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.

Dramatic School (1938).

Dramatic School(1938). Romantic/drama directed by Robert B. Sinclair. Cast: Luise Rainer, Paulette Goddard, Alan Marshal, Lana Turner and Gale Sondergaard. Based on the play School of Drama by Hans Székely and Zoltan Egyed. MGM had planned for Greer Garson to make her film debut in the film, but shortly before shooting began, Garson injured her back and the role was recast with Luise Rainer.

Although her heart is in the right place Louise Mauban, can't keep falling asleep in Madame Charlot's class at the National School of Dramatic Arts in Paris. The other girls in class invite her to go out to parties with them, but Louise always refuses, claiming that she has other plans. The truth is.. Louise works at a factory to earn enough money to to pay for her classes.

One night, Gina Bertier, who wants to do research for a role as a poor working girl, comes to the factory where Louise works and Marquis Andre D'Abbencourt, decides to tag along. Louise, who is attracted to Andre, begins to fantasize that they are lovers and shares with her classmates exciting stories about their(made up) romance.

Nana, believes that she is lying and to prove her suspensions, she throws a party and invites both Andre and Louise. Nana and her friends are all hoping that Louise will be humiliated when Andre arrives and doesn't recognize her. The kindhearted butler advises Andre that he should not destroy a girl's romantic dreams, Andre agrees and pretends that he is in love with Louise.

It does not take long and Andre, now really is in love with Louise and begins to tire of her dramatic studies and she leaves him after learning that he has spent the night with another woman.

One night, Gina, who is supposed to play the lead in Joan of Arc refuses to play her part, Louise is selected to go on in her place. She is a success and is visited backstage by Andre, who now wants her back. Will Louise forgive him and allow him back into her live or will she choose the theater?

Video:
Before a big audition, students Simone (Virginia Grey) and Mado (Lana Turner) gossiping about Fluery (Anthony Allan) to the alarm of ambitious Nana (Paulette Goddard), who is later counseled by the more philosophical Louise (Luise Rainer), in MGM's Dramatic School, 1938.



The film was interesting and Luise Rainier did remind me a little of Greer Garson. Gale Sondergaard was very good as was Goddard. It was interesting to watch such great stars as Lana Turner and Ann Rutherford in early performances of their careers.

Genevieve Tobin (November 29, 1899 – July 21, 1995) The daughter of a vaudeville performer, Tobin made her film debut in 1910 in Uncle Tom's Cabin as Eva.

She appeared in a few films as child, and formed a double act with her sister Vivian. Their brother, George, also had a brief acting career.

Following her education in Paris and New York, Tobin concentrated on a stage career in New York. Although she was seen most often in comedies, she also played the role of Cordelia in a Broadway production of King Lear in 1923.

Popular with audiences, she was often praised by critics for her appearance and style rather than for her talent, however in 1929 she achieved a significant success in the play Fifty Million Frenchmen. She introduced and popularized the Cole Porter song "You Do Something to Me" and the success of the role led her back to Hollywood, where she performed regularly in comedy films from the early 1930s.

She played prominent supporting roles opposite such performers as Jeanette MacDonald, Nelson Eddy, Cary Grant, Barbara Stanwyck, Claudette Colbert, Joan Blondell and Kay Francis, but occasionally played starring roles, in films such as Golden Harvest (1933) and Easy to Love (1934). She played secretary Della Street to Warren William's Perry Mason in The Case of the Lucky Legs (1935).

One of her most successful performances was as a bored housewife in the drama The Petrified Forest (1936) opposite Leslie Howard, Bette Davis, and Humphrey Bogart.

She married the director William Keighley in 1938 and made only a couple more films, her final film before her retirement was No Time for Comedy (1940) with James Stewart and Rosalind Russell.

42nd Street (1933).

42nd Street(1933). A Warner Bros. musical film directed by Lloyd Bacon with choreography by Busby Berkeley. The songs were written by Harry Warren (music) and Al Dubin (lyrics). 42nd Street was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1934.

Broadway director Julian Marsh, ignores his weak heart, because he really wants to direct the new musical, "Pretty Lady" with producers Jones and Barry.

The leading lady, Dorothy Brock, has been already cast by her "sugar daddy" Abner Dillon. In a casting call, Marsh and his stage manager, Andy Lee, audition the dancers, choosing: Lee's girlfriend Loraine Fleming, a gold digger nick-named "Anytime Annie" and Peggy Sawyer.

Billy Lawler, falls in love with Peggy, but she has eyes for Pat Denning, Dorothy's lover and ex-partner.

Pat is getting tired of Dorothy's acting career and leaves for Philadelphia to live his own life. During the cast party.. Dorothy gets drunk, fights with Pat and sprains her ankle.

The next evening, Peggy goes in her place and becomes a overnight star.

