Louise Fuller (Grace Moore), an opera star of some note, is deported from the United States after she overstays her visa limits. Louise is eager to get back to the States - she has promised to assist her beloved tutor and uncle, Walter Mitchell (Henry Stephenson) by appearing in a music festival being held in his honor. The list for a visa is long - she'll have to wait for a year, unless she can find an American to marry. Enter artist Jimmy Hudson (Cary Grant), a foot-loose and fancy free young man, who initially disdains her snobbish demeanor. Our film this week is When You're in Love (1937). With Cary Grant in a film, what's not to love? Well, this film, quite frankly. It's not that it is bad; it's that it is banal, and above-the-title Grace Moore really is no actress; she was an opera singer that the studio was trying to make a star. While she is an wonderful singer, with a very expressive voice and demeanor WHEN she is singing, as an actress, she's a dud. Her lines are delivered with an almost flat tone; she never really seems interested in the action. As a result, she and Mr. Grant don't click.
Ms. Moore appeared in nine films between 1930 and 1939. Born in Tennessee (she was called "The Tennessee Nightingale"), she started her career on Broadway in 1913 (she would appear in 9 plays between 1913 and 1932); working her way from the chorus to featured performer in a number of musical reviews (like the Ziegeld Follies of 1931). After a couple of films in 1930, she signed a contract with Columbia in 1934. She was nominated for an Oscar for best actress for her work in One Night of Love (1934). By 1939, she was through with films, and working more steadily in opera companies. Married once to Spanish actor ValentÃn Parera, she died in a plane crash near Copenhagen (Prince Gustaf Adolf of Sweden was also killed in the crash). A scholarship is named for her at the University of Tennessee School of Voice.
Cary Grant had just begun a new contract with Columbia (TCM article), which may account for him being billed below Ms. Moore and below the title (in his next films, TopperThe Toast of New York, and The Awful Truth, he was still billed under his co-stars, but above the title). He really does his best to bring some exuberance to the film, and mostly he succeeds. But it's impossible to work around that fact that he's acting against someone who just doesn't project emotion very well. It is amusing that he is playing the American (with his delightful English-ish accent) while Ms. Moore is supposed to be Australian - with an American accent). One of his most delightful scenes is with the couple who raised him after his parents' deaths. His affection for them is transmitted right through the screen.
Also in the cast is Aline MacMahon. She's wasted in this film; while she gets some good lines, she just doesn't get enough screen time. Similarly, Thomas Mitchell and Henry Stephenson are given very little to do. It's a shame when you have actors of their caliber who are not permitted to perform up to their abilities.
This was Robert Riskin's first directing gig; he'd written the screenplay for the film as well. Producer Harry Cohn was hoping that Riskin would break out Cary Grant in the way his scripts for It Happened One Night and Mr. Deeds Goes to Town had for Clark Gable and Gary Cooper. Perhaps it was the loss of his collaborator, Frank Capra, but the magic didn't work for this picture, and it ended up losing money (Cary Grant: A Biography by Marc Eliot).
The costumes by Bernard Newman are very lovely.The music includes several opera pieces, two songs by Jerome Kerns and Dorothy Fields, and a really terrific version of Ms. Moore singing (and Cary Grant playing the piano) of Cab Calloway's "Minnie the Moocher" (a preview of the film did not, in fact, include that number (AFI catalog).
The film opened at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. The New York Timesreview by Frank S. Nugent called it "a glib reworking of an ancient operatic formula." The Hollywood Reporter, however, enjoyed it, calling it "a signal triumph for the foremost diva of the screen..."
For opera lovers, this film is worth a look - you can fast forward to the musical numbers (which mostly have nothing to do with the plot) and watch Ms. Moore sing, which is certainly worth doing. You can watch her doing "Minnie the Moocher" - she is really good! We'll leave you with a snippet from When You're in Love's premier on GET-TV, which was able to show a restored copy of the film:
Thomas Dickson (Walter Huston) runs a successful bank in an unnamed city in 1932 America. His bank survived the beginnings of the Depression primarily because of Dickson's gift for choosing individuals to whom to loan money. Often, Dickson makes loans on the character of the person, regardless of their collateral, yet those to whom he lent money have unfailingly paid it back. But a bank robbery threatens the integrity of the bank when word is leaked that they are broke, starting an American Madness (1932). Shown at the AFI Silver Theatre as part of a retrospective celebrating the works of Fay Wray and Robert Riskin, the film featured commentary by their daughter, Victoria Riskin (who recently published Fay Wray and Robert Riskin: A Hollywood Memoir). Mr. Riskin wrote the screenplay - one of eight collaborations with Frank Capra (TCM article). Frank Capra was not the first choice to direct the film - initially Allan Dwan was set to direct, but producer Harry Cohn was dissatisfied with his efforts, fired him and assigned Roy William Neill. Within a day, Neill was gone and Frank Capra, who was just back from a vacation, was pushed into the film. Scenes of the bank run are reminiscent of It's a Wonderful Life (1946) and the character of Thomas Dickson resembles George Bailey, even to his speeches as je attempts to calm the bank panic. It's an interesting opportunity to see the work that would later influence what many consider Capra's masterwork.
Walter Huston is impressive as Dickson, a man of principle facing a crisis of faith. Dickson has spent his life relying on his ability to read people. Now, in an instant he discovers that a climate of fear brings out the worst in his fellow man. The character of Dickson was based on the chairman of the Bank of America, A. P. Giannini (AFI catalog ). Mr. Huston is always an impressive actor - see his work in Rain (1932), Dodsworth (1936), and The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) for very different performances. Pat O'Brien plays Matt Brown, an ex-con hired - and promoted - by Dickson. He's in love with Dickson's secretary, Helen (Constance Cummings), and inadvertently witnessed what he thought was a romantic assignation between Dickson's wife, Phyllis (Kay Johnson) and fellow employee Cyril Cluett (Gavin Gordon). Mr. O'Brien has his best scenes when he is (unsurprisingly) accused of collusion in the bank robbery. His anxiety over preserving his boss' marriage (Matt accompanied Ms. Dickson home when he found her at Cluett's apartment) rather than provide himself with an alibi is well played - and an interesting contrast to Gavin Gordon.
Constance Cummings didn't have a big part in this film - her role is to support Matt and Dickson, but she does it well. When she was the Star of the Day in Summer Under the Stars, Michael Feinstein discussed her. Her U.S. film career was short (she'd already had a Broadway career, which would continue until 1979); after her 1933 marriage to Benn Levy (they had two children and were together until his death in 1973), she moved with her husband to England, where she would continue working in films (Blithe Spirit (1945)) and the stage (Long Day's Journey into Night opposite Laurence Olivier in 1971). She won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play in 1979's Wings. She died in 2005, aged 95
This is the first film role for Sterling Holloway (Oscar), who would go on to perform numerous character parts, television roles, and voice parts, include Mr. Stork in Dumbo (1941), the narrator of "Peter and the Wolf" in Make Mine Music (1946), and Winnie the Pooh. It's an interesting movie, and if you are a fan of Frank Capra, or would like to see the genesis of It's a Wonderful Life, definitely worth a viewing. I'll close with an early scene, which introduces many of our characters.
When Ellie Andrews (Claudette Colbert) literally jumps ship to join her new husband King Westley (Jameson Thomas) - over her father's vehement objections - hell breaks loose. Alexander Andrews (Walter Connolly) hires every detective he can find to search for Ellie, but she has other ideas. She boards the night bus to New York City to reach Westley. Unfortunately, Ellie has no idea of how to be on the lam; she is befriended by reporter Peter Warne (Clark Gable) who plans on using her story to get back in good graces with his editor. Our film is It Happened One Night (1936). Victoria Riskin provided an introduction to this film, which was part of the Fay Wray/Robert Riskin Retrospective at the AFI Silver Theatre. Mr. Riskin collaborated with Frank Capra on the film - Mr. Capra read the story Night Bus by Samuel Hopkins Adams, which was published in Cosmopolitan, and approached Mr. Riskin about adapting it for the screen (Fay Wray and Robert Riskin: A Hollywood Memoir by Victoria Riskin); they pitched it to Harry Cohn at Columbia. Myrna Loy, Miriam Hopkins, Constance Bennett and Margaret Sullavan were all approached to play Ellie. Finally, Claudette Colbert (who was not enthusiastic) consented to do the part, contingent upon a hefty salary. Similarly, Robert Montgomery was requested for the part of Peter, but Louis B. Mayer decided to send Clark Gable instead; Mayer resented Gable's increased salary demands and decided four weeks at a Poverty Row studio was fit punishment (AFI Catalog). By the film's conclusion, no one was particularly thrilled with the result - except the audiences!
Claudette Colbert is excellent as Ellie. It's a difficult part - Ellie needs to be snooty enough to be believable as a spoiled brat, but warm enough to attract Peter's attentions from the start. Ms. Colbert had not wanted to work with Frank Capra again (there had been some animosity on the 1927 film For the Love of Mike) and she was unwilling to show her legs for the now-famous hitchhiking scene. However, when Mr. Capra brought in a model to be "the leg," Ms. Colbert said, "get her out of here, I'll do it -- that's not my leg!" and did the scene that has become synonymous with the film (TCM article). She left the film convince it was "the worst picture in the world," but by 1982, when Frank Capra received the AFI Lifetime Achievement award, she was much more enthusiastic. (You can see her speech here).
While Mr. Gable had worn a mustache in other films, the reaction to his appearance in It Happened One Night convinced him that he should keep it permanently (Clark Gable: A Biography by Warren G. Harris). He also began wearing a trenchcoat as a lucky charm. Mr. Gable gives Peter Warne just enough arrogance to stand up to Ellie, but he's also warm and gentle. There's a scene in which a woman faints on the bus - Peter's ambivalence in wanting to help her, but knowing that he hasn't very much money, makes you warm to the character. Gable also has the unique ability to play comedy without being silly. Watch him undress in a scene that could have been ridiculous - with him doing it, it's a masterpiece.
The film is replete with some very impressive character performances. Roscoe Karns is decidedly slimy as Oscar Shapeley, the lecherous traveling salesman. Alan Hale seems friendly and innocuous as Danker, the driver who picks up our hitchhikers (but he's not). And finally, there is Walter Connolly as Ellie's beleaguered father, a man who only wants the best for his only child, but isn't always very good at letting her know that.
It Happened One Night became the first comedy to win an Oscar, and the first film to win Oscars in the five major categories: Picture, Actor, Actress, Director and Writing (Robert Osborne commentary). It became the model for a subset of the screwball comedy genre (See: The Runaway Bride: Hollywood Romantic Comedy of the 1930's by Elizabeth Kendall). It spawned two remakes (both musicals): Eve Knew Her Apples (1945) with Ann Miller, and You Can't Run Away from It (1956) with June Allyson. It appears on multiple AFI lists: #46 on 100 Years, 100 Movies (Anniversary Edition) and #36 on the original list; #8 on 100 Years, 100 Laughs; and #38 on 100 Years, 100 Passions. In 1993, it was added to the National Film Registry. If you've never seen this excellent film, treat yourself and find a copy. In the meantime, we'll leave you with the scene that nearly bankrupted the men's undershirt industry:
