Three Comrades(1938)

Three Comrades 1938. Drama directed by Frank Borzage. The screenplay is by F. Scott Fitzgerald and Edward E. Paramore Jr., and was adapted from the novel Three Comrades by Erich Maria Remarque (also considered the loose basis for The Deer Hunter in 1978). This was F. Scott Fitzgerald's only screenwriting credit. Robert Young replaced Spencer Tracy. Cast: Robert Taylor, Margaret Sullavan, Franchot Tone, and Robert Young. Sullavan was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress.

As the war has ended three loyal friends Erich Lohkamp, Otto Koster and Gottfried Lenz, try to start their civilian life by opening a auto repair shop and taxi business and are barely able to make a living.

Video: Three Comrades (1938) -- We'd Have Let You Win



One day, while celebrating the birthday of Erich, Otto and Gottfried drive him to a country inn where they meet aristocrat Patricia Hollmann. Patricia and Erich, seem to hit it off and Otto and Gottfried encourage their relationship, but not knowing that she is now poor, Erich feels that Pat's background will keep them apart.

When she invites him to the opera, they run into a mysterious friend Herr Breuer, a wealthy man who is in love with Pat, He invites them to a nightclub. Erich's borrowed tuxedo starts to fall apart, which causes him to leave. Pat is waiting for him outside his apartment when he arrives home, the two realize that they are in love.

Gottfried tries to convince Erich to marry Pat, despite his financial troubles and when Otto tries to convince Pat to marry Erich, she reveals that she had been very ill because of her lungs. Otto convinces her that she should marry Erich, no matter how brief their time together...

On their honeymoon, Pat collapses on the beach. When the doctor says that she may die if her hemorrhaging does not stop, Erich calls Otto to find Pat's doctor. Driving like a mad man through the fog in his beloved car "Baby," Otto brings Dr. Jaffe, just in time to save Pat, but the doctor warns that she must go to a sanitarium in the fall. Through the summer months, Otto, Erich, Gottfried and Pat have a wonderful time together.

Idealist Gottfried, falls victim of the times and is torn between his loyalty to his friends and his belief in the teachings of political pacifist Dr. Heinrich Becker. On the day that Pat leaves for the sanitarium, Gottfried is shot to death by men who are trying to kill Becker. Now faced with the loss of Gottfried as well Pat's illness, Erich and Otto sell their shop and go searching for Gottfried's killer. Otto finally finds the murderer and shoots him in self-defense. That same night, Erich finds out that Pat must have an operation. When Otto and Erich visit her, they learn that the operation will cost over one thousand marks, Otto decides to sell "Baby" to pay for the operation  .

When Otto goes to see her, he tells her that Gottfried is dead and that he has sold "Baby," and she tells him that their self-sacrifices for her must stop. He comforts her by telling her to live for Erich. As Otto leaves the sanitarium, Pat walks to the window... Will Erich, see her and get to her in time?

A beautiful drama about love and friendship. Robert Taylor, one of my favorite actors gives a dignified performance as Erich. Margaret Sullivan, gives a valiant performance as Pat. This film is very much worth watching. Great performances by all.

Margaret Sullavan (May 16, 1909 – January 1, 1960), began her career onstage in 1929.

In 1933 she caught the attention of movie director John M. Stahl and had her debut on the screen that same year in Only Yesterday.

Sullavan preferred working on the stage and made only 16 movies, four of which were opposite James Stewart in a successful partnership.

She retired from the screen in the early forties, but returned in 1950 to make her last movie, No Sad Songs for Me (1950), in which she plays a woman who is dying of cancer. For the rest of her career she would only appear on the stage.

She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in her seventh film, Three Comrades (1938). A drama set in post–World War I Germany. Three returning German soldiers meet Sullavan who joins them and eventually marries one of them. Sullavan made no further films, and acted only on the stage, after 1950.

She experienced increasing hearing problems, depression, and mental frailty in the 1950's. She died of an overdose of barbiturates, which was ruled accidental, on January 1, 1960 at the age of 50.

Sullavan's elder daughter, actress Brooke Hayward, wrote Haywire, a best-selling memoir about her family, which was made into a television movie starring Lee Remick as Margaret Sullavan and Jason Robards as Leland Hayward.

Love Hollywood Style: Robert Taylor.

After three years of dating, Taylor married actress Barbara Stanwyck on May 14, 1939 in San Diego. Zeppo Marx's wife Marion was Stanwyck's matron of honor and her godfather, actor Buck Mack, was Taylor's best man. Stanwyck divorced Taylor (reportedly at his request) in February 1951. The couple had no children.

Taylor met German actress Ursula Thiess in 1952. They married in Jackson Hole, Wyoming on May 23, 1954. They had two children together, son Terrance (born 1955) and daughter Tessa (born 1959). Taylor was also stepfather to Thiess' two children from her previous marriage, Manuela and Michael Thiess.

Undercurrent (1946)

Undercurrent (1946). A film noir drama directed by Vincente Minnelli. The screenplay was written by Edward Chodorov, based on the novel You Were There by Thelma Strabel. Cast: Katharine Hepburn, Robert Taylor, Robert Mitchum.

