My Favouritest And My Best: Screwball Comedy Characters Part 1

{I've named this post "Part 1" because I might see more screwball comedies and want to add to my list. Plus, there are way too many to list all in one go :-D}

{My Badge :-D}

I have recently grown to like to screwball comedies. I don't like all of them, but some of them are really funny. The thing that strikes me is, that the main component of a screwball comedy is the characters. Put them in any situation you want, but the characters need to be really intriguing or interesting for the story to work. Therefore, the actors playing them need to be able to pull their weight. Believe me. Put a bad actor in even a good screwball comedy and everyone in the audience will squirm in their seats. It makes the whole thing awkward. I've written about some of these as couples, because I love them both and they are both awesome together. I need to do one about favourite screwball comedy animals soon... Asta anyone? But I've given it some thought and here are my favourite characters as they were performed by the actor, in the screwball comedies I've seen - in no particular order.

Susan Vance and Doctor David Huxley played by Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant respectively in Bringing Up Baby 1938

{Scanned by me}

Susan Vance is the sweet, troublemaking, ditzy heiress-female lead of Howard Hawks's comedy about a girl who gets a leopard in the post and drags her new paleontologist acquaintance into taking it to her farm in Connecticut on the day he is meant to be getting married. Add to this a pre-historic dinosaur bone and a playful dog and you have a fantastic screwball comedy! I just adore Susan. Whenever I trip over a coffe table, or spill something or lose something important I just think to myself, that was so Susan Vance. Katharine Hepburn plays her wonderfully as well and she more than holds her own against Cary Grant. Oh yeah, and she deals pretty well with the leopard.

Cary Grant on the other hand...

Well, lets just say, he and the cat weren't the best of friends. He was so scared of the leopard that - according to legend - the cast and crew threw a stuffed leopard through the air-shaft of his dressing room and he ran out as fast as lightening :-D. I love Doctor David Huxley. Geek specs and all. Cary Grant is absolutely crazy in this role, and you just have to love him for it, because in the end you know the result will be fantastic. I shall remain a Cary Grant fan 'till the end. He is my favouritest and my best of everything... Ever. If only all paleontologists were as amazing as Doctor Huxely.
*Weeps silently to self over the insanely awesome fantasticness of Cary Grant in geek gear*.

Peter Warne played by Clark Gable in It Happened One Night 1934

I love Clark Gable. I mean, who doesn't really? And he is so funny in this film, the classic Frank Capra directed rom-com. Peter Warne is a journalist who finds the runaway heiress everyone is looking out for (always an heiress involved) and offers to help her get back to her husband who her father disapproves of - if she'll give him a story. One of my all time favourite scenes in any comedy is Clark Gable's stupendous hitch-hiking scene which goes from teaching Claudette Colbert the rules of hitchhiking to  running through all of his hitch-hiking techniques in a row to attract several hundred cars that all pass by at once. It's hilarious and his whole performance is great too
:-)

Alice Sycamore and Tony Kirby played by Jean Arthur and James Stewart respectively in You Can't Take It With You 1938

I had to pair these as a joint favourite because it has to be the "rat with hair on it" scene that swayed me.



  You Can't Take It With You is a film about an eccentric family with a daughter who decides she wants to marry Tony Kirby, the only interesting member of a boring banking family. But what will happen when the two families meet? Jean Arthur and James Stewart work so well together. I adore them in this, and Mr. Smith Goes To Washington. Jean Arthur is always so lively and James Stewart is playing one of his awesome characters of the Macaulay Connor variety where he gets to go absolutely bonkers. This time in a restaurant. It is seriously hilarious.

