Joel Travels

Film director John L. Sullivan (Joel McCrea) wants to create great art. He's tired of making musical comedies like Hey, Hey in the Hayloft and Ants in Your Plants of 1939. He wants to film Oh, Brother Where Art Thou, a searing drama about deprivation and suffering. But the private-school raised Sullivan has never suffered. He decides he must travel America as a hobo to learn about true suffering. The studio heads, however, fear his loss as Sullivan's Travels (1941).

We had the opportunity to view this magnificent film at a Preston Sturges retrospective at AFI Silver. I'm sure I've seen it a dozen times, but never in a theatre, so this was a real thrill.

Joel McCrea is perfect as Sullivan.  He has just the right amount of sincerity to be convincing, yet you can still be amused at his antics. He is so low-key that you never find Sullivan to be silly - you may shake your head at his ideas, but Mr. McCrea gives him gravitas. His Sullivan believes that the trip is imperative for him to direct his new film.  Mr. Sturges wrote the part with Mr. McCrea in mind; they would end up making two more films together (The Great Moment (1944) and The Palm Beach Story (1942).

Veronica Lake (The Girl) was possibly not the first choice - Frances Farmer also tested for the part. (AFI catalog). Unbeknownst to Mr. Sturges, Ms. Lake was pregnant when filming began. Not surprisingly, she was afraid to tell Mr. Sturges - she was already six months along, and beginning to have a bump.  Instead, she told Louise Sturges (herself pregnant) who urged her to tell her husband. Ms. Lake did, and Mr. Sturges broke down laughing (Peekaboo: The Story of Veronica Lake by Jeff Lenburg). Thanks to costume designer Edith Head and a number of stunt people, Ms. Lake's pregnancy is not visible. She's adorable in the role, convincing as the down-on-her-luck actress who befriends and eventually loves Sullivan.

There were some problems during the production. Joel McCrea was not fond of Ms. Sullivan - it seems she was trying to seduce him (there are many stories about Ms. Lake's relationships with her leading men), and he was a happily married man. (Christmas in July: The Life and Art of Preston Sturges by Diane Jacobs) So, when he was offered the lead in I Married a Witch (1942), he turned it down rather than work with her again (AFI Catalog). He did finally relent and worked with her in 1947's Ramrod. During the filming of Sullivan's Travels, he saved her life when, after watching a stunt woman jump into Sullivan's pool (in her stead), Ms. Lake decided to join the fun and jump in herself. Her dress wrapped around her head, pulling her under - Mr. McCrea freed her, and carried her out of the water.

One interesting aspect to the film is the way in which Mr. Sturges handles race. When Sullivan arrives at a chain gang, we find men of many races working and eating together. We see Trusty (Jimmy Conlin) walking to the men with a water cup, and all the men, black and white, drink from the cup. Finally, there is a scene in a local church - an African American church - which welcomes the convicts in to see a movie. Nothing is said about race, but these images speak louder than any words could (See this TCM article for more information about the NAACP's comments on the movie).

The other "message" that the film discusses is that of comedy. Sturges felt that his "fellow comedy directors had 'abandoned the fun in favor of the message'" (ReFocus: The Films of Preston Sturges by Jeff Jaeckle). Thus, two films are shown to the audience - at the beginning of Sullivan's Travels we see Sullivan and his colleagues watching a tragedy, after which the feeling in the room is one of sorrow. But when we are with the convicts watching Playful Pluto (1934), there is joy among these normally sad men - they are finally allowed "release and true community" (Christmas in July: The Life and Art of Preston Sturges by Diane Jacobs).

While the New York Times review by Bosley Crowther was favorable (he called it a "beautifully trenchant satire upon "social significance" in pictures"), other reviews were not (ReFocus: The Films of Preston Sturges by Jeff Jaeckle). Regardless, time has shown them the error of their ways. In 2014, Richard Brody in his New Yorker Movie of the week discussed the way in which the movie is actually two films in one, seamlessly moving from comedy to drama and back again. 

In 2000, the Coen Brothers were inspired by the film to make O Brother Where Art Thou? (The Cinema of Preston Sturges: A Critical Study by Alessandro Pirolini). Sullivan's Travels was added to the National Film Registry in 1990, and since has appeared on several AFI lists: it was  #61 AFI's 100 Years, 100 Films; 10th Anniversary Edition; #25 100 Years, 100 Cheers; and #39 100 Year, 100 Laughs.

