Lover’s Leap and appear with Darren McGavin in Recapture in 1952.

In fact, 1952 stands as the most prolific year for Grace during her time on television, even after starring in the blockbuster movie High Noon. She would appear with Brian Keith in 50 Beautiful Girls, Shepperd Strudwick in City Editor, Dick Foran and Nina Foch in the western The Kill directed by Franklin Schaffner, who later directed Patton and Planet of the Apes, and with Nils Asther, and Robert Montgomery in Candles to Therese on the Robert Montgomery Presents show.

Don Quixote Review Variety 1-16-52 grace kelly

Don Quixote Review Variety, Jan 16, 1952

Grace earned perhaps her greatest opportunity in television on January 13, 1952, when she played Dulcinea in the CBS Television Workshop production of Don Quixote opposite the horror master himself, Boris Karloff. Directed by neophyte Sidney Lumet, the show earned dismal reviews, thanks to major cutting reducing it to 30 minutes and for terrible effects that failed to come off on television. Variety wrote that “the production itself emerged as almost amateurish”…with “faulty camera and production technique.”

Continuing to improve her craft, Grace starred in TV productions through early 1954, just a few months after the release of the MGM film Mogambo in 1953. In what is probably her last TV performance, Grace starred in the Kraft Theatre presentation of The Thankful Heart, a story about modern medicine.

Thanks to the success of High Noon and Mogambo, Grace Kelly had become a household name. With the likes of director Alfred Hitchcock desperate for her services, Grace had no need to continue appearing on television. In 1954, she appeared in five motion pictures, including Dial M For Murder, Rear Window, and the film for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress, The Country Girl.

Grace’s television work is mostly forgotten today because so much early television is lost or so difficult to see. Her more than 40 roles in TV deepened her acting skills and prepared her for the grueling work of appearing in front of the camera, helping shape the iconic star we all know and love.

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–Mary Mallory for Classic Movie Hub

Mary Mallory is a film historian, photograph archivist, and researcher, focusing on Los Angeles and early film history. She is the author of Living with Grace: Life Lessons from America’s Princess. She also co-authored Hollywood at Play: The Lives of the Stars Between Takes (with Stephen X. Sylvester and Donovan Brandt) and writes theatre reviews for The Tolucan Times and blogs for the LA Daily Mirror. Mallory served on Hollywood Heritage, Inc.’s Board of Directors, and acts as a docent for the Hollywood Heritage Museum. You can follow her on twitter at @mallory_mary.

You can click here to order Mary’s latest book on amazon:

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Musical Interlude: Five Must See Musicals

Posted on September 25, 2018 by Jessica Pickens

 

“I hate musicals.”

We’ve all met someone who tries to rain on a musical lover’s parade with this phrase. Maybe they once watched The Sound of Music (1965) and thought it was way too long or perhaps had a hard time with gang members pirouetting down New York City streets in West Side Story (1961).

That makes me wonder if sometimes people skip musicals they might enjoy more. Here are five musicals I suggest as “must see” that are somewhat off the beaten path. It’s easy to suggest Singin’ in the Rain (1952) or any film with Fred Astaire or Ginger Rogers, but here a few that may have been missed:

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Footlight Parade (1933)

Footlight Parade James Cagney and Frank mcHughJames Cagney speaks to dance instructor, Frank McHugh in Footlight Parade (1933).

Director: Lloyd Bacon
Starring: James Cagney, Joan Blondell, Ruby Keeler, Dick Powell, Frank McHugh, Guy Kibbee, Ruth Donnelly, Hugh Herbert
Studio: Warner Bros.

Here’s why:
After the dawn of sound, filmmakers and studios making musicals struggled to find a formula that worked. Choreographer and director Busby Berkley and his kaleidoscope choreography are credited with helping save the movie musical. Footlight Parade exhibits some of that fancy camera work and I feel it’s some of Berkley’s best – especially with the complex “By a Waterfall” number, which kept swimming chorus girls in the water for hours on end for six days! Musicals in the 1930s were pure escapism for audiences during the Great Depression. I also wanted to pick a film with screen team Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler, who co-starred in seven films. Footlight Parade is also notable because it was James Cagney’s first Hollywood musical. He was a dancer before coming to Hollywood. Prior to Footlight Parade, audiences only knew Cagney as a gangster and a mug. Imagine only knowing him that way and seeing him dance on screen for the first time! Outside of the cast and choreography, Footlight Parade is a funny film (I especially like Frank McHugh’s role as the harried choreographer). Without the songs and dancing, this would stand on its own as a hilarious Pre-Code comedy.