Now.. she realizes that she really does love Billy, just as Dorothy admits that what she really wants is to retire and marry Pat.

This is a really charming musical with a top notch cast. One of my favorite scenes is during a drunken cast party the night before the musical opens. I also love the musical number..."Young and Healthy" with Powell running around in his underwear.

 

Bebe Daniels (January 14, 1901 - March 16, 1971) made over 230 films. Daniels father was a theater manager and her mother a stage actress.

The family moved to Los Angeles, California and she began her acting career at the age of four in, The Squaw Man. That same year she also went on tour in a stage production of, Shakespeare's Richard III.

The following year she participated in productions by Morosooa and David Belasco. By the age of seven Daniels had her first starring role in, A Common Enemy.

At the age of nine she starred as Dorothy Gale in the 1910 short film, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.

At the age of fourteen she starred opposite film comedian Harold Lloyd in a series of Lonesome Luke two-reel comedies starting with the 1915 film, Giving Them Fits. The two began a romantic relationship and were known in Hollywood as... "The Boy" and "The Girl."

In 1919, she accepted a contract offering from Cecil B. DeMille, who gave her secondary roles in such films as: Male and Female (1919), Why Change Your Wife? (1920), and The Affairs of Anatol (1921).

In the 1920's, Daniels was under contract with Paramount Pictures. She became an adult star by 1922 and by 1924 was playing opposite Rudolph Valentino in, Monsieur Beaucaire.

Following this she was cast in: Miss Bluebeard, The Manicure Girl, and Wild Wild Susan. Paramount dropped her contract with the advent of talking pictures.

Daniels was hired by Radio Pictures (later known as RKO) to star in one of their biggest productions of the year. She also starred in the 1929 talkie Rio Rita. It was one of the most successful films of that year and Bebe Daniels found herself a star and RCA Victor hired her to record several records for their catalog.

As did many stars of her day, she used the therapeutic services of Sylvia of Hollywood to stay in shape.

Radio Pictures starred her in a number of musicals including: Dixiana (1930) and Love Comes Along (1930).

Towards the end of 1930's, Bebe Daniels appeared in the musical comedy, Reaching for the Moon. However, by this time musicals had gone out of fashion so that most of the musical numbers from the film had to be removed before it could be released. Daniels had become associated with musicals and so Radio Pictures did not renew her contract.

Warner Brothers realized what a box office draw she was and offered her a contract which she accepted. During her years at Warner Brothers she starred in: My Past (1931), Honor of the Family (1931) and the 1931 pre-code version of The Maltese Falcon.

In 1932, she appeared in, Silver Dollar (1932) and Busby Berkeley's choreographed musical comedy 42nd Street (1933) in which she sang. That same year she played opposite John Barrymore in, Counsellor at Law.

Her last film for the Warner Brothers was Registered Nurse (1934).

She retired from Hollywood in 1935. With her husband, film actor Ben Lyon, whom she married in 1930 and moved to London.

A few years later, Daniels starred in the London production of, Panama Hattie in the title role originated by Ethel Merman.

The Lyons then did radio shows for the BBC. Most notably, the series Hi Gang!, continuing for decades and enjoying considerable popularity during World War II. Daniels wrote most of the dialogue for the Hi Gang radio show. The couple remained through the days of the The Blitz. Following the war, Daniels was awarded the Medal of Freedom by Harry S. Truman for war service.

In 1945 she returned to Hollywood for a short time to work as a film producer for Hal Roach and Eagle-Lion Films.

She returned to the UK in 1948 and lived there for the remainder of her life.

Daniels, her husband, her son Richard and her daughter Barbara all starred in the radio sitcom Life With The Lyons (1951 to 1961), which later made the transition to television.

A Star Is Born (1937), won a special Academy Award for its Technicolor cinematography for W. Howard Greene.

A Star Is Born(1937). A romantic/drama directed by William A. Wellman. Cast: Janet Gaynor, Fredric March, Adolphe Menjou, May Robson, Andy Devine, Lionel Stander and Carole Landis. The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, winning the award for Best Story. It was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (March), Best Actress (Gaynor), Best Assistant Director, and Academy Award for Best Writing, Screenplay. It won a special Academy Award for its Technicolor cinematography for W. Howard Greene. (August 16, 1895 - February 28, 1956), was born in Connecticut and died in Los Angeles. Greene, sometimes billed as William H. Greene and W. Howard Greene, was a cinematographer on many early Technicolor films, including Legong: Dance of the Virgins (1935).A Star Is Born (1937), was the first color film to be nominated for best picture.

A screenplay entitled "A Star Is Born" has the words, "Final Shooting Script," written on the cover page then opened to start the following story:

Esther Blodgett, returns home with big dreams of becoming a movie star after seeing a movie with her favorite movie actress, Norman Maine. Her father and grandmother Lettie, are surprised learn their little farm girl Esther, has dreams of becoming a star. Esther, wanting better for her granddaughter, encourages Esther to follow her dreams and gives her money for the train to Hollywood.