Veronica Lake (and Ralph Bellamy appeared on the Lux Radio Theatre version of the film on November 9, 1942. Though that audio program is not available, here's a trailer and a suggestion that you add this remarkable movie to your list:

White House Kay

Lucy Chase Wayne (Kay Francis), the wife of Secretary of State Stephen Wayne (Preston Foster) is the granddaughter of a U.S. President. She has ambitions for her husband to achieve the same position.  Lucy also wants to circumvent the efforts of Irene Hibbard (Verree Teasdale), the wife of Supreme Court Justice Carter Hibbard (Walter Connolly) to romance Senator Gordon Keane (Victor Jory). So, to tweak Irene's nose, she suggests to woman's club president Lavinia Mae Creevey (Louise Fazenda) that Carter would be an excellent presidential candidate, never dreaming it will interfere with her own desire to be the First Lady (1937).

Kay Francis doesn't often get the chance to do comedy, but she's a excellent comedienne, as we've seen in films like The Goose and the Gander, Jewel Robbery, and Cocoanuts. First Lady is in the category of the first two films - a romp, where Ms. Francis gets to figuratively wink at the goings-on in the political arena, circa 1937.

This is a fictitious Washington - no mention is made of the current political administration, and there is certainly no President Chase in U.S. history. Regardless, the film is gently poking fun at the ways in which candidates for office are selected, and it looks like not much has changed in that regard. Though Lucy knows politics (she writes and/or edits her husband's speeches), she cannot run for office - it is a man's world; women can maneuver from behind the scenes, and be the "power behind the throne."  

Most of the action focuses on the two female adversaries, Lucy and Irene. There has long been bad blood between the two, and Lucy now sees a way to embarrass Irene. The reasons for Lucy's ire are, not surprisingly petty - Irene stole Lucy's cook, and is also making a play for the man Stephen's niece Emmy Page (Anita Louise) loves. But, her plans backfire horribly, and Lucy has to concoct a new means of besting Irene. 

Where Ms. Francis plays her part tongue-in-cheek, Verree Teasdale is downright serious. Ms. Teasdale's Irene is an avaricious woman, who wants power and men (though not necessarily in that order). As a result, the interplay between the two is spot-on, with each getting good lines, but with Ms. Francis coming off as the more sympathetic character. Without such a strong actress to play against, Lucy would seem ridiculous. Opposite Ms. Teasdale, she is delicious. It is worth noting that Irene's prior divorce does not seem to be an impediment to her husband seeking higher office.

The men in the film mainly serve as support to the the two women. Preston Foster does a good job in a part that could resemble a tree in the hands of a lesser actor.  Victor Jory gets the rare opportunity to play the juvenile and romantic interest to both Emmy and Irene. Walter Connolly, however, steals every scene as the somewhat bumbling Supreme Court Justice who would rather listen to the radio than romance his bored wife. 

It's unfortunate that Anita Louise doesn't have more to do than look innocent, she's a good actress, but the part pales in comparison to the lead actresses.  Louise Fazenda, however, as the annoying Mrs. Creevey is hilarious. The script has a lot of fun with her strict abstinence. Her inability to understand that she is drinking strong alcohol when she given a glass of absinthe -  and keeps asking for more - is very funny. 

Unfortunately, the film did not do well at the box office, and helped to begin Ms. Francis' slide from the top at Warner Brothers (TCM article).  It may not be her best film, but we really enjoyed it and suggest you add it to your list.

Tom Loves a Bad Girl

E. V. "Marsh" Marshall (Tom Tryon) and his lover Paulie Nevins (Carol Ohmart) meet clandestinely in a wooded area outside Los Angeles. As they are leaving, they notice three men meeting. The couple sneak over to listen and hear the men discussing the robbery of a local home - the takeway will be $350,000 worth of jewelry. Paulie decides that, if they steal the loot from the thieves, it's not a crime, and they can use the money to run away from her husband - and his boss - Ralph Nevins (James Gregory). Our film is The Scarlet Hour (1956).

Noir City DC aired this rarely seen film. It's an interesting plot, but it suffers from a big problem - the three lead actors (Tom Tryon, Carol Ohmart and Jody Lawrance) can't act. Thankfully, there are other people in the film who can, so one ends up ignoring the leads, and concentrating on James Gregory and Elaine Stritch (Phyllis Rycker). 

