Too Hot to Handle(1938).

Too Hot to Handle(1938). Cast: Clark Gable, Myrna Loy and Walter Pidgeon. Many of the gags in this film were put together by Buster Keaton.

Journalist Chris Hunter, is famous for being a trickster and he and his assistant Joselito decides to send footage of a fake bombing raid to his rival, Bill Dennis. To get even, Bill stages a "mercy flight" to bring cholera serum to China. As the plane lands Chris drives onto the field in an ambulance and photographs the arrival of the plane, but.. the ambulance gets in the way causing the plane to crash. After Chris saves pilot Alma Harding, she tells him that it was all a joke. Which begins Chris Hunter's and Bill Dennis's, friendly rivalry trying to scoop each other for news. The rivalry gets a little too intense when Alma Harding, becomes their love interest. You will love the zingers and the direction the plot moves from one fun situation to the next.

Video: First of 8.

Virginia Weidler (March 21, 1926 – July 1, 1968), made her first film with Mickey Rooney in, Love Is a Headache (1938). After which Weidler, was cast in larger roles. She was one of the all-female cast of the 1939 film The Women, as Norma Shearer's daughter.

Her next major success was, The Philadelphia Story (1940) in which she played Dinah Lord, the witty younger sister of Tracy Lord (Katharine Hepburn). After a string of box-office disappointments, her film career ended with the 1943 film, Best Foot Forward.

At her retirement at the age of 17, Weidler had performed in more than forty films, and had acted with some of the biggest stars of the day, including Clark Gable and Myrna Loy in, Too Hot to Handle, Bette Davis in, All This and Heaven Too and Judy Garland in, Babes on Broadway.

The Secret Heart(1946).

The Secret Heart(1946). Directed by Robert Z. Leonard. Cast: Claudette Colbert, Walter Pidgeon and June Allyson.

Lee is engaged to marry Larry Adams, a alcoholic widower with two children, Chase and Penny. While returning home on an ocean liner, she meets and falls in love with Chris Matthews, a friend of Larry's. Even though she loves Chris, she marries Larry, and moves to his farm in Rhode Island. Larry's talent is playing the piano, which he teaches Penny. Over the next two years Lee tries to live with his alcoholism. On evening while Lee is out with Chris, Larry's body found at the bottom of a cliff. He had committed suicide after embezzling money from his clients. Lee moves the family away from the farm, to New York where she takes a job to pay off Larry's debts, and keeps the truth from Penny, wanting to protect her.

Ten years later, a troubled Penny, drops out of school and is always playing the piano. Lee, now concerned goes to see psychiatrist Dr. Rossiger, and the story up to this point is told in flashback: The doctor advises that they move back to the farm for the summer, since that is where Larry died, and he believes that confronting the past will help cure Penny. Chase returns home from the navy and lands a job with Chris, who now owns a shipyard. He introduces Penny to his navy buddy Brandon Reynolds. They all move to the farm, together with Chase's friend Kay Burns, where Chris comes back into Lee's life after a ten-year absence, and Lee realizes that it was Chris she has always loved. Once at the farm, Chase tells Penny the truth, and she becomes despondent. Although, Brandon is interested in Penny, she loves Chris, and is heartbroken when she finds him in Lee's arms. Penny then tries to kill herself by jumping off a cliff, as Larry had done. Will Lee get there in time to prevent it?

This movie is an interesting psychological study of a young girl obsessed with the memory of her dead father.

Fun Fact:

After filming The Secret Heart together, Claudette Colbert and co-star June Allyson became such great friends in real life Colbert became godmother to Allyson's daughter Pamela.

Elizabeth Patterson (November 22, 1875 – January 31, 1966) was a film and television character actress remembered for her portrayal of elderly neighbor Matilda Trumbull on I Love Lucy.

Patterson's acting in college theatricals, began her interest in drama. Her parents sent her to Europe in the hope of discouraging her from the theater, but her determination to become an actress was only reinforced by her experiences attending productions at the Comédie Française.

After returning from Europe, Patterson move to Chicago, where she joined a theatrical troupe, and toured with repertory companies. In 1913, she made her Broadway debut in the play, Everyman. She remained active in New York City theatre through 1954.

In 1926, at the age of 51, Patterson was cast in her first movie, The Boy Friend. She also performed in the films: A Bill of Divorcement, Tarnished Lady, Dinner at Eight, High, Wide, and Handsome, Intruder in the Dust, Remember the Night, No Man of Her Own, The Shocking Miss Pilgrim, Little Women, My Sister Eileen and Pal Joey.

Never married, Patterson lived alone at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel during her thirty five-year movie career.

Executive Suite (1954).

Executive Suite(1954). Drama. Cast: William Holden, Barbara Stanwyck, Fredric March, and Walter Pidgeon. Directed by Robert Wise and produced by John Houseman from a screenplay by Ernest Lehman based on the novel of the same name by Cameron Hawley. The cinematography was by George J. Folsey and the costume design by Helen Rose. It is one of the few Hollywood films that does not have music.

The story begins when Avery Bullard, president of the Tredway Corporation, dies at a important time for the company. The board of directors must now vote for his replacement. First in line is, Loren Shaw, who is more concerned with the profits than the company. He has the backing of one of the shareholders, Julia Tredway, who was in love with Bullard before he died. Board member George Caswell, offers his support in return for certain favors.

The only real person qualified for the position is, Vice President of Design, Don Walling, who is not to sure he wants the job. He would rather spend his time developing new products. Walling is supported by Treasurer Frederick Alderson. Jesse Grimm, is opposed to Walling for reasons of his own, while Walt Dudley is being blackmailed by Shaw, who caught him having an affair.

Will Walling, win over the board of directors and become the new president of the Tredway Corporation?

A couple of the stand out performaces in the film for me are: Shelley Winters, who plays the part as Douglas' girlfriend who wishes he had more of a backbone. Barbara Stanwyck, also has a memorable scene with William Holden, when the sparks begin to fly. I thought the film looked very realistic with the wonderful shots of, Manhattan. What the film has to say about big business, I think may hold true even today.



Fun Facts:

Producer John Houseman wanted Henry Fonda for the role of McDonald Walling. Fonda turned him down to star in a Broadway musical that never reached the stage.

The entire story takes place during the 24 hour period from Friday afternoon, June 19 1953 to Saturday afternoon, June 20 1953.

Shelley Winters (August 18, 1920 – January 14, 2006), her career spanned over fifty years until her death in 2006. Two-time Academy Award winner, Winters is probably most remembered for her roles in A Place in the Sun, The Big Knife, Lolita, The Night of the Hunter, Alfie, and The Poseidon Adventure.

Shelley was a cousin of actor Tony Curtis, she suggested that he try acting, and was helpful in getting him started in the theater when he got out of the Navy after WWII.

Winters originally broke into Hollywood as "the Blonde Bombshell", but quickly tired of the role's limitations. She washed off her makeup and played against type in the film, A Place in the Sun. It was her performance in A Place in the Sun (1951), that first brought a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress.

Shelley soon became popular as a character actress. She studied in the Hollywood Studio Club and in the late 40s, she shared the same apartment with, Marilyn Monroe.

Her first movie was, What a Woman! (1943). Winters first achieved stardom with her breakout performance in the film, A Double Life(1948). After which she landed leading roles in the films, The Great Gatsby (1949) and Winchester 73 (1950).

Another one of her best known films was, Night of the Hunter(1955), with Robert Mitchum and Lillian Gish. She won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for, The Diary of Anne Frank (1960), and another award, in the same category, for A Patch of Blue in(1966).

Notable later roles include: Lolita,Alfie, Harper, The Poseidon Adventure, Belle Rosen (for which she received her final Oscar nomination) and in, Next Stop, Greenwich Village (1976).

Winters suffered with her weight later in life, frequently stating that it was a marketing tool, since there were plenty of normal-weight older actresses but fewer overweight ones and her weight would help her to find work .

My Top 5 On Screen Couples

Here is a list of my all time top 6 on screen couples, in reverse order.
6. Katharine Hepburn and Spencer Tracy:
One of the most tragic off screen romances as well as one of the most heartwarming on screen ones. tracy was married to a strict catholic, and a catholic himself, she refused to divorce his wife even though it was well known by the public and his wife that he and Katharine were involved in an affair for most of his marraige.

Favourite On Screen Pairing: Guess Who's Coming To Dinner (1967)

5. Bette Davis and George Brent:
Dispite brent's not-quite-amazing performances in all of the films that he and Bette starred in (11), the chemistry between them is very good. Perhaps that was helped by the Hollywood legend that they were always in a constant on-off relationship. The chemistry between Bette and a man is only equaled perhaps by Paul Henried (Now, Voyager, Deception), and Gary Merril (All About Eve, Another Man's Poison, and some other English movie I can never remember the name of).

Favourite On Screen Pairing: Dark Victory (1939)

4. Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant:
Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman were only paired together in two films, Notorious and Indiscreet. A big mistake in my opinion. They have some strange on screen relationship that is caused by her laid back beauty and his akward charm that you can't force.

Favourite On Screen Pairing: Notorious (1946)

3. Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon:
My only fear with the pairings of these two is that they will be soooo cute that I will be forced to go into a coma and never come out. How can you get sweeter? Greer's lovely warmth and Walter's soft lovely speaking voice, create a couple that will have you in tears in minutes, provided that that is what the film is attempting.

Favourite On Screen Pairing: Mrs. Miniver (1942)

2. Judy Garland and Fred Astaire:
I have only seen one film with them in it (Easter Parade, is that all?), and they are so good together that it made me want to cry! Judy crying over the fact that she thinks Ann Miller has run away with Fred Astaire singing "Better Luck Next Time" is soooooo moving.

Favourite On Screen Pairing: Easter Parade (1948)

1. Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton:
The first film that I saw with them was Cleopatra, and was so entranced by them (and Richard Burton :D) that me and my mum got my dad "The Taylor And Burton Collection" as a sort of "Thank you in advance for letting us watch these" present, and I have been hooked ever since. When I watch The VIPs and see Richard Burton so upset and Elizabeth trying to show that she is not upset but is really devastated it the saddest thing i've ever seen! They are just romantic beyond words, and their charisma is so wonderful. Definately my tope couple EVAH!

Favourite On Screen Pairing: The VIPs (1963) and The Sandpiper (1965)

Well, that was a hard descision, but in my mind no one beats Liz Taylor and Richard Burton. Here is a funny "Lets prove Joan Crawford wrong" thing that I discovered on Tumblr.

On the set of “Baby Jane” Joan was asked about the differences between herself and Bette Davis, Joan stated: “Bette likes to rant and rave. I just sit and knit. She yelled and I knitted a scarf from Hollywood to Malibu.”

 I rest my case.

~Bette

Happy B-Day Mickey And Walter!

Hey, that title looks like it could mean Mickey mouse and Walter Disney *mildly amused laugh*.

Happy birthday to Mickey Rooney and Walter Pidgeon!!! You guys both rock my socks!

Mickey Rooney:  1920-Present

Walter Pidgeon: 1897-1984

~Bette

Walter Pigeon

When Walter Pigeon moved to New York City, he walked into the office of E. E. Clive, announced that he could act and sing, and said was ready to prove it. After acting on stage for several years, he made his Broadway debut in 1925.

Pidgeon made a number of silent movies in the 1920s, where he soon became a star. With the arrival of talkies, he was fortunate enough to have a wonderful singing voice, so he moved on to musicals, The Bride of the Regiment (1930), Sweet Kitty Bellairs (1930), Viennese Nights (1930) and Kiss Me Again (1931). When the public grew tired of musicals, his career began to take a set back. He played secondary roles in the films, Saratoga and The Girl of the Golden West. One of his better known roles was in, The Dark Command, where he played the villain opposite John Wayne, Claire Trevor, and Roy Rogers.

It was not until he starred in How Green Was My Valley, that he became popular again. He then starred opposite Greer Garson in Blossoms in the Dust, Mrs. Miniver (for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor) and its sequel, The Miniver Story. He was also nominated in 1944 for Madame Curie, again opposite Garson.

Although he continued to make films, including Week-End at the Waldorf and Forbidden Planet, Pidgeon returned to work on Broadway in the mid-1950s after a twenty-year break, and was featured in, Take Me Along, with Jackie Gleason. He continued making films, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea(1961), Big Red (1962), and in Advise & Consent (1962). A movie based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name by Allen Drury, published in 1959. The movie was adapted for the screen by Wendell Mayes and was directed by Otto Preminger. The cast: Henry Fonda, Charles Laughton, Don Murray, Walter Pidgeon, Peter Lawford, Gene Tierney, Franchot Tone, Lew Ayres, Burgess Meredith, Eddie Hodges, Paul Ford, George Grizzard, Inga Swenson, Betty White. The film shows the consequences in Washington, D.C. when the President nominates a man with a hidden past for Secretary of State. TCM, featured this movie a couple of days ago, on TCMs tribute to Gene Tierney. I hope you were able to catch it.

Walter Pidgeon, also performed in the film, Funny Girl (1968), Your Pocket (1973).He also guest-starred in many television shows, Perry Mason, Breaking Point, The F.B.I., and Marcus Welby, M.D.. He retired from acting in 1973.

MILLION DOLLAR MERMAID (1952)

Million Dollar Mermaid, A perfect role for Esther Williams. A story inspired by the life of " Annette Kellerman," an Australian swimming champion and water ballet performer who performed in New York's Hippodrome. I thought Esther, did a wonderful acting tribute to Annette.

The film starts off in Sidney, Australia, where a young Annette, is wearing leg braces during her recovery from polio. She starts swimming to strengthen her legs.The scenes with Annette as a little girl, I thought were emotional. As Annette, eventually recovers she begins ballet along with her love of swimming and with her father's support she wins the south Wales women's Amateur Freestyle Cup.

After running into financial trouble, Frederick closes his music conservatory and accepts a teaching position in London. On the trip to England, they meet American promoter James Sullivan, Doc Cronnol, and Sidney.( a boxing kangaroo). Jimmy is impressed by Annette, and makes an offer to manage her swimming career. Annette wants to help support her father, she accepts the offer after she learns that her fathers job fell through.

To kick off her career, Annette decides to to swim 26 miles to Greenwich, with Doc and Jimmy, rowing along side. Soon thousands of spectators are cheering her on as she swims through London. Her father Williams, reads about the swim in the newspaper, and is there to greet her as she swims into Greenwich. Soon they receive many offers, but Jimmy turns them down because he has a dream of going to America, for their fame and fortune.. When they first get to America, things don't go as planned, until Annette receives a telegram, offering her a water ballet at the Hippodrome. Soon Annette gets a call from Hollywood, and will appear in her first film, Neptune's Daughter . A few weeks later, on the last day of filming the movie Annette, dives into the water for her last scene, a crack develops in the glass of the huge tank. Annette is trapped and swept onto the broken glass as the tank bursts and she is seriously injured. Two weeks later, her recovery is still unsure. When Alfred and Jimmy, go up to Annette's room they see her doctor and he tells them that she may never walk again....

Berkeley's first of two films that he did with Esther Williams. This film gave him the opportunity to Showcase three water ballets set on the stage of the Hippodrome Theater. In the final number not only does Esther Williams drop into the center of a circle formed by swimmers, but he also uses fire and colored smoke for a beautiful effect. The last ballet is truly worth seeing. Million Dollar Mermaid received an Oscar nomination for Best Cinematography.

This is considered to be Esther's signature film.

Esther Williams, broke her neck diving off a 50-foot tower during the scene where she wearing a gold swimsuit. She spent six months in a body cast before recovering to finish the film.

Cast: Esther Williams, Victor Mature, Walter Pidgeon.

http://www.tcm.com/video/videoPlayer/?cid=116167&titleId=258

to view theatrical trailer.