Laraine Wants Jewelry

On his wedding day,  John Willis (Gene Raymond) is approached by Dr. Harry S. Blair (Brian Aherne). Dr. Blair claims to be the ex-husband of John’s fiancée, Nancy Patton (Laraine Day). Her name was then Nancy Monks, and she was responsible for the deaths of three men, all because of The Locket (1946). 

This is by no means a simple movie. It employs the film staple of the flashback, and turns it on its head by taking a single flashback and embedding within it a flashback to a flashback, and another flashback from the second one. Yet, the film is so well written that the audience is always clear as to what is happening - unless, as Eddie Muller noted in his introduction, you arrived after the start of the film (as was so often the case in 1946!). It's a clever device, and keeps the viewer on pins and needles from the beginning to the end of this intriguing film noir.

Laraine Day is excellent in the part of Nancy. You are never really sure how much she knows of her own behavior - does she know about the thefts she committed, or does she forget the kleptomania-induced robberies once they are accomplished. Ms. Day uses her experience as the sweet ingénue to create an intelligent yet enigmatic woman, who is highly attractive to men without be openly seductive. She's a chameleon who adapts herself to the preferences of the men in her life. At one point, Hume Cronyn owned the script, which he intended to feature his wife, Jessica Tandy. When he sold it to RKO, the credited screenwriter (more on that later) wanted Joan Fontaine, but she was not available. Olivia de Havilland campaigned for the part, but producer Bert Granet wanted Ms. Day, and he won the day (TCM article). Interesting, the mother of Joan and Olivia, Lilian Fontaine, appeared as Lady Wyndham.

Robert Mitchum (Norman Clyde) had recently been nominated for an Oscar for his work in The Story of G.I. Joe, and was one year away from what is often cited as his best role - Out of the Past.  His appearance as Norman, a moody artist whose life is upended by his relationship with Nancy, is a strong addition to his film credits. He'd known Ms. Day when they worked with the Long Beach Players; she was looking forward to working with him. He however, had formed an idea that she ignored him at one point in their lives, and refused to speak to her during the production (he naturally never told her WHY he was cutting her).

Ricardo Cortez has a small, but pivotal part as Nancy's employer, Andrew Bonner. He manages to put just the right amount of the rake into his performance, making you did wonder exactly what was going on between him and Nancy.  Ms. Day was a long-time fan of Mr. Cortez, and asked that he be cast in the film (The Magnificent Heel: The Life and Films of Ricardo Cortez by Dan Van Neste). It is always a pleasure to see him, and he provides a memorable performance.

Ms. Day was also a fan of her other leading men - Brian Aherne and Gene Raymond.  Mr. Raymond has the smaller part; as the intended groom of the lethal Nancy, he serves as the audience's conduit to her story. Mr. Aherne is our narrator; it is he who tells Nancy's long, involved history. It is also worth noting that all three stories are told to us by him. The question becomes - should we believe him? Is he the victim of Nancy, or is she innocent of the his charges?

Laraine Day also had some talent as a dress designer.  She helped to create Nancy's wedding dress, and used a spun glass fabric which she discovered. (AFI Catalog) Her discovery is referenced in this lovely Press Kit from the William K Everson Collection at New York University. Before you read it, just know that there are a lot of spoilers included. 

Originally titled What Nancy Wanted, the screenplay was written by Norma Barzman. She heard the story of a woman who was accused of stealing a necklace as a small girl, which resulted in a life-long history of depression and kleptomania. It was that script which was purchased by Hume Cronyn.  When he sold it to RKO, they gave it to Sheridan Gibney, whose major  contribution was to set the middle section in England.  It took until 2014 for Ms. Barzman to finally was credited with writing the script (Los Angles Times, Eddie Muller extro). It probably didn't help that she was blacklisted for being a member of the Communist Party. 

In an interview, the credited screenwriter Sheridan Gibney, called Ms. Day’s performance “weird”. (Film Crazy: Interviews with Hollywood Legends by Patrick McGilligan). Regardless, Ms. Day got good reviews “Laraine Day gives what must be her most fascinating performance” ("Laraine Day Psychopath”. Los Angeles Times, May 27, 1947), and considered this her best role. The ending, which was to have been more oblique, was forced on them by the censors. And the film ended up being under-marketed because of the execution of an innocent man in the story. Some states (Massachusetts in particular) were leery of death-penalty error stories.

