The Easiest Way(1931).

The Easiest Way(1931). Drama film directed by Jack Conway. Adapted from the 1909 play of the same name written by Eugene Walter and directed by David Belasco. Cast: Constance Bennett, Adolphe Menjou, Robert Montgomery, Clark Gable and Anita Page.



Laura Murdock and her family live in poverty, because their unemployed father Ben, would rather have his children support him. Her parents want Peg to mary Nick, because he can support her, but.. Laura wants to marry for love.

One day, while working at a department store, Laura is approached by a man, who offers her a modelling job at his agency. Laura accepts the offer and befriends Elfie, another model, who tells her what is really expected of her.

Soon after, Laura is called in to meet Willard Brockton, the head of the agency, who, convinces her to join him for a drive in the park. Laura quickly becomes a successful model. Her mother refuses to see her because she is living with Brockton in his luxury apartment.

When Laura visits her sister Peg, who is now married to Nick and has started a family. Hardworking Nick, thinking she is a bad influence on his wife, asks her to leave.

While vacationing with Brockton in Colorado, Laura meets newspaper reporter Jack Madison and they fall in love. When Jack takes a overseas assignment, Laura, promises to leave Brockton and wait for him to return. Feeling used Brockton, asks her to return all of his gifts and then sticks Laura with the room bill. Destitute, Laura takes a job at Macy's department store and asks Elfie to loan her some money...  Elfie angry, refuses and slams out the door in a huff.

Later, Ben visits Laura telling her that her mother is gravely ill, but still does not want to see her. After her mother's death, Laura calls Brockton for help.. he takes her back on the condition that she break it off with Jack. Soon after, Jack returns from South America looking for Laura. Brockton eavesdrops on the telephone conversation and threatens to tell Jack about their relationship.

Elfie drops in on Laura, asking to borrow money, Laura gives her a piece of jewelry. Elfie then advises Laura to marry Jack and leave Brockton, before she finds herself working in speakeasy picking up men. Laura's plans to elope with Jack ends when Brockton returns home and sees her packed bags and informs Jack about their relationship. Heartbroken, Jack leaves and Laura goes to Peg's on Christmas Eve. Laura stands in the street and watches her family enjoying the holiday... Will she come up with the courage to join them?

It is fin watching Robert Montgomery, in one of his early roles. Clark Gable plays a small role(no mustache), as Bennett's working class brother-in-law. Constance Bennett and Marjorie Rambeau, are both worth watching.

Marjorie Rambeau (July 15, 1889 – July 6, 1970), when her parents separated, she and her mother moved to Nome, Alaska where young Marjorie dressed as a boy, sang and played the banjo in saloons and music halls. Her mother insisted she dress as a boy to keep way the attention from the drunken men.

She made her Broadway debut on March 10, 1913 in a tryout of Willard Mack's play, Kick In.












In 1921, Dorothy Parker memorialized her in verse:

If all the tears you shed so lavishly
Were gathered, as they left each brimming eye.
And were collected in a crystal sea,
The envious ocean would curl up and dry
So awful in its mightiness, that lake,
So fathomless, that clear and salty deep.
For, oh, it seems your gentle heart must break,
To see you weep.

Her silent films with the Mutual company include: Mary Moreland and The Greater Woman (1917).

By the time talkies came along she was in her early forties and she began to take on character roles in films: Min and Bill, The Secret Six, Laughing Sinners, Grand Canary, Joe Palooka, and Primrose Path, for which she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

In 1940, Rambeau had the title role in Tugboat Annie Sails Again as well as second billing under Wallace Beery, in 20 Mule Team.

Other films include: Tobacco Road, A Man Called Peter and Broadway.

In 1953, she was again nominated for an Oscar, for Torch Song.

In 1957, she appeared in a supporting role in, Man of a Thousand Faces about the life of Lon Chaney, although she never worked with the real Chaney in silent films.

According to author and New York Mirror theatre critic Bernard Sobel the Reuben sandwich was invented for Marjorie Rambeau upon a visit to Reuben's Restaurant and Delicatessen in New York City.

Rambeau was married three times with no children: The first was in 1913 to Canadian writer, actor, and director Willard Mack. They divorced in 1917. She then married another actor, Hugh Dillman McGaughey, in 1919. They divorced in 1923. Dillman later married Anna Thompson Dodge, widow of automobile magnate Horace Elgin Dodge, Sr. Rambeau's last marriage was to Francis Asbury Gudger in 1931, with whom she remained until his death in 1967.

She died at her home in Palm Springs, California .

Blondie of the Follies(1932).

Blondie of the Follies(1932). Comedy directed by Edmund Goulding and written by Anita Loos and Frances. Cast: Marion Davies, Robert Montgomery and Billie Dove.

In a New York tenement, Blondie lives with her family and when her girl friend, Lottie Callahan, moves uptown to a posh neighborhood to become a performer in the follies, Blondie decides to tag along, where she meets Larry Belmont.

He then arranges for Blondie to go to dinner with oil tycoon Murchenson. Larry, then promises to take Blondie to the follies to see Lottie perform later that night. While they watch the show, Larry gets her a job in the chorus line. Lottie, becomes jealous of all the attention that her friend is getting.

After a night of parting, Larry carries a drunken Blondie home, upsetting her father, who tells Larry to get out and warns Blondie never to see him again. Blondie, who wants to be more independent leaves....

She shows up at Lottie's and learns that Lottie is in love with Larry. The next morning, Pa goes to Lottie's to apologize to Blondie for being "an old time father" and she informs him that she is going to perform in the follies.

After promising Lottie that she won't date Larry, Blondie goes with her to Murchenson's yacht. Larry asks Lottie, "why she is bringing Blondie into her type of life?" Then tells Blondie, "that she is too nice a girl to hang out with this crowd". The girls fall overboard into the water during a fight, with Blondie "promising to find another man".

Three months later, Blondie is living in her own posh apartment and invites both Larry and Lottie to come over to reconcile, but Larry wants nothing to do with Lottie. The two girls make up and Blondie throws a party, during which she receives a telephone call informing her that her father has fallen. When she gets to his side, she learns that his heart caused the accident and he dies soon after.

While Blondie is performing on stage, Larry sends word to meet him at a night club, but Lottie goes in her place. When Blondie hears about the meeting she goes and learns that he is leaving for Europe because he is in love with her. Returning to the show with Lottie, Blondie is thrown from the stage during a whip routine when Lottie lets go of her hand.

Lottie, has a change of heart and goes with her to the hospital. Larry, brings in a bone specialists to help heal her...

Fun Fact:

This was Billie Dove's last film. She retired to raise a family and was upset with Randolph Hearst over the amount of time given to her on film.

The rocky friendship between Davies and Dove has a lot of twists and turns, which makes you think of the phrase... "friends like these who needs enemies. Davies' Act "Three laugh-clown-laugh", was very entertaining. Also, Jimmy Durante, has a cameo that lasted five minutes, performing a "Grand Hotel" movie skit...

Billie Dove (May 14, 1903 – December 31, 1997) As a teen, she worked as a model to help support her family and was hired as a teenager to appear in the, Ziegfeld Follies Revue.

She legally changed her name to Lillian Bohny in the early 1920's. and traveled to Hollywood, where she began performing in silent films.

She soon became one of the most popular actresses of the 1920's, appearing in the films: The Black Pirate (1926), as Rodeo West in The Painted Angel (1929), and was dubbed The American Beauty (1927), the title of one of her films.

She married the director of her seventh film, Irvin Willat, in 1923. The two divorced in 1929.

She was engaged to Howard Hughes, but she ended the relationship without ever giving cause.

Hughes cast her as a comedian in his film, Cock of the Air (1932). She also performed in his movie The Age for Love (1931).

She was also a pilot, poet, and painter.

Following her last film, Blondie of the Follies (1932), Dove retired from the screen to be with her family.

She later married oil executive Robert Kenaston in 1933, a marriage that lasted for 37 years until his death in 1973. They had a son and an adopted daughter.

She later had a brief third marriage to an architect, John Miller, which ended in divorce in the 1970's.

Aside from a brief cameo in Diamond Head (1963), Dove never returned to the movies.

She spent her retirement years in Rancho Mirage before moving into the Motion Picture and Television Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California where she died of pneumonia in 1997.

Ever Since Eve (1937).

Ever Since Eve (1937). Romantic comedy. Cast Marion Davies (in her final film) and Robert Montgomery.

Marge Winton, finds herself quiting yet another job to avoid the advances of her boss. She decides to give herself a unmake over, by wearing a dark wig, glasses, and a unflattering dress. Book publisher Abigail Belldon, thinks she is perfect and hires her as a secretary for writer, Freddy Matthews. Freddy, would rather go out and party with his girlfriend Camille, than work on his novel. Abigail, has already sold the film rights, and the deadline for the film studio is fast approaching.

Marge, begins to fall in love with Freddy and when she thinks about sabotaging his relationship with Camille, she thinks it is better to leave.

Freddy shows up at her apartment unexpectedly and sees her without her disguise, so she pretends to be her roommate Sadie. They spend the evening and part of the morning falling in love.

Marge pretends to be leaving town for a few weeks, but, her plan backfires, when Freddie chases after her. Camille finds out and is not far behind. At the hotel, Marge registers first as the secretary, then as Sadie, to keep Freddie from finding out and finishes the novel on her own. Will Freddie ever realizes that they are one and the same?

Marion, really looks like she's having a lot of fun in this movie.

Frank McHugh (May 23, 1898 – September 11, 1981). Warner Bros. hired him as a contract player in 1930.

McHugh played everything from lead actor to sidekick.

He performed in over 150 films and TV shows.

He was a close friend of James Cagney and performed in more Cagney movies than any other actor. He performed with him in eleven movies between 1932 and 1953. Their friendship lasted until McHugh's death.

Forsaking All Others (1934).

Forsaking All Others (1934). Director: W.S. Van Dyke. Cast: Joan Crawford, Clark Gable and Robert Montgomery. Screenplay was written by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, which was based upon a 1933 play by Edward Barry Roberts and Frank Morgan Cavett. Forsaking All Others is the sixth of eight movies between Crawford and Gable.

Mary Clay, is about to marry Dillon Todd, who she has known since childhood. That same day, Jeff Williams, another childhood friend, returns from Spain and is also looking forward to proposing to Mary. When Jeff learns that Mary and Dill, are about to marry he decides it is best to keep his feelings to himself and agrees to give the bride away. He orders cornflowers for Mary, knowing that they are her favorite flowers.

The night before the wedding, Dill runs off and marries Connie Barnes, a woman he met in Europe a couple of months before.

Mary with her aunt Paula decide to spend some time in the country and when Jeff and their friend Shep visit, she says she is completely cured.

Soon Dill, realizes his mistake, begs to see Mary again. Jeff warns Mary not to get involved with a married man, but she agrees to see Dill.

While riding in the country, their car breaks down, during a rainstorm and they find shelter in Paula's country home where Dill builds a fire to keep warm.

Dillon 'Dill': I could make a fire by rubbing two boy scouts together.

What will Mary Clay give into his charms?

Another wonderful pairing of Crawford and Gable, in a romantic triangle which seems to become the norm for most of Crawford's films from the 1930's. I also love the one liners that are sprinkled throughout the film. It was also fun to see an early performance by Rosalind Russell.

Frances Drake, was performing as a nightclub dancer in London when she made her first film performance under her birth name of Frances Dean, including Meet My Sister (1933) and The Jewel (1933).

Returning to America in 1934, she began coaching with opera singer and actress Marguerite Namara.

Robert Montgomery and Norma Shear.

Robert Montgomery, was most often paired with glamorous Norma Shearer. They co-starred in five films between 1929 and 1934; their best teaming were "The Divorcee" (1930) and "Private Lives" (1931).

Robert Montgomery and Norma Shear list of films:



1.Their Own Desire(1929).
A young woman is heartbroken that her father is divorcing her mother in to marry another woman. Her own feelings change, however, when she falls in love with a young man who turns out to be the son of her father's other woman.





2.The Divorcee (1930).
Chester Morris plays a roving husband who has a affair with another woman—and tells his wife it does not mean "a thing". When his wife, Norma Shearer, sets out to having her own affair with his best friend, the husband suddenly discovers that it might actually mean something after all.





3.Strangers May Kiss (1930).
Lisbeth, thinks that marriage is old fashioned. She has two men in her life; Steve, who wants to marry her and Alan, who wants her to travel with him. Even though her friends and family do not think it is a good idea. Lisbeth travels to Mexico with Alan where she is happy until she learns that he has a wife in Paris and that he is leaving for his next job without her. Heartbroken, she spends a few years in Europe being the life of the party. While her reputation is well known, her lifestyle has not made her happy.


4.Private Lives (1931).
Elyot Chase and Amanda Prynne, divorced and are not happy to learn they are both honeymooning with their new spouses at the same hotel on the French Riviera.








5.Rip Tide (1932).
Is about the life in high society. Mary who accidentally meets Lord Phillip Rexford at a party Mary marries him and settles into a comfortable life, only to find herself torn between her martial obligations as Lady of the manor and the more exciting life with playboy, Tommie Trent. What results is scandal.

Private Lives (1931).

Private Lives (1931). Comedy. Director: Sidney Franklin. The screenplay by Hanns Kraly and Richard Schayer is based on the 1930 play of the same title by Noel Coward. Cast: Norma Shearer, Robert Montgomery, Reginald Denny and Una Merkel.

Elyot Chase and Amanda Prynne, divorced are upset to learn they both are on a honeymoon with their new spouses at the same hotel on the French Riviera. Elyot becomes annoyed with Sybil's questions about Amanda, while Amanda wishes her new husband Victor would stop talking about Elyot. When Elyot run into Amanda on the terrace, he insists he and Sybil immediately depart for Paris, the same plan Amanda proposes to Victor.




Elyot and Amanda rekindle their relationship with a kiss and make a promise to each other to put an end to any future arguments. The two flee to St. Moritz, but before long they begin a argument that turns into a major fight about a record, which Amanda breaks over Elyot's head. Rushing out, Amanda meets Victor and Sybil, who have tracked them down. The two couples meet for breakfast the next day, but when Victor and Sybil begin to fight, What do Elyot and Amanda do?

I thought the performance that really made this film work was Norma Shearer. One of the few silent stars to make a full transition to sound. PRIVATE LIVES, maybe my favorite, Norma Shearer film.

Jean Pierre Hersholt (12 July 1886 – 2 June 1956) was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, the son of Claire and Henry Hersholt, actors who worked with the Danish Folk Theatre.

Hersholt toured Europe performing with his family when he was young. He then graduated from the Copenhagen Art School.

His first two films were made in Germany in 1906. He emigrated to the US in 1913 and the remainder of his movies were made in America.

Hersholt's best remembered film roles: Greed(1924) and Shirley Temple's beloved grandfather in the 1937 film version of the 1880 children's book, Heidi.

During his long career in the movies, he played silent villains, secondary parts and his mild Danish accent and pleasant voice was perfect for him to perform as fathers, doctors, professors and European noblemen.

Hersholt's last role was in the 1955 movie Run for Cover. In the trailer for the film Grand Hotel (1932) Promotional flyer for Seattle station KIRO. In The Country Doctor (1936), a movie starring the Dionne quintuplets, Hersholt portrayed Dr. John Luke, a character based on Dr. Allan Roy Dafoe, the Canadian obstetrician who delivered and cared for the Dionne Quintuplets. Two sequels followed.

In 1939 Hersholt helped form the Motion Picture Relief Fund to support industry employees with medical care when they were down on their luck. The fund was used to create the Motion Picture Country House and Hospital in Woodland Hills, California, and it led to the creation in 1956 of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, an honorary Academy Award given to an "individual in the motion picture industry whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry".

Hersholt's large collection of Hans Christian Andersen books is now in the Library of Congress. He translated over 160 of Andersen's fairy tales into the English language. These were published in 1949 in six volumes as The Complete Andersen, this work is "... rated as the standard translation, being one of the best" in English.

Hersholt was married to his wife, Via, in 1914. They had one child: Allan. He was the paternal half-uncle of the late actor Leslie Nielsen and former Canadian Deputy Prime Minister Erik Nielsen. Jean Hersholt's grandson Gregg Hersholt has been a radio news broadcaster in the Pacific Northwest since 1973.  Hersholt died of cancer.

THE DIVORCEE (1930)- Pre-Code.

The Divorcee (1930). Drama. Based on the novel Ex-Wife by Ursula Parrott. Director: Robert Z. Leonard. Cast: Chester Morris, Norma Shearer, Robert Montgomery, Conrad Nagel, and Florence Eldridge. Other movies with the same title were released in 1917, 1919 and 1969.

Shearer was not first choice for the lead role in The Divorcee, because it was believed that she didn't have enough sex appeal. It was only after Shearer arranged a photo session with George Hurrell and her husband saw the result, that he gave her the role. The original choice was Joan Crawford, who never forgave Shearer for winning the role.

Norma Shearer's character is very strong willed and is the one to propose marriage to her boyfriend at the beginning of the film. On their third wedding anniversary, Jerry learns that Ted has been having an affair with another woman. Brokenhearted, she turns to Don, her husband's best friend, for comfort. Ted refuses to accept her affairs with other men, so they divorce. After several affairs, Jerry meets Paul and goes on vacation with him on his yacht. When she realizes she does not love him, she returns to Paris, on New Year's Eve. Will she find Ted and will they get back together?

Video:



I really enjoyed watching The Divorcee which takes a look at the double standard. So far, This is one of my personal favorite films of the Pre-Code Era because it's exactly the kind of film that the Code was against.

Florence Eldridge (September 5, 1901-August 1, 1988), she was married to fellow performer Fredric March from 1927 until his death in 1975, and often appeared alongside him on stage and in films.

She died of a heart attack aged 86. She was buried alongside her husband at the March Estate in New Milford, Connecticut.

The Divorcee, is part of the Forbidden Hollywood Collection Volume Two. The other films included in the box set:
Female
The Divorcee
A Free Soul
Night Nurse

A little CHRISTMAS NOIR: LADY IN THE LAKE (1947)

Lady in the Lake (1947), a film that was the first directorial film of actor Robert Montgomery who also starred in the film. Based on the 1944 Raymond Chandler novel The Lady in the Lake. Cast: Audrey Totter, Lloyd Nolan, Tom Tully, Leon and Jayne Meadows.

The storyline was a murder mystery similar to many others of the time. Except the entire film was seen from the viewpoint of the main character, detective Philip Marlowe, who was played by Montgomery. The movie also, did not have a musical sound track, which very unusual for that time.

The story begins on Christmas Eve, when Publications editor Adrienne meets with Marlowe, who offers him a job as a detective instead of a writer. She wants him to find the missing wife of her boss, Mr. Adrienne, so they can hurry on with the divorce so they can get married. Marlowe, accepts the job and goes looking for clues at the home of the wife's lover, Chris. When Marlowe, gets knocked out and picked up for drunk driving, he decides to drop the case when he is threatened by the police.. He returns when he learns that his wife maybe to blame for the murder of the mysterious lady in the lake.

The performances are very good: Lloyd Nolan, is perfect playing the bad cop and the dramatic turn by Jayne Meadows, is one you may not soon forget. Montgomery, gives a good performance as the cynical Marlowe. You will also love how Totter's character mellows overtime and falls for Marlowe. If you enjoy film noirs you may want to add this one to your "gotta see" list of films.

MONTGOMERY FUN FACTS:

During World War II, he joined the Navy, becoming lieutenant commander.

Montgomery has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Montgomery had two children, daughter actress Elizabeth Montgomery(Bewitched), and son, Robert Montgomery, Jr.

Please click here to view  Doriantb Blogspot. Lady In The Lake.  movie review.  Also, Vinnie has a wonderful review to the film, Trancers (1985).

Jayne Meadows (born September 27, 1920), most famous movies include: Song of the Thin Man (with William Powell and Myrna Loy), David and Bathsheba (with Gregory Peck, Susan Hayward and Raymond Massey), Lady in the Lake (with Robert Montgomery and Audrey Totter), Enchantment (with David Niven and Teresa Wright), and City Slickers (as the voice of Billy Crystal's mother).

Meadows was a regular panelist on the original version of I've Got a Secret and an occasional panelist on What's My Line?, the latter alongside husband Steve Allen. She also appeared on the NBC interview program Here's Hollywood. During the early days of the live entertainment scene in Las Vegas, the Allens occasionally worked together as an act.

She was married to Steve Allen from 1954 until his death in 2000.