When Ladies Meet (1941). Cast: Joan Crawford, Robert Taylor, Greer Garson, Herbert Marshall, and Spring Byington. The screenplay by S.K. Lauren and Anita Loos was based upon a 1932 play by Rachel Crothers. The film was directed by Robert Z. Leonard, who also co-produced the film with Orville O. Dull.
The story is about, Mary Howard, a novelist with different ideas about love and marriage. Things become complicated when she falls in love with her publisher, Rogers Woodruff. She decides to take him away from his wife. Mary's friend Jimmy, is convinced he's the right man for her and comes up with a plan to end her relationship with, Woodruff.
He invites Mary and Woodruff's wife Claire, to meet at the house of a friend. The two women do not know each other, but during their visits they become friends. When she learns Woodruff is a womanizer, she realizes she does not love him... It is interesting to watch the two different acting styles of Joan and Greer, play off each other. Once again, Spring Byington perfectly plays the ditsy-rich-lady character. I just love her. You may find yourself routing for.. Greer Garson. I also thought the sets were absolutely beautiful..
Lucky Partners(1940). Cast: Ronald Colman, Ginger Rogers, Jack Carson and Spring Byington.
Artist David Grant, wishes book store owner Jean Newton, good luck when she passes by. When, Jean is given a beautiful dress she decides that David has brought her good luck. She then asks him to buy a sweep stake ticket with her, and he agrees on the condition that if they win, she will take a trip with him, before she marries Freddie. When David promises that the trip will be kept on a strictly impersonal basis, Freddie agrees .
Their ticket is picked and with their winnings they decide to vacation in, Niagara Falls, with Freddie not far behind. Expecting to find the couple together, Freddie breaks down their door, only to find that David has checked out of the hotel and is driving back to Manhattan. While driving home David is stopped on the road and arrested for stealing Jean's car. In court, Jean and Freddie try to explain the situation, but their story fails to convince the judge.After David and Jean cross-examine each other, the judge fines Freddie for breaking down the door. Will Jean and David ever declare their love for each other.
Ronald Colman had first performed in films in England in 1917 and 1919 for Cecil in, The Snow of the Desert. While performing on stage in New York in, La Tendress, Director Henry King saw him, and hired him for the film, The White Sister(1923), opposite Lillian Gish. Colman left the the stage for film. He became a very popular silent film star in both romantic and adventure films: The Dark Angel (1925), Stella Dallas (1926), Beau Geste (1927), and The Winning of Barbara Worth (1926). His dark hair and eyes and his athletic and riding ability led reviewers to describe him as a "Valentino type". He was often cast in similar roles. Towards the end of the silents era, Colman was teamed with actress, Vilma Banky and the two became a popular movie team rivalling Greta Garbo and John Gilbert.
Rita Hayworth (October 17, 1918 – May 14, 1987), Film actress and dancer who became famous in the 1940s not only as one of the era's top stars, but also as a great sex symbol. Rita, is best known for her performance in the film, Gilda (1946).
List of Rita Hayworth films that I have seen:
Only Angles Have Wings Blood and Sand (1941) You Were Never Lovelier (1942) Cover Girl (1944) Tonight and Every Night (1945) Gilda (1946) Down to Earth (1947) The Lady from Shanghai (1947) The Loves of Carmen (1948) Fire Down Below (1957) Pal Joey (1957)
Montgomery Clift (October 17, 1920 – July 23, 1966), first film performance was in, Red River(1946). Next Clift went on to perform in the film, The Search. Clift was unhappy with the script, and rewrote most of it himself. The movie was nominated for a screenwriting Academy Award, but the original writers were credited instead. Clift's performance got him nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor. Clift's next movie was, The Heiress. He signed on for the movie in order to avoid being typecast.
Clift's next movie was The Big Lift. Although Clift gave an amazing performance, the movie ended up being a box office bust. Clift was set to appear in Sunset Boulevard (which was written specifically for him) but he dropped out at the last minute, as he felt that his character was too close to him in real life.
List of Montgomery Clift movies I have seen: 1961 The Misfits 1959 Suddenly, Last Summer 1957 Raintree County 1953 From Here to Eternity 1951 A Place in the Sun 1949 The Heiress 1948 Red River
Spring Byington (October 17, 1886 – September 7, 1971), first film was a short film titled, Papa's Slay Ride(1931) and her second, and most famous performance was in, Little Women (1933) as "Marmee" with Katharine Hepburn as her daughter "Jo". She worked as a character actress in Hollywood for many years. In 1938, Byington was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for, You Can't Take it With You, which was won by Fay Bainter for Jezebel (in which Byington also had a role, as antebellum society matron Mrs. Kendrick).
One of my favorite Spring Byington performances was as Larry Hagman's mother on, I Dream of Jeannie(1967).
List of Spring Byington films I have seen:
Little Women (1933) Werewolf of London Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) The Buccaneer (1938) The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1938) Meet John Doe (1941) When Ladies Meet (1941) Rings on Her Fingers (1942) Heaven Can Wait (1943) The Heavenly Body (1944) The Enchanted Cottage (1945) Thrill of a Romance (1945) Dragonwyck (1946) In the Good Old Summertime (1949) Angels in the Outfield (1951) Please Don't Eat the Daisies (1960)
The Enchanted Cottage (1945). Cast: Robert Young, Dorothy McGuire, and Mildred Natwick. It was based on a play by Arthur Wing Pinero. The Enchanted Cottage was previously adapted for the silent screen in 1924, with Richard Barthelmess and May McAvoy as the newlyweds.
While waiting for Laura and Oliver Bradford to arrive, their friend blind pianist John Hillgrove, plays a song called "The Enchanted Cottage," for his guests: The story begins when the main house is destroyed by fire. Which leaves only one wing left standing. The original owner, an English nobleman, remodeled the wing and rented it out to honeymooners. One day, Laura Pennington, a Lonely/homely young woman, arrives looking for work at the cottage as a housekeeper. Mrs. Minnett, likes the the girl and hires her.
Oliver Bradford and his fiancee, Beatrice Alexander, decide to rent a room at the cottage but, Beatrice, is disappointed by what she sees. Laura tells her that the cottage is enchanted and shows her the window on which lovers throughout time have etched their names. When Oliver etches Beatrice's name using her engagement ring, the stone falls out of its setting, creating a sense of doom. Oliver, a pilot, is called to war before they can marry and they have to cancel their plans.
One year later, a telegram comes from Oliver, saying he would like to rent the cottage for an indefinite period of time. Expecting the newlyweds, Laura is shocked when Oliver arrives alone, horribly disfigured and disabled from an airplane crash. Soon after, Oliver's mother, stepfather and Beatrice come to visit, but Oliver refuses to see them. Oliver receives an ultimatum from his mother.. either come home or she will move in with him. Not wanting to live with his mother, Oliver proposes to Laura and she accepts. You have to watch the movie to find out if they too fall under the spell of, The Enchanted Cottage.
This is without a doubt a very powerful touching love story, one of my all time favorite films. If you love romance films, you will love this one.
Meet John Doe (1941). Comedy/ drama. Director: Frank Capra. Cast: Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck. And a couple of my favorite charactor actors: Spring Byington and Walter Brennan. The film, about a political campaign, created by a newspaper columnist and pursued by a wealthy businessman, became a box office hit and was nominated for an Academy Award for best original story (for Richard Connell and Robert Presnell Sr.).
There are so many wonderful reviews about MEET JOHN DOE. I will just share a couple of my thoughts. Stanwyck is absolutely wonderful in this film, as her character realizes she has found a man just like her father. Also Cooper, is wonderful as the average everyday guy. A couple of my favorite scenes are when Cooper needs Stanwycks mother's help to ask her daughter to marry him and the baseball scene in a hotel room, when they play pretend ball, is very charming.. FULL MOVIE: MEET JOHN DOE. FUN FACTS:
Frank Capra only wanted Cary Cooper to play John Doe. Cooper agreed to play the part (without reading a script) for two reasons: he had enjoyed working with Capra on Mr. Deeds Goes to Town(1936) and he wanted to work with Barbara Stanwyck.
The song 'Sweet potatoes' that Gary Cooper and Walter Brennan play, in addition to "Hi Diddle Dee Dee (An Actor's Life For Me)", from "Pinocchio": Brennan alone plays this on an ocarina (sweet potato), but Cooper plays a small harmonica. The tune they play as a duet, while Barbara Stanwyck is interviewing them, is The "William Tell Overture, Finale" by Rossini (The Lone Ranger Theme). Cooper explains the reason Brennan likes him is that they both play 'Doohickeys'.