In one of my favorite scenes.. After arriving in Hollywood, Esther passes by Grauman's Chinese Theatre, where she steps in the footprints of Norman Maine.

Esther, is worried that she wont find work as an actress, after she finds out that no extra has been signed by Central Casting in the past two years. Esther makes friends with Danny McGuire, an out-of-work assistant director who lives in her rooming-house.

After, he lands a job, they go to a performance at the Hollywood Bowl, where Norman arrives drunk with actress Anita Regis and then starts a fight with a photographer..

Danny gets Esther a job as a waitress at a party his director is giving. Norman, arrives at the party following another drunken outburst, which his press agent, Matt Libby, was able to keep out of the newspapers.

Anita finds Norman, in the kitchen flirting with Esther and breaks a plate over his head, Norman and Esther leave together. Although.. he invites her to his place, Esther refuses, he respects her wishes and gives her a goodnight kiss, before leaving for home. Norman, then phones studio head Oliver Niles, at three in the morning to arrange for a screen test for Esther. After her first test, Esther signs a contract and she is then transformed into "Vicki Lester."

Unable to find a female lead for his next picture, Norman talks Oliver, into using Esther and the audience, loves her. Norman and Esther celebrate at the Cafe Trocadero, where Norman tells Esther that she now can have anything in the world, but.. shares with her that stardom has not made him happy.

At a boxing match, Norman proposes marriage and the couple secretly marry at a small town courthouse. Soon after, their honeymoon on the road in a travel trailer, Norman's contract is cancelled, and he has nothing to do, while Esther becomes famous.

Norman starts drinking again and during the Academy Awards ceremonies, he drunkenly interrupts Esther's acceptance speech for the award for finest performance by an actress and accidentally slaps her in the face.

Sometime later, Oliver visits Norman, now in a sanitarium, to offer him a role in a movie, but.. when Norman learns that it is not the lead, he declines.

Norman, out of the sanitarium, decides to spend the day at the Santa Anita Racetrack, where he runs into Libby. Norman, tries unsuccessfully not to get upset as Libby, accuses him of sponging off his wife. Norman, orders a bottle of scotch and four days later, Esther learns that he has been arrested for crashing his car into a tree while intoxicated. Through Esther's pleading with the judge, Norman is released to her custody, the newspapers put the story on front-page.

At their beach house in Malibu, Norman overhears Esther tell Oliver that she is going to retire so that she can go away with Norman. After Oliver leaves, Norman finds Esther crying and feels he must do something to help her..

Janet Gaynor, is very believable in her role a young girl who leaves for Hollywood with dreams of becoming a Oscar-winning actress. I loved the scene when Esther passes by Grauman's Chinese Theatre and steps in the footprints of Norman Maine.

I don't think Fredric March, can give a bad performance. I particularly like the shower scene in the motor home Esther and Norman take on honeymoon.

Fun Facts(spoiler alert):

The character of Norman Maine was based on: John Barrymore, John Gilbert and John Bowers, who drowned off Malibu during the film's production.

The funeral scene was inspired by the funeral of Irving Thalberg, where fans swarmed around his widow Norma Shearer outside the church. A similar scene occurred at Jean Harlow's funeral two months after the film's release.

The Oscar that Janet Gaynor receives in the film is her own Oscar, which she won for her role in 7th Heaven.

When the drunken Norman Maine character raucously interrupts the Oscar presentation, it was deja vu for Janet Gaynor. She had brought her sister to the Academy Awards ceremony in 1929, when she won the first Best Actress Oscar ever awarded, for 7th Heaven. Her sister became very drunk and completely out of control, thoroughly embarrassing Gaynor.

The first all-color film nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture.

Janet Gaynor (October 6, 1906 – September 14, 1984) was an actress and painter. One of the most popular actresses of the silent film era, in 1928 Gaynor became the first winner of the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performances in three films: Seventh Heaven (1927), Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927) and Street Angel (1928).

This was the only occasion on which an actress has won one Oscar for multiple film roles. This rule would be changed three years later by AMPAS.

When she graduated from high school in 1923, Gaynor decided to become an actress. She moved to Los Angeles, where she supported herself working in a shoe store.

She landed unbilled small parts in several films and comedy shorts for two years. Finally, in 1926, at the age of 20, she was cast in the lead role in, The Johnstown Flood (1926).

Her performances in Seventh Heaven (the first of twelve movies she would make with actor Charles Farrell) and both Sunrise, directed by F. W. Murnau, and Street Angel (in 1927, also with Charles Farrell) earned her the first Academy Award for Best Actress in 1928. At the time, the award was awarded for multiple roles: it was given on the basis of the actor's total work over the year, and not just for one particular performance. 22 year old Gaynor, was not only the first but also, the youngest actress to win an Academy Award for Best Actress up until 1986.

Gaynor, was one of only a handful of leading ladies who made a successful transition to sound films.

For a number of years, Gaynor was the Fox studios top actress and was given leading roles in the films: Sunny Side Up (1929), Delicious (1931), Merely Mary Ann (also 1931), and Adorable (1933), State Fair (1933) and The Farmer Takes a Wife (1935).

When Darryl F. Zanuck merged his studio 20th Century Pictures, with Fox Film Corporation to form Twentieth Century Fox, she continued to receive top billing in every movie that she made during the 1930's including, Ladies in Love (1937).  In 1937, she was again nominated for an Academy Award, for the film, A Star Is Born.

After, performing in, The Young in Heart, she left the film industry for nearly twenty years at the age of 32 to travel with her husband Adrian, returning one last time in 1957 as Pat Boone's mother in Bernadine.

Gaynor's, first marriage was to Jesse Lydell Peck from September 11, 1929 to April 7, 1933. She was married to MGM costume designer Adrian from August 14, 1939 to his death on September 13, 1959. With him she had one son, Robin Gaynor Adrian, born in 1940. She was married to producer Paul Gregory from December 24, 1964 to her death on September 14, 1984.

In addition to acting, Gaynor was an accomplished artist and her oil paintings were featured at the Wally Findlay Galleries show in New York, March 25 to April 7, 1977.

Gaynor was close friends with actress Mary Martin, with whom she frequently traveled.

She died on September 14, 1984, at the age of 77, due to a traffic accident 2 years earlier in San Francisco, from complications following several operations.

Outcast Lady(1934).

Outcast Lady(1934). Directed by Robert Z. Leonard. With Constance Bennett, Herbert Marshall, Mrs. Patrick Campbell, Hugh Williams.

Sir Maurice, disproves of Iris March and his sons Napier Harpenden's, up coming marriage, because he believes that Iris will hurt his son's political career. As a compromise, Napier suggests that they wait to marry until he has established himself in the British diplomatic service in India.

After four years of waiting, Iris accepts the proposal of Fenwick, a wealthy friend of her brother.

When Napier receives word of Iris' engagement, he leaves India to attend her wedding in England. Just before the ceremony, a woman hands Iris a note, which Iris pockets without reading.

Then on her honeymoon, Iris remembers the note and starts to read it in front of Fenwick. Disturbed by the note, Iris tries to throw it away, but Fenwick insists on reading the note. When Iris asks if the note, which claims that, under an assumed name, Fenwick committed and served prison time for a heinous crime, is true. Boy, says that it is true. Although, Iris dismisses the confession, Fenwick is overcome with shame and jumps out of the hotel window to his death.

A passerby, Dr. Masters, and Hilary, a family friend, learn Boy's secret but, because Iris refuses to reveal the reason for Boy's suicide to anyone else, she is suspected both of pushing him out of the window and of causing his death. In spite of their love for her, even Napier and Gerald, who worshiped Boy, suspect Iris of treachery and turn their backs on her. Condemned by family and friends, Iris moves to France and becomes known as Europe's most notorious widow.

Five years later, Iris is notified by Hilary that Gerald is seriously ill and living in squalor and immediately returns to England to see him. After seeing Napier and hearing of his engagement to Venice, Iris goes to her brother's tenement.

Still angry at his sister, the drunken Gerald refuses to see her and fearing that he will die without forgiving her, Iris agrees to allow Hilary to tell him the truth about Boy. Before Hilary reveals Boy's past, Gerald declares his love for Iris and dies without learning the secret.

Although relieved by Gerald's forgiveness, Iris returns to France and lapses into a feverish, state. When he learns of Iris' illness, the now married Napier, who has just distinguished himself as a Parliamentary leader, rushes to be with her. When Venice sees Iris and Napier together, she understands the depth of their love but, because of Iris' unexplained past, worries that her husband will one day be hurt.

Unable to keep Boy's secret any longer, Hilary finally tells Napier and Venice the truth, and Venice agrees to a divorce. Bothered by the thought that Napier has forgiven her without knowing Boy's secret, Iris recovers and prepares to face Sir Maurice. Although Sir Maurice, backs down from his condemnation of Iris when Napier finally tells him about Boy, Iris is unable go through with the divorce plan and commits suicide by deliberately crashing her automobile.

Constance Bennett, a first class actress, plays Iris, a penniless heiress, who she and her drunken brother live very well despite their circumstances...

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

She was born at Skegness, Lincolnshire in 1908 (some sources indicate 1910), and after four years onstage with the Old Vic, she made her film debut in 1931, first appearing in Alibi. She began her career appearing in a number of films for Julius Hagen's Twickenham Studios but also featured in Gainsborough's Michael and Mary and Korda's Service for Ladies.

In 1932 she joined Wilfred J. O'Bryen — to whom she had been introduced by actor Herbert Marshall — in a marriage that lasted until his death in 1977.

Her first US/UK co-production and first US production came in 1933, and she worked in the United States under contract with MGM. 1935 was her most memorable year in Hollywood, when she not only distinguished herself in two memorable Dickens' adaptations as David's unfortunate young mother in George Cukor's David Copperfield and as Lucie Manette in Jack Conway's A Tale of Two Cities, but was also featured in Tod Browning's Mark of the Vampire.

Allan did not think highly of the latter film, to which she had been assigned, and considered it "slumming". MGM announced her for a leading part in King Vidor's The Citadel, and, when she was subsequently replaced by Rosalind Russell, Elizabeth sued the studio. The studio retaliated by refusing to let her work, and, frustrated, she returned to the UK in 1938.

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

Red Dust(1932)

Red Dust(1932). Directed by Victor Fleming. The picture is the second of six movies Clark Gable and Jean Harlow made together and was produced during the Pre-Code era of Hollywood.

After Vantine arrives at the plantation, hiding from the authorities in Saigon, she quickly adjusts to life on the plantation. Carson resists her and he wise cracks at first, but soon gives in, and they quickly begin a sexual relationship.



Carson soon loses interest in Vantine when the Willises arrive. Carson is immediately attracted to Barbara, and after sending Gary on a long surveying trip, he spends the next week seducing Barbara, as heartbroken Vantine watches.

He talks Barbara into leaving Gary for him, but changes his mind after learning how deeply Gary loves Barbara. He decides to send both of them home.

Carson turns Barbara's feelings against himself by pretending that he never loved her, at which point she shoots him. This provides a cover for Vantine and Carson to save Barbara's marriage.

Jean Harlow (March 3, 1911 – June 7, 1937), was a film actress and sex symbol  of the 1930s. Known as the "Platinum Blonde" and the "Blonde Bombshell".

Harlow performed in several films, mainly designed to showcase her magnetic sex appeal and strong screen presence, before making the transition to more developed roles and achieving fame under, MGM.

Pre - Code: Baby Face(1933).

Baby Face (1933). A dramatic film directed by Alfred E. Green. Cast:  Barbara Stanwyck and George Brent. Based on a story by Darryl F. Zanuck. This Pre-Code Hollywood film is about an young woman who uses sex to advance herself socially and her career. The film's open discussion of sex made it one of the most notorious films of the Pre-Code Hollywood era.

The story begins when Lily Powers, the daughter of Nick Powers, a speakeasy owner, tries to keep her distance from men, who her father forces on her. It does not take long before Lily, decides to give in and use men to get what she wants.

She leaves town with her maid Chico and takes a job in a bank, where she seduces: Jimmy McCoy, his boss Brody and Ned Stevens, Brody's supervisor. Stevens, who has fallen under Lily spell sets her up in an elegant apartment, even though he is engaged to Ann Carter, the daughter of one of the bank's high power executives.

Out of jealousy, Stevens kills Carter, then himself, creating a scandal at the bank. The bank decides to send Lily Paris to stop the scandle.

When Courtland Trenholm, is transferred to Paris, he too falls in love with Lily and marries her. Trenholm signs over all his money to Lily and when the bank falls into bankruptcy, Lily refuses to help him. Feeling helpless Trenholm decides to shoot himself, will Lily arrive in time to save his life?

Barbara Stanwyck, is wonderful as the bad girl, who knows how to work all the men in her life.

John Wayne, is a unsuccessful suitor for Stanwyck. This would be the only time these two performers appeared together on screen.

Margaret Lindsay (September 19, 1910 - May 9, 1981). After some minor roles in Pre-Code films such as Christopher Strong and Baby Face, Lindsay was cast in the film, Cavalcade. Her performance in, Cavalcade earned her a contract at Warner Bros.

Lindsay played Edith Harris, a doomed English bride whose honeymoon voyage takes place on the Titanic. 

Lindsay was cast four times as the love interest of James Cagney, from 1933-1935 in the classic films: Frisco Kid, Devil Dogs of the Air, G-Men and Lady Killer.

Lindsay co-starred with Bette Davis in four films: 1934's Fog Over Frisco, 1935's Dangerous, Bordertown, Jezebel(1938), The Law in Her Hands (1936). Author Roger Dooley identified the film as "being the only film of the 1930's to have a pair of female legal partners".

Made after the Motion Picture Production Code came into effect. Lindsay's favorite film role may have been, The House of the Seven Gables(1940).

Her 1940's film series included the Crime Doctor series, as well as her continuing role as Nikki Porter in, Columbia's Ellery Queen series from 1940-1942.

Lindsay performed in a supporting role in the 1942 film, The Spoilers, starring John Wayne and in Fritz Lang's, Scarlet Street(1945).