In Vincente Minnelli's autobiography, he says that Robert Mitchum was very uncomfortable in the role of the sensitive Micheal.

This was Robert Taylor's first movie since returning from military service in World War II.

Katharine Hepburn and Robert Mitchum didn't get along. One day she told him, "You know you can't act, and if you hadn't been good looking you would never have got a picture at all. I'm tired of working with people like you who have nothing to offer."

The story begins when, Alan Garroway, meets Ann Hamilton, the unsophisticated daughter of chemistry professor Hamilton and it is love at first sight.

After Ann and Alan, are married they travel back to Washington, D.C., where she is introduced to Alan's manager Mr. Warmsley and his wealthy friends. Embarrassed of her appearance, Ann asks Alan to show her how to dress and behave.

Later, Alan tells Ann that after his father died he and his brother Michael took over their father's mechanical gadget business, and that he has not seen or heard from Michael since he was caught stealing from him.

While visiting Alan's Virginia family home, Ann is startled when a horse becomes extremely upset in the stable and learns from a frightened stable-hand that Alan once badly beat the horse.

After, Alan angrily orders Ann to stop playing a familiar tune on the piano, she thinks it is because of the bad memory's from his past. Later, George the caretaker, tells Ann that the song she was playing was one that Michael used to play. Ann decides to help her husband overcome his past.

After, Alan leaves on a business trip, Ann visits his office and asks Warmsley to give her directions to Michael's house near the ocean. At the house, Ann meets Michael... he introduces himself to her as the caretaker.

 

Later that night, Alan comes back and surprises Ann at the house. He demands to know why Ann is there, and Ann tells him that she wanted to find out more about his past.

Later, the two brothers are alone and Michael accuses Alan, of having killed an engineer at their plant, so he could steal his plans for a remote control explosive device. Michael tells Alan, that he has decided to expose him because.. he met Ann and believes that she should not be involved with a murderer. Then Alan informs Michael, that he has changed and that he plans to tell Ann the truth about his past. For now... Michael, decides to keep quiet about the murder. Alan, lied to his brother and plans to keep his past a secret.

Ann, tells Alan that she is obsessed with thoughts of Michael and that she wants to meet him, so that she can put him out of her mind, once and for all. Alan, accuses her of being in love with his brother. Alan, realizes that he must kill her to prevent her from leaving him. They are out riding on horseback when he decides to push her off a steep ledge, will she be able to get help in time?

Hepburn, gives a very convincing performance as the insecure Ann. Taylor's, performance as the tormented Alan is also perfect, always on the edge of losing control. Mitchum, plays a very different part for him. The ending maybe predictable... but exciting.

Marjorie Main (February 24, 1890 – April 10, 1975). Born Mary Tomlinson in Acton, Indiana, Main attended Franklin College in Franklin, Indiana, and adopted a stage name to avoid embarrassing her father, Samuel J. Tomlinson who was a minister.

She worked in vaudeville on the Chautauqua and Orpheum Circuits, and debuted on Broadway in 1916. Her first film was, A House Divided(1931).

Main was typecast in domineering roles, for which her voice was perfect for. She repeated her stage role in, Dead End in the 1937 film version, and was cast many times as the mother of gangsters.

She again transferred a strong stage performance, as a dude ranch operator in, The Women(1939). Main was signed to a MGM contract in 1940, and stayed with the studio until the mid-1950s.

She made six films with Wallace Beery in the 1940s including: Barnacle Bill (1941), Jackass Mail (1942), and Bad Bascomb (1946).

She played Sonora Cassidy, the chief cook, in The Harvey Girls (1945). The director, George Sidney, said that Miss Main was a "great lady" as well as a great actress who donated most of her paychecks to the support of a school.

Her most famous role was that of "Ma Kettle", which she first played in, The Egg and I(1947) opposite Percy Kilbride as "Pa Kettle". She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for the part and portrayed the character in nine more Ma and Pa Kettle films.

In the 1950s, she had appeared in the MGM musicals: Meet Me in St. Louis, The Belle of New York and It's a Big Country.

In 1954, Marjorie Main played her last roles for the studio; Mrs. Hittaway in, The Long, Long Trailer and Jane Dunstock in, Rose Marie.

In 1956, Main played The Widow Hudspeth in the hit film, Friendly Persuasian. In 1958, Main appeared twice as rugged frontierswoman Cassie Tanner in the episodes "The Cassie Tanner Story" and "The Sacramento Story" on NBC's western television series, Wagon Train. In 1964, she appeared on an episode of Perry Mason.

Main married Stanley LeFevre Krebs, who died in 1935.

In 1974, a year before her death, Main attended the Los Angeles premiere of the MGM film, That's Entertainment. It was her first public appearance since she retired from films in 1958. At the post-premiere party, she was greeted with cheers from the crowd.

Her Cardboard Lover (1942).

Her Cardboard Lover(1942). Comedy film directed by George Cukor. The film is the third screen adaptation of the play, following The Cardboard Lover in 1928 and The Passionate Plumber in 1932. Joan Crawford and Hedy Lamarr were each offered the part of "Consuela", but both turned it down.

