Old Hollywood Movie Reviews

Old Hollywood Movie Reviews: Musicals, Westerns, Comedies, Dramas, Mysteries - all the classic movies that make the Golden Age of Hollywood magical!

Movie Review: To Please a Lady with Barbara Stanwyck and Clark Gable

May 17, 2018 By Joi Leave a Comment

To Please A Lady (Official Trailer)

Some movies are tougher to write movie reviews for than others. Naturally, I could rave on and on about favorite movies such as Christmas in Connecticut, Top Hat, Lone Star, Autumn Leaves, etc… I also find movies that I really, really dislike easy to review. In fact, I’ll let you in on a little secret – it’s kind of fun to write reviews for the “stinkers.” Maybe it’s my way of exacting revenge for my misery.

Movies that I’m lukewarm on are a little tougher. If something doesn’t really inspire you one way or another, it’s hard to find the inspiration to even talk about it, you know?

For me, the absolute WORST movie to review is the one that stars one (or two or more) of your absolute favorites…. and yet, as a movie, leaves you wanting. You’re left lukewarm and can’t for the life of you wonder where the heat is. When you watch old movies as faithfully and for as long as I have, this is inevitably something you run into fairly often.

The following are some movies that starred some of my favorites (in parentheses) but scarcely scored a 3 on a scale of 1-10 for me:

A Farewell to Arms (Helen Hayes)
Mogambo (Ava Gardner and Clark Gable) – HATE this movie with a cruel, unbridled passion!
The Naked Spur (James Stewart)

Those are a few that come to mind that failed to rock my world, in spite of starring actors and actresses that did. The one I’m reviewing today is extra hard because it stars my main girl Barbara Stanwyck AND one of my absolute favorite actors, Clark Gable. How can a movie possibly miss with these two?!?!

That’s what I thought when I first sat down to watch To Please a Lady. While I have a lot of favorite actors and actresses (Hollywood Yesterday’s About Page will attest to that!) – there is no one I’d put above Barbara Stanwyck and Clark Gable on any list.

TCM – To Please a Lady Intro by Robert OsborneI can actually remember the afternoon I sat down to watch To Please a Lady on TCM. I had my popcorn by my side, a cold glass of sweet tea, and a cat (Alexa) in my lap. She fully expected a lot from this movie, too (huge, huge, huge Clark Gable fan).

Now don’t get me wrong – To Please a Lady is not at all a bad movie and it’s far from being what I call a “stinker” (here’s mud in your eye, Mogambo), but it wasn’t anywhere near the earth-moving movie that this Stanwyck and Gable fanatic… or even her cat… expected. Is it possible we over-expected? Very possibly.. which is why I re-watched it a few years later. When I watched it the second time… going in without any “my world is about to be rocked off its axis” expectations, I enjoyed it a lot more. Like a lot of oldies, you simply have to hang on and enjoy the fun of the ride.

One of the things that caught me off guard was that neither of the stars’ characters were exactly lovable for the first half of the film. I had a pretty hard time figuring out who to pull for. Least favorite part of the movie? Gable’s character (Mike) smacks Stanwyck’s (Regina). I realize it was a different time then and that some things were perfectly acceptable THEN that make us cringe NOW, but I’ll be honest with you, a man smacking a woman will never NOT make me cringe so hard I can hear my mom saying, “Do you want your face to freeze like that?!” all the way from Heaven.

Had Regina returned the smack, I’d have accepted it – especially if she’d given worse than she got… but not only does she not belt him, she seems to find it irresistible. That seems to be the moment she falls for him. In spite of my pleas, “Smack him! Kick him! Run!,” she just stands there smitten.

Again, I realize the time the movie was made (1950), but still.

On to the positives!

While I’m not a huge racing fan, I have to admit that the cars and the racing were really cool. As I often say in my old Hollywood movie reviews, one of the funnest things about watching old movies is seeing the clothes, furnishings, buildings, and cars. They were all spectacular and were a lot of fun to see.

The chemistry between the two stars was pretty special. While I’d like to have seen a stronger movie and story-line for them, their chemistry was very strong and the two of them, somehow, actually make a pretty average script take flight.

I’ll also give To Please a Lady this – the ending was very nice (I love a good ending). It ironically had one of my favorite Barbara Stanwyck scenes (and one of my favorite movie scenes, period), as well – when she’s trying on shoes in her office. The expressions, movements… vintage Barbara Stanwyck. There really isn’t another actress quite like her, you know.

They broke the mold with this lady.

If you’ve never seen To Please a Lady, I hope you’ll catch it – especially if you’re a fan of its stars. Seeing two legends starring in a movie is a wonderful thing – even if the movie doesn’t shine quite as brightly as they do.

Review: The Stooge, Starring Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis (Love this Movie!)