After performing in Cass Timberlane with Spencer Tracy, her film career began to fade.

Her last film was, Tammy and the Doctor (1963).

Early in her career, Lindsay lived with her sister Helen in Hollywood.

Later in life, she lived with her youngest sister Mickie. Margaret Lindsay's sister, Jane Kies (1909–1985), was also an actress named, Jane Gilbert.

In 1940, Jane married the son of Hedda Hopper, actor William Hopper, best known for his role as Paul Drake in the Perry Mason television series.

Lindsay's niece Peggy Kenline and great-nephew Brad Yates were also actors.

Double Wedding(1937).

Double Wedding(1937). Romantic/comedy. Cast: William Powell John Beal, Florence Rice and Myrna Loy.

The story begins with Irene Agnew and her fiance, Waldo Beaver, taking acting lessons from a free spirt Charlie Lodge, a director, who they would like to go to Hollywood with. Irene's domineering sister Margit, is shocked when she finds out they have been staying out all night and confronts Charlie.

Irene, admits that she now in love with Charlie instead of Waldo and Margit  decides to get rid of Charlie, who she believes is a phony.

She asks her butler Keough, a former policeman/detective, to learn everything about him and to stall for time agrees to let Charlie paint her, hoping that she can talk him into breaking it off with Irene. Charlie suggest that he and Margit take his trailer to a remote location while he paints her. On their trip, Margit becomes attracted to Charlie's, but fights the feeling and drives back to the city.

Later,Margit tells Irene and Waldo that they should be married as soon as possible. Keough, then tells Margit that Charlie's ex-wife Claire, is in town and Mrs. Kensington-Bly, informs them that Charlie, was once her guide in Paris.

Charlie goes to see Mrs. Kensington-Bly and invites her to his wedding in the trailer at three that afternoon to Margit. He then tells Waldo that he is marrying Irene at three. Waldo, tells Irene that he understands why she prefers a man like Charlie over him and kisses Irene goodbye, then asks Keough for some of Margit's "medicinal" alcohol.

Margit visits Claire and learns that she divorced Charlie because her money got in the way of their happiness. She warns Margit not to change Charlie and surprises her by saying that Charlie invited her to his wedding that afternoon.

As three o'clock nears, Margit goes to see Charlie, along with Irene and several of Charlie's pals from the bar. Margit, agrees to give Irene her blessing to marry Charlie and soon the Reverend Dr. Blynn arrives to perform the ceremony. During the ceremony, Irene and Waldo both say "no," when Dr. Blynn asks them if they take each other as husband and wife and Margit and Waldo get into an arguement.

Will Waldo, arrive in time to save Irene and will Margit finally admit to Charlie that she loves him?





I thought Loy was at her best. I also loved the Art Deco sets. This film also reminded me a little of the classic film, Shop Around the Corner. It is amazing to watch them knowing how they were dealing with Harlow's death during shooting.
Fun Facts:

Production was partially shut down because of the death (7 June 1937) of Jean Harlow, to whom William Powell was engaged.

The seventh of fourteen films pairing William Powell and Myrna Loy.

Florence Rice (February 14, 1907 – February 23, 1974), became an actress during the early 1930s and after several Broadway performances, found herself in Hollywood where she acted in almost fifty films between 1934 and 1943.

Blonde, pretty, and wholesome, Rice was cast as the reliable girlfriend in several MGM films. Rice never became a major figure in films, but had many on screen pairings with Robert Young.

Her best known performances were in the films, Double Wedding (1937), Sweethearts (1938) and in the film, At The Circus (1939).

You Can't Buy Everything (1934).

You Can't Buy Everything (1934). Directed by Charles F. Riesner. Cast: May Robson, Jean Parker and Lewis Stone.

The story begins when Hannah Bell, a wealthy widow, emits her young son Donny, who has broken his leg, into the charity hospital, because she does not want to spend her money.

Later that day, Hannah reads in the newspaper that John Burton, will be the new vice-president of the Knickerbocker Bank and rushes to withdraw all of her money.

Hannah, is then is visited by longtime friend Kate Farley, who convinces her to make a donation to the children's clinic. They begin to talk about Hannah's past romance with John Burton and her unhappy marriage to a gold digger.

After Donny graduates from Princeton University, tells him that he must give up his dream of becoming a writer and take a job at the bank.

Two years later, Kate goes to see Dr. Lorimer, to talk about Hannah's over bearing hold over Donny. Kate arranges with Dr. Lorimer to bring Hannah and the now widowed Burton together. Although, Kate and Dr. Lorimer's scheme backfires when Donny meets Elizabeth, Burton's daughter, it is love at first sight.

In spite of his mother, Donny proposes marriage to Elizabeth . When Hannah learns of Donny's engagement, she threatens to cut off Donny's money. Hannah, watches as, Donny and Elizabeth marry and leave for their honeymoon.