 Directed by Michael Curtiz, the film "introduces" Tryon, Ohmart, Lawrance (and Ms. Stritch, though not listed as such). For Mr. Tryon, Ms. Ohmart, and Ms. Stritch, this was their first film. All had appeared on television; Ms. Lawrance however had appeared in several film prior to The Scarlet Hour, including a starring role in Ten Tall Men (1951) with Burt Lancaster.  Nevertheless, Paramount and Mr. Curtiz wanted to emphasize the "new faces" in the film; thus, they were "introduced" (AFI Catalog). 

Tom Tryon is just adequate as a man who can't make up his mind about much of anything. Mr. Tryon expresses everything - concern, fear, love, anguish - by furrowing his brow. It's not really convincing. He'd started on Broadway as a waiter in Wish You Were Here (the play starred Jack Cassidy). He continued worked in films and on TV, most famously on The Cardinal (1963), a film he disliked because of the abuse he suffered at the hands of Otto Preminger (The World and Its Double: The Life and Work of Otto Preminger by Chris Fujiwara). Preminger fired Mr. Tyron in front of his parents (later rehiring him). The abuse continued when Tryon was cast in Preminger's In Harm's Way (1965). It ceased when Kirk Douglas walked off the set in protest. Mr. Tryon eventually left acting and became a successful novelist. He died in 1991 of stomach cancer at the age of 65. 

Both Ms. Ohmart and Ms. Lawrance (Kathy Stevens) are simply okay as the Bad and Good Girls. Ms. Ohmart is rather flat; emotions rarely cross her face. Ms. Lawrance, on the other hand, simply oozes sympathy as she emotes in Mr. Tryon's direction. What's not clear is why she would be in love with this banal man who doesn't look in her direction.

The actor who makes this film worth watching is the always wonderful Elaine Stritch (Phyllis Rycker), playing Paulie's best friend from their days as B girls. While Paulie has married rich - and miserably - Phyllis has married a plumber, Tom (Billy Gray) and they are ecstatically happy. Ms. Stritch bubbles with joy, and does it all without being saccharine.
Elaine Stritch began her Broadway career in 1946; she would eventually be nominated for four Tony Awards (for Bus Stop, Sail Away, Company, and A Delicate Balance), and won Emmy Awards for appearances in Law and Order and for her one-woman show Elaine Stritch: At Liberty (which also won a Tony for Best Special Theatrical Event as well as two Drama Desk Awards). She didn't make many films, but was a frequent guest star on a number of television shows (including a one-year stint as Ruth Sherwood in My Sister Eileen). Much of her life is outlined, along with her stellar Broadway career, in At Liberty and a follow-up Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me. She retired to Michigan in 2013, and died there the following year.  You can see her performing the song "Zip" from Pal Joey in her one-woman show, as well as discussing her adventures getting to the previews.
James Gregory (Ralph Nevins) is back to playing a villain in the piece, and he is a doozy. Yes, his wife is a philanderer, but the film implies that she started fooling around when she discovered he was an abusive brute. It's really hard to have any sympathy for the character; were our lovers nicer people, we might end up rooting for them. 

Watch for E. G. Marshall  and Edward Binns as police officers Lt. Jennings and Sgt. Allen. And we get the pleasure of Nat "King" Cole singing "Never Let Me Go" in a nightclub. And though IMDB lists Billy Gray as Phyllis' husband, it's not the right Billy Gray (the star of Father Knows Best was only 18 years old when the film was released); our Billy was well into his 40s.

You can read more about the film in this article from the Film Noir Foundation, which it says of  "brings that arc of the noir cycle to a close—an arc that wouldn’t be reopened until Body Heat." If you are a noir fan, it's worth a viewing - and if you've never seen Elaine Stritch, watch to see her take control of the action. In the meantime, here is a trailer:

Joan Enters Society

On his return cruise to England, Francis, Lord Kelton (Frank Morgan) finds a woman asleep in his stateroom. Mrs. Fay Cheyney (Joan Crawford) has mistaken his cabin for hers. As she leaves, she meets Arthur, Lord Dilling (Robert Montgomery). Both men are intrigued with the attractive Mrs. Cheyney, and spend the trip vyng for her attentions. We turn our attentions this week to The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (1937)

It's hard to go wrong when you have the stellar cast of lead and character actors present in this movie. Joan Crawford is convincing, though she plays Fay with more seriousness than did Ms. Shearer in the 1929 version. Ms. Shearer very much had her tongue firmly in her cheek, whereas Ms. Crawford makes Fay more conflicted. The addition of a fairly nasty gang (Sara Haden (Anna), Melville Cooper (William), & Leonard Carey (Ames)) makes the stakes in this version a lot higher. Myrna Loy had originally been cast as Fay (TCM article), but Mrs. Crawford was so adamant in her refusal to play the lead in Parnell (she'd sworn off costume parts after The Gorgeous Hussy) that MGM decided to switch the actresses.

William Powell is splendid as Charles. Though his part is relatively small, he makes good use of the screen time provided. We speculated on the benefits of casting him as Lord Dilling - his chemistry with Ms. Crawford is better, and he has the charm and gravitas that we found a bit lacking in Robert Montgomery. Mr. Montgomery is not bad, he just doesn't have the savoir faire of either Mr. Rathbone or Mr. Powell. In comparison to these two gentlemen, Mr. Montgomery comes across as a touch callow.  It's been said that Mr. Montgomery and Ms. Crawford were not particularly fond of one another, (Joan Crawford: The Essential Biography by Lawrence J. Quirk & William Schoell) which might be part of the problem. Truth to tell, had we not seen Mr. Rathbone, we might not have given Mr. Montgomery lower marks.

Frank Morgan is a vast improvement over Herbert Bunston. Now Lord Kelton, he is no where near as boring and pedantic as the original. He's a tad naive (just WHY is Fay in his room, wearing nothing but her undergarments??)  and he is clearly older and less dashing than Lord Dilling. But, he's no buffoon, and one could see Fay agreeing to marry him. He's rather a nice man, he's quite wealthy, and he is clearly head over heels about her. 

Nigel Bruce (Willie) is cast in a role in which he, like his friend Kelton, is somewhat innocent (he really doesn't know that Cousin John (Ralph Forbes) is NOT his wife Joan's (Colleen Clare) blood relation), but he's also a decent and not silly man. He doesn't do the fubsy Englishman that we are used to in his appearances as Dr. Watson; he is a too trusting soul, but a good friend with a sense of humor.

We also enjoyed Jessie Ralph as the Duchess of Ebley. This version gives the Duchess a bit of a past, which makes her even more attractive (and makes Fay's reluctance to rob her even more pointed).  A Broadway actress with experience in silent films, she was 63 when she made her sound film debut in Child of Manhattan (1933). She had 50 sound film credits to her name (including such gems as Enchanted April (1935), David Copperfield (1935), and After the Thin Man (1936). Married once (and together until his death), she was forced to retire in 1941 after diabetes complications resulted in the amputation of her leg. She died three years later, age 73, of a heart attack. 

A few new scenes are added to the film - the opening scene with Lord Kelton, a late scene with Mr. Powell (obviously inserted to satisfy the Hays Office), and fund-raising auction scene, with little dolls of our lead character auctioned for charity. Here's a photo of Mr. Montgomery with the Crawford doll. We thought the dolls were absolutely adorable, and wondered if the actors got to keep them.

The New York Times review by Frank Nugent was not exactly glowing, though he did express admiration for William Powell saying that "Mr. Powell is equally fascinating, either side of the pale."  Following the release of this version, the Lux Radio Theatre aired a version with Miriam Hopkins, Walter Pidgeon, and Adolph Menjou in May of 1942. In 1953, Broadway Television Theatre broadcast an adaptation with Vicki Cummings in the lead (AFI catalog). 

Each film has its own merits, and we liked both of them for different reasons. We always enjoy seeing William Powell; we liked the rapport between Shearer and Rathbone. With the changes in film technology between 1929 and 1937, the movies are different enough that it is entertaining to see them both.

We'll leave you with a scene from the film:

Norma Enters Society

Socialite Fay Cheyney (Norma Shearer) is hosting a charity event, during which both Lord Elton (Herbert Bunston) and Lord Arthur DIlling (Basil Rathbone) vie for her attentions. At the end of the evening, she is invited to the home of Mrs. Webley (Maude Turner Gordon), and eagerly accepts the invitation. Lord Dilling however, is puzzled. He thinks he remembers Mrs. Cheyney's butler, Charles (George Barraud), but NOT as a butler. Our film this week is the first version of The Last of Mrs. Cheyney (1929).

This is our contribution to the O Canada Blogathon, hosted by Ruth of Silver Screenings  and Kristina of Speakeasy.

It's always enjoyable to go back to the beginnings of sound films and see what the introduction of the voice did to the movies. In this case (as with many other movies of the time), MGM selected a reasonably successful play and made it into a movie. If you are more familiar with films from the mid-1930s forward, you will discover it is not what you are used to - it is very conversational, and at times static. The actors are clearly not able to move around very much (given the limitations of the microphone), but with two outstanding performances, it was a movie we all enjoyed.

This was Norma Shearer's second sound film (TCM article), and she seems comfortable with the new medium. She'd had good success in silent movies; with a pleasant speaking voice, and her delightful, sparkling laugh, she makes the transition to talkies seem almost easy. It helps that, in this film, she has someone to bounce off - Basil Rathbone, who is engaging as Fay's hopeful suitor. The story was originally purchased for the actress Florence Vidor (AFI Catalog), but that production never came about. 

Born in Montreal, Ms. Shearer tried to begin with a career on Broadway, but was turned down by Florenz Ziegfeld as not being pretty enough (Complicated Women: Sex and Power in Pre-Code Hollywood by Mick LaSalle).  She later got some revenge when she refused to star in The Great Ziegfeld (Stardust and Shadows: Canadians in Early Hollywood by Charles Foster). Extra work in films followed, though many thought her (again) not pretty enough for pictures (Canadian Heroines 2-Book Bundle: 100 Canadian Heroines / 100 More Canadian Heroines by Merna Forster).  A small role in The Stealers (1921) resulted in a contract with what would become MGM; by 1925, she was getting star billing, which she retained until her retirement in 1942. Though some tried to attribute her success to her happy, albeit short, marriage to Irving Thalberg, even he was not always right about her career. When he dismissed her request to play the lead in what would become The Divorcee (1930) with "you're not glamorous enough," she sent him sultry pictures (by George Hurrell) that proved her glamour (and gave her an Oscar to boot) (Made For Each Other: Fashion and the Academy Awards by Bronwyn Cosgrave). She would receive five more Oscar nominations. She lived quietly in retirement, eventually remarrying. She died in 1983 at the age of 81.

While Ms. Shearer started her career in films, Basil Rathbone began on the London and New York stages. He began working in 1911 and returned to the stage after serving in the London Scottish Regiment (along with Claude Rains, Herbert Marshall, and Ronald Colman) during the first World War. It was during the war he became the Army Fencing Champ, a skill that would serve him well in many of his films (though sadly, he always seemed to lose on film!). He did a few silent films, but (like his friend Ronald Colman), he had a voice made for the movies, and it serves him well in our film, as does his stage presence. One scene in particular comes to mind. As Lord Arthur enters a room, he is question by another man. Mr. Rathbone moves slowly towards a sofa; he demeanor showing thoughtfulness. He sits, and then, after a brief pause, answer the question. It's a clever bit of acting that gives us more information about the character, while answering to the needs of the hidden microphone. 

While we realized that the character of Lord Elton was important to the plot, as portrayed by Herbert Bunston he becomes a bore after about two scenes.  Mr. Bunston really overdoes it; he's so obviously stupid, one wonders why he keeps getting invited to dinner parties. Sure, he's rich, but he hasn't got a brain in his head! In contrast to Mr. Rathbone, his character becomes even more idiotic. Every time he opens his mouth, you want the floor to open up and swallow him.

Hedda Hopper (Lady Maria) has a small role as one of the society ladies who frequents the same parties as Fay. She doesn't really have a lot to do, but she is pleasing in the few scenes she is given. Likewise, George Barrault's scenes are infrequent, but pivotal to the action.

The movie is based on a play that opened on London and on Broadway in 1925; the Broadway production starred Ina Claire, Felix Aylmer, Roland Young, and Helen Hayes. We were intrigued that Roland Young (who played Lord Arthur on stage) was NOT involved with the film - he was under contract to MGM as well. 

The Last of Mrs. Cheyney was nominated for a writing award at the first Academy Awards. It got a decent review in the New York Times (Mordaunt Hall didn't like Herbert Bunston either).  It's been filmed three more times, in 1937 under the same title, with Joan Crawford, William Powell, and Robert Montgomery; as The Lady and the Law (1951) with Greer Garson, and in 1961 with Lilli Palmer in a German version. We'll be taking a look at the 1937 version next time we meet.

We'll leave you with the opening scene: 

This post is part of the O Canada Blogathon. Please consider visiting some of the other posts and learning more about our friends to the north.

Ronald Does Dickens

Banker Jarvis Lorry (Claude Gillingwater) meets with Lucie Manette (Elizabeth Allen) to inform her that her father, who she thought was dead, is alive. A prisoner in the Bastille in Paris for over 18 years, Dr. Manette (Henry B. Walthall) has almost lost his mind, but his love for his young daughter helps him to be "recalled to life". On a ship back to England, the Manettes meet Charles Darney (Donald Woods), who is, unbeknownst to them, is the nephew of the man who caused Dr. Manette's imprisonment, the Marquis St. Evremonde (Basil Rathbone).  Our film this week is the David O. Selznick production of Dicken's A Tale of Two Cities (1935).

David O' Selznick became famous for adapting novels for the screen (think Rebecca (1940), Gone With the Wind (1939), David Copperfield (1935), Anna Karenina (1935)). When working on Gone With the Wind, he was quoted as saying "the book is the law, the book is the Bible" (Film Adaptation and Its Discontents: From "Gone with the Wind" to "The Passion of the Christ" by Thomas Leitch), and with one small exception, this is true of A Tale of Two Cities. Based on the novel by Charles Dickens, the story paints a picture of Paris leading up to and during the Terror. 

The one big change from the novel was forced by the casting of Ronald Colman as Sydney Carton.  He is, of course, magnificent in the part; his mellifluous voice provides a perfect ending to the film, as Sydney tells us "It is a far, far better thing I do than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known." (it gives me chills very time I hear it). But Mr. Colman was adamant about one thing - he did not want to play both Sydney and Charles Darney. (AFI catalog).  Though Mr. Selznick was later quoted as saying Mr. Colman "had a dread of dual roles", Selznick would convince him two years later to perform in The Prisoner of Zenda as both the King and as Rudolf Rassendyll. Yet, the casting of two different actors works well, and makes Carton's efforts at the end of the story even more poignant.

It is fair to say that this is a film without any false performances. The supporting cast is excellent, featuring some of Hollywood's greatest character actors. Blanche Yurka, as Madame De Farge gives a frightening performance as a woman obsessed with the demise of the aristocracy. Notorious for her knitting skills, Madame is making a blanket with the coats of arms of all the aristos she plans to execute.  My friend noticed that Ms. Yurka was "throwing" her yarn in the English fashion (and in fact, was not really knitting - the needles never moved), which ended in a discussion about when would a knitter in France have knitted Continental style? The answer was in the early 19th Century (A History of Hand Knitting by Richard Rutt), what we now call the continental style was introduced to the rest of Europe from Germany, so it is likely that, in the 1790s, Madame would indeed have thrown her yarn.

Madame is a good companion to Lucille La Verne as The Vengeance, an odious woman, equally maniacal in her desire to murder. Ms. La Verne was at one point in the running to play Madame De Farge, along with Judith Anderson, May Robson, and Emily Fitzroy. Two years later, Ms. La Verne would be the inspiration and voice for the Queen/Witch in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. You can hear her doing that insane laugh in this film as well. 

Also outstanding is the always entertaining Edna May Oliver as Miss Pross. A determined lady whose life is devoted to the protection of her "Lady Bird," Lucie and Lucie's family, we know from the start that nothing will prevent Miss Pross from seeing the Manettes home to safety in England.  

Basil Rathbone has a relatively small part - that of the Marquis St. Evremonde. He is so totally despicable that you look forward to his eventual death. The only problem is that you don't get to see him any longer and he is so very good in the part, giving just the right amount of swagger and disregard to a horrible man.

Isabelle Jewell has a small but important part of a Seamstress swept up in the madness of the Terror. We see her once at trial, and then again in prison. She plays it well - though only introduced to the woman, you feel for her, and ultimately admire her courage.  Though director Jack Conway was convinced she would not fit the role, David Selznick disagreed, and insisted on testing her.  All parties were convinced by her test, and Ronald Colman got permission to give her the good news. (TCM article)

Colman portrayed Carton again on two Lux Radio Theatre  broadcasts, on 12 Jan 1942  (with Edna Best) and 18 Mar 1946, (with Heather Angel). Orson Welles took on the role for a 26 Mar 1945 Lux Radio Theatre broadcast. The story has been on film multiple times. There was a silent version in 1917; William Farnum played both Sydney and Charles.  In 1958, Dirk Bogarte appeared as Sydney; and a 1980 television movies featured Chris Sarandon as both Carton and Darnay. Two television  miniseries have also been produced - one in 1980 with Paul Shelley in the double role and a 1989 version with James Wilby as Carton.

The New York Times review by Andre Sennwald called the movie "a prodigally stirring production. . . .for more than two hours it crowds the screen with beauty and excitement. . ." We wholeheartedly agree, and leave you with a trailer: