Joan's "Lost" Film

Wealthy Letty Lynton (1932) (Joan Crawford) left the United States to live in South America. She's been in an assignation with the domineering  Emile Renaul (Nils Asther), who is insistent that she will never leave him. Letty escapes to a U.S. bound ship, where she meets Jerry Darrow (Robert Montgomery); romance follows, but the threat of Emile is a clear and present danger to Letty's happiness. 

The legend of Letty Lynton has existed since it was taken out of circulation in 1936, following a battle about the copyright of the story.  It was a film I’d always wanted to see (what WAS the Letty Lynton  dress??), and while I normally avoid pirated films, the opportunity to see it on stream from another country was just too tempting to resist.  The copy was pretty awful, which I expected, but the full film was there.  And so we got to watch this Joan Crawford movie we never expected to view.

 

This is Ms. Crawford's film - she is the focus of the story and is in nearly every scene. As good as her supporting cast is, that is what they are - support for the story of Letty's decision to try and change her life.  She's awfully good - we were especially impressed with a scene mid-film in which Letty tries to reconnect with the Mother (May Robson) who emotionally withdrew from Letty when Letty was a child.  Letty's meanderings have been an attempt to avoid her mother's coldness and find some semblance of love. With the possibility of a new life with Jerry, Letty makes one more appeal to her mother. Ms. Crawford never loses her cool but her face reflects the pain she feels as her mother yet again withdraws from her.

We always enjoy Robert Montgomery, and he is very good in what is essentially a minor role. Sure, he’s the romantic lead, but as we mentioned, this is Letty’s story, not his. Mr. Montgomery is able to bring Jerry to a higher level - he gives him an inner strength that is crucial to the film’s ending. Interestingly, he was not the first actor considered - Robert Young was also considered for the part. 

There is nothing in the least attractive about Nils Asther’s Emile. He’s a bully, abusive, and a stalker. If we were supposed to have any sympathy for his passion for Letty, it’s pretty much gone when he shows up at the dock in New York.  Nils Asther started his Hollywood career during the silent era, when his strong Swedish accent didn’t matter. While his career continued into the talkies, it was limited to playing foreigners, like the General in The Bitter Tea of General Yen (1933). He would continue in films and television until 1961. Briefly married to Vivian Duncan, the couple had one daughter. Mr. Asther died in Sweden in 1981 at the age of 84.

The film makes a nice counterpoint between the relationships of Letty and her mother to Jerry's loving and affectionate parents (played by Emma Dunn and Walter Walker). We do have a brief scene with them and Letty - Ms. Crawford again nicely shows the longing Letty feels for such a family dynamic without being over-the-top.

Letty's true mother is played by her maid and confidant, Miranda (Louise Closser Hale). She sweet, if at times a bit muddled, but her affection for Letty is very clear from the start of the film, and her desire to get her charge to a better place is also obvious.  Ms. Hale is a delightful actress, with great range; this film shows another aspect of her talent.

Finally, Lewis Stone  (John J. Haney) drops in as a policy investigator towards the end of the film. He's not very bright, and is rather superfluous to the story.  The scene itself IS necessary to mend a bunch of fences, but Haney is a head-shaker of a police officer.

The New York Times review by Mordaunt Hall was negative; however, the picture was popular - Letty's white dress becoming a fashion sensation.  When the studio attempted re-release, a lawsuit followed (for more information, the AFI catalog details the particulars), and the film was eventually relegated to the archives.  Letty's story may have been influenced by the murderer Madeleine Smith. Her story made the screen in 1950 in the David Lean film Madeleine with Ann Todd as the notorious Ms. Smith

We'll leave you with this scene of Letty and Jerry falling in love. Here's hoping the film is eventually able to be re-released with a decent print.

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Paul Hears an Angel

Guffy McGovern (Paul Douglas) is the foul-mouthed, angry manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The team is in last place in the National League, and his players loathe him.  Sports writer Fred Bayles (Keenan Wynn) hates him - Guffy got him fired from his announcing job with the team - and Bayles is doing his best to return the favor. Then, one evening, Guffy hears a voice, which tells him that, if he can refrain from blaspheming, there will be Angels in the Outfield (1951) to help his team to a pennant.

When this film was suggested to the group, one of the members was reluctant to include it. She's not a baseball fan, and was sure the film would bore her. She later admitted that she enjoyed the film a lot. The beauty of this movie is that, if you are a baseball fan, the film resonates with the enjoyment of the game, and the passion of the fans. If you don't like baseball, it really doesn't matter. Guffy's journey is one that could be anyone - he's a man who has shifted his life into one of anger and misanthropy. The movie is about him searching for the joy that can be present in anyone's life. Baseball is just the jumping off place.

Paul Douglas is excellent as this very conflicted man. From his first appearance, his portrayal makes apparent that his conflicts are very deep. He dislikes everyone - no one on his team is exempt from his fury, not even players like Saul Hellman (Bruce Bennett) who used to be his friend. It's not just that the Pirates aren't winning; Guffy is pushing them into loss. His antagonism results in so much stress that the players freeze, and are unable to get past their anxiety (much like we saw with Pat Pemberton in Pat and Mike). It's enjoyable to see Guffy gradually relax and relate to those around him; we see the man beneath the acrimony and find he can be a pretty nice person. Mr. Douglas was not the first choice for the part - originally, Clark Gable was to have played Guffy (AFI catalog).

While it is true that Janet Leigh (Jennifer Paige) is rather young to play Paul Douglas' love interest (Mr. Douglas was 20 years her senior), she is very convincing as the household hints reporter who is sent to the ballpark to do a human interest piece on the Pirates and McGovern. It's made quite clear that Jennifer has no knowledge of baseball, but she has an inquiring mind, and quickly absorbs the niceties of the game. Ms. Leigh was on the verge of marrying Tony Curtis when she was filming this picture. A photo of her being carried from the ball field by Pirate outfielder Ralph Kiner hit the newspapers, intimating a relationship between the two. Mr. Curtis was assured by Ms. Leigh that it was all a fabrication (Janet Leigh: A Biography by Michaelangelo Capua)

This was Donna Corcoran's (Bridget White) first screen appearance.  She comes from screen stock - her siblings Hugh, Brian, Kelly, Noreen (Kelly on Bachelor Father), and Kevin (Moochie from Spin and Marty) were all actors. She's winning as the little girl who summons the angels to assist her beloved Pirates, and you can well believe the growing affection of the two adults for this winsome child. Ms. Corcoran had a brief acting career; by 1963 (at the age of 21) she had retired from television and film.

There are several other performances of note. The always enjoyable Spring Byington (Sister Edwitha) is fun as the baseball-loving head of the orphanage. Lewis Stone (Arnold P. Hapgood) as a judge tasked with deciding Guffy's competence gets one satisfying segment. Keenan Wynn is appropriately despicable as a nasty sports writer. There are brief appearances by Ellen Corby (Sister Veronica) and Barbara Billingsley (Hat-check Girl); by Bing Crosby (an owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates (TCM article)), Joe DiMaggio, and Ty Cobb. But the standout in his small role is Bruce Bennett. His portrayal of Saul fairly oozes with the exhaustion of a man who is in his last season in a game he loves. Mr. Bennett doesn't often get strong parts, but this is one in which he makes the most of a minor, but crucial role.

Because the marketers thought the overseas market would not understand the word "outfield", the name of the film in Europe was The Angels and the Pirates. In April, 1953, Ms. Leigh and Ms. Corcoran reprized their roles on the Lux Radio Theatre (with George Murphy as Guffy).

In his book Mr. Deeds Goes to Yankee Stadium: Baseball Films in the Capra Tradition,  author Wes D. Gehring discusses the influence of Frank Capra on this film. And certainly this is true. There is a certain Capraesque quality to the film. The New York Times review was primarily positive (though the reviewer wanted the New York Giants to win. I can sympathize). In short, this is an amiable movie well worth watching.  We'll leave you with the trailer.

James and Joan Don't Skate

Larry Hall (James Stewart) has a vision for ice shows - he sees them as extravaganzas, that tell stories through ice dancing and music. He has hired Mary McKay (Joan Crawford), a singer with no skating expertise to participate in his show, but is finding it hard to get jobs. No one wants anything more than skaters doing tricks. But Mary and Larry are in love, and when Mary realizes she is part of the problem, she separates herself from the ice show by talking her way into a film contract. But there is another issue - Mary and Larry have to hide their marriage. Her contract will only allow her to marry with the studio's permission. In celebration of James Stewart Day (August 7th) during the 2019 Summer Under the Stars festival on TCM (and as part of the Summer Under The Stars Blogathon), we'll be discussing Ice Follies of 1939 (1939).

Louis B. Mayer wanted a skating picture to compete with those of 20th Century Fox's Sonja Henie (Musicals in Film: A Guide to the Genre by Thomas S. Hischak), but was unable to find a skating star of Ms. Henie's caliber. So, he took two of his biggest stars, and threw them headfirst into an ice skating extravaganza.  There was, of course, a big issue - neither Joan Crawford nor James Stewart could skate.The solution was avoid showing them on skates - except in the advertisements (see below) - and just talk about them skating.

Given the cast, one would assume that this film from Hollywood's Golden Year would be exceptional. Unfortunately, it's not. The script is so mediocre that it is impossible for the actors to work successfully within it. There are some fun bits (like the running joke about Ms. Crawford's poor skating and a scene in which a doorman calls out the arrival of cars to a variety of MGM stars - great publicity for the studio!!), but by and large, the screenplay is routine, and doesn't capitalize on the skills of the actors.

Why they even bothered to have Lew Ayres as Larry's best friend, Eddie Burgess  is one issue.  He is such a good and engaging actor, and they give him precious little to do. As Larry's best friend, you would think he would serve as a sounding board for Larry when troubles begin, but the character is shipped out the minute problems begin. He reappears when things are looking up for Larry, and the only function he serves is as a sort of Yes Man for Larry's plan. By having Mr. Ayres in the part, you expect more, and are disappointed when he is gone.

Joan Crawford was likely never supposed to skate, but she was supposed to sing. She recorded three songs for the production, but all were cut (AFI Catalog), and when she does sing, her voice is dubbed. Ms. Crawford would later state that the reason for the cuts were Jeannette MacDonald's jealousy of Ms. Crawford's vocal talents (TCM article). The very idea is idiotic; we've heard Ms. Crawford sing (Dancing Lady (1933)), and she's no coloratura.

One shock is the design of Ms. Crawford's appearance in the film (see above) - her hair is darkened and parted in the middle; her makeup is more elaborate. Given how protective Ms. Crawford was of her appearance, it's a surprise she would have consented to this new look! Ms. Crawford was not happy with the production, so MGM gave her a juicier part that same year - Crystal Allen in The Women.

Lewis Stone's  Douglas Tolliver Jr. - the head of Monarch Studio - is the image that Louis B. Mayer wanted the public to believe was him, but, of course is not. Tolliver hires Mary because she says she doesn't want to be an actress (after she forces her way into his office, allegedly to collect $20 for damage caused by his chauffeur to Eddie's car). He's sweet, supportive, and a genuinely nice man. Ah, would that life imitated art!

Lionel Stander is also present as producer Mort Hodges. Like Tolliver, he is a good guy, and Mr. Stander plays him as the one person who believes in Larry's dream. Mr. Stander was about to have problems with HUAC (in 1940) that would continue on until he was blacklisted in 1951 (You can read his bold stand before the committee: The McCarthy Hearings by Philip Brooks). He eventually settled in Italy, where he appeared in spaghetti westerns like Once Upon a Time in the West (1968). When the TV series It Takes a Thief was filming in Italy, Robert Wagner asked Mr. Stander to appear in an episode of the show. This would lead to Mr. Stander's casting as Max, the man-of-all-work to the Harts in Hart to Hart. Mr. Stander died in 1994, aged 86, of lung cancer.

Which brings us to our Star of the Day, James Stewart. Like Ms. Crawford, he was unimpressed with the script. He plays Larry as a decent guy, who's trying to be supportive of his wife's carer - even to the point of cooking and cleaning as she supports them financially. But without anyone to bounce off, the character flounders, and it's hard for the audience to get to know him. There's precious little chemistry between him and Ms. Crawford, but he gives as good a performance as he can, given the limits of the script.  He too would see better days that same year - he would appear in both Destry Rides Again and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, and be nominated for the Best Actor Oscar for the latter performance.

The New York Times review by Frank S. Nugent was negative ("Far be it from us to rap one of Mr. Rapf's more glittering productions; what we mildly object to is the fact that the glitter does not extend to the dialogue,"); the New York Herald Tribune said Ms. Crawford "should avoid this type of film in future, where she has to buck poor material, a group of specialists and Metro's own lavishness" (Skating on Air: The Broadcast History of an Olympic Marquee Sport by Kelli Lawrence). All in all, The Follies were a folly, but it did give Mr. Stewart the opportunities that would advance his career greatly (leading to his Oscar win for The Philadelphia Story the following year.

We'll leave you with a trailer,

And a suggestion that you visit some of the other Stars in the Summer Under The Stars Blogathon!

Robert and Norma Dance

The Marletts seem like a happy family. Daughter Lucia (Norma Shearer), or Lally as she is fondly called, adores both her parents, and they seemingly have a strong marriage. But all is not as it appears; Henry (Hal) Marlett (Lewis Stone) leaves his wife Harriet (Belle Bennett) for Beth Cheevers (Helene Millard). The separation alienates Lally from her father, and sours her on men. She decides (at the urging of her mother) to never marry. But that resolve is short-lived after meeting Jack (Robert Montgomery) at a party. Their Own Desire (1929) tells the story of what may be a doomed relationship.

Both Ms. Shearer and Mr. Montgomery are quite good as the young lovers. Ms. Shearer was already an experienced silent actress, and this was her third talking film; Mr. Montgomery came to film directly from the New York stage, and seems comfortable in what is for Hollywood a new medium.  He and Ms. Shearer would eventually appear in five films together (this was their first). Their acting (and that of Lewis Stone) is surprisingly subdued, given the film's proximity to the silent era. Ms Shearer would be nominated for an Oscar for her work as Lally, however she lost to herself in The Divorcee (TCM article).

Belle Bennett, however is still acting as though she is in a silent film - there is much emoting, much throwing her body around to convey emotions she has just spoken. As a result, the character of Harriet appears emotionally unstable. But Harriet is also written as being quite selfish. Certainly, she's had a hard blow with her husband's betrayal, but to force a promise from her young daughter to never marry and stay always with her is tantamountly unfair. Ms. Bennett had had a long career in silent films - her first was in 1913. Whether she would have ultimately made the transition to sound is unclear - she died of cancer in 1932, at the age of 41.

The part of Beth Cheevers is horribly underwritten. We have no clue as to why Hal would love her. At first, one wonders if she is a gold-digger, but as the story unfolds, we are informed that her former husband (whom she divorced to marry Hal) was quite well off financially. As written, Beth seems an unconcerned mother, a cold wife, and a nasty rival. All and all, Helene Millard is given little to work with, and nothing she does makes Beth relate-able.

Though based on a novel that was released the year before the film (AFI catalog), the script leaves something to be desired. Some plot aspects are problematic, as if the writers don't seem to know whether to concentrate on our young lovers, or on their parents. There is a scene in which Hal and Beth go to the country club and are shunned by their former friends. It's one scene, and it goes nowhere. The audience is going to find it hard to sympathize with either of them, so it is unclear why time is taken up with it. This is, however, definitely a pre-code film - witness that our adulterers are never punished for their actions, and there is a suggestion that Lally and Jack spend a night of passion together.

While the script is no great shakes, and some of the acting is dated, the interactions between Ms. Shearer and Mr. Montgomery is certainly worth the short running time of the film.  We'll leave you with this early scene, in which Lally and Jack share a dance.

Jean is in Paris

Suzy (1936) stars Jean Harlow as Suzanne "Suzy" Trent, an American showgirl living in London during the first World War.  She meets inventor Terry Moore (Franchot Tone), who quickly falls in love with Suzy and convinces her to marry him.  But when Terry is murdered by a group of German spies, Suzy, afraid she will be accused of the crime, runs to Paris.  There, she meets a French flyer, Andre Charville (Cary Grant); it's nearly love at first sight, and the two quickly wed.  Things get complicated when she discovers that Terry was not killed in the attack, and that Andre still has an eye for the ladies.

As always, Jean Harlow is wonderful in a part that could come off as rather sleazy, but in her capable hands becomes charming.  Suzy announces her ambitions to marry a rich man in the first scene, but when push comes to shove, she is just too intrinsically honest to let money influence her decisions.  Certainly, some bits of the plot seem transparent - we KNOW the German spies will be back, and we are aware that Terry is alive when Suzy thinks he's been murdered.  In spite of this, it's a story that keeps you involved, with just enough twists to keep you engaged.  And while this TCM article comments that at least one reviewer felt that casting Harlow in a drama was a huge waste of her talents (likewise this New York Times review would banish her completely to comedy), her subtle humor is a big help in the film, and her dramatic talents completely live up to the script.

It's always a pleasure to see Cary Grant in anything - even when he is a cad (and a third billed cad at that!)  He's one year away from his magnificent (and arguably starmaking) performance in The Awful Truth, but his aura is already there.  When he's on screen, it's hard to take your eyes off him.  He had been loaned to by Paramount to MGM for this film, much to his disgust.  It was only when he was allowed to work with screenwriter Lenore Coffee to make his character more palatable that he agreed to participate.  The work shows.  He and Coffee create a man who is a scamp, a spoiled brat used to getting his own way.  But they imbue him with just the right amount of charm so that the audience understands Suzy's deep love for him.  It's interesting to note that Clark Gable was at one point considered for the role.

Suzy really has two loves in the Charville household - her affection for Baron Charville (Lewis Stone) is also boundless.  The Baron is initially horrified at his son's impetuous marriage to a showgirl, but grows to love her for her caring ways.  Lewis Stone, who would go on to acclaim as Judge Hardy in the Andy Hardy series, is quite wonderful in this film.  With just the slightest flicker in his eye, he conveys both his affection for Suzy as well as the knowledge that the letters she is reading from his neglectful son are made up for the Baron's benefit.  Much as she truly loves Andre, by film's end we know that her actions are motivated more by her love for her father-in-law.

Andre's paramour, Madame Diane Eyrelle is played by Benita Hume.  Ms Hume started her acting career on the London stage (she would also appear in one Broadway play in 1930), switching to film acting in 1925.  In 1926, she appeared in Easy Virtue, directed by Alfred Hitchcock and written by Noel Coward.  She segued easily into talkies, but was primarily relegated to supporting roles.  When she married Ronald Colman in 1938, she retired from films, though she did frequently appear on the Jack Benny radio show with her husband, playing Benny's neighbors.  Eventually, the Colmans even had their own radio (and later TV) show, The Halls of Ivy.  Colman died in 1958.  The following year, Ms. Hume wed George Sanders, a union which lasted until her death of bone cancer in 1967.  Below is a small piece from Colman and Hume in the TV version of The Halls of Ivy (from 1955, with a little Mary Wickes for good measure!):

We'll end today with the scene, noted in this entry from the AFI Catalog as one that is frequently shown in retrospectives.  And why not - we get to hear both Jean Harlow (dubbed) and Cary Grant (not dubbed) sing! The song, "Did I Remember" (Music by Walter Donaldson; Lyrics by Harold Adamson), was nominated for an Oscar in 1936 (It lost to "The Way You Look Tonight" from Swing Time, Music by Jerome Kern; Lyrics by Dorothy Fields).

Joan Checks In

Our latest movie is Grand Hotel, wherein Joan Crawford appears as Flaemmchen, a stenographer who almost falls into a fate worse than death.  Released in 1932, this movie certainly falls into the Precode period.  With a stellar cast, that includes John and Lionel Barrymore, Greta Garbo, Wallace Beery, and Jean Hersholt, the movie runs several different plotlines that have all managed to intersect by the conclusion of the film.  Most famous as the source of Greta Garbo's most famous line ("I want to be alone"), Grand Hotel is a showcase for MGM's biggest stars. 

The relationship of Crawford's Flaemmchen, John Barrymore's Baron, and Lionel Barrymore's Kringelein is perhaps the most enjoyable part of the movie.  There is a real chemistry among the three, and watching the two Barrymore brothers bounce off one another is a delight.  We also get to watch Crawford's character become infatuated with the Baron (who, of course, is falling in love with the ballerina Grusinskaya - played by Garbo).  When we get  to the conclusion, with Flaemmchen falling into a temptation she finds almost impossible to resist, the Baron getting into a predicament he cannot escape, and General Director Preysing (Wallace Beery) finally getting his comeuppance, we find ourselves mostly satisfied with the ending, if a little saddened by its inevitability.

If you get the opportunity to see the DVD of this film, do check out the excellent mini-documentary that is included in the special features - it is a real treat.  This trailer will give you a look at all the stars:

As Dr.Otternschlag (Lewis Stone) tells us, "Grand Hotel... always the same. People come, people go. Nothing ever happens."  But of course, it does, and with life-changing effects.  Next time, join us for another star-studded Crawford film.