By the time they return from their honeymoon, Wall Street is in the middle of a financial crisis and Burton offers five million dollars of his own railroad stock as collateral against a loan. To his surprise, Hannah agrees to lend him the money but, after his bank is secure, she demands immediate repayment. When Donny hears of Hannah's demands, he calls his mother as a cruel and heartless.

 After Hannah confesses that she married Donny's father only to spite Burton, who had left her without explanation at the altar. Donny tells her that Burton left her because her father had tried to force him to sign a pre-nuptial agreement that said that he could not touch any of the Bell money.

Broken hearted, by Donny's rejection and finding out the truth about her father, Hannah comes down with pneumonia. Before leaving for a journalism job in San Francisco, Donny, learns of Hannah's condition and with Elizabeth, rushes to her bedside. Hannah, admits that she was jealous and apologizes. Will Hanna be reunited with her son and end her grudge against Burton and return all of his railroad stock?

Fun Facts:

May Robson's character is based on Hetty Green, known as "The Witch of Wall Street," because of her financial acuity and frugality.

First film of Robert Paige.

This is a story about a woman going head-to-head in the man's world of Wall Street. May Robson, makes a wonderful villainess. You will need the Kleenex box for this one..

Jean Parker (August 11, 1915 – November 30, 2005). Was discovered by Ida Koverman, secretary to MGM mogul Louis B. Mayer, after she saw a poster featuring Parker portraying Father Time.

She had a successful career playing important roles as in the original, Little Women, Lady for a Day and Gabriel Over the White House, Sequoia, Limehouse Blues, The Ghost Goes West, and the Empress. In 1939, she starred in RKO's The Flying Deuces.

Parker stayed active in film throughout the 1940s, performing in, Dead Man's Eyes. Parker managed her own airport and flying service with then-husband Doug Dawson in Palm Springs, California until shortly after the start of World War II. During the war, she toured many of the veteran hospitals throughout the U.S. and performed on radio. In the 1950s, she stared in, Black Tuesday, The Gunfighter and Lawless Street (1955). Her last film performance was in, Apache Uprising (1966).

On Borrowed Time(1939).

On Borrowed Time(1939). The film is based on a novel by Lawrence Edward Watkin. Cast: Lionel Barrymore, Beulah Bondi and Sir Cedric Hardwicke. Barrymore plays Julian Northrup, a wheelchair user (Barrymore had broken his hip twice and was now using a wheelchair, though he continued to act), who, with his wife Nellie, played by Bondi, are raising their orphaned grandson, Pud.


The story begins when, Death, who comes in the form of Mr. Brink, hitches a ride with Dr. James Northrup and his wife, causing a tragic car accident. They leave behind a young son Pud in the care of his grandparents, Julian Northrup and Nellie. Pud's aunt, Demetria Riffle, an old maid, pretends to care about the boy, but really only wants his inheritance. Gramps, knows exactly what she is up to.

When Mr. Brink comes for Gramps, he tricks him into the apple tree. Mr. Brink is not able to come down from the tree, because only Gramps has the power to free him. After their pet cocker spaniel dies after touching the tree, Gramps has a fence built round the tree to protect others.

Dr. Evans, soon believes that Death is trapped up in the apple tree, when several of his cases of certain death do not happen. Evans tries to disprove Gramps's story, but nothing dies, except a mouse that touches the apple tree. Evans begs Gramps to let Brink down. Saying that a world without death would cause people with incurable diseases, to suffer. Gramps, thinks about his own old age, but still cannot let Brink out of the apple tree.

The next day, Evans comes with papers to commit Gramps and turn Pud over to Demetria, convincing Gramps to let Brink out of the tree. After he breaks the news to Pud about his decision to go with Brink, Pud cries that saying he wants to go with Mr. Brink, too. Heartbroken, when Gramps tells him he can't come, Pud runs away. Gramps, pretends that Mr. Brink has said that Demetria and the sheriff are due to die soon. Marcia Giles, Gramps's housekeeper, also pretends that she heard it too, frightening Demetria and the sheriff into leaving. While Marcia and Gramps are looking for Pud. Mr. Brink calls him a "baby calf." Pud trying to climb the tree falls to the ground and is paralyzed. Will Gramps now call Mr. Brink from the tree?

This is a wonderful, magical, movie, with some very heartbreaking scenes. A movie you will not soon forget. One of my favorite Lionel Barrymore performances.

 

Beulah Bondi (May 3, 1889 – January 11, 1981). She made her Broadway debut in Kenneth S. Webb's "One of the Family" at the 49th Street Theatre on December 21, 1925.

She next performed in, Maxwell Anderson's "Saturday's Children" in 1926. It was Bondi's performance in Elmer Rice's Pulitzer Prize-winning "Street Scene," which opened at the Playhouse Theatre on January 10, 1929, that brought Bondi to the movies at the age of 43.

