Spencer's Daugher Gets Married

When Kay Banks (Elizabeth Taylor) informs her doting parents Stanley (Spencer Tracy) and Ellie (Joan Bennett) that she is engaged to be married, all hell breaks loose as Stanley tries to deal with the loss of his daughter to a husband he barely knows, and to the escalating wedding arrangements that Ellie is planning.  It's not easy to be the Father of the Bride (1950).

Spencer Tracy is perfect as the indulgent daddy forced to confront his daughter's big step into adulthood.  He's warm and loving and completely flummoxed by his wife's obsession with a fancy wedding party. Though director Vincente Minnelli wanted Mr. Tracy from the start, Dore Schary agreed to let Jack Benny (who badly wanted the part) to star. Mr. Minnelli insisted on a screen test; he found he could not get Mr. Benny to refrain from doing his famed double takes. Finally permitted to ask Mr. Tracy, Mr. Minnelli was turned down - Mr. Tracy wasn't interested in being second choice. When Mr. Minnelli told him that he would turn down the directing work if Mr. Tracy was not in the film (and Katharine Hepburn interceded), Mr. Tracy agreed to take on the part (TCM article). 

Joan Bennett is lovely as Ellie Banks.  A loving mother and wife, she's completely absorbed in the ideal of a fancy church wedding for her only daughter - something she missed when she got married. She had already worked previously with Spencer Tracy, and he was happy to work with her again. Mr. Tracy said obviously their marriage in Me and My Gal (1932) had worked and look at the offspring they produced!

Which brings us to the eldest of that offspring - Elizabeth Taylor is a delight as Kay Banks. Torn between pleasing her mother and her own desire for a smaller affair, Kay embraces the fancier reception, while trying to calm her panicked father.  Ms. Taylor was on the verge of marrying Nicky Hilton, and MGM was ecstatic at using Ms. Taylor's real wedding to publicize the film.  Besides stocking the wedding with every MGM star available to attend, the wedding was timed to coincide with the film's release (South Florida Sun-Sentinal); sadly, the marriage was over in less than a year, thanks to Hilton's drinking and womanizing. 

The movie is blessed with a remarkable supporting cast. The always wonderful Billie Burke teams with Moroni Olson as in-laws to-be Doris and Herbert Dunstan. Don Taylor is convincing as their son, Buckley. Sadly for him, most of his scenes are with Ms. Taylor, so one doesn't really spend much time looking at the groom! Rusty (Russ) Tamblyn has a small part as Tommy Banks, and Tom Irish is the other Banks son, Ben.  Mr. Irish appears as Ben in the 1991 remake of the story! Finally, Leo G. Carroll steals all his scenes as wedding planner, Mr. Massoula - a bit of snob, but that is part of his charm.

The film opened at Radio City Music Hall and received a glowing review from Bosley Crowther in his New York Times review.  Before the film has even opened, a sequel, Father's Little Dividend (1951) was put into production (AFI Catalog). In 1991, a remake with Steve Martin, which was also very successful, was released.  The film had previously been a TV series with Leon Ames as the titular character.

For anyone who has ever been married, been friends with someone who has married, or attended a wedding, this is the movie for you. The film manages to show the truths in wedding planning, but with warmth and humor. If you've seen the film before, it's worth a rewatch.  If not, treat yourself to a visit with The Father of the Bride.  In the meantime, here is a trailer:

 

 

Charles Painted

Coast Guard officer Scott Burnett (Robert Ryan) can't shake the trauma of a shipwreck. He resists becoming involved with Eve Geddes (Nan Leslie), a local woman who loves him, and spends much of his free time riding his horse on the shore.  But when he happens upon Peggy Butler, The Woman on the Beach (1947),  he is captivated.  Peggy, however, is married to Tod Butler (Charles Bickford), a renowned painter who has completely lost his sight.

This film showed such promise - a great cast and what could have been an intriguing story. Sadly, it's not. The characters are undefined, the plot is haphazard, and the actors are given precious little with which to work  

Let's start with Robert Ryan.  The film opens with the reveal that Burnett is badly affected by post-traumatic stress.  He has a woman who loves him and who he claims to love. But one look at Peggy Butler, and Burnett is obsessed.  Does it have to do with his illness? It's hard to say - Joan Bennett is at her alluring best in this film; at the same time, Peggy is not particularly pleasant, and as we quickly discover, has a proclivity for taking strange men into her bed. It's pretty clear from even their first meeting that she's not a particularly nice person.  

It might have worked had there been any chemistry between Ms. Bennett and Mr. Ryan, but there isn't - he's stiff - even his "lovemaking" is uninterested.  Would the film have been better with the original actor slated for the role - George Brent (TCM article)?  It's hard to say.

The other side of the triangle is Charles Bickford as the blind painter.  Tod Butler is a nasty piece of work - his wife was the cause of the accident that blinded him, and he is making sure she pays for her sins. It's hard for the audience to sympathize with him - he's a brutal bully. And you should have some pity for this man who lost his livelihood and much of his identity because of his drunken carousing. But he (along with Scott) spend so much time brooding, you just don't really care.

Ms. Bennett was very involved with the project - it was she who recruited Jean Renoir as the director (Val Lewton was originally slated to direct). She and Mr. Renoir were friendly - that she could easily converse in French added a level of comfort to their relationship. But, bad previews led to rewrites and reshoots to the point where the film was probably lost in the shuffle.