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Broadway Melody of 1940 (1940)

Broadway Melody of 1940 Fred Astiare and Eleanor Powell DancingFred Astiare and Eleanor Powell Dancing in Broadway Melody of 1940.

Director: Norman Taurog
Starring: Fred Astaire, Eleanor Powell, George Murphy, Frank Morgan, Ian Hunter, Florence Rice, Lynn Carver
Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Here’s Why:
Broadway Melody of 1940 is part of a musical series with unrelated plots. It began with Broadway Melody (1929) followed by Broadway Melody of 1936 (1935) and Broadway Melody of 1938 (1937). Broadway Melody of 1940 is the last of the Broadway Melody films and, in my opinion, is the best. Everyone knows Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers as a dancing team, but Astaire and Eleanor Powell are an amazing dancing duo who were unfortunately paired only this one time. Not as well known today, Eleanor Powell is one of the greatest tap dancers recorded on film. At the time this film was produced, Powell was at the top of her fame, but also nearing the end of her film career. This is amazing to consider because she is the star of this film. Watch for the magnificent and creative dance numbers and Astaire and Powell dancing as equals.

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Bathing Beauty (1944)

Bathing Beauty (1944) Esther WilliamsEsther Williams as Caroline Brooks in Bathing Beauty (1944).

Director: George Sidney
Starring: Esther Williams, Red Skelton, Basil Rathbone, Bill Goodwin, Jean Porter, Janis Paige
As themselves: Harry James, Lina Romay, Xavier Cugat, Helen Forrest, Ethel Smith, Carlos Ramirez
Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Here’s Why:
Musicals can be defined as songs and dance numbers that help to express emotion and drive a plot forward. But not all musicals are like this. Some musicals had music for the sake of including popular performers of the time. Bathing Beauty is a good example of this. Big bands and popular music stars Harry James, Xavier Cugat, Helen Forrest, and Ethel Smith are all showcased in the film — these were the “rock stars” of their day. So if you like big band music, this is a treat. But outside of the music, Bathing Beauty has a musical “novelty” — swimming star Esther Williams. Williams was an Olympic hopeful who had to reinvent herself when her athletic swimming dreams were dashed when the 1940 Olympics were canceled due to World War II. Williams transitioned into entertainment and after playing bit parts, Bathing Beauty was her first starring role and the first film to include lavish water ballets. The idea was fashioned after 20th Century Fox’s novelty star, Olympic gold medalist Sonja Henie who ice skated in musicals. Williams wrote in her autobiography that MGM “melted the ice” and had a swimming star. Outside of the big band music and a few swimming numbers, Bathing Beauty is also a comedy, with Red Skelton performing in several comedic skits. Bathing Beauty isn’t a typical musical, but it is fun, has colorful Technicolor, and is a great example of escapist entertainment released during World War II.

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Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) Jane Powell, Howard Keel, Jeff Richards, Matt Mattox, Marc Platt, Jacques d'Amboise, Tommy RallJane Powell, Howard Keel, Jeff Richards, Matt Mattox, Marc Platt, Jacques d’Amboise, Tommy Rall in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954).

Director: Stanley Donen
Starring: Jane Powell, Howard Keel, Russ Tamblyn, Jeff Richards, Tommy Rall, Julie Newmar, Ruta Lee, Ian Wolfe, Marc Platt, Matt Mattox, Jacques d’Amboise, Nancy Kilgas, Betty Carr, Virginia Gibson, Norma Doggett
Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Here’s Why:
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is an “all singing, all dancing” musical; one that has songs that move along the plot. And while this could be off-putting to people who don’t enjoy that, I do think Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is one of the best musicals ever released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. There are several things notable about this musical. First of all, it was a sleeper that almost wasn’t made. Brigadoon was the film MGM thought would be the successful moneymaker of the studio, but it was Seven Brides for Seven Brothers that was the success. Of all the phenomenal song and dance numbers in the film, one of the most notable includes the “Barn Raising” dance, which combines dancing and acrobatics. Seven Brides… is a great example of the lavish MGM musical when the genre was at the top of its game, but it was also the beginning of the end of musicals for the studio. After the successful release of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, studio head Dore Schary wanted MGM to go in a different direction and cut the budget for further musical films. While the budget was cut from Seven Brides… during production, you would never know it from the mountain-like sets, top-notch dancers (performing numbers choreographed by Michael Kidd), and beautiful music by Johnny Mercer and Gene de Paul.

