Melvyn Douglas | Hollywood Yesterday

Maureen O’Hara and Melvyn Douglas, A Woman’s Secret

July 16, 2021 By Joi

Maureen O’Hara and Melvyn Douglas

One of my favorite actresses is Maureen O’Hara. If push came to shove and I HAD to name just one favorite all-time actress, she’d be it. Fortunately no one has ever threatened to push or shove me over the fact. Not even on Twitter and it can get intense over there.

Another favorite actress is Gloria Grahame and one of my favorite actors is Melvyn Douglas.. so how am I not going to watch and rewatch and rewatch a movie starring all three?! Okay, if we’re going to be honest, if the movie was crummy, I wouldn’t rewatch it even once – in spite of the cast. Fortunately A Woman’s Secret (1949, directed by Nicholas Ray) is a wonderful film noir and the stars give exceptional performances.

What’s more, the chemistry between Maureen O’Hara and Melvyn Douglas is outstanding. I SO wish they’d made many movies for me to enjoy.

As it is, I’ll just keep revisiting them and the wonderful Gloria Grahame in this one. I don’t mind one bit.

Maureen O’Hara and Gloria Grahame, A Woman’s Secret

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.

I Met Him in Paris Lobby Cards: Claudette Colbert, Melvyn Douglas, and Robert Young

October 11, 2020 By Joi

Three of my absolute all-time favorite stars are Melvyn Douglas, Claudette Colbert, and Robert Young. Love them so much – I spend so much time with their various movies they almost seem like family.

Funny how that happens with stars of movies, television, radio, and music isn’t it? Their wonderful faces and voices become so familiar to us it seems as though we know them personally.

It’s certainly that way for me with these three wonderful stars.

Given my love for each, is it any wonder I’m crazy about I Met Him in Paris?! Although, I have to confess, I spend the entire film just wanting Robert Young to get lost!

Hoping he’ll forgive me for that one… but in this particular love triangle, I had a clear favorite. It has zero to do with the great actor Robert Young, of course. It has everything to do with his character.

If you’ve never seen this adorable and fun movie, I hope you’ll check it out. It is really, really special and these stars shine brightly from the first scene to the last.

Even Robert! (just kind of kidding… a little)

You can find I Met Him in Paris (link to the dvd on Amazon) on Amazon but I don’t believe it’s on Prime Video yet.

A Woman’s Face Lobby Cards: Melvyn Douglas, Osa Massen, Conrad Veidt, and Joan Crawford

April 4, 2020 By Joi

Melvyn Douglas, Osa Massen, and Joan Crawford

I have a huge obsession with Joan Crawford films (certainly not limited to, but especially the ones from the 30s and 40s). Not only was she a remarkable actress, so many of her films just happened to be a particular kind of wonderful. She also happened to co-star with some of my favorite actors (Melvyn Douglas, Robert Montgomery, Clark Gable, Franchot Tone…).

A Woman’s Face is one of my favorites. The entire cast is outstanding and the directing (by one of the greatest directors of all time, George Cukor) is breathtaking.

If you’ve never seen the film, I hope you’ll find it as soon as you possibly can. It is extraordinary.

You can find A Woman’s Face on Amazon (DVD) or click the link below the lobby card to rent (for only $1.99) or buy on Amazon Prime.

Conrad Veidt, Joan Crawford, and Melvyn Douglas

A Woman’s Face Lobby Cards: Joan Crawford, Melvyn Douglas,

March 10, 2020 By Joi

A Woman’s Face Lobby Card with Melvyn Douglas, Osa Massen, and Joan Crawford

One of my ABSOLUTE favorite actresses… Joan Crawford

One of my ABSOLUTE favorite actors… Melvyn Douglas

One of my ABSOLUTE favorite movies… A Woman’s Face.

When these two powerhouse stars get together, magic happens and that’s exactly what this movie is. Sheer magic.

If you’ve never seen A Woman’s Face (Amazon DVD link), I hope you’ll see it as soon as possible. The entire cast is outstanding and the film-noir, itself, is an edge of your seat type of drama.

If you have Amazon Prime, you can watch A Woman’s Face on Prime.

Melvyn Douglas and Joan Blondell: There’s Always a Woman

January 3, 2020 By Joi

Melvyn Douglas and Joan Blondell: There’s Always a Woman (1938)

First of all, my apologies for the quality of these screencaps! If you spend a lot of time with Old Hollywood blogs and photos, you know that some films are easier than others to grab screencaps from. Screencap quality can be affected by the age of the movie, the quality of the film, and (quite honestly) the amount of time the actor/actress spends in movement!

While the photos aren’t as clear as I’d hope for (I’m going to have another go at this film soon and try again), I had to go ahead and publish these because I love these two and There’s Always a Woman so much.

Melvyn Douglas and Joan Blondell played off of one another spectacularly and I have NO idea why their pairing and this film aren’t better known.

Joan Blondell and Melvyn Douglas

In this very lively and fun film, Melvyn Douglas plays William, an investigator for the district attorney, and beautiful Joan Blondell is his wife who thinks she’s something of a detective! They compete with one another to solve a murder mystery and the results make for a very entertaining ride.

There’s Always a Woman was the first of three films from that Columbia paired Melvyn Douglas and Joan Blondell. The others being Good Girls Go to Paris (1939) and The Amazing Mr. Williams (1939).

They would not work together again until MGM’s Advance to the Rear (1964).

Joan Blondell and Melvyn Douglas: There’s Always a Woman

Picture of the Day: Melvyn Douglas and Ava Gardner (My Forbidden Past, 1951)

December 2, 2019 By Joi

Ava Gardner and Melvyn Douglas

We all have “Old Hollywood” regrets, don’t we? Roles we wish our favorite stars had played (roles we wish our favorite stars had NOT played!), pairings that never happened we wish had happened, etc.

One of my Classic Film regrets is that Ava Gardner and Melvyn Douglas (two of my favorites) weren’t paired romantically in, say, a great film noir. While I enjoy their film My Forbidden Past a great deal, not only are they cousins but she has both of her eyes on Robert Mitchum!

I would have loved a film where her beautiful eyes were only on Melvyn.

Oh well, sometimes we have to take what we can get! You can read more about My Forbidden Past here.

Find My Forbidden Past on Amazon.

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House: Melvyn Douglas, Cary Grant & Myrna Loy (Picture of the Day)

November 28, 2019 By Joi

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House stars Melvyn Douglas, Cary Grant & Myrna Loy

Cary Grant and Myrna Loy star as married couple Jim and Muriel Blandings who decide to build their dream house in the country. What they assume will be a pretty run-of-the-mill task turns into anything but!

It’s a really cute, especially fun film that also stars Melvyn Douglas (you had to know I’d be on board if he’s in the cast).

Find Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House on Amazon.

Picture of the Day: Melvyn Douglas, Maureen O’Hara, and Gloria Grahame

November 22, 2019 By Joi

A Woman’s Secret – Maureen O’Hara, Melvyn Douglas and Gloria Grahame

Two of my absolute favorite actresses are Maureen O’Hara and Gloria Grahame. One of my absolute favorite actors (right up there, shoulder to shoulder with Bogart, Keaton, and Stewart) is Melvyn Douglas. How in the world am I NOT going to be completely obsessed with A Woman’s Secret (1949) starring all three?!

Fortunately, it also happens to be a very good movie. It’d be a darn shame for me if it wasn’t, wouldn’t it?! I have a feeling I’d like it even if it was a turkey, simply because it has these three.

I’m working on my review of this wonderful film-noir, but for now, here’s a little tease as the picture of the day.

Iconic! Four Legendary Actors from Ghost Story (1981)

November 14, 2019 By Joi

Douglas Fairbanks Jr., Fred Astaire, John Houseman, and Melvyn Douglas

Talk about an ICONIC photo! These four men aren’t just legends, they’re four of the greatest actors of our (or any) time. This is from the wonderful 1981 film Ghost Story. It would mark the last theatrical feature film for Melvyn Douglas, Fred Astaire, and Douglas Fairbanks Jr.. I am, and forever will be, amazed and thankful that these men were teamed for a film.

Melvyn Douglas and Douglas Fairbanks, Jr. are two of the stars I “collect” – as in all of their films, articles, etc… but this particular film, oddly enough, is proving to be difficult for me to find! I’m accustomed (as an avid collector of my favorites) to struggling to find some older films, but this one is from 1981, it should be easy peasy.

IF you can ever get your hands on it, or find it on TV (also often difficult), be sure to watch it. It’s a darn good movie, wonderful plot… and the cast?? CAN’T BE BEAT!