Secrets (1933).

Secrets (1933). Directed by Frank Borzage. With Mary Pickford, Leslie Howard, C. Aubrey Smith, Blanche Friderici.

The story begins when well to do William Marlowe, wants his daughter Mary, to marry Lord Hurley, but she is in love with John Carlton, one of Marlowe's clerks. Marlowe, finds the couple's love letters and fires John, who later tells Mary, that he is moving West and will send for her, but she insists on going with him.

 

They are married and soon begin their journey to the place that will become their new home. As time passes, they have a son. One day, while John and the Carltons' handyman, go to town while Mary stays home alone. It is not long, before cattle rustler Jake Houser, his brother Davey and their gang take over the house and threaten to kill them, and leave with the cattle. As John and Sunshine are on their way home, they see the men with their cattle. When John learns that the gang threatened his family, he leaves to gather the other ranchers, to form a lynch mob.

After John and Sunshine return home, they find that the baby is ill, and that Jake and his gang are making plans to attack the cabin, during the attack.. the baby dies from his fever. It is Mary, who shoots and kills Jake.

Years later, the Carlton family has grown and John is running for the post of governor of California. On the eve of the election, the Carltons throw a huge ball, when John's mistress, Señora Lolita Martinez, tells Mary that John wants to marry her, John tells her that the affair is long over. Will John be elected governor and will Mary forgive him?

Mary Pickford was in her 40s when she made this film, and it does stretch your imagination a little to see her playing a debutante in the beginning of the film. If you are a Leslie Howard fan, you may enjoy his performance as her lover/husband.

Blanche Friderici (January 21, 1878 — December 23, 1933). Between 1920 and 1934, Friderici performed in almost sixty films. Friderici's film début was performing as Miss McMasters in the film, 39 East (1920) and In Night Nurse (1931), she played a housekeeper too frightened to try to stop the murder of two little children. She played a chaperon in the film, Flying Down to Rio (1933). Her last film role was the wife of the motel owner in, It Happened One Night (1934).

Mona Maris (November 7, 1903 – March 23, 1991) was an Argentine film actress who was born in Buenos Aires. Her Hollywood film career began with the movie, The Apache(1925) and continued with the film, Camila (1984). It was her inability to speak English which nearly ended Maris' film career.

Pre- Code: Bombshell(1933).

Bombshell(1933). Directed by Victor Fleming. Cast: Jean Harlow, Lee Tracy, Frank Morgan, C. Aubrey Smith, Mary Forbes and Franchot Tone.

The story begins, when movie star Lola Burns, wakes up to face the day with the demands of her eccentric family, her maid and her studio's publicity department. Lola, soon finds out the Hays Office, wants her to re shoot scenes from her last film. During the day's shooting, Marquis Hugo, Lola's current lover, who Space had tried to keep off the set, begins an argument with Brogan.

That night at the Cocoa Nut Grove nightclub, Space arranges for Hugo to be arrested for immigration violations, but convinces Lola that he had nothing to do with it. When Lola reads the newspaper headline about Hugo's arrest, she telephones Brogan, asking him for a loan for his bail. Lola, then writes a letter to the studio demanding that Space be fired. Space rushes to her house, telling her that it was a publicity stunt and he brought a writer from the Ladies Home Companion to interview her. Lola asks the studio to ignore her letter, then gives a interview to the reporter. The reporter suggests that she might happier if she had children. Lola, loves the the idea of motherhood and tells Brogan, that she wants to marry and have children. Brogan, thinks it would be better if Lola were to adopt a baby on a thirty-day trial basis. Lola, picks out a baby boy from orphanage.

When Space, is asked by reporters, if the rumor that Lola is pregnant is true, he runs over to the Burns's house where he learns about the adoption. Space, makes arrangements for reporters as well as Hugo and his lawyer, to meet at Lola's house at the same time that the orphanage women is there. While Lola, tells the orphanage women that she would make a good mother, her chances are ruined by the return of her drunken brother and the fight between Brogan and Hugo.

Heartbroken, Lola announces she is through with being an actress and drops out of sight. But, later is found in a desert resort by Space. While vacationing Lola, is romanced by Gifford Middleton, who does not know she is a famous actress. Lola accepts his marriage proposal. Just as her meeting with the Middletons begins, Lola's father and brother, arrive at the resort. The Middletons, are shocked and appalled with their behavior and that Lola is the actress that all the scandal is about and Gifford, decides to break off their engagement. Heartbroken, by the rejection, Lola tells Space she is returning to Hollywood, not knowing that the Middletons are stage actors who were hired by Space. Back at the movie studio, Lola overhears the Middletons arguing about their acting careers outside her dressing room. Now, that she knows the truth what will she do?

Harlow is in her prime, in this very funny comedy with lots of quick, very risque (pre-Code) very funny, one liners. I absolutely loved the costumes in this film.

Fun Facts:

The movie was originally written with a parody of Clara Bow in mind.

Shirley Ross' film debut.

Shirley Ross (January 7, 1913 — March 9, 1975). Her film career began in 1933 and the following year she introduced the melody of the song "Blue Moon" for the film, Manhattan Melodrama, only with different lyrics. Ross first became known performing with, Bing Crosby in the film, Waikiki Wedding (1937). In The Big Broadcast of 1938 she sang "Thanks for the Memory" with Bob Hope. She re-teamed with Hope the following year to sing "Two Sleepy People" in the film, Thanks for the Memory(1938).

Ross also introduced, "The Lady's in Love with You" from the film, Some Like It Hot (1939)featuring Bob Hope, which is not the 1959 comedy starring Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon, and Tony Curtis, although both films share the same name.

The Gilded Lily(1935)

The Gilded Lily(1935). Directed by Welsey Ruggles. Cast: Claudette Colbert, Fred MacMurray, Ray Milland and Aubrey Smith.

Lynn, and her best friend, reporter Peter Dawes, meet every Thursday night on a bench, where they share a bag of popcorn and talk about their life.. Lynn, soon, meets vacationing English aristocrat Charles Gray Granville, and they fall in love, although he keeps his royal identity a secret. Gray is already engaged to Helen Fergus and when he tells his father, Duke of Lomeshire, that he wants to marry Lynn, the duke insists they return to England and break off the engagement. Gray lies to Lynn about why he's leaving New York, but when Pete meets the Granvilles at the dock, Gray tells him that he is engaged to Helen. Pete writes an article about Lynn, who he calls "No Girl," leaving Gray at the altar. When the Granvilles, read that Helen has broken her engagement, the duke believes Lynn is trying to blackmail him. Gray then sends Lynn a telegram at work asking her price to forget him. Pete decides to make her a celebrity. He gets her a job as a singer and dancer at Nate's Cafe, despite the fact that she can neither sing nor dance. At her opening, Lynn's lack of talent wins laughs from the audience, and she becomes a hit.

After one publicity stunt after another, "No Girl" becomes a household name and as a nightclub star, she goes to London to perform. Gray is in the audience and Lynn, assuming they are still in love, goes out with him. Heartbroken, Pete returns to the states. Who will Lynn share her bag of popcorn with?

Fun Fact:

First of seven movies that Claudette Colbert and Fred MacMurray filmed together.

This is a wonderful little film I saw for the first time over the weekend. Claudette Colbert is wonderful as always. Fred MacMurray also does a fine job in his part, Ray Milland looks very young and handsome.

First video of 9.

Aubrey Smith(21 July 1863 – 20 December 1948), was an English cricketer and actor. He was knighted by King George VI in 1944 for services to the theatre. He appeared in early films for the nascent British film industry, starring in, The Bump in 1920. Smith later moved to Hollywood where he had a successful career as a character actor playing either officer or gentleman roles.

Smith became infamous for expecting his fellow countrymen to report for regular duty at his Hollywood Cricket Club, and anyone who refused was known to "incur his displeasure". Fiercely patriotic, Smith became openly critical of the British actors of enlistment age who did not return to fight after the outbreak of World War II in 1939. He starred alongside such screen legends as leading ladies Greta Garbo, Elizabeth Taylor, Vivien Leigh, and actors Clark Gable, Laurence Olivier, Ronald Colman, Maurice Chevalier and Gary Cooper. His films include such classics as The Prisoner of Zenda (1937) mentioned above, The Four Feathers (1939), Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941), and And Then There Were None (1945).