Dust Be My Destiny (1939)

Dust Be My Destiny (1939). Cast: John Garfield and Priscilla Lane. The original ending of the film had Joe and Mabel shot to death, but the failure of the film, You Only Live Once, which had a tragic ending, prompted the Warner Bros. studio to want a happy ending. When writer Robert Rossen refused to write the new ending, Seton I. Miller was brought in to write it.

Joe Bell, is wrongly convicted of a crime he did not commit, but.. when the real culprit was caught and confessed, he is released. Later, he and his friends are picked up for vagrancy and sentenced to a county work farm. There, he meets Mabel Alden, the stepdaughter of the brutal and drunken prison foreman and the two fall in love.

When her step father catches them together, he slaps Mabel and in turn, Joe hits her stepfather, who dies of a heart attack because of his poor health caused by alcoholism. Running for their lives Joe and Mabel, leave the work farm and cross the state line and marry.

Mabel, wants to turn themselves in but, Joe does not think any one believe them refuses. They are given a job by kindly diner owner, Nick, who even helps them escape when Mabel is caught and Joe breaks her out of jail. 

Needing money, Joe.. is on the verge of pawning his camera, when he stumbles on a bank robbery and captures it on film. Impressed with the pictures, Mike the newspaper editor, offers Joe a job on the paper.

Later, when members of the gang threaten Mike unless he returns the negatives. Once again, he is threatened with being exposed as a wanted fugitive. As he is getting ready to flee once again, Mabel, not wanting to live a life on the run turns in her husband. Will Joe ever find justice and forgive Mabel for turning him in?

This film is worth seeing for Garfield's performance alone, but Henry Armetta and Alan Hale are both excellent too and there's an enjoyable Max Steiner score.

Priscilla Lane (June 12, 1915 – April 4, 1995), was the youngest of five daughters of Dr. Lorenzo A. Mullican, DDS, and his wife, Cora Bell Hicks. Dr. Mullican had a dental practice in Indianola.

Priscilla and one of her sisters, Rosemary, traveled to Des Moines every weekend to study dancing with Rose Lorenz. The girls made their first professional appearance September 30, 1930, at Des Moines' Paramount Theater. Priscilla, then 15, performed on stage as part of the entertainment accompanying the release of her sister Lola's Hollywood movie, Good News (1930).

After graduating from high school, Priscilla traveled to New York to visit a third sister, Leota, who was then appearing in a musical revue in Manhattan. Priscilla enrolled at the Fagen School of Dramatics.

At this time, talent agent Al Altman saw Priscilla( age 16) performing in one of Fagen's school plays and invited her to screen-test for MGM.

In 1932, Cora and Rosemary arrived in New York, where Cora immediately took her daughters to auditions for several Broadway productions, without success. During a tryout at a music publishing office, orchestra leader and radio personality Fred Waring heard them harmonizing, signed them to a radio contract.

Rosemary sang the ballads, while Priscilla performed the swing numbers and wisecracked with Waring and various guests.

Back in Iowa, Dr. Mullican  divorced his wife on the grounds of desertion and Rosemary and Priscilla remained with Fred Waring for almost five years.

In 1937, Waring was engaged by Warner Bros. and performed in the film, Varsity Show, a musical starring Dick Powell. Both Rosemary and Priscilla were tested and landed roles in the film. Rosemary was the romantic interest of Powell, while Priscilla was a high-spirited college girl.

Warner Bros. purchased Priscilla and Rosemary's contract from Fred Waring and signed them to seven-year contracts. Priscilla's next film was, Men Are Such Fools (1938), in which she starred with Wayne Morris. This was followed by, Love Honor and Behave (also 1938), another light romantic comedy with Morris, who, playing her husband, spanked her 47 times in a scene for which she declined a double, and Cowboy from Brooklyn, again teaming with Dick Powell.

Priscilla was next assigned the lead in Brother Rat, which had been a very successful Broadway play. Again she played opposite Wayne Morris and among the cast were newcomers Ronald Reagan, Jane Wyman, Jane Bryan, and Eddie Albert.

