Pre-Code: Merrily We Go to Hell (1932) with Sylvia Sidney.

Merrily We Go to Hell(1932). Pre-Code. Cast: Fredric March, Sylvia Sidney and Cary Grant. Directed by Dorothy Arzner. The film's title is an example of the titles that were common in the Pre-Code era. Many newspapers refused to publicize the film because of its racy title.

A heavy drinking Chicago newspaper reporter and aspiring playwright Jerry Corbett and socialite Joan Prentice fall in love and become engaged. Because of Jerry's reputation Joan's father does his best to prevent the marriage, offering Jerry money to leave his daughter, but Jerry refuses.

When a drunk Jerry shows up late to their engagement party, everyone thinks Joan will back out of the marriage, but love is blind and she goes ahead with the marriage. Jerry works on his plays and remains sober even while receiving rejection notices from publishers.

One day, Jerry's play "When a Woman Says No" is bought, and he and Joan go to New York for the production. The play stars Jerry's former lover, Claire Hempstead. The night of the premiere, Jerry celebrates and when his friend Buck brings him home drunk, Jerry mistakes Joan for Claire. Although she realizes Jerry started drinking again, Joan continues to stay with him. When she finds him leaving to go to Claire's, she informs him that she has decided to find a lover herself.

So, while Jerry is making his "Merrily we go to hell" toast with Claire, Joan toasts the "holy state of matrimony single lives, single beds and triple bromides in the morning" with her new lover, Charlie Baxter.

On New Year's Eve, Joan finds out that she is pregnant and is warned by her doctor to take it easy. She tries to tell Jerry, but he refuses to listen. Jerry soon realizes that Claire means nothing to him. Jerry returns to Chicago, works again at the newspaper and remains sober, but Joan's father prevents him from contacting her. Will Jerry and Joan ever reunite and become husband and wife again ?

Fredric March, always seems to give a good performance as drunken characters and he would get Oscar nominations for A Star Is Born and Death Of A Salesman. For once Sylvia Sidney gets the opportunity to play a beautiful rich girl. (She reminds me of Drew Barrymore). You will not want to miss a very young Cary Grant playing a small role as Joan's lover .

Sylvia Sidney (born Sophia Kosow; August 8, 1910 – July 1, 1999), using the surname Sidney, she became an actress at the age of fifteen as a way of overcoming shyness.

 As a student of the Theater Guild's School for Acting, Sidney appeared in several of their productions during the 1920's and earned praise from theater critics.

In 1926, she was seen by a Hollywood talent scout and made her first film appearance later that year. During the Depression, Sidney appeared in a string of films, often playing the girlfriend or the sister of a gangster.

She appeared opposite such heavyweight screen idols as Spencer Tracy, Henry Fonda, Joel McCrea, Fredric March, George Raft (a frequent screen partner), and Cary Grant.

 Among her films from this period were: An American Tragedy, City Streets and Street Scene (all 1931), Alfred Hitchcock's Sabotage and Fritz Lang's Fury (both 1936), You Only Live Once, Dead End (both 1937) and The Trail of the Lonesome Pine, an early three-strip Technicolor film. It was during this period that she developed a reputation for being difficult to work with.

After what seemed to be a promising second phase of her career playing opposite the likes of James Cagney in films like Blood on the Sun (1945) with a considerably more glamorous screen persona, her career diminished somewhat during the 1940's. In 1949 exhibitors voted her "box office poison". In 1952, she played the role of Fantine in Les Miserables, and her performance was widely praised and allowed her opportunities to develop as a character actress.

Sidney appeared three times on CBS's Playhouse 90 anthology series. On May 16, 1957, she appeared as Lulu Morgan, mother of singer Helen Morgan in "The Helen Morgan Story." In that same presentation Polly Bergen was nominated for an Emmy award for her portrayal of Helen Morgan.

Four months later, Sidney joined Bergen, then twenty-seven, on the premiere of the short-lived NBC variety show, The Polly Bergen Show.

In 1973, Sidney received an Academy Award nomination for her supporting role in Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams.

As an elderly woman Sidney continued to play supporting screen roles, and was identifiable by her husky voice, the result of a lifetime cigarette smoking habit. She was the formidable Miss Coral in the film version of I Never Promised You a Rose Garden and later was cast as Aidan Quinn's grandmother in the television production of An Early Frost for which she won a Golden Globe Award. She played Aunt Marion in Damien: Omen II and had key roles in Beetlejuice (directed by longtime Sidney fan Tim Burton), as Juno, for which she won a Saturn Award, and Used People (which co-starred Jessica Tandy, Marcello Mastroianni, Marcia Gay Harden, Kathy Bates and Shirley MacLaine).