Songwriter Terry Trindale, has fallen head over heals over Consuelo Croyden, a woman he has watched from a distance every night at a Palm Beach casino. Even though, he has gone out of his way to be seated at the gambling tables next to Consuelo, Terry has never spoke to her.

One night, he finally gets the courage to speak to her and lets it slips out, that he loves her and then he asks if she could ever fall in love with him. She says "absolutely not" and warns him not to be so "clingy", if he wants a woman to return his love.

Consuelo, then heads for the gambling tables, with a stuffy Tony Barling, not far behind, but.. because he is not dressed properly he cannot enter the casino. When, Terry learns that Tony wants to give a note to Consuelo, he volunteers to take it to her, but as soon as Tony leaves, he tears it up.

Terry, then watches from the side lines.. Consuelo, win at chemin de fer and yells out "Banco", to play against her. After, she wins again, he now owes her a great sum of money. He tells her that he does not have the money to pay her. At first, she feels a little sorry for him, but when he gives her the pieces of Tony's note, angrily she asks him what the letter said.

After, telling her what he remembered she then asks him to come to her house. She then comes up with the idea for him to work as her secretary to pay off his debt. Assuming the role of her "cardboard lover," she asks for a written contract to pretend to be her fiance. She then explains that Tony is her fiance, with who she broke off because of the "madness" of their on and off again relationship.

Just then Tony, arrives and Consuelo has Terry hide on the patio. Although, she tells Tony, that she is in love with someone else, he does not believe her. Terry, then comes waltzing in, acting very affectionate. Tony, recognizes him from the casino and is suspicious, and when Terry goes to get ice, Tony tells Consuelo that he knows this is an act and begs her to come to a friend's yacht before they sail in the morning.

After Tony leaves, Consuelo, quickly packs her bags to meet Tony. Terry, is waiting at her front door, to stop her.

Four weeks later, Terry is still working as Consuelo's "Cardboard Lover". Chappie Champagne, Terry's partner, cannot talk him into coming back with him to New York to sell their new song, "I Dare You," which they have been composing on Consuelo's piano.

Wanting to get rid of Terry, she pretends that she is cured of Tony, once and for all and offers to cancel the rest of Terry's debt. Terry then leaves, saying he is going to the airport. Consuelo, receives a call from Tony, saying that he is going away with another woman and she convinces him to stop by her house. Tony, asks her wear a negligee and unlatch the door for him. But... it is Terry who arrives, admitting that it was he who called, disguising his voice to sound like Tony.

When Tony really does arrive, she tells Terry hide and then explains to Tony that Terry, is not really her lover. At this moment Terry, comes out wearing pajamas and gets into her bed. Consuelo, tries to make Terry tell the truth, but he refuses and Tony leaves.

Consuelo, locks Terry in the bathroom, but he has already left and is waiting in the hall. She slaps him, but he again reminds her of his promise to keep her from Tony. Frustrated with him, Consuelo says that his songs are "tripe," but soon apologizes and admits that she is in love with Tony. She calls Tony and says she has kicked Terry out and is leaving to see him. Terry then threatens to jump out the window, but.. is unsuccessful.

Terry, goes back to his hotel, where Tony is also staying. After meeting in the elevator, the two men begin a wild fight.

During their hearing on charges of disturbing the peace and assaulting a police officer, Consuelo shows up angry with Terry, but when Chappie arrives with tickets to New York and money from the sale of their song to pay Terry's fine, she begins to realize her true feelings.

Norma Shearer, in her last film, wears gorgeous clothes and played her part perfectly. Robert Taylor, looks very young and handsome. There are some wonderful scenes: one where Taylor threatens to jump over a balcony and one when he is wearing her pajamas.

Elizabeth Patterson (November 22, 1874 – January 31, 1966), born in Savannah, Tennessee. Her father, who had been a Confederate soldier, was a judge in Hardin County. She was educated in the county's public schools and at colleges in Pulaski and Columbia, where her participation in college theatricals helped to form her interest in drama.

 Her parents sent her to Europe in the hope of discouraging her interest in the theater, but her determination to become an actress was only reinforced by her experiences attending productions at the Comédie Française. After returning from Europe, Patterson used a small inheritance to move to Chicago, where she joined a theatrical troupe, and subsequently toured with repertory companies.

In 1913, she made her Broadway debut in the play Everyman. She remained active in New York City theatre through 1954. In 1926, at the age of 51, Patterson was cast in her first movie, The Boy Friend. Additional screen credits include: A Bill of Divorcement; Tarnished Lady; Dinner at Eight; High, Wide, and Handsome; Intruder in the Dust; Remember the Night; No Man of Her Own; The Shocking Miss Pilgrim; Little Women; My Sister Eileen; and Pal Joey.

 In 1952, at the age of 77, Patterson made her first appearance on the hit CBS-TV sitcom I Love Lucy in the episode entitled "The Marriage License". In that installment, Patterson's character, Mrs. Willoughby, was the wife of the Greenwich, Connecticut justice of the peace (played by character actor Irving Bacon) who re-marries Lucy and Ricky Ricardo.