After winning her raise, Priscilla returned to work, but the films assigned to her were no better than those she had turned down. Brother Rat and a Baby (aka, Baby Be Good, 1940) was an inferior sequel and Three Cheers For the Irish (also 1940) gave her little to do.

She appeared opposite Ronald Reagan in a light hearted comedy, Million Dollar Baby (1941) and as a night club singer in Blues in the Night (also 1941).

Frank Capra requested her for the lead opposite Cary Grant in Arsenic and Old Lace. The comedy film was completed in early 1942, but was not released until 1944, it was held up by contractual agreement not to distribute the film until the play's long Broadway run was over. It was Priscilla's last Warner film. Her contract was terminated by mutual agreement after five years with the studio.

She freelanced, signing a one-picture deal with Universal Studios where she starred with Robert Cummings in Alfred Hitchcock's, Saboteur (1942). The director did not want either Cummings or Lane for their roles. Hitchcock felt Lane was too much the girl next door but, Universal insisted.

She had commitments for two more films: Silver Queen (1942) for producer Harry Sherman in which she co-starred with George Brent. She played the owner of a gambling house in 1870's San Francisco. The other film was a Jack Benny comedy, The Meanest Man in the World, released in January 1943. Lane then retired from films.

For the duration of the war, she followed her husband across America as he moved from one military base to another. She often performed at camp shows. While living in Van Nuys, she was offered and accepted the leading role in Fun on a Weekend (1947) for producer–director Andrew Stone, co-starring Eddie Bracken. Soon after, Lane returned to domestic life. Once again she and her husband moved, this time to Studio City.

Lane accepted the offer of the lead role opposite Lawrence Tierney in a film noir, Bodyguard (1948), starring as Doris Brewster.  Bodyguard would be her last picture.

Happy Birthday: Priscilla Lane!

Priscilla Lane, attended the Eagin School of Dramatic Arts in New York, before she began touring with her sisters in the Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians Dance Band. She was a popular singer with her sisters and after 5 years, she was signed to a Hollywood contract with Warner Brothers in 1937. In most of her films, all Priscilla had to do was to look pretty and give a good supporting performance.

Her first film was Varsity Show (1937). Begins at Winfield College, where the students are trying to put together the annual varsity show come into conflict with their faculty adviser, an old fashioned professor who won't allow the new "swing" music be played in the show. They decide to ask a former student who is now a big Broadway star and have him direct their show. What they don't know is that this "star's" last three shows were big flops. Priscilla, performed as a singer with the Fred Waring Band. She was to play the nice girl against the temperamental star played by her sister Rosemary Lane.

Over the years, Priscilla would play girlfriends, daughters and fiancees. She would team with her two sisters, Rosemary Lane and Lola Lane, in the film, Four Daughters (1938). A story about Musician Adam Lemp and his four musical daughters, Emma, Ann, Kay, and Thea, live happily together. Each daughter has a boyfriend. However, the arrival of a cynical, somewhat depressed young composer named Mickey Borden turns the household upside-down and romantic with tragic complications. This film would be the one that made John Garfield a star.

The Roaring Twenties (1939). Three men try and make a living in Prohibitionist America after returning home from fighting together in World War I.

Arsenic and Old Lace (1944). A drama critic learns on his wedding day that his beloved maiden aunts are homicidal maniacs and that insanity runs in his family. This film was released 3 years after it was filmed, Priscilla would play the fiancee of Cary Grant.

When Alfred Hitchcock was unable to get Barbara Stanwyck, he cast Priscilla in the film, Saboteur (1942). A story about an Aircraft factory worker Barry Kane, who goes on the run across the United States when he is wrongly accused of starting a fire that killed his best friend. Priscilla, character goes on the run with the hero.

She would appear in just a couple of films over the next five years before retiring in 1948. After which, she followed her Air Force husband around from the world from base to base, singing at camp shows.

They eventually settled in New England and had four children: Joseph Lawrence (1945), Hannah (1950), Judith (1953) and James (1955).

The Roaring Twenties(1939).