Her debut movie role was as "Emma Jones" in Elmer Rice's Street Scene (1931), which starred Sylvia Sidney, and in which Bondi reprised her stage role, followed by "Mrs. Davidson" in Rain (1932), which starred Joan Crawford and Walter Huston.

She was one of the first five women to be nominated for an Academy Award in the newly-created category of "Best Supporting Actress" for her work in The Gorgeous Hussy, although she lost the award to Gale Sondergaard.

Two years later, she was nominated again for Of Human Hearts, and lost again, but her reputation as a character actress kept her working. She would most often be seen in the role of the mother of the star of the film for the rest of her career, with the exception of Make Way for Tomorrow (1937) as the abandoned Depression-era 'Ma' Cooper.

She often played mature roles in her early film career even though she was only in her early 40's. Bondi played James Stewart’s mother in four films: It's a Wonderful Life, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Of Human Hearts and Vivacious Lady.

Dodsworth (1936).

Dodsworth(1936). Drama film directed by William Wyler. Sidney Howard based the screenplay on his 1934 stage adaptation of the 1929 novel of the same name by Sinclair Lewis. Cast: Walter Huston, Ruth Chatterton, Mary Astor, David Niven, Baron Kurt Von Obersdorf, Spring Byington.

After Sam Dodsworth, a successful business man, sells his company he makes plans for a glamours European trip with his social climbing wife, Fran.



Sam, does not fit in with Fran's new friends and when she begins an affair, he heads for home. When her affair ends she decides to go back to her husband Sam, for a short time, until she begins another affair with a much younger man, Kurt von Obersdorf.

Sam, is traveling alone in Naples, when he runs into Edith Cortwright, who he first met on the voyage to Europe. Edith, invites Sam to lunch at her villa and then asks him to stay.

Kurt's mother, does not want her son to marry Fran, because of the age difference. Heartbroken, Fran returns to Sam, but just as they are about to sail for America, he realizes that he is in love with Edith and wants to go back to her.

The film Dodsworth, shows the emotionally sad ending of a marriage.. David Niven, does a wonderful job with one of his first performances. The costumes are absolutely beautiful in a film that you will not soon forget.

Ruth Chatterton (December 24, 1892 – November 24, 1961), moved to Hollywood with her husband Forbes in 1928 and with the help of Emil Jannings, was cast in her first film, Sins of the Fathers.

That same year she was signed to a contract by Paramount Pictures. This was followed by films: The Doctor's Secret (1929), The Dummy (1929) and Madame X (1929). She received her first nomination for Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the latter film.

The following year she received a second Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her role in, Sarah and Son (1930).

She co-starred in the film, Dodsworth (1936), which is thought of as her best film.

Due to her age and the studios' focus on younger actress, she moved to England and continued to star in films there.

Chatterton's last film was, A Royal Divorce(1938).

Pre-Code: Men in White (1934).

Men in White (1934) is a Pre-Code film with Clark Gable and Myrna Loy, and directed by Ryszard Bolesławski. Because of the illicit romance and the abortion in the movie. The Legion of Decency claimed the movie as unfit for public viewing.

After working all day at the hospital, intern Dr. George Ferguson, is not really looking forward to a dinner date with his fiancee, Laura Hudson. Because later that night, he may have to return to the hospital for a patient, who needs a blood transfusion. Unfortunately, George, can't keep his date with Laura, whose wealthy father John, is now also patient in the hospital. Things even become more complicated after, George disobeys a senior doctor's orders which saves a young girl's life. George learns that the transfusion patient has died and telephones Laura, who is not too happy with him. Laura, who has had enough of him putting her off, refuses to see him and the devastated George, returns to his hospital dormitory room.

Barbara Dennin, a student nurse, comes to George's room and asks to borrow notes for an upcoming examination. George and Barbara share their doubts about the medical profession and then give into temptation.

Later, hospital board members, concerned over rising operating costs, ask Hudson for a large donation and then promise him that they would give George a prestigious appointment, in appreciation. Hochberg, does not believe that George, would ever agree to it.. George, confides to Hochberg that, because of the problems that he is having with Laura, he is having second thoughts about his hospital career.

Soon after, George learns that Barbara is seriously ill from a botched abortion and needs emergency surgery. On orders from Hochberg, Laura goes with George to help with Barbara's surgery. Just before Barbara falls asleep, she tells George that she loves him, which is over heard by Laura. During the operation, Laura faints and later refuses to see George. Will George ever be able to make it up to Laura?

A very entertaining medical drama with Gable/Loy/Allan, in a romantic love triangle, to spice things up.

Elizabeth Allan (9 April 1908 – 27 July 1990) was an English actress who's most memorable performances were as David's young mother in, David Copperfield and as Lucie Manette in, A Tale of Two Cities and Mark of the Vampire.

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