There are a couple of other actors worth mentioning. Nan Leslie as Eve is a totally useless character. She's a cypher, and adds nothing to the story. We don't know very much about her, she's not really appealing, and so we don't really want her to be with Scott.  Irene Ryan (Mrs. Wernecke) is supposed to provide some comic relief, but as good an actress as she is, there just isn't any humor in her part. 

Based on the novel None So Blind by Mitchell Wilson, the movie was filmed with the working titles of None So Blind and Desirable Woman (AFI catalog). The New York Times review by A, H. Weiler (A.W.) wanted to like the film, but felt it needed "a mite more clarity."

We can't recommend this film at all, but we'll still leave you with a clip from the film's opening:

Joan Visits Germany

Art critic Carol Cabot Hoffman (Joan Bennett) is taking an extended vacation with her husband of eight years, Eric Hoffman (Francis Lederer).  Eric's father, Heinrich (Otto Kruger) needs help selling the family business, and the couple and their seven year old son, Ricky (Johnny Russell) are going to Germany to mix business with pleasure. But, when they arrive, Carol begins to wonder if The Man I Married (1940) is the same person with whom she is now living.

Joan Bennett is excellent as the wife who gradually realizes that her husband is not only having an affair with his childhood friend, Freda Heinkel (Anna Sten), but is also becoming a fervent Nazi. For the 21st Century viewer, the latter is the most hateful. But like the 1940 audience, Carol is initially less concerned about Eric's political leanings. She serves as the eyes of the audience, slowly learning about the evils of the Nazi party, primarily through her friendship with American newsman Kenneth Delane (Lloyd Nolan). It's a frightening revelation for all concerned, as Carol learns of unjust imprisonments, torture, and murder.

As the husband who is seduced into the Nazi party, Francis Lederer is impressive. It would be easy to go over the top with the part, but he doesn't fall into that trap. When Eric and Carol attend a Nazi rally, his fervor becomes apparent. Mr. Lederer does it with a Nazi salute - it's an effective and terrifying moment. George Saunders was originally considered for the role, but he was involved with another film, and was unavailable. (AFI catalog)

Francis Lederer was born in Austria. After stage and silent film work in Germany, he went to London to appear in the play Volpone. Another London production (Autumn Crocus) and a transfer of the play to Broadway (he would appear in four Broadway plays during his career) brought him to America.  As he had no desire to return to Germany - Mr. Lederer was Jewish - he stayed and became a U.S. citizen in 1939. He worked in Hollywood (in both films and television) from 1934 until 1971. His third marriage lasted for nearly 60 years, until his death in 2000 at the age of 100. The home that he helped to design is a protected Los Angeles monument (and is now a wine tasting room).

A number of supporting actors add noteworthy performances to the movie.  Lloyd Nolan only gets a little screen time, but is excellent as the reporter who tries to help Carol locate a missing academic for his brother, Dr. Hugo Gerhardt (Ludwig Stossel). Mr. Nolan serves as the audience's tour guide to Nazi Germany He has little regard for the Hitler regime; by 1940, it's not likely that the audience knew his time in Germany was about to come to an end.

Otto Kruger has a small, but effective part as Eric’s elderly father. He provides the necessary moral compass to the film - a man who lives in Germany, but is not sucked in the the reactionary politics of the Third Reich.

Anna Sten does a decent job with Freda - it's never easy to play a fanatic. If there is any problem with the character, it's that she never seems to be in love with Eric. Her seduction is intended to bring him into the party. Eric is merely another convert for the party.  

Finally, the always remarkable Maria Ouspenskaya has the small role of Frau Gerhardt, the widow of the academic Carol was asked to seek out. Ms. Ouspenskaya has only one scene in the film, but with her quiet dignity, it is not a moment you are likely to forget.

The movie was based on a short story, "Swastika" by Oscar Schisgall. Producer Darryl F. Zanuck changed some names, ostensibly to make them sound less Jewish, but using "Jude" instead of "Jew" didn't hide a whole lot. (The Moguls and the Dictators:Hollywood and the Coming of World War II by David Welky). This TCM article cites it as "one of the first aggressively anti-Nazi films made in the wake of the Invasion of Poland in September 1939."

The press for the film was good as is shown in this review from Variety.  The New York Times review by Bosley Crowther was absolutely glowing: "If we are bound to have a succession of anti-Nazi propaganda pictures...let's hope that they all may be as restrained in their emotions, as frank and factual in their reports and as generally entertaining cinematically as Twentieth Century-Fox's The Man I Married,...."  

Pressure from the German government had resulted in a name change (from I Married a Nazi); the studio underplayed the plot of the film, and didn't distribute it widely. As a result, the film is not as well known as it should be.  You may not have heard of this film before, but we suggest you seek it out. It's worth your time.

Charles Mobilizes the Town

Retired Colonel William Seaborn Effingham (Charles Coburn) has returned to his hometown of Fredericksville, Georgia. He approaches the local newspaper editor, Earl Hoats (Allyn Joslyn) and offers his services as a military commentary columnist. Seeing a possible increase in advertisements, Hoats agrees, only to find that the Colonel's idea of a "military" column is not the same as the publisher. The Colonel is intent on using the column to undermine the efforts of the local government to raze the courthouse, and line their own pockets with the proceeds. Thus begins Colonel Effingham's Raid (1946).