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Flower Drum Song (1962)

Flower Drum Song (1961) Nancy Kwan mirrorsNancy Kwan in Flower Drum Song (1961).

Director: Henry Koster
Starring: Nancy Kwan, Miyoshi Umeki, James Shigeta, Benson Fong, Juanita Hall, Jack Soo, Reiko Sato
Studio: Universal

Here’s Why:
By the early 1960s, most movie musicals were adaptations of Broadway plays. This stage musical was the eighth Rodgers and Hammerstein collaboration and it is often overlooked compared to the team’s shows like The Sound of Music or South Pacific (1958). While the film was not a financial success (it was the only Rodgers and Hammerstein film to lose money), I selected it because it is often unfortunately forgotten. Today, many people are discussing Crazy Rich Asians (2018) and how rare it is to feature a cast of Asian actors, but Flower Drum Song is another one of those rare American films (classic or contemporary) with an all-Asian cast and all-Asian leads (except for Juanita Hall). Miyoshi Umeki and Juanita Hall reprised their roles from the Broadway play and are both wonderful in the film. And then there is the fabulous Nancy Kwan. Kwan was one of Hollywood’s hottest new actresses after starring in The World of Suzie Wong, but unfortunately after this film, she was no longer cast in high-quality films. By the early 1960s, movie musicals were declining, but this movie is so colorful and enjoyable that more people should know about it. Be sure to watch this one to view the full scope of the Rodgers and Hammerstein repertoire as well as for a rare chance to see an all Asian cast in a pre-1970s film.

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– Jessica Pickens for Classic Movie Hub

Jessica can be found at cometoverhollywood.com and on twitter at @HollywoodComet. In addition to her overall love of classic movies, she has ongoing series on her site including “Watching 1939″ and “Musical Monday.”

Posted in Musical Interlude, Posts by Jessica Pickens | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Western RoundUp: Lone Pine Favorites

Posted on September 24, 2018 by Laura Grieve

Western RoundUp: Lone Pine Favorites

One of the most popular locations in Western movie history is Lone Pine, California. Lone Pine is a small town located along Highway 395, a few hours north of Los Angeles.

Early in the 20th century, when silver mining ended further north on the 395 in Bodie, California, business dried up for many of the Lone Pine ranchers and farmers whose businesses supported Bodie. Farming was also diminishing in the area as water was diverted to Los Angeles.

With the movie industry growing in Southern California, Lone Pine’s Russ Spainhower saw a new business opportunity for his community. Spainhower spearheaded filming coming to the area by helping production companies scout locations and contracting to provide wagons, livestock, and extras. Gradually Lone Pine became a prime “go to” location for production companies looking to shoot elsewhere than local Southern California movie ranches; leaving Los Angeles at dawn, a company could be shooting in Lone Pine by early morning.

Lone Pine is best known for the distinctive Alabama Hills rock formations just outside of town, but movie companies also soon realized it was an easy drive from Lone Pine to Death Valley, which offered a completely different “look.” Other interesting locations near Lone Pine include the small town of Keeler, seen in the silent classic Greed (1924), and Dolomite, a ghost town used in Alfred Hitchcock’s Saboteur (1942).

Spainhower eventually owned Anchor Ranch south of town, which for many years featured a Western town set dubbed Anchorville, with views of Mount Whitney and Lone Pine Peak towering over one end of the street. The ranch also provided a hacienda set, built with lumber left over from Gunga Din (1939) sets!

In short, Lone Pine provided movie studios a “one-stop shop” with a variety of locations and services, with Westerns and desert adventures being the predominant genres filmed in the area over the years.

The first full-length feature film shot in Lone Pine is believed to be Fatty Arbuckle’s The Round-Up (1920). Over the past century literally hundreds of additional movies and TV Westerns have been filmed in the area, with the films ranging from beloved “B” Westerns starring the likes of William “Hopalong Cassidy” Boyd and Tim Holt to major “A” productions.

