Old Acquaintance(1943).

Old Acquaintance(1943). Drama directed by Vincent Sherman. Cast: Bette Davis and Miriam Hopkins with Gig Young, John Loder, Dolores Moran, Roscoe Karns and Anne Revere.

Bette Davis personally requested the casting of Norma Shearer in the role of Mildred Drake. Shearer refused the role and the part went to Miriam Hopkins. This film was the second collaboration of legendary arch-enemies Bette Davis and Miriam Hopkins, (Their previous collaboration had been The Old Maid.)

When, Prize-winning novelist Kit Marlowe, returns to her home town to give a lecture, she is greeted by her old friend, Millie Drake. Millie, is now married and pregnant with her first child. Millie, wonders why Kit does not seem happy to see her, but after Kit apologizes, Millie confesses that she too has written a book.



Eight years later, now as a successful writer, Millie, Preston and their eight-year-old daughter Deirdre are in New York City to attend the opening of Kit's play.

On the afternoon before opening night, Preston, who has been drinking, tells Kit that he is in love with her. Kit tries to fix her friend's marriage, but.. Preston, who has had enough wants out of his marriage to Millie.

Ten years later, after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Kit joins the Red Cross and while asking for donations over the radio. Preston, who is now in the army, hears Kit and telephones her to ask her to join him for a drink. There Preston surprises Kit, with his announcement of his engagement.

The next morning, Rudd, asks Kit to marry him. Because of their age difference, Kit turns him down and Rudd, decides to take a walk with the now-grown Deirdre. The two spend the day together and fall in love.

Kit, changes her mind about Rudd and the shares her plans to marry him to Millie. After, Preston tells Millie he is remarrying and wants to see Deirdre more often, he also confesses that he once loved Kit.

Out of jealousy, Millie tells Deirdre about Kit's marriage plans and then accuses Kit of stealing her husband. Kit, can not believe what she is hearing and gives Millie a good shaking.

That night Rudd breaks the news to Kit that he is going to marry Deirdre. Kit pretends to be happy for the young couple and wishes them the best.

Later, Millie stops by Kit's apartment to apologize and Kit forgives her. Millie then tells her about the new book, Old Acquaintance, a story about two old friends and the two women hold up their glasses and drink to it.

Davis and Miriam, are truly two of the finest actresses on the silver screen and both deliver Oscar-caliber performances in this film.

Dolores Moran (January 27, 1926 – February 5, 1982). Moran's brief career as a film actress began in 1942 with some uncredited roles in such films as, Yankee Doodle Dandy.

By 1943 she had become a popular pin-up girl and appeared on the cover of such magazines as Yank.

She was given supporting roles in films such as, Old Acquaintance (1943) with Bette Davis.

Warner promoting her along with Lauren Bacall as a new screen personality when they co-starred with Humphrey Bogart in, To Have and Have Not (1944).

The film made a star of Bacall, but Moran did not do as well and her later films did little to further her career, this probably had something to do with Howard Hawk's decision to boost Bacall's career.

The Horn Blows at Midnight, gave her a leading role, but her film appearances after this were sporadic, and she suffered ill health that reduced her ability to work. Her film career ended in 1954 with a featured role in the western film, Silver Lode.

She was married to the film producer Benedict E. Bogeaus in Salome, Arizona, in 1946. Their son, Brett Benedict, born August 30, 1948, in Hollywood, later became a successful businessman. They divorced in 1962, he died of a heart attack in 1968. Moran had an affair with director Howard Hawks while filming To Have and Have Not, which Hawks undertook mainly as revenge for his rejection by Bacall in favor of Bogart.

Wise Girl(1937).

Wise Girl(1937). Romantic/comedy. Cast: Miriam Hopkins and Ray Milland.

The story begins when the rich, socialite Susan, travels to the Greenwich Village incognito, to take two little girls' away from the charming artist and free spirit John O'Halloran, who is taking care of his dead brother's two young daughters, so they can be raised by her rich father.

Susan, tries to fit in by pretending to be an out-of-work actress and befriends John, the girls, a boxing sculptor Mike and Karl Stevens, an alcoholic painter.

Susan, soon falls in love with the eccentric John and she tries to talk him into participating in an art contest sponsored by her father, but .. he refuses out of pride.

After, John loses his sign painting job at Walker's department store and then unsuccessfully tries to sell vacuum cleaners door to door, Susan proposes to him and is about to tell him the truth about herself when authorities from the juvenile aid remove the girls from his home.

At the custody hearing, both Susan and John plead their cases to the judges, who grants custody to Susan and her father.

Although, they are well taken of, Katie and Joan miss John. Susan, then comes up with the plan to force John into painting an entry in her father's art contest, so he will have the money to support the girls. Will he come through with the winning painting?

Wise Girl, may not show Miriam Hopkins at her best, but it's a wonderful thirties comedy. Best scene is the chaos she causes at one of Guinn Williams' prizefights. Milland, has some fun scenes as well, especially trying to unsuccessfully sell vacuum cleaners door to door.

Margaret Dumont (October 20, 1882 - March 6, 1965), is remembered mostly for being the comic foil to Groucho Marx in seven of the Marx Brothers films. Groucho called her " the fifth Marx brother."

She was born Daisy Juliette Baker in Brooklyn, New York, the daughter of William Baker and Harriet Anna Harong. As a child Daisy Baker lived in the southern states, where she was mainly raised by her godfather, the writer Joel Chandler Harris.

 Dumont trained as an operatic singer and actress in her teens, and began performing on stage in both America and Europe, under the name Daisy Dumont and later as Margaret (or Marguerite) Dumont.

Her theatrical debut was in Beauty and the Beast at the Chestnut Theater in Philadelphia, and  she also appeared as a singer/comedienne in a vaudeville act in Atlantic City.

She was best known for her vocal and comedic talents in: The Girl Behind the Counter (1908), The Belle of Brittany (1909), and The Summer Widower (1910).

In 1910, she married millionaire sugar heir and industrialist John Moller Jr. and retired from stage work, although she had a small uncredited role as an aristocrat in the film, A Tale of Two Cities(1917).

After her husband's sudden death in 1918, she returned  to the Broadway stage, and soon gained a strong reputation in musical comedy productions. Her Broadway career included roles in the musical comedies and plays: The Fan (1921), Go Easy, Mabel (1922), The Rise of Rosie O'Reilly (1923/24), and The Fourflusher (1925), and she had an uncredited role in the film, Enemies of Women(1923).

She then came to the attention of writer George S. Kaufman, who hired her to play Mrs. Potter, alongside the Four Marx Brothers in their Broadway production of, The Cocoanuts (1925).

In October 1928, the Broadway show, Animal Crackers, opened, and Dumont was again cast as the wealthy society straight woman Mrs. Rittenhouse, in Animal Crackers (1930), Mrs. Gloria Teasdale in Duck Soup (1933), Mrs. Claypool in A Night at the Opera (1935), Emily Upjohn in A Day at the Races (1937), Mrs. Suzanna Dukesbury in At the Circus (1939), and Martha Phelps in The Big Store (1941). Her work in A Day at the Races earned her a Best Supporting Actress Award.

She also played the same dignified dowager in other movies, with W.C. Fields (Never Give a Sucker an Even Break, 1941) and (Tales of Manhattan, 1942), Abbott and Costello (Little Giant, 1946), Laurel and Hardy (The Dancing Masters, 1943), Red Skelton (Bathing Beauty, 1944), Jack Benny (The Horn Blows at Midnight, 1945), Wheeler and Woolsey and George "Spanky" McFarland (Kentucky Kernels, 1934) and (High Flyers, 1937, with Lupe Vélez thrown in for good measure), radio comedian Joe Penner (The Life of the Party, 1937), George "Gabby" Hayes (Sunset in El Dorado), and Danny Kaye (Up In Arms, 1944), and on television with Martin and Lewis (The Colgate Comedy Hour, December 1951).

Dumont also played some dramatic parts, such as Youth on Parole (1937) and Dramatic School (1938). She also appeared in Stop, You're Killing Me (1952), Three for Bedroom C (1952), Shake, Rattle & Rock! (1956), and Zotz! (1962).

Her last movie was What a Way to Go! (1964), in which she played Shirley MacLaine's mother, Mrs. Foster. Eight days before her death she made her final acting appearance on the television program The Hollywood Palace on February 26, 1965, where she was reunited onstage with Groucho—that week's guest host—one final time. They performed material adapted from Captain Spaulding's introductory scene in Animal Crackers. The taped show was aired on April 17, several weeks after her death.

The Old Maid (1939).

The Old Maid (1939). Director: Edmund Goulding. The screenplay by Casey Robinson is based on the 1935 Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same title by Zoë Akins, which was adapted from the 1924 Edith Wharton novella The Old Maid: the fifties.

On the day of Delia Lovell's wedding to socially prominent Jim Ralston, Clem Spender, to who Delia had once been engaged, reappears after being gone for two-years. Delia's cousin Charlotte, who was also in love with Clem, slips away to console him, coming home very late that night.

The next day Clem enlists in the Union army and dies on the battlefield.

Four years later, Charlotte has made a home for war orphans. Tina, Charlotte and Clem's own daughter comes to live with her. Charlotte lives with her secret until the day she is to marry Jim's brother Joe. Delia, who still loves Clem, decides to destroy Charlotte's chance to marry Joe and Charlotte goes into seclusion.

She reappears several months after Jim has died in a riding accident, and accepts Delia's invitation to move into the Ralston mansion with Tina.

Over the years Tina, considers Delia to be her mother, while Charlotte has become a miserable woman. Delia adopts Tina legally to provide her with a name.

On the eve of her wedding, Charlotte insists on telling Tina her true identity. Will Charlotte be able to keep her secret forever hidden?

I thought both Davis and Hopkins were amazing in this passionate film with many pull on your heart string scenes. Davis is wonderful in her transformation from beautiful debutante to embittered old maid. This movie reminded me of what a good actress Miriam Hopkins really was.

Miriam Hopkins (October 18, 1902 – October 9, 1972). At the age of 20, she became a chorus girl in New York City. In 1930, she signed with Paramount Pictures, and made her official film debut in, Fast and Loose.

Her first great success was in, Trouble in Paradise (1932). During the remainder of the decade, she appeared in such films as: The Smiling Lieutenant and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (both 1931), Design for Living (1933), Becky Sharp (1935), for which she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress, Barbary Coast (1935), These Three (1936) (the first of four films with director William Wyler) and The Old Maid (1939).

Hopkins had well-publicized fights with Bette Davis (Davis was having an affair with Hopkins' husband at the time, Anatole Litvak), when they co-starred in their two films: The Old Maid (1939) and Old Acquaintance(1943). Davis admitted to enjoying very much a scene in Old Acquaintance in which she shakes Hopkins. After Old Acquaintance, she did not work again in films until The Heiress (1949).

In The Mating Season, she gave a comic performance as Gene Tierney's character's mother. She also acted in The Children's Hour, which is a remake of her film These Three (1936). In the remake, she played the aunt to Shirley MacLaine, while MacLaine took Hopkins' original role.

Pre-Code: Trouble in Paradise (1932).

Trouble in Paradise(1932). Pre-Code romantic comedy film directed by Ernst Lubitsch. Cast: Miriam Hopkins, Kay Francis and Herbert Marshall, and features Charles Ruggles, Edward Everett Horton and C. Aubrey Smith.

In Venice, during dinner, Lily accuses Gaston(who is posing as a baron) of being a thief and he in turn, accuses her of being a pickpocket. But when he presents her garter to her, she falls instantly in love with him and they decide to join forces. They are almost caught while robbing aristocrat Francois Fileba's room.



A year later, in Paris, Gaston and Lily are still in love and working together when, at the opera, Gaston steals a diamond-studded purse from Mariette Colet, owner of Paris's perfumerie, Colet and Co. Posing as Monsieur LuValle, Gaston returns the bag to collect the reward and lands a job as her secretary.

It is not long before Gaston, begins making plans to embezzle money from the company. Lily, works as Gaston's assistant and pretends to be devoted to Mariette even though she is jealous of her and Gaston's relationship.

After a few weeks, Mariette introduces Gaston to her friends and Fileba, asks him if he has ever been in Venice, of course Gaston denies it. Now, fearful that Fileba, will expose them, Gaston and Lily must leave Paris. Fileba, soon remembers Gaston, was the man who robbed him in Venice and warns Mariette, but she does not really seem to care.

When Lily, realizes the reason why Gaston, wants to leave in the morning, is because he made plans to meet with Mariette, she steals the money from the safe. Now, that everyone knows his true identity, how will Gaston get out of this love triangle?



What I loved most about this romantic comedy, was the many beautiful sets and costumes.

Kay Francis (January 13, 1905 - August 26, 1968). She costarred with William Powell many times and performed in as many as six to eight movies a year, making a total of 21 films between 1929 and 1931. With her dark beauty and her deep voice perfectly suited for early sound- films made Francis one of the top film stars of the early 1930s.

She performed in the films, Girls About Town (1931) and Twenty-Four Hours (1931). After Kay's career skyrocketed at Warners, she would return to Paramount for the film, Trouble in Paradise (1932).

In 1932, Warner Brothers persuaded both Francis and Powell to join the ranks of Warners stars. In exchange, Francis was given roles that allowed her a more sympathetic screen persona.

The Richest Girl in the World (1934).

The Richest Girl in the World (1934). Romantic/comedy. Directed by William A. Seiter. Cast: Miriam Hopkins and Joel McCrea. Norman Krasna was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Story. It was remade in the film, Bride by Mistake(1944) with Laraine Day and Alan Marshal.

The story begins when, Dorothy Hunter, the "richest girl in the world" who nobody has never seen, uses her secretary, Sylvia Lockwood who is married to Phillip, to impersonate her. Dorothy's fiancee Donald, breaks off their engagement, just as she is about to announce it. Before he leaves, Donald tells her that no man will ever love her for herself. Dorothy, decides to have Sylvia pose as her at her engagement party. There, while pretending to be Sylvia, Dorothy meets Tony Travers. Tony, believing Dorothy to be the secretary, invites her on a canoe ride, but ends up taking Sylvia instead. Dorothy and Phillip, are hot on their heals, in a speedboat which causes their canoe to capsize.

Tony, insists that his interest in Sylvia is purely platonic, Dorothy says if he had the opportunity to marry the heiress, he would. Tony accepts the challenge.

After two weeks, Dorothy's guardian John Connors, believes that her "love tests" are unfair and suggest to Tony to propose to Sylvia, during a mountain retreat.

Tony, not knowing that Dorothy has arranged for them to spend the first evening alone in front of a cosy fireplace.. Where, Tony confesses his love to her. Dorothy, refuses to accept Tony's love, until she is convinced that she is his first choice.

Can he pass the test? Or Will he prefer Wray, because she's the rich one, or will he go for Hopkins, pretending to be the secretary.

This is a charming, some times racy little film. Miriam Hopkins, is very good as Miss Dorothy Hunter. Miriam Hopkins, works very well for the first of five times with Joel McCrea, who is very believable as a average guy.

Fay Wray(September 15, 1907 – August 8, 2004), acting career spanned 57 years. Many know her as the first "scream queen". In the 1920s, Wray landed her first major role in the silent film, The Coast Patrol (1925), as well as uncredited bit parts at the Hal Roach Studios.

In 1926, She was under contract to Universal Studios, mostly co-starring in low budget westerns opposite, Buck Jones.

Wray signed up with Paramount to make the transition from silent films to "talkie" films.

Fay Wray and Gary Cooper.

After leaving Paramount, Wray signed to various film companies. It was during this time that Wray was cast in horror films, Doctor X and the film, The Most Dangerous Game (1932), co-starring Joel McCrea.

In the film, King Kong, according to Wray, Jean Harlow had been RKO's original choice, but because MGM put Harlow under exclusive contract during the pre-production phase of the film, she became unavailable and Wray was approached by director Merian C. Cooper, to play the role of Ann Darrow.

She retired from acting in 1942, after her second marriage. because of financial problems she had to continue acting in minor film roles and on television, before ending her acting career in the made-for TV movie, Gideon's Trumpet (1980).

She was a special guest at the 70th Academy Awards, where the shows host, Billy Crystal, introduced her as the "Beauty who charmed the Beast".

Happy Birthday: Miriam Hopkins!

Miriam Hopkins (October 18, 1902 – October 9, 1972) was an American actress known for her versatility in a wide variety of roles such as:

Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde (1932). Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale of a scientist who unleashes the beast within. Cast: Fredric March, Miriam Hopkins, Rose Hobart. Dir: Rouben Mamoulian.

Richest Girl in the World, The (1934). To put off fortune-hunters, an heiress trades places with her secretary. Cast: Miriam Hopkins, Joel McCrea, Fay Wray.

Wise Girl (1937) . A rich girl plays poor to win over a Greenwich Village artist. Cast: Miriam Hopkins, Ray Milland, Walter Abel. Dir: Leigh Jason.

Old Maid, The (1939). Cast: Bette Davis, Miriam Hopkins, Jane Bryan. Dir: Edmund Goulding.
Please click to view Old Maid movie review.

Lady With Red Hair (1940) . An actress hopes to regain her lost son by making it to the top. Cast: Miriam Hopkins, Claude Rains, Richard Ainley. Dir: Curtis Bernhardt.

Virginia City (1940). A rebel spy poses as a wild West dance hall girl. Cast: Errol Flynn, Miriam Hopkins, Humphrey Bogart. Dir: Michael Curtiz. Please click to view Virginia City movie review.

Heiress, The (1949) .A plain young woman's money makes her prey to fortune hunters. Cast: Olivia de Havilland, Montgomery Clift, Ralph Richardson. Dir: William Wyler.

List of Miriam Hopkins films I have seen:
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
1939 The Old Maid
1940 Virginia City
1949 The Heiress
1951 The Mating Season
1961 The Children's Hour
1966 The Chase

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.

Miriam Hopkins- known for her versatility in a wide variety of roles.

Miriam Hopkins studied to be a dancer, but her opportunity with a touring ballet troupe was cut short when she broke her ankle.


When Miriam Hopkins, first signed on with Paramount Pictures, she made her first film, Fast and Loose(1930). A romantic comedy film directed by Fred C. Newmeyer. The film was written by Doris Anderson, Jack Kirkland and Preston Sturges, based on the 1924 play The Best People by David Gray and Avery Hopwood.



Her next film was, in Trouble in Paradise(1932). A story about a master thief who hooks up with a beautiful pickpocket. The two of them go to work for a famous perfume manufacturer, and the thief finds himself torn between two women.

She also performed in film, The Smiling Lieutenant. A romantic comedy about the love of a Princess for a soldier and the love of the soldier for another woman. The Lieutenant while standing in formation smiles at his girlfriend in the crowd. Unfortunately, the Princess thinks he is smiling at her and an international incident is avoided by having them married. The Lieutenant sneaks away from his bride and looks for his girlfriend Franzi. The princess finds out and confronts Franzi, who sees that the princess is in fact deeply in love with the lieutenant, and decides to step aside and gives the princess a makeover..

Next she went on to perform in the film, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde(1931), a story about Dr. Jekyll, who develops a drug to release the evil side in himself, becoming the violent, Mr. Hyde. Jekyll becomes addicted to the formula and unable to control his alter-ego Mr. Hyde. The only thing that can stop him is his friend and the police, who watches while he transforms into Hyde. Hyde tries to escape from the lab by climbing through a window, but Lanyon shoots him and Hyde transforms into Jekyll.

Her next film was, Design for Living (1933). The story begins while traveling to Paris by train, Gilda Farrell meets George Curtis and Thomas Chambers, who share an apartment. Gilda works for advertising executive Max Plunkett, who is in love with her. Tom and George each attracted to her, agree to forget her, but they can not keep that promise when she comes to visit. She can not choose between the two, so she decides that she live with them with the understanding they will not have sex.

Gilda arranges for a producer to read Tom's play and he goes to London follow his dream. While he is gone, Gilda and George fall in love, much to Tom's dismay. One night, at the theatre he meets Max, who tells him George has become successful. Tom returns to Paris and discovers George has left the apartment and moved into a penthouse with Gilda. George is in Nice painting a portrait and Gilda and Tom begin a romance.

When George returns he finds his former roommate and Gilda have been together while he was away and orders the two to get out. Gilda decides to marry Max, but is so upset when she receives a gift from her former lovers she can not consummate the marriage. When Max hosts a party for his clients, Tom and George crash the party and hide in Gilda's bedroom. Max finds the three in the bedroom and orders the men out. Will Gilda leave her husband?



Her film, Becky Sharp(1935), was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress. The story is about a young girl named Becky Sharp, who manages to survive during the years after Napoleon's defeat. In trying to advance herself, she finds a way to link up with a number of gentlemen: the Marquis of Steyne, Joseph Sedley, Rawdon Crawley and George Osborne. She rises to the top of British society, offending the other ladies. Soon, Sharp finds herself making a living singing in a beer hall..

Her next performance was in the film, Barbary Coast (1935), A period film directed by Howard Hawks. Set in San Francisco during the Gold Rush era. The film has it all: crime, Western, melodrama and adventure.



Her next performance was in the film, These Three (1936) (the first of four films with director William Wyler). Friends Karen Wright and Martha Dobie start a boarding school with the help of Amelia Tilford, who enrolls her granddaughter Mary. Karen and the local doctor Joe Cardin, begin to date, not knowing that Martha is in love with him.

Troubles begin for the two friends when Martha's aunt Lily Mortar arrives. One evening, Lily finds Joe asleep in a chair while waiting for Karen to return. Lily jumps to the wrong conclusion and she gets into a argument with Martha, Lily decides it is best for her to leave, but not before telling her niece about her suspicions about her friend.

Martha finds Rosalie listening at the door. When Mary finds a missing bracelet that belongs to another student in Rosalie's room, she forces her into telling what she overheard. Angry Mary, she comes up with a wild story to tell her grandmother about Martha and Joe engaged in an affair and she forces Rosalie into going along with it. Mrs. Tilford is shocked by the story and has all the parents take their children out of the school, leaving Martha and Karen wondering what went wrong.

When one of the girl's chauffeurs tells the women the reason why, they confront Mrs. Tilford. Worried her theft will be revealed, Rosalie says the story is true. Martha and Karen sue Mrs. Tilford for libel but lose their case. Karen and Joe go their separate ways when she confesses she believes the story Mary told. Martha admits to Karen she loves Joe but tells her that he never knew.

When Lily, mentions the missing bracelet again, they now know what happened. Martha confronts Rosalie and convinces her to tell the truth. Mrs. Tilford wants to make things right, but Martha asks only that she tell Karen the truth.

Hopkins, turned down the role of Ellie Andrews in the film, It Happened One Night (1934). The role went to Claudette Colbert who won an Academy Award. Hopkins had fights with Bette Davis, when they co-starred in their two films The Old Maid (1939) and Old Acquaintance (1943).

Kit becomes jealous, when Millie writes a successful novel, the first of many best selling novels. After eight years taking a backseat to Millie's career, her husband Preston leaves her. Another decade passes and Kit makes plans to marry much younger man named, Rudd. Millie, soon finds out that Preston is engaged and he also admits that he was in love with Kit. Blaming Kit for the failure of her marriage, Millie confronts Kit, but before long they are sharing a glass of champagne.



Davis enjoyed the scene in Old Acquaintance where she shakes Hopkins. After Old Acquaintance, she did not work again in films until the film, The Heiress(1949). Written by Ruth and Augustus Goetz, adapted from their 1947 play of the same title that was based on the 1880 novel Washington Square by Henry James. The film was directed by William Wyler. Starring: Olivia de Havilland, Montgomery Clift and Ralph Richardson.

She gave a comic performance in the film, In The Mating Season, as Gene Tierneys character's mother. She also acted in The Children's Hour, a remake of her film These Three(1936). In the remake, she played the aunt to Shirley MacLaine, while MacLaine took Hopkins' original role. Hopkins auditioned for the role of Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind, even though she was a native Georgian. The part, went to Vivien Leigh. She performed in teleplays, spanning the late 1940s through the late 1960s, in such programs as The Chevrolet Tele-Theatre (1949), Pulitzer Prize Playhouse (1951), Lux Video Theatre (1951-1955) and an episode of The Flying Nun in 1969. Though she is best known for her film work, she has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame: one for motion pictures at 1701 Vine Street, and one for television at 1708 Vine Street.

Please click here to view Old Maid movie review.
Please click here to view the Mating Season movie review.

Review: These Three (1936)

I watched this excellent film a few days ago and I thought it was one of the best films I've ever seen. Based on the Lillian Hellman play, The Children's Hour, the main storyline has been changed from lesbianism to a heterosexual triangle involving two women and a man. But the film still remains a solid dramatic effort. The film casts Miriam Hopkins as Martha and Merle Oberon as Karen, college roommates, who graduate and face the future with no place and no money.

Karen, however, has inherited a farmhouse from her grandmother, and gets the idea that she and Martha can turn it into a school for girls. They travel to the farmhouse, which turns out to be quite rundown, and all hope seems lost, until they meet Dr. Joe Cardin (played by Joe Cardin), who tells them not to give up, to take out a loan, fix up the farmhouse, and it will work out. And before you know it, the school is open and full of young girls. And Karen starts falling in love with Joe. Even though Martha longs for the good doc herself. All seems to go according to plan, until one student devises a scheme for revenge for being punished by the teachers. The student is Mary Tildford (played by Bonita Granville) as the child from hell. Her lie about an affair between Karen and Joe spreads quickly and all over town. And before you know it the parents quickly remove their kids from the school without an explanation to the titular three. Well Joe decides he wants answers and goes to Mary's grandmother's house to get some. Mary's grandmother is played by the wonderful Alma Kruger. Once there the story comes out to the three young people, they can't believe that this has happened. There is a trial and the whole town is against our three young individuals. After the trial Karen decides it's best if Joe leaves as she is preparing to close down the school. Flash forward a few months later and the truth finally comes out that Mary made the whole thing up and even bullied her classmate Rosalie (a superb Marcie Mae Jones) to corroborate her story. But the damage has been done, that has ruined the lives of three people. Martha finds out and is relieved but still saddened. Karen goes looking for Joe, who is living abroad and they end up together finally.

I thoroughly enjoyed this film from beginning to end. I thought all the actors involved gave very strong performances beginning with Hopkins who had the most delicate of the lead roles and she delivered it superbly. Hopkins shows that she can act when the need arises. Oberon was good also, but got kind of overshadowed by Hopkins in some scenes. It's not her fault, it's just that Martha is the juicier of the two roles. McCrea is his typical strong leading man self. Granville is truly monstrous as the child brat who is just teeming with hatred and deceit. But she finally gets what coming to her when her playhouse comes falling apart and gets one of the all time best film slaps in the face ever. And guess who delivers it.. none other than Margaret Hamilton, the wicked witch of the west, from The Wizard Of Oz. Hamilton plays the maid for Mrs. Tilford. And I cheered when she gave that slap to Granville. I was like finally someone steps up to give that girl what she truly deserved. These Three was expertly directed by the great William Wyler, who would also direct the remake, The Children's Hour (1962) with Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine. I haven't seen that version but I doubt it can be any better than this classic. This is what you get when you get all the stars aligned with great performances, solid direction, and that old Hollywood magic. These Three is a must see.
A-