The idea that a small town is willing to get together (at the urging of the dynamic Colonel Effingham) to save their 200 year old courthouse is an interesting premise. In an age where what was old should be destroyed to make way for the new, it is refreshing to see a film that is concerned with not only preserving the older structure, but spending the time and the funds required to make it a useful structure again. As people who watched beautiful structures (like Penn Station in New York City) demolished to make way for the new and supposedly better, only to have the change decried AFTER it was too late, we were sympathetic to the efforts to preserve an elegant 18th Century building.

Charles Coburn is compelling as the assertive Colonel Effingham. A military man, used to having his orders obeyed, he sees no difference in his duties in civilian life. His interactions with Ninety Eight (Nicodemus Stewart), who is apparently the only man of color in this southern berg, show Effingham training his "Orderly" to be a soldier. There is a rather odd fencing scene (in which it is clear that neither man knows how to fence), but by in large, the relationship between the two characters is good. At one point, Monty Woolley was considered for Colonel Effingham (perhaps because of his appearance as Retired Colonel Smollett in Since You Went Away two years earlier). Georgia-born Coburn was a far better fit.

William Eythe (Albert Marbury) is attractive in a Tyrone Power-type sort of way. In fact, he spent much of his career assigned to roles that Mr. Power turned down (TCM article). However, unlike Mr. Power, he's not a particularly powerful actor, and his character is easily overshadowed by the more commanding Mr. Coburn. Mr. Eythe's film career was short-lived - a scandal sheet outed his relationship with Lon McCallister, and Mr. Eythe eventually returned to work on stage (he appeared in four Broadway plays) and on television. He was with his partner, Mr. McCallister, when he died of hepatitis in 1957 at the age of 38.

Totally wasted in a part that was originally intended for Alabama-born Mary Anderson (Maybelle Merriweather, and screen-tested actress for Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind) (AFI Catalog), is Joan Bennett (Ella Sue Dozier). Smart and gorgeous, we found it rather horrifying that Albert only notices her when a gust of wind blows up her skirt slightly. We also found the wolf whistle that the director used (much like a laugh track) offensive. Once was bad enough, but the whistle is repeated several times. Ella Sue and Ms. Bennett deserves better.

The film demonstrates the abilities - to a greater or lesser degree - of some outstanding character actors: Elizabeth Patterson has a small amount of screen time as Emma, cousin to Effingham. Donald Meek  and Thurston Hall make a nice pair of charlatans as Doc Buden and Mayor Edgar. And Allyn Joslyn as the shady newspaper editor is also well-served. 

One interesting side note - the film, though released in 1946 is actually set in 1941, just before the American entrance into World War II. That Albert joins (to impress Ella Sue) the Georgia National Guard becomes an issue as the film ends - the National Guard is mobilized, with Albert saying  he would have been drafted soon anyway.

Based on the 1943 novel of the same name by Berry Fleming (which was based on an actual attempt to raze the Richmond County Courthouse in Augusta, Georgia). The film got decent reviews - Bosley Crowther in his New York Times review called it "pleasantly amusing". Charles Coburn would reprise the role in 1949 on the Hallmark Playhouse radio show. 

It's a cute movie - not great. It hasn’t aged very well - it is sexist and borders on racist. The main selling point of the story is Charles Coburn in a lead role - he is always fun to watch. 

Joan Has Her Portrait Hung

Professor Richard Wanley (Edward G. Robinson), an instructor of psychology at Gotham University, has just sent his family on an extended trip to Maine. He spends the evening with his friends, Dr. Barkstane (Edmond Breon) and New York District Attorney Frank Lalor (Raymond Massey).  Several hours - and drinks - later, Richard exits the club and pauses to admire The Woman in the Window (1944), a portrait in the gallery next to his club. He's stunned to realize that, standing next to him is THE woman (Joan Bennett), who after some conversation, invites him to her apartment. His response to her query will change his life forever.

At the 2019 Noir City DC, we were treated to an introduction to this film by film historian Foster Hirsch. The film, he said, was about submerged desires, and what happens when these desires bubble to the top. Certainly, there is a sexual aspect to the interactions between Alice and Professor Wanley (at least, on his part!). But I disagreed that this was the result of a loveless or sexless marriage. We see Professor Wanley seeing his wife (Dorothy Peterson) and children (Robert Blake and Carol Cameron). He gives his wife a warm departing kiss; we later see him writing to her, and starting the letter "My Dearest Darling". This is certainly a long-time marriage, but he clearly still loves his wife, and very much misses his family.

Seeing Edward G. Robinson in anything is a treat, but he really outdoes himself in this film.  The juxtaposition between the nebbishy professor and the calculating criminologist is fascinating to watch. This was Mr. Robinson’s first film with Joan Bennett, and the chemistry between them is perfect - so good, in fact that the two would be reunited the following year for the impressive Scarlet Street.  Given Mr. Robinson's career of playing vicious murderers, it is intriguing to see him as a victim - though one who has a real crime on his hands.

Merle Oberon was at one point considered for the role of Alice (AFI catalog), but it is hard to picture anyone but Joan Bennett in the role. She is so enormously sexy that it's easy to picture the three clubmen (Dr. Barkstane, Frank Lalor, and Professor Wanley) discussing their dream girl based merely on a picture in the window of an art gallery.  With her dark hair (a change she made in 1938, which opened a new range of films for her), deep voice, and her seductive tones, she is a siren, wooing men to their doom. Her interactions with both Mr. Robinson and Mr. Duryea are letter-perfect. It's no wonder that Hollywood wanted this dream team to be reunited the following year.

Ms. Bennett, her husband, Walter Wanger, and Fritz Lang were the producers on the film; this opened up new opportunities to director Lang, whose vision for film had being circumscribed by producers like Darryl F. Zanuck. (TCM article)  The film's ending was Lang's idea; producer and screenwriter Nunnally Johnson wanted a different ending, but he was overruled.

Dan Duryea  (Heidt) is appropriately smarmy as the bodyguard hired by his company to tail Claude Mazard (Arthur Loft) - a wealthy man who has a reputation for losing his short temper and getting into fights.  While we initially think Heidt will be easily fooled by the Professor and Alice, we find he is by no means stupid, though he is avaricious and vengeful. Mr. Duryea spent the greater part of his career playing the villain, but he's never boring. His scenes with Ms. Bennett sizzle with tension.

The film's initial title was Off Guard. It received a single Oscar nomination for Score (Hugo Friedhofer and Arthur Lange)., losing to  Miklós Rózsa's Spellbound. Ms. Bennet, Mr. Robinson, and Mr. Duryea reunited to perform a Lux Radio Theatre version in June of 1945.

If you've never seen Woman in the Window, do get hold of a copy. It's a real treat.  I'll leave with the trailer:

Ronald Breaks the Bank

Paul Gallard (Ronald Colman) arrives at the Sports Club in Monte Carlo with an empty suitcase, and proceeds to win 5 million francs at the baccarat table. He departs with his winnings, telling the newspapers that gambling is a fool's game to which he will never return.  Miffed, the casino administration begin to move heaven and earth to get The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo (1935) to tempt him back to the tables, and hopefully, lose.

Most of the action in the 71 minute film is at the very beginning and the end. In between, there is the feeling that the screenwriters were killing time until we could get to those final scenes. It's not that the film was dull - it really wasn't. But it was hard to know exactly where the movie wanted to go and what tone it wanted to strike.

While this is not one of Ronald Colman's best roles, he is delightful as Paul (this was released the same year as Clive of India and A Tale of Two Cities - two powerhouse parts for him). He also has a very good rapport with Joan Bennett (Helen Berkeley) in their second film together - they had previously appeared together in Bulldog Drummond (1929). As in that film, it is clear that Mr. Colman is the star; unfortunately for Ms. Bennett, the part of Helen is not really well defined. As Ms. Bennett and Mr. Colman didn't work together after this, one wonders what would have happened had Ms. Bennett been given better written roles and a character able to go toe-to-toe with Mr. Colman.

Joan Bennett was born into an acting family. Her maternal grandparents were actors, as were her mother and father (her mother would eventually become a literary agent). Her sisters also were actors: Barbara and Constance Bennett. Joan appeared in two films (in 1916 and 1923), then was on Broadway (to which she would return in 1950, in Love Me Little) in Jarnegan (1928).  After two  uncredited film roles, she appeared as the ingenue in Bulldog Drummond.  With her blonde hair (her natural color) and youthful face, she was perfect for roles like Amy in Little Women (1933). Her career path would change, however, when future husband Walter Wanger and director Tay Garnett convinced her to go brunette for the film Trade Winds (1938). After that, she was a natural for roles like Kitty in Scarlet Street (1945). Married four times, her career all but ended when her third husband, Walter Wanger, shot Joan's agent in a fit of jealousy. She'd continue her career with regional stage performances (including the national tour of Bell, Book and Candle as Gillian). (In contrast, Wanger's career was not affected after he served his four-month jail sentence.) Television would prove a reentry for Ms. Bennett - she won an Emmy nomination for her role as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard in Dark Shadows (1966-1971). In 1970, she published her autobiography The Bennett Playbill (written with Lois Kibbee), and continued to appear in TV movies. She died of a heart attack in 1990, at the age of 80. For more on Joan and sister Constance, see this article from the Bill Douglas Cinema Museum at the University of Exeter.

Two excellent, but sadly brief performances are turned in by Colin Clive (as Helen's nefarious brother Bertrand) and by Nigel Bruce (as Paul's valet, Ivan). Mr. Clive is deliciously nasty; it's a shame he has so few scenes. And Mr. Bruce gets most of the really good lines. He's really funny, and not at all the buffoon that he would play in his later career.

Sylvia Sidney was originally considered for the role of Helen, and John Ford was to direct - an accident on his boat gave the director's chair to Stephen Roberts (AFI catalog). The film's title is taken from an 1890's music hall song, resulting in the studio being sued by the heirs of  songwriter Fred Gilbert, for violation of their copyright; they eventually lost the suit.  You can hear the song sung by music hall comedian Charles Coborn in the video below - you'll notice the song has nothing at all to do with the plot of the movie. The song would actually be sung in several films, including The Magnificent Ambersons (1942), Lawrence of Arabia (1962) and Alien: Covenant (2017). (TCM article).

The New York Times reviewer was not impressed with the film; they somewhat liked Ronald Colman, but were quite hard on Joan Bennett (really, she doesn't have a strong script. We thought they were being unfair).  It wasn't until May, 1946 that a radio version aired on Hollywood Star Time, with Rex Harrison and Lurlene Tuttle as the leads.  Perhaps the film is justifiably forgotten today, but it's worth seeing for Colman alone. He's always a treat.

As promised, we'll leave you with the song on which the title was based.

Clifton is an Angel

An unborn child (Gigi Perreau) receives assistance from two angels, Arthur (Edmund Gwenn) and Charles (Clifton Webb), when her chosen parents, Lydia (Joan Bennett) and Jeff Bolton (Robert Cummings) just can't seem to get around to conceiving her. For Heaven's Sake (1950) tells the story of Charles' transformation into a human, named Slim (and patterned after Gary Cooper), ostensibly to assist the child. But human temptations affect Charles in ways he did not expect.

We had mixed reactions to this film. Most of the group found it mildly amusing, whereas I found it annoying. My issues were script related: 1. The child chooses the parents? Really? 2. Having a child will save a bad marriage. 3. When a woman wants to have a baby, she shouldn't tell her husband, she should just get herself pregnant. He'll come around.  For Heaven's Sake was based on a play by Harry Segall, who had a thing about angels. He also wrote the play on which Here Comes Mr. Jordan was based (AFI catalog).

We all agreed, however, that the script was pretty slim (no pun intended). The saving grace of the movie, however, Clifton Webb. Mr. Webb goes along with the silliness of the conceit, and as a result gives an enjoyable performance. According to Sitting Pretty: The Life and Times of Clifton Webb by Clifton Webb and David L. Smith, Mr. Webb was intrigued with the script because he wasn't playing "Clifton Webb."  He was also really intrigued with Charles' portrayal of Slim - it amused him to imitate Gary Cooper, and he was also eager to utter lines that were so linked to film westerns. Mr. Webb shaved his mustache and cut his hair to enhance the Gary Cooper imitation - it was the only sound film in which he didn't have the mustache. According to this TCM article, Mr. Webb said that "I always have children in my pictures because, I'm certain, it's punishment for having lived so long as a bachelor."

Edmund Gwenn was also very good in the role of Arthur. As the stabilizing influence on the actions of the film, he's called upon to respond as Charles' human body begins to react to temptations. Of particular amusement was a scene in which Charles and Arthur set the scene for our little girl's conception. The look on Mr. Gwenn's face especially was something that told the audience what was going on in the bedroom above, yet there was nothing about which the censors could complain.

Gigi Perreau and Tommy Rettig (in the small part of Joe, another child waiting to be conceived) were quite good as well. Ms. Perreau is ALMOST able to make you understand why she has picked the Boltons for her parents. And Mr. Rettig is adorable as a little boy whose parents really long for his arrival, but are unable to financially support a baby.

Joan Blondell (as playwright Daphne Peters) and Joan Bennett, however, are just wasted in the film. Ms. Blondell has about two decent scenes, both of which involve her trying to seduce Charles. Ms. Bennett just gets to be petulant. That the film is not about the women is emphasized by the lack of definition given to their characters. Ms. Blondell was returning to the screen after a three year absence - she had just divorced producer Michael Todd.

Jeff Bolton, on the other hand, has plenty of screen time, and is a totally obnoxious character.  In the spirit of honesty, two of our group are NOT members of the Robert Cummings fan club, and this was not a film in which he engenders any affection.  A lot of it is the fault of the script -  we really need to understand why our little girl wants to be his daughter. Cummings plays him as so self-centered that one wants to yell to the child "RUN AWAY."  Mr. Cummings had a long career, starting in uncredited parts in 1933. His roles varied throughout his career between A- and B-list films; regardless, he appeared in several notable films. Two for Alfred Hitchcock show him at his best - Saboteur (1942) and Dial M for Murder (1954). He was also good as the reluctant prince consort in Princess O'Rourke (1943). After a career on both on the stage and on radio, by the 1950s, Mr. Cummings had made the successful transition to television, with The Bob Cummings Show, and later My Living Doll. Mr. Cummings was married five times, and had seven children (his son Tony is an actor). On the recommendations of colleagues, Mr. Cummings, an advocate of healthy living, became a patient of Dr. Max Jacobson (aka Dr. Feelgood), who succeeded in addicting Mr. Cummings to methamphetamines (he thought he was taking a vitamin mixture). This addiction and Parkinson's Disease affected his ability to get acting jobs. He died in 1990, age 80, of pneumonia and kidney failure in the Motion Picture & Television Country House and Hospital. (New York Times Obituary)

The TCM article listed above says that many of the reviews for the film were favorable, though the New York Times was not impressed. We'll leave you with the trailer for the film, to give you a taste.

Bulldog Ronald

Former British army Captain Hugh "Bulldog" Drummond (Ronald Colman) is finding civilian life to be a bore, so he puts an advertisement in the Times as a lark - advertising his services in exchange for some adventure.  Though most of the replies are nonsensical, one - from Phyllis Benton (Joan Bennett) is not.  She is in extreme danger and needs his help.  Intrigued, Drummond heads out to meet her - where he finds the adventure he seeks.  So begins Bulldog Drummond (1929), a very early sound film, and the first talkie featuring Ronald Colman.

Films from the beginning of the talking film era can be both a blessing and a curse to the modern audience.  It's fascinating to watch the birth of a new technology, but the birth pangs - the unease with the technology, the problems with its limitation, the insecurities of the performers as they try to adapt to a new style of acting - are equally frustrating in an age where CGI makes special effects hyper-realistic.   But these early films often provide a surprise and in this one, the surprise is Ronald Colman, in his first sound film. 

According to this TCM article, "by late 1928, producer Sam Goldwyn was searching for a suitable property for Ronald Colman to transition from silent films to talkies."  The natural choice seemed to be a romance, but Goldwyn decided instead on a mystery film, and was he ever correct!.  Colman is so natural, and so comfortable with sound that he immediately takes command of the film.  While the rest of the actors (especially Lawrence Grant as one of our villains, Dr. Lakington - he all but twirls his mustache!) appear to have some problems making the transition, Colman is never ill at ease.  One wonders what it was like for the viewers, familiar with Colman in silents, first hearing that glorious voice.  Certainly, Goldwyn must have suspected he had a goldmine on his hands!   Colman gives Drummond a joie de vivre that permeates the film, and keeps you wanting to watch it.

The character of Bulldog Drummond was not unfamiliar to the screen.  While this was the first talking film about his exploits, there had previously been two silent films - Bulldog Drummond (1922, a US production with Carlyle Blackwell in the title role) and The Third Round (from the UK in 1925, with Jack Buchanan as Drummond). Nor would this rendition be the last.  Ronald Colman would return as Drummond in 1934's Bulldog Drummond Strikes Back, but in the meantime, two other films would be released with Kenneth MacKenna (Temple Tower, US, 1930) and Ralph Richardson (The Return of Bulldog Drummond, UK, 1934).  In all, there was a total of 23 films featuring the character of Bulldog Drummond  released between 1922 and 1969.  Among the actors who appeared as the character were Ray Milland, Tom Conway, John Howard, and Walter Pidgeon.   The character also was featured on television and radio adaptations. (TheAFI Catalog also discusses the history of the film series).

The series of films is based on the popular novels of H. C. McNeile (aka "Sapper"), who wrote 10 novels between 1920 and 1937.  Sapper was inspired by Sherlock Holmes, Richard Hannay, and The Scarlet Pimpernel in his creation of the character of the gentleman adventurer.   After McNeile's death, the series continued with 7 novels written by Gerard Fairlie (from 1939-1954).  More novels followed in 1967 and 1969, both authored by Henry Raymond.  Later iterations using the character included short stories and graphic novels.

Our two female leads - Joan Bennett as Phyllis and Lilyan Tashman as Erma display different levels of comfort with sound.  Bennett, at age 19, and also appearing in her first talkie, seems strained, though she gives Phyllis a spunky-ness that is appealing - watching her rescue Drummond was a real treat!  Her unease with the new medium would, of course, quickly pass - she would ultimately appear in 98 film and television appearances.  She began her career as a blonde - it wasn't until her character in Trade Winds (1938) needed a disguise that she went to brunette tresses.  The look was so attractive, and opened up such a range of roles (like that greedy Kitty March in Scarlet Street) that she retained the dark locks til the end of her career.

Lilyan Tashman, on the other hand, seems more relaxed with sound.  An interesting actress, the bulk of her career was in silent films.  She was transitioning nicely, when she was diagnosed with cancer.  She died in the hospital, following surgery.  She was 37 years old.

Bulldog Drummond was extremely well received, as evidenced by these reviews from the New York Times and Variety. The film also received two Oscar nominations: for Art Director James Cameron Menzies and Ronald Colman as best actor (he lost to George Arliss in Disraeli.  Technically, both Arliss and Colman were nominated for two appearances that year.  Colman was also cited for Condemned).  We were lucky enough to see an introduction by author James Curtis.  He credits Menzies and his use of storyboards for the fluidity of the film, as well as the use of sound effects which give the film movement and sound simultaneously, something films of this period generally lack.

We wholeheartedly recommend this film, especially if you are a Colman fan - he is a delight! Next week, we'll look at another Drummond film, with one of our favorite actresses, Dorothy MacKaill.

 

Barbara is Back with Fred

Every actor has that little known film that you think should be more highly regarded: There's Always Tomorrow (1956) is one of Barbara Stanwyck's.  In it, she plays Norma Miller Vale, a successful fashion designer who decides to drop in on an old friend, Clifford Groves (Fred MacMurray) while vising Los Angeles on business.  Norma worked for Cliff over 20 years before, when he was a beginning toymaker and she was the designer for his doll clothing.  In the intervening time, he has become a successful businessman with his own toy manufacturing business.  He has a wife, Marion (Joan Bennett) and three children: college man Vinnie (William Reynolds), high-school drama queen Ellen (Gigi Perreau) and middle-school ballerina Frances (Judy Nugent).  Despite his success and a marriage that seems a happy one, Cliff is desperately unhappy - he is virtually ignored by his children, and his wife shows little understanding for his need to connect with her.  So, when Norma shows up on his doorstep, their former friendship rekindles, but into something much deeper.

MacMurray is the focus of most of the film's action.  He shows us a man desperate for a closer relationship with his wife and children, but always ignored by a family that is just too busy for him.  He seemingly has few friends - when his wife is unable to accompany him to the theatre, he has no one to call. The reappearance of Norma gives him a rope to grasp - someone to talk to, something he has not had for a long time.  MacMurray is able to clearly show the conflict within Cliff - he truly loves his wife, but he wants her to be a companion again, not just a mother.

Which brings us to Joan Bennett.  Her Marion is someone who has created an image of herself and her life that is entirely about her children.  She no longer views herself as Cliff's wife - he is secondary to her self-image.  In one scene, Norma shows Marion a stunning evening gown that she believes will be attractive to Cliff.  Marion dismisses it as "too young" for her; of course, it is gorgeous on Ms. Bennett, who has an amazing figure.  But Marion sees herself as old, and certainly not in need of a gown that would be sexually appealing to her husband.

In one scene, Marion runs down the awfully BUSY day she is going to have.  Among her duties - return books to the library, do the marketing.  As working women, we shook our heads in despair - we ran all her errands (minus bringing the youngest child to school) AND hold full time jobs.  And Marion has a housekeeper (Jane Darwell as Mrs. Rogers) - I'm sure it was rather hard for most film audiences to muster any sympathy for this rather privileged woman.

The children are the crux of the movie.  They are rude, selfish, and spoiled.  When their parents are speaking alone in their bedroom, the children walk in unannounced and interrupt.  They are rude to a guest in their parents' home.  Their father is treated by them only as a source of money.  Much of their behavior devolves back to Marion, who doesn't even tell her husband about his youngest daughter's ballet recital.  When Norma finally tells off the older two, you want to cheer.

Stanwyck is, as always, magnificent.  Norma loved Cliff deeply when they were young; it's something she has not really gotten over.  But neither of them is looking for a physical relationship.  They are seeking friendship; but because of Cliff's loneliness, the friendship begins to deepen for both of them.  Stanwyck treads a careful path - make Norma likeable as "the other woman".

To counterbalance the romance of Cliff and Norma, we have the beginning of young love - that of Vinnie and his fiancee Ann (Pat Crowley).  William Reynolds gives us a Vinnie that is a brat - a young man who is still, as Ann tells him, a little boy.  Pat Crowley is wonderful as Ann - she is a grown-up - the only one of the young people who see's Cliff's anguish, and the only one who knows he is not capable of deception.  We looked forward to her scenes; Ann is a great character.
This was not Reynolds first experience with Sirk - he had already appeared as Jane Wyman's selfish son in All That Heaven Allows.  He would go on to a career in television in The F.B.I.  Following that, he left acting to work as a businessman.  The young actresses who played his sisters also eventually left acting.  Gigi Perreau only recently made a few movies, after leaving acting in the 1970s; Judy Nugent (who also worked with Sirk in Magnificent Obsession) stopped acting in the 1962 - shortly after marrying actor Buck Taylor (they divorced in 1983).

This is an excellent movie, with a mature examination of infidelity.  Directed by Douglas Sirk, it is not surprising that the characters are adults.  He had already directed All That Heaven Allows (1955), another film that concentrates on a mature woman.  Our couple are not kids in first love - they are  middle-aged, with a host of adult issues that must be faced.  Interestingly, the film was not all that well received when it was released, as this New York Times review demonstrates.  That's unfortunate, especially now, when we so rarely see films about grown-ups.  Yes, the story is rather ordinary, but the acting and the actors make it very special.  This TCM article is much more appreciative of the subtleties of the narrative and of Sirk's storytelling.  We'll leave you with a trailer from the film:

Joan B. Leaves Home

Joan Bennett and Henry Fonda star in I Met My Love Again (1938).  We meet Julie Weir and Ives Towner while Ives is in school.  He and Julie are deeply in love and wish to marry, but Ives has been convinced by his mother (Dorothy Stickney) to delay the wedding until he is a success.  Two years later, the couple are still engaged, and Julie is frustrated by the delay.  Caught in a storm one night, she seeks refuge in the home of Michael Shaw (Alan  Marshall), and it is lust at first sight.  Julie and Michael elope and move to Paris.  Three years later, she has reason to regret her hasty marriage: Michael refuses to work, they are in debt, have a young daughter, and he is constantly partying.  Those parties prove his downfall - Michael is shot and killed while playing "duel" with another guest.  For the next seven years, Julie attempts to work as a fashion designer.  Finally, a letter from her Aunt William (Dame May Whitty) pulls her back to Vermont and to college professor Ives.

Joan Bennett is excellent in the role of Julie.  She has to literally grow up in front of you, starting as a naive 18 year old and morphing into the 30ish mother of a young child.  This is one of Bennett's last roles as a blonde.  The same year as this film, she reverted to her natural brunette color and never looked back.  She is stunning with dark hair, and her resemblance to sister Constance is minimized.  We have her husband Walter Wanger and Tay Garnett, the director of her film Trade Winds to thank for the change.  It also resulted in a change to her career, making her more appealing as a femme fatale in such films as Scarlet Street, The Woman in the Window and the recently discussed The Housekeeper's Daughter. 

Some really wonderful character performances are highlighted in the film.  First and foremost is Dame May Whitty as Aunt William, the aunt we all want to have in our family.  As is often the case, Dame May gets the best lines in the film.  When the obnoxious Mrs. Towner comes to find out why Julie is back, Aunt William finally loses her temper: "The next time you come for tea, I'll have rat poison in it".  And Stickney is really good as the mother from hell.  You wouldn't want to have the family that Ives has. They are all pieces of work, and the actors do a good job of demonstrating that.  Henry Fonda's role is somewhat weaker than we are used to from him, but like Bennett he does a good job in growing the character from youth to maturity.

Some of our group were not familiar with Alan Marshall, who plays the ne'er do well Michael.  Marshall had a long career, appearing in films and on television until  his death in 1959 of  a heart attack.  At the time, he was appearing on stage with Mae West in Sextette. Also in the cast is Louise Platt, whose most famous role was of Lucy in Stagecoach.  She left the screen for ten years (between 1942 and 1952), returning to do some television, including a year on the soap opera The Guiding Light.  Her only scene with Bennett (which comes at the end of the film) is a doozy.  Watch for it!

Next week, we'll be back with a film from the 1950s.

Ms. (Joan) Bennett Goes Home to Mother

The Housekeeper's Daughter (1939) is a light little comedy that is quite funny.  Hilda (Joan Bennett) has been "working" for Floyd (Marc Lawrence) as his moll and his shill.  She's sick of it, and decides to leave him, returning to the home where her mother, Olga (Peggy Wood) works as housekeeper.  There should be plenty of room in the house, as the family is about to go on vacation.  However, the son and heir, Robert Randall (John Hubbard) decides to stay behind.  He has ambitions to become an crime reporter, and, encouraged by Hilda, he heads to the newspaper office, where he offers his services to Editor Wilson (Donald Meek).  Reporters Deakon Maxwell (Adolph Menjou) and Ed O'Malley (William Gargan) are covering the murder of Gladys Fontaine (Lilian Bond). Randall, in a druken stupor (Deak and Ed have gotten him drunk) is told by Benny - the actual murderer, more on him later - that Glady's dead body was thrown off a house boat.  When that hits the papers, Robert becomes a hero - and the target of Floyd's ranker. 

This flick has a little bit of everything - romance, suspense, mystery, and random silliness.  And while a couple of scenes became tiresome (Deak and Ed on the roof of the Randall house throwing fireworks at each other got ridiculous after a few minutes), mostly this is a fun picture that keeps your attention.  Especially funny were two interactions towards the end of the film between Mrs. Randall (Leila McIntyre) and Editor Wood.  Mrs. Randall's particularly deadpan response to the chaos around her was an absolute riot.

We promised more information on the character of Little Benny.  As portrayed by George E. Stone, you know almost immediately that there is something not quite right about Benny.  Regardless, the women in the film, our victim Gladys Fontaine and Hilda, both seem to find him cute, and both agree to be "his girl".  For Gladys, that promise spells her doom when Benny, who is a master at making poisoned coffee, inadvertently kills Gladys when Benny prepares his deadly potion, intending it for Floyd (who Benny sees as a danger to Gladys).  Stone manages to give Benny a spooky, but also rather cute, demeanor. 

The film has a number of rather appealing actors. Adolphe Menjou is particularly appealing, not the least because it is the older woman, Olga, who captures his heart.  He spends most of the film getting into trouble with a twinkle in his eye.  Also present in the film (he's listed WAY down in the credits) is Victor Mature as Lefty, one of Floyd's gang members.  He's probably the only member of the gang who is likeable, because he is the only one who seems to care about Hilda.

On the other hand, we found John Hubbard  (Robert Randall) to be a rather banal actor.  It turns out we've all seen him on TV and none of us recall him; in fact, I had JUST seen him on an episode of Maverick, and could NOT remember who he was.. Unfortunately, with so many strong character actors, Hubbard just fades into the background.

Joan Bennett is quite lovely.  Her Hilda is strong and attractive, both physically and emotionally.  She is a good influence on Robert Randall, trying to encourage him to follow his dream.  She is kind to Benny, and a loving daughter.  Her biggest fault, of course, is that she lies to her mother and to Robert about her prior "employment".  Bennett had a very long career.  Beginning in the silent era (1916), she worked until 1982. Among her notable films are the 1933 Little Women, Scarlet Street, Woman in the Window,  and Father of the Bride.  As her career started to wane, she became a regular on a soap opera, entitled Dark Shadows, which brought her new fame.  "I feel positively like a Beatle." she is reported to have said about the reactions to Dark Shadows.  She died at aged 80 in 1990. 

A quick note about Lilian Bond, the lovely actress who played our murder victim.  She was, it seems, photographed in the nude by Alfred Cheney Johnston, a photographer who specialized in nudes, and was the photographer for the Ziegfeld Follies (Bond was in both the Follies Earl Carroll's Vanities).  She had a fairly long career - from 1929 until 1958. 

One notable appearance - a tribute to her beauty - is as Lily Langtry, the object "Judge" Roy Bean's adoration in The Westerner.  She died in 1991, at the age of 83.

We leave you with a brief snippet from the film: