Screwball Cinema

New poll..Favorite Irene Dunne screwball comedy

2012-02-11T07:39:00.001-05:00

In honor of Irene Dunne being the star of the month, I thought a poll would be a good thing to do. The question I pose is...which screwball film of Irene do you like the most? The choices are Theodora Goes Wild, My Favorite Wife, The Awful Truth, Joy Of Living, Together Again and Lady In a Jam. I know she did more comedies but these are her most well known. The poll will be up through the end of the month.

Hail The Conquering Hero is another winner from Preston Sturges

2012-02-07T12:20:00.001-05:00

My favorite Preston Sturges of all time is The Miracle Of Morgan's Creek. I have seen it like 20 times. Well last night I watched his other masterpiece from that same year of 1944, Hail The Conquering Hero, for the first time. And it's just as great. Close to matching Morgan's Creek. All so close. It helps that Sturges brought a lot of the same actors from Morgan to Hero. Such as Eddie Bracken, William Demarest and Franklin Pangborn.

Woodrow doesn't know if he can go through with

the charade now as he arrives in his hometown

Bracken stars as Woodrow Truesmith, as a likable fellow who was discharged from the Marines due to chronic hay fever. He struggles on returning to home because he thinks he is a failure. Well while drowning his sorrows at a bar, he meets up with six Marines, led by Sgt. Heppelfinger (the always dependable William Demarest). After hearing of his story they convinced Woodrow to return home as a Marine with stories of heroic battles and such.

Woodrow getting in deep...

The trouble is once the town hears that he is coming home, they stage a big production with a big homecoming rally and parade. And he also gets to see his one true love Libby (the underrated Ella Raines), who is now engaged to the mayor's son. Woodrow had wrote her letters telling her to move on and not wait for him. But once seeing him, Libby falls in love all over again.

Woodrow getting a nice welcome from his girl Libby on his return home

And the townsfolk rally behind Woodrow, electing him to run for mayor. So things snowball really fast and the situations Woodrow get in are truly hilarious.The dialogue is crisp and fast. Reminds me of His Girl Friday quite a lot. The setting of the small town looks great and the whole cast just sparkles. Bracken is fall down funny and even touching towards the end when the truth finally comes out. Demarest is in his usual great form. And Ella Rains is very good as Libby. She says what's her on mind without hesitation. It shocked me when she said ass a few times in the context of the way she said it. And she wears some of the best dresses of this time period of any film I have seen.

Libby in her cute dress, with Woodrow in a quiet moment

Hail The Conquering Hero is close to being a masterpiece. I loved it immediately from the opening credits.
B+

The beautiful Libby

Here are some choice quotes from this hilarious film:

Sgt. Heppelfinger: These flapjacks might taste better with a little butter on 'em Mrs. T.

Mrs. Truesmith: Maybe you haven't heard Sgt. but there's a war on.
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Sgt. Heppelfinger: I tell you it'll all blow over. Everything is perfect - except for a couple of details.

Woodrow Lafayette Pershing Truesmith: They hang people for a couple of details!
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Libby's Aunt: [comforting Libby, who's crying about Woodrow's return] Well, that's the war for you. It's always hard on women. Either they take your men away and never send them back at all; or they send them back unexpectedly just to embarrass you. No consideration at all.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Libby: [mad at Mayor Noble for criticizing Woodrow] That ass of a father of yours! Going around talking about people he doesn't know anything about.

Forrest Noble: You're still talking about your children's grandfather.

Libby: What are you trying to do? Depress me? If I thought they'd look anything like him...

Forrest Noble: Well, I don't look anything like him.

Libby: I've noticed that. I've pinned my hopes on it

Star of the month: IRENE DUNNE

2012-02-02T11:57:00.000-05:00

Irene Dunne has been a frequent topic of conversation on my blogs. She had one heck of a year in 2011 on my other blog, All Good Things. First she won the Favorite Classic Actress tournament, beating the likes of Carole Lombard, Barbara Stanwyck, Grace Kelly and Vivien Leigh. Then she was the top ranked star for the year as well. Ahead of Cary Grant even. Wow! Impressive indeed! And now she is Screwball Cinema's first star of the month. I will share all my thoughts on why Irene is my 2nd most favorite actress ever. She sits right behind my girl Carole. You know Irene seems to be getting the best of Carole lately. After defeating her in the tourney last year, she also beat Carole in a poll I did her on Screwball Cinema asking for the favorite screwball comedy queen. Yep, Irene won that too. So please stop by to check out all what I will be doing for the amazing Ms. Dunne!

Man's Favorite Sport (1964) is an entertaining comedy

2012-01-29T20:14:00.001-05:00

Directed by ace Howard Hawks, Man's Favorite Sport is a wonderful comedy that uses Bringing Up Baby as a template and then manages to create it's own cool story. Rock Hudson is in great form as Roger Willoughby, who has written books on how to be a great fisherman. And he works in the sporting department of Abercrombie and Finch. Trouble is Roger has never fished a day in his life. Which is not really a problem until one Abby Page (a game Paula Prentiss) enters him into a fishing contest. Along with her sidekick Easy (wonderfully played by Maria Perschy) they now have to teach Roger how to fish in 3 days.

Roger meets Abby

The dialogue between these three characters are fast and loose. And very entertaining. Hudson is hilarious as he gets the majority of the laughs. Closely resembling Cary Grant's character of David from Bringing Up Baby, Rock manages to make Roger just as fun to watch. Paula Prentiss is ok as Abby. Sometimes she gets annoying. A few times though she gets off a few good zingers. Particulary when she tries to mimic Roger's girlfriend Tex (Charlene Holt). She nails it then. I actually liked Perschy more as Easy, her sidekick. Who keeps getting into compromising situations with Roger involving zippers. They pull off the classic double walk that Cary and Kate did in Baby when Kate's dressed got ripped and Cary had to walk step by step with her. Well Rock and Maria do the same thing and it's just a good the original version.

Having a good laugh at their current situation

There is also the very cool music score by Henry Mancini which is jazzy and upbeat. Throw in some wonderful supporting characters like Roscoe Karns and Regis Toomey, and you have a pretty good comedy. And the opening credit scenes are pretty amazing too. Definitely pleasing to the male eye.

One of the aforementioned zipper scenes between Roger and Easy,

as Tex walks in

I have to give thanks to my great friend Irene Palfy for stoking my interest in this film as she told me all about it. Thanks Irene.

Roger showing off his newly acquired fishing skills

And to those who have never seen it, please watch it. It makes for a wonderful two hours.
B

Screwball Cinema welcomes Irina Garbo

2012-01-29T20:12:00.000-05:00

February marks the first time I will have a guest here on Screwball Cinema. I usually have guests all the time on my other blog, All Good Things and still do. But I wanted to start having guests here as well. Guests that will focus mainly on their love of screwball films and stars. Up first will be Irina Garbo, a friend who I met on Facebook. She has been a great friend and I invited her to be my first guest since our shared friends of Renata, Desiree and Janine had already done so on All Good Things. So she quickly accepted and the rest is history. Some of the questions I will ask Irina will be similar to the ones I asked on AGT, but some will be modified to fit here on screwball cinema. So everyone please do stop by from time to time to meet the wonderful Irina Garbo.

Irina

Screwball Stars are just like us...

2012-01-22T18:56:00.000-05:00

Here are some photos showing stars of screwball comedies doing regular folk stuff...just like us

WASHING DISHES

KNITTING

TRYING ON SHOES

EATING BREAKFAST

LISTENING TO RECORDS

TAKING PICTURES

READING MAPS

TRAVELING BY TRAIN

WALKING THE DOG

AND A LITTLE TARGET PRACTICE

A new feature on Screwball Cinema...Star Of The Month

2012-01-17T12:04:00.000-05:00

I wrote earlier that I had slacked off a little here on Screwball Cinema and was going try to write more this year. I do quite a bit on my main blog, All Good Things and co-writing several other ones with my friends Dawn and Irene. I was thinking about holding a tournament trying to decide the favorite screwball comedy of all time. Probably sometime later on in the year. But for now I will add a new feature called Star of the month where I focus on a specific star who has a regular component of screwball comedies. Beginning next month with Irene Dunne, who starred in such classics as The Awful Truth and Theodora Goes Wild. Hope to see everyone here next month.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

2011-12-31T09:15:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year to everyone from me and some friends here at Screwball Cinema..

Cary and Priscilla

Cary, Kate and Baby

Nick, Nora and Asta

Carole and John

Claudette and Clark

Irene

Jean

Cary and Roz

Carole and Robert

HAPPY NEW YEAR'S DAY!

CHRISTMAS IN JULY (1940) makes for a great holiday movie

2011-12-13T12:04:00.000-05:00

Classic screwball farce by Preston Sturges about an office clerk named Jimmy MacDonald (a nice change of pace for 30's musical star Dick Powell) who loves entering contests to win a fortune and marry his girl Betty (played by Ellen Drew). Well his latest attempt is the Maxford House Coffee Slogan Contest. As a joke, some of his co-workers put together a fake telegram which says that he won the $25,000 grand prize. And soon Jimmy is spending money all over town (which he hasn't even received yet). Stores greet him with open arms because they know he is about to get paid. But when his co-workers finally fess up, things become a little difficult. Christmas in July is a funny little gem from the master of screwball comedies, Preston Sturges. And a likeable cast is a plus. Powell is actually ok in this comedic role. Ellen Drew is really good as Betty. And a great supporting cast that includes William Demarest and Franklin Pangborn. Christmas In July is perfect viewing for any time of the year.
B

Photo Of The Day - Carole Lombard

2011-12-04T08:12:00.000-05:00

So cute...

Barbara Stanwyck and Gary Cooper go for laughs in BALL OF FIRE (1941)

2011-11-19T19:13:00.000-05:00

Babs knows how to gain attention from a room full of men...

The divine Barbara Stanwyck and Coop re-team for this wonderful comedy classic. The two stars previously paired up in Meet John Doe earlier that year for Frank Capra. As good as that film was, I like Ball Of Fire even more. The story casts Coop as Bertram Potts a young professor who along with six other professors are compiling an encyclopedia of human knowledge. Potts is researching American slang. Things are going good until their financial backer, Miss Totten pressures them to hurry up and finish. So Bertram hits the streets to do some solo research and meets saucy nightclub singer Sugarpuss O'Shea (Stanwyck). O'Shea is at first reluctant to help Potts until she needs a place to hide out from the police who are looking to question her about her boyfriend, mob boss Joe Lilac (played by Dana Andrews).

Love hurts...

Soon Sugarpuss is teaching the guys how to conga and all kinds of slang. Of course Bertram ends up falling for her but has do deal with Lilac. Ball Of Fire is one awesome movie. Full of humor and a sizzling performance by Stanwyck. She struts across the screen like she owns it and she does. And Coop is solid as Potts. An enjoyable comedy film. Expertly directed by Howard Hawks.

But everything turns out ok in the end...

Barbara Stanwyck is The Mad Miss Manton (1938)

2011-11-03T20:13:00.000-04:00

Barbara Stanywck is a delight as fun loving socialite Melsa Manton who, along with her debutante friends, hunt for a murderer while eating bonbons and having fun. Melsa also flirts with newspaper man Peter Ames (Henry Fonda). Stanwyck and Fonda get to trade barbs and engage in screwball hi-jinks while avoiding trying to fall in love. It's cool seeing the pair engage in comedy. They would later team up for the classic farce, The Lady Eve. Here in Miss Manton, things will remind you a lot of the Thin Man series as the film mixes mystery and comedy quite well. And the two leads are game enough to have a good time while pursuing a murderer. Co-starring Sam Levene, Hattie McDaniel, and Penny Singleton.

THE WOMEN (1939) is my favorite film from that golden year

2011-10-23T19:09:00.001-04:00

George Cukor is best know as a director of women's films. His deft hand guided many classic films centered on women. Such as Camille, Little Women, The Philadelphia Story, Susan and God, Holiday, Gaslight, parts of Gone With The Wind and of course the 1939 all star classic film The Women. That film had a dream cast of nothing but women as not one single man ever appeared in any parts of this wild and rollicking comedy. But it's ironic because men are all what these ladies talk and fight about. The cast features Norma Shearer as Mary Haines, a loving wife whose husband strays into an affair with the sexy, gold digging Crystal Allen (Joan Crawford in a top notch performance and my favorite character in the film). Mary's friend, Sylvia Fowler (hilariously played by Rosalind Russell) tries to help Mary through this crisis but ends up being the one who likes to stir things up. We all have friends like that don't we?

Sylvia and Edith meeting Crystal...

One loyal friend of Mary is Peggy (a quiet but still good performance by Joan Fontaine). After Mary runs into Crystal and has an argument with her husband, who is kept off camera, and the argument is wonderfully told to the audience by the maid to the cook in the kitchen, Mary heads to Reno for a divorce. There she runs into several more women including Paulette Goddard as Miriam (looking sensational and full of fire) and is seeing Sylvia's husband on the side. We also meet the delightfully eccentric The Countess De Lave (played by Mary Boland) who loves men like most people love candy. She just can't get enough of them.

CATFIGHT!

Once in Reno, the women settle down until Sylvia shows up and says she is getting a divorce too and finds Miriam is the other woman. Which leads to a hilarious catfight with hats, shirts, and skirts soon being ripped to pieces. The Women is an amazing film with Cukor guiding all these talented actresses perfectly and creating a masterpiece. Norma Shearer who started in films in the mid-20's and made several pre-code Hollywood melodramas where she was often cast as the sexy and independent woman is more motherly in this film. And her final screen exit is a little too over melodramatic but for the most part she is good as Mary. Rosalind Russell is a hoot as Sylvia and gets in some choice bits. But it's Joan Crawford who stands out the most as Crystal. Not only is she smart, funny, sexy and gets to deliver most of the film's most memorable lines, she is also drop dead beautiful here. Her classic line at the end of the film is one for the books..."There's a word for you ladies, but it's not used in society..outside of a kennel." Damn. Of course things work out eventually by the end of the movie, but the fun part is getting there to see it.

A meeting of enemies...

Winner of 4 Monties including Best Film, Director, and Supporting Actress (a tie between Roz and Joan).

Happy Birthday Jean Arthur (1900 - 1991)

2011-10-17T17:33:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday to one of the great screwball film actresses of all time, Jean Arthur. The list of her great comedies include Easy Living, You Can't Take It With You, The More The Merrier, The Devil and Miss Jones and lots more. Non screwball films include Shane, and Mr. Smith Goes To Washington. Happy Birthday Jean!

Classic Screwball Couples

2011-10-12T21:27:00.000-04:00

Just some photos of some classic couples in screwball comedies. Enjoy.

Kate and Cary

Jimmy and Jean

William and Myrna..and Skippy

Clark and Claudette

Carole and Robert

Cary and Rosalind

Gary and Jean

Barbara and Henry

Carole and William

and of course my favorite pair..Cary and Irene

EASY LIVING tops the favorite Jean Arthur screwball film poll

2011-10-03T20:37:00.000-04:00

EASY LIVING won the favorite Jean Arthur screwball comedy film with 7 of the 19 tallied votes. I chose Easy Living myself because I thought it was Jean's best screwball film. The More The Merrier finished second with 4 votes. A pair of Frank Capra films: You Can't Take It With You and Mr. Deeds Goes To Town both finished with 3 votes. The Devil and Miss Jones took 2 votes and The Ex-Mrs. Bradford yielded no votes. Thanks to everyone that stopped by to vote.

Happy Birthday Madeline Kahn (1942 - 1999)

2011-09-29T05:43:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday to one of the funniest women of all time. Madeline Kahn who starred in such great comedies like What's Up Doc? (1972) a great tribute to screwball comedies; Young Frankenstein (1974); Blazing Saddles (1974) as Lili Von Shtupp in a hilarious send-up of Marlene Dietrich; High Anxiety (1977) a spoof of Hitchcock films and The Cheap Detective (1978) a spoof of private detective films. She was truly one of a kind.

Screwball Quote Of The Day: THE THIN MAN (1934)

2011-09-29T05:33:00.000-04:00

Nick Charles: Oh, it's all right, Joe. It's all right. It's my dog. And, uh, my wife.

Nora Charles: Well you might have mentioned me first on the billing.

Screwball Quote of The Day: BRINGING UP BABY (1938)

2011-09-25T07:59:00.000-04:00

David Huxley: "When a man is wrestling with a leopard in the middle of a pond, he is in no position to run."
BRINGING UP BABY

New Poll Started: Favorite Jean Arthur Screwball Comedy

2011-09-15T21:48:00.001-04:00

Haven't done a poll on here for awhile so I decided to do one about Jean Arthur, one of the top screwball comedy queens of all time. The question is what is your favorite Jean screwball comedy. The choices are: Easy Living, You Can't Take It With You, The Devil and Miss Jones, The More The Merrier, Mr. Deeds Goes To Town, and The Ex-Mrs. Bradford. The poll will be up thru the end of September.

Photo Of The Day - Roz getting a workout

2011-09-14T22:41:00.000-04:00

One of the best scenes from The Women is when Rosalind Russell and Joan Fontaine are trying to exercise...well trying to gossip but the instructor keeps getting in the way with wanting them to exercise..

Screwball Quote Of The Day: THE WOMEN (1939)

2011-09-11T07:39:00.000-04:00

Crystal Allen: There's a name for you ladies, but it isn't used in high society-outside of a kennel!
-THE WOMEN (1939)

The great Joan Crawford as Crystal Allen, one of her best roles ever...

Photo Of The Day

2011-09-08T22:04:00.000-04:00

This pic reminds me of a scene from a screwball film with James Cagney, his lovely wife Frances and my fave Joan Blondell having a grand old time....

I love Joan's expression....

Screwball Quote Of The Day: THE AWFUL TRUTH

2011-09-07T06:08:00.000-04:00

Jerry Warriner: I'm going out to get some popcorn and pink lemonade. I've just seen a three-ring circus.

THE AWFUL TRUTH

Screwball Quote Of The Day: THEODORA GOES WILD (1936)

2011-09-04T16:23:00.000-04:00

Theodora: I suddenly realized I was a writer of wide reputation and most of it bad.

THEODORA GOES WILD

Screwball Quote Of The Day: THE PHILADELPHIA STORY

2011-09-01T05:47:00.000-04:00

Macaulay Connor: I would sell my grandmother for a drink - and you know how I love my grandmother.

- THE PHILADELPHIA STORY

Screwball Quote Of The Day: ARSENIC & OLD LACE (1944)

2011-08-30T05:47:00.000-04:00

Mortimer Brewster: Insanity runs in my family. It practically gallops.
-ARSENIC AND OLD LACE (1944)

Screwball Quote Of The Day: TO BE OR NOT TO BE (1942)

2011-08-29T12:19:00.000-04:00

Maria Tura: It's becoming ridiculous the way you grab attention. Whenever I start to tell a story, you finish it. If I go on a diet, you lose the weight. If I have a cold, you cough. And if we should ever have a baby, I'm not so sure I'd be the mother.
Joseph Tura: I'm satisfied to be the father.
- TO BE OR NOT TO BE (1942)

Screwball Quote Of The Day: THE LADY EVE

2011-08-28T14:28:00.000-04:00

Jean Harrington: You see Hopsi, you don't know very much about girls. The best ones aren't as good as you think they are and the bad ones aren't as bad. Not nearly as bad.

- THE LADY EVE (1941)

Congratulations to HIS GIRL FRIDAY for winning 4 MONTIES...

2011-08-27T20:54:00.000-04:00

I know it's my own personal awards show, but I had to give His Girl Friday some more praise. I just wrote a post on my main blog All Good Things where my favorite film of all time took home four Monties. AWESOME! all good things

Let's go get our Monties my dear.....

Screwball Monday: Arsenic & Old Lace

2011-08-15T05:56:00.000-04:00

What better way to start off Monday by watching Arsenic and Old Lace.

The definition of a dark comedy. When you mix humor with murderers and corpses, then throw in Cary Grant with two old bitties (his aunts) who happen to like killing single old men- then count me in. A truly different type comedy that has to be seen. Cary is of course in perfect form. Josephine Hull and Jean Adair as his aunts are quite funny. And lets not forget the long lost brother Raymond Massey who just escaped from prison and decides to come home. Plus Priscilla Lane is fetching as Cary's girlfriend-soon to be wife. Oh and Peter Lorre as Massey's sidekick. I couldn't forget about him, now could I Irene?

Just a little sip...please?

One of my all time favorite movies.

Happy Birthday Myrna Loy (1905 - 1993)

2011-08-02T06:16:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday to my third favorite actress of all time, Myrna Loy. One of her specialities was screwball comedies, which she excelled in. Thin Man anyone? But she had tons of talent and tremendous range as well. Starring in top notch dramas such as The Best Years of Our Lives. Happy Birthday Myrna!

Good morning from Audrey Hepburn

2011-07-14T05:57:00.000-04:00

Looks like Audrey is having a good time...good morning everyone!

My girl, CAROLE LOMBARD...The Queen of Screwball Cinema (no offense to Irene Dunne)

2011-06-26T07:35:00.000-04:00

I know that Irene Dunne won the Queen of Screwball Cinema on a poll I did here last year and she beat out Carole over on All Good Things for Favorite Classic Movie Actress but to me Carole is the queen. She is my favorite actress of all time and I just enjoy her movies, especially her screwball comedies, where she was at her best. But Irene is a close second. So here are just some random photos of Carole in her element on this beautiful Sunday morning. Enjoy!

EASY LIVING (1937) is a hilarious screwball comedy with Jean Arthur at her best

2011-06-03T17:27:00.000-04:00

This is the daffy story of a hard working girl named Mary (the always fresh and engaging Jean Arthur), who has a sable coat thrown on her from a window of a rich man named J.B. Ball (Edward Arnold) who is fed up with his free spending family. Directed by Mitchell Leisen from a screenplay by Preston Sturges, Easy Living is classic screwball comedy at its best. And mistaken scenarios abound as people think that Ball gave his wife's coat to Mary and she is his mistress. Ray Milland is on hand as Ball's son John who of course falls for Mary. Great slapstick scenes are aplenty in this film including a wild food fight that is hilarious. Jean Arthur is excellent in this film as she combines sex appeal, comedy, warmth, and a touch of bewilderment to her character. She is definitely one of screwball comedy's top queens. If you have never seen Easy Living, check it ASAP.

Carole Lombard and Fred MacMurray are perfect in the delightful HANDS ACROSS THE TABLE (1935)

2011-04-20T18:43:00.002-04:00

Just rewatched this comedy classic this evening. One of my favorite screwball comedies, Hands Across The Table pairs my girl Carole Lombard with Fred MacMurray and the results are hilarious. Carole plays manicurist Regi Allen, who works at a swank hotel, and is determined to land a millionaire.One of her regular clients is Allen Macklyn, a rich man who was paralyzed in a plane crash. He's played by Ralph Bellamy. They get along great. Fred MacMurray enters the picture as poor playboy Theodore Drew, III, and the two are instantly attracted to each other. Wrongly believing Theodore to be wealthy, Regi invites him to live in her apartment -- until she discovers he's broke. Theodore wants to marry rich too, and so he gets engaged to an heiress he doesn't love. In classic screwball fashion, Regi and Theodore desperately try to ignore their growing passion for one another in favor of the promise of money -- and fail miserably. Carole and Fred make a great team and Hands Across the Table is a great looking and funny film. It does get a little serious towards the end, but never gets too serious. Carole is on the mark as usual and looks fabulous. Fred is pretty good as well. Great support by Bellamy and Ruth Donnelly as Regi's boss. One of the best screwball comedies ever.
B+

Congratulations to Irene Dunne!

2011-04-08T06:13:00.000-04:00

Irene Dunne won Favorite Classic Movie Actress on my main blog All Good Things a few days ago and here is a film clip from one of her best screwball comedies, The Awful Truth. Irene is hilarious, pretending to be Cary's ditzy sister.

Check out this wonderful cast photo from YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU

2011-04-03T19:53:00.001-04:00

Check out this great photo from the classic screwball comedy You Can't Take It With You (1938). It's got the entire cast and director Frank Capra with their signatures right below their image. Very cool.

My Favorite Carole Lombard Screwball Comedies

2011-03-27T06:34:00.001-04:00

I recently made a list of my favorite Carole Lombard films for my sister blog All Good Things honoring Carole as the classic movie goddess of the month. I thought I would break that list down even further and list my favorite screwball comedies of hers. So here we go:

MR. AND MRS. SMITH (1941) This delightful battle of the sexes that was surprisingly directed by master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock. It cast Carole and Robert Montgomery as a bickering couple who learn they are not really married. So now thinking they have to do it all over again, they wonder if it's worth it. This is my favorite film of Carole that she did for no other reason than it's a simple and fun little comedy. Lombard and Montgomery mesh well too. Great directing job by Hitch.

MY MAN GODFREY (1936) Carole is perfect as the dizzy socialite Irene Bullock who hires a vagrant played by William Powell) to be her family's butler. One of the best screwball comedies ever made. Lombard showed that her and Powell still had a great chemistry, considering they had just divorced a few years earlier.

TO BE OR NOT TO BE (1942) The last film Carole made before her tragic death is one of her best. She plays actress Maria Tura, who is part of acting troupe in Poland contending with Nazis. Jack Benny plays her husband and they make for an entertaining pair.

HANDS ACROSS THE TABLE (1935) Carole Lombard and Fred MacMurray team up for this delightful comedy about a manicurist and a no gooder who team up to find each their golden goose. Trouble is, they end up falling for each other. Another great comedy from Carole.

NOTHING SACRED (1937) As doomed Hazel Flagg, who thinks she is dying from radium poisoning, Carole is excellent. Fredric March is on hand as the reporter covering her story who begins to like her. Who knew that the subject of death would make such a great comedy. Well it does.

TWENTIETH CENTURY (1934) WOW! Lombard and John Barrymore go at it as a Broadway producer and a Hollywood diva who get back together for a new play. Hilarious hi jinks ensue.

Also notable films include The Princess Comes Across and We're Not Dressing.

Carole Lombard and Robert Montgomery goofing around...

2011-03-16T21:19:00.000-04:00

The two stars having fun on the set of Mr. and Mrs. Smith (1941)

NINOTCHKA (1939) lets Greta Garbo cut loose in a great comedy

2011-03-06T20:52:00.000-05:00

After years of melodramas and period romance films, the usually serious minded Greta Garbo gets to have some fun in this very entertaining comedy. She plays a special envoy from Russia named Ninotchka who is sent to Paris to investigate the rather unorthodox and generally inefficient way in which three Russian ambassadors (Iranoff, Buljanoff and Kopalskia) are carrying out their job. She gets sidetracked by the unwanted advances of Count Leon d'Algout (played by the irrepressible Melvyn Douglas). His constant attempts to woo her and her not giving make up the bulk of the story. This entire film hinges on whether Garbo could perform in a comedy. And she passes with flying colors. Her Russian envoy is pretty much serious and has no time for games and she nails that portion with no problem. It's when she finally gets to lighten up, is when Garbo really shines. Ninotchka is a wonderful film with plenty of humor and a nice helping of romance as well. GARBO DELIVERS!

JANE WYMAN - An underrated screwball comedy actress

2011-02-12T10:28:00.002-05:00

Me and Dawn have been posting about great on screen couples on Noir and Chick Flicks this month in celebration of Valentine's Day. One of my recent picks was the underrated team of Jane Wyman and Jack Carson. So I wanted to expand on Jane Wyman here and focus on her contributions to the screwball comedy genre. Most people know Jane for her serious films such as The Yearling, The Lost Weekend, Johnny Belinda (her only Oscar win), Stage Fright, and All That Heaven Allows. But Jane got her start in film early in her career with some great screwball comedies. During the mid 30's she had bit parts (both uncredited) in several comedies headlining Carole Lombard: My Man Godfrey and Fools For Scandals. She took over playing Torchy Blane, the wise-cracking reporter in 1939's Playing With Dynamite and she was off. Films during this period included Wide Open Faces (1938) with Joe E. Brown; the Brother Rat films with Ronald Reagan, Priscilla Lane and Eddie Albert; and Honeymoon For Three (1941) with Ann Sheridan. All these films provided Jane to work on her comedic skills and she would get better with each subsequent role.

with Ronald Reagan

Her break-out comedy film would be 1941's You're In The Army Now, co-starring Phil Silvers and Jimmy Durante. Jane was the girl caught between the two guys and I think she would learn a lot from working with these two comedians. She would pair up with frequent co-star Jack Carson for the first time in the gangster comedy Larceny, Inc. co-starring Edward G. Robinson.

with Jack Carson

From that point on Jane and Jack would team up for 3 more comedies: Princess O'Rourke (1943 with Olivia de Havilland); Make Your Own Bed (1944) and the classic screwball film The Doughgirls (1944) featuring an all-star cast of Ann Sheridan, Alexis Smith, Eve Arden and Charlie Ruggles.

with Kay Kyser

Jane would also star in 1942's My Favorite Spy with Kay Kyser and Footlight Serenade with Betty Grable. So while she may be known more for her dramas and to be fair she did win an Oscar for Johnny Belinda, I think Jane was very underrated when it came to comedy and she was very good at it. Her chemistry with Jack Carson was a plus in those films and her willingness to be a team player in those other films only helped make her a better all around actress. Hats off to Jane Wyman, one of the best.

The Doughgirls: Eve Arden, Jane Wyman, Alexis Smith and Ann Sheridan

Check out this clip from Torchy Blane starring the first Torchy (Glenda Farrell) asking a slightly confused but funny Jane Wyman some questions. It's cool that Jane would later go on to play Torchy in one of the sequels.

Irene and Cary team up for the first time in The Awful Truth

2011-01-29T10:51:00.001-05:00

One of the earliest screwball comedies and one of the best is the 1937 classic, The Awful Truth, which paired Irene Dunne and Cary Grant for the very first time. It's no secret that I have always thought Cary and Irene made the best on screen couple. And Cary has worked with some of the top actresses in the world but he was never better than when paired with Dunnie. The plot of this film has Jerry and Lucy Warriner preparing to divorce and trying their best to ruin each other's chances of remarriage. As one of the early screwball comedies, Truth doesn't hold anything back. The dialogue is crisp and biting. Cary and Irene have wonderful chemistry in their first film together and Irene is positively firing on all cylinders. She is funny from the word go. I believe the great Katherine Hepburn had to have seen this film prior to making Bringing Up Baby and based her performance on what Irene did. She had too. Dunnie was just that good in Truth. The film moves at a brisk pace given the fact it's running time is 92 minutes and not one single second is wasted. In addition to Dunne and Grant, there is terrific support from Cecil Cunningham as Aunt Patsy and Ralph Bellamy in his typical role of the stand up guy. Also Asta the dog from The Thin Man series is a hoot as Mr. Smith. Expert direction from Leo McCarey, who won an Oscar for Best Director for his work here and he deserved it. So if you have never watched The Awful Truth, find it online or rent it or better yet buy it, because you will want to watch this film over and over again.

Jerry: I'm going out to get some popcorn and pink lemonade. I've just seen a three-ring circus.

Topper (1937) is a good screwball farce...

2011-01-04T18:21:00.001-05:00

A fun-loving and handsome couple (Cary Grant, Constance Bennett) are killed when they smash their sporty roadster into a tree while returning from a bender. As ghosts in limbo, they decide that one good deed will send them to heaven, so they choose to enliven the life of their dull friend Topper (Roland Young) by showing him how to live as they did -- fast and loose. One of the best screwball comedies of the 1930's with the entire cast clicking on all cylinders. In addition to Grant, Bennett, and Young, look for the great Billie Burke as Mrs. Topper. She's a hoot as usual. Followed by two more entertaining sequels, Topper Takes A Trip (1938) and Topper Returns (1941).

Happy Birthday Irene Dunne (1898 - 1990)

2010-12-20T06:01:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to Irene Dunne, a grand actress who starred in all kinds of films: musicals, westerns, dramas, and of course screwball comedies. Her pairings with Cary Grant are legendary with The Awful Truth, My Favorite Wife and Penny Serenade. And Irene was sensational in the screwball comedy classic Theodora Goes Wild. Other films include Love Affair (1939), A Guy Named Joe (1943), The White Cliffs Of dover (1944), and Life With Father (1947). Happy Birthday Dunnie, as my friend Renata calls her.

Christmas In Connecticut (1945) is my favorite Christmas movie

2010-12-05T17:49:00.000-05:00

If I had to choose one Christmas movie to watch during the holidays I would probably choose Christmas In Connecticut (1945). I know there have been countless blogs and posts written about this classic so I won't add another review of this by now familiar tale. Suffice to say, this film works because of just two little words: Barbara Stanwyck. She is positively amazing as columnist Elizabeth Lane, viewed today as the Martha Stewart of her day. Except for the fact that Ms. Lane's description of herself and her abilities is all lies. She can't cook, doesn't know a thing about decorating or antiques, and definitely does not live the family life on a farm in Connecticut as she has told all her loyal readers. Needless to say her lack of skills will be tested when her publisher puts her on the spot to cook a family Christmas dinner for a wounded returning soldier (Dennis Morgan). I simply think this is one of the best of the Christmas films from yesteryear. And when you think about it, the film really is not about Christmas per se, but it's story just happens to take place during Christmas. That won't stop anyone from enjoying this film though. But you will find hearty laughs and a nice comfort feeling while watching this film. As I stated before Barbara Stanwyck is definitely the star of this movie and she carries it like a seasoned professional. Her comic timing, which was not used nearly enough in her stellar career, is perfection. She looks absolutely stunning and plays off her fellow co-stars with ease. Delivering some of the best lines with that sly twinkle in her eyes. One of the scenes I love is when the owner of the magazine requests that she do her sensational high pancake flip that she is famous for. Of course Elizabeth has never tossed a pancake in her life, so the look of her face as she steps up to the stove and grabs the pan to flip the pancake looks like a person marching to the electric chair. I recommend Christmas In Connecticut as a perfect movie to view with friends and family over the holidays. You won't regret it.

The More The Merrier (1943) is good whimsical fun

2010-12-02T19:13:00.000-05:00

Delightful comedy set during the WW2 housing shortage in Washington, DC.

Connie Milligan (Jean Arthur) rents an apartment. Believing it to be her patriotic duty, Connie offers to sublet half of her apartment, fully expecting a suitable female tenent. But instead she gets a mischievous, middle-aged man named Benjamin Dingle (Charles Coburn). Dingle talks her into subletting to him and then promptly sublets half of his half to young, irreverent Joe Carter (Joel McCrea). Then the rest of the movie has Dingle playing matchmaker for Connie and Joe. This is a top notch comedy that was one of several similarly themed movies. The others include Pillow to Post with Ida Lupino and The Doughgirls with Jane Wyman and Ann Sheridan. The More The Merrier makes good use of it's talented cast with Jean Arthur, who by this time is a skilled comedienne thanks to earlier films such as The Devil and Miss Jones, and Easy Living. She makes it look so easy. Charles Coburn is also a delight as the meddlesome Dingle. And Joel McCrea, who had his share of other classic comedies such as The Palm Beach Story and Sullivan's Travels is pretty good too. And in the hands of skilled director George Stevens, everything clicks like a well oiled machine.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles(1987).

2010-11-22T08:13:00.002-05:00

Planes, Trains and Automobiles(1987). It was written, produced and directed by John Hughes. Cast: Steve Martin and John Candy.

After being on a business trip in New York, Neal Page is traveling back home to be with his family in time for Thanksgiving. His journey begins with with Del Griffith stealing his taxi cab right out from under his nose. Their misadventure continues when their flight from LaGuardia Airport to O'Hare is diverted to Wichita because of a blizzard. What should have been a 1 hour and 45 minute New York-to-Chicago flight turns into a three-day adventure. To complicate matters even further, on the first night in Wichita, a thief breaks into their motel room and steals all their money.

After burning down the car, Neal blames Del for all their troubles. In turn Del accuses Neal of being too critical. After their heated argument, a bond forms between them and they pull their resources together to finally make their way home.

Believing that Del has a family of his own, the two men part ways. Neal later pieces together things Del said and realizes that Del is alone. Will Neal go back to the train station looking for Del?

In my opinion John Candy is underrated comedian. There are some important messages in this film.For example the argument scene: Del says, "You wanna hurt me? Go right ahead if it makes you feel any better. I'm an easy target. Yeah, you're right, I talk too much. But I also listen too much. I could be a cold-hearted cynical like you, but I don't like to hurt people's feelings. So you go right on and think what you like about me. But I'm not changing. I - I like me. My wife likes me. My customers like me. 'Cause I'm the real deal. Wotcha see is wotcha get. "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" is one of my favorite Comedies. Happy Thanksgiving. Sorry, I could only find part 1 of the documentary.

Laila Robins, performed in many film and television roles. In 2006, she played Nora Paxton in The Book of Daniel. She played Victoria Heller in Gabriel's Fire(1990). She also appeared in the television movie Dream Breakers (1989) and The Equalizer(1988). On The Sopranos, she portrayed the younger version of manipulative, conniving, abusive family matriarch Livia Soprano. In 1987, she played Steve Martin's wife in the movie Planes, Trains & Automobiles directed by the late John Hughes. In 2006, she played Toddy Allen in The Good Shepherd, directed by Robert De Niro. She made her film debut in the 1987 picture, A Walk on the Moon. In 2009, it was announced that she will be playing Claire Williams, on the daytime drama, All My Children.

Affectionately Yours (1941) is a zany good comedy

2010-11-21T16:20:00.000-05:00

Reporter Ricky Mayberry (Dennis Morgan) is married to Sue (Merle Oberon) but is a ladies man, with a girl in every port. At the beginning of the film Ricky is covering a story in Libson and romancing rival reporter Irene Malcolm (a gorgeous Rita Hayworth) when he gets a telegram that Sue has divorced him and is planning to remarry Owen Wright (Ralph Bellamy, a mainstay in these type of comedies). Ricky immediately flies back to New York to win Sue back. Irene tags along to find out the truth. This is a lightweight but enjoyable comedy. Dennis Morgan is a suitable leading man. It's refreshing to see the usual dramatic Oberon in this type of movie. She has a knack for light comedies. It's too bad she didn't make a lot more. Rita Hayworth is very good as Irene. Not only beautiful to look at, but very funny. And in one hilarious dinner scene, she gets to put on a very British accent that she nails perfectly. Ralph Bellamy gets his best scenes when he trades barbs with Morgan. And a surprise with Hattie McDaniel and Butterfly McQueen from Gone with the Wind appearing as Oberon's servants. McDaniel gets in her trademark line "But I don't like it!" several times during the film. All in all, I enjoyed this film and recommend it to anyone looking for a few good laughs.
B-

Ginger Rogers Having Wonderful Time (1938)

2010-11-14T07:52:00.000-05:00

Ginger headlines this terrific comedy as New York office girl Thelma "Teddy" Shaw who goes to the Catskills for some rest and relaxation and winds up being romanced by Douglas Fairbanks Jr. It's all entertaining fun with Ginger and Douglas making quite a good pair. And also the supporting cast is top notch with Eve Arden, Lucille Ball, and Jack Carson. Coincidentally these three had just worked with Rogers the year before on the classic film Stage Door. Having Wonderful Time is a breezy comedy that I enjoyed thoroughly.

Screwball Comedies: Let's Misbehave video

2010-11-13T07:45:00.002-05:00

New Poll Started

2010-11-01T13:26:00.000-04:00

Over on my other blog, All Good Things, Ginger Rogers is my classic movie goddess for the month of November. So I decided that my poll on this page would be about her. Of course everyone knows of her legendary run with Fred Astaire in those wonderful musicals. And her Oscar winning role in the film Kitty Foyle. But Ginger also did several screwball comedies that were some of the best of the genre. I pose the question which one was your favorite. The six choices are Stage Door; Tom, Dick & Harry; Monkey Business; Vivacious Lady; Roxie Hart; and Stage Door. There were a few more comedies I could have chosen but I decided to limit the choices to six. I may do another poll featuring Ginger before the month is out as well. So please drop by and vote for your favorite comedy of hers.

Carole and Clark and some kittens...

2010-10-26T17:15:00.000-04:00

Happy Birthday Constance Bennett (1904 - 1965)

2010-10-22T20:44:00.000-04:00

Noted for several screwball comedies including Merrily We Live, Topper, Topper Takes A Trip, and Ladies In Love. Constance was the older sister of Joan. And a fabulous comedienne. Her classy blonde looks, husky voice and unerring fashion sense gave her a distinctive style. In the 1940s she made fewer films, working in radio and theatre; shrewd in business, she invested wisely and started businesses marketing women's wear and cosmetics. Loving conflict, she feuded with the press and enjoyed lawsuits. Her last marriage, to a U.S. Air Force colonel, was happy and gave her a key role coordinating shows flown to Europe for occupying troops (1946-48) and the Berlin Airlift (1948-49), winning her military honors. Still young-looking, she died suddenly at age 60 shortly after completing the last of her 57 films. Happy Birthday Constance.

Woman of the Year (1942).

2010-10-22T08:21:00.001-04:00

Woman of the Year (1942). Cast: Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn with Fay Bainter, Reginald Owen, Minor Watson and William Bendix. It was directed by George Stevens, produced by Joseph L. Mankiewicz and written by Ring Lardner Jr. and Michael Kanin. The music score was by Franz Waxman and the cinematography by Joseph Ruttenberg. The art direction was by Cedric Gibbons and Randall Duell and the costume design by Adrian.

As New York Chronicle sports columnist Sam Craig sits and listens to the radio quiz program.. Information, Please, he can not believe it, when political columnist Tess Harding, misses a question about baseball. After Sam writes an article criticising her, Tess retaliates. Their editor, orders them to meet in his office and stop their scrabbling. They both become immediately attracted to each other and Sam decides to invite her to a Yankees game to teach her about baseball. Later Tess, invites Sam to a party held at her apartment, along with dozens of her international friends. Despite Tess's busy life, This "romantic odd couple" fall in love and decide to marry. Sam wants a traditional wedding, but because of Tess's busy schedule, the wedding must take place immediately .

Tess's diplomat father and her aunt, are only able to stay a few minutes and Tess is called away for an important call just after the wedding, leaving Sam behind. The wedding night, just as they are about to go to bed, Yugoslavian political refugee Dr. Lubbeck, shows up with a group of his friends. Sam is not happy with how married life is going. Tess seems to forget how to be a wife and Sam begins to feel neglected. Will their marriage survive?

I always love to watch films which team Spencer Tracy with Katharine Hepburn. Most of all... it is fun, to see Hepburn, showing a sexy side, which we rarely see in her films.

Fay Bainter's, movie debut was in, This Side of Heaven(1934), the same year she performed in, Dodsworth on Broadway and the film: It Happened One Day(1934). Bainter, became the first performer nominated for both the Academy Award for Best Actress, for White Banners (1937), and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for Jezebel (1938), winning for the latter. Since then, only nine other actors have won dual nominations in a single year. She was again nominated for Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Children's Hour (1961).

Bob Hope cuts loose in Nothing But The Truth (1941)

2010-10-20T12:29:00.001-04:00

Bob is in rare form in this rarely seen comedy from 1941. In Nothing But The Truth he plays stock-broker Steve Bennett, who just took a job down in Miami for stockbroker head T.T. Ralston (the great Edward Arnold). T.T. has promised his niece Gwen (Paulette Goddard) to double any amount she can raise $20,000 for charity. But he connives so those she asks refuse to give her more than the $10,000 she's already raised. Gwen happens upon Steve who is blinded by her beauty and accepts the offer. This is the back story as the real story happens a few minutes later in a discussion with T.T., business partner Dick and client Van, about truth in business Steve bets the $10,000 that he can tell the truth for 24 hours. Having already accepted an invitation for a weekend on T.T.'s houseboat, Steve is subjected to 24 hours of attempts to get him to lie or divulge the bet, which would lose him (and Gwen) the $10,000. Hilarious comedy that lets Hope do his thing. Watching him try to not lie for 24 hours is priceless. It's much better here than when Jim Carrey did Liar, Liar 50 years later. Hope and Goddard continue their strong chemistry from The Cat and The Canary and The Ghost Breakers. And Paulette is such a breath of fresh air when she appears on screen. A sight to behold and she keeps up with Hope all the way. Treat yourself to a good time by watching Nothing But the Truth. Also look out for Helen Vinson as a scheming Broadway star wannabe. She is quite funny too.

Monkey Business (1952) is a hoot...

2010-10-18T17:47:00.000-04:00

A wonderful comedy that re-teams director Howard Hawks and star Cary Grant. The duo have worked magic before in other screwball classics like His Girl Friday (my all time favorite movie) and I Was A Male War Bride. In this one, Grant is absent minded chemist Barney Fulton who discovers a fountain of youth potion that he has been testing on chimps. Well he accidentally takes it himself and reverts to being a teen-ager. Which includes spending time with his gorgeous secretary Miss Lois Laurel (played by Marilyn Monroe). Well Mrs. Fulton (a sharp and funny Ginger Rogers) takes an even bigger dose and reverts even further to a 9 year old and all kinds of chaos ensues. Monkey Business is a hilarious comedy that lets the stars just have all the fun they want. A must see.

Lois Laurel: [at her secretrial desk, responding to Barnaby's remark that she is at work early] Mr. Oxley's been complaining about my punctuation, so I'm careful to get here before nine.

Carole Lombard and Fred Macmurray playing around...

2010-10-13T06:52:00.000-04:00

The Ghost Breakers (1940) is perfect viewing for this Halloween season...

2010-10-10T15:50:00.000-04:00

A radio broadcaster (Bob Hope), his quaking manservant (Willie Best) and an heiress (Paulette Goddard) investigate the mystery of a haunted castle in Cuba. After the success of 1939's The Cat and the Canary, Hope and Goddard reteam for this hilarious comedy about haunted houses and a menacing zombie. Hope fires off zingers left and right. Gets great support from Best and Paulette is very good as well. Perfect movie for this Halloween season.

Twentieth Century (1934).

2010-10-07T17:05:00.001-04:00

Twentieth Century (1934). A screwball comedy film. Much of the film is set on the 20th Century Limited train as it travels from Chicago to New York. The film was directed by Howard Hawks. Cast: John Barrymore, Carole Lombard, Walter Connolly, Roscoe Karns and Edgar Kennedy.

Theater impressario Oscar Jaffe changes the name of his new discovery, former lingerie model Mildred Plotka, to Lily Garland, and begins rehearsals for his play. On opening night, Oscar says that a true star belongs to no man and so begins their professional partnership, and a troubled personal relationship. Lily, driven crazy by Oscar's possessiveness, wants to end their relationship. Soon She becomes a star as Oscar seems to be on his way out, until he meets Lily once again, on the Twentieth Century Limited. Oscar tries to win her over, but Lily, wants to have nothing to do with him. The dialogue in this film is witty and the acting is perfect. Carol Lombard deserves to be called the queen of comedy and John Barrymore is equally as good.

Memorable quote:

Oscar Jaffe: I never thought I should sink so low as to become an actor.

Carole Lombard and Friend

2010-10-07T16:39:00.000-04:00

Here is a wonderful photo of Carole and her friend that my very good friend Dawn found and posted first on the Noir & Chick Flicks Blog. I think it's one of the best photos I have ever seen. Just another reason why I love Carole Lombard so much.

Happy Birthday Carole Lombard (1908-1942)

2010-10-06T05:49:00.001-04:00

Happy Birthday to my favorite actress of all time, Carole Lombard. I love Carole. She is awesome.

The 5' 2" beauty was a comedy hit during the 30s and 40s. Born in Fort Wayne, Indiana on October 6, 1908 under the name of Jane Alice Peters. Young Jane Alice loved the Friday night movie night with her family and would perform the night before's show in the morning. Her mother and her father divorced in October of 1914. Jane Alice, her two older brothers, and their mother, Elizabeth Knight Peters moved to Los Angeles. When she was 12 she had a small part in a silent film called a Perfect Crime. An executive in 1925 from FOX PICTURES asked her to do a screen test, which was a success, but the film, which was to be her first spy film, Marriage In Transit(1925), wasn't. Carole Lombard, the actress, was born. In early 1927 she was tested by the Mack Sennet Studio, who put her under contract, only this time it was a comedy, not a spy film. Lombard became the top comedienne at the studio as she molded herself into the comedy life. Paul Stei, a Pathe director, saw her in a Sennet comedy and immediately put her under contract for $150 a week. Several films later she took a side step when director, Cecil B. DeMille called for her and then changed his mind. When she left Pathe in 1930 at the age of 18 she returned to FOX. She soon signed with Paramount for $300 a week but after 6 years was earning the sum of $35,000 a week! In October 1930 she met William Powell and then eight months later they were married on the day of June 26, 1931. Carole age 23 and William age 39 were married for 23 months but divorced in 1933. They stayed friends and film partners. In 1937 in My Man Godfrey (1936) (with Powell) earned her an Academy Award Nomination.

There was a new person now, the crowned King of Hollywood" Clark Gable. They had made one movie together No Man Of Her Own (1932) in 1932. They were married, in March 1939, after Gable was separated from his wife Rhea Langham. They bought and lived in a 20 acre ranch in San Fernando Valley. They weren't Hollywood Socialites; they weren't glamorous; they wanted a simple life out of Hollywood's bright lights. They nick named each other Ma and Pa and were role modeled as the ideal marriage. Tragedy struck on a war bond tour that Carole and her mother were on. The plane they were traveling in (TWA Flight #3) crashed. Her last words, in her home state of Indiana, to all the people were just before boarding the plane, "Before I say goodbye to you all - come on - join me in a big cheer- V for victory!" All 22 passengers died in the crash.

Poll Results...and the winner is Irene Dunne

2010-10-05T11:51:00.000-04:00

Last month I asked the question who is your favorite screwball comedy leading lady. The choices were Carole Lombard, Irene Dunne, Myrna Loy, Claudette Colbert, Constance Bennett and Jean Arthur. I had a big turnout of voters totaling 60. Now my personal favorite Carole came in 2nd with 15 votes and 25% of the total vote. Carole was pretty much neck and neck with Jean Arthur for the whole time. She edged out Jean by 1 vote. Myrna Loy grabbed 6 votes while Claudette and Constance didn't do that good. The winner and undisputed favorite screwball leading lady is Irene Dunne with a huge 21 votes and 35% of the total vote. That should make my friend Renata very happy as she is a big Irene fan. I am too, she is my 2nd favorite actress of all time, just behind Carole. So I thought this turned out pretty well. I want to thank all those who stopped by and took the time to vote. I will have a new poll up shortly.

Who's That Lady?(1960)

2010-10-05T09:16:00.002-04:00

Who Was That Lady? Comedy film. Directed by George Sidney and produced by Norman Krasna who also wrote the screenplay, based on his Broadway play Who Was That Lady I Saw You With? The music score was by Andre Previn and the cinematography by Harry Stradling. The costume design was by Jean Louis. The title song was written by Sammy Cahn.

Cast: Tony Curtis, Dean Martin, and Janet Leigh with James Whitmore, John McIntire, Barbara Nichols, Larry Keating, Larry Storch, Simon Oakland, Joi Lansing. Jack Benny appears as himself.

Ann Wilson walks in on her husband David, a chemistry professor at Columbia University, kissing one of his students. Heartbroken she runs out of his lab, yelling that she wants a divorce and wants David to move out of their apartment by 7 p.m.

Soon after, David's good friend, television writer Michael Haney, comes to the chemistry lab. David tells him about what just happened. Mike can not believe that Ann would be so upset over a little kiss. As David and Mike drink the alcoholic potion he has whipped up in the lab, Mike come up with a far fetched plan that would justify David's behavior. David should confess to Ann that he is an FBI agent and had to kiss the student, in the line of duty. Ann, excited about her husband's secret life, may not be able to keep her husband's occupation a secret. And when the real FBI get wind of their plans they may be able to use David to their advantage.

I just saw the film, Who's That lady(1960). Three major stars, close to their peak of fame at the time, make this a fun movie.

Tennis, Anyone?

2010-09-29T12:17:00.000-04:00

Here are some wonderful photos of classic movie stars on the tennis courts. I know you will get a kick out of this Robin.

Leave it to Clark and Carole to be in formal wear to play some tennis.

Looks like Ginger's net is falling

Ava looking lovely as always

Louise Brooks looks ready to play

The Underrated Gail Patrick

2010-09-23T12:26:00.001-04:00

I wanted to write a post about one of the most underrated actresses of all time...the lovely and very talented Gail Patrick. Born in 1911 as Margaret LaVelle Fitzpatrick in Alabama, She received a B.A. and was a dean of women at her alma mater, Howard College, for a time. She was studying pre-law at the University of Alabama at the time she, by happenstance, became a finalist in a nationwide contest for a Paramount film role (which she did not get). This led her to going to Hollywood and, despite her loss, the studio wound up offering her a studio contract at $50 a week.

Gail appeared in a lot films early in her career including Death Takes A Holiday (1934), Mississippi (1935), and Early To Bed (1936). Just making her way along until she finally secured a notable role in a great film. It was My Man Godfrey (1936) with Carole Lombard and William Powell, with Gail cast as Carole's spoiled sister. Gail held her own in this marvelous screwball classic and she would add two more certifiable screwball classics: 1937's Stage Door, trading wisecracks with Ginger Rogers and 1940's My Favorite Wife as Cary Grant's second wife who had to deal with the unexpected return of Cary's presumed dead first wife, Irene Dunne. So if Gail didn't do anything else in her film career, she could say she starred in these three all time comedy classics.

Gail would wind up making over 60 films before retiring in 1947 and after a stint designing clothes, she was an executive producer on one of the most successful TV shows ever made, Perry Mason. How's that for post film career success. Gail would marry four times and was also a diabetic.

She is one of my favorite actresses of all time and she ranks pretty high on my top actress list, which you will see once I finally post it. But I'm sure most classic movie lovers have seen her before..definitely in one of those three classics mentioned above. She was very talented and beautiful and could handle the on screen antics of screwball comedies very well. I dedicate this blog to Gail who was a class act.

Photo Of The Day - Carole and Clark at home

2010-09-18T16:14:00.000-04:00

Here is a lovely pic of Carole and Clark at their home in Encino, Caliornia circa 1939. Not really a pic of their home but of their wooded fence. Still it's a great photo I think.

The Women (1939) Catfight clip...

2010-09-15T12:10:00.001-04:00

Click on the link below for this funny scene. Whoever posted the video didn't

sync the dialogue with the video, but it's still enjoyable.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWNR7CQZ6Xk

Photos from My Man Godfrey (1936)

2010-09-05T09:47:00.000-04:00

Here are some photos from the wonderful screwball comedy My Man Godfrey (1936) with Carole Lombard and William Powell.

The Nutty Professor(1963).

2010-09-01T07:25:00.000-04:00

The Nutty Professor(1963). Science fiction comedy film produced, directed, co-written with Bill Richmond and Jerry Lewis. The score was composed by Walter Scharf.

Professor Julius Kelp (Jerry Lewis), is a nerdy, introverted, accident prone, university professor who always seems to find himself in trouble with the university by continually destroying the classroom lab. When a football-player bullies Kelp he decides to join a gym, with no results. He then invents a potion that turns him into the handsome, smooth, obnoxious, Buddy Love.

As Buddy Love, he now as the confidence to date one of his students, Stella Purdy (Stella Stevens). Who finds herself strangely attracted to him. Buddy impresses the crowd with his jazzy personality at the Purple Pit, a nightclub where everyone hangs out. He also teaches the bartender, how to mix the cocktail, The "Alaskan Polar Bear Heater". Which is two shots of vodka, a little rum, some bitters, a smidgen of vinegar, a shot of vermouth, a shot of gin, a shot of scotch, a little brandy, a lemon peel, orange peel, cherry, some more scotch. At one point the bartender says "You going to drink this here, or are you going to take it home and rub it on your chest?

Love says "mix it nice" and pour it into a tall glass. The bartender asks if he can take a sip, when he does he freezes like a statue. While the drink started as fictional, it now listed among real drinks.

Later that night, Buddy performs at the student dance, and while on stage, the formula starts to wear off. Will this Jekyll and Hyde's real identity be revealed?

I thought Jerry Lewis must be a very talented actor to be able to manage two very distinct characters with two distinct personalities.

Fun Facts:

Film debut of Henry Gibson.

Buddy Love is often thought to be Lewis' former show business partner Dean Martin. Film Critic Danny Peary wrote in his book Cult Movies that the character of Love is actually the real counterpart of Jerry Lewis. Les Brown and his Band play themselves in the senior prom scenes. Stella Steven's costumes (and the rest of the casts costumes as well) were designed by Edith Head.

The Nutty Professor was filmed mostly on the campus of Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ) in 1962 with the prom portion filmed in the newly completed Gammage Auditorium Hall (designed by Frank Lloyd Wright).
Stella Stevens was first under contract to 20th Century Fox. Then after performing in the role for the musical, Li'l Abner (1959), she signed a contract with Paramount Pictures (1959-1963) and later Columbia Pictures (1964-1968). She shared the 1960 Golden Globe Award for "Most Promising Newcomer - Female", with Tuesday Weld, Angie Dickinson and Janet Munro for the film, Say One For Me.

In 1962, Stevens performed with Elvis Presley in the movie, Girls! Girls! Girls!. Later that year, she played Jerry Lewis's love interest in The Nutty Professor. This was followed by other comedy, The Courtship of Eddie's Father and opposite Dean Martin in the "Matt Helm", The Silencers.
Plus How to Save a Marriage and Ruin Your Life.

Stevens was featured in the western, The Ballad of Cable Hogue(1970). She also performed in the film, The Poseidon Adventure(1972), as the wife of Ernest Borgnine's character.

Stevens was a regular on the 1981-1982 prime time soap opera Flamingo Road. She teamed with Sandy Dennis in a touring production of an all-female version of Neil Simon's The Odd Couple, playing the Oscar Madison character. She had a contract role on NBC's daytime drama Santa Barbara as Phyllis Blake from 1989 to 1990.

Stevens produced and directed two films, The Ranch (1989) and The American Heroine (1979).

Arsenic & Old Lace clip - Reunion between Mortimer and Jonathan

2010-08-29T16:11:00.000-04:00

Here's a funny little clip from Arsenic and Old Lace

My Top 10 Favorite Screwball Films of Cary Grant

2010-08-25T12:20:00.001-04:00

http://poohtiger-allgoodthings.blogspot.com/2010/08/my-top-25-favorite-cary-grant-films_19.htmlI recently did a top 25 of my favorite Cary Grant films which covered all genres: action, thriller, comedies, etc. So for here I decided to condense it to a top 10 list of my favorite screwball comedies starring Cary. Enjoy.

10.) TOPPER (1937) Manic screwball farce with Grant and Constance Bennett as fun loving couple George and Marion Kerby who after dying in a car crash, return as ghosts. They take it upon themselves to lighten up the life of their stuffy banker Cosmo Topper (played by Roland Young). Entertaining fantasy/comedy, that was followed by two sequels but without the services of Cary.

9.) I WAS A MALE WAR BRIDE (1949) Terrific comedy by Howard Hawks and co-starring Ann Sheridan. Cary plays Captain Henri Rochard, a French officer assigned to work with Lieut. Catherine Gates (Sheridan). Through a wacky series of misadventures, they fall in love and marry. When the war ends, Capt. Rochard tries to return to America with the other female war brides. Of course things are not that easy and Henri must resort to dressing in drag to get home. A very funny movie.

8.) MR. BLANDINGS BUILDS HIS DREAM HOUSE (1948) And now begins the screwball run of Cary films as my top 8 films are all comedies starting with this one. He and Myrna Loy play a married couple who are fed up with the city and move out to the country and buy this ramshackle of a house. The situations they have to deal with while trying to fix the place up are hysterical.

7.) THE BACHELOR & THE BOBBY-SOXER (1947) Another team up with Myrna Loy and it's even better than Mr. Blandings. Cary is perfect as a playboy who runs afoul of Judge Turner (Loy) and must date her younger sister (Shirley Temple) or face jail. It's a complicated story but it's funny as can be. Grant is in top form for this one.

6.) THE AWFUL TRUTH (1937) The first pairing of Cary and Irene is an absolute delight. They play a married couple who are getting a divorce and comic mishaps occur along the way. Classic screwball comedy at it's best.

5.) THE PHILADELPHIA STORY (1940) How's this for star power: Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn, and Jimmy Stewart. Cary plays CK Dexter haven, the ex-husband to Kate's Tracy Lord. Well Tracy is planning on re-marrying much to the dismay of CK and a reporter (Stewart). A sophisticated comedy with three legends giving great performances.

4.) ARSENIC & OLD LACE (1944) Wicked black comedy with Cary as writer Mortimer Brewster who returns home to visit his two kind aunts and realize they are murdering elderly men who come a calling. Mortimer also has to deal with a visiting brother who has just escaped from prison (Raymond Massey) and his sidekick (Peter Lorre). And wonderfully directed by Frank Capra.

3.) MY FAVORITE WIFE (1940) This movie is hilarious. And I give all the credit to Irene Dunne in this one. She plays Ellen, a woman who was shipwrecked on a deserted island and declared dead. Well Nick, her husband (Grant) decides to move on with his life and re-marries. Lo and behold when Ellen returns home. Cary is good as usual but Irene is simply amazing. She makes the movie.

2.) BRINGING UP BABY (1938) The classic film with Grant, Katherine Hepburn, Skippy the dog (Asta from the Thin Man movies), a pet leopard named Baby, an escaped dangerous leopard, and an inept town sheriff all combine for a riot of a movie. And you won't be able to get that song out of your head, "I can't give you anything but love, Baby!"

1.) HIS GIRL FRIDAY (1940) No need to go into detail here. Not only is this my favorite Cary Grant movie, but it's my favorite movie, period. Grant as newspaper editor Walter Burns is terrific and Rosalind Russell is just as good as Hildy Johnson, his ace reporter and ex-wife. This has to be the fastest talking movie ever made. The wisecracks fly by every few seconds and you rarely have time to catch your breath. I watch it a few times every year.

There you have it my ten favorite Cary Grant screwball films. Note that on my original list that 8 of the top ten films were all screwball comedies. If you're curious about that list just click on the link to check it out.
http://poohtiger-allgoodthings.blogspot.com/2010/08/my-top-25-favorite-cary-grant-films_19.html

Cary Grant - My main man....

2010-08-19T12:17:00.002-04:00

It Happened One Night (1934)

2010-08-16T21:49:00.001-04:00

One of the first and best of the screwball comedies. Enjoy this clip on how to hitchike, the Claudette Colbert way.

Some Like It Hot (1959)

2010-08-11T22:48:00.001-04:00

Very funny comedy with everyone involved at the top of their game. Ace director Billy Wilder leads Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemmon through this delightful comedy romp set during the Prohibition era. Curtis and Lemmon are Joe and Jerry, musicians who pose as women on the run from the Chicago mob. They end up joining Monroe's all girl band down in Miami. Complications ensue. Doesn't get much better than this. Easily one of the best comedies ever made. Curtis and Lemmon make a great team and Monroe is super as Sugar Kane the singer who stays in trouble. Also notable is George Raft as head of the mob trying to catch the two guys who are witnesses to a murder.
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Jerry: "Have I got things to tell you!"
Joe: "What happened?"
Jerry: "I'm engaged."
Joe: "Congratulations. Who's the lucky girl?"
Jerry: "I am!"

The Seven Year Itch (1955)

2010-08-11T05:44:00.002-04:00

One of Marilyn's best roles and best films has the gorgeous one playing a young woman living in the upstairs apartment of a married man. The man is prone to daydreaming about being a real ladies man but when he finally meets Marilyn, comedic results happen quickly and often. A hilarious film that shot Monroe to stardom. It was the first pairing between Monroe and director Billy Wilder. And co-star Tom Ewell is a riot as the married man who falls for Marilyn.They would team up again a few years later for the also great comedic classic Some Like It Hot. You can't go wrong with this one. Enjoy The Seven Year Itch during this particularly hot summer season and will bring a smile to your face.

The Girl: When it gets hot like this, you know what I do. I keep my undies in the icebox!
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The Girl: I think it's just elegant to have an imagination. I just have no imagination at all. I have lots of other things, but I have no imagination.

My Top 10 Favorite Bob Hope Films

2010-08-08T12:23:00.000-04:00

In honor of Bob Hope day on TCM's Summer Under The Stars on Sunday, I decided to make a top ten list of my favorite films of Bob Hope. Dawn, I would love to see your choices as well.

10.THEY GOT ME COVERED (1943) with Dorothy Lamour

9. MY FAVORITE BRUNETTE (1947) with Dorothy Lamour

8. ROAD TO MOROCCO (1942) with Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour

7. THE PRINCESS AND THE PIRATE (1944) with Virginia Mayo

6. CAUGHT IN THE DRAFT (1941) with Dorothy Lamour

5. ROAD TO ZANZIBAR (1941) with Bing and Dorothy

4. MY FAVORITE BLONDE (1942) with Madeline Carroll

3. THE GHOST BREAKERS (1940) with Paulette Goddard

2. THE CAT AND THE CANARY (1939) with Paulette Goddard

1. NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH (1941) with Paulette Goddard

Bob Hope.

2010-08-08T07:56:00.001-04:00

Bob Hope, made his first films in 1934 Educational Pictures for a short-subject comedy called, Going Spanish. Hope lost his contract with them when Walter Winchell asked him about the film. Hope joked, "When they catch John Dillinger, they're going to make him sit through it twice." Shortly after that he was working for New York's Vitaphone studio in 20-minute comedies and musicals from 1934 through 1936, beginning with Paree, Paree (1934).

Paramount Pictures signed Hope for the 1938 film The Big Broadcast of 1938. During a duet with Shirley Ross accompanied by Shep Fields and his orchestra, Hope introduced the song that he became best known for, "Thanks for the Memory".

Bob Hope's best known performance was in my favorite Bob Hope movie, My Favorite Brunette(1947). A movie poking fun at film noirs. With Lon Chaney, Jr. playing Willie, a character based on his Of Mice and Men role Lennie. Peter Lorre as Kismit and cameo appearances by Alan Ladd and Bing Crosby.

He also performed in the "Road" movies in which he performed with Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour. Hope and Lamour were lifelong friends, and she is the actress most associated with his film career. Other female co-stars included Paulette Goddard, Lucille Ball, Jane Russell, and Hedy Lamarr.

Stage Door (1937) is terrific...Hollywood at it's golden best

2010-08-06T10:43:00.004-04:00

Director Gregory La Cava assembled a stunning roster of some of the best actresses for this delightful comedy/drama. Katherine Hepburn, Ginger Rogers, Lucille Ball, Eve Arden, Ann Miller, Gail Patrick and Andrea Leeds. How's that for a cast. And then throw in Adolphe Menjou, Jack Carson and Franklin Pangborn, and you have one of the best film casts ever assembled. It rivals the all women cast of the 1939 classic The Women. The story has Terry Randall (Hepburn), a rich society beauty wants to see if see can make it on Broadway all by herself, with no help from her family. She goes to live in a theatrical boarding house called The Footlights Club and finds her life caught up with those of the other inmates and the ever-present disappointment that theatrical hopefuls must live with. Her room-mate Jean (the wonderfully biting Ginger Rogers) resents her from day one and their tenous relationship fuels the entire movie. The look Jean gives Terry once she realizes they're going to be room-mates is classic. While Stage Door is not really a screwball comedy, it does feature several hilarious moments and wonderful comedic dialogue. I mean with wise-crackers like Rogers, Eve Arden and Lucille Ball on hand, how could it not be. But it does turn very dramatic at times, and there is even an unexpected death that just shatters the close knit group of women. As far as the acting goes, Rogers is top notch. She easily stands out among her fellow actresses with her seen it all, done it all character Jean. Lucille Ball is also very good as Judith, as she has comic troubles with dating. Judith and Jean's double date with some visiting lumberjacks is a riot. Hepburn is ok, but at times seems uncomfortable amid all the other women. I believe Kate worked her best magic with either Tracy of Cary Grant. Regardless, Stage Door is one of my favorite films and it is a joy to watch again and again.

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Judy Canfield: Do you want a date?
Jean Maitland: To some other lumberman?
Judy Canfield: Am I supposed to apologize for being born in Seattle?
Jean Maitland: Well, the last couple we went stepping with were made of lumber. Especially their feet.
Judy Canfield: All right, all right, you can stay here and gorge yourself on lamb stew again.

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Terry Randall: I see that, in addition to your other charms, you have that insolence generated by an inferior upbringing.
Jean Maitland: Hmm! Fancy clothes, fancy language and everything!
Terry Randall: Unfortunately, I learned to speak English correctly.
Jean Maitland: That won't be of much use to you here. We all talk pig latin.

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Terry: Do you go to sleep right away?
Jean: Sure, what do you go to bed for?

Myrna Loy

2010-08-04T07:53:00.002-04:00

Myrna Loy, was first noticed by Rudolph Valentino, when he went to Henery Waxman studio. Valentino, was looking for a leading lady for the film, Cobra. She tested for the role, but lost out to Gertrude Olmstead. Soon after she was hired as an extra for the film, Pretty Ladies. Rambova recommended Loy, for a small role opposite Nita Naldi in the film, What Price Beauty? Photos of Loy in her exotic makeup and costume appeared in a fan magazine which led to a contract with Warner Bros. Loy's silent film roles were mostly, femme fatales or she wore yellow face to appear Asian for the films, Across the Pacific, A Girl in Every Port, The Crimson City, The Black Watch and The Desert Song.

It took years for her to overcome this stereotype, and as late as 1932 she was cast in, Thirteen Women. She also performed in small roles in, The Jazz Singer and the musicals, The Show of Shows, The Bride of the Regiment, and Under A Texas Moon. In 1934, Loy performed in, Manhattan Melodrama with Clark Gable and William Powell. After performing with Ramón Novarro in The Barbarian, Loy was cast as Nora Charles in the film, The Thin Man(1934).

The Thin Man(1934), was a comic/detective film where a married couple banter back and forth as they solve crimes. Their dog, the Wire-Haired Fox Terrier Asta, was also a popular character. Director W. S. Van Dyke, at a Hollywood party pushed her into a swimming pool, to test her reaction and her reaction was exactly what he wanted. The Thin Man became one of the year's biggest hits, and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Film. She and her costar William Powell, performed in fourteen films together. Her successes in Manhattan Melodrama and The Thin Man, became a turning point in her career and she was cast in more important pictures. As Wife vs. Secretary (1936) with Clark Gable and Jean Harlow and Petticoat Fever (1936) with Robert Montgomery. She made four films with William Powell, Libeled Lady (1936), which also starred Spencer Tracy and Jean Harlow, The Great Ziegfeld (1936), in which she played Billie Burke. She also made three more films with Clark Gable. Parnell, was an historical drama and was poorly received film of both Loy's or Gable's career, but their other films in, Test Pilot and Too Hot to Handle (both 1938) were successes. By this time Loy was highly regarded for her performances in romantic comedies. She also wanted to prove that she had dramatic ability and was cast in the lead female role in The Rains Came (1939) opposite Tyrone Power. She filmed Third Finger, Left Hand (1940) with Melvyn Douglas. She also performed in, I Love You Again (1940), Love Crazy (1941) and Shadow of the Thin Man (1941), all with William Powell. With the outbreak of World War II, she put aside acting career to work closely with the Red Cross.

Myrna Loy as Mrs. Blandings: Choosing paint colors clip

2010-08-03T06:14:00.000-04:00

Myrna is hilarious as she tells the contractor what type of colors of paint she wants for her home....

Photos of Birthday Girl Myrna Loy

2010-08-02T21:06:00.000-04:00

Just had to post some photos of the lovely Myrna for her birthday. Enjoy.

Happy Birthday Myrna Loy (1905-1993)

2010-08-02T11:55:00.001-04:00

In honor of Myrna's birthday, here are my Top 10 Favorite Myrna films.

1. THE THIN MAN (1934)
2. THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES (1946)
3. AFTER THE THIN MAN (1936)
4. MR. BLANDINGS BUILDS HIS DREAM HOUSE (1948)
5. LOVE CRAZY (1941)
6. LIBELED LADY (1936)
7. THE BACHELOR AND THE BOBBY-SOXER (1947)
8. DOUBLE WEDDING (1937)
9. CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN (1950)
10. MANHATTAN MELODRAMA (1934)

As you can see, Myrna represented the screwball comedy genre well.

Carole Lombard at play

2010-07-31T08:31:00.000-04:00

This is a photo of Carole at play for my good friend Robin, who loves Carole as much as I do. Robin has a wonderful blog all about home decoration, garden, memorabilia and other such goodies. I follow her blog on a daily basis. All my fans should stop by and take a look see. I've included the link in this post. Have a great weekend everybody.http://decoratingtennisgirl.blogspot.com/

New Poll started...Who is your favorite leading lady in screwball comedies?

2010-07-30T11:46:00.000-04:00

I just started a new poll that poses the question...Who is your favorite leading lady in screwball comedies. I selected 6 actresses as the choices: Carole Lombard, Irene Dunne, Myrna Loy, Claudette Colbert, Jean Arthur and Constance Bennett. It should make for a fun poll. Of course everyone knows who I'm going with.

Hint: you're looking right at her.

To Be Or Not To Be (1942) is a delight

2010-07-26T19:17:00.002-04:00

Just recently saw To Be Or Not To Be on TCM the other night and it is still a tremendously great film. I hadn't seen in at least 10 years but everything still works. Ernst Lubitsch directs the 1942 political satire classic To Be or Not to Be, which marked the final screen appearance of comedienne Carole Lombard. In Warsaw at the beginning of WWII, Maria Tura (Lombard) and husband Joseph (Jack Benny) perform anti-Nazi plays with their theater troupe until they are forced to switch to Shakespeare's Hamlet. Lt. Stanislav Sobinski (Robert Stack) falls for Maria and meets up with her during Joseph's famous To Be or Not to Be speech as Hamlet. When Stanislav is eventually dispatched for war, he implicates Maria with Professor Siletsky (Stanley Ridges), who has a secret plan to destroy the Warsaw resistance. The Polish theater troupe is then forced to use their theatrical skills to ensure their survival. Eventually, they turn to impersonating Nazi officers -- and even Hitler himself -- in order to outwit the enemy and keep the resistance safe from spies. Carole Lombard positively glows in what would be her final film role. She just radiates a heavenly presence and has wonderful chemistry with Jack Benny, who gets a lot of the laughs in this classic screwball film.

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Great video

2010-07-21T06:09:00.000-04:00

This great video was put together by my new friend Meri over at The Golden Age Of Hollywood. It's awesome.

Photo Of The Day - Twentieth Century (1934)

2010-07-19T19:24:00.000-04:00

Carole Lombard, the Queen of Screwball Comedy in my opinion, looking fabulous....

To Be Or Not To Be (1942) airs tonight on TCM

2010-07-13T17:09:00.002-04:00

The classic screwball comedy To Be Or Not To Be (1942) starring Carole Lombard (in her last film role before her tragic death) and Jack Benny airs tonight on TCM at 8pm EST. It is one of my favorite comedies of all time and I will be posting a review of it shortly. If you have never seen this classic, make plans on watching it tonight.

Modern Screwball Comedies: Soapdish (1991)

2010-07-05T10:11:00.001-04:00

Feeling a bit nostalgic I was going through my old VHS movies and came across Soapsdish, the terrifically funny spoof of soap operas. So I decided to expand screwball cinema to include modern films every now and then that come close to resembling screwball comedies of the past. I think Soapdish more than qualifies with it's all star cast and laughs a minute. The story has reigning daytime queen Celeste Talbert (a super performance by Sally Field) who plays Maggie on the popular soap opera The Sun Also Sets. She has been at this for over two decades. And has a loyal fanbase but also has several enemies on the set. Such as Montana Morehead (the wickedly insane Cathy Moriarty) and producer David Barnes (a really young Robert Downey Jr.) who team up to drive Maggie from the show. These two connive and seek out former soap star Jeffrey Anderson (Kevin Kline) who once was on the show before Maggie had him fired. So they bring him back to cause some friction. Also throw in the mix Celeste's niece Lori (Elisabeth Shue) who becomes an overnight star on the show and also finds out about her family dynamics from Celeste. Whoopi Goldberg is on hand as Rose Schwartz (the show's head writer and Celeste's best friend). Soapdish is a really funny movie with so many jokes and farcial situations happening, you can't help but think of it as a screwball comedy. Sally Field has a terrific time playing Celeste as she plays the soap diva going a little bit crazy. Moriarty and Downey Jr make the perfect foils for her as they are constantly trying to drive her mad. Kevin Kline is solid as usual and Goldberg gets to shine in a pivotal role. Also stars Garry Marshall as the president of the network, Teri Hatcher as another actress and Kathy Najimy as an assistant. Plus loads of celebrity and actual soap stars cameos, Soapdish is a real treat. A true laugh fest.

Memorable quotes:

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Celeste Talbert: David! David! David, David, David, David, David!
David Barnes: Hey, great scene with Bolt.
Celeste Talbert: I realize I'm not a young woman; however...
David Barnes: What do you mean, you're not...
Celeste Talbert: ...could you PLEASE point out to our new costume designer
[grabs her]
Celeste Talbert: whose name I don't quite have yet...
Tawny Miller: Tawny Miller, Miss Talbert.
Celeste Talbert: How do you do.
[to David]
Celeste Talbert: - that I don't feel quite right in a turban. What I feel like is GLORIA FREAKING SWANSON! What am I, 70, David? Am I 70? Why don't you just put me in a walker? Buy a goddamn walker and put me in it!
David Barnes: [to Tawny] You're fired.
Tawny Miller: Oh God.
David Barnes: I'm just kidding.
[into PA system]
David Barnes: Attention: no turbans for Miss Talbert!
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Rose Schwartz: The guy was killed in an auto accident! I looked it up! He was driving in the Yukon, in a pink convertible, to visit his brother who's an ex-con named Frances, when a tractor trailer comes along and decapitates him. You know what that mean, it means he doesn't have a head. How am I suppose to write for a guy who doesn't have a head? He's got no lips, no vocal cords. What do you want me to do?

The Great Race (1965) is madcap fun...

2010-06-29T12:27:00.001-04:00

The Great Race was on TCM last night as part of their Natalie Wood tribute and this epic comedy is still tremendously funny. The story of a go for broke automobile race in 1908 between dashing good guy Sir Leslie (a charming Tony Curtis) and arch-rival Professor Fate (Jack Lemmon in a terrific performance). The race begins in New York and goes to Paris by way of Siberia. Along for the ride is Leslie's right hand man Hezekiah (played by Keenan Wynn) and Fate's sidekick Max (Peter Falk). Also on board is TCM's star of the month Natalie Wood as Maggie Dubois (who is my favorite Natalie role she ever did....funny, sexy and take charge). Lemmon also does double duty as a royal prince. The Great Race is one of my favorite films as it has a constant barrage of slapstick and pratfalls and anything else you could want in a comedy. It's very large in scale, comparable to It's A Mad, Mad, Mad World and it features several cameos inlcuding Vivian Vance, Dorothy Provine, Larry Storch, Denver Pyle, and Ross Martin. It also features a rousing and amusing film score, the Professor Fate theme is to die for. It's awesome seeing Curtis and Lemmon paired up again after their classic Some Like It Hot. And great to see Natalie Wood in an all out comedy. I truly believe that comedy was her best genre even though she was very good in dramas too. I just enjoy her more in comedies like The Great Race. And wonderfully directed by Blake Edwards (The Pink Panther).While the film runs well over 2 and a half hours, it never drags. It will keep you entertained the entire time. One of the best comedies ever made.

Memorable Quotes:

Max: We gotta do something.
Professor Fate: Oh, don't worry. Before this iceberg melts and we drown like rats, we're going to do plenty.
Max: Yeah? What?
Professor Fate: We're gonna starve!
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Maggie DuBois: You mean amazing because I'm a woman.
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Professor Fate: The eternal struggle takes time, Max.

Notes:

This movie is loosely based on an actual 1908 New York-to-Paris race. "The Leslie Special", four of which were built for the movie, was a loose interpretation of the 1907 Thomas Flyer that won the real race.

In the film's press kit, Natalie Wood divulges that she took fencing lessons, sidesaddle lessons and practiced smoking cigars, but her biggest challenge was driving the Stanley Steamer. The steering was difficult ("like turning a tractor, I suspect", she says) and going into reverse was nearly impossible.

During the pie throwing scene there is a running gag that The Great Leslie remains clean while everyone else is covered in pie. Tony Curtis was required to change clothes several times when he was accidentally splattered with debris from a pie that had hit someone else.

The pies used during the pie throwing scene were real, containing fruit, custard, whipped cream and other ingredients. Following this scene the crew devoured more than 300 leftover pies.

Sunday in New York (1963).

2010-06-28T08:53:00.000-04:00

Sunday in New York (1963). Director: Peter Tewksbury. Cast: Cliff Robertson, Jane Fonda, and Rod Taylor. The screenplay by Norman Krasna was adapted from his play which had been produced on Broadway the previous year. It was one of Fonda's earliest films.

Airline pilot Adam Tyler, is getting ready to spend a romantic weekend in his New York apartment with his girlfriend, Mona Harris. When they are surprised by arrival of his sister Eileen, who has just broke up with her fiancee, Russ Wilson, because she does not to sleep with him before they are married. After telling Eileen that she has done the right thing. His flight assignment is changed at the last minute and he is unable to reach Mona.

Soon after he leaves, Eileen finds Mona's night gown in her brother's closet and becoming angry at her brothers double standard. She decides to seduce Philadelphia newspaperman Mike Mitchell, after meeting him on a bus. Mike respects her virtue and can not go through with it, even though they are falling in love. While still in their robes, they are surprised by the arrival of her fiancee Russ, who mistakes Mike for Eileen's brother. When her brother returns to his apartment he is introduced as his own co-pilot but goes along with the story, even though he suspects the truth. How will this situation be resolved?

I thought Sunday in New York, was a very charming, romantic, comedy. Performed very well by all the actors. A hidden gem!

Jo Morrow's mother encouraged Jo's acting career by entering her in a "Be A Star" contest. Which Morrow, won a 20th Century-Fox contract (film-debuting in Gary Cooper's Ten North Frederick (1958) and from there moved to Columbia. The 1964 birth of a deaf daughter forced Morrow to choose between movies and motherhood. Although, she made a short comeback in 1970s, Doctor Death: Seeker of Souls (1973) and Terminal Island (1973).

Affectionately Yours showing on TCM, Friday June 18th

2010-06-14T19:16:00.000-04:00

The lesser known comedy from 1941, Affectionately Yours will be airing on TCM early Friday morning at 4:45 am EST. So set you machines to record this comedy that stars Merle Oberon, Dennis Morgan, and Rita Hayworth. It's been awhile since I've seen it but the story goes like this: A married reporter's assignments carry him all over the world, which gives him ample opportunity to put the moves on the local females. He's in Lisbon attempting his latest "conquest" when he gets word that his wife back home has found another man and is divorcing him. Panicking, he heads back to the US to try to patch things up, but the girl from Lisbon follows him back, determined to take advantage of the situation. Morgan is the husband. Oberon is the wife. And Hayworth is the girl from Libson who is aching for Dennis to get a divorce. The stellar supporting cast also includes Ralph Bellamy, Hattie McDaniel and Butterfly McQueen. That's a pretty impressive cast. So if you get the chance to record or watch this comedy gem, please do so.

New Poll Started

2010-06-07T22:16:00.001-04:00

Sorry for being so late with the monthly poll, but here it is. Who is your favorite leading lady of Preston Sturges wonderful screwball comedies. The choices are Claudette Colbert (The Palm Beach Story), Veronica Lake (Sullivan's Travels), Betty Hutton (The Miracle of Morgan's Creek), Barbara Stanwyck (The Lady Eve) or Betty Grable ( The Beautiful Blonde from Bashful Bend). I will let the poll run for a full 30 days. Enjoy. As for my pick, you can tell whose my favorite is by the photo above.

The Feminine Touch (1941)

2010-06-04T19:22:00.004-04:00

The Feminine Touch (1941). Romantic Comedy. Cast: Don Ameche and Rosalind Russell.

College psychology professor John Hathaway, becomes upset when Dean Hutchinson suggests that the team's star, Rubber-legs Ryan, must pass an exam to be put back on the team. Rubber-legs has eyes for John's wife Julie, John, who is writing a book about jealousy, thinks he is above all that and is not upset. Which does not make Julie very happy. When John and Hutchinson argue over Rubber-leg, John quits and moves to New York with Julie. At the publisher Elliott Morgan office, they meet, Nellie Woods, who is secretly in love with Elliott. While John talks over his book with Nellie, the jealous Julie meets the womanizing, Elliott who does not appeal to Julie. At a party, Elliott admits that he is attracted to Julie, and John says that he should spend time with Julie, while Nellie and John spend time together working. Julie goes sightseeing with Elliott and becomes very upset that John is not jealous. One day, when Julie comes home and sees John and Nellie hugging and drinking champagne, celebrating the sale of his book, Julie's jealousy surprises John. Later, while they are riding a subway, Julie and John jokingly pretend that he is bothering her and bystanders call a policeman. She tries to stop John's arrest but is pushed back onto the subway by the crowd. You have to watch to see what happens next.

I thought this was a very charming romantic comedy. Not heavy on plot, a perfect movie for a summer afternoon with its snappy dialog, especially from Russell and Francis. Another fun part about watching this movie is Julie fun hats. We also look back at 1940's feminism seen though psychology professor eyes but scoffed at by Julie, who says those are the women who are alone at night.

The Doughgirls (1944) is screwball comedy at it's best...

2010-06-02T20:56:00.002-04:00

Coming out at the tail end of the screwball comedy genre is this wonderful and entertaining film, The Doughgirls. Featuring an all-star cast of Ann Sheridan, Jane Wyman, Jack Carson, Eve Arden, Charlie Ruggles and Alexis Smith. The story centers on recently married couple Arthur and Vivian Halstead (played by Carson and Wyman) who arrive in Washington, DC to honeymoon in their reserved suite. But with the wartime housing shortage (this film is set during WW2) things do not go as planned. When they arrive, their room is already occupied by another recently married couple, Julian and Edna Cadman (played by John Ridgely and Ann Sheridan). There is a tense scene when the two women meet behind closed doors that you think is going to turn ugly, but ends up being not so bad, once they realize they are friends from their old chorus line days. Soon a third friend will drop by a Nan Curtis Dillion (Alexis Smith) who is there to marry a soldier fiancee, who is en route before he flies out on a mission. All this is well and good except that Arthur wants to spend time with his wife, but with so many people dropping by that becomes futile. Eve Arden shows up as Russian soldier, Sgt. Natalia Moskoroff, on a goodwill tour of the United States. Her accent will have you cracking up every time she speaks. And she also carries her rifle everywhere she goes, occasionally letting off a few shots from the balcony, much to the chagrin of the hotel's manager. Also on hand is Charles Ruggles as Stanley Slade, Arthur's new boss, who decides to put the moves on Vivian. And Edna has to deal with the return of Julian's ex-wife, who wants him back in a big way, now that he is meeting with the high rollers of D.C. Almost all of the action takes place in this one room but a lot of things and situations happen that will keep you entertained throughout.

The performances are all wonderful. Jane Wyman is awesome as Vivian. She gives a ditzy blonde performance (even though she is brunette) that would make Marilyn Monroe proud. You won't believe half the things that come out of her mouth but you will be laughing anyway. I never knew Wyman could be this funny. Ann Sheridan is pretty good too despite a few times she comes close to going over the top with her shrieking. But she gives the best double takes along with Jack Carson out of the whole cast. And speaking of Carson, he is in top form as usual. Alexis Smith actually is quite good in a comedy role instead of her usual dramatic ones. She even gets to do a thick Brooklyn accent that will bring a smile to your face. And let's not forget the great Charles Ruggles, who is perfect as Slade.

The Doughgirls is a very funny movie that I loved from the get go. It's setting will remind you of The More the Merrier and Government Girl, as those films also dealt with the wartime housing shortage. And it is just as memorable as those films as well. I have no problem placing The Doughgirls on the list of great screwball classics.
B+

If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium (1969)

2010-05-26T20:49:00.002-04:00

I recently ordered a movie on DVD from Amazon and it arrived yesterday. I immediately put it in to watch it, appropriately enough it's called If It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium. It is a delightful comedy about a group of Americans on the ultimate European trip. Nine countries in 18 days as stated by Whirlwind Tours, the company that provides this hilarious and exhausting vacation package. Top billed Suzanne Pleshette leads the Americans as Samantha Perkins, a woman from Minnesota who goes on this trip to make sure she is ready to marry her beau. She immediately attracts the unwanted attention of the tour guide Charlie (an impossibly young looking Ian McShane). McShane would later on to great success as the title character in the hit 80's British show Lovejoy and recently as the ruthless saloon owner Al on the rough western series Deadwood. Anyway he is player but looks at Sam and thinks he's ready to settle down. Other cast members include Murray Hamilton (The Graduate, Jaws) as a disparate dad who is dragged on the trip by his wife. But the main he goes is to keep their teen-age daughter from having sex with her boyfriend. Norman Fell and Reva Rose are a married couple who get separated and she winds up on another tour bus with Japanese tourists. Michael Constantine is a WW2 soldier who is trying to find the girl he met during the war when he was stationed in Italy. Sandy Baron is a quite young man who gets roped into marrying an Italian woman before he escapes. Mildred Natwick is a older woman who just wants to have fun. Marty Ingels as a lothario wannabe who takes pictures of beautiful women so he can brag to his fellas back home. And Aubrey Morris is a strange man who never speaks but enjoys stealing items from the hotel rooms the group stays at. And there are tons of cameos including: singer Donovan,who provides the catchy theme song; Joan Collins, Robert Vaughn, John Cassavetes, Ben Gazzara, Senta Berger, Anita Ekberg, Virni Lisi and several beauty pagent winners of the time including Miss Belgium, Miss Germany, and Miss Holland.

This movie has a breezy and light-hearted tone. The entire cast is awesome. Pleshette, who is positively gorgeous gets a lot of sly lines and has great chemistry with McShane. Norman Fell has a standout dance scene at a club where he gets to go on stage surrounded by a bevy of young and beautiful dancers and he is loving every minute of it. That is until his wife unexpectedly shows up. Hamilton is also good as the frustrated dad who finally gets to have some fun. This movie has tons of laughs and at only 98 minutes long, a lot of ground and countries get covered fast. Which is impressive in itself. The look of the movie is also great as it perfectly captures the decade of long hair and groovy music. I loved this movie and it is one of the most underrated films I have ever seen. It will make you laugh pretty much the entire time you're watching it. I definitely will be watching it several more times and soon. And while this is technically not a screwball comedy, it does feature some screwball antics and situations. So I decided to post it here as well.
B+

Classic Funny Ladies video

2010-05-20T12:27:00.000-04:00

And wait for the end when Debbie Reynolds does a funny imitation...

The Mating Season (1951)

2010-05-16T10:41:00.000-04:00

The Mating Season (1951). Comedy. Director: Mitchell Leisen and produced by Charles Brackett from a screenplay by Charles Brackett, Richard Breen and Walter Reisch, based on the play Maggie by Caesar Dunn. Cast: Gene Tierney, John Lund, Miriam Hopkins, and Thelma Ritter.

After Ellen McNulty, sells her hamburger stand she decides to visit her son Val, who lives in another city. Val has recently married a socialite, Maggie. To help her out, her husband hires a maid and sends her over. At the same time, Ellen arrives. Maggie, her daughter-in-law, mistakes her for the maid. Ellen doesn't let on who she really is and decides to pretend to be a maid. The next morning Ellen arrives with her things. She talks her son into the idea but he doesn't like it very much.

Maggie's mother comes for a visit and she is nothing like Maggie. She is a snob and she doesn't like Val one bit. Mr. Kalinger invites Val and Maggie to the party. At the party, Maggie gets into an argument with an important female guest and storms out. Val, forces Maggie to call the party to apologize to the woman. She does, leading to another fight.

The next morning, Val and Maggie make up and duck into a closet for a kiss. Ellen's friends are at the door and ask to speak to "Mrs. McNulty". It is revealed that Ellen is really Val's mother. Maggie is furious with Val for hiding his mother's identity from her. She and her mother leave for a hotel. Maggie later confronts Val at his office. She tells him that he has become a snob and that she is moving to Mexico. Will Val and Maggie reunite?

I really enjoyed watching this very well done screwball comedy. You have mistaken identity an overbearing mother in law. Mix them altogether you get a movie with cynical undercurrents about the American dream. This film has an excellent cast: Miriam Hopkins, gives a wonderful over the top performance and what can I say Thelma Ritter, just amazing. I was really loved her warm hearted scenes with Gene Tierney.

Click to view, The Mating Season Movie Trailer.

The Strawberry Blonde premieres on TCM

2010-05-10T06:17:00.000-04:00

I've always wanted to see this comedy film which stars James Cagney, Olivia de Havilland, and Rita Hayworth. Well TCM is airing The Strawberry Blonde on Wednesday, May 12th at 7:45 am EST. Tune in or record it if you get the chance. I know I plan to. I can't wait to see. Cagney only did a few comedies in his career, as did Hayworth, so that makes it worth seeing for that fact alone.