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Movie Review: In Name Only (Carole Lombard, Cary Grant, Kay Francis)

July 27, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

In Name Only Movie Poster

I have a confession to make – I have always watched movies based upon who is in them. For example, if one of my favorite actresses or actors is in a film, I will pop the popcorn, pour the raspberry tea, round up my cats and head for the den. I will plop in my favorite chair and escape with said favorite or favorites.

The great news is I have a lot of favorites, so I eat a lot of popcorn. However, there have (over the years) been a lot of wonderful gems I’ve come across simply because they were on when I needed a movie to watch – whether a favorite stars in it or not!

This was the case, recently with In Name Only. Don’t get me wrong, I have VERY MUCH liked Cary Grant and Carole Lombard for some time, now- they simply hadn’t reached the same “absolute favorite” rarefied air of, say Lucille Ball, Katharine Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart, Maureen O’Hara, Buster Keaton, James Stewart, Audrey Hepburn, Rita Hayworth, Barbara Stanwyck, Joan Crawford, Ava Gardner, John Wayne, Robert Montgomery, Clark Gable, Marion Daviess… the stars I make time in my schedule for – even if it’s a movie I’ve seen a million and thirteen times…. looking at you, Sabrina and The Quiet Man.

Funny thing is, though, I often “meet” new favorites who ascend to the rarefied air this very way. Cary Grant and Carole Lombard just landed themselves smack in the middle of the aforementioned favorites and I’m now on a mission to see their complete filmographies.

In Name Only is a movie that had never been on my radar – as in, AT ALL. When I saw that it was on TCM recently, I actually had to look to see who starred in it! See? Completely OFF my radar. I’ve recently become a big fan of Cary Grant and needed to see Carole Lombard in something else (I’d only seen her in three), so… you guessed it.. popcorn was popped while the raspberry tea was being poured.

It didn’t take long for this fun and engaging movie to pull me in. Carole Lombard, even without the wonderful assistance from Cary Grant and a solid cast, has a way of luring you in. There’s a certain vulnerability about her that makes you want to enter into her world and help her fight her fights and clear the path to happiness for her.

Cary Grant is Alec Walker who is in a horrible marriage to gold digger, nasty Maida (played sublimely by Kay Francis). Alec meets and falls for beautiful widow (and mother) Julie Eden, played perfectly by Carole Lombard. Even though the nasty wife certainly doesn’t love him, she refuses to give him a divorce. Far too much money involved for that!

The movie then takes you on a roller coaster ride as you hope Maida gets her comeuppance as much as you hope Alec and Julie get their happy ever after.

I am not about to give anything away, but I do want to say this is a roller coaster ride of emotion… and one I enjoyed completely.

Find In Name Only on Amazon – it’s truly a hidden gem.

Filed Under: Cary Grant, Movie Reviews Tagged With: Carole Lombard, Cary Grant, classic movie reviews, Old Movie Reviews

Hearts Divided with Marion Davies and Dick Powell (Review)

March 22, 2019 By Joi Leave a Comment

 

Hearts Divided with Marion Davies and Dick Powell

Dick Powell and Marion Davies

Are you familiar with Marion Davies? Somehow she has escaped the fame bestowed upon certain actresses and, truth be told, I have zero idea WHY. Certain stars (Claire Trevor, Linda Darnell, Barry Fitzgerald, Anne Sheridan, George Sanders…) are known to those of us who swim regularly in Old Hollywood’s beautiful waters but the average Joe or Joy wouldn’t be able to put a face with the name if they had to.

Again… I have no idea why this is, all I know is that it is. Some leap to new heights of fame and some never leave the ground. What’s most bewildering is when (like the names listed above) they’re easily as talented as those who are household names. Heck, some are far more so.

I could park right here and talk two forevers about this very subject, but I have a movie I’m in love with that I’d love to tell you about.

Hearts Divided (1936) is, like our beloved stars mentioned, a movie that is under the radar but infinitely worthy of attention.

If you follow me on Twitter (my personal account @JoiTaniaSigers or my new Hollywood Yesterday Account, @HollywoodYeste1) or read many of my reviews, I am ALL ABOUT chemistry between co-stars. I have seen movies made and movies unmade by chemistry, alone. Some don’t put much stock in chemistry, but that’s understandable, given that I’ve bought all the stock.

Dick Powell and Marion Davies are the very definition of romantic chemistry and they flaunt it but good in this entertaining movie.

Before jumping to the plot – a few quick words about Marion Davies. You will notice that I don’t (yet) have much about this lovely actress on Hollywood Yesterday. Why? She’s new to me! It’s bizarre to imagine, but EVEN when you’ve spent your life watching classics, you will still come across an actor or actress who is new to you. Sometimes the acquaintance is nonchalant, other times (as in this case), they quickly become a favorite and you set out to see everything they ever made!

Ironically, at this point in time, I have two fairly similar actresses (Marion Davies and Claire Trevor) who are new favorites. They have both plowed onto my list of favorites, so you’ll be hearing a lot more about them.

Hearts Divided Movie Poster

Plot: Hoping to further negotiations (and scrounge up money for his war efforts) in the United States, Napoleon (portrayed masterfully by the ridiculously talented and versatile Claude Rains) sends his brother Jerome (Dick Powell) to the States. Jerome shows up at a Maryland Horse Track and meets Betsy (Marion Davies). He falls for the charming beauty almost immediately but she doesn’t want much to do with him. Maybe it’s because she already has enough suitors – Henry (Charles Ruggles), John (hilariously portrayed by Edward Everett Horton) and Harry (portrayed by the wonderful comedic actor Arthur Treacher).

Although Betsy is aloof (at first), fate has other plans. Jerome gets the honor of teaching her French and she soon returns the love he feels for her. Her well-to-do family frowns on the situation because, well…  he’s just a tutor!

As is his style, Napoleon looms large and attempts to ruin everything when he insists that Jerome return and marry into European Royalty. He uses the “do what’s best for France” argument to get to Jerome AND Betsy.

As is the case with all of my movie and book reviews, I have no intention of ruining anything for you, so I won’t give anything away. Another trademark of my movie reviews is keeping things short and sweet. I swear, I’ve read some reviews that seemed to last longer than the actual movie. Personally, I’d rather simply give you a quick preview, tell you what I think about it and let you get back to your life.

So this is where I simply encourage you to find the movie, watch the movie, and love the movie!

Hearts Divided Trivia and Tidbits

  • Dick Powell was given the role at the request of Marion Davies.
  • Arthur Treacher (Harry) is best-known as a frequent star in Shirley Temple movies. He also portrayed the Constable in Mary Poppins.
  • I am convinced Claude Rains (Napoleon) could have played any role with the believability of me portraying myself. You will remember him as Captain Louis Renault (Casablanca), Caesar (opposite Vivien Leigh in Caesar and Cleopatra, 1945), Prince John (The Adventures of Robin Hood, 1938), Senator Joseph Paine (Mr. Smith Goes to Washington), and, of course, The Invisible Man (The Invisible Man, 1933).
  • Dick Powell (who, himself, was a wonderful actor) is one of the people associated with the 1956 film The Conqueror who happened to die from cancer. Many believe it is no coincidence that so many involved with this movie met the same fate, as the Conqueror was filmed near a nuclear test site in Utah. In addition to Powell (who directed the movie), actors John Wayne, Susan Hayward, Ted de Corsia, and Agnes Moorehead each died from cancer. However, in a 2001 interview with Larry King, Powell’s widow June Allyson said she believed he died from lung cancer because he was a chain-smoker.
  • Marion Davies was as apparently kind as she was beautiful . She had a well-known reputation in the film industry for being extremely kind to the casts and crews of her films. She was even known to pay hospital bills anonymously if she heard that they were sick.
  • Your best bet for catching this charming movie is probably TCM. As I’ve often mentioned, I collect dvds, books, and memorabilia (especially of my favorite stars). I CANNOT find this dvd anywhere! Unfortunately it isn’t available full-length on YouTube either.

 

Filed Under: Dick Powell, Marion Davies, Movie Reviews Tagged With: classic movie reviews, Dick Powell, Marion Davies

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

Gilda - Publicity still, Rita Hayworth and Glenn Ford

Glenn Ford and Rita Hayworth, Gilda

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.

Rita Hayworth, Gilda Promo Shot

Rita Hayworth, Gilda

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.

Rita Hayworth, Gilda

Rita Hayworth, Gilda

 

Filed Under: Glenn Ford, Movie Reviews, Old Movies, Rita Hayworth Tagged With: classic movie reviews, Gilda, Glenn Ford, Old Movies, Rita Hayworth

Welcome to Hollywood Yesterday!

Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein

My name is Joi (“Joy”) and I created Hollywood Yesterday as my personal tribute to Old Hollywood. It’s my effort to help keep the stars from Old Hollywood, Classic Television, and Old Radio Shows alive and shining forever. Old Hollywood was sheer magic and I see no reason for the magic to ever die! Read more about Hollywood Yesterday (and see my own favorites) here.

Old Hollywood Actresses

Lena Horne

See the Old Hollywood Actresses page for the index of Classic Hollywood Actresses and Classic TV Actresses.

Old Hollywood Actors

Ross Martin and Robert Conrad

See the Old Hollywood Actors page for the index of Old Hollywood and Classic TV actors.

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Recent Posts

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Old Hollywood Movie Reviews

The Quiet Man is one of the most beautiful, entertaining, colorful, and perfect movies ever made. Two of my favorite stars (Maureen O’Hara and John Wayne) in one of my favorite movies? It doesn’t get much better than that!

More old movie reviews.

Paulette Goddard and Charlie Chaplin, Modern Times

Thank you so much for visiting Hollywood Yesterday! You honor me with your presence and I hope you’ll return very soon and very often.

Stay positive. Stay happy. Stay you.

Meet: Mildred Davis

Mildred Davis

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!

Ava Gardner Posters

Ava Gardner Show Boat Publicity Photo

Ava Gardner Posters

Rita Hayworth Posters

Rita Hayworth, Gilda Promo Shot

Rita Hayworth Posters

Old Hollywood Movies

Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire Top Hat Cheek to Cheek

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

Classic Hollywood Books & Biographies (Reviews)

Maureen O'Hara's Autobiography 'Tis Herself

‘Tis Herself by Maureen O’Hara
I Know Where I'm Going (Katharine Hepburn Biography) and Princess

I Know Where I’m Going: Katharine Hepburn, A Personal Biography

Debbie Reynolds Unsinkable
Unsinkable: A Memoir by Debbie Reynolds

Ginger Rogers Autobiography - Ginger: My Story

Ginger by Ginger Rogers
Love, Lucy by Lucille Ball

Love, Lucy by Lucille Ball
More coming soon!

Dorothy Dandridge

Dorothy Dandridge Carmen Jones Poster

Getting to Know the Gorgeous and Talented Dorothy Dandridge

My Lucy Obsession

Lucille Ball

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…

Barbara Stanwyck Quotes

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!

Legalities…

Aside from pictures of books I review, I do not claim to have taken any of the pictures on this website, nor do I own the pictures – the ones of the stars or the affiliate (product) pictures.  Other, far more talented photographers than me have the credit for the beautiful photos you see. If you would like credit for a photograph or would like one removed, please e-mail me.

Movie posters and promotional photos are used in the belief that they qualify for the Fair Use law. Fair use is a doctrine in the law of the United States that permits limited use of copyrighted material without having to first acquire permission from the copyright holder. Fair use is one of the limitations to copyright intended to balance the interests of copyright holders with the public interest in the wider distribution and use of creative works by allowing as a defense to copyright infringement claims certain limited uses that might otherwise be considered infringement.

When you click through an affiliate (product, book, dvds..) link, I earn a small portion of the money you spend IF you purchase anything. This does not cost you any extra money, of course. This is how I am able to work from home and support my cats! – Joi

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