Her final role was in another film by Burton, Mars Attacks!, in which she played a senile grandmother whose beloved Slim Whitman records stop an alien invasion from Mars when played over a loudspeaker.

On television, she appeared in the first episode as the imperious mother of Gordon Jump in WKRP in Cincinnati; as the troubled grandmother of Melanie Mayron in the comedy-drama Thirtysomething and, finally, as the crotchety travel clerk on the short-lived late-1990's revival of Fantasy Island with Malcolm McDowell, Fyvush Finkel and Mädchen Amick. She also appeared in an episode of Dear John.

Sidney's Broadway theatre career spanned five decades, from her debut performance as a graduate of the Theatre Guild School in the June 1926 3-act fantasy Prunella to the Tennessee Williams play Vieux Carré in 1977. Additional credits include The Fourposter, Enter Laughing, and Barefoot in the Park.

In 1982, Sidney was awarded The George Eastman Award, given by George Eastman House for distinguished contribution to the art of film.

 As a single woman, Sidney was involved in an affair with B.P. Schulberg at Paramount Pictures. When Schulberg's previous mistress, Clara Bow, began experiencing personal problems in 1931, Sidney replaced her in City Streets.

Sidney was married three times. She first married publisher Bennett Cerf on 1 October 1935, but the couple were divorced shortly after on April 9, 1936. She then was married to actor and acting teacher Luther Adler from 1938 until 1947, by whom she had a son, Jacob (Jody) (October 22, 1939 – 1987) who died of Lou Gehrig's disease. During her marriage to Luther Adler she was a sister-in-law to acclaimed stage actress and drama teacher Stella Adler. On March 5, 1947, she married radio producer and announcer Carlton Alsop. They were divorced on March 22, 1951.

Sidney died from throat cancer in New York City a month before her 89th birthday, after a career spanning more than 70 years. She bequeathed her black pug Malcolm to the National Arts Club, where the canine became a much loved mascot and noted attender of social events, celebrated in a short film by Carol Wilder.

She was skilled at needlepoint. She sold needlepoint kits featuring her designs, and she published two popular instruction books: Sylvia Sidney's Needlepoint Book (1968) and The Sylvia Sidney Question and Answer Book on Needlepoint (1975).

Sidney was also a staunch Republican and conservative.

Bedtime Story (1941).

Bedtime Story (1941). Comedy film directed by Alexander Hall. Cast: Fredric March, Loretta Young and Robert Benchley.

After seven years of marriage, stage actress Jane, has her heart set on leaving the stage and live on a farm in Connecticut. Her husband, producer-playwright Luke Drake, has different plans and is ready to start rehearsals for his new play and is late showing up for their retirement party.



Where Luke, informs Jane and the others that he has sold their dream farm and bought a theater. Heartbroken, she packs her suitcase and travels to Reno for a divorce. Wanting to stop the divorce, Luke plants a false story in a gossip columns, announcing that he is ill and that he has cancelled his play. Reading a newspaper article, that Luke is not well and has given up working, she rushes back only to find that it's not true.

Jane, goes back to Reno to get her divorce and begins dating banker, William Dudley. Luke follows Jane to Reno and arrives at her hotel just as William Dudley, shows up to take her to dinner. When Luke asks for a chance to talk to Jane alone, Dudley hands over the keys to his car and Luke and Jane go for a drive to talk things over.

Luke, accidentally runs out of gas and needing a place to stay for the night they get a hotel room. While there, she helps him with his script and tells him to cast someone else to perform in it. She, then tells Luke, that he owes her $4.40 for his share of the gas and hotel.

When Luke reads that Jane has become engaged to Dudley, he wants to win her back. Learning that the police plan to raid a club named Billy's that night, Luke suggests to Jane that she and Dudley join him for dinner. Asking Jane to meet him at the theater, Luke then phones Dudley and asks him to meet them at Billy's.

When Jane arrives at the theater in the middle of rehearsals, Luke pretends to chastise Virginia's performance and Jane offers to coach her. Jane, gives such a wonderful reading that Virginia leaves the stage. Now, without a leading lady Luke, says he has to cancel the play, Jane then offers to take the part until he can find someone to perform in the part. As they leave the theater, a policeman informs them that Dudley has been arrested and Jane, realizing that she has been tricked backs out of her promise. Then bails Dudley out of jail and elopes with him.

The next morning, Luke and Eddie, arrive at the apartment with flowers, to apologize. Only to find out that Jane has just married William. Luke, hires two men to act as inspectors, questioning Jane on the validity of her marriage.  She hands William all of her Reno receipts... except the one from the California hotel. When she refuses to give Luke that receipt, he admits the inspectors are fake. Their friend Emma, comes over to tell Jane, that the production has shut down and that Luke, paid them off with the last of his money.

Realizing how much he loves her, Jane hands Emma, the receipt and tells her that she wants the money Luke, owes her for the hotel room. It takes Luke a minute, to realize that with the receipt, he can prove that Jane's marriage is not legal.

At the hotel, Luke sends a parade of plumbers, electricians and maids... to interrupt Jane and William on their wedding night. Will he be able to break up the honeymooning couple for good?

"Bedtime Story", is a stylish comedy with a wonderful cast. Frederic March, was at the height of his movie career and Loretta Young, also has some fun scenes in the film. The supporting cast: Eve Arden, Allyn Joslyn, Helen Westley and Joyce Compton, will charm their classic movie fans.

Helen Westley (March 28, 1875 – December 12, 1942). A character actress and member of the original board of the Theatre Guild.

Westley, played roles, both comic and dramatic in many films: Death Takes a Holiday, All This and Heaven Too, four films opposite child star Shirley Temple (including Dimples and Heidi), the 1934 surprise hit Anne of Green Gables, the 1935 film version of Roberta, and the 1936 film version of Show Boat, in which she replaced Edna May Oliver.

She also appeared in Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm in 1938 with Shirley Temple and Randolph Scott as Aunt Miranda.

In 1936 she played in Banjo on My Knee with Barbara Stanwyck, Walter Brennan and Buddy Ebsen.

Westley was married to John Westley, an actor on Broadway, on October 31, 1900. The couple separated in 1912 . The marriage ended in divorce. The couple had one daughter, named Ethel.

A Star Is Born (1937), won a special Academy Award for its Technicolor cinematography for W. Howard Greene.

A Star Is Born(1937). A romantic/drama directed by William A. Wellman. Cast: Janet Gaynor, Fredric March, Adolphe Menjou, May Robson, Andy Devine, Lionel Stander and Carole Landis. The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards, winning the award for Best Story. It was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (March), Best Actress (Gaynor), Best Assistant Director, and Academy Award for Best Writing, Screenplay. It won a special Academy Award for its Technicolor cinematography for W. Howard Greene. (August 16, 1895 - February 28, 1956), was born in Connecticut and died in Los Angeles. Greene, sometimes billed as William H. Greene and W. Howard Greene, was a cinematographer on many early Technicolor films, including Legong: Dance of the Virgins (1935).A Star Is Born (1937), was the first color film to be nominated for best picture.

A screenplay entitled "A Star Is Born" has the words, "Final Shooting Script," written on the cover page then opened to start the following story:

Esther Blodgett, returns home with big dreams of becoming a movie star after seeing a movie with her favorite movie actress, Norman Maine. Her father and grandmother Lettie, are surprised learn their little farm girl Esther, has dreams of becoming a star. Esther, wanting better for her granddaughter, encourages Esther to follow her dreams and gives her money for the train to Hollywood.

In one of my favorite scenes.. After arriving in Hollywood, Esther passes by Grauman's Chinese Theatre, where she steps in the footprints of Norman Maine.

Esther, is worried that she wont find work as an actress, after she finds out that no extra has been signed by Central Casting in the past two years. Esther makes friends with Danny McGuire, an out-of-work assistant director who lives in her rooming-house.

After, he lands a job, they go to a performance at the Hollywood Bowl, where Norman arrives drunk with actress Anita Regis and then starts a fight with a photographer..

Danny gets Esther a job as a waitress at a party his director is giving. Norman, arrives at the party following another drunken outburst, which his press agent, Matt Libby, was able to keep out of the newspapers.

Anita finds Norman, in the kitchen flirting with Esther and breaks a plate over his head, Norman and Esther leave together. Although.. he invites her to his place, Esther refuses, he respects her wishes and gives her a goodnight kiss, before leaving for home. Norman, then phones studio head Oliver Niles, at three in the morning to arrange for a screen test for Esther. After her first test, Esther signs a contract and she is then transformed into "Vicki Lester."

Unable to find a female lead for his next picture, Norman talks Oliver, into using Esther and the audience, loves her. Norman and Esther celebrate at the Cafe Trocadero, where Norman tells Esther that she now can have anything in the world, but.. shares with her that stardom has not made him happy.

At a boxing match, Norman proposes marriage and the couple secretly marry at a small town courthouse. Soon after, their honeymoon on the road in a travel trailer, Norman's contract is cancelled, and he has nothing to do, while Esther becomes famous.

Norman starts drinking again and during the Academy Awards ceremonies, he drunkenly interrupts Esther's acceptance speech for the award for finest performance by an actress and accidentally slaps her in the face.

Sometime later, Oliver visits Norman, now in a sanitarium, to offer him a role in a movie, but.. when Norman learns that it is not the lead, he declines.

Norman, out of the sanitarium, decides to spend the day at the Santa Anita Racetrack, where he runs into Libby. Norman, tries unsuccessfully not to get upset as Libby, accuses him of sponging off his wife. Norman, orders a bottle of scotch and four days later, Esther learns that he has been arrested for crashing his car into a tree while intoxicated. Through Esther's pleading with the judge, Norman is released to her custody, the newspapers put the story on front-page.

At their beach house in Malibu, Norman overhears Esther tell Oliver that she is going to retire so that she can go away with Norman. After Oliver leaves, Norman finds Esther crying and feels he must do something to help her..

Janet Gaynor, is very believable in her role a young girl who leaves for Hollywood with dreams of becoming a Oscar-winning actress. I loved the scene when Esther passes by Grauman's Chinese Theatre and steps in the footprints of Norman Maine.

I don't think Fredric March, can give a bad performance. I particularly like the shower scene in the motor home Esther and Norman take on honeymoon.

Fun Facts(spoiler alert):

The character of Norman Maine was based on: John Barrymore, John Gilbert and John Bowers, who drowned off Malibu during the film's production.

The funeral scene was inspired by the funeral of Irving Thalberg, where fans swarmed around his widow Norma Shearer outside the church. A similar scene occurred at Jean Harlow's funeral two months after the film's release.

The Oscar that Janet Gaynor receives in the film is her own Oscar, which she won for her role in 7th Heaven.

When the drunken Norman Maine character raucously interrupts the Oscar presentation, it was deja vu for Janet Gaynor. She had brought her sister to the Academy Awards ceremony in 1929, when she won the first Best Actress Oscar ever awarded, for 7th Heaven. Her sister became very drunk and completely out of control, thoroughly embarrassing Gaynor.

The first all-color film nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture.

Janet Gaynor (October 6, 1906 – September 14, 1984) was an actress and painter. One of the most popular actresses of the silent film era, in 1928 Gaynor became the first winner of the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performances in three films: Seventh Heaven (1927), Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927) and Street Angel (1928).

This was the only occasion on which an actress has won one Oscar for multiple film roles. This rule would be changed three years later by AMPAS.

When she graduated from high school in 1923, Gaynor decided to become an actress. She moved to Los Angeles, where she supported herself working in a shoe store.

She landed unbilled small parts in several films and comedy shorts for two years. Finally, in 1926, at the age of 20, she was cast in the lead role in, The Johnstown Flood (1926).

Her performances in Seventh Heaven (the first of twelve movies she would make with actor Charles Farrell) and both Sunrise, directed by F. W. Murnau, and Street Angel (in 1927, also with Charles Farrell) earned her the first Academy Award for Best Actress in 1928. At the time, the award was awarded for multiple roles: it was given on the basis of the actor's total work over the year, and not just for one particular performance. 22 year old Gaynor, was not only the first but also, the youngest actress to win an Academy Award for Best Actress up until 1986.

Gaynor, was one of only a handful of leading ladies who made a successful transition to sound films.

For a number of years, Gaynor was the Fox studios top actress and was given leading roles in the films: Sunny Side Up (1929), Delicious (1931), Merely Mary Ann (also 1931), and Adorable (1933), State Fair (1933) and The Farmer Takes a Wife (1935).

When Darryl F. Zanuck merged his studio 20th Century Pictures, with Fox Film Corporation to form Twentieth Century Fox, she continued to receive top billing in every movie that she made during the 1930's including, Ladies in Love (1937).  In 1937, she was again nominated for an Academy Award, for the film, A Star Is Born.

After, performing in, The Young in Heart, she left the film industry for nearly twenty years at the age of 32 to travel with her husband Adrian, returning one last time in 1957 as Pat Boone's mother in Bernadine.

Gaynor's, first marriage was to Jesse Lydell Peck from September 11, 1929 to April 7, 1933. She was married to MGM costume designer Adrian from August 14, 1939 to his death on September 13, 1959. With him she had one son, Robin Gaynor Adrian, born in 1940. She was married to producer Paul Gregory from December 24, 1964 to her death on September 14, 1984.

In addition to acting, Gaynor was an accomplished artist and her oil paintings were featured at the Wally Findlay Galleries show in New York, March 25 to April 7, 1977.

Gaynor was close friends with actress Mary Martin, with whom she frequently traveled.

She died on September 14, 1984, at the age of 77, due to a traffic accident 2 years earlier in San Francisco, from complications following several operations.

Ann Harding

Ann Harding (August 7, 1902 – September 1, 1981). In 1929, she made her film debut in Paris Bound, with Fredric March. A story about Jim Hutton and Mary Archer, who are happy to remain faithful to each other in spirit only.

They are married with the bride believing that each should be allowed to do do what they want to do. Among the wedding guests is the young composer Richard Parrish, who is also in love with the bride, and Noel Farley, who is in love with Jim.

After they have their first child, Jim travels to Europe on a business trip, Mary declines to accompany him. Noel, who owns a villa at Antibes, lures Jim into a rendezvous. Menawhile, Mary has an affair with Richard. Learning of Jim's rendezvous, she considers a Paris divorce so as to marry Richard. When Jim unexpectedly returns, he tells Mary of his affair with a French woman. Mary is devastated, for she would never believe that her husband would actually sleep with another woman. In the end their mutual love is confirmed, and they decide to adopt traditional marriage morals and remain monogamous.

Fun Facts:

In 1931, she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for, Holiday.

Harding, was RKO studio's 'answer' to MGM's superstar Norma Shearer.

Harding's second film was, Her Private Affair.

During this period, she was considered to be one of cinema's most beautiful women, with her long waist-length blonde hair as one of her most noted attributes.

Her films during her peak include: The Animal Kingdom, Peter Ibbetson, When Ladies Meet, The Flame Within, and Biography of a Bachelor Girl.

Harding, became stereotyped as the innocent, self-sacrificing young woman. She eventually quit making movies when she married the conductor, Werner Janssen in 1937. She later returned in 1942 to make the film, Eyes in the Night and to take secondary roles in other movies. In 1956, she again starred with Fredric March, this time in, The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit.

An Act Of Murder(1948).

An Act Of Murder(1948). Directed by Michael Gordon. Starring Fredric March, Edmond O'Brien, Will Wright.

The story begins in the Pennsylvania court of Calvin Cooke, attorney David Douglas loses a murder trial. Unknown to Calvin, David, whom the judge dislikes because of his liberal ways of thinking, is dating his daughter Ellie.

Later that evening, while Cathy is preparing for her twentieth anniversary dinner, she experiences severe pain and dizziness which she hides from her family. The next day she goes in for several tests. Cathy's friend and Dr. Walter, arranges for the test results to be submitted to several specialists around the country.

In court the next day, Calvin gets a message from Walter, who informs him that Cathy is suffering from a unstoppable and fast-advancing disease.

The only help Walter can give her are pain pills that are highly toxic. He recommends that Calvin keep the information from Cathy and try to make her remaining days as pleasant as possible. Calvin decides to take Cathy on a second honeymoon trip.

While in an amusement park house of mirrors, Cathy has a dizzy spell and wants to return to the hotel, where she continues experiencing great pain.

Calvin gives her a pain pill, telling her it is aspirin, but Cathy spends the night in excruciating pain. The next morning Cathy finds a note from Calvin saying that he has gone for the newspaper and comes across Walter's pain medicine prescription and diagnosis. Meanwhile, Calvin has telephoned Walter and talks of suicide and relieving her pain.

When he returns to the hotel, Cathy says nothing about finding the prescription and asks to return home. On the drive back in the middle of a rainstorm, they have car trouble and Calvin is forced to pull into a roadside garage and cafe. While Calvin is with the mechanic, Cathy, realizes her condition is getting worse and calls her daughter Ellie.

On the road again with Cathy sleeping beside him, Calvin, intentionally drives the car over an embankment.. Will they survive the crash?

The story is about a helpless husband and his brave wife, and their final days until their doomed weekend. "An Act of Murder" makes a powerful statement on how fragile life is.

Edmond O'Brien (September 10, 1915 – May 9, 1985), made his film debut in 1938, and became a highly regarded supporting actor. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army Air Forces and performed in the Air Forces' Broadway play and film, Winged Victory.

He won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in the film, The Barefoot Contessa (1954) and was also nominated for his role as an alcoholic U.S. senator in the film, Seven Days in May (1964). Prior to that, O'Brien had a role in the, 1950's D.O.A. as a poisoned man who looks for his own murderer before he dies.

His other notable films include The Killers (1946), White Heat (1949), The Girl Can't Help It (1956), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), Birdman of Alcatraz (1962), The Longest Day (1962), Fantastic Voyage (1966), and The Wild Bunch (1969).

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 .

Great Dramas this month on Noir and Chick Flicks - The Best Years Of Our Lives (1946)

I mentioned to Dawn that we would concentrate on dramas during this month here on Noir and Chick Flicks. She agreed and I figured we would focus on some of the classic great dramas of all time. Dramas that focused on family life, married life, dramas dealing with important issues such as race, women's rights, medical dramas, prison dramas, etc. We could go on and on. But since November is a time of being thankful, I wanted to showcase some dramas that are very emotional and tug at the heart and make you think. So I hope everyone will enjoy this month here on Noir & Chick Flicks. And I decided to kick things off with the 1946 classic film The Best Years of Our Lives, which I recently wrote about on my blog, All Good Things.

This is one of my favorite films of all time, sitting right there nestled in my top 10. The story in this film centers on three returning WW Two veterans after the war has ended. Frederic March is Al Stephenson, who returns to his loving wife Milly (a magnificent performance by Myrna Loy), his two children Peggy (a terrific Teresa Wright) and Rob (Michael Hall). Al returns to an influential banking position, but finds it hard to reconcile his loyalties to ex-servicemen with new commercial realities. He has several scenes where he copes by drinking heavily. Dana Andrews is Fred Derry, an ordinary working man who finds it difficult to hold down a job or pick up the threads of his marriage with Virginia Mayo. He ends up falling for Peggy, and Peggy lets her mom know that she doesn't mind busting up the marriage to be with Fred. I was like, heck yeah, go for it Peggy. That's when I fell in love with Teresa Wright at that exact moment. And the last soldier is Homer Parrish (played by real life amputee Harold Russell) who unsure that his fiancée's (Cathy O'Donnell) feelings are still those of love and not those of pity. Each of these three men face a different crisis in their lives and try to cope and come through it emotionally sound. This movie is awesome. I can't find any faults with it. From the top notch cast to the expert direction by William Wyler to the epic music score by Hugo Friedhofer and the gorgeous cinematography by Gregg Toland. The Best Years of Our Lives is one of the best films ever made.

Facts about the film:

In 1946 this became the most successful film at the box office since Gone with the Wind (1939) which was released 7 years earlier.


For his performance as Homer Parrish, Harold Russell became the only actor to win two Academy Awards for the same role.


Myrna Loy receives top billing as she was the most successful female star at the time.

William Wyler, who served as a major in the Army Air Force during World War II, incorporated his own wartime experiences into The Best Years of Our Lives. Just as Fred Derry did in the movie, Wyler flew in B-17s in combat over Germany, although rather than being a bombardier, as Derry was, he filmed footage for documentary films. Additionally, Wyler modeled the reunion of Al and Milly, in which they first see each other at opposite ends of a long hallway, on his own homecoming to his wife, Talli.


This is the first film role for which Cathy O'Donnell, in the role of Wilma Cameron, receives screen credit. Her film debut was in Wonder Man (1945) as an uncredited extra in a nightclub scene.


In 1946 this became the most successful film at the box office since Gone with the Wind (1939) which was released 7 years earlier.


In 2007, the American Film Institute ranked this as the #37 Greatest Movie of All Time.

Star of the Month: Fredric March, There Goes My Heart (1938).

There Goes My Heart (1938). Cast: Virginia Bruce and Fredric March. The film is based on a story by Ed Sullivan, better known for his TV show. Click to view , There Goes My Heart, movie trailer.

Heiress Joan Butterfield wanting to get out from under the control her grandfather, sneaks away from their yacht and goes off on her own in, New York City. Reporter Bill Spencer shows up at the yacht, hoping to get a picture of her for his paper, but .. he is only able to get a glimpse of her. Bill convinces his editor to let him continue with the story.

While other papers are looking for the missing heiress, Bill decides to do a story comparing her life with a ordinary salesgirl in her grandfather's department store.

Joan meets Peggy O'Brien, at the auto mat and is able to get a free lunch when Peggy's is stolen and the manager refuses to replace it until Joan says that hers was also stolen. The girls become fast friends and Peggy promises to help her get a job in Butterfield's department store. Joan wanting to keep her identity hidden takes the name of Joan Baker.

She enjoys her new life, even though everyday situations are very challenging for her. While Bill, is at store to work on his story, he recognizes Joan and follows her.  As he gets to know Joan better, Bill begins to fall in love with her. Unfortunately, Joan accidentally leaves her watch in the women's restroom at Butterfield's, Dorothy a co-worker, sees the inscription, "To Joan Butterfield--from Gramps" and realizes Joan's true identity.

Dorothy goes to Gramps, with the information about Joan's whereabouts. Peggy agrees to help Joan, even though she can't understand why Joan prefers the life of an ordinary salesgirl. Will Joan soon realize that Bill is doing a story on her and will Bill get his story in the paper?

I watched this film because I really wanted to see Fredric March, in a lighthearted comedy. I have to say that this film in no way showcased his amazing acting skill, but it was still a fun story.

Fun Facts:

This film marked the last of Nancy Carroll's 39 feature appearances in an 11-year career.

Bill Clark's movie debut.

Virginia Bruce, performed first as an extra in Why Bring That Up?.