My favorite Priscilla Lane movie is, The Roaring Twenties(1939). Crime thriller. Cast: James Cagney, Priscilla Lane, Humphrey Bogart and Gladys George. Director: Raoul Walsh, and written by Jerry Wald, Richard Macaulay and Robert Rossen based on the story "The World Moves On" by Mark Hellinger. The Roaring Twenties was the last film that Cagney and Bogart made together.

Happy Birthday Priscilla Lane

(1912-1995) Happy Birthday Priscilla

Priscilla Lane attended the Eagin School of Dramatic Arts in New York before she began touring with her sisters in the Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians Dance Band. She was a popular singer with her sisters and, after 5 years, she was signed to a Hollywood contract with Warner Brothers in 1937. Her first film was Varsity Show (1937) where she had the hard task of portraying a singer with the Fred Waring Band. Priscilla was to play the nice girl against the temperamental star played by her sister Rosemary Lane. Over the years, Priscilla would play an assortment of girlfriends, daughters and fiancees. She would team with her two sisters, Rosemary Lane and Lola Lane, to make a series of drama's beginning with the film Four Daughters (1938). That film would be the one that made John Garfield a star. In most of her films, all Priscilla had to do was to look attractive and give a good supporting performance. Priscilla would also co-star with Wayne Morris in three 1938 releases. In The Roaring Twenties (1939), she would play the girlfriend of James Cagney. In Arsenic and Old Lace (1944), which was release 3 years after it was filmed, she would play the fiancee of Cary Grant. When Alfred Hitchcock was unable to get Barbara Stanwyck, he cast Priscilla in Saboteur (1942) where she was on the run with the hero. By that time, her movie career was almost finished and she would appear in just a couple of films over the next five years before retiring in 1948. She was married twice and had 4 children.

Side note: Sorry Dawn I haven't been posting much this week, been so busy. But glad you were still making some wonderful blogs. Next week should be a little better for me. Hope you have a great weekend. And Hey to you Paul.

ARSENIC AND OLD LACE (1944)

Arsenic and Old Lace (1944). Directed by Frank Capra based on Joseph Kesselring's play of the same name. The lead role of Mortimer Brewster was originally intended for Bob Hope, but he couldn't be released from his contract with Paramount. Capra had also approached Jack Benny and Ronald Reagan before going with Cary Grant. Boris Karloff played Jonathan Brewster, who "looks like Karloff", on the Broadway stage, but he was unable to do the movie as well because he was still appearing in the play during filming and Raymond Massey took his place.

The film also starred Josephine Hull and Jean Adair as the Brewster sisters. Hull and Adair as well as John Alexander (who played Teddy Roosevelt) were reprising their roles from the 1941 stage production.

Arsenic and Old Lace, is about two sweet old ladies who poison lonely old men as a "charity" and bury them in the cellar and no sooner does their nephew find out about this (while preparing to leave for his honeymoon) than his homicidal brother returns.



Cary Grant's character Mortimer, grows more and more freaked out throughout the night, jumping from one problem to the next so quickly that he can't even remember who he is. While trying to manage four insane relatives, cops and two dead bodies. The only characters who aren't thrown for a loop by their troubles are the Brewsters.

One of my favorite scenes is when Mortimer, takes a breather to explain to his new wife: "Insanity runs in my family"....Will Mortimer keep his aunts safe and prevent them from continuing their charity work?

Another favorite scene, Is When Mortimer is sitting in the graveyard, one of the tombstones has the name Archie Leach on it. Archie Leach is Cary Grants real name.

Josephine Hull (born January 3, 1886, but probably 1883– died March 12, 1957), made only six films, beginning in 1929 with The Bishop's Candlesticks.

That was followed by, After Tomorrow (recreating her stage role) and The Careless Lady (1932).

She missed out on recreating her, You Can't Take It With You role (1938), as she was still onstage with the show. Instead, Spring Byington appeared in the film version. Hull and Jean Adair did play the Brewster sisters in the 1944 film Arsenic and Old Lace (starring Cary Grant) and Hull was in the screen version of Harvey as well, playing James Stewart's sister.

It was for that role that Hull won her Best Supporting Actress Oscar; it was her only nomination.

 After, Hull made only one more film, The Lady from Texas (1951).