Fredric March | Hollywood Yesterday

Rouben Mamoulian Was BOTD in 1897

October 8, 2022 By Joi

Rouben Mamoulian Film Collage

The wonderful director Rouben Mamoulian (1897–1987) was BOTD in 1897. While he doesn’t have as many films to his credit as a lot of other directors, the ones he does have are very, very special.

These films include Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931), Queen Christina (1933), Golden Boy (1939), The Mark of Zorro (1940), Blood and Sand (1941), and the colorful, lighthearted, and FUN Silk Stockings (1957).

Some of my favorite Rouben Mamoulian Quotes:

“I consider that color on the screen must be used as an emotion.”

( About Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, 1931) “I don’t want Hyde to be a monster, Hyde is not evil, he is the primitive, the animal in us, whereas Jekyll is a cultured man, representing the intellect. Hyde is the Neanderthal man and [Fredric March’s] makeup was designed as such.”

“The most important critic is time.”

“You can have all the philosophy you like: if a film doesn’t come across in graphic terms, it falls short.”

Claudette Colbert, Charles Laughton, and Fredric March: The Sign of the Cross

August 30, 2022 By Joi

Charles Laughton, Claudette Colbert, and Fredric March

The wonderfully grand film The Sign of the Cross (1932) was directed by the one director who could have done it the most justice, Cecil B. DeMille. The extraordinary cast includes Claudette Colbert, Frederic March, Charles Laughton, Elissa Landi, and Ian Keith.

If you haven’t seen this one in a while, revisit it soon. It is truly one of the most remarkable films made and the cast is absolutely mesmerizing.

You can buy The Sign of the Cross on dvd (Amazon link). Unfortunately it isn’t on Prime Video… hopefully one day!

Susan and God: I LOVE This Fredric March Quote About Joan Crawford!

September 2, 2021 By Joi

Joan Crawford, Rita Hayworth, John Carroll

Not only do I absolutely ADORE Joan Crawford movies (the movies are almost always extraordinary and she always is), I’m also infatuated with the star quality this lady had. She didn’t just accept being a star, she embraced it. She, for me, defines being a star, so I really love when I read things (like the quote below) that reaffirm my suspicions:

“She was a nice person, but a real movie star. She even brought her own music to the set [of Susan and God (1940)]–a whole entourage, a violinist and a pianist to play her favorite songs, to get her into the proper mood for the scenes.” ~ Fredric March

Some people read things like this and decide they like an actor or actress a “little less” because of it. Not me! I read that Joan Crawford brought in live musicians to set her mood and I fall even further under her spell.

Fredric March co-starred with Joan Crawford in the 1940 comedy-drama Susan and God. The movie also starred Rita Hayworth, Ruth Hussey, Nigel Bruce, John Carroll, Bruce Cabot, Rita Quigley, and Rose Hobart. After reading Fredric March’s quote, I’m eager to watch the movie all over again!

You can find Susan and God on dvd (Amazon link).

Fredric March: BOTD in 1897

August 31, 2021 By Joi

Fredric March: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931)

Fredric March was born in Wisconsin on August 31, 1897. He’d go on to one day be one of the finest actors to come out of Hollywood. The actor has a wonderful filmography and give an excellent performance with every role he ever stepped into. If my arm were twisted and I had to give my personal favorite of his films it would be I Married a Witch and it ties (with Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde) for my favorite Frederic March performance.

Having said that, he has a great number of wonderful performances and films.

Fredric March and Veronica Lake

For whatever sinister reasons, I always find it so funny when I read that certain stars didn’t get along during filming. I guess part of the reason is it points out how they were human just like the rest of us! During the filming of I Married a Witch, Frederic March and Veronica Lake did not get along AT ALL. You’d never be able to tell from their performances or the film, though. They have so much chemistry you’d think they got along quite well!

Miriam Hopkins and Fredric March, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

His performance in Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931) stands as one of the all-time great performances on film. He pretty much set the bar so high I’m not certain an actor will ever even come close.

You can find I Married a Witch on dvd (Amazon link) or watch the movie on Prime Video. It is SO DARN CUTE, you’ll love it!

You can find Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde on dvd (Amazon link).

Frederic March: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Clara Bow, True to the Navy Promotional Picture (So, how gorgeous was she??!!)

October 23, 2020 By Joi

Clara Bow, True to the Navy

One of my favorite actresses is pictured above, in all her radiant glory. Clara Bow wasn’t just an obvious beauty, she had a certain, unmistakable charm and charisma that comes through her every photo and every film. She had something magical about her – a one in a million radiance that’s almost impossible to describe.

I mean, I work with words every single day and count them among my most cherished friends and she leaves me hunting for adjectives all the time.

Most of the time, I simply recommend one of her films and/or show one of her photographs and let HER do all the speaking.

This is one of those times.

Clara Bow and Fredric March, True to the Navy

Clara Bow Collection (3-DVD)v

Miriam Hopkins and Fredric March, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

October 21, 2020 By Joi

Miriam Hopkins and Fredric March

When I say I am a huge Spencer Tracy fan.. you can take my word for it. I put him right up there with James Stewart, Henry Fonda, Buster Keaton, and Humphrey Bogart – in the class of royalty! So, you can understand how it pains me to say this… Fredric March made the best Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde I’ve ever seen onscreen.

Sigh. That hurt too say even more than I thought it would.

While Ingrid Bergman and Lana Turner were outstanding in the 1941 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, my beloved Spencer Tracy made about as bad of a Mr. Hyde as was possible!

By contrast, Fredric March nailed the character – in my opinion, he gave a brilliant, true-to-character, performance. Miriam Hopkins was also breathtakingly good in the 1931 film as Ivy.

You can watch the 1931 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde on Prime or buy the dvd on Amazon.

James Stewart and Shelley Winters, Winchester ’73

September 14, 2020 By Joi

James Stewart and Shelley Winters Winchester ’73

If you’re one of those people who forget the magnetism Shelley Winters had on the big screen, I have a homework assignment for you – watch her in Winchester ’73 (pictured here) and in Executive Suite (1954). She’s one of the highlights from both films, which is absolutely saying something since James Stewart stars in one and William Holden, Fredric March, and Barbara Stanwyck star in the other!

Don’t get it twisted, the other stars are extraordinary, too (as always) but there’s just a little something extra about Shelley Winters’ screen presence. A little somethin’ somethin’ if you will.

If you haven’t seen Winchester ’73 or you’ve never seen it, I hope you’ll watch it soon. Each time I do, I ask the same questions…

Shelley Winters was exceptional – why wasn’t she used even more and why isn’t she mentioned more alongside Ava Gabor, Marilyn Monroe, and Lana Turner?
Why do I not ALWAYS name this movie when listing my favorite Westerns?
I wonder if James Stewart knew just how great an actor he was?

You can find Winchester ’73 on Amazon (link to the dvd on Amazon) or watch it on Prime.