March 21, 2018 By Joi Leave a Comment

One of my favorite quotes of all time is, “I just want to spend the rest of my life laughing.” I honestly don’t know WHO originated the quote because each time I see (or hear) it, I’m too busy thinking, “AMEN!” to look for a name. I’m one of those people (for better or worse) who finds humor in most situations – if there isn’t any to be found, I do my darnedest to create some. If that can’t be done, I just part ways with the situation.

Okay, so I’m exaggerating a little but the truth of the matter is this – I love to laugh and do so many times throughout the day. Not surprisingly, many of my absolute favorite stars (Lucille Ball, Jerry Lewis, Dean Martin, Carol Burnett, Abbott and Costello, Laurel and Hardy, Rue McClanahan, Bob Hope, Desi Arnaz, Redd Foxx, Don Knotts…) are those who fully support my funny bone fetish.

I’m convinced that it was actually Lewis and Martin, Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett, and Abbott and Costello that turned me into the clown I am. I grew up watching (and loving) them – I guess, as a child, I assumed every single day was filled with laughter. I soon learned that every day does not come with laughter… perhaps that’s when I began trying to create craziness where none existed.

One of our cats (Nacho) and I recently rewatched one of four favorite movies, “The Stooge,” (1951) starring the wonderful Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. These men were just brilliant – geniuses in every sense of the word.

Before getting to the movie, I have to tell you how much Nacho loves this movie. As you’d expect from a Classic Movie blogger, I watch a lot of old movies… A LOT. Yet, The Stooge is the only movie this particular cat will sit through with me. He settles in and, I kid you not, watches the entire movie with me. I used to think it was Jerry Lewis’ voice (especially high in this role) that fascinated him, but he doesn’t fully commit himself to other Lewis movies like he does this one.

Synopsis: Bill Miller (Dean Martin) is trying to make it big as a singer. In spite of having a phenomenal voice, he’s just not achieving the type of success he strives for OR the level of fame Bill fully believes Bill deserves!

His luck changes after he’s teamed up with an adorably flighty comic named Theodore (Jerry Lewis). They become a huge success but Bill’s pride is convinced the draw is HIM, not THEM…. and he certainly wouldn’t consider giving “Ted” any credit. Bill’s pride gets in his way and nearly ruins his relationship with Mary (played by the beautiful Polly Bergen) and his career. Mary, as well as everyone else, sees that the success is just as much the stooge‘s credit as Bill’s.

Jerry Lewis’ Ted Hitting the High Notes… as in Assaulting Them!

Too cute for her own good Marion Marshall appears in The Stooge as Genevieve “Frecklehead” Tait, Ted’s love interest and none other than Frances Bavier (Aunt Bee) stas as Ted’s mother. They help round out a very talented and hilarious cast.

As much as I love (love, love, love) The Stooge, I have to admit… it takes a hot minute to get going. Once it hits its stride, though, it’s an especially fun ride. The best part of the ride is, undoubtedly, the wonderful ending.

MOVIE. MAGIC.

I don’t know about you, but my movie motto is this: A movie is only as good as its ending. I’ve never understood why movie makers would settle for anything less than a stellar ending – after all, its the last thing a viewer sees and the first thing they remember.

The Stooge has one of the best endings of any movie and I love every single thing about it.

So does Nacho.

(Concluded Below….)

Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin: Just One More ChanceJerry Lewis called this his favorite Martin and Lewis movie, which is saying a lot since they were all extra, extra, extra special. He believed that this movie best-represented the phenomenon he and Martin had in real life.

Lewis and Martin made 17 movies together between 1949-1956. The Stooge was actually filmed in 1951, but it wasn’t released until 1953. Seems Paramount was entirely sure how this film’s dramatic moments would play out at the box office. Of all the Lewis and Martin movies, The Stooge brings the most drama. This is why, if you’re a huge fan of their comedies like I am, the film seems to take a bit to find its footing. It’s simply not the “one hilarious scene after the other” laughathons we’re accustomed to with their movies.

It is, however, one of the best – which is a real tribute to their talents.

Nacho and I both hope you’ll see this movie soon – whether it’s for the first or fortieth time, the ending will move you.

And don’t you love it when a movie does that?

Marion Marshall, Jerry Lewis, and Dean Martin in The Stooge

Review: The Little Princess (With Shirley Temple, Anita Louise, Arthur Treacher, and Cesar Romero)

January 10, 2018 By Joi 1 Comment

Shirley Temple and Arthur TreacherSome of my happiest memories of growing up are, not surprisingly, watching television with my father. My mother wasn’t as into westerns, Gunsmoke, Abbott & Costello, Ironside, Matlock, or Perry Mason as we were. In fact, she somehow managed to read her romance novels the entire time we watched and discussed whatever beloved program we were watching at the time. She’d look up every now and then to ask what was going on or what someone in particular had said… drove my dad nuts!

There was one movie star she would put her book down for and that was Shirley Temple. She absolutely loved Shirley Temple movies. There was, during this time, a program each Sunday morning called the Abbott and Costello Theater (I believe it was on TBS, but I’m not certain of that). Many times, they would air a Shirley Temple movie instead of an Abbott and Costello one. My dad would grumble and, inevitably ask the same question, “WHY BOTHER CALLING IT THE ABBOTT AND COSTELLO THEATER??!!”

It really didn’t matter to me, I was happy either way – but there was a definite difference of opinion with the folks. Mind you, he’d watch the Shirley Temple movies with us and, while he’d never admit it, he even enjoyed them.

One of my personal favorites was (and is) The Little Princess (1939). Shirley Temple plays Sara Crewe, a little girl who is left in a snooty exclusive home for girls, when her beloved father has to go to South Africa to fight in the Second Boer War.

Shirley Temple is, undoubtedly, adorable in The Little Princess and effectively pulls at every heart string. While the same can be said about every movie she appeared in, there’s just something special about this role. When watching her scenes, you can’t help but believe that she was extra fond of this role and film. Most of the time – especially when you watch enough of a star’s films to become familiar with them – you can tell just how much an actor or actress loved or loathed a role and a film. I’d be willing to bet that they young star got a real kick out of this movie.

Undoubtedly she got a real kick out of her co-star Arthur Treacher as well. I know I always do. He actually starred in quite a few movies with Miss Temple. He always brings an air of happiness and fun with him to his roles and is one of the faces that comes to my mind when I hear the phrase scene stealer.

Ian Hunter (you may remember him as King Richard the Lion-Heart in 1938’s The Adventures of Robin Hood) plays her loving father, Captain Crewe. Richard Green, Mary Nash (deliciously despicable!), Cesar Romero, and beautiful Anita Louise round out the cast.

I particularly love Anita Louise in this movie. She’s one of those stars who never seemed to reach the level of stardom I feel they should have. She was more than just lovely and she was even more than a very talented actress. There was a certain, unmistakable spark to her and a unique ability to have chemistry with everyone in the room. There are other actresses who didn’t quite achieve the stardom they deserved (in my opinion, mind you) who had these exact same qualities – Dianne Foster and Lizabeth Scott are two that come to mind.

Ray Milland and George Sanders are a few actors that fall into this category for me. Like the ladies above, they certainly were successful and had wonderful careers. However, they don’t have the “household name” status many…. quite honestly…. less talented and charismatic stars have.

Even if the story wasn’t wonderful (it is!), The Little Princess would be worth seeing for Shirley Temple, Anita Louise, and Arthur Treacher, alone. I guess that’s easy for me to say because I have always approached movie-watching on a star-by-star basis. While there have been a few movies I’ve sought out because they sounded fascinating – a solid 9 times out of 10, I seek out a movie because of an actor or actress in the cast.

Very often, while watching a movie starring an all-time favorite (Rita Hayworth, for example), I’ll “meet” new favorites – then I simply must watch all of their movies as well. When they reach my much-ballyhooed (by me, anyway!) “all time favorite” status, then their movies aren’t just watched, they’re collected on DVD. Shirley Temple and Anita Louise qualify for this distinction.

The Little Princess was the first time I saw Anita Louise and it set me off on an “Anita Louise Movie” watching and collecting venture. If you’ve never seen The Little Princess – or haven’t watched it in a while – I believe you’ll become just as big a fan of Anita Louise as I am.

When that happens, I can certainly recommend some good movies.

(Concluded Below….)

Anita Louise and Shirley Temple

I also believe you’ll fall in love with Shirley Temple and with her lightweight, fun, and heartwarming movies. I don’t have to tell you that we live in somewhat perilous times right now. There’s a lot of controversy, contention, and full-on craziness out in the world. I can guarantee you this to the tune of 110 percent… a good old Shirley Temple movie will make it all fade away.

What’s not to love about that?!

Gilda Review: One of My All-Time Favorite Movies (With Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford – How Could it NOT Be?)

December 18, 2017 By Joi Leave a Comment

Like Lana Turner and Marilyn Monroe, a lot of people tend to think of Rita Hayworth as simply beautiful and iconic. While she’s both (to be sure), there’s more to her than “greets the eye.” Rita Hayworth was an great actress and an exceptional performer. The same is, of course true of the aforementioned ladies as well.

Rita Hayworth could more than hold her own on the dance floor and she brought life, charisma, and depth to every role she ever stepped into. She could convey more with a facial expression than a lot of actors/actresses get across with a five minute dialogue purge.

Can you tell she’s one of my all-time favorite actresses?

It seems that every actor and actress has a “defining role.” While this may not seem terribly fair, it is what it is. Many stars have several roles that can, and should, serve as sort of a defining compilation, but it’s generally one specific role that comes to mind when you see their name. When it comes to Rita Hayworth, her defining role is a knock out – Gilda.

Gilda is a cinematic dream come true for me, personally, as it has not only one of my top three favorite actresses but also one of my top three favorite actors, Glenn Ford.

Don’t you just love it when your favorites team up for a movie? Feels kind of like a kiss on the cheek from God, Himself.

Make no mistake about it, though, even 10 favorite stars in a movie won’t save it if the movie doesn’t live up to the moment. Fortunately, Gilda does. In fact, it’d be one of my favorite movies even if the lead characters didn’t score so much as a blip on my radar. The movie is simply a lot of fun to watch and provides a few unexpected twists and turns to keep you completely and utterly hooked.

The clothes, the lighting, the music, the dancing, the redhead… they all go together to create cinematic magic.

While the entire cast is outstanding, the casting of the movie’s leads was a stroke of genius. The chemistry between Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford is absolutely palpable. Each time I watch Gilda, I mentally give a standing ovation to the individual responsible for bringing these two together. It’s that special, magical kind of chemistry that is almost impossible to define – yet, when it happens, it lights up the screen and you feel the fire deep in your soul.

The chemistry between Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford in Gilda (along with the chemistry between James Stewart and Lana Turner in Ziegfeld Girl – two more of my personal favorites) is one of the most magical pairings of all time as far as I’m concerned.

You can direct scenes, you can choreograph dances, and you can create moments with lighting and music…. however you cannot manufacture (or even account for) chemistry. It’s either there or it isn’t. While a great movie can overcome lukewarm chemistry between its leads, red hot chemistry can take a great movie and make it… well… a legend.

I believe this chemistry is partly (perhaps even largely) to credit for Gilda achieving the legendary status it has.

If you aren’t as immersed in old movies as some of us are or if you’re just getting into them, I wholeheartedly recommend Gilda. If you are new to the greatest genre of entertainment in the world (can you tell I’m not just immersed but buried?), I want to warn you about one brief little scene in particular. You’ll know it when you see it. The last thing I want to do is give anything away, so I’ll just say one code word: BOAT. Something happens in a particular scene involving a BOAT that serves to remind the viewer of the period of time in which this wonderful movie was made. Effects departments now, upon watching this scene, probably wouldn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Do me a favor, when you see this scene, simply say “1946” – the year in which the movie was made.

This will remind you not to hold the moment against the movie, Glenn, or Rita. Especially not Rita.

When you watch old movies like it’s your job, you just kind of shrug off these moments and accept them for what they are – signs of the times.

Rita Hayworth made Gilda the iconic legend it is and in many ways you can say the movie returned the favor.

Gilda Movie Posters on Amazon

Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein: What is it With Me and These Movies?!?

October 17, 2017 By Joi Leave a Comment

I don’t know….. maybe it’s just me. I mean, I’ve read so many nice reviews about Frankenstein (1931) and even more about The Bride of Frankenstein (1935). And yet…

Boris Karloff, as the monster, is a household name among horror movie fans. And yet...

Mary Shelley is one of the most widely-respected authors of all time and is often pointed to as the reason many women authors began writing. And yet….

And yet… here I sit, completely baffled by all of the hoop and most of the la. When I read the book as a teen, I detested it. I honestly found it to be the most boring book I’d ever read. I’d rather it had scared the wits out of me and interrupted my sleep (like Dracula, for example) than to bore me speechless. I lost track of the number of times I closed the book, put it down, and decided I’d just “fake” my book report. My mom told me that I’d feel better about the book report if I actually finished the book.

I don’t want to say she was wrong, so I’ll just say she was not right.

Reading that book was painful but, frankly, watching Frankenstein wasn’t much better. If it weren’t for the fact that the time spent watching the movie was less of an investment than reading the book, it’d have been just as painful. While I LOVE old movies – these two could have turned me off of movies for good.

Okay, okay, that’s an exaggeration but you get the idea.

First the positives about Frankenstein: Boris Karloff was great in the role and Edward Van Sloan was PERFECT as Doctor Waldman. This wonderful actor is perfect in everything and is, as far as I’m concerned, the one good thing about Frankenstein. He was also great in Dracula (1931) as Van Helsing. That movie was better than Dracula and his Van Helsing deserves most of the credit.

Another positive – the movie did a great job when it came to setting the ambiance and overall mood. The sets were outstanding, as was the wardrobe and makeup – especially for the time.

Continued Below…

The positives about The Bride of Frankenstein: Again, Boris Karloff is wonderful in the role of the monster. With more true acting to delve into with this second film, he gets to show off his chops. His scenes in a cabin with his newfound “friend” are absolute movie magic. He gives a beautiful performance. Furthermore, Elsa Lanchester is a total scene-stealer both as The Bride of Frankenstein and as Mary Shelley in the opening scene. The fact that she was so mesmerizing is actually one of the things I like least about this movie…. she wasn’t used nearly enough.

Truth is, she was barely on screen at all – which is a shame because she’s really the only thing that could have saved the movie.

As for the original Frankenstein – like the book – it was pretty boring. I watch old movies like it’s my job, so I don’t mind “dated” effects or “less than inspired” camera-work. I don’t mind over-acting, even. In fact, I always say it’s far better than under-acting (the greatest sin of acting). I suspect the cast (with the exception of Van Sloan and Karloff) read the book and were so bored they couldn’t snap out of it. Seriously, the rest of the cast all but naps through their scenes. Not only could the two leads not convince me they were in love, they couldn’t convince me they were the ones who were alive.

I think the biggest problem with The Bride of Frankenstein, however, is the story itself. There were so many moments when I thought, “I’d have done that differently…” or “That wasn’t the way to go with that…” The concept was a great one but, in my opinion, the execution should have been -executed, that is. If you title a movie “The Bride of Frankenstein” she should be a large part of the movie – especially when the actress so much charisma. With a different script, the name Elsa Lanchester would be as famous as the name Boris Karloff.

Do you get the idea I loathe these two movies? I mean, I’m not hiding that fact, am I??

If you’re a fan of one or both of these movies, I honestly apologize. Not for the fact you like them, mind you, but for the fact that I’m coming down so hard on them. As I said at the beginning of this diatribe, it’s probably just me and it isn’t the first time. There have been other stars, movies, and TV shows that others love and I just sort of bite my tongue.

I actually recently re-watched both of these movies on TCM – just to see if I found them more agreeable this time.

Oh, I did NOT. In fact, as soon as Frankenstein went off, I told my cats, “Well, there’s time we’ll never get back.” They weren’t too thrilled with the movie, either. They thought the casting was all wrong and the dialogue excruciatingly painful. I have to agree.

Lovely Elsa (as Mary Shelley) – More of Her Would’ve Made the Movie Better

Golden Age of Hollywood Movie Review: “Lured” with Lucille Ball and George Sanders

October 4, 2017 By Joi 1 Comment

Lucille Ball and George Sanders, Lured

Obviously, I am someone who is utterly consumed with the Golden Age of Hollywood… or Classic Hollywood, Old Hollywood, Hollywood’s Golden Era… whatever you choose to call it, I jumped into it when I was around 12 years old and have proceeded to dive deeper with each passing year.

Never you mind what depths I’ve reached.

When you’ve seen the number of movies, actors, and actresses I have, you have a difficult time narrowing down your absolute favorites. This is evidenced by my healthy lists of favorites on the Hollywood Yesterday About Page. However, the cream of the crop or the “favoritest of the favorites” would make a list if it had to include only a handful of stars. Lucille Ball and George Sanders are two of my.. well… favoritest of favorites and I cannot conceive of any “favorite list” they wouldn’t make.

Not only were these stars incredibly talented, they had that extra little spark that few stars actually had of have. The spark that cannot possibly described. It’s just there. An extra something in their expressions, in their voice, and even in the way they move. Lucille Ball and George Sanders each had this mystery spark and in large doses.

The fact that they starred in a movie (Lured, 1947) together seems like a personal gift to me , straight from Old Hollywood. The fact that the movie is so deliciously good makes it all the better.

In Lured, Lucille Ball is not remotely like the Lucy we’re familiar with. In place of gags, there’s glamour… and tons of it. She shows incredible versatility and talent that even we, her biggest fans, sometimes forget she possessed.

Lucille Ball plays an American nightclub dancer (Sandra Carpenter) in London. Her friend has been murdered and she is recruited by the police as a decoy to catch a serial killer. The killer finds his victims through the newspaper personal ads.

George Sanders is her leading man and plays Robert Fleming, a mysterious and (very) wealthy man.

Their chemistry is off the charts. There were actually rumors around Hollywood that the two stars had a fling, but there’s certainly no proof to back it up. The chemistry, however, is palpable.

In addition to the two stellar leads, the movie has a really strong cast. Charles Coburn (as a lovable Scotland Yard inspector), Cedric Hardwicke, Alan Mowbray, Boris Karloff , Joseph Calleia, and George Zucco.

Boris Karloff dives in head-first in his role as a dress designer.

{Continued Below…}

Lucille Ball and George Sanders are unmistakably the stars here, though – make no mistake about it. Each is phenomenal. The first time I watched Lured, I was so blown away by Lucille Ball’s performance (and beauty) that I didn’t give George Sanders the attention he commands. I think it’s simply because I grew up seeing her as Lucy Ricardo or one of the other Lucy characters from television. Sandra Carpenter is about as far-removed from Lucy as it gets.

Subsequent viewings have allowed me to appreciate George Sanders in this movie as much as Lucille. You may remember Sanders from The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (as Miles Fairley), the Saint movies in the late 1930s and early 1940s (as the Saint), The Picture of Dorian Gray (as Lord Henry Wotton), Rebecca (as Jack Favell), or as Mr. Freeze in the Batman TV series (1966).

His roles were kind of all over the place, but he was never anything aside from completely compelling – stealing the scene right out from just about anyone.

Except for a glamorous red-head we all know and love, that is. No one, but no one, steals a scene from Lucille Ball.

If you love old movies, Lucille Ball, or George Sanders, Lured should be one of the next movies you watch. If you love all three… this HAS to be the very next movie you watch. It’s an especially fun whodunit and you’ll be glued to every minute.

Review: The Violent Men with Glenn Ford, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson, and Dianne Foster

September 14, 2017 By Joi Leave a Comment

Violent Men may not receive the attention many other Westerns do, but it’s an excellent movie. In fact, I think it’s far better than some Westerns that are practically household names.

The strength of Violent Men doesn’t lie so much in the plot or scenery as it does the cast. Glenn Ford, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson, Dianne Foster, and Brian Keith are each outstanding. Although, if (like me) you’re most familiar with Brian Keith as loving and kind Uncle Bill on Family Affair, it’s odd seeing him play such a smarmy character. Seriously, it took some getting used to.

When I first saw this movie a few years back, my first reaction to seeing him sleaze across the screen was, “Uncle Bill.. what the heck?!”

While Ford and Keith are wonderful in their roles, make no mistake about it, this is Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson, and Dianne Foster’s movie. More about them in a minute.

The Violent Men Trailer:

Plot Synopsis: Glenn Ford plays an ex-officer in the Union, John Parrish. Because his fiance is desperate to move out of town (and I do mean desperate), he agrees to sell his land to the ruthless Wilkisons of Anchor Ranch. Because his fiance is so eager to move east, he even considers the ridiculously low offer Anchor’s owner (played to perfection by the great Edward G. Robinson).

However, when he sees what bullies the Wilkisons can be – especially after they murder one of his men – he decides to stay and fight, calling upon his Civil War experience.

The wonderful, strong, and sultry to a fault Barbara Stanwyck plays Martha Wilkison who is married to Edward G. Robinson’s character (Lew) but carrying on a long-term affair with Lew’s brother Cole Wilkison (played by Brian Keith). The fact that Lew has lost use of his legs and is confined to crutches makes it easier for the dastardly duo to cavort behind his back.

Hence the, “Uncle Bill… what the heck?!”

In a relatively small role, Dianne Foster chews up the screen as Lew and Martha’s daughter Judith. Her chemistry with Glenn Ford is the stuff you hope for anytime you sit down to watch a movie.

She has an obvious beauty and tons of talent but she has that certain something “special” that, I don’t know, maybe only those of us who obsessively watch movies could recognize. You can’t take your eyes off of her when she’s on the screen – which, ironically, is the exact same thing I’ve always said about Barbara Stanwyck who plays her mother in this movie.

Foster (particularly with her hair light, as it was in this movie) actually reminds me A LOT of Barbara Stanwyck. The casting, makeup, and hair departments hit it out of the park with this one.

As for the one and only Barbara Stanwyck, she was at her best in The Violent Men. Here’s the thing about Stanwyck, whether she’s playing a good character or a bad one (which Martha certainly is), one thing is for certain…. you want her on your side!

Barbara Stanwyck, in any role, is an absolute force to be reckoned with. That’a one of the reasons she’s one of my top all-time favorite actresses. She’s like a female tornado gliding across the screen. And like a tornado, you do not want to cross her. Admire and respect from a distance? Absolutely. But cross? Not on your life.

What can you say about the great Edward G. Robinson? The man was simply one of the best actors of his time or any other time. Period. Like Stanwyck, he was a force to be reckoned with, so (as you’d imagine) their scenes together left you wanting more and more.

Edward G. Robinson was one of those stars who made everything look so easy and effortless than you often don’t realize just what a remarkable actor he was.While this may not be one of his most famous roles, it is (in my opinion, for what that’s worth) one of his best.

One of the things I liked most about Glenn Ford’s performance in The Violent Men is the fact that he played it with a “quiet strength.” It would have been easy, as the lead in a Western, to dial into a larger-than-life persona. In scenes with Stanwyck and Robinson, it would have, of course, been a disastrous ploy. I mean, how can you possibly be larger than two tornadoes circling one another?!

Ford’s John Parrish was exactly and precisely the sort of hero this movie called for. His understated performance was sheer perfection and, as I said, his chemistry with Dianne Foster was especially nice.

Whether you’re a fan of one of the stars of this excellent cast (how could you not be??!) or simply love Westerns (again… how could you not??), The Violent Men is one you’ll want to both watch as well as add to your collection. It seems that each time I watch it, I notice something else phenomenally brilliant Ford, Stanwyck, Robinson, Keith, or Foster do.

Such a STRONG cast.

Buy The Violent Men DVD on Amazon.

We’re in the Money (1935): Even More Fun Than You’d Expect (A Lot More!)

July 26, 2017 By Joi Leave a Comment

When people begin naming their favorite Classic Movies, you expect to hear certain titles (several of which are certainly on my own list):

It’s a Wonderful Life
Miracle on 34th Street
Casablanca
Gone With the Wind
Oklahoma
Rio Bravo
Giant
Citizen Cane
Some Like it Hot
The Wizard of Oz
It Happened one Night
My Fair Lady
A Streetcar Named Desire
Rebel Without a Cause
Rio Bravo
El Dorado
True Grit
Roman Holiday
Breakfast at Tiffany’s
ETC!

However, it’s the rare bird that would include We’re in the Money on their list. While it wouldn’t be the first time I could be described as a rare bird (or even odd duck), this delightful and fun movie would make my list. I absolutely love it – front to back and all moments in between.

Plot: Two beautiful and lovable gold-diggers, Ginger (Joan Blondell) and Dixie (Glenda Farrell) work as process servers for an eccentric (downright nuts!) lawyer Homer Bronson (played to absolute perfection by Hugh Herbert). The girls have decided to quit the thankless, stressful job but when they go to Bronson’s office to do so, he has a big fat reason for them to reconsider. Actually he has 1,000 reasons as in $1,000. All they have to do is serve 4 separate subpoenas in a “breach of promise suit” against the ridiculously wealthy playboy C. Richard Courtney. The rub is this: Ginger has fallen madly in love with a man “Carter,” who she met on a park bench. Turns out Carter and C. Richard Courtney are one and the same.

Each time I watch this wonderful movie, I’m struck by the great loss the world suffered when Ross Alexander took his own life when he was only 29. In this film (two years before he shot himself), Mr. Alexander is a scene-stealer in every sense of the word. You find yourself zeroing in on his expressions and smiling every time he delivers a line. There’s absolutely no doubt in my mind that if he had not taken his own life, he’d be a household name today. He was simply amazing.

In fact, the entire cast is.

Joan Blondell and Glenda Farrell are as talented as they are beautiful and they obviously had a great time with these roles. The chemistry they have onscreen is a rarity and is just delicious to watch. I wish they’d made A LOT of movies together.

I hope you’ll find a copy of the movie (I’m looking for the dvd, myself, so I can watch it any and every time I feel like it!) or watch for it on TCM. It’s just a ridiculously fun little movie that epitomizes what having a strong cast does for a film.

Find the We’re in the Money Movie Poster on Amazon.

The Naked Spur with James Stewart and Janet Leigh

June 6, 2017 By Joi Leave a Comment

I recently re-watched The Naked Spur for probably the 12th time in my life. How could I not? James Stewart is one of my all-time favorites and Westerns are my jam… and jelly… and toast.

I have a ridiculous confession to make concerning this movie. Like 85 percent of Westerns I’ve seen, my first experience with them was as a child. My dad lived for Westerns, so they were pretty much on 24/7 in our home. Cowboys, “Indians,” saloon girls, deputies, and sheriffs were like family.

When growing up, whenever my dad had The Naked Spur on tv, I had the same three initial reactions each time:

I don’t like George Bailey like this.
I don’t like the lead girl.
I’m out.

So I never watched it in it’s entirety. I had a problem getting past Janet Leigh for some reason. As a young girl, my ideal leading lady in Westerns (as well as tv and other movies) looked closer to the dolls I played with. She needed the flowing brunette, red, or blonde hair and pretty clothes. Janet Leigh, with her sassy short hair and decidedly “boy clothes” didn’t amuse the child version of me any more than angry “George Bailey” did.

Fortunately little girls grow up. When I was older, I watched the movie past the 10 minute mark (all the way to the end) and wondered how I could have been so wrong. James Stewart was, of course, wonderful in the role (the range of this actor is amazing) and as for Janet Leigh… gorgeous.

The kid version of me couldn’t get past the clothes, the adult version of me can’t get past the face. Seriously, this is the exact face you’d expect angels to have. She was a stunning actress and doesn’t get enough credit for being one of the loveliest and most talented actresses ever. Although she doesn’t smile often in the movie, when she does it lights up the screen. Her’s is one of the most beautiful smiles to grace any screen, small or large.

Although I love Westerns as much as anyone and probably more than most, I’ll be the first to admit that the “story” isn’t always the star. In fact, many times (after watching a Western), you’ll find yourself asking, “Okay, what was the plot exactly??” The Naked Spur has a creatively-written plot – an actual story, if you will. The characters are all flawed to a certain degree, which makes it even more entertaining.

The Oscar-nominated story stars Academy Award-winner James Stewart (“It’s A Wonderful Life,” “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” “Vertigo”) as a ruthless (or as I always thought of him, an “angry George Bailey”) bounty hunter (Howard) who’s looking to bring in an outlaw (Ben) portrayed by Oscar-nominee Robert Ryan (“Crossfire,” “The Wild Bunch,” “Bad Day at Black Rock”). The bad guy’s beautiful co-traveler is Lina, played by Oscar-nominee Janet Leigh (“Psycho,” “Touch of Evil, “Little Women”).

The film also stars Ralph Meeker (Roy) and Millard Mitchell (Jesse). Mitchell’s Jesse is my personal favorite character in the movie. Little greedy, but you know what, I’m going to go ahead and forgive him for that.

Filmed in the gorgeous Rocky Mountains, The Naked Spur is considered by many as one of the best westerns ever made.

When watching The Naked Spur, you, of course, have to keep in mind that it was made in 1953. Going in, expecting more than should be expected from this period will rob you from enjoying the movie as it should be enjoyed. Then again, that can be said of all the wonderful movies we celebrate here on Hollywood Yesterday.

The film is beautifully done and perfectly cast. It’s one of those films that I would (and do) watch every time it’s on television.

Did You Know?

Included in “1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die.”
Was inducted into the Library of Congress National Film Registry.
Director Anthony Mann also worked with James Stewart in The Man from Laramie.
James Stewart despised the nickname Jimmy (wish I’d known that before naming his “category” on Hollywood Yesterday!)

The Official Trailer for The Naked Spur

The movie is (MUCH) better than the trailer – although it’s a hoot in spite of itself.

You can find The Naked Spur on Amazon. Speaking of the DVD… for those of us who’ve seen the film… ummm, can you believe the far-fetched art work on the front? Pretty funny!

The Prince and The Showgirl with Marilyn Monroe and a Legendary Actor…

May 24, 2017 By Joi Leave a Comment

Okay, first of all, I know the legendary actor’s name as well as anyone – Sir Laurence Olivier. Many people (I’m not among them I’m afraid) consider him to be the greatest actor of all time. Don’t get me wrong, he was magnificent and I certainly believe he is “one” of the best ever… even if I hesitate to give him the title “the best.”

The man’s name is synonymous with fine acting and for good reason.

Oddly enough, however, the name Marilyn Monroe is synonymous with beauty and sex appeal (again, for good reason) but it’s the rare bird who’d associate her with good acting, let alone great acting.

I guess I’m among the rarest of birds.

Marilyn Monroe was so much more than just a beautiful face. Some was good (her intelligence, beauty, and talent) and some was horrible (apparently she was notorious for holding up and inconveniencing others on set and let’s not even get into the whole JFK fiasco). Her intelligence led to her ability to bring so much to each character she portrayed. She simply knew what each character would feel and how they would react to everything and everyone around them.

The Prince and the Showgirl is one of my personal favorite Marilyn Monroe performances, which kind of sucks because Laurence Olivier’s performance makes me cringe. I understand he’s portraying royalty, here, but I’d have preferred royalty with a pulse!

The performance is one of my least favorites in any movie, to be honest. Leslie Howard in Gone With the Wind is right up there too. The thought of both characters being appealing to ANYONE is hard to buy into.. and yet both characters had beautiful ladies fawning over them.

As if!

Somehow, in spite of a lackluster, stiff performance by one of the greatest actors of all-time, The Prince and The Showgirl is still a pretty cute and enjoyable movie. It is, of course, primarily thanks to MM and her adorable portrayal of the “showgirl.” In fact, the entire rest of the cast did a fine job – even those who had only one or two scenes.

I’ve read that MM and LO did not get along at all – he took all kinds of exception to her consistent tardiness and “moods.” I don’t want to believe that this affected his performance, however, because he was the very definition of a professional. Their relationship actually makes me want to read “The Prince, the Showgirl, and Me: Six Months on the Set With Marilyn and Olivier” by Colin Clark.

Book Description: When Colin Clark left college in the 1950s, he got a job as a gofer on the set of the movie The Prince and the Showgirl, starring Marilyn Monroe and Laurence Olivier. The film should have been a box office smash, but even before cameras rolled, things began going wrong–and Clark recorded it all in this beguiling, fly-on-the-wall diary.

New and used copies are available on Amazon, so I’m going to order one SOON.

I recently re-watched The Prince and The Showgirl and came away with the same thing I think each time…. “Why is he making his character so painful to watch?!?! Is he trying to win her over or bore her to tears?!”

Marilyn is so fun, lively, and energetic – she makes the screen sizzle and pop when she’s on it. Then, here he comes.

If you’ve never seen the movie, I hope you’ll watch it soon and see what you think. As I’ve said a million times, old movies and old performances are worth watching even when we don’t love or even like them. There’s always something good or worthwhile about every single movie and in this particular movie, MM and a very strong, lively cast make it worth watching.

In spite of that one.

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