Irene Dunne | Hollywood Yesterday

The Awful Truth: Cary Grant, Irene Dunne, Mary Forbes, and Ralph Bellamy

May 4, 2023 By Joi

Mary Forbes, Irene Dunne, and Cary Grant

The Awful Truth is, in my opinion, a perfect comedy. Starring two of old Hollywood’s greatest stars, Irene Dunne and Cary Grant, it also boasts a wonderful director (Leo McCary) and very strong cast to support them.

The stellar cast includes Irene Dunne, Cary Grant, Mary Forbes, Ralph Bellamy, Alexander D’Arcy, Esther Dale, and Joyce Compton.

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Ralph Bellamy, Cary Grant, and Irene Dunne

Cary Grant and Irene Dunne play a married couple who have filed for divorce. However, seems the love isn’t so dead after all as they begin to undermine one another’s chances of finding romance. It’s just a lot of fun and I cannot imagine anyone in the lead roles besides these two comedic geniuses.

You can find The Awful Truth on dvd (Amazon link) or watch the fun and mayhem on Prime Video.

Cary Grant and Irene Dunne, The Awful Truth

Anna and the King of Siam

November 2, 2020 By Joi

Anna and the King of Siam with Irene Dunne and Rex Harrison

Rex Harrison is one of those stars who you can love one minute and feel all but indifferent about the next. Or maybe it’s just me. That’s always possible, but it seems his likability (as an actor) kind of switches gears from film to film.

Again, it could very well just be me, so don’t take it as the Gospel truth or anything, but he simply doesn’t strike me as an actor who maintains either a high opinion or a low one. That could actually work toward his benefit (she says, after recently rewatching The Foxes of Harrow to see if it was any better the second time… it wasn’t – and my beloved Maureen O’Hara’s in it, if anyone would love it, I would but, unfortunately, it’s pretty average).

Some stars can come out of a bad or average film unscathed, while others carry it with them like a stench. Rex Harrison, for me, is somewhere between the two.

Don’t get me wrong, I think he was a very, very fine actor and when he was given a role and a movie that showcased his talent, he was extraordinary (Anna and the King of Siam, My Fair Lady…). For me, however, in the lesser films, he was simply quite average. I wish he had avoided the films that brought his reputation as an actor down and had only done the ones that lived up to his talent.

Anna and the King of Siam is one of my favorite Rex Harrison films. You can tell that he took care with his speech and worked hard on the role. It shows. He is wonderful in this film.

Naturally Irene Dunne is also outstanding as Anna. This extraordinary actress was one of the greatest actresses of all time and so incredibly versatile.

She’s also one of the stars with an inexplicable lack of name-recognition that irks me most. Seriously, she should be a household name, yet it’s generally only those of us who spend most of our days in Old Hollywood who are familiar with her and her work. I simply hate it when stars don’t have the lasting recognition they deserve.

Hollywood Yesterday is, more than anything, my personal mission to bring attention to as many stars as I possibly can.

You can watch Anna and the King of Siam on Prime Video or buy the dvd on Amazon.

Theodora Goes Wild: Irene Dunne and Melvyn Douglas, Perfect as Always!

October 28, 2020 By Joi

Theodora Goes Wild, Irene Dunne and Melvyn Douglas

Irene Dunne and Melvyn Douglas are two of my favorite stars – I absolutely love them both to distraction. It’s unsettling to me that they aren’t better-known than they are. I honestly have no idea why this is. Each had a lot of outstanding movies and they were beyond excellen0t in everything.

Given how much I love them, it’s little wonder that Theodora Goes Wild is one of my absolute favorite films, is it??! They are outstanding in this hilarious, high-spirited, and fun film.

I’ll write a review of the movie in the coming days, but want to spotlight them with this gorgeous lobby card as the picture of the day!

You can find Theodora Goes Wild (link to the dvd) on Amazon.

Irene Dunne and Cary Grant, The Awful Truth Publicity Photos

June 27, 2020 By Joi

Irene Dunne and Cary Grant, The Awful Truth

Irene Dunne and Cary Grant are just as adorable and fun in these publicity photos as they are in the film! They had great chemistry and seem to have enjoyed working together.

Usually… not always but usually… when you get two charismatic stars together for one film, magic happens. This is certainly the case with The Awful Truth. It’s extra special – just like its stars.

You can find The Awful Truth (link to the dvd on Amazon) or watch it on Prime.

Irene Dunne and Cary Grant, The Awful Truth

A Favorite Irene Dunne Quote And Photo

March 17, 2020 By Joi

“When we have learned to love our neighbor, not just ourselves, no matter where we come from, then America will be perfect.” ~ Irene Dunne

Irene Dunne: Lovely to Look At

November 17, 2019 By Joi

Irene Dunne was so encumbered with talent, it’s a wonder she could even stand! Fabulous actress, wonderful wit and sense of comedic timing, beautiful to behold… and my goodness could the lady ever sing!?!

I was listening to some of her songs on YouTube yesterday and read a lovely comment – someone stated that this was just the music they’d been looking for and had not been able to find it “now days.”

The reason for that is simple – they no longer make Irene Dunnes!

Irene Dunne and Cary Grant: The Awful Truth

March 17, 2019 By Joi

Irene Dunne and Cary Grant in The Awful Truth (1937)

Irene Dunne is an actress who fascinates me. She was beautiful, an exceptional actress, hilarious, charismatic, and had the singing voice of an absolute angel.. an angel who is the Heavenly choir director’s favorite

As I often tell people, she had everything in the world going for her. Not only was she greatly talented, she was known for being an especially charming and likable lady.

As a Kentuckian, I also love the fact that she was born in my home state – in the city of Louisville in 1898. She was quite the star in her day – her fans appreciated all of her splendid attributes and flocked to see her films.

However… somewhere along the way… as the years passed, her name and beautiful face faded from the landscape of the average film lover. She’s still absolutely known (and absolutely loved) among those of us who spend a great deal of our time in Old Hollywood. Heck, I practically live there, myself…. mentally that is. Physically, Kentucky is home – but mentally, I can often be found on the studio lots of Old Hollywood.

I often judge an actor or actress’ mainstream fame by feedback on this blog (I get a lot of e-mails and treasure them all!) and from my own family – the vast majority who do not watch anything older than Jaws or Friday the 13th. Sadly, Irene Dunne is a name (and face) that aren’t as easily recognized as they deserve to be. While Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, James Dean, Elizabeth Taylor, Lucille Ball, Rita Hayworth, James Stewart are recognized by name and face by almost anyone, some stars have not fared as well.

Drives me crazy!

As I recently told someone on Twitter, however, it serves as motivation for me to tweet more, blog more, and even talk more about these enchanting, downright magical stars… including the wonderful Irene Dunne.

If you are brand spanking new to the world of Irene Dunne, I hope you’ll allow me to recommend starting her filmography with The Awful Truth (DVD on Amazon). The camaraderie between the hilarious actress and Cary Grant (also hilarious) is simply wonderful. They play a married couple (Lucy and Jerry) who are going through a rough patch. Overly suspicious minds lead them on the path to divorce. They even begin divorce proceedings! However, it’s obvious that the spark of love is still there when they start to undermine one another’s attempts to move on with other people.

It’s just an awful lot of fun and I hope you’ll watch it right away.

Irene Dunne and Her Lovely Smile: Perfect for Warming Up a Cold Winter Day

January 5, 2019 By Joi

Irene Dunne

Irene Dunne was an actress who was “late” when it came to entering my Old Hollywood world. I honestly have no idea how I hadn’t crossed the path of her and her films sooner than I did. But, somehow, I only recently saw my FIRST Irene Dunne film (The Awful Truth – DVD on Amazon). Again, I have no idea how I had managed to NOT see any of her films before now…. but it absolutely happened.

I’ll tell you what else is absolutely happening… I’m now catching up on her filmography like my life depends on it.

Hey, we Kentuckians have to stick together!