The following year she was cast in a featured guest role as Mrs. Matilda Trumbull in the episode "No Children Allowed". Patterson's character of Mrs. Trumbull was initially an ornery curmudgeon who also resided in the Ricardos' apartment building. In that installment, she threatened to make trouble for the Ricardos since the building did not allow children. At the end of the episode, however, her character softens as she holds the Ricardos' baby for the first time and, as a result, Mrs. Trumbull becomes friends with both the Ricardos and the Mertzes. In fact, Patterson's role was so popular (as well as useful to the writers of the series) that she continued in the role for three more years as the babysitter for "Little Ricky". In the fall of 1956, with I Love Lucy in its final season, Patterson made her last appearance as Mrs. Trumbull in the episode, "Little Ricky Learns To Play The Drums". Her character was mentioned one last time in the 1957 episode "Lucy Raises Chickens". In that installment, Fred and Ethel Mertz decide to follow the Ricardos and move to Connecticut to be near them and Mrs. Trumbull's sister moves into 623 East 68th Street to manage the apartment building for Fred.

Never married, Patterson lived alone at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel during her thirty five-year motion picture career. She died in Los Angeles of complications from pneumonia at the age of 91. She is buried in her hometown of Savannah.

Camille(1936).

Camille(1936). Director: George Cukor. Produced: Irving Thalberg and Bernard H. Hyman, from a screenplay by James Hilton, Zoe Akins and Frances Marion. The picture is based on the 1852 novel and play La Dame aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas, fils. Cast: Greta Garbo, Robert Taylor, Lionel Barrymore, Elizabeth Allan, Jessie Ralph, Henry Daniell, and Laura Hope Crews.

The film inspired Milton Benjamin to write a song called "I'll Love Like Robert Taylor, Be My Greta Garbo." Portions of the film, including the final scene, are featured in the 1982 musical film Annie after the number "Let's Go To The Movies."

Marguerite Gautier, is known as "the lady of the camellias" because of her love for the flowers. Marguerite's friends know her as a woman whose heart is bigger than her bank account. Though she is given money and jewels by her many suitors, she has trouble keeping up her lifestyle.

Prudence Duvernoy, comes to Marguerite and tells her, she must find a rich man who can take care of her and arranges for her to meet, Baron de Varville. When Prudence leaves the theater box to find de Varville, Armand Duval, who has been in love with Marguerite and has been following her for weeks, joins her.

Because they have never met, she thinks that he is the baron.



 When she is introduced to the real Baron, Marguerite is disappointed, but she still leaves with him. Soon, Marguerite, becomes de Varville's mistress. When he goes on a business trip to Russia, her frail health keeps her home.

At a coach auction, she meets Armand again and is told by her maid, that he came to ask about Marguerite's health every day.

Later, Marguerite invites him to a party at her home, and when she becomes ill, he carries her into her bedroom and tells her that he is deeply in love with her and wants to take care of her. Marguerite, must choose between the young man who loves her and the baron who wants her.

A very romantic film and one of my favorite Garbo performances. The cinematography and costume design are absolutely beautiful. The supporting performances from Lionel Barrymore, Laura Hope Crewes and Maureen O'Sullivan are perfect. Robert Taylor, is very young and handsome. A wonderful classic film you will not soon forget.

Fun Facts:
Greta Garbo's personal favorite of all her films.
Greta Garbo wore bedroom slippers under all her fancy dresses so she could be comfortable.
Film debut of Joan Leslie.

Elizabeth Allan (9 April 1908 – 27 July 1990) was an English actress who worked in both England and Hollywood, making about 50 films over more than a quarter century.

She made her movie debut in 1931, first appearing in Alibi. 1935 was her most memorable year in Hollywood, when she not only distinguished herself in two memorable Dickens' adaptations as David's young mother in, David Copperfield and as Lucie Manette in Jack Conway's, A Tale of Two Cities, but was also featured in, Mark of the Vampire.

By the 1950s, Allan had made the transition to character parts. Particularly memorable is her appearance in, The Heart of the Matter (1953). In 1958, she appeared as Boris Karloff's wife in, The Haunted Strangler.

Great On Screen Couples: Greta Garbo and Robert Taylor.

Greta Garbo and Robert Taylor, performed together in Greta Garbo's personal favorite of all her films, Camille (1936). Greta Garbo never looked better then she did in this romantic drama about a woman named Marguerite Gauthier, who was born into a lower class family, but becomes well known as Dame Camille, living in Paris, high society.

Camille, after many years of living as a mistress of wealthy Baron de Varville, falls in love with a handsome young man named, Armand. She is willing to give up her comfortable life with the Baron to be with him. Armand's father begs Camille, to break it off with his son, knowing her past will ruin his future.

Knowing that he is right, Camille breaks it off with Armand and soon after she comes down with tuberculosis. The film ends with Camille's heart breaking death in the arms of the only man she's ever loved.

Please click here for Camille movie review.

The film inspired Milton Benjamin to write and publish a song called "I'll Love Like Robert Taylor, Be My Greta Garbo".