This is a remarkable film, that is only recently getting the attention that it deserves.  We'll leave you with an early scene, and the suggestion that you seek this one out: 

Loretta's Haunted Apartment

A Night to Remember (1942) is one of those films that doesn't seem to know what it wants to be when it grows up. Screwball comedy? Horror? Suspense? Romance? Take your pick, because the film really doesn't do any of them very well.

The film opens on Nancy (Loretta Young) and Jeff Troy (Brian Aherne).  They have just arrived at their new Greenwich Village basement apartment, which Nancy found for them (Jeff's never been there before).  He's a hack mystery writer (he writes as Jeff Yort), and wants to work in the Village, in hopes of writing the Great American Novel. They have arrived early (without notifying their landlord), and are stunned that the apartment isn't ready for them (who arrives two days early, and expects to just move in? They haven't even paid for the apartment yet).  But the real problem is, the landlord is more frightened than annoyed that they are there.  And there is this weird housekeeper who says something keeps crawling on her feet. 

The film is extremely repetitious.  The housekeeper keeps telling the same story over and over; there is a door that is always getting stuck.  It's like the writers had a few jokes, and decided they could keep using them.  Rather than build on humor, the repetitions become inane.The one humorous bit is the introduction of Old Hickory, a turtle that was the mascot of the speakeasy that used to be in the apartment building.  Old Hickory keeps turning up (scaring everyone), and MANY people, including the police inspector investigating the murder (of course, there is a murder!), are fans of Old Hickory.

The film is based on the third in a series of nine mystery books about the exploits of
Jeff and Haila Troy, entitled The Frightened Stiff.  There was also a Screen Guild Theatre radio production of the film, with Lucille Ball playing Nancy Troy and Brian Donlevy playing Jeff on May 1, 1944.  

The supporting cast is good, albeit not well used.  Sidney Toler as Inspector Hankins (shades of Charlie Chan!) is the only smart one within a group of fairly dumb police officers,  That's probably why he is an inspector.  At one point, Jeff comments that the police are no longer allowed to used rubber hoses during an interrogation - shades of the Miranda Warning!.  You get to see the wonderful Lee Patrick  (playing apartment house resident Polly Franklin) right away, but you have to wait quite a while before Gale Sondergaard (as Mrs. DeVoe) shows up.  Both are fun to watch.  We would have liked to have seen more of them, as both Aherne and Young got a bit annoying after awhile.

As the movie opens, it has a creepy air.   We felt that the writers should have emphasized that suspense aspect more, as we think they would have had a better movie.  Not that humor and murder can't be done - Miss Pinkerton, which we saw a bit ago, was able to do it.  So did the wonderful Cat and the Canary.  But the problem with A Night to Remember is that nothing really makes sense.  Why would the landlord would rent an apartment in the building to an outsider, when he and all the tenants are so frightened that an outsider will discover their crimes.   And, the ending is very abrupt. The murderer is revealed with almost no explanation, and the film is over. 

We kinda liked the little apartment, though, with its private garden in the back.  It is supposed to be on Gay Street, which is a real Village street.  But other than that (and Old Hickory), this movie was missing that certain something that makes you want to come back for more.  It's no wonder there were no further Troy mysteries.

Nurse Carole

In 1940's Vigil in the Night, Carole Lombard stars as Anne Lee, a dedicated nurse in a small English town.  Anne loves her work, and has convinced her younger sister Lucy (Anne Shirley) to follow in her footsteps.  Though almost through with nursing school, Lucy doesn't have Anne's dedication; as a result of her neglect, she allows a young child to die.  Rather than let Lucy be ousted from nursing school, Anne assumes responsibility for the child's death; she is fired from her job, and forced to leave town.  She ventures to Hepperton, where she joins the staff of a local hospital, and gradually assumes positions of greater responsibility.  She also finds herself working with the similarly dedicated Dr. Prescott (Brian Aherne).  However, the appearance of a nurse from her old job, Lucy's involvement with a local man, and an epidemic in Hepperton all work to create problems for Anne.

Sure, this is melodrama, but it is melodrama at its best.  Ms. Lombard shines here as a woman whose career is the most important thing in her life.  In the hands of a lesser actress, Anne could have come across as preachy or shrill. But Lombard's Anne shines when she talks about nursing.  Her Anne is what a nurse SHOULD be - an idealized portrait of a woman who values human life and the ability to bring comfort to the sick.  She is ably assisted by Anne Shirley (who's Lucy is the poster child for the person who should NOT enter nursing school, and whose selfishness makes you want to smack her in the film's early scenes.), and Brian Aherne (an equally idealized doctor, Aherne also carefully avoids the maudlin).

