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: 

Five Stars to Remember

To celebrate National Classic Movie Day, I'm going to break with our usual post, and contribute to the Five Stars Blogathon!  I'll be sharing with you today some of my favorite actors, and why I think you should give some of their films a look.

It would be easy to go with the well-remembered stars - Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, Tyrone Power, Errol Flynn, Bette Davis, Clark Gable, Grace Kelly are all high on my list.  But you've all heard of them, and undoubtedly have seen many of their films. So, I'm going to select some actors whose work you might not have viewed, or who don't come to mind in classic film discussions.  All have films we've reported on in this blog, and I hope you will click over and learn more about these wonderful actors.

Kay Francis

Ms. Francis started her career on the Broadway stage, but by 1929, she had begun a film career that extended over 69 films and 17 years.  Most famous perhaps for a lisp that made the letter r sound a bit like Elmer Fudd, Ms. Francis was an attractive woman who WORE dresses (they never wore her).  During the early part of her career, she was often the lead in "women's pictures" - lots of gorgeous clothing and jewelry, and much suffering on her part.  But these were roles she owned.  She had a strength that shone from her eyes, and when you watched her being menaced, she always seemed to know how to keep control of the situation. One of her best roles was as the woman on trial in Confession (1937).  We see her murder Basil Rathbone, seemingly in cold blood, but WHY? Ms. Francis keeps you wondering throughout the film; her mastery of her art is exceptional.

She was also quite comfortable in comedies. Witness her standout performance in Trouble in Paradise (1932), and her suggestive and fascinating exchanges with Herbert Marshall.  If you've never seen some of her later work, where she got to be a villain, you are missing a real treat.  Try In Name Only (1939) where she plays Cary Grant's manipulative and greedy wife. It's a shame that, by 1939 (as a result of being called Box Office Poison), Warner Brothers was relegating her to supporting roles.  But, even so, she took these roles and ran with them.

When World War II broke out, Ms. Francis devoted herself to entertaining the troops (Four Jills in a Jeep (1944) is a somewhat fictionalized account of that work); after the War, she returned briefly to films and tried her hand at producing at Monograph studios.  Sure, the scripts and production values were low, but Kay dominated her parts - take a look at Divorce (1945) and watch her make mincemeat out of Bruce Cabot. By 1946, she was done with films; she made a couple of TV appearances, and went back to the stage. She retired in the early 1950s, but left us a legacy of delightful film performances.

Claude Rains 

Was there any role Claude Rains could not play? From Shakespeare to Shaw, playing villain or lover, a man of honor or a man to revile, he could do it all.  Let's begin with the start of his film career, The Invisible Man (1933), in which he was literally ALL voice.  We see his character briefly, but for the greater part of the film, he is invisible, conveying his increasing mental illness with his voice alone. Five years later, he played Prince John in The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), and managed to slide past the censors a subtle performance in which John is decidedly effeminate (Claude Rains: An Actor's Voice by David K. Skal and Jessica Rains).  That same year, he would appear as the loving and supportive father to Four Daughters (1938), in a role with both humor and dignity.

You can't mention Claude Rains without mentioning his performance as Captain Louis Renault Casablanca (1942) ("I'm shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!"), or his sympathetic portrayal of Dr. Jaquith in Now, Voyager (1944).  But the two performances that, for me, are truly unforgettable are Job Skeffington and Julius Caesar.  In Mr. Skeffington (1944), he again appears with Bette Davis (they had already appeared in Juarez (1939) and Now, Voyager). But this time, he is the sympathetic character - a man passionately in love with a careless and often demeaning wife.  In lesser hands, Job would have appeared merely as doormat; under Rains skillful control, Job is a good man who made an unwise choice.

When he appeared in Caesar and Cleopatra (1945), he made no attempt to disguise the fact that he was over 20 years older than his co-star, Vivien Leigh.  He uses his age to good effect - Caesar is a more a tutor than a lover, and entertained by the young queen's advances. He certainly is not immune to her charms, but Rains maintains an amusement, both with Cleopatra, and with himself.

Thankfully for us, Mr. Rains continued working until a few years before his death at age 77, leaving us a legacy of films, and radio and television performances to relish.

Thelma Ritter 

You just cannot sing the praises of Thelma Ritter too much.  Sure, she's funny, but give her a dramatic role, and she will run with it.  She was in her 40s when she started acting in films, and gave us performances that are truly unforgettable. Just think about Miracle on 34th Street (1947).  She has TWO scenes, and you remember her throughout the film, even though she is uncredited in it (as well as in A Letter to Three Wives (1949)).  When she disappears from All About Eve (1950), you wonder where she is; and you keep wanting her to return in Rear Window (1954).

Two of the performances that are high on my list are as different as noir and day.  In 1953, Ms. Ritter entered the world of Film Noir as Moe Williams in Pickup on South Street.  A peddler of necktimes and information, Moe is a rather seedy individual.  Ms. Ritter gives her a soul; Moe may be down, but she has her own code, and her life is her own.  Compare Moe to Ellen McNulty in The Mating Game (1951).  Again, Ms. Ritter is a poor woman, but a lady with spunk. Her desire to see her son happy, and to get to know his new wife without intimidating her is a pleasure to behold. We like her son Val (John Lund) BECAUSE of Ellen's unquestioning love.

 Ms. Ritter left us 43 television and film performances; she worked until her death of a heart attack at age 66.  I'm greedy, I wish there were more.

Ricardo Cortez

Ricardo Cortez began his career in silents. His parts at the time tended to be Latin lovers in the Valentino mold, but with the advent of talkies, the New York City born Jake Krantz changed directions.  He was often cast as the heavy, but had his share of leading man roles. He excelled in all of them.  

In Ten Cents a Dance (1931), he treads a fine line - we are never sure if he is the hero or the villain until the very end. However, in Mandalay (1934), he is one of the most truly despicable men you could ever meet.  He played Sam Spade in 1931's The Maltese Falcon, Perry Mason in The Case of the Black Cat (1936), and the slightly shady, but best of friends to Kay Francis in The House on 56th Street (1933).  

Mr. Cortez worked steadily throughout the 1920s and 1930s, but his acting career started to peter out in the 1940s.  He had directed a few films, but ultimately opted to leave the film industry for a new career as a stockbroker.  In 1958, he appeared in his last film, The Last Hurrah and two years later he was in an episode of Bonanza (playing a Latino!). Ricardo Cortez is an unknown gem of an actor, and one I recommend you seek out.

Barbara Stanwyck

Yes, I said I was going to concentrate on the underappreciated actors of the Classic Era, but to my mind, Barbara Stanwyck should be better known and admired.  Years ago, when going on my first job interview, I needed a focus for my demeanor. I thought about Katharine Hepburn, but it was wrong. So was Rosalind Russell.  But Barbara Stanwyck was perfect for me - a woman who projected an aura of strength and intelligence, who brooked no nonsense, but could also be kind and understanding. 

She started her career with talkies in 1929, and never really looked back. Her work in pre-code films is something to see - start with Baby Face (1933) and Night Nurse (1931) to see just a sample of her nuanced performances. She could do drama (Stella Dallas (1937)), comedy (my personal favorite, Ball of Fire (1941)), farce (the brilliant The Lady Eve (1941), suspense (Cry Wolf (1947)), romance (Remember the Night (1940)), and westerns (The Moonlighter (1953)).  She could be a convincing victim (Sorry, Wrong Number (1948), and an even more persuasive villain (Double Indemnity(1944)). She even could elevate a B movie to a new level (The Night Walker (1964)). 

Rather than appear in inferior films, Ms. Stanwyck moved over to television to continue her career; The Big Valley showcased her talent and her tremendous beauty.  One of her last television roles was as Mary Carson in The Thorn Birds (1983). Watch her lust after the considerably younger Richard Chamberlain in the scene below:

Missy, as she was called by her friends, was much admired by her co-stars, such as Linda Evans, as well as the crew on her various sets. Her co-star in Golden Boy (1939). William Holden, credited her with his success in the business - she worked with him in his first film role, helping him prepare for scenes. Holden would be instrumental in campaigning for the Honorary Oscar that Ms. Stanwyck finally received in 1982.  It was an honor long overdue, and I think that, if you give some of her movies a viewing, you'll agree she was one of our greatest stars.

So, for National Classic Movie Day, why not put some popcorn in a bowl and settle down with one of these marvelous actors - or pick one of your own. You'll be glad you did!

Bette Loves a Druggist

This week, we returned to the pre-code period, and early to an Bette Davis effort (back when she was blonde) with The Big Shakedown (1934).  Bette plays Norma Nelson, a clerk in the neighborhood pharmacy run by her fiancé, chemist Jimmy Morrell (Charles Farrell).  Jimmy is an easygoing sort, who runs his store more as a local gathering place than as a business.  He's not able to afford for he and Norma to marry, and he is being threatened by a large pharmacy chain that wants to buy him out for peanuts.  Enter Dutch Barnes (Richardo Cortez), a bootlegger who is finding it hard to pedal his wares now that Prohibition is over.  Dutch has a brainstorm - hire Jimmy to pirate PearlyDent toothpaste; Dutch will then sell the identical, but more cheaply made product for less money.  Norma is furious when Jimmy agrees to the scheme, but Jimmy doesn't see the problems (he's making it, after all. He's not SELLING it). Things get complicated, however, when Dutch decides to branch out, first into cosmetics, but then into pharmaceuticals.  And by then, Jimmy can't get out.
 
The strength of Bette Davis' personality is a real plus in this film.  Charles Farrell's Jimmy is so lackluster that Davis dominant personality gives the film the power that it needs.  In this TCM article, the reviewer laments that Davis as the good girl is wasted, but we think not.  Without the character's innate integrity and willingness to stand up for what is right, the picture would flounder.  You believe that Davis is able to disregard Jimmy AND the mobsters.

One of the wiser choices of the writers is to begin with a fairly inane crime (counterfeiting toothpaste), provide it with some humor (a group of fairly dumb gangsters - including Allen Jenkins - taste testing the product), but then build up to the true crimes: blackmarket drugs, murder, and the destruction of a company.  
Besides Davis, we're treated to two of our favorites - Glenda Farrell as Lilly Duran, Dutch's mistress, and Ricardo Cortez.  Farrell here gets to play both the ditsy blonde and the wronged woman.  Where at first you think that Lily is rather stupid, you quickly discover she's quite smart and observant.  She's also the wrong person to cross, to her misfortune.

Cortez provides a villain who is smart, disarmingly charming, and deadly.  He's seductive, a human cobra sucking in anyone who peers too deeply into his eyes.   Dutch knows how to gauge people's weaknesses, but ultimately his reach exceeds his grasp.  Our group has a fondness for Cortez, an actor who, unfortunately, is not well remembered today.  Born Jacob Krantz in New York City, he started in silents, with studio executives billing him as a Latin lover (to get in on the Rudolph Valentino craze).  While that worked before pictures spoke, sound was a give-away that Cortez, with his Lower East Side accent, was not a Latino.  So, while his roles changed, his popularity did not.  He played more character parts; often the villain, though sometimes a good guy (see Ten Cents a Dance; he's quite good!) He even played Perry Mason at one point (The Case of the Black Cat, 1936).  He appeared in over 100 films, and directed 7.  By the mid 1940s, he was finding parts hard to get, so he "retired" and became a successful stockbroker (though he did appear in two films in the 1950s, and even was in an episode of Bonanza!  Cortez died in 1977 at the age of 76. 

That this is a pre-code film is apparent, even though it came out as the Code was going into closer effect.  A murderer is left unpunished, and our lead character (while he does have to pay a price for his deeds) really doesn't suffer all that much in the long-run.  Fellow blogger at Pre-code.com disliked the film; New York Times, however, rather liked it. While this is not great literature (and drug counterfeiting plot notwithstanding, it surely is NOT The Third Man), we think it is worth a look.  The trailer below will give you a taste. 

Barbara's Lost

Barbara Stanwyck returns as another literary heroine in A Lost Lady (1934).  Marian Ormsby (Stanwyck) is happily celebrating her wedding - she's supposed to marry the next day - when her fiance, Ned Montgomery (Phillip Reed) is gunned down by the angry husband of a woman with whom Ned has been carrying on an affair.  Stunned into a stupor, Marian is convinced to go away to recuperate.  While out for a walk, she falls down an incline, breaking her leg.  She's rescued by Daniel Forrester (Frank Morgan), a wealthy lawyer who is immediately fascinated by this lost lady.  As she begins to heal from her physical and emotional wounds, he proposes marriage.  Though she doesn't love him, she consents to be his wife, and finds happiness for a time in the safety of his love.  But not for long - for other men are attracted to her: Neil Herbert (Lyle Talbot), Dan's protege and Frank Ellinger (Ricardo Cortez), an aviator who crashes - literally - into her life.

The film is based on the novel by Willa Cather, though the link between this story and Cather's novel is thin at best.  In their review of the film, the New York Times called the novel of A Lost Lady "a genuine American masterpiece," with a film that is "mediocre... by comparison".  But according to A Life of Barbara Stanwyck: Steel True 1907-1940, other reviewers were  not nearly so kind, and neither was Cather - who didn't want any further adaptations of her work.  In fact, her will banned any further film adaptations of her works (along with publications of her letters.  The ban on both was recently lifted by the Willa Cather Trust, as outlined in this New York Times report.)  For someone who's work so focused on the American frontier, and the people who built it, seeing Cather's work made into a mere romantic triangle on rich people from the east must have been very hard for the author, and her fans, to stomach.  While it is undeniably hard to successfully adapt a masterpiece of literature to the screen; script-wise, this adaptation doesn't even come close (and more to the point, doesn't really try).  For more on Cather, visit Willa Cather: The Road is All from American Masters. 

If you go into the film acknowledging that it's not Cather's book, it does have some enjoyable moments, mostly because of the excellent acting of the four leads.  Stanwyck is, as always, exceptional as Marian, a woman who seems unable to select the right man.  And Ricardo Cortez is wonderful; he gives Frank Ellison a subtle shadiness that is perfect for the character, and makes Frank a mirror image of the deceased Ned Montgomery - both men who are more interested in conquest than in love.  Originally, the cast would have included Kay Francis and John Eldredge (see this AFI article.  Eldredge's part is not specified.  Probably, he was being considered for one of the roles that eventually went to Cortez or Talbot).

Lyle Talbot is excellent as Neil, the honorable man who loves Marian from afar, because of his regard for Daniel.  Talbot provides a moral compass in the film, both in his relationship with the Forresters, and in his dislike of the relationship between Marian and Frank. Talbot had a remarkably long and noteworthy career, beginning almost with talkies (he had a lovely voice, in my opinion), and continuing until 1987 (he died at age 94, in 1996).  When film work - primarily as the lead in B movies - began to elude him, he transitioned gracefully to television, appearing on episodes of shows such as The George Burns and Gracie Allen Show (where he had a recurring part), Bonanza, and Newhart.  His film career was notable: we've already seen him in She Had to Say Yes (1933), Mandalay (1934), and No More Orchids (1934).  His life was recently detailed by his daughter, Margaret Talbot, in her book The Entertainer: Movies, Magic and My Father’s Twentieth Century.

Finally, there is Frank Morgan who shines as Daniel Forrester.  It's hard to make a character who is kind and gentle come across as anything but weak, but Morgan does it.  He gives us a characterization that is pure in heart, but deep in his love for Marian and his desire to build a life with her.  According to this TCM article, he was made up to look far older than his 44 years (though he never really looked young!)  In a few more years, Morgan would be cast in the film that would probably gift him with eternal fame - The Wizard of Oz (1939), but he appeared in over 100 films, and was impressive in all of them. 

We will leave you with a trailer from the film, where you can glimpse some of the lovely gowns designed by Orry-Kelly.  While not a great film, it's certainly worth your time for the excellent acting that is on display; for plot, read the book instead:

Barbara's Love Nest Revisited

As promised, we again return to Illicit, which we've reviewed on two separate occasions (to read those, please visit my reviews from last November - when I saw it in a theatre - and in January of 2013.)  This time, we talked about the film in comparison to Ex-Lady, a remake of this 1931 film.

The plots are very similar; a young woman, deeply in love with a young man, disdains marriage, but is finally convinced to wed the man, and finds her prophesy of unhappiness is coming true.  In both films, we have past lovers who interfere with the marriage.  But there are substantial differences, and those changes mpact the remake.

Illicit makes quick reference to Anne Vincent (Stanwyck)'s reasons for disliking marriage - her parents were divorced.  The only other parental figure we meet is Dick's father, who is a good and kind man.  No spouse is ever mentioned for Mr. Ives, Sr.  As a result, Anne's reluctance to wed is rather unspecific.  Ex-Lady, however, gives us a clearer picture of Helen Bauer (Bette Davis)'s abhorrence to marriage.  In one brief scene, we are shown the horrible marital example Helen has lived with her entire life - her domineering father, and her passive, obviously abused, mother.  Given a graphic example of Helen's family relationship, it's little wonder she despises marriage.  Also, unlike Anne, Helen is extremely career-focused and has a marketable skill.  We have to assume that Anne is independently wealthy - we never actually see her doing anything. 

On the other hand, the reason for the couple's separation is much clearer in Illicit.  Dick and Anne are never with one another. They are always partying, and the intrusion of their exes is much more evident.  Another big factor is Dick's obvious lack of a career or of any kind of ambition (other than carousing).  In Ex-Lady, Don's jealousy of Helen's more successful career seems to starts the downward spiral (though Don was aware of her work ethic before their marriage). 

While Ex-Lady is 12 minutes shorter, there is more depth to the characters.  We never felt that we got enough screen time or development of Ricardo Cortez' Price in Illicit.   Monroe Owsley, however, gets much more of a chance to flesh out the "other man, " Nick, who he portrays as a total swine; he's oily and rather revolting.  When Ricardo Cortez plays the same character, you don't like him, but he's not quite as slimy, though he should be.

All in all, we love Stanwyck, we're not keen on Raymond, but Ex-Lady came out with a slightly higher thumbs up from the group.  That extra bit of character development, and the strengthening of the lead female role made the film a lot more appealing.  Here's a scene from Illicit. 

Barbara's Test Marriage

Back in January, our group watched Illicit, a fascinating precode with Barbara Stanwyck.   As part of the AFI tribute to Stanwyck, I was able to see it again, this time in a theatre.  As always, a big screen does make a difference in your viewing experience.

Stanwyck is Anne Vincent;  Anne is deeply in love with Dick Ives (James Rennie), but is terrified of marrying him.  Marriage, she believes, will destroy their love, just as it destroyed her parents' love for one another.  Though Dick is sure she is wrong, he is willing to continue their current arrangement (each has an apartment, but they visit overnight on a regular basis) until his father (Claude Gillingwater) reveals that their affair is the subject of gossip.  Anne agrees to marry, but within a couple of years, Anne is distressed to discover that her prediction has come true.  Dick is more concerned with being out with friends than with her.  And he has seemingly succumbed to the charms of his ex-girlfriend,  Margie True (Natalie Moorhead).  

The film is very careful to set up similar romantic situations for our hero and heroine.  Dick rejected Margie when he met Anne; Anne left Price Baines (Ricardo Cortez) for Dick.  Both exes are eager to win back their former love; but while Dick is easily led by Margie, Anne is not deceived at all by Price.  Try as he might, Price cannot get Anne to betray Dick, even after she knows that Dick has been seeing Margie.  In fact, Anne seems to find Price rather distasteful in his pursuit of her.  Stanwyck nearly cringes at his advances, and is quite prepared to throw him out of her home (and one suspects she could do it, too)  Both Margie and Price are vain, predatory individuals.  They don't so much love as seek to possess.  One can imagine that, once they win their battle, they will start seeking other prey.  Anne possibly is able to see this.  It takes Dick quite a long time to understand Margie.

Another couple (of sorts) is also thrown into the mix.  We have Charles Butterworth as the always inebriated Georgie, and his constant companion Helen "Duckie" Childers (Joan Blondell in a fairly small part). Where Georgie is a lush, "Duckie" (who does like to party) is sober, and is a good friend to Anne, while Georgie is busy gossiping about Anne and Dick.  Playing a society girl, Blondell still retains her brash appeal.  The good news is, she gets better clothing; the bad news is that she isn't on the screen often enough. 

This TCM article gives some picture of the critical reception of the film.  While some local censor boards banned the film, The New York Times was pleased with the story, giving the cast overall approval for their work. 

The film still has a great deal of appeal because it still seems so timely.  This trailer will give you a taste of this interesting movie:

Loretta Goes to Work

1931's Big Business Girl features Loretta Young as  Claire McIntyre, a woman just out of secretarial school.  She is in love with musician Johnny Saunders (Frank Albertson), but her debts from school force her to let him journey off alone to a lucrative gig, while she looks for work in New York City. After landing a job as a stenographer, she is able to get into see advertising executive Robert J. Clayton (Ricardo Cortez), who, impressed with her ad copy (and her looks) promotes her to copywriter.  Claire inadvertently overhears Clayton's assessment of her skills and appearance, and decides to use her wiles to further advance her career.  Re-enter Johnny, and sparks begin to fly, as Johnny is furious at Claire's dedication to her job, as well as Clayton's obvious interest in her sexually.

Looking back from the vantage of 2013, one could see Claire eventually suing Clayton for sexual harassment, but this is 1931, and neither his actions (nor her's) is at all bothersome.  We won't go into too much detail as to Johnny's reactions, because that would give away a big surprise that is revealed in the middle of the film.  But there is a lot of petulance on the side of Johnny (Frank Albertson is rather good at petulance.  Witness his Freddie Miller in Bachelor Mother) and sliminess on the part of Cortez (which we all know from many movies he too is very good at portraying).  And Loretta skirting the edge of being the slightest bit racy.  The fact that Claire is quite talented at her job (and is very careful to not lead Clayton on too far) makes her just barely moral.  But this is a pre-code film, so that titillation value is there.

There is also a nice surprise towards the end of the movie - an appearance by Joan Blondell.  Telling more than that would give away too much of the plot, but the she is a riot.  Here is a clip that will give you a taste of the movie (and of Ms. Blondell): 



While not a great movie, this is an interesting film that is worth seeing.  Just for Young and Cortez alone, it worth the just little over an hour of your time.

Barbara Dances

We again visit Barbara Stanwyck in the precode era, with the wonderful Ten Cents a Dance from 1931.  As taxi dancer Barbara O'Neill, Stanwyck is smart and honest.  She has caught the eye of wealthy businessman Bradley Carlton (Ricardo Cortez), however she is much more interested in Eddie Miller (Monroe Owsley), a down-on-his-luck neighbor.  She asks Bradley to give Eddie a job, which Bradley does.  Eddie asks her to marry him, which Barbara does.  However, Eddie is a cad - more interested in currying favor with former wealthy friends than being a decent husband, he wastes his money on fine clothing and gambling.  And he begins to have an affair with Nancy Sheridan (Martha Sleeper).  Which leaves Barbara struggling to pay the rent.

Monroe Owsley is here at his oily best.  It is sad that he died so very young - he died following a car accident, at the age of 37, his career just starting to take off.  We had seen him before, of course (in The Keyhole, which we discussed a bit ago). But here, though just as slimy, he has a more rounded character.  You want to see Eddie the way Barbara does at first, but Owsley lets us under his curtain. We see the weakness and the just plain callousness that lies beneath the surface.  Here's a scene between the two of them.
Again, we get treated to Ricardo Cortez playing a good guy.  At first, one is not quite sure of Bradley Carlton's motives. He seems like a good man, but is he just another man out for a good time? We see him through Barbara's eyes, and at first eye him with the same jaundiced glance that she has.  We want to like him, but like her, we need to discover what is under the surface. We're big fans of Cortez, and always find it a pleasure to see him as the hero.  


Finally, there is Stanwyck herself.  Barbara O'Neill is warm and kind, but she doesn't let people walk on her.  She tries to be straightforward and honest herself - ultimately, it is Eddie's dishonesty that will be the thorn in their relationship.  And Stanwyck can show us the whole of Barbara with merely a glance.

For more information on this film, do visit the TCM article on Stanwyck's Precode Films.  Also take a look at this article, which discusses the director of the film - Lionel Barrymore, whose severe arthritis was beginning to affect his career.

Barbara's Love Nest

Illicit, with Barbara Stanwyck, is easily a Pre-Code film!  Stanwyck stars as Anne Vincent, a young woman in love with Dick Ives (James Rennie).  Dick and Anne aren't married, but are openly living together.  Dick has proposed multiple times, but Anne resists, seeing marriage as the death of love.  Finally, Dick's father convinces her that marriage is the only way to avoid scandal.  But, Anne soon finds that she and Dick are taking one another for granted, and though she still loves him, she is furious when she finds he has been out with his old girlfriend.  And things begin to unravel from there.

It's rather shocking, really, to think of a couple in 1931 living together, and discussing a long-term relationship without a wedding ring.  Sure, they do get married, but Anne is convinced for much of the movie that it is marriage that has destroyed her relationship with Dick.  Stanwyck is just terrific here, both vulnerable and tough.  An interesting casting note is Charlie Butterworth as Dick's gossipy friend Georgie.  A drunk and a ne'er-do-well, Georgie is really one of the major reasons the marriage become troubled. 

It's also good to see Ricardo Cortez (as Price Baines, Anne's old flame).  Ricardo is such a slimy bad guy.  It's a pleasure to watch him work to break up the marriage (and oh, yes, he certainly does try).

If you would like to have a taste of this delicious movie, try this clip:


Next time, another Francis Pre-Code gem.

Spot Kay

If any one movie pushed the Production Code into existance, Mandalay from 1934 must be in the running.  Kay plays a Russian refugee, Tanya, who is deeply in love with (and living with) Tony Evans (Ricardo Cortez), a ne'er-do-well, who has the choice of losing his boat or Tanya, to Nick (Warner Oland).  He chooses the boat, handing Tanya over to Nick to work in his club as a prostitute.  Tanya takes on the name "Spot White", and begins to amass jewels and power as she apparently blackmails her clients for her silence.  Finally, she blackmails herself out of Rangoon, and on to a boat bound for Mandalay, where she meets Dr. Gregory Burton (Lyle Talbot).  He is on his way to the plague areas in Mandalay, his penance for his alcoholism.

If that isn't enough to convince you that this is a racy movie, let's throw in some implied nudity and murder as well.  This film has something for everyone!  Kay is great (in spite of having to say a lot of "R's" (as was pointed out by Robert Osborne in the introduction). As she did in The House on 56th Street, she makes the transition from innocence to hard reality beautifully.  And Ricardo Cortez is wonderful as the ever slimy Tony. Finally, we have Lyle Talbot playing Gregory as a tortured soul, whose drunkenness masks his inner pain, but who has the good sense to fall in love with Tanya.  Talbot makes a good counterpoint to Cortez in this film.  Neither is exactly the man of your dreams, but Gregory, at least has a conscience.

Lots of beautiful clothing by Orry-Kelly. And lots to titillate as well.  Watch for the scene when Kay goes after Reginald Owen (as a Police Captain of her acquaintance).  You'll love it. Here's an early scene to get you in the mood:

Kay's House was a Home?

The House on 56th Street (1933) is a fascinating film.  In it, Kay Francis is showgirl Peggy Martin, who has two men very interested in her: Monte Van Tyle (Gene Raymond), the scion of a wealthy family, and Lindon Fiske (John Halliday), who has been involved with Peggy for some time.  Peggy falls in love with Monte; Since Lindon is quite clear that he is "not the marrying kind", it is an easy choice for Peggy.  So, despite Monte's mother's objections, the couple wed and are quickly blessed with a daughter.  Years go by, with Peggy and Monte living happily - even Mama Van Tyle (Nella Walker) has gotten used to her daughter-in-law.  Then, at a party, Peggy meets Lindon again.  She is concerned at his appearance, as Monte knows nothing about him.  Add to this, Lindon does not look well.  Kay is concerned, and her concern is her downfall in this drama.

Rather than give too much away, we'll stop with the plot there, even though it forbids us doing more than mention two important characters: Bill Blaine (Ricardo Cortez) and Eleanor (Margaret Lindsay).  The two are pivotal to the plot, and are wonderful.  Both show up in the latter half of the film.  To say more would be to ruin this wonderful picture for you.

Kay Francis has to age over 20 years in this film.  The motif that the director, Robert Flory, uses to demonstrate the passage of time is subtle but effective - we see Peggy playing solitare, as newspapers flash up important events of the day.  

The film is also interesting in that it discusses with some seriousness the problems of compulsive gambling.  In  1949 Barbara Stanwyck would powerfully portray a woman with a severe gambling problem.  This precursor to The Lady Gambles is no less impressive, as it discusses an issue few other films were willing to examine.

When you get to the end of this film, you will understand WHY the code began to be an issue.  We suggest you give it a try.

Kay Almost Strays

Transgression (1931) is a Pre-code wonder from the always fascinating Kay Francis.  Ms. Francis plays the happily married Elsie Maury, whose husband Robert (Paul Cavanaugh) is called to India on business. Though Elsie asks to accompany him, Robert refuses, and instead sends her to Paris. While in Paris, the naive Elsie becomes enamored of Don Arturo de Borgus, a philanderer of the first water, played with relish by Ricardo Cortez.  Though Elsie tries to remain loyal to her husband at first, her infatuation, boredom, and Don Arturo's advances tempt her to stray.  And so, she arrives at his estate.  Where, as they say, the plot thickens.

Kay Francis is just wonderful as the tempted wife.  As always, she is beautifully clothed; she manages to portray the ambivalence of a young woman who longs for her husband, but is bewildered by the new rules of the jaded society into which her husband has thrown her.  Also fun to watch is Ricardo Cortez.  His Don Arturo is a total cad.  And if you think he is bad at the beginning, wait til you see the end, and realize just how horrid he truly is!  We also very much enjoyed the performance of Nance O'Neil as Paul's sister, Honoria.  What a totally reprehensible character she is! Nance plays her with relish, and she is a delight to despise.  Here she is spying on our Kay:


The end will show you why this fits so perfectly into the Pre-Code mystique.  And you will really enjoy it! We will be looking at a few other Kay Francis movies from the Pre-Code era in the next few weeks, so we hope you will join us again.

Joan Visits Montana

This time, we visit with a VERY early Crawford talkie, Montana Moon.  Released in 1930, Montana Moon immediately calls up images of Singin' in the Rain with all the scenes of the beginning of talkies that we think of in that movie.  Joan plays Joan Prescott, a party girl who abandons her friends while in Montana.  Her sister has fallen in love with Jeff (Ricardo Cortez), but he keeps making advances on Joan, so she escapes, planning to return to New York.  However, she runs into local cowboy Larry, lives his free and easy outdoor life, falls in love, and marries him.  Then, she tries to convert him to her wild, party ways.  Of course, Larry is a fish out of water; and then there is Jeff, who is still in hot pursuit of Joan, regardless of her marital status and his relationship with her sister Elizabeth (Dorothy Sebastian).

The movie tries to be a little bit of everything. We have a love story, a cowboy yarn, dancing (Cortez and Crawford to a mean tango), singing (Cliff "Ukulele Ike" Edwards, better known as the voice of Jiminy Cricket), comedy (banter by Edwards and Benny Rubin), and drama. In a sense, the movie really doesn't KNOW what it wants to be.  But, we know that the film is also testing its talking "legs" here.  A little bit of everything, one suspects, will help the studio to understand just what the public expects from a talking film.

The fact that the actors are just out of silents is very obvious here. We still have some of the grand hand gestures and facial emphasis that we are used to in silent films.  An early scene between Crawford and Sebastian is a case in point, as they seem to flail around to make their point.  You can see this scene here:

Gestures that in silents were used to good purpose seem out of place here, when the words are telling us the story.  Crawford would quickly learn how to better use her body when she was speaking. In this film, you can see her practicing.  The film will also introduce you to future cowboy star, Johnny Mack Brown.  Brown would spend most of his long (40 year) career in westerns.  Another actor to watch is Ricardo Cortez; born Jacob Krantz.   He was introduced to the public as a "Latin Lover", but had a decent career well into talkies (finally retiring to his roots - Wall Street, where he had started as a runner).

This isn't a great movie, but we enjoyed it for it's historic value.  It's a glance into a period we've all experienced in other films.  It is nice to see the results of the change to sound.

Meeting "Midnight Mary"

The discussion for today will focus on Midnight Mary.  We were all fascinated to see Loretta Young play a prostitute/gun moll. One is NOT used to her playing anything but the sweet innocent. However, she was excellent in this, a tribute to her abilities as an actress.  Though Midnight Mary IS a traditional woman's picture, it is also a condemnation of the Great Depression, and the conditions that women faced as a result. Mary Martin ends up in reform school, primarily because she is an orphan and has no one to defend her (when it is her friend who is stealing).  When she returns to the community, she is unable to find work, and ultimately turns to prostitution just to pay for food.  We noticed that there are real similarities to the situation facing Myra in Waterloo Bridge (we were discussing the the 1931 version - because it fit our "precode" focus, but this certainly applies to the the 1940 version as well).

Quite a bit of our discussion was about Ricardo Cortez, this time playing Leo, the mobster (who is a really awful human being). He is, of course, so very different in this than his role in Torch Singer.  We found an interesting comparison to Franchot Tone's Tom, who is our hero in the film.  Though he marries another woman after Mary rejects him, we felt that Tone made the character a lot stronger than we would have expected.  We also liked Mary's relationship with him.  Her desire to protect him from her past was lovely; we also felt that he was well aware of her past, and that it made no difference to him.

Here's a scene, featuring Loretta Young and Ricardo Cortez:



Next posting will be about another very interesting William Wellman film: Heroes for Sale.

Claudette Sings!

Last evening's precode movie was Torch Singer (1933), with Claudette Colbert as an unwed mother who is forced to surrender her baby for adoption when she unable to find a means of support for the little girl.  Sally (or Mimi, her career name) becomes a "loose" woman by reputation. However, IS she? We see her flirting, but never see any evidence that her reputation is more than rumor to support her employer's contention that torch singers must suffer for their art.  Suffer she does though, unable to find her little girl, she turns to drink. We (the viewers in NYC) had a lot of affection for her, and felt that her reputation was hype.


We were fascinated to learn that Ms. Colbert did her own singing.  She has two songs, a children's lullaby and her character's signature song "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Love". Ms. Colbert has an interesting (though not exceptional) voice - it dark and rather throaty, but she certainly can carry a tune, and she SURELY sounds like a torch singer.  

The two men in her life, played by Ricardo Cortez (as Tony) and David Manners (as Michael, the father of the her baby) are surprisingly sympathetic. Both good, supportive men, who care for her and want the best for her. We are inclined to dislike Michael at first, but when he tells his side of the story, he becomes easier to like. It was interesting, we felt, that the men WERE shown in such a positive light. We expected one or the other to be the villain of the piece. If there was a villain, it was the women (Michael's aunt) who refuses to help the destitute Sally.

We were especially pleased to see the interactions between Sally and the nun who runs the hospital where Sally gives birth. There is no condemnation here - only support. And Mother Angelica is, as we learn later in the film, a woman of deep principle.

Again, we highly recommend this movie for those of you interested in pre-code movies, or in Claudette Colbert. She is just glorious!