She was also in the Ziegfeld Follies.

In 1930 she performed on Broadway in the musical Smiles, followed by America's Sweetheart(1931).

Bruce returned to Hollywood in 1932, where she married John Gilbert, her co-star in the film, Downstairs.

She retired briefly after the birth of their daughter.

After the couple divorced in 1934, and Virginia returned to acting.

In 1936, Bruce performed, "I've Got You Under My Skin" in the film, Born to Dance and costarred in the musical, The Great Ziegfeld.

One of her final film performance was in the film, Strangers When We Meet(1960).

The Best Years of Our Lives (1946).

Samuel Goldwyn, was inspired to produce a film, about veterans after reading an August 7, 1944 article in Time magazine, about the difficulties experienced by men returning home to civilian life. Goldwyn hired war correspondent MacKinlay Kantor to write the screenplay.

The film was directed by William Wyler, with cinematography by Gregg Toland. The film won seven Academy Awards, including those for best picture, director, actor, supporting actor, editing, screenplay, and original score. Cast: Fredric March, Myrna Loy, Dana Andrews, Teresa Wright, Virginia Mayo, and Hoagy Carmichael. It also features Harold Russell, a U.S. paratrooper who had lost both hands in a training accident.

At the end of World War II, three servicemen meet on a flight to Boone City, their hometown. The men, Air Force Captain Fred Derry, sailor Homer Parrish, and Army Sergeant Al Stephenson, quickly become friends, even though they come from different backgrounds.

Al is a banker with a wife and two children. Fred is a former soda jerk from the wrong side of the tracks and Homer, who has lost both hands in the war. As they share a taxi from the airport, they talk about many favorite places they used to hang out at, including a tavern run by Homer's uncle, Butch Engle. Each share their concerns about the future and how they will adapt to civilian life. Just as they expected, each of the veterans faces a crisis on their first day home.

I thought this was a very powerful movie and you will not soon forget, the initial joy of the three men's homecoming and the problems, that they face as they try to build a new life for themselves and their families.

Fun facts:

Director William Wyler was furious when he learned that Samuel Goldwyn had sent Harold Russell for acting lessons; he preferred Russell's untrained, natural acting.

William Wyler wanted a completely unglamorous look, requiring all costumes to be bought off the rack and worn by the cast before filming, and making sure all sets were built smaller than life-size. In order to give the film a documentary-style realism, the director drew each member of the crew - props, grips, mixers, etc. - from the ranks of WWII veterans.

This was the first time Myrna Loy had worked with William Wyler and she was wary of his reputation as "90-Take Willy". As it turned out, the two got along very well.

In 1946 this became the most successful film at the box office since Gone with the Wind (1939) which was released 7 years earlier.

Myrna Loy receives top billing as she was the most successful female star at the time.

During the wedding scene at the end, Harold Russell fluffed his lines during his vows. Rather that calling cut and ordering a re-take, William Wyler liked how natural it sounded and this was the take used.

Virgina Mayo, worked as a dancer, then signed a contract with Samuel Goldwyn and performed in several movies with Danny Kaye.

She played the dream-girl heroine in: Wonder Man (1945), The Kid from Brooklyn (1946) and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947). In her Hollywood heyday, Mayo was known as the voluptuous beauty in the film, The Girl from Jones Beach.

In 1949's White Heat she played the unsympathetic role of "Verna Jarrett", opposite James Cagney.

She was also cast against type as a gold digger in, The Best Years of Our Lives.

Her film career continued through the 1950s and 1960s, frequently in B-movie westerns and adventure films.

She also appeared in musicals, Mayo's singing voice was always dubbed.

Virginia and her husband, actor Michael O'Shea (of Jack London film fame) co-starred in: Tunnel of Love, Fiorello, and George Washington Slept Here.

She has also starred in Cactus Flower, How the Other Half Loves and the musical comedy, Good News.

Star of the Month: Fredrick March.

Fredrick March was one of the few leading actors of his era not to sign long-term contracts with the studios, and was able pick and choose his roles, which helped him avoid being typecast.

My Fredrick March Halloween movie pick:

Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde (1932). Cast: Fredric March, Miriam Hopkins, Rose Hobart. Dir: Rouben Mamoulian. The film begins in London in the late eighteenth century. Physician Dr. Henry Jekyll shares with a group of scientists that he believes man lives with an eternal struggle between good and evil.

Jekyll has developed a potion to separate the two sides.

Jekyll decides to ask Brigadier General Carew for permission to marry his daughter Muriel earlier than they had first planned, but Carew refuses. Disappointed, Jekyll returns to his laboratory and takes the potion and now has turned into the evil personality.

Jekyll visits Ivy Pierson, a music hall singer who he had rescued earlier from the advances of a man. As "Mr. Hyde," Jekyll tries to seduce Ivy. She wants nothing to do with him, but when he promises her wealth, she quickly changes her mind. Jealous of the feelings Ivy has for Dr. Jekyll, Hyde becomes violent.

Later, when Jekyll realizes he has terrorized Ivy, he anonymously sends her money. She visits Jekyll, and begs him to save her from Hyde and he promises her that she will never see him again.

Unfortunately, on his way to the Carews, Jekyll turns into Hyde again without drinking any of the potion and strangles Ivy. Desperately, Jekyll trying to recover to his normal self, sends word to Dr. Lanyon, ordering him to get more of the potion to him.

At midnight, Lanyon watches Hyde turn back into Jekyll, who swears him to secrecy. Jekyll then promises never to drink the potion again.

Jekyll goes to Muriel to break off their engagement. While there he turns into Hyde and attacks Muriel, who is saved by Carew. The police chase Hyde back to Jekyll's lab. Will Dr. Jekyll ever be able to get control of the violent Mr. Hyde.

This film is worth watching for its amazing scenes showing the transformation of Jekyll to Hyde, are filmed in what look to be uninterrupted shots. That reminds me a little of the evil twin of, Jerry Lewis. ;)

Fun Facts:

The first horror movie ever to win an Academy Award.

When discussing who to cast as Jekyll/Hyde, studio head Adolph Zukor first suggested Irving Pichel for the part. Director Rouben Mamoulian turned it down because he wanted an actor who could play both parts convincingly and felt Pichel could only play Hyde.

'Phillips Holmes', was considered and turned down for the opposite reason: he would have been a good Jekyll but a poor Hyde.

Mamoulian then suggested Fredric March. Zukor felt that this was a bad choice because, up till then, March had been featured in lightweight roles. In addition to winning March the first of his two Oscars, Jekyll/Hyde was the part that finally led to Hollywood taking him seriously in more demanding roles.

Rose Hobart's father performed as a cellist in the New York Symphony. She began her career on stage. One of her best-known roles was as Grazia, in the stage production of, Death Takes a Holiday(1929).

Her first film role was the part of Julie in the first talking picture version of Ferenc Molnar's, Liliom(1930), starring Charles Farrell in the title role and directed by Frank Borzage.

She co-starred with Fredric March and Miriam Hopkins in Rouben Mamoulian's original film version of, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931). She played the role of Muriel, Jekyll's fiancee.

Hobart often played the "other woman" like in her last major film performance, Bride of Vengeance(1949).

In the 1960's she performed on the television show, Peyton Place.

I MARRIED A WITCH (1942)

I MARRIED A WITCH, is a charming/comedy. Cast: Fredric March and Veronica Lake. Author Thorne Smith, wrote about a beautiful, playful, witch.. instead of the ugly witches that we grew up reading about.. Much like the TV series "Bewitched".

The movie begins with Veronica Lake, who along with her father, is burnt at the stake on charges of witchcraft. Before her death she places a curse on the descendants of the man responsible for the burning.

The movie quickly moves to the present where we see political candidate for the State Senate Jonathan Wooley, fully involved in his wedding to Estelle, daughter of big shot J.B. Masterson.

During a storm, both Jennifer, and her evil father Daniel, are freed from their imprisonment inside the tree that grew on the spot where they died. Jennifer's goal is to find Jonathan and make life a complete misery for him. She does everything she can to sabotage Jonathan's wedding which includes a huge wind storm that destroys the event. Then she pretends to "die by gunshot", which will set Jonathan up on a murder charge.

Earlier she made a love potion that would cause Jonathan to fall in love with her. Jonathan now accidentally uses it on Jennifer and she finds herself madly in love with him. Fed up with Estelle and her father planning his every move, Jonathan begins to realize that the problems that Jennifer has brought into his life has actually has saved him.

When Jennifer's father sees what is happening he decides to take matters into his own hands. Unfortunately, for him his plan backfires and he and ends up in the bottle where he will stay for all eternity. What does the future hold for the bewitched couple?



I thought Veronica Lake was very good and proved herself to be wonderful in a comedy and capable of far more than just hiding behind her famous hairstyle. Her chemistry with Fredric March is magical. "I Married a Witch", is a fun movie..

Fun Facts:

Joel McCrea was initially cast as the lead, but declined the role because he didn't want to work again with Veronica Lake, his co-star in Sullivan's Travels (1941).

Veronica Lake and Fredric did not like one another, due in part to some disparaging remarks March made about her. During filming, Lake delighted in playing pranks on March, such as hiding a 40-pound weight under her costume when March had to carry her in his arms.