Personal Property(1937).

Personal Property(1937). Romantic/comedy. Cast: Jean Harlow and Robert Taylor and directed by W.S. Van Dyke. It is based on the play The Man In Possession by H.M. Harwood.

The story begins when, Dabney Lingerie and Underwear, hits hard times and Claude Dabney makes plans on marrying a wealthy American widow. Claude's younger brother Raymond, comes home after being released from prison for stealing a car. His mother is happy to have him home, but his father and Claude are worried that his return will end the marriage plans, so they ask him to leave.

That evening, Raymond attends a performance of "Aida" and is seated next to Crystal Wetherby, who he does not know is Claude's fiancee. After the performance Raymond, follows her home in a taxi. Outside the house, Raymond meets Herbert Jenkins, who represents Crystal's creditors. When Jenkins tells Raymond that he would like to leave because his wife is having a baby, Raymond offers to fill in for him and will stay to make certain that nothing is stolen.

Once inside, Raymond is told by Crystal that her husband is upstairs. She then stomps around the house in boots, hoping that the noise will convince Raymond, that her husband is home. The next morning Raymond learns from Clara the maid, that Crystal is a widow.

Raymond, offers to work as her butler "Ferguson" during a dinner party for her, fiance and his parents and is shocked to see that her fiance is his brother Claude. The Dabneys, do not acknowledge their son, then, while Raymond is out of the room, Claude tells Crystal that her butler has been in prison.

Crystal begins to realize that she is in love with Raymond. Later, Claude offers Raymond five hundred pounds if he promises to leave England, which Raymond accepts. Raymond pays all of Crystals debts, but, because she now owes him the money, he has Jenkins repossess all of her furniture just before her wedding to Claude. Raymond then tells Claude about Crystal's financial problems, after which Claude and all the guests leave. Now, what is Crystal to do that she is left at the alter?

Fun Facts:

Throughout the film, Jean wears a star sapphire ring, a sort of engagement ring from her boyfriend William Powell.

Harlow and Taylor make an excellent comedy team and I only wished that they had work together again. The story is very charming and the wit goes along at a nice pace, charming characters and beautiful costumes make this a wonderful movie.

Una O'Connor (October 23, 1880 – February 4, 1959). For many years, she worked in Ireland and England as a stage actress. She landed a part in Alfred Hitchcock's Murder! (1930). She had not attracted much attention until she was chosen by Noel Coward to appear in, Cavalcade (1933). Her success led her to Hollywood to reprise her role and with its success, O'Connor decided to remain there.

A favourite of the director James Whale, O'Connor's best remembered roles are her comic performances in, The Invisible Man (1933) as the publican's wife and Bride of Frankenstein (1935) as the Baron's housekeeper. She played 'straight' roles too, such as the grieving mother of a captured IRA member in, The Informer (1935).

O'Connor also performed in supporting roles in theatre productions, and achieved an outstanding success in the role of "Janet McKenzie", the nearly deaf housemaid, in Agatha Christie's Witness for the Prosecution at Henry Miller's Theatre on Broadway from 1954 until 1956. As one of the witnesses, in what was essentially a serious drama, O'Connor's character was intended to provide comic relief.

O'Connor was highly praised for her work, and also played the role in the Billy Wilder-directed film version of the same story in 1957. The film was a great success, and O'Connor once again received excellent reviews. It was her final film performance. By this time she was in her late seventies and decided to retire.

When Ladies Meet (1941).

When Ladies Meet (1941). Cast: Joan Crawford, Robert Taylor, Greer Garson, Herbert Marshall, and Spring Byington. The screenplay by S.K. Lauren and Anita Loos was based upon a 1932 play by Rachel Crothers. The film was directed by Robert Z. Leonard, who also co-produced the film with Orville O. Dull.

The story is about, Mary Howard, a novelist with different ideas about love and marriage. Things become complicated when she falls in love with her publisher, Rogers Woodruff. She decides to take him away from his wife. Mary's friend Jimmy, is convinced he's the right man for her and comes up with a plan to end her relationship with, Woodruff.

He invites Mary and Woodruff's wife Claire, to meet at the house of a friend. The two women do not know each other, but during their visits they become friends. When she learns Woodruff is a womanizer, she realizes she does not love him...

Video: When Ladies Meet (1941) -- So You Got Lost?



It is interesting to watch the two different acting styles of Joan and Greer, play off each other. Once again, Spring Byington perfectly plays the ditsy-rich-lady character. I just love her. You may find yourself routing for.. Greer Garson. I also thought the sets were absolutely beautiful..

Johnny Eager (1942).

Johnny Eager(1942). Film noir. Cast: Robert Taylor and Lana Turner. Van Heflin won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

The story begins when gangster Johnny Eager first gets out of jail, and pretends to be a taxi driver, but he really owns a gambling house. As he is leaving Burns office, his parole officer, Johnny runs into Lisbeth Bard and it is love at first sight. Lisbeth talks Burns into paying a surprise visit to Johnny. Johnny, who lives in luxurious appartment at a closed dog track, is tipped off by someone in Burns's office. Johnny meets them at his cousin's small apartment, where Barns thinks he lives..

Later, at the track, Johnny begins to suspect that Lew Rankin, is cheating on him and has him followed. That night Johnny and his henchmen, Jeff Hartnett, check up on Lew at Tony Luce's gambling house. Johnny is surprised to see Lisbeth, whose drunken date owes Tony money. Johnny takes Lisbeth home, where he runs into her stepfather, John Benson Farrell, the district attorney, who is keeping the dog track from opening.

He comes up with a plan to make her believe that she's guilty of a murder committed when he stages a fake fight with another gangster. So he can blackmail her stepfather. Has he found a way to get his permit for his gambling house?



The story takes many twists and turns before the end of the film. Van Heflin, gives his Oscar-winning supporting role as the man who tries to be Johnny's conscience.

Patricia Dane (August 4, 1919 – June 5, 1995) . She began her career designing clothes for a New York City dress firm. Dane's, first two performances were uncredited roles in the films, Ziegfeld Girl and I'll Wait For You, both were in (1941).

She played the part of "Jennitt Hicks" in the film, Life Begins For Andy Hardy and she also played "Garnet" in the film, Johnny Eager (1942). Dane received good reviews in the film Grand Central Murder (1942).

Dane took a break from her film career when she married bandleader Tommy Dorsey (8 April 1943 - September 1947), but returned with the role of "Iris March" in the film, Fighting Mad (1948). Her final film performances were uncredited parts in the films, Road To Bali (1952) and The Harder They Fall (1956).

Happy Birthday Robert Taylor (1911-1969)

Robert Taylor was born Spangler Arlington Brugh on August 5th, 1911 in Filley, Nebraska. Originally signed at MGM because of his good looks, he gradually became one of the screen's most enduring leading men. Starred in an impressive list of films including Magnificent Obsession (1935), Camille (1936), A Yank At Oxford (1937), Waterloo Bridge (1940), Johnny Eager (1942), Bataan (1943), Quo Vadis (1951), Above and Beyond (1952), Westward The Women (1952) and Ivanhoe (1952).

Taylor was married to Barbara Stanwyck from 1939 to 1951 and then remarried Ursula Theiss in 1954 until his death. They had two children together.

After Taylor died of lung cancer - he was a chain smoker - at the age of 57, he was interred in Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery, in Glendale, California. Many Hollywood celebrities attended his funeral, and his best friend Ronald Reagan, the Governor of California, gave the eulogy.

Party Girl (1958) : "They're crooked...but the money's good!"

Party Girl(1958). Film noir. Director; Nicholas Ray. Cast: Robert Taylor, Lee J. Cobb and Cyd Charisse. Party Girl marked the last film Robert Taylor(age47)did under contract for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.

I just watched Party Girl for the first time, is a very unique movie. Not only is it your standard Film Noir, with a clever story line, Charisse also performs two dance routines. I thought that Taylor and Cyd, gave excellent performances. Taylor, is playing a role loosely based on Dixie Davis, lawyer for mob boss Dutch Schultz of New York, who later turned informant and married a beautiful showgirl. Cobb plays a very convincing performance as "Wild-Man-of-Borneo", who threatens to hurt the showgirl if his lawyer leaves him. This maybe my favorite performance of Charisse, who also dances into two sensuous nightclub dances..Party Girl, really is one of the more beautiful film noirs I have seen, maybe because it is filmed in color, where you can see how stunning Cyd's dance costumes are.


Dance sequence # 1 Directed by Nicholas Ray.



Dance sequence # 2 Directed by Nicholas Ray.

Above and Beyond(1952). Story about Pilot Paul Tibbets.

Above and Beyond (1952). The film is about Paul Tibbets, the pilot of the first aircraft to drop an atomic bomb. Cast: Robert Taylor, Eleanor Parker and James Whitmore.

Brent believes that Paul, an Army Air Corps pilot, is the man for an important job and orders him to leave Africa and return to the U.S. When they are on the plane flying to Washington, Brent tells Paul that he will be sent to Wichita to test the B-29.

His wife Lucey, learns that it is going to be a short reunion and later visits Paul in Wichita.

After the B-29 is determined to be safe, Paul returns home to Washington, again their family time is cut short when Paul is called to Colorado Springs.

Paul meets Maj. Bill Uanna, who goes over details of Paul's past conversations with other officers over the past year as a security check. Brent then informs Paul that he is one of four men considered for the most important project of the war. Before telling Paul what the job is, he hands him a buzzer and asks if he would press it if by doing so the war would end tomorrow and save 1,000,000 lives but he would have to kill 100,000 people. Paul pauses for a moment, then presses the buzzer.



Brent invites several scientist of the "Manhattan Project," to explain the project to Paul. Brent then tells Paul that only he, Uanna and Paul will know that his mission is to drop an atomic bomb over Japan. Paul agrees and soon leaves for base in Wendover, Utah. To make Wendover seem like the other bases, Uanna suggests that families should live on base, but tells Paul not to bring Lucey, who is now pregnant.

After Lucey gives birth, she makes plans to join him. After seeing Paul Lucey soon detects a change in him.

Meanwhile, Paul and his team are constantly testing the B-29s to make sure that they will be able to carry the weight of an atomic bomb.

Their relationship begins to fall apart when she shares her feelings over the innocent people who died during the war.

Meanwhile, Brent has told Paul that the Japanese have refused to surrender and the president has given the go ahead for use of the bomb. Repeated testing is taking its toll on Paul.

One night, when the exhausted Paul returns home, Lucey casually mentions that Harry had made up an excuse to get a weekend off to take Marge on a vacation. Paul immediately has Harry relieved of his duties. Angry, Lucey, says she wants out of the marriage.

The next day, Paul goes to Colorado Springs to see Brent, who has been injured in a plane crash, and tells him that it is "blue light." When he returns to the base, he learns from Uanna that Lucey came to him wanting to know what was going on. When Lucey apologizes to Paul, for interfering, he tells her that she and the children will leave for Washington that afternoon.

With the work at Wendover now finished, the project's next phase, called "Operation Silverplate" sends Paul and his crew to the island of Tinian. Paul soon learns that weather conditions will allow them to make the mission the next morning. Paul cannot sleep and writes a letter to his mother, Enola Gay Tibbets, telling her his fears about killing so many people, then names his plane after her. Will Paul have the courage to accomplish his mission?



One of my favorite scenes, is when Paul comes home one to hear sounds from someone working on the plumbing. Lucey tells him that she has found someone to fix the plumbing. "Who?", asks Taylor and Lucey says "One of the sanitary engineers". The plumber turns out to be one of the scientists with the Manhattan Project.



FUN FACTS: (spoiler alert).

The sequences showing the bombing of Hiroshima were lifted from another MGM film, The Beginning or the End (1947).

In 1951, Taylor met Enola Gay pilot Paul Tibbets and found that they had much in common. Both had thought about studying medicine, and were avid skeet-shooters and fliers. Taylor learned to fly in the mid-1930s, and served as a United States Navy flying instructor during World War II. His private aircraft was a Twin Beech called "Missy" (wife Stanwyck's nickname) which he used on hunting and fishing trips. She complained that he spent all his time polishing his guns and aircraft, but when airborne could "do anything a bird could do, except sit on a barbed wire fence".

Marilyn Erskine, started her performing career at the age of three years, appearing on a local radio show in Buffalo, New York. She also appeared on the nationwide CBS radio show Let's Pretend sometime between 1929 and 1937, where children played all the roles in adaptions of fairy tales and other children's stories, Erskine performed the role of Jane Baxter in Orson Welles's Mercury Theatre on the Air adaptation of Seventeen (October 16, 1938).

 As a teenager, she appeared in at least nine Broadway productions in New York City.

She appeared in several Hollywood movies in the early 1950's: Westward the Women (1951) playing Jean Johnson Above and Beyond (1952) playing Marge Bratton The Girl in White (1952) playing Nurse Jane Doe Just This Once (1952) playing Gertrude Crome The Eddie Cantor Story (1953) playing Ida Tobias Cantor A Slight Case of Larceny (1953) playing Mrs. Emily Clopp Confidentially Connie (1953) playing Phyllis Archibald She played herself in an MGM documentary Challenge the Wilderness (1951), on the production problems faced while filming Westward the Women. She was also one of the narrators for the MGM documentary The Hoaxters (1953), a short history of Communism.

 She appeared in almost every anthology drama series of the Golden Age of Television, from General Electric Theater to Westinghouse Studio One to Science Fiction Theater to Lux Video Theater to Climax, appearing in over fifty different productions on thirty different series from 1949 to 1962.

In her later career, after 1962, she primarily played roles on westerns and crime dramas. She was a co-star in the television series The Tom Ewell Show, playing Tom's wife, Fran Potter. This situation comedy ran from September 1960 through May 1961 on the CBS television network.

She was a co-presenter for the Short Subject Awards category of the 26th Annual Academy Awards in 1954, and appeared as herself in the last episode of the The NBC Comedy Hour June 10, 1956.

In the 1960's she made two guest appearances on Perry Mason starring Raymond Burr.

Her last role on television was in 1972, in the Ironside TV series, also starring Burr.

 She married Hollywood producer/director Stanley Kramer in May 1945. The marriage was annulled two months later. She married insurance executive Charles Curland in 1955, and had two children. Their home in Brentwood, California was featured in an article in the Fall 1958 issue of Architectural Digest.

The Bribe(1949). Story about love and temptation.

The Bribe (1949). Crime/film noir. Director: Robert Z. Leonard and written by Marguerite Roberts, based on a story written by Frederick Nebel. Cast: Robert Taylor, Ava Gardner, Charles Laughton, and Vincent Price.

Rigby remembers, when his boss, Gibbs, first briefed him on how racketeers have been stealing war supplies and airplane motors headed Central America. Rigby, is told that the government suspects war veteran Tug.

After arriving in Carlota, Rigby, finds Tug's wife Elizabeth, singing at a nightclub and they become friends.