{Via}

Capt. Henri Rochard played by Cary Grant in I Was A Male War Bride 1949

I Was A Male War Bride is the story of the French army officer Henri Rochard who is always being teamed with Lt Catherine Gates, much to his dismay. They don't get along at first but then find that they love each other and want to get married. But Catherine realises that she has to be shipped back to the US, and the only way for Henri to come with her is for him to get a visa as a "War Bride". It's actually too funny for words. everyone says that their favourite scene from this movie is when Cary Grant dresses as a woman to get across to the US, but my favourite is when he gets stuck in Ann Sheridan's room after he has massaged her to sleep (sounds weird out of context but believe me it is hysterical). Cary Grant is so great at physical "clowning". There isn't a moment when you can't see that he is really thinking about his movements. Such a funny film.

Irene Bullock played by Carole Lombard in My Man Godfrey 1936

Irene Bullock finds Godfrey living on a city dump in the great depression while she is on a scavenger hunt (upper class style... they have to find a "forgotten man"!). He likes Irene, but hates her sister Cornelia and pushes her into a pile of rubbish and lets Irene take him to the scavenger hunt head quarters so she will win. But Irene starts falling for Godfrey and hires him as their butler. I'd never seen any Carole Lombard films before (I know, shock horror), and I loved her in this film! She's hilarious with William Powell - who even on his own is pretty darn awesome - and I love this film. Afterwards I was a bit like, "Whoa. That was crazy." But then I realised that it was not only crazy, but REALY GOOD TOO! All I have to say is, "GODFREY LOVES ME! HE PUT ME IN THE SHOWER!"

So there is Part 1. There will be a Part 2 following sometime in the future. I hope you enjoyed this post!

By the by, I got braces on my teeth the other day and they hurt for the first day or two. Ouch! But it reminded me of this really sweet scene in My Favourite Wife (1940) with Irene Dunne, so I hit photoshop and made a graphic for it! Hope you like it :-)

{My graphic, love Irene Dunne!}

~Bette

Ten Reasons To LOVE The Philadelphia Story (1940)

Here are the ten reasons I completely ADORE The Philadelphia Story, one of my favourite films. I did a comparison post about this and High Society the 1956 musical remake starring Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Celeste Holm and Bing *shudder* Crosby which is nowhere near as good - but I didn't think I covered my thoughts rambles on it well enough. So here you go! More rambles than you could ever hope for. By the way, I'm assuming you know the plot but if not then take a look here. {If you still want to read this post, well done.}

Left to right: George Cukor, John Howard, Katharine Hepburn and cary Grant (Photo from Doctor Macro as are many others, thanks Dr. Macro!)

Reason 1.

Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn

{Scanned by me}

One of my very favourite on-screen couples. I've actually seen all of their pairings together except the perpetually doomed and apparently awful Sylvia Scarlett (about which Fanny Bryce said to Katharine Hepburn, "What were you thinking when you made that movie?")! They are just too fantastic and put together... AWESOMESAUCE! No, seriously. One of the best pairings, even though they aren't together for the whole film :-)

Reason 2.

"OH C. K. DEXTER HAVEN!!!" OH C. K. DEXTER HAAAVVEEEN!!!!"

Just the name. That is actually the second best thing. It is the most completely stupendous name to ever grace the silver screen. How much cooler can you get? You could just scream it out for ages. Try it. It's soooo fun (no joke). What does the C. K. stand for? We shall never know...

Reason 3.

The Drunk Scene

Where Katharine Hepburn and James Stewart get drunk on champagne together. It's just so funny and then romantic and then quite random... IT'S EVERYTHING!!! GAH! But yes it really is cool. I love the bit where they go swimming and then he carries her back belting out "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" and she says to her three suitors (Dexter, George and Mike), "Hello, Dexter. HULLO GEORGE. Hellooo Mike!" Favourite quote from the scene: Tracy Lord, "The Time to make up your mind about people is never."

Reason 4.

{Scanned by me}

Katharine Hepburn

This part was basically written for her by playwright Phillip Barry and she backed the production on broadway and then (after being gifted the film rights by Howard Hughes) made a package deal with MGM stating that they could have the rights as long as she played Tracy. After that it was basically her production. She supervised most things from lighting to costumes and some people credit her as executive producer. But she gave a lot more than just that. This performance is one of my all time favourites and you really feel she was Tracy Lord. She said herself "The role of Tracy Lord fit me like a glove." I love all the delivery and everything. Great performance.