Vigil in the Night really is a neglected Lombard masterpiece; a film that is rarely seen or discussed when talking about her (painfully short) career, but one that should be looked at more often.  We really enjoyed it, and suspect you will as well.  Take a look at this clip, to get an idea of what is in store:

Joan Goes to Greece

Thanks to TCM's latest "Summer Under the Stars", we've been able to assemble a number of Joan Crawford (and Carole Lombard) movies that we had none of us seen before.  We look forward to sharing them with you in the coming weeks.  This week, we again visited with Ms. Crawford in her 1935 film I Live My Life. Joan is a young society girl Kay Bentley , on a cruise through the Greek Islands with her father (played beautifully by Frank Morgan).  While riding her rented donkey on Naxos, she stumbles (literally) on the archeology site that is being excavated by Terry O'Neill (Brian Aherne). It doesn't take long for Terry to fall head over heels for Kay (though he thinks she is a secretary on the yacht), but Kay resists his charms. For awhile.  When he follows her to New York, she is truly smitten.  But complications, as they say, ensue.  The course of true love is rather rocky, especially with two such wonderfully headstrong people.

Crawford is gorgeous here, and the chemistry between her an Aherne fairly smokes.  As we know from Ann Blyth's introduction to Ms. Crawford on TCM, Joan was a small woman - barely 5 feet tall. Mr. Aherne, however, was 6'3" - together, they make a fairly arresting couple. Crawford's gowns, by Adrian, are lovely; we rather drooled to try some of them on! (And the sight of the attractive Mr. Aherne in a tuxedo was nothing to sneeze at!).  Crawford pokes fun at herself in one scene, commenting on the amount of money she spends on her manicures and on her eyebrows.  She doesn't mention her EYELASHES! She could dust the windows with those eyelashes.

We enjoyed Frank Morgan as Crawford's loving father.  It seems at first that he will betray her, but he is impressive in his affection for his daughter - ready to give up everything he has to make her happy.  And, while you will have to wait awhile for her to show up, it is worth the wait to see Jessie Ralph as Joan's grandmother, the frightening Mrs. Gage.  She is an absolute hoot, and you will enjoy her tremendously.

All in all, this is a fun film, with a great cast and a really nice script.  If you get a chance, see it. You won't regret it. In the meantime, we can direct you to a scene from the film:

Historical Olivia (sort of)

Olivia appears in another very secondary role in The Great Garrick (1937).  This is VERY much Brian Aherne's movie, as the 18th century actor, David Garrick. The film makes clear that the incident is fictional (which is why I said "historical (sort of)" in the title); in the film, Garrick is invited to appear in Paris at the Comédie Française, only to antagonize his future costars by telling his English audience that he intends to "instruct" the French on proper acting techniques (his method of getting his English fans to "agree" to his departure to the continent).  Thus, the French actors set up an elaborate ruse to humiliate Garrick; into the middle of this scenario intrudes Germaine Dupont, Countess de la Corbe. Of course, Garrick (who has been informed of the trick), mistakes Germaine for a member of the acting troupe.  


Garrick was to the 18th Century what the Method was to the 20th.  He developed a less theatrical form of acting, and in fact, the movie has Garrick discussing his acting style briefly in the film.  (Quite humorous too, as he informs the French actors that he knew exactly who they were, since they didn't walk or move like people employed in an inn).  And while the real Garrick didn't marry a French woman, he did marry a German woman in what turned out to be an extremely happy marriage - he called her "the best of women and wives,"and it is said they were inseparable for the 15 years of their marriage.   And here's the trailer for Hollywood's version of how he met his great love:

As to the film, it was not entirely successful; it was based on a London play, but never quite achieved the level of popularity that the studio had hoped for.  However, the lead actors, Mr. Aherne and Ms. De Havilland are delightful in it.  She manages to hold her own even with such wonderful character actors as Melville Cooper and Edward Everett Horton (and there is even Lana Turner in a bit part).  Finally, it is worth noting that (according to The Films of Olivia De Havilland), though Mr. Aherne and Ms. De Havilland dated while making the picture, they ended up related - he married her sister Joan Fontaine  two years later.

Join us next week as we look at some movies that appeared on TCM for Ms. De H's birthday.