Soon, Rigby and Elizabeth fall in love, Tug is either too drunk or too busy to notice. One night, Rigby is approached by J. J. Bealer, a thief, who, offers him $10,000 to leave the island. Rigby rejects the bribe and begins to suspect Carwood, who is posing as a mine owner.

The next day, wanting to learn more about Carwood, Rigby joins him on a fishing trip. The fishing trip almost becomes fatal for Rigby when Carwood causes the fishing boat to lurch forward while Rigby is trying to bring in a huge Marlin. Rigby is falls into the water, the boatman, jumps into the water and saves him. Unfortunately, the boatman is killed by a shark while trying to swim back to the boat. While informing the boat mans father of his sons death. The father confirms Rigby's suspicions and volunteers to help Rigby with his investigation.

Rigby, finds himself torn between his love for Elizabeth and his investigation. He wants to save Elizabeth by accepting Bealer's bribe and leaving the island with her. Before Rigby can tell Elizabeth, Bealer informs Elizabeth, that her husband is a criminal and that Rigby is an investigator, who is going to put him in prison. Tug talks Elizabeth into drugging Rigby long enough to allow him to leave. Rigby loses consciousness after drinking a cocktail laced with a sedative. Will he come to in time to catch the smugglers?

This is the first time I have seen, THE BRIBE. I thought Laughton and Price gave the best performances.. My favorite part takes place at the end, which is exciting and visually awesome.

Lady of the Tropics(1939). Is a very sly woman.

Lady of the Tropics (1939). Drama/romance. Director: Jack Conway. Cast: Hedy Lamarr and Robert Taylor.

Bill Carey, arrives in Saigon by yacht owned by Alfred Z. Harrison, whose daughter Dolly, he plans to marry until he meets exotic Manon. Bill falls madly in love when they meet in a bar and look into each other eyes. Back on the yacht, Bill can not live without her and decides to jump ship so they can be reunited. In the past Manon, has been denied a passport because of her heritage. She sees Bill as her way out of Saigon, but she falls in love with Bill and wants to give up a planned marriage with a Asian nobleman.

Delaroch, who lives a very shady life, also wants Manon for himself and causes problems for Bill and Manon. His political power insures that he gets what he wants. To buy time Manon promises to marry him, even though she is going to marry Bill at the Mission, later that afternoon. Father Antione warns Bill about marring her, but Bill ignores his warnings about her being a very sly woman and marries her anyway.

Angry, Delaroch prevents Manon from leaving the country by ordering the governor to refuse her a passport. Soon they find themselves destitute, Manon arranges a job for her husband at one of Delaroch's rubber companies, in exchange for her company. On his way home, Bill learns the price that his wife has paid, when he reads an item from a society column, which mentions that Manon and Delaroch, had been seen at the opera together. At first Bill does not believe the society column, until Manon tells him that she has recieved her passport, he becomes enraged and promises to kill Delaroch. Will Manon and Bill have their revenge?



This is one of those black and white movies I wish were in color, the scenery was amazing. Hedy Lamarr, performance was wonderful as well as Robert Taylor's performance.. There is plenty of romance and plenty of drama in this film..

Robert Taylor: "The Man with the Perfect Profile".

Robert Taylor's, first leading role was Magnificent Obsession(1935), with Irene Dunne. This was followed by Camille(1936), opposite Greta Garbo.


Robert Taylor, performed in A Yank at Oxford (1938), with Vivien Leigh.

He re teamed with Vivien Leigh, in Waterloo Bridge (1940).

After being given the nickname "The Man with the Perfect Profile", Taylor began performing in darker roles: Billy Bonney, in Billy the Kid and the film noir, Johnny Eager, opposite Lana Turner.

After playing in Bataan(1943), Taylor became a flying instructor in U.S. Naval Air Corps. During this time, he also performed in instructional films and narrated documentary, The Fighting Lady(1944).

Robert Taylor first performance with Elizabeth Taylor, was in the movie Conspirator(1949). In 1950, Taylor played the role of General Marcus Vinicius, in Quo Vadis, opposite Deborah Kerr.

The following year, he starred opposite Elizabeth Taylor in Ivanhoe, followed by Knights of the Round Table (1953) and The Adventures of Quentin Durward.

He performed in a comedy western co-starring Eleanor Parker called, Many Rivers To Cross (1955).

He shared lead with Richard Widmark in, The Law and Jake Wade.

In 1958, he formed Robert Taylor Productions, and the following year, he starred in the television series The Detectives (1959–1962). Following the end of the series in 1962, Taylor performed in films and television, A House Is Not a Home and two episodes of Hondo.

In 1965, after filming Johnny Tiger, Taylor took over the role of narrator in the television series Death Valley Days. Taylor would remain with the series until he became too ill to continue working.

In February 1944, Taylor helped found the Motion Picture Alliance for the Preservation of American Ideals.

After performing with actress Barbara Stanwyck in the film This Is My Affair(1937), the two were married in 1939- 1951.



One of the Robert Taylor movies I really want to see is, Personal Property(1937), with Jean Harlow. It is the last film she finished.