Today filming in Lone Pine is much rarer than in the glory days of the Western, though it does still occur, with a notable example of the past decade being Iron Man (2008), the first film in Marvel’s hugely popular movie series.

For the past three decades, Lone Pine has hosted a film festival; the 29th edition will take place in October 2018. The festival is unique in that attendees can watch a movie and then minutes later be standing where it was filmed! It’s an experience I highly recommend to my fellow classic film fans, particularly those who share my love for Westerns.

Lone Pine’s Western film history is a rich topic which I’m sure I’ll return to in the future. Here are just a small handful of the many Westerns which have been filmed in Lone Pine over the years:

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The Devil’s Playground (George Archainbaud, 1946)

Over the years countless films in William Boyd’s Hopalong Cassidy movie series were filmed in Lone Pine. The Devil’s Playground is a particularly good exemplar of how Lone Pine was used in these films. In the opening scenes Hoppy (Boyd) and his friends Lucky (Rand Brooks) and California (Andy Clyde) ride through the Alabama Hills, calling the area by the film’s title name, the “Devil’s Playground.” Seen at twilight, the rocks do indeed look spooky, as the trio discuss the possibility of ghosts! Mack Stengler was responsible for the film’s black and white photography.

The Devil's Playground (1946) Movie Poster, William BoydMovie Poster for The Devil’s Playground (1946) starring William Boyd.

Nervous California is later convinced he hears a ghost, but it turns out to be a young woman (Elaine Riley) on the run. (She refuses to divulge her identity and is thus simply addressed as “Miss” for most of the movie.) Hoppy and pals eventually rescue her from the clutches of a dastardly judge (Robert Elliott) and also help her husband Curly (Ned Young), who was framed by the judge for a robbery. A fellow blogger made me aware that the “cave” Curly hides in late in the film was actually formed with a dark backdrop hung over some of the rocks! It’s an ingenious low-budget solution which is very effective.

Another nice Lone Pine connection: Actress Riley was long married to Richard Martin, who played Tim Holt’s pal Chito in so many films shot in the area.

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Yellow Sky (William Wellman, 1948)

Yellow Sky is a wonderfully atmospheric Western which makes full use of the Lone Pine area. It starts out with a group of outlaws, including “Stretch” (Gregory Peck) staggering across Death Valley, then they arrive at a desert ghost town (and all-important waterhole!) in the Alabama Hills.

Yellow Sky (1948) Movie Poster Gregory Peck, Anne Baxter, Richard Widmark

Movie Poster for Yellow Sky (1948) starring Gregory Peck, Anne Baxter and Richard Widmark.

It’s a hugely enjoyable film in the tradition of several other films of the late ’40s in which an outlaw or gunslinger is reformed by the love of a good woman. The woman, in this case, is Anne Baxter, the sole occupant of the ghost town other than her prospector grandfather (James Barton). Richard Widmark plays Dude, who constantly tests Stretch’s authority. The cast is rounded out by Charles Kemper, John Russell, Harry Morgan, and Robert Arthur.

Gregory Peck as bank robber Stretch and Anne Baxter as miner's granddaughter Mike, in the western Yellow Sky.Gregory Peck as bank robber Stretch and Anne Baxter as miner’s granddaughter Mike, in the western Yellow Sky (1948).

The movie was shot by Joe MacDonald, whose work also included John Ford‘s My Darling Clementine (1946), and the visuals are superb, whether it’s the line of outlaws riding through Death Valley or the cloud-filled skies above the Alabama Hills.

William Wellman Jr. gave a talk at UCLA in 2015 in which he recounted being on the film’s Lone Pine sets at the age of 11. One of his favorite memories was trying to find a way to be “in” the movie without anyone realizing he was on screen. He climbed into a hayloft which would be in the background of a shot and covered himself with hay — so when you see the film, know that there’s an unseen little boy hiding in the picture! The barn and house were constructed for the film, incidentally, along with watering hole.

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Rawhide (Henry Hathaway, 1951)

Rawhide is another favorite movie filmed in Lone Pine. It’s a suspenseful Western which loosely remade a gangster movie titled Show Them No Mercy! (1935). Tyrone Power plays a newcomer to the west who’s getting hands-on experience running a stagecoach station; Susan Hayward plays a passenger traveling with her toddler niece (Judy Ann Dunn) who takes refuge at the station when word spreads that a gang of outlaws are on the loose in the area. Unfortunately said outlaws (Hugh Marlowe, Dean Jagger, Jack Elam, and George Tobias) arrive at the station and take it over, intending to rob a gold shipment due on a stagecoach; a tense hostage drama ensues.

Rawhide (1951) Hugh Marlowe and Tyrone PowerHugh Marlowe and Tyrone Power in Rawhide (1951).
Susan Hayward in Rawhide (1951)Susan Hayward in Rawhide (1951).

Milton R. Krasner did the excellent cinematography. The Alabama Hills locations of the stagecoach depot and a burial spot are still quite easy to find today; the distinctive round rock where Power and Hayward kneel to pray after burying a friend is still there, looking just as it does in the movie. Incidentally, Power worked in Lone Pine on several occasions, including Brigham Young (1940) and King of the Khyber Rifles (1953), and he is still fondly remembered in town today as a nice guy who was happy to mingle with the local citizens.

Rawhide (1951) E. Bechanan Burial Site (Left) and Stagecoach Station Location (right)Edgar Buchanan Burial Site (Left) and Stagecoach Station Location (right)

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7 Men From Now (Budd Boetticher, 1956)

7 Men From Now is one of the best films in the collaboration between Western star Randolph Scott and director Budd Boetticher, and it’s probably also one of the most beloved movies shot in Lone Pine. In economical yet striking fashion this beautifully scripted 78-minute film tells the story of a former sheriff (Scott) on the hunt for outlaws who killed his wife during a robbery. During his travels, he meets a struggling pioneer couple (Gail Russell and Walter Reed) and an old enemy (Lee Marvin, in a charismatic performance).

7 Men from Now (1956) Randolph Scott Movie PosterMovie Poster for 7 Men from Now (1956).

The film makes good use of a variety of local locations, filmed by William H. Clothier; some of the wagon scenes were filmed along a creek, in a tree-filled area which is near the Alabama Hills yet looks completely different, other than the familiar mountain range in the background. The final confrontation between Scott and Marvin was filmed deep in the hills, in an area known as the “Cattle Pocket”; the rocky location and the unusual editing of the fast-draw sequence, combined with the playing of the actors, make it unforgettable.

7 Men from Now Randolph Scott Lee Marvin Final Gunfight LocationsFinal gunfight locations: Randolph Scott (left) Lee Marvin (right).

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The Hired Gun (Ray Nazarro, 1957)

Rory Calhoun and Victor Orsatti produced this brief but entertaining 64-minute Western, largely filmed in the Alabama Hills. Its finest attribute is its black and white CinemaScope photography by Harold J. Marzorati, with sweeping vistas of the mountains and hills; there are some soundstage shots mixed in but for the most part this movie was filmed in the great outdoors.

Rory Calhoun and Anne Francis in Hired Gun (1957)Rory Calhoun and Anne Francis in The Hired Gun (1957).

The storyline is necessarily quite basic yet every time I see this film I appreciate it more. Ellen Belden (Anne Francis) is due to be hung for the murder of her husband, but she’s sprung by Judd Farrow (Chuck Connors) and flees to New Mexico. Her father-in-law (John Litel) hires gunman Gil McCord (Calhoun) to get her back to Texas for the hanging; as they travel, Gil starts to have doubts that she’s a murderess. And why is her brother-in-law (Vince Edwards) so determined that she die? Calhoun and Francis are excellent leads in a well-told story, as Gil searches for the truth. This is a “darn good Western” in a beautiful setting.

Hired Gun (1957) locationA breathtaking location for the filming of Hired Gun (1957).
The photographs of the Alabama Hills accompanying this article are from the author’s personal collection.

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– Laura Grieve for Classic Movie Hub

Laura can be found at her blog, Laura’s Miscellaneous Musings, where she’s been writing about movies since 2005, and on Twitter at @LaurasMiscMovie. A lifelong film fan, Laura loves the classics including Disney, Film Noir, Musicals, and Westerns.  She regularly covers Southern California classic film festivals.  Laura will scribe on all things western at the ‘Western RoundUp’ for CMH.

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