Golden Age of Hollywood
Donald Crisp, Jean Harlow, Clark Gable, and Mary Astor
One of my favorite 1930s films (or films from any era!) is Red Dust (1935) and four of the reasons are pictured above: Donald Crisp, Jean Harlow, Clark Gable, and Mary Astor. Extraordinary movie, extraordinary cast, and extraordinary director (Victor Fleming).
You can find the extraordinary Red Dust on dvd (Amazon link) or watch the movie on Prime Video!
Movita, Clark Gable, and Charles Laughton, Mutiny on the Bounty
In Mutiny on the Bounty, Clark Gable plays first mate Fletcher Christian who leads a revolt against his cruel commander, Captain Bligh (played to perfection by the wonderful Charles Laughton).
Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) was based on the real-life 1788 mutiny.
Directed by Frank Lloyd, the drama also stars (among others) Franchot Tone, Movita, Spring Byington, Herbert Mundin, and Donald Crisp.
Clark Gable (who had to shave his notorious mustache for historical accuracy) was less than thrilled when Franchot Tone was added to the cast. The two had fought famously for the affections of Joan Crawford while making Dancing Lady (Tone won and was, at this time, married to the beautiful actress). However, as shooting progressed, the two became good friends!
(Continued Below….)
Mutiny on the Bounty: Movita and Clark Gable
Mutiny on the Bounty (1935… I keep giving the date in an effort to make sure it is never confused with the latter film starring Marlon Brando) was the only film to receive THREE nominations for the Academy Award for Best Actor: Clark Gable, Charles Laughton, and Franchot Tone.
It was due to this that the Academy introduced a Best Supporting Actor Oscar shortly afterward to ensure this situation would not be repeated.
Each of these three actors lost to Victor McLaglen (The Informer, 1935). I honestly am, to this day, amazed that Charles Laughton didn’t win.
Clark Gable and Yvonne De Carlo
Clark Gable and Yvonne De Carlo star in a historical romance that isn’t talked nearly enough about, Band of Angels. The 1957 film was directed by one of my personal favorite directors, Raoul Walsh and also stars the wonderful Sidney Poitier.
You can find Band of Angels on dvd (Amazon link) and… I’m equally happy to say… you can find it on Prime Video. While I, personally, love to build my dvd collection (especially when it’s films with my favorites – which certainly includes these three stars), it is also great to watch films on Prime Video. In fact, many of my dvds are allowed to stay protected in their wrappers because I can watch them on Prime Video.
Yvonne De Carlo and Clark Gable
Clark Gable and Jeanette MacDonald, San Francisco
It’s a special treat when two or more of your favorite stars are in the same film, isn’t it? It’s made all the sweeter when the film, itself, is good. I’ve had a few films that starred more than two of my favorites and still managed to flop.
I don’t talk about those films very often. I’d rather pretend they never happened!
San Francisco (1936) stars several of my personal favorites – Jeanette MacDonald, Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, and Ted Healy (hilarious man!). Fortunately the movie is really good – very well written and directed.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that San Francisco (Amazon link) is on Prime Video – so many old movies aren’t available on Prime yet. Finding Jeanette MacDonald available on Prime Video, allowing new fans to discover her excited me to no end.
You can also buy the dvd on Amazon (San Francisco on dvd). I actually need this one for my Jeanette MacDonald collection, so I’m hopping on this one!
Clark Gable and Jeanette MacDonald
It seems to me that Mogambo is one of those films you either love to distraction or hate with a passion. For me, it’s that latter, I’m afraid. Which is ODD and downright WEIRD because Clark Gable, Ava Gardner, and Grace Kelly are three of my favorites. Love them like crazy.
And yet… I’d rather gargle live crickets than watch this film.
Due to my love of the three stars, I’ve given it several chances to win me over. I have watched it three times over the years, with the following thoughts:
And yet… I see so many people name it as a favorite movie?! I don’t get it, but that certainly doesn’t mean it can’t be “got.” The worst thing about it is that I collect ALL Ava Gardner films, as well as ALL Grace Kelly films which means I’m actually going to have to buy this thing one day. Horrors! I’ve already decided it’s going on the Ava Gardner collection shelf.
After all, she’s the only good thing about it. Why did Grace sign on for this?
Find Mogambo on Amazon, if you’re also a collector or one of those who happens to like it.
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:
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.
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.
For example, Mogambo is possibly one of the worst (only in my opinion, mind you) movies I’ve ever seen. My great love for Clark Gable, Grace Kelly, and most of all, Ava Gardner, couldn’t even save this movie for me. And yet…. the time spent watching it was satisfying because, while it was pretty dreadful, it was still an old movie and it still brought old stars of Hollywood into my den. Besides, the Ava Gardner scenes were great – I always think how wonderful the movie would have been if every scene was as dynamic as her scenes.
The White Sister (1933) is nowhere near as bad as Mogambo. In fact, the majority of the movie is a lot of fun. Helen Hayes (Angela Chiaromonte) impossibly adorable and… well.. delightful. I normally don’t think, let alone use, the word delightful – but several times during the movie, I kept thinking, “Helen Hayes, you are delightful as Angela…” Then I’d stop and ask myself, “Did you just use the word delightful?…”
Another plus for the movie is the fact that Clark Gable (a personal fave) is downright lovable in the role of Giovanni Severi. A little trivia – because who doesn’t like trivia – this was the first time Clark Gable appeared in a movie with a mustache.
My problem with the movie is that I wish it had chosen one lane and stayed in it. The movie starts out so light-hearted and fun, you’re left thinking that you’re in for a fun romantic comedy and, if the writing had stayed in this vein, it’d have been a classic.
A few tragic turns and you’re left with something that isn’t romantic or comedic.
Now… again… having said all of that, the movie is still very much worth watching because of the performances of Helen Hayes, Clark Gable, and Louise Closser Hale (a total scene-stealer in the role of Mina). Unlike a lot of movies of the time, the acting in The White Sister was superb. The early days of Hollywood often say, dare we say it, melodramatic performances that can be hard even for those of us who are obsessed with the era to watch. Not one star in The White Sister tries to gnaw or chew on any of the scenery and there wasn’t one single cringe-worthy moment.
(Continued Below…)
Helen Hayes and Clark Gable, The White Sister
Plot: Angela Chiaromonte (Helen Hayes), is the beautiful, overly-sheltered daughter of a Prince. She falls for Giovanni (Clark Gable) and his zest for life, in spite of herself. When he is reported killed in action in World War I, she is consumed with grief and becomes a nun.
The White Sister is directed by Victor Fleming (Gone with the Wind), which helps explain why the acting is so superb.
What I love about the movie: Helen Hayes, Clark Gable, and Louise Closser Hale do a wonderful job with their roles. They are excellent. The characters are lovable and you can’t help feeling drawn to each one. The clothes are also very memorable – the wardrobe department outdid themselves.
What I didn’t love about the movie: I’d have preferred it if the entire script had stayed light and romantic. The story was at its best when the characters and viewers were having fun.
Is the movie worth seeing? Absolutely. If you love old movies, Helen Hayes, and/or Clark Gable (and especially if, like me, you adore them all!) – you should see this movie right away. Will it become your favorite old movie of all time? Pretty doubtful.
But Helen Hayes is delightful. Perfectly delightful.
Two-Disk Set on Amazon:
Two legends of “Old Hollywood,”Lillian Gish and Helen Hayes, take the same role of Angela Chiaromonte, 10 years apart in The White Sister 2-disk set.
The beauty above is Silent Film star Mildred Davis. She was a frequent co-star (and longtime wife) of legendary actor Harold Lloyd. She’s one of my favorite silent film actresses and one I can’t understand not being a household name!
Another personal absolute favorite of mine is Barbara Stanwyck. Not only was she beautiful and outrageously talented, she was exceptionally bright, charismatic, and colorful. This growing collection of Barbara Stanwyck Quotes will give you an idea of just how colorful she was!
There’s nothing quite like watching a movie from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Whether it’s a Musical, Western, Comedy, Romance, Film Noir, or Drama – if it’s on, I’m not too far away… with popcorn and raspberry tea in hand and a couple of cats nearby.
Below are a few Old Hollywood movie reviews I’ve done on the blog. There are, as you’d imagine, a lot more to come. – Joi (“Joy”)
We’re in the Money (Joan Blondell, Glenda Farrell)
The Naked Spur (James Stewart, Janet Leigh)
The Prince and the Showgirl (Marilyn Monroe, Laurence Olivier)
The White Sister (Helen Hayes, Clark Gable)
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Howard Keel, Jane Powell, Russ Tamblyn, Julie Newmar)
Rio Bravo (John Wayne, Dean Martin, Angie Dickinson, Ricky Nelson, Walter Brennan)
El Dorado (John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, James Caan, Charlene Holt, Michele Carey)
Rio Grande (John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara)
Frankenstein and Bride of Frankenstein (What is it With Me and These Movies??)
The Stooge (Jerry Lewis’ favorite Lewis and Martin Movie… for good reason.)
Critic’s Choice (Hilarious movie starring Bob Hope and Lucille Ball)
To Please a Lady (Clark Gable and Barbara Stanwyck team up in a fast track movie)
Grand Hotel (Joan Crawford, Greta Garbo, John Barrymore, Lionel Barrymore)
Hearts Divided (Marion Davies, Dick Powell)
The Quiet Man (John Wayne, Maureen O’Hara, Barry Fitzgerald)
More Old Hollywood Movie Reviews
Find out just how much I (truly) Love Lucy in the Lucille Ball category. I’m warning you, I call it an obsession for a very good reason…