Reason 5.

Virginia Wiedler a.k.a. Dinah Lord

Virginia Wiedler is one of my favourite child actresses and this is my favourite role of hers. Her rendition of "Lydia The Tattooed Lady" is so funny. My mum also told me that this song was also sung by The Muppets! I also really like the bit when she comes down and says she must talk urgently with Uncle Willy about the last night (see The Drunk Scene) and she arrives at his house in a little carriage drawn by a Shetland pony.

Reason 6.

THE DRESS

Oh yes. It deserves the capital letters and the underlining. I love it. It's long and white and silky and sparkly and flowey and awesome. I love the way that the sleeves gather in as well. Hmm... But seriously. I love this dress.

Reason 7.

{Scanned by me, this photo has little to do with anything I've written about, but it's good, so why not? Tracy Lord and George Kittredge roll in the mud :-)}

The Script

Hmm. Maybe this should be a little higher in the list... Oh well. I love the script. Some favourite quotes are:

Tracy Lord: I'm going crazy. I'm standing here solidly on my own two hands and going crazy.

Macaulay Connor: Doggone it, C.K. Dexter Haven. Either I'm gonna sock you or you're gonna sock me. 

C. K. Dexter Haven: Shall we toss a coin?

C. K. Dexter Haven: Orange juice, certainly.
Tracy Lord: Don't tell me you've forsaken your beloved whisky and whiskies.
C. K. Dexter Haven: No-no-no-no. I've just changed their colour, that's all. I'm going for the pale pastel shades now. They're more becoming of me. How about you, Mr. Connor? You drink, don't you - alcohol, I mean?
Macaulay Connor: Oh, a little.
C. K. Dexter Haven: [Amused] A little? And you a writer? Tsk, tsk, tsk. I thought all writers drank to excess and beat their wives. You know, at one time I think I secretly wanted to be a writer.
[He and Tracy exchange scornful looks] 

Macaulay Connor: [speaking of Tracy, wearing a trilby hat] What are her leading characteristics?
C. K. Dexter Haven: She has a horror of men who wear their hats in the house.
Elizabeth (Liz) Imbrie: Leading characteristics to be filled in later. 

Sidney Kidd: You hate me, I trust, Miss Imbrie. 

Elizabeth (Liz) Imbrie: No, I-I can't afford to hate anybody. I'm only a photographer.

Reason 8.

The "Talking Room" Scene

This is where a drunk James Stewart and Cary Grant discuss their plans for writing an article putting "Spy" magazine editor, Sydney Kidd, to shame. It's so funny. Apparently is was partly improvised and I just adore it. James Stewart and Cary Grant together in one room for a whole 10 minutes alone with a typewriter... WHAT AWESOME MADNESS HAPPENED IN THIS SCENE! Love.

Reason 9.

{Scanned by me}

The Wedding

The wedding scene is beyond all imagination of fantasticness. It starts being amazing as soon as *SPOILER* Dexter proposes by telling Tracy to say it while she is talking to the wedding guests and it just gets better and better. Ending with a great shot of the Tracy, Dexter, Liz, Mike and the vicar completely shocked!

Reason 10.

The Whole Cast

They all mesh so well together as a team and a cast. I love all their scenes as a group and in pairs or other  combos. One of the best casts.

Hope you liked the post!

~Bette

In Name Only(1939).

In Name Only(1939). Cast: Cary Grant, Carole Lombard and Kay Francis. Based on the 1935 novel Memory of Love by Bessie Breuer.

Alec Walker, finds himself trapped in a loveless marriage, to a woman who married him only for his money. When he meets Julie, a widow and her daughter Ellen, he quickly falls in love.



His wife Maida, has Alec's parents convinced that she is the perfect wife, so when, Alec asks for a divorce, Maida, says that she will sail to Paris to stay with his parents, hoping to prolong the divorce.

Alec, follows Julie to New York, where he proposes to her, Julie accepts. After, returning home on Christmas Eve, Maida promises Julie, that she will never give Alec a divorce, and if he files for one, she will sue Julie for alienation of affections and have her daughter testify in court against her.

After which, Alec and Julie decide to go their own way. It is not long before Alec, becomes very ill with pneumonia. When the doctor says that his only the hope is to be with with Julie, she comes up with the lie that Maida has agreed to a divorce. Maida tells Julie, that she wants all of the Walker family's money and Alec's parents happen to overhear her. Now what will happen to Maida, after she is exposed for the Gold digger she is?



This is the perfect movie to celebrate Carole Lombard day on TCM. The performances are wonderful and Lombard, is absolutely gorgeous. I think another good reason to see this film, is to see Kay Francis performance as Maida, Cary Grant's vindictive wife, which is great fun to watch. Lombard's fans won't be disappointed either.

Peggy Ann Garner (February 3, 1932 – October 16, 1984). Performed in the films: Jane Eyre(1943) The Keys of the Kingdom(1944). She reached the height of her success at the age of 13 in the film, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945). Winning an Academy Juvenile Award for this performance. Like many child performers, Garner was unable to make a successful transition into adult film roles.

You Gotta Friend In Me...

In the book I got for my birthday, "Notorious: The Life Of Ingrid Bergman" by Donald Spoto (which, yes, I will have to post about one day instead of just mentioning it) there were some great photos of Alfred Hitchcock and Ingrid Bergman together, sometimes with Gregory Peck and Cary Grant as well, but I really liked them, so I scanned them for the blog! Ingrid Bergman, Hitchcock and Cary Grant were best friends basically for life so these photos are so lovely!

In their later years

Helping with her knitting on the set of Under Capricorn

Hitch evidently has some ideas for the script...

Too much amazing all sat in one room on straw chairs...

Perfect

It looks like Gregory Peck has some sort of strangely shaped camera... I am intrigued...

This could also count as a very belated birthday post for the late, great master of suspense. His birthday came around and I was just like, "Oh! It's Hitchcock's birthday... *_* Oops." and I had nothing ready! So this is it :-)

~Bette

Cary Grant.

Video: A Cary Grant tribute by Tony Curtis.



My Five Favorite Cary Grant movies:

(1962)That Touch of Mink.
(1959)North by Northwest.
(1957)An Affair to Remember.
(1948)Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House.
(1947)The Bishop's Wife.

Please click here to learn more about Cary Grant.

Holiday (1938)

 Hi guys, I'm back! I had a great time and hope all of you on holiday are having one (and everyone who isn't, too :-D)!!! I watched some great movies and jotted a whole load of movie related thoughts in a scruffy yellow notepad and they are in the works. They should keep me busy for the rest of my holiday!!!

So I swam in clear blue waters, ate numerous keftedes (the phonetic spelling of meatballs in Greek!) and baffled everyone on the harbour with my oversized, Green, Audrey Hepburn style oval glasses ;-) and now I'm back in England where both the news and weather aren't too great, but I have some great things to do this holiday, including a trip to the National Portrait Gallery to see the exhibition, "Glamour of the Gods: Hollywood Portraits" too...

Holiday (1938) Directed by George Cukor

Cast:

• Cary Grant as Johnny Case


• Katharine Hepburn as Linda Seton


• Doris Nolan as Julia Seton


• Lew Ayres as Ned Seton


• Henry Kolker as Edward Seton


• Edward Everett Horton as Professor Nick Potter


• Jean Dixon as Susan Potter

Plot:

Engergetic young man, Johnny Case meets Julia Seton on a trip and they fall in love and plan to be married as soon as they get back to their home city - with Julia's father's approval, of course. When they get home, Johnny is surprised by how wealthy Julia's family is, but is happy when he realises how well he gets on with Julia's sister, Linda (although she is known as the "black sheep" of the family).

However, with Johnny's plans to go on an indefinite holiday after working for ten years straight (a plan which Julia's father disapproves of strongly), and the fact that Johnny and Julia's friends simply do not mix, complications follow. Not to mention how Linda agrees with Johnny about everything and they are becoming fast friends, but Linda cares for Julia's happiness too...


The Verdict:
I know I already wrote a tiny little bit about this film already, but I'm going to elaborate and ramble as usual (especially as I only wrote a sentence before...).

Cary Grant is in his prime in this film (*Shudder* remembrance of The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie :-S). As my family and I agreed, Cary Grant is our favourite in the The Philadelphia Story period. He shows us his acrobatic moves several times in this movie *_*. GAH!!!!! This is most certainly beyond all imagination of amazingness :O.

Katharine Hepburn is really sweet in this movie. I like her roles when she is playing this kind of character - a little more kooky than usual, not to mention that she participates in the beyond amazing feats of acrobatic skill.

All the supporting players do extremely well, especially Edward Everett Horton who stood out for me as well as Jean Dixon as his wife. I was certainly not crazy about Doris Nolan. She was always the same. She definitely didn't do it for me. But I did like Henry Kolker who played Edward Seton.

The costumes all the way through are beautiful. I am particularly in love with Katharine Hepburn's black party dress and all the thirties skirts and coat. *Swoon*

{costumes by Kallock}

This was a very nice film. While it isn't super outstanding, it manages to be a great little film, with a slight air of You Can't Take It With You. It would be a great way to spend an evening, (or anytime really!)

~Bette

Pawsome Pet Pictures: Cary Grant

Cary and his little friend...

Once Upon a Honeymoon (1942).

Once Upon a Honeymoon (1942). Romantic comedy/drama. Cast: Cary Grant, Ginger Rogers, and Walter Slezak.

The story begins when Katie O'Hara, a ex-burlesque queen who pretends to be Philadelphia socialite Katherine Smith, who is about to marry, Baron Von Luber. Katie is visited by reporter Pat O'Toole, who is writing an article trying to expose the baron as a Nazi undercover agent. Recognizing Katie as stripper, Pat follows her to Prague, where Katie and the baron are to be married.

After the fall of Czechoslovakia, the baron and Katie board a train for Poland. When the baron is questioned by the police about the money found in his wife's purse, Pat goes to warn Katie about her new husband. Katie, does not believe him, and sends Pat back to his compartment with his saxophone.

In Warsaw, Pat meets Katie at her hotel and invites her to a cafe, where he tells her she should leave her husband.

Meanwhile... the baron is trying to sell Polish General Borelski, guns. When the guns fail to work, Pat contacts the general, who now realize that the guns are part of the baron's plans to destroy Poland. The general, who is the only person who can testify against the baron, is assassinated, and the baron is jailed for questioning. Pat visits Katie in her hotel suite, where she begins to believe that her husband is a Nazi. Katie, fakes her death and runs off with O'Toole. In Paris, she is recruited to spy against her husband. Will she be able to go through with it?

Fun Facts:

The question of top billing was resolved by having half of the prints with Cary Grant listed first, and the other half with Ginger Rogers listed first. The TCM print lists Grant first, but the programs distributed for the world premiere at the Radio City Music Hall in New York City listed Rogers first.

Berlin-born Natasha Lytess, who appears in the small role as the Jewish hotel maid, was Marilyn Monroe's acting coach and friend for many years.

Once Upon a Honeymoon, reminded me a little of the film, Notorious. Which has Grant as an FBI agent who gets Ingrid Bergman to marry Claude Rains to spy on his activities. Once Upon A Honeymoon, does a wonderful job in the comedy and propaganda departments.

Ginger Rogers (July 16, 1911 – April 25, 1995). During her amazing career, she made a total of 73 films, and is best known for her role as Fred Astaire's romantic interest and dancing partner in a series of ten  musical films that revolutionized the genre. She also achieved great success in a variety of film roles and won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Kitty Foyle (1940).